Help with half day at Epcot?!

[NicholeB630]

Hi we are planning on doing Epcot the day we arrive in Orlando. Going by when we'll get in to airport and time to get to hotel than park I am hoping we'd be at Epcot by 3/3:30. I plan on making ADR for Akerhaus that night. What would you recommend we try and get done that afternoon evening? We have a 2.5 year old son and almost 6 year old daughter when we are there in Dec. Crowds will be low from what I've read since were going early. I am not sure the best strategy to get all epcot done with that later day plus one full day. The full day we will eat at Garden Grill for dinner. Should we try and FP+ test track and then maybe do spaceship earth and I dont know what other one would be good so were not wasting time walking. I'd like to get some lands done since we need to walk to Norway anyways for dinner. What do you all think.

 

[jdrais]

I would try to get FP+ for anything you want to do that evening. Tiering may or may not be still in effect in Dec. Book them at the 60 day mark (or whatever advance time is in Dec) if you are staying onsite. This post by Mesaboy2 has good suggestions. FastPass+ Basic Information, Attraction List, and Suggested Priorities

 

[lazer]

That first night you could do spaceship earth right when you get there, if there's a short wait (usually is that time of year). Then, test track (if you're staying on site, book a fp+). Eat, then book a late fp+ (If tiering isn't in play, or you could just wait in line) for after dinner for Soarin. And, someone could take your youngest over to nemo and friends.

Then, your full day there could be countries and the nemo/aquarium/figment stuff.

 

[NicholeB630]

Going with the tiering plan if thats in effect still I was thinking the one evening we'll do test track since we'll be going with that side of the park. But doesn't seem like there is much use for other FP+ at epcot near by? Since Nemo, turtle talk and Fig are on the other side. I figured I'd do those the full day maybe in the evening closer to dinner and schedule them as the FP+. Will we need a FP for malestrom? I really want to do it but will we have to wait in line horribly long? It makes sense to try and do that the first night since we'll be over there rather than trying to be on that side the next day when everything else were doing is on the other side and up around the world. For the full day we will get there at Rope drop. Should we do Character spot first depending who's there (is there a way to find that out) then try Nemo and other things were not saving for FP+? Then head to the lands? Than when we return later we can use our FP+ for soaring, Fig maybe and turtle talk with crush and have dinner at Garden Grill. This whole tiering thing really seems dumb.

 

[lazer]

My reply keeps timing out, so I'll try again

We were there during a low-season and Malestrom was 40 minutes the whole trip. But, since it's the same tier as Test Track, why not book a late fp for nemo and spaceship earth, for after dinner. Then, if you make it...great...if not, no skin off your back.

As for your full day, I'd book Soarin for sure, and wait in line for characters when they open. Then do nemo stuff, the tour the world, then ride spaceship earth on the way out.

Def get a soarin fp ... That line is the worst to wait it and even if fp cuts it down a little it's worth it!

We spend tons of time at Epcot and ride spaceship earth and nemo at least 5 times a trip, so hoping fp+ doesn't give us really long waits in standby

 

[NicholeB630]

I just dont get why their Tier at HS and EP it makes no sense especially when there are hardly any rides. Maybe that is why because more people at one place where at MK there is so much more to do ride wise. It just really sucks. Our kids will be 2.5 and almost 6 would it be better to just swing test track and possibly not ride it since 2 year old can't anyways and we'd have to parent swap if DH and I wanted to ride with DD and then maybe use our FP+ for Malestrom instead since we all can ride it. I watched a youtube video for test track though and it looked really neat. We will be there are RD the one day but I have no urge to B line for any attraction. We certainly will have a plan and walk at a decent pace.

 

[lazer]

If you get there for rope drop and walk, not race, to test track, you'll probably face a short wait (like under 30). Especially if it's an extra magic hour day. Plus, part of the wait is building the car you'll drive. My 5 year old (was 4 on our last trip), rode if at least 4 times and loved it. I'd try to work it in it's really neat.

The tiering is something I'm definitely not a fan of!

 

[lazer]

Not a fan of the tiering! My son was 4 on our last trip and we rode test track at least 4 times (with rider swap...I have a 22 month old). He loved the ride and the line, which partially included making the car you'll ride in. I'd try to make it work at some point. If you walk, not race or run, you shouldn't have too long of a wait at test track, if you're there at rope drop. Even better for extra magic hour mornings. In the grand scheme of things...one side of Epcot isn't that far from the other, so if it means doubling back, we'd totally do that!

Edit: the app is being weird, sorry about double posts!

 

[NicholeB630]

Hmm ok well maybe we will FP+ for Malestom the first night were there since we'll be over that way and we will get there at RD and go straight to TT. It does sound fun, if its under 30 minutes we could do that. If we parent swap though do we have to wait long again too or is it much quicker the second time around I am guessing? Does anyone know which characters are usually at the character spot? If its someone we've seen I wont care but hoping its not a character we'll want to wait in line for because then I am afraid the line will be long by the time we got back from TT? Will Nemo be long lines in the afternoon? Not sure if I said when were going but Dec 7th-14th. I think I've read that Turtle talk and possibly Imagination with Fig are ones to use FP+ for?

 

[lazer]

When we were there in September, if you used rider swap, you entered the fp+ line the second time. The characters at character spot were the classics: Mickey, Minnie, goofy, Pluto, Donald and daisy.

I'd use FastPass for turtle talk as often the shows fill up and you have to wait for the next one, takes awhile. I've never waited for figment...we've always walked right on. And, to be honest, I wouldn't ever wait more than 15 minutes for it. It doesn't do much for us, especially my son last trip.

 

[NicholeB630]

Ah thanks. We def dont need to worry about that character spot then. I am hoping we see some different ones through the lands and lines are not horribly bad but were doing a lot of character meals to get most of them out of the way. My DD loves them, her favorite part. My DS not sure how he will react. He wasn't to keen on the chickfila cow a couple weeks ago we encountered while at lunch lol. I'll def FP+ crush and I'll have to look into figment, maybe i'll you tube it. I've been looking at ride videos!

 

[lazer]

From what I've read about early and mid December .... You should def have a chance to meet some unique ones without a terrible wait! Have fun. We will be there in October if all goes as planned, it'll be interesting to see how fp+ goes. We loved it during testing, but obviously it'll be different now!