Sell me on Epcot!

[wishing4PA]

Hi OP!
I have one problem with Innoventions. DD7 can spend all day in any town's hands on children's museum. And Innoventions is about that times 10. It's hard to escape.
I second Turtle Talk with Crush. When DD was 4, we went to that 3 times in a row. But it's not just for 4 year olds, by any means.
Have an awesome trip!

 

[Neelloc]

We were there in September with our 9 and 7 year old girls. We spent 2 1/2 days in Epcot and my girls really loved it!

We rode TT and Soarin' several times! They also loved Mission Space (green) and Spaceship Earth. They LOVED the Imagination pavillion and and the Seas. We did do Universe of Energy too.

We spent a whole say doing FW and then another whole day doing the WS. On our WS day, we did a Kim Possible mission and just explored the countries. There are so many things to see and do! I have been to Epcot over 20+ times, and I realized for the first time that there is a cool "canal" waterfront area in the Italy pavillion I never paid attention to before! So many suprises!

The kids also had a blast posing for pictures and we took a lot of great ones.

Give EPCOT a try! You'll be pleasantly surprised!

 

[vicb]

Are you kidding?

My kids love Epcot...

In Future World, there's not only Soarin' and Test Track, but you can do Mission Space - do the "green" level for the less intense experience. We also LOVE Turtle Talk with Crush - that is a great show for ALL ages. Spaceship Earth is always our last ride of the evening on the way out - we like the interactive part of it at the end. We also enjoy seeing the "Fab Five" characters at the Character Spot...too fun! Innoventions is always fun - we like Sum of All Thrills.

In the World Showcase, there's lots of different cultures, food, and shops to explore...and my kids love to do the Kim Possible Missions for extra fun and surprises. We also enjoy all of the live shows that happen around the World - Off Kilter, the World Showcase Players, etc.

Epcot is a park to be savored and explored...if you try to rush through it, you'll miss half of it's charm.

I am in total agreement with this!!

Also wanted to add you must do something in the WS to involve your kids. My kids are HS and College age now but have always loved Epcot. When they were 9 and 6 they did the masks in the WS. The year they were 11 and 8 they did they passports. I'm sure they would have loved Kim Possible as well.

Doing as many of the live shows as possible is important too. My kids loved (still do) the Japanese drummers, the mariachi band, the chinese acrobats. And last trip (they were 17 and 14) they howled when I got selected to be in the skit performed by the World Showcase Players (they know I hate to be the center of attention).

Food is important as well, if you can afford it, eat at the sit down places, it will add so much more to your experience. When really young my kids loved the Mexican and Japanese pavillions best. They really liked the dining experience in Germany too. Now as teens they like Morocco, France and Italy a lot.

And yes Epcot is the one park we feel we never have enough time even though it is the one we go to the most each trip! Good luck!

 

[merbobear]

Great food, great drinks, different cultures presented in a fun way, Kimpossible Missions, Test Track, Soarin'...Epcot has a lot to offer!!

 

[ccgirl]

In 3 weeks we will be making our 2nd trip to WDW. Last time we did not go to Epcot but will be spending 1 day there for sure this time. Help me get excited about Epcot. It seems so different than the other parks. Our kids are 9 and 7. We'll do Soarin and Test Track for sure, but where should we spend the rest of our time? Innoventions? Univ of Energy? The land? Nothing just jumps out at me as being super exciting. Suggestions?

Epcot is my DD8's favorite park. She also likes Little Mermaid, Turtle Talk with Crush, Figment, Kim Possible Missions, making the masks at the countries, getting a "passport" and getting it stamped in each country and having the CM's write in their native language. She likes listening to the bands in England and Canada. The Land is very enjoyable to her as well. There really is so much to do there. We usually spend 2 days there.

 

[shoney]

We went at Christmas last year with DW's sister and brother in and he refused to go to Epcot (we go every year and it was there 1st time as a family). He went once when he was a kid and was not going to subject his children to it. So we love Epcot and we figured it was half way through the week and it would be a good day to split up because they wanted to relax, so it's all good. So we did rope drop hit TT and Soarin multiple times and then after lunch we get a call asking where we were becuase they were going to try out Epcot. Well long story short we had to practically drag my brother in law out of there, he could not believe all the stuff to do and see and all the beers to drink... It was all DW could do to keep me from saying "I told you so." But I didn't do it, I don't think that would have made me a bad person?

LOL! I went to Epcot as a teenager in 1986 with my parents. Boring! My dad actually fell asleep on some of the rides!!!! When I went back as an adult, it had changed so much from then. Now I really like it!

 

[mariamouse]

We love Epcot just as much as the MK!

You must, must, must explore the World Showcase. Expect to spend a full day in Epcot and still feel like you have only scratched the surface.

 

[Chuckles21]

It sounds like Epcot is a very cool park. My question is myself, wife and two daughters 4 & 3 will be going for our first time next week. From what I can gather it sounds like most of the awesome things at Epcot would not be enjoyable for kids of this age. Can someone with experience with kids this age convince me there is value in visiting Epcot on our trip.

 

[Guyton dis lover]

I will be there soon and we love it and my daughter has been going since she was 8 and she would not miss it for the world .Of course she is 19 now.

 

[shoney]

It sounds like Epcot is a very cool park. My question is myself, wife and two daughters 4 & 3 will be going for our first time next week. From what I can gather it sounds like most of the awesome things at Epcot would not be enjoyable for kids of this age. Can someone with experience with kids this age convince me there is value in visiting Epcot on our trip.

If you don't have hoppers, I am inclined to tell you to skip it....if you are only going there for things for the kids. When my boys were 2 and 4 they weren't into the world showcase at all! We had a few drinks and snacks and didn't spend much time there. When they were 5 and 7, they did the passport thing and got more into it. The other 3 parks have more for that age group, imo.

 

[lvmetsfan]

When we went 2 years ago, my then 4 year old loved Epcot!

Soarin and Test Track were his favorite rides out front (has the younger one hit 40 inches yet), but he also loved doing the craft and getting his passport stamped around the world. His mask from that trip is still hanging up in his room, and he wants to get another passport to fill out this time (we are also going to be there next week).

You are also going during Food and Wine - unless your kids are really picky eaters you can involve them in that also. You have a good chance to introduce them to lots of different food from around the world without having it cost you too much (get the small plates to share).

BUT - the one big bit of advice I would give with 3 and 4 year olds is to make sure you have a stroller in EPCOT - even if they don't use them anymore. You do a lot of walking there - it is a big park.

 

[gilmore]

Thanks everyone for your great posts. Basically what I'm getting is that Epcot really needs to be "experienced". It also sounds like the guidebooks don't do it justice at all. You've all done a great job of actually helping me get excited about Epcot. That's exactly what I was hoping for. Thanks!

 

[Trophy05]

I'm not going to lie... I hated Epcot as a kid, but having gone back since then being 21-26. It has become my favorite park.

 

[mom2val]

.

 

[DVCMikey]

Epcot is probably our favorite park. There are some great attractions there and its great to hit the attractions and then walk around world showcase. There are rides, and movies and great food and drink all around world showcase.

If we go to WDW for a week, we spend at least 3 days at epcot.
You will enjoy it.

 

[jpolak]

Grey Goose Slushy!!

 

[wishing4PA]

It sounds like Epcot is a very cool park. My question is myself, wife and two daughters 4 & 3 will be going for our first time next week. From what I can gather it sounds like most of the awesome things at Epcot would not be enjoyable for kids of this age. Can someone with experience with kids this age convince me there is value in visiting Epcot on our trip.

Well, as I posted before, it is hard to drag my DD out of Innoventions.
But let's see if this convinces you. On our first trip with DD, 4 at the time, nearly 5, we let her "pick the park" for our last full day, after having been to all of them (7 night trip). To my delight and great surprise, she picked Epcot. Not only for Innoventions, but I couldn't begin to list all the things she did enjoy there (I did that in an old post somewhere ...)

 

[KikiFan]

Epcot is absolutely our favorite park. Our last trip, a 14 day trip we probably spend half of our time there. It's the park my daughter has requested we spend Christmas day in. There is so much to see and do. It's a lovely mix of rides and experiences. I've only seen it mentioned once in this thread, but definitely don't miss the Norway ride. It's really fun and one of our faves. And take time to see the movies in China and Canada - they are breathtaking.

 

[Kelblum]

Epcot is our FAVORITE park and that includes my 13 and 11 yo! They love test track, soarin, easy mission space, Nemo, Talking w/Crush, even Journey into Immagination!

In one of the innovention buildings there is a design and ride your own rollar coaster that my Son loves!

We all enjoy the countries--the food, atmosphere, doing the passports and Kim Possible.

Have a great time!

 

[RussTKD]

2 words:

Beer
Jasmine