Tips for World Showcase with Young Kids

[lmtravis]

We are heading down for a quick trip with park hoppers. We will be spending one morning at Epcot and one evening in Epcot as well. On our AM day, we will be focusing on Future World which leaves us with a whole evening to explore the Pavilions building up to a dinner at Akershus and Illuminations.

My husband, a Social Studies teacher, is VERY excited about the Pavilions but we have a 2.5 and a 4.5 year old girls. What are your tips for keeping them happy and entertained in the Pavilions? Anything we shouldn't miss?

Thanks!

 

[Pesky]

Yeah, I remember being bored by the World Showcase when I was 13! So at their tender ages, might be more challenging. A lot can depend on personality. First there is still the Agent P. thing. https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/attractions/epcot/agent-p-world-showcase-adventure/ That might distract them a bit but you'll probably have to help them. There is also the kidcot stations which might be more their speed. https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/attractions/epcot/kidcot-fun-stops/ Some of the Pavilions are pretty cool -- I remember loving Mexico and it has the ride too. Maybe have some challenges and fun with each place like:
1. Find a hidden mickey in each land.
2. Meet a castmember from that country and learn how to say hello in the respective language.
3. Get a treat to try from each country. You can split a treat among all of you or buy something to have later.
4. After each one, ask them what was their favorite thing about that pavilion. You could even make a notebook with a page for each country that the girls (really you) can fill out with what they learned and tasted and found. Call it the World Detective or Country Fairy notebook or something snazzy like that.

 

[glassslippergirl]

Isn't there a passport you can buy in World Showcase? You take it to each country and get it stamped. Something like that may keep them interested.

My DS2 loves to play with the musical instruments that are for sale in some of the gift shops like the maracas in Mexico. There's also a Coke display with some drums in the African-themed dead space near Norway.

Agent P's in pretty fun, though the older one maybe able to focus on it better than the younger one.

The store in Japan has a lot of fun Japanese pop culture items that kids love. DS enjoyed the animated clocks that play songs and spin toward the back of the store. Pick a Pearl is also really boisterous there. We tried to get an ADR at Teppan Edo, which is like a Benihana. We thought DS might like the "show" with dinner.

Pick up a times guide and see if there is any entertainment that your little ones might enjoy. DS loved the mariachi band in Mexico and the drummers in Japan-- anything loud that gave him the chance to cheer and clap. The good things about these street entertainers is that if your little ones aren't interested, you can just leave without it appearing rude.

I'd avoid the movies, but the ride in Mexico is fun.

 

[lmtravis]

These are such great ideas! I love the passport/notebook idea. Might have to hit the design boards up for that...

 

[ktlm]

My daughter has adored World Showcase since she was 2. There are Princesses and other characters all over. Every country has a Kidcot station. They can color an Agent P or Duffy at one and then get a stamp on it from every other country, or you can buy them passports to take around the countries and get stamps. At the KidCot stations, a CM is there from that country that can talk to them about that country. The Donald Duck boat ride in Mexico was a huge hit with normally short lines. When DD was in preschool, she wanted to ride it in circles all day, and we instituted a 5 time in a row limit. DD always liked shopping around those countries even as a preschooler, but then she is a born shopper. She also always liked watching the entertainment acts throughout world showcase- the bands, the juggler, the acrobats. The outpost has an area with African drums where the kids can play the drums and she loved that when she was little. They are a little young for Agent P missions, but they might enjoy the special effects if someone else helps them. I will say though that an evening is in no way enough time to explore WS especially, if you are doing a TS dinner while there. Plus, WS is always more crowded at night with the dinner crowd coming in. Also some of the characters and acts only appear in the afternoon, and early evening hours. When DD was 2, we spent one full day in EPCOT open to close and quickly realized it was not enough time for her. Since then we have spent 2 full days there. The first day, we typically get there at rope drop move to WS at about noon for a TS ADR. After that, we always wind up in WS until park closing. The second day we pick up the things in FW we missed and usually have another meal in WS and pick up anything we missed there which there still are usually some things we did not get done over there. For reference, walking from one end of WS all the way around to the other end is almost a mile.

 

[DisneyCAL]

There are also meet and greets within the WS area so if DH is interested in a "museum" piece and the kids are getting bored it may be time to separate and do a meet n greet. You can go from showcase to showcase together but perhaps separate when DH finds something to attend to that your girls may not find as interesting. Agent P and the passport idea is great. I think they also have stations set up with Duffy paper doll thing, where you get a duffy doll and each showcase you can get a themed outfit for it, but Im not sure if they are still doing this.

 

[lmtravis]

You guys are awesome! Thanks so much for taking the time to make our trip extra special!

 

[BillyBoy1304]

We just went a couple of weeks ago and purchased the passports they have in the gift shops there at Epcot. We also challenged the kids to find the pressed penny machines in each of the pavilions. It actually kept them really involved and really excited about checking out each of the countries. Plus, the pennies are a really cheap souvenir!

 

[msmama]

My son has loved World Showcase since he was under a year old!! It's probably his favorite part of WDW!!

There are lots of nooks and crannies to explore in all of the countries. He loves walking through the gift shops. We've tried on hats in every country - most countries have toy sections (I have a good window shopper so I don't have to deal with "gimmes").

Definitely visit the kidcot stations. Like someone said, you can pick an Agent P or Duffy bear to color and then take it to every country and they will stamp and draw a picture on the back (usually their flag). Some will write their names in their language.

We always take pictures in each country (usually with the colored duffy - which we then take to the real duffy and show him when we're finished).

There are good snacks in many countries.

The further back you go in most countries - some of them go really far back, the less people so the little one could get out of the stroller and stretch her legs.

Personally I like WS as early in the day as I can make it there. There are often LOTS of people drinking around the world - and the later it gets the more chance of them being well on their way around, lol. It just gets harder to dodge people as the day goes on.

 

[ktlm]

Thought of something else- don't forget the little things that grown-ups might overlook. As a preschooler, DD loved to stand and watch the fish in the koi pond in Japan and she also liked to stand and watch the trains in Germany. She also liked the hedge maze at UK. There are lots of little things to explore in EPCOT for the little ones! The grown ups just have to remember to take time to smell the flowers!

 

[lmtravis]

I just can't thank you guys enough. I was feeling selfish by putting the showcase in our plans since it is right up mine and DH's ally but now I am so excited for our whole family to explore. Should be a great first night in the parks and a great evening with our girls!

 

[Gabisgramma]

I love all the ideas

 

[lmtravis]

I love all the ideas

I know, right! THIS is why I love the Dis!!

 

[harrowgirl]

My daughter loved pick a pearl in Japan

 

[jacknsally19]

We have never had an issue keeping out dd entertained in world showcase. There are so many great characters.... mary Poppins in the Uk, pooh & tigger, aurora, Alice, Belle, Mulan. The Duffy/ Kidcot stations are great as others mentioned. My daughter has always enjoyed watching the street performers that are all over WS... The last time we we were there - she liked the rock band in the UK and the flag performers (?) in Italy and acrobats in China. (She was just shy of three) I really think that you won't have any issue keeping your little ones entertained,

 

[DSNY4ever]

Thought of something else- don't forget the little things that grown-ups might overlook. As a preschooler, DD loved to stand and watch the fish in the koi pond in Japan and she also liked to stand and watch the trains in Germany. She also liked the hedge maze at UK. There are lots of little things to explore in EPCOT for the little ones! The grown ups just have to remember to take time to smell the flowers!

This! Our DS loved the World Showcase at 2 years old. Illuminations ended up being his favorite show. He just liked walking around, getting treats stopping to watch a few of the outside shows. We skipped a lot of the movies and the American Adventure, but luckily we'd seen them all before.

Enjoy!

 

[mandis77]

Agent P in World Showcase is so much fun!

 

[Nancyg56]

I just can't thank you guys enough. I was feeling selfish by putting the showcase in our plans since it is right up mine and DH's ally but now I am so excited for our whole family to explore. Should be a great first night in the parks and a great evening with our girls!

My granddaughter loves Epcot and has always been tEntertained there since she was 4. As others have pointed out, there is a lot of exploring a kid can do in Epcot, and they tend to spot things we would miss. My DD told me that because they rented a stroller for Kady til she was 6, they also found that when she got tired or overwhelmed they would let her relax while they strolled from country to country. She had some little music thing and would drift off for a little while, and then be back up and roaring to go shortly after that brief little respite. DD said that Epcot was and still is their favorite family park. Have a blast!

 

[WIMamatoTwo]

My kids (ages 4 and 9) LOVED the passports. They also loved eating something from most of the pavilions and food carts (we were there during flower and garden festival where there were more food carts out.) Epcot was my favorite park!!