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EPCOT: Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow, was Walt Disney’s vision for a city of the future. His death before the opening of Magic Kingdom meant his dreams for EPCOT never materialised and the space was turned into a theme park, still with an emphasis on innovation and education, but with the acronyms dropped so the park became Epcot.
Opening in 1981, Epcot was Walt Disney World's second park, and is larger than both Magic Kingdom and Hollywood Studios. It’s split into 2 main parts: Future World and World Showcase.
Future World houses the majority of the rides, including the brand new Gardians of the Galaxy attraction.
World Showcase is a collection of pavilions depicting the architecture, produce and cuisine from 11 different countries. Some pavilions house rides, others gardens. There are character meet & greets, plus live entertainment in many of the areas.
Although World Showcase used to open around 11am, the addition of extra attractions in this area means it now opens at the same time as the rest of the park.
Arriving at Epcot
Epcot is accessible by pretty much every means possible: car, bus, monorail, boat, skyliner, or walking, depending on your location. Unlike the other theme parks, there are 2 entrances.
Main Entrance
The main entrance is for guests arriving by car, bus or monorail.
From the main car park, you can either walk or catch one of the trams to the turnstiles. Buses drop off within easy walking distance.
Whereas those guests wishing to arrive by monorail will need to travel on the Epcot Line from the Transportation and Ticket Center (located near Magic Kingdom). The Epcot monorail station exit is situated very close to the bag check area and turnstiles.
International Gateway
For guests staying at one of the Epcot Resorts (Beach Club, Yacht Club, Boardwalk, Swan and Dolphin), or arriving by skyliner, the closest entrance is International Gateway.
The International Gateway brings you out on the walkway between the France and United Kingdom pavilion. This is situated on the opposite side of the park to the main entrance, which means guests entering from this location will be closer to the new Ratatouille ride.
Although the International Gateway is smaller in scale than the main entrance, you won’t find yourself at a disadvantage when trying to gain access to the park, due to the limited amount of guests it services.
We've used this entrance when staying at the Beach Club & Yacht Club on a number of occasions. When arriving for rope drop, we've always made it to Future World at the same time as those guests who had entered via the main entrance.
If you enter via the main entrance, Space themed Future World is the first area you’ll come to. The huge ‘golf ball’ as we like to call it, houses the ride, Spaceship Earth, and makes for some great photographs.
In this general area, you’ll find park maps and entertainment guides, Guest Services, toilets, locker rentals, wheelchair and pushchair rental.
Hint: Cash machines are located outside the main entrance, so make sure you grab your cash before you enter the park, otherwise your nearest cash machine will be on the Future World Bridge. There are further machines in the US pavilion and inside the International Gateway entrance.
Recommended Attractions
Epcot is currently undergoing a major renovation, and this has resulted in some much needed new attractions being added to the park.
The latest, Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, has become the most popular ride, and as a result is operating a virtual queue system. Boarding Groups can be booked via the MyDisneyExperience app.
As expected, Individual Lightning Lane is also available for Guardians of the Galaxy, so once the boarding group option ceases, you'll want to make this ride a priority when arriving for rope drop (if you don't wish to pay the extra fee).
Other headliners include Remy's Ratatouille Adventure, a new addition to the France Pavilion, plus Test Track, Soarin', and Frozen Ever After.
Depending on the dynamics of your party, you'll probably want to select a number of attractions from a few of these lists, but to give you a start, I've put them in to groups.
Younger Children:
Remy's Ratatouille Adventure
Frozen Ever After
The Seas with Nemo and Friends
Turtle Talk with Crush
Tweens to Teens:
Guardians of the Galaxy
Mission SPACE: Green
Soarin' Around the World
All the Family:
Spaceship Earth
Living with the Land
Journey into Imagination with Figment
Thrill Seekers:
Test Track
Mission SPACE: Orange
Note: All the attractions in the younger children and family group have no height restrictions, so they're suitable for everyone.
If you have younger children in your group, who don't meet the required heights, Disney offer the Rider Switch option to enable all adults and older children to experience the attractions.
For more information on Height Requirements and how to use Rider Switch, click on the image:
Individual Lightning Lane & Genie+
Genie+ Lightning Lane passes can be booked for all of the attractions I've listed above, (Individual Lightning Lane for Guardians of the Galaxy).
If you don't intend to purchase Genie+, the most popular attractions, which you'll want to make a priority at rope drop, are Remy's Ratatouille Adventure, Frozen Ever After, Test Track, and Soarin'.
It's worth noting that Test Track often suffers from a delayed opening, so you may wish to choose another option rather than waste your time queuing for a ride that hasn't yet begun loading guests.
Early Theme Park Entry
As with all the other parks, Epcot offers Early Theme Park Entry to Disney Resort Guests. Which means these guests are able to enjoy some of the attractions 30 minutes prior to official park opening time.
These include:
- Beauty & The Beast Sing-Along
- Frozen Ever After
- Mission: SPACE
- Remy's Ratatouille Adventure
- Soarin' Around The World
- Spaceship Earth
- Test Track
- The Seas with Nemo & Friends
Deluxe Extended Evening Hours
Epcot also offer Extended Evening Hours for Deluxe Resort Guests. This is when the park remains open for 2 hours after official closing time for guests of the Deluxe Disney Resorts.
This tends to be on a Monday evening, from 9pm-11pm. Therefore, if you're eligible for extended evening hours, you should be able to enjoy much shorter queues at the Epcot headliner attractions.
World Showcase
One of our favourite places in Walt Disney World, especially at night, is Epcot’s World Showcase. This is a fascinating collection of 11 pavilions, each depicting a different country from around the world, with iconic landmarks, typical cuisine and shops selling traditional wares.
Pick up a guide and check out some of the live entertainment the World Showcase has to offer. Marvel at the balancing skills of Serveur Amusement in France, or the Chinese Acrobats. If live music is more your thing, catch the bands in the UK gardens and on the large stage in the USA pavilion.
There are now 3 rides in the World Showcase. The Gran Fiesta Tour in the Mexico pavilion, and Frozen Ever After in Norway are both boat rides. Whereas you can enjoy the newest attraction in the France pavilion aboard a spinning car.
Canada, France, America and China show films focusing on their history and culture. And some pavilions have picturesque gardens to explore. Our favourite is the United Kingdom, where you can grab a drink at the Rose & Crown kiosk then watch the live band in the manicured gardens.
A great one for the kids (and adults) is the fun model railway in Germany.
Kidcot Fun Stops
Due to the more adult theming of the World Showcase, small children can find it a little boring - especially compared to the theming in some of the other parks. Disney have tried to overcome this by introducing the Kidcot Fun Stops. With Duffy Bear as the mascot, children are invited to stop at dedicated areas in each pavilion and pick up a cardboard Duffy to colour in. Cast Members are on hand to chat to guests, they will also stamp and sign Duffy with messages in their native language. Duffy is complimentary, but if this is too young for your children, World Showcase Passports (priced around $12) are available to buy from one of the many shops dotted around, which they can have stamped and signed instead.
Dining
One of our favourite activities in Epcot is eating! There are plenty of restaurants to choose from offering a range of cuisine, many of them situated in the World Showcase.
Table Service Restaurants
San Angel Inn Restaurante
Sittings: Lunch and dinner
Reservations: Available for both sittings. Reservations are available from 180 days. We’ve managed to book a lunch sitting on the day we required it.
Type of food: Mexican
Dining Plan: 1 Table Service credit per meal
Characters: None
As fans of Mexican food, we enjoyed our lunch here. The themeing is fun, although the lighting is a little dark and the tables are placed rather close together, but the atmosphere is lively. The complimentary nachos were a nice touch and the service was friendly.
Hint: Ask for a table overlooking the Gran Fiesta boat ride and wave at guests as they sail past.
Biergarten Restaurant
Sittings: Lunch and dinner
Reservations: Available for both sittings. Reservations are recommended.
Type of food: German food served buffet style
Dining Plan: 1 Table Service credit per meal
Characters: None
It’s Oktoberfest every night in this fun, lively restaurant. A large selection of tasty traditional German food including bratwurst, sauerkraut, schnitzel, spatzle and german meatballs are served alongside various roasted meats, salads and potatoes.
The setting resembles a German village with guests seated at long wooden tables and an Oompah band playing at intervals. Enjoy your beer served in a stein, or if you can’t choose a favourite, try the beer flight.
Hint: Depending on the size of your party, you may be seated at a table with other guests. It’s a very sociable way to further enjoy the atmosphere.
Tutto Italia Ristorante
Sittings: Lunch and dinner
Reservations: Available for both sittings. Reservations are recommended.
Type of food: Italian
Dining Plan: 1 Table Service credit per meal
Characters: None
We made a last minute reservation here on our first trip in 2012, and we’re really glad we did. The food was delicious, we liked the atmosphere and the service was the best we experienced during our whole holiday.
Via Napoli Ristorante e Pizzeria
Sittings: Lunch and dinner
Reservations: Available for both sittings. Reservations are recommended.
Type of food: Italian
Dining Plan: 1 Table Service credit per meal
Characters: None
If you fancy pizza, this is the best restaurant to go to - just make sure you’re hungry because they are huge!
The restaurant is large and noisy, the pizzas are good (we’ve had better) and the service was ok.
Hint: If you’re paying out of pocket, this works out as one of the cheaper restaurants on property as you can easily share one of the large pizzas between a few people. If everyone in your party likes different toppings, split the pizza and choose the build-your-own pizza option.
Teppan Edo
Sittings: Lunch and dinner
Reservations: Available for both sittings. Reservations are recommended.
Type of food: Japanese - Hibachi style
Dining Plan: 1 Table Service credit per meal
Characters: None
One of our favourites. The food mainly consists of chicken, beef, prawns, vegetables and noodles, served with a selection of dipping sauces.
It’s simple yet tasty and the best part is watching the chefs perform tricks as they prepare and cook your meal over a hibachi grill.
Each station seats around 8 guests, so if you're group is smaller than this, you are likely to be seated with other people.
Hint: Make sure you speak to and interact with the chef, they’re great fun to watch and really appreciate your reaction to the skills they display.
Tokyo Dining
Sittings: Lunch and dinner
Reservations: Available for both sittings. Reservations are recommended.
Type of food: Japanese
Dining Plan: 1 Table Service credit per meal
Characters: None
Situated in the same building at Teppan Edo, one of our favourite parts of this restaurant is the large sushi bar, where cameras are situated to enable diners to watch the skills of the sushi chefs as they prepare various dishes.
If you’re really lucky, you might get the chance to see the chefs prepare a complimentary starter known as The Volcano’. A towering plate of sushi, which diners are then given the chance to win through a game of rock, paper scissors. Just make sure that if your 8 year old son takes it upon himself to partake in the game and subsequently wins the prize, you all like sushi and are extremely hungry!
As at Teppan Edo, the service at Tokyo Dining is fantastic. There are some window tables which have a lovely view overlooking the World Showcase lagoon. The food was good, and as you would expect, it’s very fish based. When we visited, the children’s meals were served in a fun way. It was a once and done for us as we enjoy the food and atmosphere more at Teppan Edo.
Restaurant Marrakesh
Sittings: Lunch and dinner
Reservations: Available for both sittings. Reservations are recommended.
Type of food: Moroccan
Dining Plan: 1 Table Service credit per meal
Characters: None
We liked the setting of this restaurant, with its arched pillars, authentic lighting and red carpet all adding to the ambience. The service was extremely attentive and the food was delicious.
We shared the Marrakesh Feast and the Royal Feast between the 4 of us, which was a great way to sample the many different dishes on the menu. Our favourites were the lemon chicken and the roasted lamb shank.
Depending on the time of your booking, entertainment is provided by a live band and/or a belly dancer, who will try to entice you to dance. We didn’t see anyone accept.
Spice Road Table
Sittings: Lunch and dinner
Reservations: Available for both sittings
Type of food: Moroccan and Turkish cuisine
Dining Plan: 1 Table Service Credit per meal
Characters: None
Situated in the Morocco pavilion, overlooking the lake, this lovely restaurant provided us with one of our best meals of the trip when we ate lunch here in 2017. We're all fans of the type of cuisine served, and the food didn't disappoint.
The menu has now changed to one which offers small plates in the lounge section of the restaurant, with the outdoor seating area reserved for guests on the Harmonious Dining Package. As we haven't tried the new menu, I can't comment on the dishes available, but hopefully its all just as good as the experience we enjoyed.
Rose & Crown Dining Room
Sittings: Lunch and dinner
Reservations: Available for both sittings. Reservations are recommended.
Type of food: British
Dining Plan: 1 Table Service credit per meal
Characters: None
As the name suggests, a traditional English pub is the themeing for this restaurant, with a pub on one side and the dining room on the other.
The pub can become quite loud but the restaurant is significantly cut off from the bar section, plus it has the added bonus of a large outdoor seating area. This is another good place to enjoy a lakeside view of Harmonious while you eat, so Disney have now introduced the Harmonious Dining Package here too.
Gone are the days when luck determined whether you were seated at a table overooking the lake. Now you have to pay significantly more to guarantee such a view. Whether it's worth it is a matter of opinion, especially as there are more central places to watch the show. However, the food is pretty good.
We enjoyed the Grilled New York Strip Steak, with the Yorkshire Pudding adding a nice British twist to the dish. The Beer-battered leeks on the Welsh Pub Burger were delicious, and the Shepherd's Pie (although not quite as tasty as mum's), also got the thumbs up.
But our favourite has to be the desserts. Some of the restaurants are less inspiring with their limited choice of desserts, but that's certainly not the case at The Rose & Crown. The English Trifle was 'almost as good as Grandma's', the Banoffee Tart was delicious, and the Jaffa Tarts are amazing!:
Counter Service Restaurants
Sunshine Seasons
Sittings: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Reservations: Not required.
Type of food: Varied
Dining Plan: 1 Counter Service credit per meal
Characters: None
We’re never in this area for lunch or dinner, but the menu looks good. There are different areas to choose from: Asian, Wood-fired, sandwiches, soups & salads. We have eaten breakfast here and it’s one of the few counter service restaurants in the parks where you can enjoy a breakfast platter.
La Cantina de San Angel
Sittings: Lunch and dinner
Reservations: Not required.
Type of food: Mexican
Dining Plan: 1 Counter Service credit per meal
Characters: None
We’ve eaten here a few times and have always enjoyed the food. The restaurant serves large portions of tasty Mexican food which are easily big enough to share (3 between 4). Our favourites are the tacos, which a served with a generous side of nachos and salsa.
Hint: Most of the seating for this restaurant is located outside, however during lunch sittings inside tables are available at the adjacent La Hacienda de San Angel. The door to the inside is located to the right of the service counter.
Hint: If you plan to eat here for a late dinner, try to grab a table overlooking the lake for a view of Harmonious as you dine.
Kringla Bakeri Og Kafe
Sittings: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Reservations: Not required.
Type of food: Norwegian
Dining Plan: 1 Counter Service credit per meal
Characters: None
There's a good selection of cakes and pastries available at this Norwegian counter service location, most of which are available as snacks on the Disney Dining Plan.
We've tried a few over the years, including the School Bread, which is a cardamom bun filled with vanilla custard and topped with desiccated coconut. There's also a Snow Globe cake which has a brownie base topped with cream covered custard and decorated with a blue sugar glass. Plus Anna's Birthday Cake. This is an attractive looking cupcake but the copious amounts of frosting and marshmallow centre made it too sickly sweet for our taste.
If you’re looking for a sandwich, the Norwegian Club and the Ham and Apple sandwich are both good choices.
Tangierine Cafe
Sittings: Lunch and dinner
Reservations: Not required.
Type of food: Moroccan
Dining Plan: 1 Counter Service credit per meal
Characters: None
In our opinion, this is one of the best Counter Service restaurants in Epcot.
Delicious wraps and kebabs are served with traditional sides such as hummus, couscous, tzatziki and Moroccan bread.
Les Halles Boulangerie Patisserie
Sittings: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Reservations: Not required.
Type of food: French
Dining Plan: 1 Counter Service credit per meal
Characters: None
Tucked away at the back of the France pavilion, this french Counter Service restaurant has a fantastic display of pastries as well as delicious baguettes.
It’s one of the only World Showcase Counter Service restaurants open for breakfast, and thanks to the opening of nearby Remy's Ratatouille Adventure, it's become very popular.
Yorkshire County Fish Shop
Sittings: Lunch and dinner
Reservations: Not required.
Type of food: English Fish & Chips
Dining Plan: 1 Counter Service credit per meal
Characters: None
The best fish and chips on property are available here from a small take out window, on the side of the Rose & Crown pub. There’s seating available in the Rose & Crown beer garden, which overlooks the World Showcase lagoon.
Harmonious
Harmonious is Epcot's nighttime spctacular which replaced Illuminations: Reflections of Earth in 2021.
The show takes place on the World Showcase lagoon every night, and contains a mixture of music, fireworks, lasers, fountains, and giant floating screens.
Due to it’s location, there are plenty of good viewing areas dotted around the World Showcase promenade. As usual with the nighttime shows, some locations will fill up well before the start time of 9pm.
We’ve had luck finding less crowded spots within 30 minutes of the show starting. One of our favourites is on the steps of the restaurant in Japan, the other is on the bridge between the UK and France pavilion.
Alternatively, there are some restaurants which offer good views, but this now comes at a premium with the introduction of Harmonious Dining Packages. These are available at Spice Road Table in Morocco and the Rose & Crown Pub in United Kingdom.
Extra Fun at Epcot
Epcot is the best park for post-ride fun. Rather than simply walking through and exiting the ride building, take the time to enjoy the various activities on offer (these are also ideal places to wait for those not wishing to ride).
Plan to spend a little more time after riding:
Spaceship Earth - Look for your ride photo to appear on the huge world map, play the 3D Body Builder game, manage the power to a city, or have fun on the driving simulation activity.
Mission: SPACE - Take part in the space race from Mars, send a video postcard (our family loved receiving this one), or let smaller children have fun in the play area.
Test Track - Discover whose car won by scoring the most points during the ‘test’, make a 15 second commercial, grab a steering wheel to drive a car around the track, or sit in the real thing in a room full of Chevrolet vehicles.
Journey Into Imagination with Figment - This area, named ‘Imageworks Labs’, can be accessed from the ride or via the gift shop which is situated to the side of the main building. Here you can design your own on screen Figment character, or make sounds on the interactive floor and wall.
The Sea’s with Nemo and Friends is a great place to spend some time. In the building which houses the ride and Turtle Talk with Crush, you’ll discover a fabulous aquarium which is home to a number of fish, sea turtles, dolphins, rays, sharks and even a couple of manatees.
Hint: Feeding takes place at 10am and 3.30pm. The perfect place to watch this is from the 2nd floor observation deck.
Disney's Boardwalk
If you're looking to take a break from the park, or seeking some alternative evening entertainment, Epcot is situated adjacent to one of Walt Disney World's hidden gems - Disney's Boardwalk.
Just a short walk from the International Gateway, you'll discover a promenade housing the Epcot resort hotels, more restaurants and bars, boutique shops, plus a collection of some fabulous street performers.
For for information on Disney's Boardwalk, click on the image (or Pin for later).
