Skip Epcot With Small Kids???

[shaycamp21]

We are off to our 1st WDW vacation at the end of August (POFQ). I watched the vacation planning DVD with DH and dd5 and dd7 and the girls do not seem to have any interest in Epcot. Would we be really sorry if we didn't go?

 

[onlyoneforme]

Oh, don't miss it...what an opportunity you have to share with your kids different cultures and people from around the world!

My DD5 loves it each year we go and looks forward to seeing her favorite countries, Mexico, Norway, and France. We love trying to get a translation for a special word from each world, like "hello" or "goodbye".

Disney really tries hard to get parents and their kids interested in Epcot and offers kids to make a special mask that when the visit each country they will get their masks stamped and an icon placed on their masks to represent their visit there. At the end of the world lagoon at the last country to be visited your child will get a certificate that displays that they completed the tour of the worlds! Cute!

The other half of Epcot is great for kids, the Innoventions Plaza is interactive, Journey into Imagination is fun and interesting, The Living Seas is great for animal encounters, Test Track is fast and fun! My 5 yr old loves it!

Enjoy yourself, eat something new in the worlds and talk to someone from each country, the hosts in each country are from the country itself so they are very knowledgeable and interesting to speak with! :

Just a fan, I guess!

 

[mjmcca]

My kids really like Epcot and they are younger than your daughters. There are lots of things for kids there and great open air musical groups.

 

[JLTraveling]

Well, I guess it's up to personal preferences, but Epcot's been my second-favorite park since it opened, and I was 6 at the time. There's really a lot that the kids would enjoy, and lots for mom and dad as well. Depending on how long you're staying and whether you have park hoppers, maybe you could schedule half a day for Epcot, with MK in the evening? Then if you guys like it and want to stay all day you can, but if the kids are bored you can use the planned evening at MK as a bribe for them to be good while you see the attractions that most interest you? Just a thought...

 

[Alice28]

Our kids liked it a lot- they were 5 & 20 months at the time.

 

[Our 2 Princesses]

We have never skipped Epcot and we have 2 girls ages 5 and 9. They love it! There are even characters all around, including princesses! It's great to let them see samples of different cultures too.
Oh, by the way, this is my first official post, even though I have been reading on this board for a few years now. Thanks for all the help in planning our trips!!

 

[WDW LOVR]

When our kids were young they thought Epcot was "ok" but it definitely was at the bottom of their favorite parks. We always made sure we "made" them go, knowing as they got older they would learn to love the place as much as we do.

Well, we're there. Epcot is now our boys (22, 16, 13) favorite park. And when we taking them, there weren't near the things for kids to do as there are now.

I would just recommend, go slow, take your time. If you blow right through the world showcase you'll never see what the place has to offer.

 

[lovethattink]

There is so much to do at Epcot. DS(11) loves Epcot. It's been his favorite since he's been in kindergarten. He loves music, so we do the attractions, watch the shows. Be sure not to miss the chinese acrobats. They are children and they are fantastic!!

 

[idofabric]

My DD 20, DS 19, like it fine,they have favorite places we have to see. Off-Kilter is a great band in Canada, rock n'roll bagpipes! and tons of small to medium kids danceing. My DS 13, really likes it. Dneice and Dnep. from Holland don't like it. But they don't want to take the time to "see" things, they just want rides, and no lines. The best time we have had was a family trip at Food and Wine last Oct, with DS13,Dneice almost 3 , DSIL and Dbro, DH and I. We loved it. WE sat, did the masks at each kid station in the World, and eat our way around the park. When our kids were younger ,12, 11, and 6 we got an offical Passport and they got stamps at each Land, and autographs from native people from each country. Loved it! They would then take the time to talk to each CM about their home country. Also there is a Nemo thing at the Seas. And if the Garden Grill is open it is hands down our kids favorite, even the DS19 who is going down with a group of college friends and his girlfriend with us this trip expects to eat there! And he is "cool". There is so much to do. The water fountains that sqirt up allways has little kids in shirts and water diapers/swim suits, playing in . And at night the sidewalk has lights that move. Also there are things to do at Interventions. Someone said that you can make a robot (body, I think...) now and take it home for free.
So yep, lots to do! How ever, it is a lot of walking, so a stroller is a must, I think, if the girls will still fit. OH, the Princess breakfast in Norway is great, when last Oct. and loved it! Lots of face time with them and not bad food!
Don't forget the rides, and each country has special things for sale, some for under $2.
I think it is def. a place that you have to spend time sharing and showing things to the kids, and maybe doing a little prep work. Norway has a ship/playground and a small church to go in too...
Hope this helps!

 

[tjkraz]

If it's a short trip..say 5 days or less...I'd consider skipping Epcot. For anything longer than that, there's pleanty of time to hit all of the parks.

There is pleanty to interest young kids at The Living Seas (particularly with the new Finding Nemo overlay), Imagination Pavilion and Innoventions. Spaceship Earth is always worth a ride. Our 4yo said it's the first thing he wants to do on our upcoming trip.

The kids should be pleanty big for Test Track, which is one of the gentler thrill rides, all things considered. It goes fast, but doesn't have the up and down thrills of a rollercoaster.

Oh, and don't forget to check out The Land pavilion. It just received a facelift, and is getting a great attraction called Soarin. I can't imagine your girls wouldn't get a kick out of Soarin.

 

[Kewz1]

My kids have been going since they were babies. I think there is a lot for kids to enjoy. We all love the music, snacking through the countries, Test Track, Mission Space, Illuminations with a pastry in hand...

Don't forget the Kid Stops in each country. Also, when entering the gate ask for the Epcot Kids' Guide. It lists different things for them to look for and check off once found. The passports are fun too -- filled with stickers for each country. At the kid stops the host from the country will write a greeting in it in their own language. Yes, all this makes it educational but FUN too.

Give it a try!

Kristen

 

[jwsqrdplus2]

Epcot is my and DH's fave (even above MK). Because of that, DDs have been there on every trip. Epcot is now DDs' (6 and 3) favorite behind MK. In fact on one trip we only had 3 days. We had planned on 1 day at MK, 1 day at AK and then back to MK. We were going to sacrifice our love of Epcot for our DDs (3 1/2 yrs and 6 months at the time). Well, DD1 (3 1/2) was being cranky, and did not want to go on any rides, adn still wasn't to sure of the characters. So DH and I look at each other and decide to go to Epcot instead of MK, and DD1 loved it!!! DD2 was to young to care, but as a family, this was our best day! Epcot is awesome.

 

[*Fantasia*]

Oh please don't skip it! I always always take my children to Epcot, especially WS. They just love to go to every country and stop at the Kidcot. They love to color their masks and get their passports stamped. They sometimes get to pick what color charms they want to put on their masks. They enjoy this very much... this is actually their highlight at Epcot!

We now have so many masks at home from Epcot. I think it's starting to collect dusts! I really should start putting their dates on them, so this way, we can see how the children progress with their coloring.

 

[FLonMYmind]

Epcot is my daughter's favorite. Our trip this year is during the week of her birthday and she requested to spend her day there. Unfortunately she also requested to eat at The Garden Grill but it won't be reopened yet.

 

[Zippa D Doodah]

Our kids are 8 and 5. We have been to Epcot many times and consider it a "must do". The kids like JIYI w/ Figment, Living Seas, Land Pavilion, Spaseship Earth, Test Track, Maelstrom, El Rio Del Tiempo, various World Showcase pavilions... just to name a few. I would recommend touring Epcot before MK if you think y'all can hold off on MK

 

[oogieboogie]

Please don't skip Epcot. My kids weren't that enthusiastic when they first watched the planning video, but once there, it was a whole nother story.

They're 4 and 7 and absolutely loved:
Spaceship Earth
Innoventions - there are some great hands on stuff to try
Journey into Imagination - the ride itself the kids enjoyed, but the post-ride was what they really got into. Making photo postcards, making music.
Living Seas - Turtle Talk with Crush is a hoot.
The Land - Junior Chef is always a big hit with the younger crowd, Living with Land is great to see the wonderful produce, and of course you've got the new Soarin'
Mission Space - even if your kids don't want to ride this, there's still things to do in the exit area. There are games to play and a climbing tunnel to run around in.
Ice Station Cool - the kids would have a blast trying out the various drinks.

That's just Future World. Then you get into World Showcase, with all the movies and food, and entertainment. Plus all the Kidcot stations, where the kids can decorate their own masks. That alone will clear at least a couple of hours.

Please don't sell yourselves short by skipping Epcot. It's a really great park that has everything for every age.

 

[PolyHereWeCome]

Oh please don't skip it! I always always take my children to Epcot, especially WS. They just love to go to every country and stop at the Kidcot. They love to color their masks and get their passports stamped. They sometimes get to pick what color charms they want to put on their masks. They enjoy this very much... this is actually their highlight at Epcot!

YES!! DD7 and DS7 loved this, too! Plus at some of the stations, the CMs wrote our kids' names in their native languages on the masks (I think Chinese, Japanese and Arabic). DD and DS enjoyed learning how to say thank you back to them. Great experience!

WS is also a super place for character opps. We easily saw a dozen characters, including the best photo opportunity all week -- Pooh, Tigger, Eeyore, and Rabbit in the back of the UK toystore. Precious photo!!!

If you have time, Crush at the Living Seas and Universe of Energy (Ellen's ride) at FW are great for that age group!

DD and DS loved Epcot almost as much as MK (3rd would be AK and least favorite was MGM).

 

[LVSWL]

Yes, make it your first park. That's what we did on our first ever disney trip with our boys. They were 5 and 9, but they fell in love with Spaceship earth, The Living Seas, Journey into Imagination with Figment now, Honey I shrunk the audience, Ellens Energy Adventure. Then go over to the countries and start at the first one you come to and find the kids station and they can begin a mask and add on and color more at each country. There are sometimes jugglers and street shows, just check the schedule when you come through the gates, there will be a times guide. Get a good guide book before you leave home, read about the different attractions, decide what sounds good, plus they will already become excited about them. We went first to Epcot, then MGM, then Animal Kingdom, then finally Magic Kingdom on our kids first trip. To this day Epcot is still one of their favorite parks. So many parents tell me that they have done the schedule the opposite and they can't get the kids to really appreciate Epcot or even some of the other parks after going to Magic Kingdom first. Have a great time!!Don't forget to stay for the fireworks at 9. They are incredible

 

[Miller1412]

Definitely do it if at all possible. We didn't give it enough time over spring break this year...we only ended up in the World Showcase long enough to claim a seat for Illuminations and we are kicking ourselves over all that we missed.

Oh well...guess we'll just have to go back!

 

[Aidensmom]

DH and my favorite park is Epcot, but we have not taken our son because we did not think he would have much to do there. However, we are taking DH to Disney for Father's Day weekend, and he got to choose which park we are going to, which was, of course, Epcot. I posted a thread asking what my son may like to do there, and was surprised by all that I am sure he will enjoy. Here is the thread:

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=787736

We also have PS's for the Princess Storybook Lunch in Norway, which DS is looking so forward to that he talks about it every day.