Tight schedule... Should i skip epcot???

[Grace2007]

We are coming for a cheer competition so 2 days of the 4 we can not be at parks at opening. So far i have scheduled and fastpasses for full day at magic kingdom! 3/4 day at hollywood and animal kingdom. What to do with my other 1/2 day???? Seems silly to use all 3 at Epcot when the only one that really interests us is soarin. So do i skip Epcot and do another 1/2 day at MK. Or After animal kingdom day we head to epcot for dinner... Could we get a fastpass at kiosk in the EVENING?? Or would they all be gone?

 

[Jedimike]

Epcot is my favorite resort, so I wouldn't skip it...but I guess it depends on your family and what you're interested in. How many people, and how old?

 

[mummabear]

Epcot is our least favourite and I can happily skip it even with 10 days.
Some of it will depend on the travellers ages (the older they are the more likely epcot may hold more interest.)
Personally I would absolutely do another MK day

 

[tcherjen]

My family loves Epcot. It is my youngest favorite park. She really likes interacting with the cast members from other cultures. Right now it is the closet we will get for touring the world. I always consider AK and HS a 1/2 park. We typically do the two of them together.

 

[staceyrhood]

In my opinion I would skip HS and head to EPCOT...it is my whole families favorite park...son 7, daughter 2

 

[EPCOTgrl1]

I am a HUGE fan of Epcot. What time of year are you going? If you are going soon you will get Flower and Garden at Epcot and if you are going in the fall there is Food and Wine. I think it depends on the ages of the kids and what they like to do.

 

[Fsudisney]

I personally always skip HS if we have to skip, but Epcot is a tie for first with MK for my family.

 

[Gracie09]

I personally always skip HS if we have to skip, but Epcot is a tie for first with MK for my family.

This!

 

[williamscm3]

Epcot is our least favorite park. If your kids like rides...skip it. The Epcot question brings out two completely opposite responses...its a love it or hate it kind of thing. You won't really know until your family gets there how they feel about it.

 

[OKW Lover]

There is so much to do at Epcot. I'd skip HS instead, specially right now where it seems like so much has been closed down.

 

[Disneylover99]

I don't think you'll get a FP for Soarin at Epcot after dinner at a kiosk. So if that is the only reason you want to go to Epcot, then skip it.

 

[chillitsanne]

I feel like AK is the one to skip with all of the construction, Epcot as much more to do

 

[itchin2go]

Full disclosure: Epcot is our favorite park. Yes, there aren't *that* many rides, but several of them are our favorites. We love World Showcase though. We love the international snacks and shopping in the World Showcase shops. Inevitably, we learn something without even trying. It's just gorgeous too. It's such a special place to be at night.

Last trip, we skipped AK altogether and just did one evening in DHS. One evening was enough. There are things to do in DHS, but we've done them, and most are not so special that we want to repeat them.

Next trip, we're going to skip DHS and try AK again for a half day.

So with us, MK and EP are the mainstays, while DHS and AK, we can take or leave.

Edited to add: I doubt you'll get any decent FPs from a kiosk for Epcot. There are only a few popular choices, and they go fast. Also, is there a reason you're not interested in Test Track? It's very popular, and one of my daughter's favorites ....

 

[Grace2007]

Thanks! Kids are 8 and 6 but big riders. Last time we did test track and never got to soarin thats why would choose soarin this time. My husband loves world showcase but i think kids would get board As looking at fastpasses... Picked soarin and character spot for epcot but no other choices interests us. (Other than test track). So while love those two rides... Since i only get one for fp i am just thinking probably magic kingdom better since could easily pick 3 rides we love. We loved animal kingdom last time! And daugter is now tall enough for aerosmith so skipping HS is not an option

 

[cyndylou]

Have you considered going to a water park?

 

[Cyrano]

EPCOT along with Animal Kingdom are our favourite parks so there is no way we would skip EPCOT.
Like others Hollywood Studios would be first to drop of our list

 

[silenttuba]

My family loves Epcot. It is my youngest favorite park. She really likes interacting with the cast members from other cultures. Right now it is the closet we will get for touring the world. I always consider AK and HS a 1/2 park. We typically do the two of them together.

I agree on HS, but completely disagree about AK. Our last trip a few weeks ago, my wife and I spent an entire day at AK, and only went on 2 attractions...Kilimanjaro Safaris (twice) and Expedition Everest (3 times). We spent minimal time waiting into line. There are so many shows, and so much to see in the trails, I can't fathom doing AK as a 1/2 day.

 

[tcherjen]

I agree on HS, but completely disagree about AK. Our last trip a few weeks ago, my wife and I spent an entire day at AK, and only went on 2 attractions...Kilimanjaro Safaris (twice) and Expedition Everest (3 times). We spent minimal time waiting into line. There are so many shows, and so much to see in the trails, I can't fathom doing AK as a 1/2 day.

We have done several 1/2 days there. The FOL had technical difficulties, but we saw the shows. My youngest only likes dinosaur, after she rides EE she might change her mind.

 

[tstottle]

What do you like, or more specifically what do you think you will be wanting at that point in your trip? Rides, the bigger the better, and as many as possible? (Then skip Epcot). See something new, and slow down a bit, check out some interesting themed food and decorations, lots of indoor (Air conditioned) slower but still entertaining rides? (Try Epcot). I feel like Epcot is a little more of a browsing park, and MK is a riding park. Epcot is spread out, but pretty, and if you open your mind a bit to enjoying other parts of WDW other than fast rides (this took me a while...I love fast rides) then it is enjoyable. Especially if you want a nice dinner. I've had good luck at other parks getting on headliners before closing without a huge wait, but haven't tried that specifically with Soarin and I think it's a hit or miss policy, not something you can count on. You could also "wing it" (I know, hard to do at WDW) and use an app to see what the Soarin wait time is like and make your decision on the fly. Have fun!

 

[itchin2go]

Thanks! Kids are 8 and 6 but big riders. Last time we did test track and never got to soarin thats why would choose soarin this time. My husband loves world showcase but i think kids would get board As looking at fastpasses... Picked soarin and character spot for epcot but no other choices interests us. (Other than test track). So while love those two rides... Since i only get one for fp i am just thinking probably magic kingdom better since could easily pick 3 rides we love. We loved animal kingdom last time! And daugter is now tall enough for aerosmith so skipping HS is not an option

Interesting. I hadn't thought of it from a fastpass-centric analysis.

Yes, the FP situation at Epcot is odd, since there's tiering. For us, we FP Soarin and rode Test Track standby. We booked other FPs in Epcot, but didn't use them ... it just wasn't necessary. So, yeah, you don't get as much bang for your buck (so to speak) in terms of FP at Epcot. I just never thought of it that way. Most of what we ride, in any park, is standby. I actually think FP+ is nice, but it turned out to not make a huge impact on our vacation.