Which EPCOT are you visiting? How perceptions of world showcase have a big impact!

[Md0u80a2]

Hi all,

So listening to the DIS shows, one can't help but be intoxicated by EPCOT. Festival of the Arts, Flower and Garden, Food and Wine, Christmas around the world, Candlelight, New years eve and right back to festival of the arts again.

Even the anniversary bash was in EPCOT! When I am around without family for work, meetings are often in hotels on boardwalk so EPCOT is natural option for after work food, drink or ride. This is the EPCOT I, the team and you all must love.

But last October, many of our friends (4 families in total with 13 kids) independently visited WDW for the first time. When I met to discuss the trips afterwards, one thing they all agreed is the weakest park by far. Obviously, I expect DHS given construction nightmare, but no - EPCOT. Yes, you heard me - EPCOT.

As they explained, memories started to awaken. Where are the rides? Universe of energy and Wonders of life not an option, innoventions not fun for kids, Mission SPACE too tame or too extreme, test track and soarin fun, Living seas with nemo ok and then what is world showcase? There are no rides, except the frozen attraction with a 2 hour wait? Where is all the detailed lands and immersive theming? And why do those of us from the UK or Europe need a fake France / UK / Germany / etc.

I found it hard to argue - even though I was desperate to! After all, I understand. As a young child I was in love with EPCOT - that is the EPCOT I visited in 1984/5 and even 1993/4. Horizons, World of motion, original figment, etc. But as a child then growing up, the attractions were not enough - not thrilling, not on par with the rest of world. And then world showcase - when you are coming for 2 weeks from abroad, perhaps staying off property, eating and drinking are just not part of the trip. You can't afford it, you haven't got time to sit and stop or you just don't fancy the pomp and ceremony. And I am back to the point on the world showcase - this is such a key part of EPCOT, why I increasingly love the park and why I know many of you love it.

But thinking of my own history with the park, my friends experiences and how this competes with the seasonal discussions on the boards and DIS shows, I think how you view world showcase is very much in the eye of the beholder! I don't even think this is a USA vs UK thing. I think how you vacation is key. How often do you come, are you on property, do you have dinning plan, do you kids sit and eat being well behaved and do you have any knowledge or experience of the countries in showcase? These will shape how you can and choose to enjoy world showcase. If you embrace the world showcase, the constant change, excitement, international flare of the nationals staffing, the great range of food, you will see this park as a jewel in the crown, living up to the vision of a permanent worlds fair. But if you are looking for your fill of attractions, immersive imagined lands and theming, with no time to sit, eat and enjoy, I don't think World Showcase and by extension, EPCOT as it exists today does work for you.

But why do these thoughts matter you may ask? I have a theory. I think Imagineering and Disney Execs know this and recognise it. They are stuck between the need for EPCOT to be a key park for locals, repeat visitors and annual passholders and the need to challenge the issues I raise with the 'other' type of guest who can't quite get into EPCOT. The solution? World showcase becomes 'World of IP'. That way, both groups can visit their EPCOT.

I wonder what you all think of my musings, particularly the views of other Europeans and US guests from further afield who perhaps don't visit regularly?

Morris

 

[PlutoTheDog89]

My sister and I just got back from a quick weekend trip. We stopped by Festival of the Arts, which IMO is a must-do. I think it's the best festival.

Upon walking around the World Showcase, my sister goes "there really isn't anything to do here outside the festival." It kind of broke my heart for a moment, as Epcot has always been near and dear to my family. We're big foodies who very much enjoy roaming the park. But it's true - what is there to do outside the festivals? That's why in recent years, we parlay it with Hollywood Studios.

We'll do Epcot during the morning/afternoon, then DHS for TSMM, Tower of Terror, Star Tours and Fantasmic

Then we'll do DHS in the morning for Frozen, ToT and RnR, followed by Epcot at night for Illuminations

 

[randumb0]

I always look at Epcot as a place to go and spend a bunch of money on food and ride a handful of rides

 

[tlmadden73]

Yep . .Epcot to me is the weakest of the bunch to me, especially now.

1) I don't feel like the park is good for toddlers. (Which I have been coming with the past 3 years). Until FEA, the park really lacked the "Disney" feel. Future World was cold, boring and filled with rides that most toddlers aren't tall enough to ride. The only exception being The Seas with Nemo and Friends and Turtle Talk. But the park isn't worth going to for that attraction alone.

2) The World Showcase is boring for MOST kids (and maybe a lot of adults (unless they are interested in an "exotic" meal). Even in Epcot's heyday, I found the World Showcase boring .. a hot, long, boring walk with nothing but food and shopping and boring movies --- underwhelming compared to the front of the park.

3) Edutainment theme was lost decades ago. Maybe I went to Epcot at the perfect time, but when I went in the 80s .. it was amazing to me. Filled with imagination and discovery. I was at the perfect age for that. Now I look at it and see "soulless" rides that just aren't that fun or exciting - Test Track, Mission Space, Nemo and Friends, .. Soaring being the exception.

4) Festivals - as not a local or annual pass holder or yearly regular - they feel like I am paying a GIANT cover charge to eat or drink around the world. If you go to the park to experience the attractions, it's hard to spend time appreciating the festivals.

The existence of the festivals is pretty much proof that most people find Epcot underwhelming. Disney now has 3 festivals (that last several months each) to GET people to come to the park. Surprised there isn't a summer festival yet.
Let's face it .. the World Showcase isn't anything special. Disney Springs has arguably better and more exotic food choices now .. for NO entry fee.

They are making great strides to bringing excitement back to the park and I am looking forward to Ratatouille and the new coaster replacing a long boring ride that not many liked. The World Showcase could use another attraction or two to balance the two zones out.

Over the last 5+ years .. they should have just let everyone hop between Epcot and DHS for free .. lift the stupid tiering and let you reserve rides in both parks and use the convenient boat transportation (or not long walk) to go between the two.

 

[disneydreamer1980]

Epcot has always been my favorite park, and I absolutely love WS. We spend a whole day at WS and another whole day at Fw and still don’t feel it’s enough. I hate that they’re mixing their IPs into the WS lately, there’s no need for it IMO. People nowadays just want constant stimulation and want to constantly be Wowed, whereas sometimes I think it’s nice to just quietly wander the countries of WS, exploring hidden corners and learning new things. I wish they’d just leave Epcot the way it is and not try yo turn it into another HS or MK. I love those parks, but I also love Epcot.

 

[Amii]

I'm at WDW now so I have been during this festival and I've been to the other ones also. I know I'll be in the minority but I don't like the festivals. I like to look around the countries without all of the booths cluttering up the paths. I have no interest in looking at booths lining the way or eating the overpriced mediocre samples.

 

[riddlemethis]

When we went, we put the kids in daycare at the resort and drank around Epcot. I really enjoyed my time in Epcot and their diverse food and alcohol options. When we brought the kids, it was just too much walking. They weren't so interested in looking around the world showcase, and the kids were scared of the rides there - especially soarin' which was a big surprise. However, our eldest loved test track. I feel that Epcot is better for adults that want to enjoy the beverages and look around at shops and art and whatnot. If we have a short stay, I would leave out Epcot if bringing kids.

 

[DisneyFive]

Epcot was our least favorite after our first visit as well. It is now #3, with AK falling to 4th. (not enough repeat factor at AK for us)

I remember walking up to the entrance of Epcot and thinking, what the heck is all this hard, barren looking space? (I'm referring to the leave a legacy "tombstones" out front.) It did not feel welcoming, and not very "Disney like". Then we get to future world and it is was more concrete and hard surfaces, and dated looking at that.

My favorite ride in all of WDW is Soarin (that may change when we ride FOP) and I love The Land. I also love Test Track.

The World showcase has never done much for anyone in our family. We're not big shoppers, and after seeing the shows at each pavilion there just isn't much to do anymore except eat. Yippee.

Epcot is the most relaxing of the parks for us since there just isn't enough to keep us wanting to hurry and do the next attraction, so it is our place to slow down a little and just enjoy the day. That's why it's moved up from 4th to 3rd for us.

Dan

 

[reluctantredhead]

Upon walking around the World Showcase, my sister goes "there really isn't anything to do here outside the festival." It kind of broke my heart for a moment, as Epcot has always been near and dear to my family. We're big foodies who very much enjoy roaming the park. But it's true - what is there to do outside the festivals? That's why in recent years, we parlay it with Hollywood Studios.

We'll do Epcot during the morning/afternoon, then DHS for TSMM, Tower of Terror, Star Tours and Fantasmic

Then we'll do DHS in the morning for Frozen, ToT and RnR, followed by Epcot at night for Illuminations

This is a great idea! I think we'll try it on our upcoming trip.

Yep . .Epcot to me is the weakest of the bunch to me, especially now.

1) I don't feel like the park is good for toddlers. (Which I have been coming with the past 3 years). Until FEA, the park really lacked the "Disney" feel. Future World was cold, boring and filled with rides that most toddlers aren't tall enough to ride. The only exception being The Seas with Nemo and Friends and Turtle Talk. But the park isn't worth going to for that attraction alone.

2) The World Showcase is boring for MOST kids (and maybe a lot of adults (unless they are interested in an "exotic" meal). Even in Epcot's heyday, I found the World Showcase boring .. a hot, long, boring walk with nothing but food and shopping and boring movies --- underwhelming compared to the front of the park.

I completely agree. When H and I used to go to WDW before our D was born, Epcot was our least favorite park for all the reasons you've written here. And once we started bring our D, she liked it least as well, until she was tall/old enough to ride the bigger rides...and then she'd want to leave after we'd done that and skip World Showcase entirely.

People nowadays just want constant stimulation and want to constantly be Wowed, whereas sometimes I think it’s nice to just quietly wander the countries of WS, exploring hidden corners and learning new things.

Now that I'm in my 40s, Epcot has become my favorite park for the reasons you mentioned, plus the amazing food that I couldn't appreciate when I was in my 20s because I grew up poor and we didn't have access to much fresh and/or high-quality food. Last year we went to WDW while the F&G Festival was going on and I completely fell in love with it, though...so much so that we're going back for it this year.

I feel that Epcot is better for adults that want to enjoy the beverages and look around at shops and art and whatnot. If we have a short stay, I would leave out Epcot if bringing kids.

This, definitely.

 

[tsme]

I love Epcot. It’s my favorite park without the festivals. I like that it has a more relaxed adult feel to it. The other parks are full of activities, noise, bright colors, yelling children etc. Some of my best memories are just wondering around Epcot. I hope Disney never changes that.

 

[CynBeth]

I can’t pick a favorite park out of MK, AK, and Epcot I love them for different reasons. In Epcot I have always liked walking around the countries and exploring plus seeing the movies/attractions. We usually visit every few years around holiday time and really enjoy the storytellers plus CP.

 

[bumbershoot]

I think it’s nice to just quietly wander the countries of WS, exploring hidden corners and learning new things. I wish they’d just leave Epcot the way it is

Same.

 

[Grasshopper2016]

I find Future World to be barren and soulless. And I am amazed how much wasted space there is--useless pavilions that can and should be turned into headliner rides. We love Soarin' and Test Track, and we enjoy Living with the Land, Spaceship Earth and Nemo. But there is just not much bang for the buck there, especially since you can't get FP+ for both Soarin' and Test Track.

But I love World Showcase. It is my favorite part of Disney World. We are not much for shopping (though the Japan store is fun), but we really love wandering through the nooks and crannies, catching bits of shows and entertainers, and eating and drinking our way around the world. I agree that World Showcase can be difficult with kids, but if you have kids in the age 6-12 range, Agent P is an amazingly fun activity for them. My kids can do it for hours, which frees up our time for wandering and enjoying the beverages. Also, Biergarten and San Angel Inn are really fun for kids. (At San Angel, they can go on the Gran Fiesta ride over and over and wave to us from the boat.)

 

[AFwifelife]

Epcot is my kids' favorite (aged 4 and 2.5). There's a ton to look at without being overstimulated. I can understand where it falls behind in terms of action and rides but to me, I appreciate that it's different. I've always said that Disney has done parks differently. It's not just a bunch of rides. And it provides more than others that have character interactions and parades/shows. There's places to explore and new things to see every time. I've been to Disney at least once a year since I was 2 (more frequently some years) and there's always new stuff to see.

 

[HydroGuy]

For me Epcot was an acquired taste. My first love is Disneyland and so I think by default of Disney parks as rides and characters. My two favorite parks at WDW have always been MK and DHS. DHS is changing of course, but that is another discussion.

My first few Epcot visits left me with the distinct feeling that it did not feel very Disney-like. Especially World Showcase. Future World? Well, yah, that felt Disney based on his fascination about technology and the future.

Epcot did not start to click with me until after 4-5 visits. And after I went on two tours - Backstage Magic and a Segway Tour of World Showcase (not sure if they have that anymore). Anyways, I think what clicked for me was when I was watching old footage of the 1964 World's Fair where Walt Disney made a big splash. It was his love of World Fairs that helped me connect the dots that World Showcase derives from Walt Disney and is Disney.

At this point I do not know how to rank all the parks. Epcot is probably still at the bottom of the four at WDW for me. But it feels much more familiar now. And I enjoy World Showcase probably more than Future World.

 

[E.Jane]

Our first trip, all the VR stuff was there and the kids had a blast (this is back in the mid 90s, pre DisneyQuest). Now, IMHO, Future World needs to be re-named!! Most of the attractions seem lame now. The rides are so-so - for example, Test Track is only ok to us - a wasted 25 minutes waiting to get to the "good part". If I miss a ride at Epcot, I don't sweat it (vs, say ToT - I can't leave WDW without riding that at least 3 times!) On the other hand, World Showcase is awesome when we stay at BWV because we always park-hop and go there often for dinner. But forget about kids wanting to walk around and see the sights there - just nothing to hold their interest. I think Epcot is great for adults who want to eat and drink. Otherwise, it's a bit of a snooze for the kiddos. I view it as a "relaxed" or "down" day because there's never any urgency to see/do anything there.

 

[Melina Hestnes]

As a young kid who loves rides, EPCOT was always my favorite. I didn’t really
like the world showcase except for Norway (malestrom when it was still there) and Japan (pearls). As I’ve gotten older, I’ve been learning to love EPCOT for the world showcase and not so much for the rides. I think it all matters on how you do Disney, how old you are, and what you enjoy in a theme park. I’m not sure it really has anything to do with where people are coming from.

 

[CeruleanMoon]

I'm very curious as to what my impression of Epcot will be when we go. I remember it as it was in the 80's and 90's - very alive and filled with amazing technological wonders everywhere you turn! But I understand most of that is gone now. My son (age 10) and husband have never been, so they have no preconceived notions. Son's excited about seeing the country replicas, and he loves museums, so I'm hoping he'll enjoy it even if it isn't the same Epcot that I remember.

 

[CrankyDad]

For our family EPCOT is amazing. Two full days. Love the rides and the countries.

We can’t stand Hollywood studios.. waste of time.

but that does not mean it is bad, just not for us. Same thing with Epcot. Not really sure what OP wants.. Different things for different families. That is why WDW is so good. 4 parks all with different things to do

 

[kiford]

I think it all matters on how you do Disney, how old you are, and what you enjoy in a theme park. I’m not sure it really has anything to do with where people are coming from.

Have to agree. If you go expecting lots of thrill rides, you'll be disappointed. We can spend ages in Epcot without going on more than one or two attractions and totally enjoy ourselves. We like that Epcot isn't populated by lots of long lines waiting on disparate attractions. We like to take our time, stroll through the shops, pavilions, watch the performers, watch the people, have a drink, snack or dine, stay and watch llluminations or just walk around. It all depends on what you like and what you expect.