Continuing on with your Disney vacation, the second day you should visit EPCOT.

 

Have you ever wondered if it would be possible to traveling, and tasting, your way around nine of the great countries of the world in one day? Or if you could pilot your own spaceship on a mission to Mars –or better yet, have a meal amongst the stars, all while orbiting the Earth? How about traveling to the depths of the ocean; or seeing the past, present, and future from a new point of view; or building your own custom vehicle and seeing how it holds up against a variety of different safety and efficiency tests; or… well, I think you get the idea.

 

If any of these piques your interest, then welcome to the Experimental Prototype Community Of Tomorrow– or as most of you may know it, EPCOT.

 

I want to quickly share with you some of the history of EPCOT because I feel that knowing so creates an even more magical, and appreciative experience for you as a visitor.

 

When Walt Disney first started secretly acquiring land to build what would become Walt Disney World (and yes, I did say “secretly”–something I will go into in a later blog), he had plans to use part of his land to create something beyond a theme park, to create a community. Disney’s community would be a city which would push forward innovation.

 

While the city wasn’t quite what Walt was planning for it to be, it would become an incredible place which would encompass many of Walt’s ideas for the original EPCOT.

 

Okay, so now that we’ve established EPCOT’s history, we can dive in to exploring the park, and all it has to offer!

 

Remember all those “theoretical questions” I posed to you in the beginning? Yeah, well get ready to experience all of that, and more! EPCOT is home to the giant “golf ball” which you will see upon entrance to the theme park. It brings to life 9 countries from around the globe (most of which are run by that respective country’s government!), and allows you to explore the culture, cuisine, traditions, and language all for yourself. Many of the cast members who work in any particular pavilion are more than likely from that country so feel free to ask them any questions you may have!

 

One of the most popular ways people explore these countries is through tasting the food, and if you are 21 and up, the drinks. All of the food in the pavilions is completely authentic and is designed to give you the very best the country has to offer. You can also experience some wonderful entertainment unique to each of the countries. You can check the time guide for when these shows will happen.

 

However, if you have little kids in your party, they are able to explore the countries too through building their own “passports” in which they will get stamps and stickers from each land they visit at EPCOT. They can also color in a coloring poster for each country.

 

EPCOT is divided into different areas, similar to Magic Kingdom, however, it is not as seriously themed to those areas like MK is.

 

EPCOT is home to famous rides like Soarin’ (where you board a hang glider which will take you around the world, so much so that you can literally feel and smell the air of each place you visit), Test Track (where you can literally design your dream vehicle and go on a ride as your creation gets put through a bunch of simulated tests, with a finale that includes going from 0 to upwards of 65 mph), Spaceship Earth (where you get to ride through a narrated view of the history of our species –believe me it’s actually really cool), Living with the Land (an attraction that gives you a behind the scenes look at Disney’s innovative gardening techniques –again, it’s actually cool),

Other rides in EPCOT include:

• Mission space – a “thrill ride” where you get to become the pilot, engineer, navigator, or commander of a space craft. You will have to navigate through your missions, either going up into orbit, or going on a treacherous Mars expedition.
• Journey Into Imagination with Figment – although this ride has become unpopular for many guests, little kids still really enjoy joining Figment on an adventure to explore your five senses
• Frozen Ever After – This dark ride takes you through the journey of Anna and Elsa with some of the characters from the movie.
• The Seas with Nemo and Friends – this is a dark ride attraction that takes you through the story of Finding Nemo. Younger kids really enjoy it, and it is the perfect ride to cool down in. The plus side is that you are brought out into The Living Seas aquarium complex where you can see all kinds of marine life including some massive stingrays, sea turtles, and yes, sharks.

 

Your Day at EPCOT:

*NOTE! *Since this is a theoretical one-dayexploration of EPCOT, it is important to note that exploring the World Showcase is an affair that will take hours, I would recommend exploring the first half of EPCOT (including The Living Seas, The Land, Future World, and other areas in the top half of the park). After the World Showcase opens (at 11:00) then explore that area.

 

9:00 am: Breakfast at Garden Grill

 

10:00 am: Wait in line to ride Soarin’

 

10:30 am: Living with the Land FastPass starts

 

11:30 am: Spaceship Earth FastPass

 

12:30 pm: Start to Explore the World Showcase

 

1:30: Depending on Hunger, eat at either Les Chefs De France (if very hungry), or in one of the many countries (like getting a soft pretzel in Germany!)

5:30 pm: Test Track FastPass

 

7:15 pm: Reservation at La Cellier

 

Finally, you can finish off your night with the EPCOT Forever firework spectacular. Although this is a brand-new show, and I haven’t had the chance to see it in person, I have heard very good things about it. It is supposed to showcase all that Walt wanted EPCOT to be, what it has become, and what it stores in its future. The show uses fireworks, water works, lasers, lightwork, and “choreographed kites” to put on an incredible spectacular.

 

I hope you enjoy your adventure!