Question for all you parents with youngsters.....

[SuzanneMcC]

I used to love Epcot, but haven't been there in probably 10 years. Do they still do an afternoon show? 3 pm, I think. It used to be this cool show at 3 pm, and I can't even remember details. I'm worried about pushing my DS, 5, to stay up for the late night fun stuff, for fear of ruining the next day. He usually goes to bed by 8:30 or 9 latest...... what do you parents do? I know he'll probably physically be pumped up to stay awake, but I don't know what the consequenses will be for the next day? What are others' experiences? I'd hate to think he'd miss out on all the parades and fireworks?????? HELP

 

[Chuck S]

Not a parent, so can't help you there. There isn't any sort of "afternoon show" at EPCOT as far as parades of anything, there are some life performers throughout the park, like bands, balancing acts, that sort of thing.

I'm wondering if you're remembering Surprise in the Sky, a daytime fireworks show with the characters flying overhead in ultralight air craft? They only had that one summer that I can remember.

 

[SuzanneMcC]

Yes, you are right, that's exactly what it was!!! It was really fun, and would have been a nice thing to break up the afternoon at Epcot. Not sure how much my DS,5, will like Epcot. Well, sounds like they don't do that anymore. Thanks for responding though....

 

[lllovell]

We take lots of breaks from the hustle bustle when we can find a cool corner to sit in (or a bit of sunshine if its a cool winter day). My sons (one just turned 3 and the other will be 5 in March) both will nap in the stroller in the park. At times, we head back to the hotel for a nap, but if they are resting and hubby and I can find a place to enjoy a drink and just people watch, we do. If we are changing parks, then a nap break seems to fit better into our schedule, but if we are staying at that park then we tend to go the stroller nap route.

At home, mine are in bed by 9 - 9:30ish and we never really seem to have a problem adjusting to the later hours that Disney brings about.

I don't know of any midday shows at EPCOT. Sorry.

 

[henrylovespooh]

I thought there was some type of parade through the World Showcase in the afternoons. My kids made masks and they could use them in the parade. Maybe they don't have that anymore either.

We have a DD2 and DS3 and we plan to go to EPCOT alot. My DH and I like to walk around the World Showcase and see the shows or exhibits. We snack here and there and usually have a sit down meal there. When he was 2 my DS liked stopping at all the Kid Stops throughout the World Showcase where he could color and work on his mask.

We were usually back in our room by 7:30 p.m. so the kids could go to bed. We didn't go to Wishes or Illuminations, but this time we're going to try Wishes because it will be at 7 p.m. But to avoid the rush out of the park afterward, we might go to dinner at O'Hana and watch from the Poly.

I found that we could push the kids to stay up a little later on the nights where we didn't have an early start the next day. We didn't do it often.

 

[hezreck]

The kids still make masks, but there is no parade anymore. That was Tapestry of Dreams in the early evening. It's not there anymore. I don't know about other parents, but when we went with our DD(4) at the time, we stayed in the parks the whole day from early morning to closing. We never had a problem wiht her being grouchy our anything. She would fall right to sleep when we got to the hotel, no fuss at all. This past year we were there when she turned 7. Same thing, spent the whole day in the parks, no breaks in the afternoon. Maybe I'm just lucky having a child that never got cranky. But I'm one of those people that think if I'm paying that kind of money and only there for a week, I'm darn well going to get my money's worth.

 

[suemac]

We have doing Epcot Worlds "by night" forever. We prefer touring it at night. Our kids even at young ages have handled it well because it is relaxing.
Use a stroller! Walk slwly and soak it all in.
Now our kids 6,10,11 can't wait for nights in Epcot on our next trip.