I need your advice on Epcot touring plan

[gems_smiling]

How would you suggest tackling Epcot in September?

We plan to get there for opening and wish to leave Epcot at about 2pm.

These are the rides and other things we wish to do:
Test track (twice)
Soarin (twice if possible)
Living with the land
Circle of life
Spaceship earth
Lunch at Sunshine seasons
Short look around world showcase
Journey into imagination
The living seas

I was thinking about doing the following but not sure if i have left enough time for each attraction:

Go to soarin and get a FP (what sort of time will the return time be?) then Ride soarin
Go ride test track
Ride living with the land
See circle of life
Ride Journey into imagination
Get FP for Test track (again any idea of what the return time would be?)
Ride Soarin using FP
Have Lunch
See the living seas
Tour WS
Ride TT using FP
Ride SE

Is this possible? What would you suggest doing?

 

[pooch]

from opening at 9AM(?) until 2PM, you'll probably have time to do FW but WS is HUGE!!! I can't imagine you'll have time to run around it let alone see anything. I have to say that Epcot is my favorite park so I always use 2 days to see it, one for FW and one for WS. To do all of it in 5 hrs seems unrealistic to me!! You could do most of FW in that time if you don't stop to read every sign, talk to every cast member, people watch like I do

 

[babynurse1]

I agree, Epcot is just too big to cover in 5 hours, but use the fast passes to your advantage. Also, if you don't have to ride some of those FW rides twice, it will save lots of time.

 

[Demon Llama]

I've gone to WDW in September for the past 2 years, and I can honestly say, YOU CAN DO IT!

 

[tkd lisa]

If you pull a FP for soarin first thing, it will probably be good for 10:30ish. Ride Soarin standby (probably 20-30 minute wait after you get fastpasses), then go over to Living Seas. Turtle talk usually doesn't start until 10, so I'd get in that line for the first show. After Turtle Talk, explore the Living Seas until it's FP time.

Send someone to Test Track to pick up FPs as soon as the window opens (probably will be good for 12:00-1:00ish. Ride Soarin FP, go to Living with the Land or Circle of Life (depending on lines/showtime). Get lunch (should be 11:30 or 12 by this time). Head over into JIYI (always a walk on). Ride Test Track with fast pass (or check out one of the WS countries if FP is later).

Finally, hit Spaceship Earth on the way out. There is never a line for this later in the day.

This got most of what you wanted. I don't see a practical way to ride TT twice in that timeframe. And imo, Soarin is worth two rides, TT is less worth it.

And instead of walking all the way around WS, I'd pick either Canada or Mexico (the end countries) and really explore them. Just walking around will take quite a while (it takes me about 20 minutes of fast walking to make it around WS), and you won't feel like you did anything but walk. I think the time is better spent seeing at least one country.

Hope this helps!

 

[Karnak]

Too much of a list for me to comment on without making a detailed study, and your leaving the park at 2:00 pm also puts quite a strain on things. But here's a couple of bits of advice ...

Upon entering the park at opening time, walk quickly to The Land, grab Soarin' fastpasses for your party, get into the standby line and ride Soarin' for the first time.

Exit The Land, and walk across the park. Break your party into singles and ride Test Track twice, using the single rider line. No need for fastpasses here.

Walk back to The Land, and depending upon your Soarin' fastpass time, experience the other two attractions at The Land you wanted to do (Living With the Land boat ride, and the Circle of Life movie), ride Soarin' when time is right, and, since it will be lunch time by the time you do all this, have lunch at Sunshine Seasons in the Land.

Pick up the other items on your list as time allows, leaving Space Ship Earth for last, just before you exit the park, because that attraction seldom has a line in the afternoon.

Enjoy.

 

[ssdeverell]

I do not think you will have time to do WS, so below is how I would do FW with the least amount of walking and backtracking. Three trips into the Land is a lot.

Maybe fit in part of WS on another evening? It really is a must see.

FP Soarin
Ride Soarin
Living with the Land
Circle of Life
FP Test Track
Ride Test Track
Journey
Soarin with FP
Lunch
Living Seas (not seeing Turtle Talk?)
Test Track with FP
Spaceship Earth

I think this would finish you up between 1 and 2, depending on how long you spend in the Living Seas.

 

[lacy1101]

I do not think you will have time to do WS, so below is how I would do FW with the least amount of walking and backtracking. Three trips into the Land is a lot.

Maybe fit in part of WS on another evening? It really is a must see.

FP Soarin
Ride Soarin
Living with the Land
Circle of Life
FP Test Track
Ride Test Track
Journey
Soarin with FP
Lunch
Living Seas (not seeing Turtle Talk?)
Test Track with FP
Spaceship Earth

I think this would finish you up between 1 and 2, depending on how long you spend in the Living Seas.

I didn't think you were permitted to have more than 1 FP at one time? In other words, you would have to use your Soarin' FP before you could get a FP for Test Track. Has that changed?

 

[Got Quattro?]

Epcot is a 2 day park..no exceptions.

Day 1 hit future world and do all you can..get out by 2:00pm.

Day 2 arrive at 2:00pm do what you missed at future world, then spend the evening at world showcase...finishing with illuminations.

 

[ougrad86]

FW maybe in 5 hours - you can walk through Epcot in 5 hours and ride some of the rides, but you will not enjoy WS. We spend 1 day in FW, then went to a TS in WS, and then spent the next day in WS, then split up the last day. Also, lines (esp. for Soarin') tend to get very long very quickly. We used FP alot while we were there.

 

[onelugnut]

ditto. couldnt have said that better

If you pull a FP for soarin first thing, it will probably be good for 10:30ish. Ride Soarin standby (probably 20-30 minute wait after you get fastpasses), then go over to Living Seas. Turtle talk usually doesn't start until 10, so I'd get in that line for the first show. After Turtle Talk, explore the Living Seas until it's FP time.

Send someone to Test Track to pick up FPs as soon as the window opens (probably will be good for 12:00-1:00ish. Ride Soarin FP, go to Living with the Land or Circle of Life (depending on lines/showtime). Get lunch (should be 11:30 or 12 by this time). Head over into JIYI (always a walk on). Ride Test Track with fast pass (or check out one of the WS countries if FP is later).

Finally, hit Spaceship Earth on the way out. There is never a line for this later in the day.

This got most of what you wanted. I don't see a practical way to ride TT twice in that timeframe. And imo, Soarin is worth two rides, TT is less worth it.

And instead of walking all the way around WS, I'd pick either Canada or Mexico (the end countries) and really explore them. Just walking around will take quite a while (it takes me about 20 minutes of fast walking to make it around WS), and you won't feel like you did anything but walk. I think the time is better spent seeing at least one country.

Hope this helps!

 

[Zippa D Doodah]

The exception is, of course, if you don't want to see WS. It is not for everyone, but can be a huge timesucker. If your agenda is tight, and your party contains little ones who might not enjoy WS as much as other areas of WDW, then skip WS. FW can be done in the time frame OP suggests. Rationale: Illuminations is a great show, but not a "must see" IMO. WS is infinitely more enjoyable if you don't have youngsters tugging on your arm wanting to know what's next.

 

[rlovew]

You ride line-up would end with lunch at about 12 - 12:30. And unless you actually ran through the World Showcase you wouldn't get to see any of it.


My suggestion would be the following touring plan:
1. Send 1 peson to Soarnin and get FP for the whole group.
2. Meet everyone at Test track and ride (if you ride Soarin first you will probably have a wait of at least 20 minutes and will have trouble getting in all you want to do unless the park is empty) - it will be about 9:20 when you finish)
3. Ride SE on your way back across the park (9:40)
4. Go to the Living Seas and take a quick look around and get in line for Turtle Talk (10:30)
5. Head over to get a 2nd FP and ride Soarin (your FP will open up about 10:15). (you will finish about 10:50)
6. Ride Living with the Land (11:20)
7. Eat lunch at Seasons (11:50)
8. Watch Circle of Life (12:20)
9. Ride Imagination (12:40)
10. Take a walking tour of the World Showcase (this trip is about 1.5 miles at least and that is if you don't go into any shops but just look at the outside if you do more than 5 minutes of window shopping per country your times are gone plus you can't ride or see any movies in this tour- just take a quick look and a picture in the picture spot and move- not worth doing in this manner but if you want to leave by 2 and do WS your only choice) (1:40)
11. Ride Soarin a 2nd time.
You will not be able to get in a 2nd ride on TT with you time crunch

 

[phantom728]

I agree about not enough time for WS. We've gone during the slow time when no FP's were needed (before Soarin was there) and we're just making around to WS about 2pm (and believe me...we don't mosey our way around the park). We've done multi-parks in 1 day, but only hitting specific rides.

I agree with
FP for Soarin, then ride if slow line
Test Track
Living Seas
Living with the land
Circle of Life
Imagination
Test Track FP
Spaceship Earth on the way out, allow about 15 minutes for this ride...it's one of our favorites.

Then mix your lunch somewhere inbetween depending on your times.

We do as other posters have said and split FW and WS up between several days.

Good Luck