How to "do" Epcot

[Hippychickali]

How do you "do" Epcot? Do you start or end with the World Showcase? When you do the WS what country do you start with?

Ali

 

[Jordan's MOM]

We always end with WS because it opens later and closes later. Where we start depends on where we are planning to eat and our time with dinner. I really like Mexico so sometimes we go there first if we do not have dinner plans.


jordans' mom

 

[pouncingpluto]

If I'm spending the whole day at Epcot, I arrive first thing and do a few attractions in Future World while attendance is still light. Then, as soon as World Showcase opens, I go over there, since attendance is pretty light in the late morning and early afternoon. Then, in the late afternoons I go back over to Future World. By that time, the attendance is starting to thin out in FW and increase in WS.

 

[dcmbshafe]

There are a couple of questions you have to ask yourself.

How long do you intend to be at Epcot? If you're planning on being there the entire day, then you should know that FW generally opens and closes about 2 hours earlier than WS.

What are "must see" attractions? If you absolutely have to ride Test Track and Mission:Space, then you will want to see them early in the morning or later in the day (or use FastPass) - this will have an impact on how you "do" Epcot.

Are you interested in the street shows? There are a number of shows that take place throughout Epcot during the day and many of them are in WS. The times guide will indicate when and where. We really like these and will organize part of our touring plan aound this.

Do you have a dining preference? There are a lot of great restaurants in Epcot, particularly in the WS. If you want to eat in the more popular restaurants, you'll probably have to make priority seating reservations. Of course, this will have an impact on your touring schedule.

Are you staying for Illuminations? If you are staying and it is during one of the busier times of the year, you'll want to scope out a good spot up to an hour ahead of the show.

You also really need to consider the pace at which you would like to tour and the types of things you want to experience. If you want to experience more of the traditional Disney-type attractions, you will need to spend a little more time in FW than otherwise. Alternatively, you could spend a LOT of time in WS just wandering around the countries, going through the shops, seeing the street performances, etc.

Good Luck. Have a great trip!

 

[dcmbshafe]

Oh, sorry, forgot to answer your other question. For some reason, we tend to tour WS starting in Mexico and move clock-wise. The Unofficial Guide talks about this, but I can't recall off-hand whether they determined a real bias one way or the other.

 

[Gluman11]

Just 'wing it'.........

 

[karemore]

I always start in FW and hit my "must see" attractions first.

When WS opens, I always start in Mexico and work my way around.

Then later in the day when WS is getting more crowded I head back to FW to revisit my favorites or hit the ones I skipped earlier.

Later I try to catch the ferry if I want to see (or eat...lol) something in the WS, because by then I'm exhausted!

I usually break up the countries over two days if I can. I like to have at least a day and a half for EPCOT, it's my favorite park.

Karen

 

[nicknamy1996]

Do not do Spaceship Earth upon entry to the park!!! You can easily waste 20 to 30 min. waiting to ride this (and thats in the off season) if you go first thing. If you wait a couple of hours you can walk right up an on.

Other than that we try to break it into 2 days. Maybe do FW and Mexico and Norway one day. But we love the world showcase and enjoy going to EPCOT in the middle of the day and going strait to WS. We managed to keep our 2 and 4 y/o entertained for hours back there with pressed pennies this year, and kidkot and passports last year. While snacking eating and seeing a few shows.