Is epcot enjoyable for a 2 yr old?

[TaurusNYY]

I am just wondering the options available for a 2 yr old. We plan on going on May 5th and I realize that the flower show is happening so I am sure it will be beautiful- we will probably go to pixie hollow but this seems more like a garden then an actual ride or performance. I am just wondering other age appropriate rides/shows that will be suitable for a lil girl in love with princesses and fairies.

 

[AlixaLock]

I know everyone is different, but my 18-month old (and then she was 2 and now she's 3, it was the same every time) loved Epcot. She loves roaming around and exploring and Epcot has a lot of space to do that. She walked through all the stores, talked to all the performers ... It was easier to give her freedom to roam at Epcot then at any other park! Now that she's 3 we've moved on to Figment and Spaceship Earth and pictures with the Princesses. Honestly, we always have as much fun at Epcot as we do at MK.

I really like the meet and greets with the princesses in each country. We spent time in China with Mulan and it was by far the best character interaction ever. Snow White is in Germany, Belle in France... lots for a princess to do.

 

[TaurusNYY]

Thank you for the reply- really helps. Those are the kind of responses you want to hear.

 

[sheila <3 WDW]

I really like the meet and greets with the princesses in each country

Me, too! I think DD liked Epcot when we went. She loved the little water play area where it shoots up out of the ground between FW and WS. She loves to look at the stuff in the stores.

 

[JPGonzales]

On our first trip, my youngest was 3. She LOVED Epcot. With the Princess Breakfast followed by looking at the fish in the Seas. Everywhere she went she was finding something magical. There are plenty of characters and plenty of the princesses are out for meet and greets. I also think she would have lots of fun making a mask. You little one can go to the different countries and add/color a mask that makes a perfect souvenir. It's great for all ages. I found it great for her to take a break with one of the parents while the other one got to go explore the country.

But, I have found from experience, it's a BIG park. Don't try and do it in one day. Explore and take breaks. Watch the shows. The candy maker in Japan was a big hit, as well as the juggler in Italy.

Have a GREAT time. It's our favorite park and seems to have a little bit of something for everyone.

 

[DonaldTDuck]

When we took my 34 month old and he loved Epcot. It was our first park, he wanted his first ride to be 'The Big Ball.' Next we met Donald in Mexico on the way to dinner at Biergarten, which he loved. We were worried how he'd do with characters since he fears 'Ozzie' at Nashville Sounds games. He hit Donald with a hug that about floored him. We rode the WS boat rides. Then, while other grownups got in line for Soarin' I took him out for a run. He loved how open it was.
Our second Epcot day we rode Journey into Your Imagination, a huge hit. He loved Nemo and The Living Seas, Living with the Land, and the movie in the Land Pavilion. But the highlight of it all was eating at R&C for Illuminations. Except for the last big boom, he loved it.

 

[ktlm]

My DD LOVED Epcot at age 2. We were there from open to close and did not feel like we had enough time. When she was 3, we spent 2 days at Epcot on our trip.

She loved World Showcases more than Future World, and the reason was Princesses! In the afternoon in WS, there are a ton of Princesses out for meet and greets with fairly short lines. Snow White in Germany, Mulan in China, Jasmine in Morocco, sometimes with Aladdin, Belle in France, sometimes with Beast, Sleeping Beauty in France. You can also see Donald Duck in Mexico, Marie in France, Mary Poppins (sometimes with a Penguin), Alice Pooh and Tigger in the UK. DD can easily spend an entire afternoon just going from character to character. Don't skip the boat ride inside the Mexico Pavillion, DD would have ridden that in circles all day if we let her. There is also a little outpost area that has drums the little ones can bang on, I think when DD was 2, we finally dragged her out of there when she was not slowing down after 30 minutes of playing in there. I don't know where you are planning to eat, but Biergarten has a band and a dance floor whee the little ones can get out and dance. DD loves it. She also, of course, loves the Princess meal at Akershus. She also had a lot of fun just wandering around the shops and places in WS and watching the street entertainment. I don't know if they have it this year, but when she was 3 we went the same week you are going and there was a play area set up in WS for the F&G festival.

Future World also has great stuff. DD loved the Nemo Ride, the aquarium after it, Turtle Talk and Turtle talk with Crush. Don't discount the Land ride. I was worried she would not like it, but she was crazy about it as is every other kid in that age group I know who has been there. There is just something about seeing the greenhouses with fruits and vegetables growing that the little ones love. Journey into Imagination and the play area after it (smaller now, but still has a few fun things) was also a big hit. At age 2, she absolutely loved Innovations and could have spent all day there, but I will admit that DH and I were very bored in there with her. The Character Connection with Mickey and Friends is a good meet and greet spot, but go early for that one. They also had a play area set up on the FW side during the F&G festival when we were there that she really liked. There is also a little Splash Pad area over by Mission Space that she had a blast playing in; however, know that if your DD does that, she will be soaked. We had to buy a towel and change her clothes after that one.

You should be able to find enough things she likes to have a ton of fun in Epcot. At age 5, it is still DD's favorite park other than MK.

 

[TaurusNYY]

Epcot is sounding better and better- need to bog down and now research more about attractions and dining. This may be a little off topic but are ADR's essential to get a decent sitting meal in Epcot - that seems to be the pattern when it comes to MK- I am freaking out a little since I do not have anything planned...eeek.

 

[Disneyhayes]

ADRs are essential anywhere you go. My kids will be 2.5 and 3.5 when we go and we decided to do Epcot on our departure day. The kids can ride the 2 boat rides in WS and we are doing the Princess breakfast plus we want to see Tinkerbell - sorry we HAVE to see Tinkerbell We are going to be arriving pretty early on or arrival day so we might go then too but it depends on how my husband is feeling.

 

[ktlm]

ADRs are pretty important. You can make them online at the WDW website. I would get on now and see what you can get. If you can't get what you want, keep trying every day, multiple times a day as cancellations happen. I actually got one that I had been trying for over a month on my iphone the night before we wanted to eat there while we were at WDW, so you just never know. The Princess meal at Akershus is probably going to be hard to get into at this late date, but you might get lucky if that is what you want to do. Biergarten tends to have more availability. I would go ahead and book something now. Akershus does have a 48 hour cancellation policy and there are some charges if you do not meet it. Pretty much anything else, if you book it now, you can cancel it right up to the time of the ADR if you change your mind. If you aren't sure about menus, prices, etc., Allears.net has a listing of all the restaurants, menus and prices.

 

[Buckeye Princess]

My 2 year old loves Epcot. She likes all of the music in World Showcase and LOVES turtle talk and the Land.

 

[puffkin]

ADR's are a must unless you are going during a DEAD time at WDW which there really isn't anymore. Especially with young children!!! The World Showcase restaurants are pretty popular as well.

My DS (he is 5 now) has always enjoyed Epcot. There is tons for them to do. If you have the Disney VISA there is a really nice FREE photospot in Innoventions. It is pretty uncrowded and last time we saw Mickey and Pluto in there. You get a free 5 x 7 print.

 

[vek239]

We were at the parks in March with our grandsons, age 2 1/2 and 5 and there was plenty that they enjoyed at EPCOT. It was a warm day and the splash pad kept the youngest one occupied for a very long time while everyone else was off doing other stuff.

 

[NaLisa]

We were at the parks in March with our grandsons, age 2 1/2 and 5 and there was plenty that they enjoyed at EPCOT. It was a warm day and the splash pad kept the youngest one occupied for a very long time while everyone else was off doing other stuff.

My DDs are older but I wanted to say that every time we walked by the Splash pad in our 3 days at Epcot, we saw LOTS of very happy preschoolers running around. The Seas (including Crush, Nemo, the aquariums and the seagulls out front) were also very popular with the little ones. I think Crush might be our favorite Disney show now.

Other "lesser" attractions where there were lots of happy little kids--the train in Germany, the candy lady, Innoventions (including Club Cool), the Chinese drummers, character M&Gs, the beautiful and fun topiaries, and the Imagination pavilion.

I think your 2YO will have a blast at Epcot.

 

[CLR4321]

Yes, there are definitely things that a 2 year old would enjoy in Epcot. The Nemo ride and Journey Into Imagination are probably the top 2. I would just take her on everything she is tall enough for. Of course the characters all over the place are a plus too.

 

[kaybird]

When my boys were small, EPCOT was their favorite park. Sometimes we as parents forget that for the little ones, just being with mom and dad is more special than any of the rides. Take an interest in what they see, and there is the magic. She will LOVE Turtle talk with Crush!

 

[Babbletrish]

I may be a little biased, but EPCOT was my favorite park as a kid.

But what's there for a really little kid? Well, I'd make a beeline for World Showcase and just spend the day exploring the different "lands". You may even want to get a nice illustrated atlas for kids to teach your little one a little bit about each of the countries before you go (get her excited to nom on pretzels and crepes and gelato ) And I hope you aren't really under the impression that the Flower Festival's attractions are "just gardens"; a lot of them are full-blown attractions in their own right and really elaborate. Pixie Hollow, for example, has topiaries and character meets and a playground and sometimes even a butterfly "aviary"!

 

[Tyme4wdw]

I've taken both my children as well as my grandchild since they were 6 months old and they loved Epcot! My grandson is now 4 years old and has been to Disney 6 times already. LOL Not spoiled rotten one bit huh? He loves Epcot! They've added so much for smaller children to really enjoy...such as the Passports and making masks in World Showcase, Talk with Crush is a huge hit with him, playing in the fountains over by Journey to Imagination, the aquarium and Finding Nemo ride, enjoyed Spaceship Earth and seeing the different entertainment throughout Epcot. I could go on and on with everything he likes.