What is there for a toddler to do at Epcot?

[tessieg]

We've been to the other three parks 3 times each in the last 3 years, but haven't done Epcot in 3 years. We are considering going there in the fall, but will only be visiting one park this trip. We're going during free dining mostly to do all the character dinners free( we're only a 2 hr drive away)!!!!
But looking through the attractions, I am not sure there would be much for my almost 3 yo to do. Have your toddlers enjoyed Epcot? Thanks for any info!
Tessie

 

[DizCaptain]

Well I am not much of an expert but there a some things your child would like is the kidcot stop. They get a mask on a stick and decorate it with new things from every country in epcot. In the end they will have a cool mask that they can play around with. Then there is the kidcot jr. cooks. The children actually get to bake something but I am not sure what the ages are. Also after the Journey into Imagination with figment WHich is next to the land there is a fun little area with fun activities. As for attraction or rides I would say the list would be world showcase shows, the boat ride in the land living with the land, The Lion King show about the cirlce of life in the land, Spaceship earth, Maelstrom maybe that is a little scary. It is a boat ride that goes down mild forward and backward drops, and Universe of Energy which is a fun attraction about energy. So that is about it at Epcot for young chidlren.

 

[CanadianPaco]

The fireworks are the BEST and get a stroller!!

 

[tink1978]

The Living Seas
Journey Into Imagination with Figment
Spaceship Earth
The Mexico boatride
Maelstrom (the trolls may scare your child, but it is quick)
The Kidcot Funstops
Illuminations

 

[Punkin's Mom]

If you don't mind him/her getting wet, my toddler loved the fountains outside Honey I shrunk the kids. If he/she likes characters, the Character Connection is GREAT. It's in one of the Innoventions bldgs and you can see around 10 characters at a time and it's air conditioned and from what I've read usually uncrowded. Mine also liked Spaceship Earth and oddly enough riding the escalators in the Land Pavillion. He also really liked exploring the Living Seas and probably would have liked Crush if we had seen it (the line was too long).

 

[sweetinmaine]

Our 2 grandsons loved Figment ride, the water fountains, the closeness to the characters...(it just seemed like there were fewer lines waiting to see the characters) and all that the other posters listed. To me, it's a great place to take the kids...Oh yeah, the monorail too! I mean the list can go on and on!

 

[daisyduck123]

Bring your 3yo a bathing suit & change of clothes & let him/her have a great time in the interactive fountains there!!

 

[stitch63]

My 2 1/2 year old liked the Living Seas although the lines were too long for Crush. He also liked Spaceship Earth with nothing scaring him inside that ride. He was Ok with parts of Figment but didn't like the loud noises and poofs of air. He also enjoyed the boat ride in Mexico. Unfortunately, it seems like he spent a lot of time in his stroller while we were in Epcot. I know it's more of an adult park but a couple more toddler-friendly rides would be nice. The new Nemo Clam-mobiles will be a nice addition.

 

[cara76]

My 4 1/2 yr old loves Epcot (no clue why but it's one of his favorite parks)

Journey into the Imagination with Figment
Living with the Land
Spaceship Earth
Kidcot Stations
Living Seas esp Turtle Talk
Mexico Ride (not sure what it's called)
Character Connection

We like to walk about the lands and meet the different Characters

Mulan in China
Snow While in Germany
Adladin, Genie and Jasmine in Moraco
Sleeping Beauty and Belle in France
Pooh and Friends and Mary Poppins in UK

 

[Esteri]

Our boys are older now, but when they were toddler sized, Epcot really worked for them. Much had to do with the environment. The park is larger, less concrete, more plant life (though no park can match AK for that!) = less sensory overload = happier kid.

Also, because it was larger (= not wall to wall people), we found they spent less time in their strollers. There are lots of places to take them out and just let them play. The jumping fountain in the Imagination pavilion was a huge favorite. Unfortunately, we didn't bring a suit for the interactive fountain - but they enjoyed watching it.

The exhibits in the Life pavilion are really fun for youngsters, and we spent at least an hour in there with optical illusions, hot and cold, and audio experiments. Exhibits at the Innovations pavilions are interesting too.

They were enthralled by Circle of Life, and some of the smaller "side" shows.

Epcot for toddlers is less about the rides, and more about the experience. If you can let go of the ride thing, and go to experience the environment, Epcot is a toddler rich place to go. We've really enjoyed viewing that park through a 3 year-olds eyes.

 

[ohboyx3]

Our family loves Epcot! We ent this past January with a 18 mo old, 4 year old, and seven year old. It was great and plenty to do. In fact, it's one of the few places we didn't have to split up as a family. TT was closed and I wasn't going to let the 7 yo ride MS, so basically soarin is the oly thing we took turns on. I was worried about the 18 month old on Maelstrom, SE, etc. They all did great. Can't wait to experience it without a stroller, but in the meantime, we made the best of it. Oh yeah..... the kidcot stops, BRILLIANT. Kept my kids happy. Have a great time. It's a wonderful park.

 

[MisunderstoodLilo]

Living Seas
Living with the Land Boat Ride
Journey into Your Imagination
Spaceship Earth
Innoventions East & West
Ellen's Energy Adventure (Universe of Energy building)

ALL the Kid Cot fun stops in the World Showcase & Future World

Character Connection meet & greet near Innoventions West

All the street performers

If you're enthusiastic about Epcot, your kids will be too. My siblings and I loved it as kids and my best friend's 6 & 4 year olds loved a few months ago, too. Have fun!

 

[Mo-Yo]

In 2000, EPCOT was the favorite park among our kids: ds 6, dd4, dd2. Some of the more active parks overwhelmedd them after a while, but EPCOT was a relaxing, interseting and fun way to spend a day together without high-intensity attractions, sometimes-scary character interactions, big crowds and long lines.

They liked the Living Seas, Spaceship Earth, the Imagination Pavillion, but they really loved seeing the bands and plays, the drummers in Japan, the statues (now gone) in Italy and the Kidcot Fun Stops. They also loved the fountains, the train in Germany and Illuminations.

They are bigger now and find more to love at the other parks...but EPCOT has a special place in their hearts...only now they love TT, MSpace and Soarin and Ellen's Universe of Energy, too. Also, my youngest (DD5) really loved the short lines for characters in The World Showcase when we were there this past December.

 

[tessieg]

Thanks for all the positive replies. I think we are going to go ahead and do Epcot. We have to been to Disney many times the last few years and had incredible, but exhausting times with our girls(now 2 and 7). We really want to relax this time!! Epcot may just be perfect for that--more exploring and taking it all on instead of rushing from attraction to attraction. . We'll do one day just at our hotel in the pool and exploring and then the evening at DTD. Then the day at Epcot; I just booked the Storybook Princess Breakfast to start it all off.
You all are great--thanks a bunch!
Tessie