How much time to set aside for World Showcase?

[slickpoetry]

I'm working on our touring plan for Epcot, and I've never been to Epcot before and don't know what to input in terms of time spent in World Showcase. I'd like to tour around the entire lake, but not linger too particularly long in any single country

• We're going on a low crowd day in mid-January
• Maelstrom is closed, leaving Gran Fiesta as the only real ride in the attraction for us to ride
  
• Not going to watch the travelogue films about Canada and France, etc. etc.
• Not eating a meal in the area, but may stop somewhere for a quick snack or drink
  
• Want to see each country's special exhibits and shops, but in a kind of quick way

I'm thinking 1 hour and 45 minutes is more than enough for this part of the day. Am I wrong? Should I block off more time?

 

[Accident]

I'd double that and have a plan b if you get done earlier (or take it more leisurely). Your going to stop somewhere you didn't expect or change your mind on skipping some things or run into a crowd you didn't think would be there. It's a great part of WDW to just enjoy the countries and slow down a little.

 

[Robo]

I'm thinking 1 hour and 45 minutes is more than enough for this part of the day.

1. Am I wrong?

2. Should I block off more time?

1. If that's all the time you want to spend, how can it be wrong?

However...
2. Most guests would block off a lot more time, that's a given.

 

[georgina]

For us, it's hard to do the World Showcase in one day. We have hoppers and do it in sections in the evening. My favorite part (after the drinks) is the entertainment - musicians, acrobats, etc, so we take a lot longer. 1 hour 45 minutes for 11 countries is not much time! (less than 10 minutes per country)

 

[slickpoetry]

OK. I think I may just have to be more flexible when it comes to Epcot and spend as much time as my family wants to. I have a 6 and 3 year old so after a couple countries they may be like "Where the heck is Mickey Mouse?" lol

I would love to just be more freewheeling with stuff but with FP+ and ADRs and ya ya ya it's like everything should be planned down to the minute.

 

[itchin2go]

It's hard to know. We do a couple of afternoons (well ... 11:00 - 2 or 3). We don't generally do the movies, but we do view the food and drinks as attractions.

With kids, do the Kidcot coloring. My daughter loved that. She also loved treats in various countries, and the meet and greets.

 

[asheleycs]

Are the kids going to want to see the princesses? You could practically spend a day in WS just doing those. There are a few other characters, too. Also remember it's a 1.2 mile walk just around the promenade.

 

[Sparkly]

I would say more like 4-5 hours at minimum to have a leisurely look around.

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

I've done it in as little as 2 hours as an adult. But that was only checking out a few pavalions, watching a couple of performers and having a couple of snacks as I went - I was there on a mission that day. I much prefer a leisurely 4 hour stroll through World Showcase.

When my kids were little, they really had fun coloring at the kidcot stations. That meant we were in World Showcase for hours and hours. You never know - yours might enjoy coloring their way around too.

 

[caroline1851]

We spent 3 hours just stopping for some snacks in different countries and we were completely rushed. If I were to do it over, i'd either go there twice and spend 3 hours each time or go once and plan for 5 hours.... (it was just ds13 and me)

 

[fla4fun]

I spend a lot of time in WS. If I am at an Epcot resort, I spend 3-4 hours every day there, just exploring, shopping, eating and enjoying the entertainment - on a ten day trip. It's one of those things you can spend a little time or a lot of time exploring, depending on how in depth you want to go.

If I were planning an Epcot day, I would plan my 3 FP+ for morning. Hit the park at rope drop and ride whatever you could not FP+ while the crowds are low, working them in around your FP+ times. I try to reschedule FP+ times once I've used one, and can usually get my initial 3 in by the time WS opens at 11:00. If you want to make a 4th FP+, schedule that for early evening, and start working your way around WS when it opens, with a goal of having lunch about 1/3 to 1/2 of the way around (which usually hits between 1:00 and 2:00 for me). By the time I've made it all the way around WS and had lunch, it's usually about 6pm - a good time to hit any rides in FW you missed and then stake out your spot for Illuminations. There is plenty for kids at Epcot, including photo ops with Mickey and the gang.

 

[Disneyliscious]

I'm working on our touring plan for Epcot, and I've never been to Epcot before and don't know what to input in terms of time spent in World Showcase. I'd like to tour around the entire lake, but not linger too particularly long in any single country

• We're going on a low crowd day in mid-January
• Maelstrom is closed, leaving Gran Fiesta as the only real ride in the attraction for us to ride
  
• Not going to watch the travelogue films about Canada and France, etc. etc.
• Not eating a meal in the area, but may stop somewhere for a quick snack or drink
  
• Want to see each country's special exhibits and shops, but in a kind of quick way

I'm thinking 1 hour and 45 minutes is more than enough for this part of the day. Am I wrong? Should I block off more time?

I have toured the WS several times in the way you sound like you want to do it and I would figure around 3 hours. You do need to be flexible though because you -will- see something you want to spend a little more time on. I walk right past Canada but like to spend time in the shop at Japan. So it evens out. You can absolutely do it in 1.45 hours but I think giving yourself an extra hour on to that would be more realistic.

 

[Hopefully]

An hour and 45 minutes is unfanthonable to me On a 7 night trip we spend 2 full days in EC and at least 3 evenings, most of this in WS. Have you looked at the number of possible Meet & Greets they have on WS? That alone can take a big chunk of time.
If your goal of a WDW visit is to "ride rides" then yes WS won't have much for you. But Epcot is so much more than rides.
Good Luck

 

[sersee05]

What an interesting post. My family has always viewed epcot as the least liked park. When my kids were little..it was the same kind of thing...where is mickey? Where are the good rides? I don't think we have ever given it a fair shake. When my kids were older. ..test track became the lure and a few others. For dh and I , it was always the least liked park growing up to.

I started researching it and realized. . There was alot more to see at world showcase. that I have never seen before. I was just planning the other night and dh mentioned hoping on epcot day because it's only a half day park. I told him. ..not from I'm learning. I love these boards! Great topic!

 

[mom2AidanAndEli]

I always come down on the other side of the fence with WS for our family. I see all the gushing posts, the "never enough time", the LOVE, LOVE, LOVE for WS. We do like the Mexico ride and used to like Maelstrom too. Happy to go get a few snacks, poke in a few shops. Last year we did watch the American movie. But I had planned a full afternoon/evening in WS and had trouble keeping everyone occupied for more than a few hours! I guess it's just a matter of the family's interests.

Characters -- at 15 and almost 13, my boys are totally over meet and greets.
Eating/drinking -- Yes, we'll stop for a few snacks but DH and I aren't big drinkers and the boys have a number of years before that!
Agent P/Kidcot -- Did the Kim Possible thing a few years back and Kidcot when they were little, but again, too old for that stuff now.
Shopping -- Teenage boys??? Not really. Did get them involved last year by taking pictures with silly hats in each country, which was fun. But once they found their hats, snapped the picture, pretty much on to the next.
Cultural/historical movies -- In teenage speak that equals school. Not something they want to do on summer vacation. They'll sit through HOP and did the American Adventure last year. But that's about it.
Entertainers -- Totally depends on what it is. But also we seem to just miss them or be way too early for the next performance. Maybe we need to check the schedule, but just one more thing that needs to be planned!

Maybe if it was just DH and I or if the kids were little and into some of the other things. But I just find the tween/teen boys aren't really interested!

 

[Princess Mulan]

Put us in the camp with those who love World Showcase. We spend nearly every night of our trip there and still feel as if we need more time. We love the architecture, entertainment, food, shopping, museums, films, concerts, characters, etc. It's also fun to explore the "hidden spots," such as the top of the Canadian pavilion and the interior of the Morocco pavilion (including its museum).

 

[JimmyV]

• Not going to watch the travelogue films about Canada and France, etc. etc.
• Want to see each country's special exhibits and shops, but in a kind of quick way

I'm thinking 1 hour and 45 minutes is more than enough for this part of the day. Am I wrong? Should I block off more time?

Don't be so quick to give up on the movies in France and Canada. Sitting down in the theater in France is a great way to relax for 20 minutes. And the music by Debussy alone is worth it. And the shops and exhibits always take up more time than you think.

 

[marielynn724]

Actually - epcot/world showcase is one of the best areas for meeting characters. Winnie the pooh & co, alice, mary poppins, and peter pan hang out in the UK pavilion; belle, beast, aurora, and marie are in france; snow white & co are in Germany, mulan is in china; Aladdin and jasmine are in morocco, Donald is in mexico, and now frozen is taking over Norway.

 

[LilyWDW]

1 hour and 45 minutes?!? I can't... That would get me through a handful of pavilions at the most! I mean, I will be the first to admit that not every person likes the same things as me, but I easily spend 30+ minutes in some of them (especially Japan and Mexico due to the shopping). I also don't do any of the movies but I do love catching the different acts in each country. The drummers in Japan are AMAZING and a must do for me every single trip into the park. Plus the food...

I usually spend 2-3 afternoons/evenings in World Showcase alone.

 

[CAS239]

You'll be doing World Showcase much like we do. We don't eat in the restaurants, don't linger too long in the stores, and we don't meet any characters.

So with not overly rushing, checking out the shops in every country, not stopping to eat, no characters, no country videos..2 hours should be enough. Anything less would be really rushing through.

We've strolled through WS just checking out the ambiance in about an hour usually. But checking out the shops and stopping for a beer or snack, it pushes it to about 2