How do you tour Epcot? Or advice on MY plan?

[summermac]

Before we had a runner go to Soarin, met near Spaceship Earth went to Test Track for standy and Mission Space standy, maybe grabbing a FP for Test Track later if the first window had opened by now. Then we'd head to other side for Soarin, Nemo, Turtle Talk, etc. We would tour WS after FW was done.


NOW...with FP+ I'm wondering if a better option isn't to hit Test Track standby, use FP+ (if necessary) for Mission Space and then enter WS at 10:00 going all through it with FP+ for Soarin and whatever else we pick on that side (all not necessary but hey, whatever) for late afternoon. Then possibly go back to WS for QS dinner at the country of everyone's choice.

Your thoughts?

Right now for our Epcot day (Feb 13) I have planned:
Test Track at Rope Drop
FP+ for Mission Space at 9-10 which might not even be necessary
Soarin from 10:05 - 11:05
Turtle Talk at 11:10.
Truthfully I am assuming the only FP we might need really will be Soarin.
Enter WS at noon or 1, tour Canada and United Kingdom. Depending on time, keep walking or take the boat for
Lunch at Biergarten at 1:45

Basically I can't decide if we should consider an earlier Biergarten lunch (11:30/11:45) touring WS right at opening with the rest of Future World later OR what we currently have.

 

[timfromjersey]

I know it's slightly off-topic, but that (relatively useless) FP+ for Mission Space kills me a little. Perhaps an after lunch (afternoon) Maelstrom?

But otherwise, yeah, looks like it would work.

 

[agavegirl1]

I know it's slightly off-topic, but that (relatively useless) FP+ for Mission Space kills me a little. Perhaps an after lunch (afternoon) Maelstrom?

But otherwise, yeah, looks like it would work.

Maelstrom is tier one and that FP+ has been used for Soarin. Maybe you could move Mission Space to after lunch (may be needed by then). You could do a little more World Showcase touring.

 

[summermac]

I feel like all FP but tier 1 are useless so.....
If we can ride MS standby I'll change that FP for something else. I am pretty confident this will happen.

 

[johde]

I've always had park hoppers so my current plan for EPCOT would be the following.

1. Test Track at RD
2. Quickly make it over to Soarin' and ride stand by (swap these if using single rider line for TT)
3. Enjoy rest of Future World at your leisure.
4. Hop Monorail to MK or Boat to DHS where I can book 3 FP+'s that save me time.

5. Enjoy WS some other day starting my day at MK or DHS and hopping to Epcot after using my FP+

 

[timfromjersey]

Maelstrom is tier one and that FP+ has been used for Soarin. Maybe you could move Mission Space to after lunch (may be needed by then). You could do a little more World Showcase touring.

Maelstrom is tier 1? Haha never occurred to me to check because...well, that's a bit silly, no?

 

[MikeandReneePlus5]

Maelstrom is tier 1? Haha never occurred to me to check because...well, that's a bit silly, no?

the reason it is tier 1 is precisely because of your earlier suggestion!

 

[Masonmj84]

Here's a touring plan for EP:

Ride TT at RD stanby
Ride SOAT standby
Ride Living with the Land standby
Ride Soarin with FP+
Ride Nemo with FP+ (assuming you want to actually bother using the Tier 2's, which are practically worthless - other option would be to use it on SS Earth)
See Turtle Talk
Ride Maelstrom standby
Ride Gran Fiesta standby
Ride Mission Space with FP+
Ride SS Earth standby (or with FP+ if you didn't use it on Nemo)
Wander aimlessly around World Showcase, doing whatever strikes your fancy

 

[sharonabe]

It's about the same distance from UK to the boat dock as it is from UK to Germany, so I'd walk. That way you don't have to wait for a boat.

I'm a little confused about your possible earlier lunch at 11:30 and touring WS at opening. WS doesn't open until 11:00, and you would need to be at Biergarten by 11:15 for that ADR, so what do you mean?

 

[summermac]

Oh I had it in my head WS opened at 10:00 for some reason. Thanks for pointing that out!

 

[heybravo626]

Will you have park hopper? Our plan for EPCOT in the morning is going to not use the FP+ at all. We would rather hop and use it somewhere else in afternoon or evening.

If you show up at rope drop, you should be able to ride TT and Soarin stand by lines without long waits. Otherwise, you could use FP+ on tier 2 rides when you don’t really need them. No FP+ is going to be our approach for EPCOT and AK. We don’t need them as long as we are early to allow us to get through the big rides fast. That works for us because we are rope drop people. I realize that might not work for everyone.

 

[summermac]

Yes we have hoppers. And yes we will be rope dropping. I have the thought of not using FP+ at all here but will have to play it by ear.

If we want to achieve that, we are probably best served to hit Soarin first wouldn't you think?

 

[maplevale]

I am having a hard time with EPCOT too - I think because it is SOO big I do not want to be walking all over the place (pushing 2 kids in a stroller!)

I think our plan is (February 5)

Rope Drop
Character Spot
Soarin (standby)
The Sea's with Nemo(FP?)
Turtle Talk with Crush(FP?)
Journey into the Imagination
Lunch in Mexico
Gran Fiesta (never heard of that till this thread!)
Test Track (12:45 FP I am trying to get earlier!)
Mission Space
Start the walk around WS from Canada towards Japan
Teppan Edo (4:30 ADR)
Continue WS
Illuminations 9pm

 

[summermac]

Hmm...you know the more I think about it it might make more sense to ride Soarin standby then knock out everything on that side as opposed to Test Track standby and then heading to Land/Seas. I highly doubt we'll need a FP for Mission Space anyway and about half my party doesn't want to ride it. Hmmm....off to see what FP+ has to offer me!

 

[MichiganDVC]

Typical Epcot touring strategy:

Enter Epcot via International Gateway between 9-10am. Eat at Boulangerie Patisserie for breakfast (usually have the pavilion to ourselves at 9am.) Then wander to Future World to ride Spaceship Earth and maybe Living with the Land or Nemo if there's time.

If there's time for what?

Gotta be at La Cantina at 10:55 to await opening so we can get our first beer of the day. (Dos Equis)

Drink said beer while heading to Maelstrom. Ride Maelstrom standby in relatively short wait at 11:15. (Of course we'll be done with our beers by 11:15!) Get another beer at Norway (Carlsberg) and continue on to China.
Wander in gardens/store, move on to African Outpost. Look through store, buy expensive but lovely T-shirts, head to Germany. Get another beer (whichever Pilsner...its going to be a long day) and maybe a pretzel. Look around Karamell-Küche, but resist urge to buy until later. Look around Volkskunst at all the steins and cuckoo clocks. Resist urge to ever buy, even though we really want to! Head to Italy. Is it time for our 2:00pm Via Napoli reservation yet? Eat delicious pizza and share a pitcher of Moretti. Get another Moretti from outside kiosk because there is no good beer to be had until UK! Head to American Adventure....walk past. Head to Japan, look in store, listen to Matsuriza if playing, perhaps take a seat and people watch. Head to Morocco, walk through the back and take in the architecture, head to France. Pass through...we already saw this at 9:00am. Head to UK and get either a delicious Stella or Harp. Walk through the store and listen to British Revolution if possible. This is a favorite time, if the weather is right, to sit out on the benches down by the water and enjoy the beer. If the weather is not right, head inside Rose and Crown pub to listen to Carol Stein...no longer the Hat Lady, just as Carol. If she's not playing, don't bother. Head to Canada. Get a Unibroue La Fin du Monde. Wait, no don't do that. That will be our last beer of the night and its only 5:00pm!
Split a La Fin du Monde. Head to MouseGear and buy $200 worth of retro Epcot shirts...again. Hopefully remember to use AP discount. Send to resort. Head to Mexico. I think we're hungry again, but since La Cantina refuses to separate the beans from the beef mixture for their nachos, we'll have to pass. Is the weather crappy outside? Head in to La Cava for the delicious trio combo of dips and chips. And a Dos Equis. Ride Gran Fiesta. Head to Norway and get another Carlsberg. Head to China, hopefully to see the acrobats. Head to Germany, get desired treats from Karamell-Küche to take back to the room, do our best to ignore other stores as we've had a few beers and will end up buying something ridiculous like a $150 glass Das Boot that we couldn't get home w/out breaking. Head to Japan for Katsura Grill. Split the Chicken Teriyaki and enjoy the atmosphere: setting sun (or already dark,) Spaceship Earth in the distance, gentle light from the lanterns.... Alternate choice: Split chicken Shawarma platter at Tangierine cafe and catch Mo'Rockin. Head back toward Germany and jockey between Germany and Norway (and their respective beer carts) until Illuminations. The key is to have a FRESH beer exactly at 9:00pm and to be as far from the exit as possible. This leads to less crowds upon exiting and allows for a last-minute leisurely stroll around World Showcase after 9:00pm....

Sound like a plan?

 

[LucyBC80]

Before we had a runner go to Soarin, met near Spaceship Earth went to Test Track for standy and Mission Space standy, maybe grabbing a FP for Test Track later if the first window had opened by now. Then we'd head to other side for Soarin, Nemo, Turtle Talk, etc. We would tour WS after FW was done.


NOW...with FP+ I'm wondering if a better option isn't to hit Test Track standby, use FP+ (if necessary) for Mission Space and then enter WS at 10:00 going all through it with FP+ for Soarin and whatever else we pick on that side (all not necessary but hey, whatever) for late afternoon. Then possibly go back to WS for QS dinner at the country of everyone's choice.

Your thoughts?

Right now for our Epcot day (Feb 13) I have planned:
Test Track at Rope Drop
FP+ for Mission Space at 9-10 which might not even be necessary
Soarin from 10:05 - 11:05
Turtle Talk at 11:10.
Truthfully I am assuming the only FP we might need really will be Soarin.
Enter WS at noon or 1, tour Canada and United Kingdom. Depending on time, keep walking or take the boat for
Lunch at Biergarten at 1:45

Basically I can't decide if we should consider an earlier Biergarten lunch (11:30/11:45) touring WS right at opening with the rest of Future World later OR what we currently have.

My main plain for EPCOT looks at lot like yours. At first I thought Maelstron was a tier 2 FP+ but since finding out it isn't I'm basically going to FP+ Soarin', MS and Nemo, with MS just as FP+ filler.

We usually start WS in Mexico, I might start in Canada one time to see the difference it makes in my plans, which is pretty nonexistent for WS actually, we usually just take notes of band and show times and go from there.

A usual day at EPCOT would go like:

Rope drop
Ride Test Track standby twice and use SR if anyone wants to ride again.
FP+ 10:20AM Mission Space
Ride Energy Adventure
Ride Spaceship Earth
Ride Sum of All Fears
Ride Living With The Land
FP+ Nemo 12PM
Ride Journey Into Imagination With Figment
FP+ Soarin' 1PM
Tour World Showcase.

 

[heybravo626]

Hmm...you know the more I think about it it might make more sense to ride Soarin standby then knock out everything on that side as opposed to Test Track standby and then heading to Land/Seas. I highly doubt we'll need a FP for Mission Space anyway and about half my party doesn't want to ride it. Hmmm....off to see what FP+ has to offer me!

That paln coudl work. I am sure there a few variations that will work.

That’s a tough one on TT or Soarin first. You could get through TT faster but Soarin line usually grows a little faster. Maybe the better strategy for which is better first will flush out when FP machines are gone. We have also thought about Soarin first since TT next would leave us on Mission Space side to ride next. If you are open to single ride TT, I would think RD, Soarin, single ride TT and then Mission Space would be pretty smooth. Then you can head back to the Land side.

One thing I am thinking that might make sense is to hit the emh at EPCOT to move faster and then hop out to another park where FP+ are waiting. I think you will move fast through the rides that way for the first hour. Normally we wouldn’t do the morning emh park due to crowds after emh but it might make some sense in the world of FP+ if you are there just to hit some short line standbys not using and y FP+ and then FP+ elsewhere at another park.

BTW, I tested tried no FP+ in EPCOT and AK over 12 days at Christmas and New Years. That’s when I decided we didn’t need FP+ in EPCOT in AK. But, there was still FP- at EPCOT so it was not the exact same thing.

 

[summermac]

Okay so my new plan:
Soarin at Rope Drop
The Land
Nemo and Turtle Talk (FP from 10:05 - 11:05 if necessary, probably not)
Spaceship Earth
Test Track FP opens at 11:05 followed by Mission Space

Then it's World Showcase time w/ lunch at Biergarten at 1:45
Finish touring WS

I have a third FP for Nemo later that evening just in case.

 

[sharonabe]

My main plain for EPCOT looks at lot like yours. At first I thought Maelstron was a tier 2 FP+ but since finding out it isn't I'm basically going to FP+ Soarin', MS and Nemo, with MS just as FP+ filler.

We usually start WS in Mexico, I might start in Canada one time to see the difference it makes in my plans, which is pretty nonexistent for WS actually, we usually just take notes of band and show times and go from there.

A usual day at EPCOT would go like:

Rope drop
Ride Test Track standby twice and use SR if anyone wants to ride again.
FP+ 10:20AM Mission Space
Ride Energy Adventure
Ride Spaceship Earth
Ride Sum of All Fears
Ride Living With The Land
FP+ Nemo 12PM
Ride Journey Into Imagination With Figment
FP+ Soarin' 1PM
Tour World Showcase.

I don't think this plan has enough time. Riding TT 2x will probably take an hour. Then another 30 min for MS. So, it's now 10:30. The earliest you'll be finished with Ellen is 11:20. That leaves you 40 min to do 3 attractions before Nemo. By 11:20, the standby for Sum of All Fears will likely be 40 min all by itself.

 

[Laketravis]

I don't think this plan has enough time. Riding TT 2x will probably take an hour. Then another 30 min for MS. So, it's now 10:30. The earliest you'll be finished with Ellen is 11:20. That leaves you 40 min to do 3 attractions before Nemo. By 11:20, the standby for Sum of All Fears will likely be 40 min all by itself.

Not if you go single rider.

Like some others have pointed out, I'd save the FP's for another park in the PM since you've got hoppers.

Hit Soarin, hit TT twice, hit MS, do Ellen and Captain EO if you're masochistic, head over to Biergarten for lunch, take the boat to HS and burn your FP's there.

I was assuming you are staying on-site and have hoppers. If not, and if you still can't pre-book by then, using your FP's in the AM would probably be best since by the time you get to another park (especially HS) in the PM the choice FP's may be gone.

If you don't have hoppers, then get to Soarin' first, get to the nearest Kiosk and pull FP's for TT and whatever throwaway second tier you want, get over to TT and ride single rider, do MS maybe even a couple of times standby, then use your TT FP, then burn some time at the less popular attractions before heading over to Biergarten for lunch.