How long on average does it take to go around World Showcase?

[marriedmarylander]

What are the not to be missed countries or attractions there?

About how many miles would you say it is?

 

[bavaria]

I think that I read somewhere that it's 1.2 miles, without the detours of course! I can walk around if I am just walking for the heck of it in about 15-20 min, depending on the crowds and my need to stop for a cappuchino or to watch something.

Otherwise plan an afternoon - it's well worth it!!!

Really, it's personal taste as to the attractions ie I hate all the kitsch in Germany (everyone probably feels that their own country there is not well represented) but I always end up having to go through all the shops every time around the world, it seems!

A lot of it is the entertainment - I used to love a lot of the live shows, but don't like a lot of the current ones now.....

 

[stingmom]

"How long on average does it take to go around World Showcase? "

Well, in July (99 degrees out, 99% humidity) with 3 kids (10 and under) that are hot, tired and thristy and water filling ability few and far between.... I'd have to say...

As FAST as I can push the stroller around it!

Seriously, to each his own. It was a long hike for the 2 older kids and they didn't enjoy it very much. We went to Norway to cool off on that ride and it broke down after we had been waiting about 15min, then my youngest had to "go," so we had to bail out of the line....blah, blah, blah. All 3 of my kids have we requested we don't go back to EPCOT because it was a lot of HOT walking and not a lot of interest for them. It would probably be nice in cooler months, w/o our dear children.

 

[MiJo]

The time you spend in the WS depends on how much you want to see and do. My DW and I usually spend a whole day visiting the WS. As for miles.... There are 11 main countries in the WS. The longest walk from one country to the next is probably no more than 5-6 minutes. England and Canada are only a few minutes walk apart, for example. You can walk around in the stores, exhibits, etc., but I don't think it would amount to "miles" per se.

 

[PratersloveDW]

Well it really depends on how much you plan on doing - shopping, eating, etc. We usually go back to Epcot several nights out of our trips (usually during the F&WF) and it takes those several nights to look around at all the countries and try the different restaurants. But if we don't have a few nights to spend there, then we give ourselves a good part of an afternoon and evening.

If you are just wondering about walking straight through, I would say about 15 minutes.

 

[WDSearcher]

It really depends. It's about a mile and a third to walk the whole promenade, but how long it takes depends on how often you stop. If you're eating a meal in one of the pavilions; shopping a bit; trying to see some or all of the entertainment; do the boat rides at Mexico and Norway; the show at American Adventure; and the films at China, Canada and France, then it could take you a very good chunk of your day. If you just want to walk around World Showcase, then obviously, much less time.

My "must see" attractions are the Norway ride (and I'm one of the few who stays to see the film too!), the American Adventure presentation, the France film and the Canada film. I also try to see Off Kilter at Canada, Voices of Liberty at AA, the acrobats in China, and the band at UK. I also stop for a beer and bratwurst at Germany, some fish & chips at UK, and usually a pastry at either Norway or France. I also usually check out what is being exhibited at the Japan gallery and take a walk through that. And then I'll stay and watch IllumiNations. I can show up at 1pm and be there until IllumiNations is over.

 

[marriedmarylander]

I figured I will get varying answers! The reason I'm asking is because I'm squeezing in both water parks, we are going to Epcot around the mid-afternoon after TL. It's EMH evening so a good number of attractions will be open. I wasn't sure if I should try to do as much FW stuff as I could for a couple hours then start the WS around 6PM and go until 9PM or just skip FW until the EMH evening and do WS as soon as I get to Epcot. On Saturday, we are going to BB and in the evening have nothing planned that day - left it that way to revisit a park... I did'nt know if I should split it up on purpose - say do FW on Thursday and WS on Saturday evening or try to do as much as we can on Thursday?

 

[JLTraveling]

My personal vote for your scheduling would be to split Epcot up between the two evenings. That way, you can spend your WS evening taking your time, maybe eat in one of the pavilions (I strongly recommend Morocco, BTW), do the attractions, and have time to shop. Then I would stake out a spot for Illuminations no later than 8:30. You can then have a separate evening for FW to ride, ride, ride.

Epcot "can" be done in part of one day, but you miss so much trying to do it all at that pace. There is so much to see and absorb, especially in the WS, that you really don't want to feel rushed.

 

[MiJo]

Hey! If you want to do a quick tour of the WS, take the SEGWAY TOUR! That way, you can cruise around the whole promenade and tour a few of the countries in about an hour. It's great! Of course, you won't get to eat or see any of the shows but you will "see" all of the countries in the shortest amount of time.

 

[cdrn1]

When we go to WDW I like to go to WS twice; I go in the daytime so I can see everything (obviously) in the daylight and then I go back another time late in the day because it's just such a wonderful atmosphere after dark. I went once with some friends who had never been and we did FW in the morning (we were the first through the gate that morning!) and then WS in the late afternoon/evening. We spent the whole entire day there. It was so much fun. We did NOT see everything in that 12-13 hour timespan as we did a lot of sitting (ie sake and spring rolls for almost two hours in that upstairs place in Japan) and ended up missing several things we had planned on doing but had just an incredible time. The time it takes all depends on how in-depth you want to see it.

 

[Msslaydbug]

On each trip we spend about an afternoon at the WS - also staying for Illuminations. Epcot isn't my favorite , but it is my DH's. Anytime he has the chance he will go back to Epcot. I think it depends on the person. I have no intrest in seeing all the films and my DH does so he spends ALOT of time there !!

 

[DrTomorrow]

10 minutes - but you have to run very, very fast! Or maybe get a Segway .

 

[NewEnglandDisney]

An hour to an entire day, depending on your interest. I usually take a short afternoon to walk through, check out the shops, etc. - but I don't come to WDW for live entertainment and I live in Manhattan so I have all the museums I want here so the arty exhibits don't do it for me either.

But I do know people who can spend an entire day there - it just will depend on your interest. That said, check out the AllEars pages on WS - I was reading through them the other day to help a family member plan their DAY at WS (yes, an entire day!) and there are lots of undocumented things there.

Get over there as early as possible (11am) or wait until the late afternoon, though - the mid-day there is hot, with little shade, and usually very very crowded.

N.E.D.

 

[marriedmarylander]

My personal vote for your scheduling would be to split Epcot up between the two evenings. That way, you can spend your WS evening taking your time, maybe eat in one of the pavilions (I strongly recommend Morocco, BTW), do the attractions, and have time to shop. Then I would stake out a spot for Illuminations no later than 8:30. You can then have a separate evening for FW to ride, ride, ride.

Epcot "can" be done in part of one day, but you miss so much trying to do it all at that pace. There is so much to see and absorb, especially in the WS, that you really don't want to feel rushed.

Thanks for the advice. I think since we do have another free evening I'll stick with doing the FW stuff for the Thursday since most of it is open for evening EMH just in case it happens to be crowded or something. That way we can take our time. Although I was little confused about rides are open until 9PM even though rest of future world closed at 7PM. I hope this is the case - I don't want to be set on doing an evening of rides and then they close on me. Then the other night I have open I'll do the WS and take my time. It's much better than rushing to do Soarin' (so far not listed as EMH attraction) to make sure we do that and who knows how long that line is, and run around the WS then go to EMH to do the rest of the attractions sounded too hectic to me But then again who knows. We might make great time and be able to get it done without rushing.