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

[ArwenMarie]

We only get to go to Orlando for a week a year. We don't drink and we aren't big foodies (I can't eat most restaurant food)

Anyway, Epcot doesn't make the list of parks to visit by a unanimous family vote My kids say it has too much walking for too few rides

We did go last summer to ride Frozen (which is a disgrace IMO). Won't be back until Ratatouille is done. If we have park hoppers

 

[jaceraden]

My first EPCOT experience was with my very young kids, in 2011. It's our favourite park, by far. I really dislike when people talk about the good old days and wish them back. I think we waste a lot of time in the past and thinking about faults instead of enjoying what we have right in front of us. We are Canadian and we usually travel to WDW for 2+ weeks, every 2-6 years. Since the OP was wondering about opinions based on location and frequency of visits.

 

[Delirium]

Epcot is my least favorite park. While I enjoy World Showcase, my 5 and 7 year old do not. It’s a TON of walking for them, and they find it tiring and boring.
The rest of the park is a ton of walking to go from one ride to another. This summer, Epcot was supposed to be open until 10 one night, so that was our Epcot time. However, what isn’t advertised that everything besides WS closes at 7:00! Yes, even when the sun is still out, they close it! We were waiting in line at Innoventions and listening to this spiel about paint and color when another CM comes up and tells us we need to clear out of the building bc they were closing. We wound up walking from one side of the park to the other trying to find something to do before I finally asked “what exactly is open at this park right now?” It was just WS, which was not really fun for us. I felt cheated for sure.
I’ve been debating back and forth for a while on whether or not to do an Epcot day on our upcoming trip. I’ve ultimately decided to spend a morning there and adding an extra half day at MK.

Did your kids do the passports and KidCot activities throughout each country in World Showcase? My kids loved both of those at that age (and a few years after).

 

[disneydreamer1980]

This isn’t addressed to anyone on here, just in general, and after years of hearing parents apologize to their kids for how “boring” Epcot is. I understand what everyone says about kids not enjoying Epcot, since WDW is geared toward kids or the “child at heart”. But I feel like the parents also deserve something they really enjoy, after chasing princesses all week for their kids. For me and my DH, this is Epcot. Of course our kids would rather be at MK, but I was raised that kids don’t tell their parents where to go, and instead of whining the whole day about how much they hate Epcot, maybe someone should tell them to be grateful that they get to go to WDW at all.

 

[hotblooded]

I have visited every country featured in Epcot World Showcase in real life. Epcot can not compare. It’s a cheap, tacky imitation featuring overpriced, Americanized food. I’m not that interested in beer or wine either, so DATW is a bust, too.

Epcot was my favorite park as a child, and the Future World soundtrack still gives me chills. Unfortunately, now that I’m in my late 20s, the attractions don’t interest me anymore. Soarin’ is nothing more than a movie that gets boring by the second time watching it, the Test Track refurb is less fun, Innoventions is a shadow of its former self, Mission Space didn’t age well. I couldn’t spend all day at DHS in its current state either, but the Tower of Terror and Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster never get old.

 

[suevee]

Epcot used to be my favorite park. I remember the living statue, the touring Italien troupe, the Italien masque players, the tour of acrobats at the entrance into the world as well as the old attractions now closed. The mime at France. I think the chair acrobat is still there. People on stilts used to roam dressed in exotic finery. And the night time parade! And there was a bus of characters that would come to the entrane of the world showcase. And so much hands on stuff under the Golfball and in Innovations. Kids could and did spend hours there. No more. All gone. It used to be a hands on interactive experience. Now it is a shopping mall.

 

[palavra]

Admittedly, I am coming from a different perspective as a local, but Epcot is my favorite park. It is one of my teen daughter's favorite parks. There are so many fun things to do. Yesterday, we went to Epcot with a home school group in the evening. First, we went to the Disney Broadway music show at American Adventures. It was amazing! Then the teens ran off and enjoyed the rides. Test Track, Soarin', Spaceship Earth and Mission to Mars were favorites. Most of the adults enjoyed wandering around World Showcase. I feel like Epcot has something for everyone. It is truly a family park.

 

[we"reofftoneverland]

Good news! DH is a garden railroad enthusiast. We were there about three weeks ago in January, and FOUR trains were running. The landscape was fresh and clean and had new features. We spent quite a bit of time there.

Oh wow!! That changes everything. We were there last June and there was absolutely nothing left, but after watching the slow decline it was almost cathartic seeing the entire set up just gone. Lol. We too are railroad enthusiasts and it used to be a WDW highlight for us. Thanks for the update. We are doing a shorter trip there this summer and were planning on skipping epcot but now we will have to rethink that..
.

 

[skyblue17]

I was definitely taken by Epcot during F&W this year. It was a combination of things. I hadn't been there since I was in high school (and I don't actually remember being there in high school! But I do remember being there as a kid), there was lots of fun food and drink to sample, my favorite band was playing at Eat to the Beat, the weather was beautiful, I was there with two of my best friends, it was just a perfect combination of pleasant! Going in with fresh eyes, I think, really helped me to enjoy it, even not really delving that deeply into World Showcase, I still loved it and the design of it and all it offered. I did think Future World seemed spread out and like there could be more going on, but I enjoyed the activities I did in that part of the park. It definitely seems more like an older kid/adult park to me. Part of what makes Disney great is that they offer something for everyone, and while it's still kid-friendly, it does appeal more to an older demographic. Seeing as not everyone at Disney is a little kid, that seems fine to me.

When I left Epcot after my first full day there, I did think it was probably my favorite park but then I went to Animal Kingdom and now i know that is not true, but I look forward to returning to Epcot on a future visit, and I would definitely like to do so during a festival.

 

[fbarker]

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

I always look at EPCOT as a nice park to relax take in some new culture and enjoy the food. We always do TT, Soaring, Imagination, Spaceship Earth (multiple times) FEA, enjoy the entertainment at UK, China, Japan and a few other things. Yes its a bit dated and is no longer the concept that Walt had envisioned but its still a great park.

 

[abinormal]

I’d never been there before our 2015 trip, so no nostalgia or prejudice to sway me. I went with my husband and 2 kids age 5 and 2. We loved Epcot. My kids rode everything they were big enough for and loved them. The Living Seas was a big hit as well.

The kids weren’t super interested in World Showcase but there was enough to keep them entertained between characters and things to look at. They watched ducks in a fountain in Germany for like a half hour while their dad and I switched off exploring the shops.

It was a nice leisurely place to spend the day, and we’re not snobbish about food, so there was a lot to enjoy there. We did two half days there and I plan to do more next time.

 

[DOOM1001]

Epcot is my least favorite park. While I enjoy World Showcase, my 5 and 7 year old do not. It’s a TON of walking for them, and they find it tiring and boring.
The rest of the park is a ton of walking to go from one ride to another. This summer, Epcot was supposed to be open until 10 one night, so that was our Epcot time. However, what isn’t advertised that everything besides WS closes at 7:00! Yes, even when the sun is still out, they close it! We were waiting in line at Innoventions and listening to this spiel about paint and color when another CM comes up and tells us we need to clear out of the building bc they were closing. We wound up walking from one side of the park to the other trying to find something to do before I finally asked “what exactly is open at this park right now?” It was just WS, which was not really fun for us. I felt cheated for sure.
I’ve been debating back and forth for a while on whether or not to do an Epcot day on our upcoming trip. I’ve ultimately decided to spend a morning there and adding an extra half day at MK.

All the main rides and attractions is Future World are open until park closing.

 

[Mainemama]

Epcot is my favorite park. My whole family loves it. We are, though, like OP describes, repeat visitors, stay on property (as close to Epcot as possible), and have kids who enjoy sitting in restaurants. As a Disneyland child, Epcot IS WDW to me. As a kid I believed the whole of Epcot was inside Spaceship Earth, located directly next to MK. Imagine my pleasant surprise when I visited for the first time, as an adult, and found the shockingly huge park! None of our favorite rides are in Epcot, but as a whole, we like it best.

 

[puffkins]

I couldn't imagine going to WDW and not spending a day at - Magic Kingdom (because it would be heretical not to do so) and EPCOT. The EPCOT rides are mostly not fantastic but that not the appeal for me. EPCOT is slower paced and less structured. It is also massive so you rarely feel trampled by people unless it is in the world Showcase nearing Illuminations or during the F&W Festival. Because there are NOT a ton of rides, the visit becomes more about ambiance, food, window shopping and relaxation. As an added bonus, I firmly believe Mouse Gear is the best gift shop in WDW. We spend most of our time in the world showcase unless we are riding Soarin' doing Mouse Gear or eating at Sunshine Seasons. EPCOT is so unique, we just love it.

 

[MarBee]

All the main rides and attractions is Future World are open until park closing.

Just wanted to clarify for anyone trip planning and reading this- this was 100% not true in our experience. Everything in FW except for Mouse Gears closed at 7 that night. (They even had us leave mid experience at Innoventions.) Only WS stayed open until 10.
Maybe it was extra magic hours that kept the park advertised as open till 10, but we walked the entirety of FW that night, along with dozens of other people, and the only thing open after 7:00 was WS.

 

[fla4fun]

Just wanted to clarify for anyone trip planning and reading this- this was 100% not true in our experience. Everything in FW except for Mouse Gears closed at 7 that night. (They even had us leave mid experience at Innoventions.) Only WS stayed open until 10.
Maybe it was extra magic hours that kept the park advertised as open till 10, but we walked the entirety of FW that night, along with dozens of other people, and the only thing open after 7:00 was WS.

I am not saying your experience isn't true, because there may have been some reason that FW did close early the day you were there. However, that is not the norm. There are planning websites who show historical wait time data, and they have data for the FW attractions right up to 9pm. Not knowing which day you encountered this problem, I can't look up that specific day, but generally you will find that the major FW attractions are open through closing. Innoventions and other minor attractions would close at 7pm most nights. The easiest way to tell is by FP booking times. When you are making your plans at 60 days out, look at the latest available FP slot and that will give you a good idea of whether the rides will still be open or not (the late night slots are usually the last to be booked, so it's pretty easy to check). Sorry it didn't work out that way for you though.

 

[SaintsManiac]

We spent more time in FW the last 2 trips than I think I ever have before. My 7 year old loves it. Garden Grill has quickly become a family favorite. Soarin is something all 3 of us enjoy equally (a rare thing).

WS was kind of packed last time we went, which was the first day of the arts festival. It was raining, it was gusting windy and hot. It was just not enjoyable and we didn't get to see all that the festival offers. I was bummed by that, but it happens. We won't be back until F&W and it will be our first time going, so hopefully we can make more time to enjoy it.

Also, I will never miss Voices of Liberty. They alone make a trip to Epcot worth it!

 

[epcotty]

I grew up going to the Epcot of the 90s, so I know how amazing it was then. I feel it still has some of that although it's lost some of its old charm since then with some of the replacements (Mission Space, Nemo, Frozen, even Test Track to a lesser degree although the newer Test Track is tons better than the old Test Track). However we still feel it's a great park that offers a fun filled time. You're forgetting about the Mexico boat ride, Gran Fiesta Tour in regards to your description of World Showcase. They probably should update the World Showcase movies more often though (although we still like them as they are)

 

[HydroGuy]

I have visited every country featured in Epcot World Showcase in real life. Epcot can not compare. It’s a cheap, tacky imitation featuring overpriced, Americanized food. I’m not that interested in beer or wine either, so DATW is a bust, too.

Epcot was my favorite park as a child, and the Future World soundtrack still gives me chills. Unfortunately, now that I’m in my late 20s, the attractions don’t interest me anymore. Soarin’ is nothing more than a movie that gets boring by the second time watching it, the Test Track refurb is less fun, Innoventions is a shadow of its former self, Mission Space didn’t age well. I couldn’t spend all day at DHS in its current state either, but the Tower of Terror and Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster never get old.

Interesting perspective. I too have visited almost all the countries in Epcot (still waiting for Norway and Morocco ) and I am not 100% sure how to feel about it. How you feel about WS is how I feel about Kilimanjaro Safari at AK. I have been on several African safaris with my kids and, while we typically ride KS, we kind of roll our eyes at the experience and the things the guests say.

First, I disagree with what you say about the food. I think the food is one of the best aspects of WS. Last trip I was discussing ordering mushy peas at Rose & Crown with a CM there who was from England. Long story about that but bottom line is I got something authentically English. The CM was from a part of England where I first ate mushy peas.

Second, I tend to really like the movies at the China, France and Canada Pavilion. Especially China. I think those are educational and, while they need to be updated (and I have heard that is in the works), I think they succeed in giving you a feel for that country that matches to some degree my experiences.

Third, I think folks have to understand more where WS is coming from. It took me awhile to put all the pieces together about how Walt Disney was a huge fan of World Fairs. I think the 1964 WF was the best example of that and there is lots of footage on it. Rather than WS trying to be some kind of a theme park knockoff of real places, I think WS is more trying to be like a permanent World Fair. I have never been to a WF (do they even still have them? LOL) but I can imagine it is more a cultural experience trying to celebrate a country rather than trying to create some kind of strange commercialized imitation. As far as that goes, I think WS succeeds.

Finally, I think Disney has struggled with what to do with Epcot. It has the least direct ties of all the Disney parks to what people tend to want from Disney - characters, themed rides and storytelling. So Disney is doing the smart commercial thing and putting more of those things into WS. If your customers ask for something, you should try and give it to them. Hence you have FEA and the new Ratatouille ride coming to the French Pavilion. Plus all the Disney characters associated with different WS countries (e.g., Belle at France and Mary Poppins at UK). I have to think Disney is doing the right thing here.

I do not have much Epcot nostalgia as my first trip there happened when I was in my 40's already. So the changes do not bother me the way they could bother some. Some WS pavilions feel more authentic to me and connect me more to the real places I have visited and evoke good feelings. Among those are UK, France, Mexico and China. Others feel less authentic and more cheesy to me such as Italy.

 

[Kellykins1218]

They ruined Test Track when they took out the hot and cold rooms and now they've ruined Soarin' by making the movie so distorted. There's nothing in World Showcase worth the long, hot, boring walk. Epcot is barely a 1/2 day park.