Hopping to Epcot: Rides First or World Showcase First?

[Lee from WV]

I am planning our LL selections. We will arrive at Epcot around 5pm (main gate) and will have already eaten dinner. We want to do a few rides, walk around the World Showcase, and watch the fireworks. I'm wondering whether the "rides" area of Epcot (Guardians, Spaceship Earth, Soarin' etc.) is less crowded after, say, 7pm, or if it doesn't really matter whether rides or Showcase come first.

We have been to WDW probably 10 times over the last 25 years. We aren't interested in the Food festival.

 

[gottalovepluto]

I’d do rides then Showcase just because the back tracking of Showcase-rides-Showcase for fireworks seems like unnecessary walking.

 

[scrappinginontario]

I would also recommend rides first then World Showcase.

Ensuring you’re aware that Guardusns is only virtual queue* or LLSP. It does not have a standby line so your time to ride might be determined by that.

*If you have a VQ, you can ride anytime from when it is called until park close.

 

[LSUfan4444]

Walking doesnt bother me, standing in line does. If you can book the LLs convenient to when you arrive, great but what I would do is walk in the front and immediately check standby for Spaceship Earth, then Soarin, Living with the Land, Nemo & Friends, etc.

If Spaceship Earth is 15-20 min or less, jump in line and then let that kind of dictate where I go from there. Once you get into early afternoon (and World Showcase opens) Spaceship Earth pretty much levels out for the rest of the day so there shouldn't be much difference between 5 and 7.

Now, lets say you walked in, Spaceship Earth was down, Soarin was 50 minutes, etc. I would have no issue heading directly to World Showcase and tracking back to FW.