Epcot - your best plans/tips for DD(3.5)

[tmarquez]

Hi All

Since DD(3.5) was born we have been a strictly MK family. We'd like to branch out a little. A couple of weeks ago we tried MGM and she was BORED, she called it the bad disney , and we left early and finished the day at MK. Although we didn't really do much planning, there wasn't much at all that she was interested in. She's not a show kind of girl, she likes to be in the action. She liked the playground and the Great Movie Ride...that was it.

We want to try Epcot, and I need some advice. What's not to be missed? What should we skip? Will we end up back at MK?

Thanks!

 

[crisi]

Hi All

Since DD(3.5) was born we have been a strictly MK family. We'd like to branch out a little. A couple of weeks ago we tried MGM and she was BORED, she called it the bad disney , and we left early and finished the day at MK. Although we didn't really do much planning, there wasn't much at all that she was interested in. She's not a show kind of girl, she likes to be in the action. She liked the playground and the Great Movie Ride...that was it.

We want to try Epcot, and I need some advice. What's not to be missed? What should we skip? Will we end up back at MK?

Thanks!

We aren't MGM people either.

Here is how our family does Epcot. Generally, we spend our morning at either MK or AK. Then we go back to the pool and swim. Then we take our tired kids, put them in the Disney stroller, and go to dinner in the World Showcase, seeing one or two attractions and a show or two. We do the masks - pick one up at a kidcot station in any country and each country will add to the mask. That keeps the kids interested in getting to all the countries. We do this maybe three or four nights out of a week. But really, for us the key is to give the kids what they want in the morning, tire them out, then they are content to sit and watch in the evening - and content to let us have a leisurely meal.

With Soarin and Test Track and Mission Space (at 3.5 your DD is too young for Mission:Space) we do a morning there now as well.

Attractions: Ours are older now (6 and 7) but like Soarin, Test Track. My kids find Maelstrom to be "scary." They love the stupid river in Mexico. They like the Imagination pavillion and the rides there. Everything is pretty spread out and this isn't a "go go go" sort of park like the MK.

 

[Ang1e]

Each country in Epcot has a Kidcot station. You collect a mask on a stick at the 1st station and at each country the children can draw something onto their mask and colour it. The CM at the station will stamp the stick and add a dangly peice of card onto it.

I don't think I've explained it very well but my DS & DD love doing them. Even last year when they were 9 & 12!

 

[mama4]

Don't forget the Nestle Junior Chef program at the Land Pavillion. We haven't tried this yet but my ds 4 wants to on our next trip. He also wants to see Crush at Living Seas. His last trip to Epcot was at age 3 and his little brother was 15 mths. They both loved the Innoventions fountains, Club Cool and El Rio del Tiempo and 4 yo loved kidcot stations. In the future, I don't think we could spend an entire day there and keep them from becoming bored, but I think the tip about going later in the day after they've done a slew of kiddie rides is a great tip. Dinner at World Showcase and Illuminations would be a nice end to the day.

 

[tmarquez]

Thanks for the replies! We will just going over for a day trip so we'll be getting there early in the morning and leaving whenever.

Soarin' and Test Track are out...she's a shorty for her age.

It sounds like she'll like the kidcot stops so we'll definately do that and she would definately like the Junior Chef thing.

I'm starting to wonder if maybe we should go to MK in the morning, do her favorites and then go over to Epcot after lunch for a few hours for a test run? I don't want to tire her out too much because she won't fall asleep in a stroller, she will just be a monster until she gets to her car seat.

 

[asktriplets]

we just got back with our three 3.5 y.os...MK is, of course, our favorite, but epcot is a close second, not because of the rides, but because of the experiences...it is so great to wander epcot with one (or 3!)this age...

the living seas is wonderful (and we didn't bother with turtle talk....line was LONG)

in future world, my kids do like the "living with the land ride" and although you mentioned that this won't apply to you, my kids just made the cut off this time for soarin', and they went on it 3 times and loved it!!! pretty amazing for kids who are afraid to ride the winnie the pooh ride, huh?!? .


we like the jumping fountains back by the imagination ride, and if you are going soon, there are a number of playground areas set up for the flower festival around the walkway to world showcase...

world showcase is the real gem for kids this age (which is why we go 1 morning for a few hours, but then make WS a pretty regular after-nap destination)...

every country has SO many little experiences for kids this age, including the kidcot stations (which we used as a diversion, when necessary, but not as a motivation---my kids could color with those stupid permanent (!!!!) markers for at least 30 mins. in each country if we encouraged it. we tried to downplay/avoid those if we didn't "need" them...we all had much more fun exploring everything else!! ).

each county usually has some music/show in the afternoons/evenings which are always interesting to our kids, even if only for 10-15 mins.

we usually ended up getting one or two food items each evening in different countries, which the kids really enjoyed.

mexico has "el rio del tiempo" ride, which my kids LOVE. they also like wandering around the stalls inside, looking at the art in the front of the bldg, and we usually eat outside 1 meal...nice to grab a table overlooking the lake and people/boat watch.

you can no longer get on the viking ship in norway, but still fun to look at. we haven't tried maelstrom with the kids (see previous "afraid of pooh ride" comment)

germany has a model train set up outside between it and italy (just for flower festival?). this was a huge hit with my kids.

italy has all of those steps/bridges to climb up/over near the water.

at the outpost, my kids liked playing on the drums

at japan (and UK), we liked wandering through the gardens

EVERYTHING in morocco is fun to explore (and my kids love "mo'rockin"..the band)

well, ok, you get the idea and i'm running out of time. we just really like wandering around back there (in and out of exhibits and stores, eating all sorts of foods, looking at the different architecture, walking around the lake, dancing to music, etc) and it is rarely feels super crowded because epcot is so big.

it sounds like you have just your DD? i would imagine it to be much more difficult to entertain older children while going at a preschooler's pace and with a preschooler's interests, but if you have that luxury...ENJOY it --it really is such a fun adventure!

have a great time,

 

[KimWDW]

When we went last year my son was 3.5. He loved EPCOT. Does your DD like meeting characters? That's my son's favorite thing to do. We got there at park opening and the double decker bus comes and all the characters pile out. Everyone else is running to Soarin' or TT, so there were no lines to meet the characters. He had them all to himself! He was hugging them all and we got great pictures.

He also loved: Soarin', Living with the Land, the Figment ride and all the things to play with after that, he could have played in Innoventions all day. He looooved Spaceship Earth because of the stars on the ceiling and then how you go backwards on the way down. He liked the Mexico and Norway boat rides. The train set in Germany. The mariachi band outside Mexico.

There's a lot to do.

 

[Ariel8676]

My Girls(4,3) actually like Epcot(andMGM, and AK too..lol)They love Spaceship earth, Maelstrom(and getting Rice creams from Norway while we are there ), Imagination, soarin'. They love to watch the Fountain "dance" to the music, and visiting the kidcot stations. They like the waterfall in Canada(and eating at Le Cellier..lol) They love how they can see the Characters from the different countries they are from. They love all the roses, they are so pretty. It doesn't have to be "boring" for kids, and it can give you a chance to show her all the different things form the different countries.

 

[tmarquez]

Has anyone done the character meal (I'm thinking lunch) in the Land? Worth it, or is there enough character interaction in the park itself? I didn't know about the character bus, this will probably be enough if they are doing it when we go (next Tuesday).

it sounds like you have just your DD? i would imagine it to be much more difficult to entertain older children while going at a preschooler's pace and with a preschooler's interests, but if you have that luxury...ENJOY it --it really is such a fun adventure!

Yes it'll be just me, DD and grandma! You've convinced me...we're gonna skip MK for the day and try it. Thank you!

When we went last year my son was 3.5. He loved EPCOT. Does your DD like meeting characters? That's my son's favorite thing to do. We got there at park opening and the double decker bus comes and all the characters pile out.!

This sounds great! What area do they do this in? We will be there for opening.

They love all the roses, they are so pretty.

Another reason I want to try Epcot now is she is flower crazy...just hoping she doesn't flip out cause she can't pick them!

 

[KimWDW]

If you're there at park opening, you can't miss it. The double decker drives right by and then they drop the future world rope and most people run for Soarin or TT. We followed the bus. It stops right before the big fountain and all the characters come off.
Have fun!

 

[bjscheel]

The Character bus is discontinued, now they have Character Connection somewhere. We found enough to do for a short but leisurely day there for 3.5 and 6.5 DDs. Butterfly tent and craft (not sure where this was), a quick run through the WS, princess lunch, etc. I did not do enough research on Epcot last year, hope to go more in-depth this year.

 

[KimWDW]

The Character bus is discontinued, now they have Character Connection somewhere. We found enough to do for a short but leisurely day there for 3.5 and 6.5 DDs. Butterfly tent and craft (not sure where this was), a quick run through the WS, princess lunch, etc. I did not do enough research on Epcot last year, hope to go more in-depth this year.

I don't think the bus is discontinued. It's still listed on Disney's site:
http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wd...id=DisneyCharactersonHolidayEntertainmentPage

The Character Connection is for Disney Visa card holders only. That's something separate.

 

[KimWDW]

Huh. I just did a search and found that you're right. It was discontinued. That's odd that Disney wouldn't update their own site.

Anyway, allears says the bus is gone:
http://allearsnet.com/tp/ep/ep.htm

 

[frndofpooh]

The last time we went, DS4 loved Spaceship Earth - he could ride that thing all day, I think. It was about the only thing he could ride because he is also a shorty but he was really happy in the WS. We didn't even do the Kidcot stops because he is not really excited about coloring but me made sure we timed our visits in each country to see all of the little demonstrations in the WS. The chinese acrobats and the candy making lady in Japan were favorites! I think if you time it right so that she gets to see something interesting in each area, she will have a great time.

 

[tmarquez]

Bummer! That sounded like fun...the Character Connection thing doesn't sound as good...I guess we'll do the character lunch instead. She likes characters but we never wait in line to see one, at MK we'll snap a quick picture if we happen to be at the right place at the right time.

I'm also surprised they wouldn't update their site, maybe this is just temporary.

Huh. I just did a search and found that you're right. It was discontinued. That's odd that Disney wouldn't update their own site.

Anyway, allears says the bus is gone:
http://allearsnet.com/tp/ep/ep.htm

There is a growth chart hanging up at DD's school. I had a parent/teacher conference earlier this month and the teacher asked if I knew why DD wants to meassure herself constantly. On our last trip to MK, she noticed Splash Mountain for the first time and we had to explain the height requirement...needless to say it didn't go over very well! I'm guessing she's going for the 40"...poor shorty!

It was about the only thing he could ride because he is also a shorty but he was really happy in the WS

 

[MJMcBride]

For Epcot and a 3.5 yr old I would definately do Imagination, Maelstrom, Spaceship Earth, Universe of Energy, Turtle Talk. If he's adventurous and can meet the requirements maybe Test Track and/or Soarin' but thats an indvidual decision.

 

[Mom2T&G]

We just got back from our vacation with our 3.5yo ds and 21mo ds. My 3.5yo loved EPCOT! He loved the Living Seas- Turtle Talk was very cute! And they loved looking at the fish. He also loved the Figment ride. He did the Kidcot stations in most countries and loved making his mask!! He was scared of Maelstrom, so he wouldn't go on the ride in Mexico (but my 21mo loved it!). They also loved playing in the fountains! Have fun!!

 

[Barbers2005]

We just got back from WDW with our Dd4. She loved the whole Living Seas pavillion, especially Turtle Talk...dude. Spaceship Earth was a big hit, as well as Imagination, Universe of Energy, and the Land. There's one of those fountains where the water shoots out of the sidewalk between Future Land and World Showcase...my Dd loves those. Be forewarned, once your kids get in there it'll be like wrestling eels to get them back out. In WS, the gardens were popular with Dd, and she liked looking at the different countries, but she was kind of getting tired by the time we got to that section. The only thing she really didn't like was Illuminations. It was very loud and the fire effects scared her silly. Dh and I ended up rushing her into the nearest bathroom to get her away from it so she could calm down. But, other than that, Epcot was a big hit.