Help ~ my DD hates EPCOT! (long)

[jeleebeene]

DH and I love Epcot - I think it is becoming our favorite park.

We found ourselves at Epcot more than any other park for our last trip. I think our favorite part was just walking through World Showcase. There is so much to do!

The Lands are great, and offer some great information - I had never before seen Figment until my last trip, and really enjoyed that. When I was younger, my Aunt would always bring us something with figment on it - my younger brother STILL has his figment hand puppet - and that has been years ago!

Ice Station Cool is awesome - gotta try the different drinks from around the world!

The only thing DH doesn't like is Innoventions - but we have never really gotten to check it out in detail, so I am hoping to do that this next trip. I love science, and while DH is good at science, he doesn't like it. Strange

I think what probably happened was since you arrived early for the breakfast - it probably was boring for World Showcase. The movies and rides are interesting - even if you only do them once.

I hope your DD gives Epcot one more chance - maybe you will find some things on your next trip that make you enjoy Epcot more.

And definitely see the candy lady in Japan. We stood and waited for her on our last trip and I received a monkey - she is hilarious and very talented!

Oh, and try to see the Living Statues - this is one of my favorites!

 

[LadyAurora]

We took our nine year old sons, and while it was not their favorite, they did enjoy the park. Highlights for them at World Showcase were the passports, El Rio del Tiempo, and Maelstrom (skip the video at the end). They also seemed to enjoy just walking in Morocco and pretending they were in Aladdin.
At Future World they loved HISTA, TT, "the big golfball" and of course playing video games at Innoventions. They also liked Living with the Land, a boat ride. We always eat a character lunch at GG.
Frankly, EPCOT is not for everyone, so when my DH and I go alone, sometimes we just skip the park.

 

[TarraLee]

My first trip I hated EPCOT too! But now I like it more. For me, the key to enjoying EPCOT is to spend short blocks of time there- like 3 hours or so, instead of a full day. I like to go though EPCOT piece by piece instead of all at once. Then, you can eat more! haha

We're taking two little ones for their first visit to WDW, and I think we'll do EPCOT in small chunks- a couple countries an Illuminations, a morning with TT and JII, an afternoon with LS and the ice cream social, another couple countries and dinner at France.

My goal: get out of EPCOT before the kids get bored with it. Come back in a couple days and do a little more. Sometimes you have to be tricky with the little ones!

Hope your DD learns to love it, and if she doesn't, no big thing. We all have our "favorites"!

 

[SueSue]

I have to agree with all the responses thus far. Our kids have always loved Epcot for all the reasons mentioned. I may have missed it, but I don't think I saw mention of Illuminations. We like it better that any other night-time event at WDW. We also loved the parade at Epcot more than anywhere else, and are very disappointed it has been discontinued.

I hope your daughter gives Epcot another chance. It is definitely different than the other parks, but variety is the spice of life!

 

[manchurianbrownbear]

I had to laugh when I read the title to your post! On our kids first visit to WDW in 2000, my younger son (age 5 at the time) had been in EPCOT for about a half an hour when he loudly proclaimed, "THIS STINKS!!!". We had arrived the day before and gone right to MK for MNSSHP and I think he expected that ALL the parks would be like MK.

His mood improved as we did a few things, but we still give him a bad time about being a crab at WDW!

Our kids seemed to enjoy the park more in the evening. We enjoyed a lot things that have already been mentioned; the kids favorites were probably Ice Station Cool and Test Track.

We'd like to spend more time in World Showcase this November. Can someone tell me where to get masks and how much they cost? We missed that onour last trip. I think our kids would enjoy this and it would be a good way to get them to agree to visit every country.

 

[holidaybarb]

Masks are absolutely free! You can get one at any Kidcot station -same place that stamps the passport. We had to ask someone in each country where to find the kids station - usually it was in a toy store or gift shop.

 

[grinningghost]

Laughed at the title of the thread! My own DD (who is now 14), told me recently that when we go in August, her and her friend probably won't even BOTHER going to Epcot because there's nothing there. UNTIL, I reminded her about Test Track and Spaceship Earth and Maelstrom and Honey I Shrunk the Audience... she then said "Oh yeah, I guess we will go there". And that was even before we were sure Mission Space will be open.

The best advice I give parents of kids going to WDW the first time is, do Epcot FIRST. I know, it's a killer not to go to MK first, but if you have kids, and you want them to love Epcot - you need to go there first before they've had a chance to do anything else. It's amazing how jaded they can be once they've seen that castle.

 

[DisneyVillain]

1 -- My kids love the entertainment. Especially the "Jammitors", Off-Kilter, the living statues in Italy, and the mime in France.
2 -- Cranium Command in the Wonders of Life.
3 -- ImageWorks.
4 -- Biergarten (make sure your PS is for a time that will include the show). This was my DS17's favorite meal at WDW.
5 -- Glass blower in Mexico.
6 -- Help her learn to say "Hello" and "Thank you" in each language, and the Cast Members who are from those countries will immediately be her good friends.
7 -- My kids loved the World Showcase Passports when they were that age. Make sure you get a Cast Member from each country to autograph it. Some of them will write a whole page!

 

[wdwfan]

We love Epcot!! We love Test Track, Norway, Maelstrom is fun and my husband insists that we stay for the movie. We like the boat ride in Mexico. Each of the countries have something to offer. This summer will be our fourth summer in a row going to WDW and we still have yet to see everything in all the parks! Give Epcot another chance especially now that you'll be so close to it.

 

[susy]

On our son's first trip we did Epcot first. He was almost 4yo. We actually arrived at about 5pm and rode Spaceship Earth-his first ever WDW ride! He loved it! We then did the Living Seas and ate dinner at the Garden Grill. Epcot is pretty at night with the fountains and Illuminations. My son loves it there and we do it practically every night we are there.

I think at NIGHT might be the key. We did it once in the daytime and it had a totally opposite effect on him. We did it the next NIGHT and he was happy again! I think that if he gets the "fun" rides out of the way in the morning, he is more relaxed and more in the mood for slower paced attractions. We also get him a stroller and he seems very content. 7 trips later, he still loves it!

Since you are staying at the BC, try doing a different park in the morning, swim at SB/rest, and then walk over to Epcot in the evening. Maybe with Iluminations to look forward too, she might enjoy it more. If she is petite and tires easily, maybe you can rent a stroller for her. Even though FW closes at 7, many things are open until 9. If you are there around 5, you can get a lot done in FW and then go over to the WS. In just a few nights (spread out) , you will have done quite a bit there without spending a large portion of a day there. It just might work!

 

[macs4us]

Yet we all try to help each other on these boards - it's great!!!

We are "geeks" and artist types... and we love Epcot. When we go to WDW, there is not a day we don't spend some time at Epcot. I am not sure if we are not big on the MK because we go to DL all the time, and we just want something different?!?!? When my mom went with us (her first time) we did the "Behind the Seeds" tour which was fab, but that is what we like on vacation. Maybe just plan a half day/day with Mission Space, Test Track, Body Wars mixed in between some other elements that aren't as "active" and that would make it more interesting.

My 11 year old niece likes all of the parks, but Epcot is her fav as well (ok, so she is a lot like me), and would be happy to just play around in Innoventions for most of the day - and she has, with her dad. I think this bodes well for our August trip...lots of indoor activities!!!