Strategy Advice Please - Epcot

[Baklava]

Our first (and only for the foreseeable future) WDW will be 10 days and we're planning 2 days per park with 2 days "off" but with tickets in case we want to do something in the parks after all. Based on what we've heard, we might skip the second AK day. We are not doing parkhoppers. We're going off-season to reduce crowds and heat.

My question about Epcot is this:

If you had two days at Epcot would you make the entire circuit on day one and go back for favorites day two, or would you pace yourselves and do half the park one day and half the other? Would you do your Epcot days back to back? (It matters for booking ADRs.)

We are two adults (one with an anxiety disorder), a just turned 18 year old and a high functioning spectrum 5 year old. We will be bringing a stroller because of sensory issues, so that helps with some of the walking.

 

[CTDisneyfan816]

Here's what I would do as both are tier one fast plas plus rides so you can only get one or the other each day. Day 1 get FP+ for Soarin' and day 2 get it for Test Track (or vice versa depending on how it fits your schedule based on time availability). You can always walk on the other one each day if you choose. But I would try to ride them all (sans the FP one for the next day if time is an issue). and then double up the next day.

 

[MrInfinity]

I would split up the days, just to keep it all fresh.
Either one of your plans would be fine. It kind of depends on how much time you stay in the parks. If you do longer days, I'd do the full circuit. It makes for a nice loop, since ultimately you get back to where you started. But if at any point it feels exhausting, you can just hop on one of the boats and take the easy way back. So I'd plan on the full loop, w the option to cut out at any time. 2nd day for things you missed the 1st day or want to see more of.

 

[LSUfan4444]

If you had two days at Epcot would you make the entire circuit on day one and go back for favorites day two, or would you pace yourselves and do half the park one day and half the other? Would you do your Epcot days back to back? (It matters for booking ADRs.)

I would probably go the world showcase on both days, but do the east side one day and the west side another allowing me to have Test Track and Soarin both as a FP+ priority on different days. I would try to see Soarin on day 1 and then on on day 2 I would do favorites, eat and drink items I missed, meet characters and see shows we missed, etc.

 

[Baklava]

In California we like long days with a break in the middle, but in CA our parks are about 100 yards apart and our hotel is across the street. I'm still figuring out what we're likely to do in Florida. Is a mid-day break and back to the park even viable?

 

[LSUfan4444]

Sure, it's always viable but how efficient it is depends on what resort you are staying in. Plan an easier day and you may be able to avoid needing break depending on the weather. Things like hydration and diet will also help relieve fatigue.

 

[ktlm]

We always do 2 EPCOT days. We usually schedule an ADR in WS for around noon or 12:30. We get there at rope drop and do Future World things until ADR time. Typically, we do one side of future world that morning. Then we go to our ADR, which gives us a nice break. After that we start at one end of WS and work our way around- the exception is that DD has to meet all the characters so that can lead to us skipping things and going back for meet and greet timing strategy. We usually spend the rest of that first day in WS. The 2nd day we still have a noon or 12:30 EPCOT ADR as there are so many good places to eat. We will get there around rope drop again and do the stuff in Future World we missed (usually the other side of FW). We go to our ADR, which again gives us a nice break. From that point, we then either go finish up Future World, or sometimes we still have lots to do in World Showcase even after spending a good portion the first day over there (DD's need to see every character can take quite a bit of time).

HOWEVER, if it is Food & Wine Festival time, we do change this up a bit. We don't make a lunch ADR, we make a dinner ADR instead. Then we move from FW to WS right at 11:00 a.m. when WS opens, and we start sampling the food and wine offerings as we go around WS. The Food & Wine festival is more crowded at night- so we do it for lunch and during the afternoon and then while it is crowded, we are in a nice restaurant having dinner.

 

[Lucius Best]

I would do Future World rope drop both mornings. Others mentioned FP Soarin' one day and FP Test Track the other, sounds like a good plan. One day go straight to Soarin' to ride standby, then Test Track with FP, then vice versa on second day. Then lunch, either someplace like Sunshine Seasons in The Land, or a sit-down restaurant in one of the countries.

Our strategy is usually to see as much as possible the first day, then the second day be for favorites and things we didn't get to on day one. We usually never plan to go to the same park back-to-back, but no reason you can't.

Whether to take breaks or not depends on lot of things: family, weather, crowds, meals, plans. If planning on watching fireworks, might be asking too much for 5yo to be at park 12+ hours straight.

 

[kwdw]

The key for planning a good trip to EPCOT - realize you can't do it all in one day and make a plan. Here's what I did last trip:

Day One: We knew we were arriving late (10 am) - so we headed straight to Test Track to use our FP for Test Track. Then - we headed from Test Track to the WS - and on day one - starting in Mexico - we got to Morocco before we had enough. Took the boat back to Future World, rode Spaceship Earth on the way out.

Day Two: Arrived about 11 am (Had a character breakfast that morning) - headed to Nemo, Living with the Land, Figment, Club Cool. Originally - we had planned a Soarin FP for noon - but we changed our mind the night before and had switched to a late in the day FP for Test Track. Then - started around WS again (starting Canada) - made it to Morocco again - boat back towards Future World. Now - we headed over to Mexico (we had missed a Kidcot spot!) and rode the boat there again. Then back to Test Track, Spaceship Earth again - and we were done. Really, highlights of day two for the 5 yo - riding Nemo, riding Figment, riding Test Track, eating ice cream in France, and getting all her Kidcot stamps.

Both these days weren't that long - arrival times were 10 and 11, and we left about 6:30 and 5:30. On both days - we COULD have gone longer - but - this was a 9 day trip with a 5 year old. We didn't see every show, just some - but we did several meet and greets (but not all) with characters. We did ENOUGH for us. We could have made the days longer and done more - and on the next trip when the little one is older - they probably will be longer days. But - this worked for us. The 5 yo didn't like long shopping moments and just walking to see stuff - she was more of a "do-er" - thank goodness for Kidcot! So - I think we did the right amount for us this trip. Is there more to see and do we didn't do? Yep! Was it okay we missed them? Yep!

For us - had we planned Future World one day and WS another day - that would have been a disaster. Our 5 yo traveler didn't love WS that much. So - having the mix each day worked for us.

 

[MataHari22]

Our first (and only for the foreseeable future) WDW will be 10 days and we're planning 2 days per park with 2 days "off" but with tickets in case we want to do something in the parks after all. Based on what we've heard, we might skip the second AK day. We are not doing parkhoppers. We're going off-season to reduce crowds and heat.

My question about Epcot is this:

If you had two days at Epcot would you make the entire circuit on day one and go back for favorites day two, or would you pace yourselves and do half the park one day and half the other? Would you do your Epcot days back to back? (It matters for booking ADRs.)

We are two adults (one with an anxiety disorder), a just turned 18 year old and a high functioning spectrum 5 year old. We will be bringing a stroller because of sensory issues, so that helps with some of the walking.

I normally start with rope drop in Future World and FP+ Test Track on one day and Soarin' on the next. I usually start on one side and do either the east side of FW and World Showcase on one day, and then the next time, start on the west side. Doing half of each FW and WS in one day. This year, I'm trying something different. Going to mostly do FW on one day and then WS on the other. We'll see how it works out. I don't usually do the same park two days in a row. I like to break it up if I can.

 

[minnie mum]

Like MataHari and a few other PPs, we split the park into east and west and do half one day and half the next, starting with FW at RD. We head into WS around lunch time. This avoids criss crossing FW in the mornings and usually allows plenty of time for a resort break in the afternoon. It is also much more relaxing with less mileage on the poor feet.