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EPCOT
Category: Active Life Amusement Parks Amusement Parks [Edit]
1200 Epcot Resort BlvdLake Buena Vista, FL 32830
(407) 824-4321
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
349 reviews for EPCOT
Review Highlights
"The World Showcase is a dream come true for me."
(in 129 reviews)
"Test Track - The ride is both indoors and out."
(in 109 reviews)
"Mission: SPACE and Spaceship Earth were both awesome."
(in 64 reviews)
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349 reviews in English
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Review from Fannie S.
1/30/2012 3 Check-ins Here
We had a great time with the attractions--namely, Test Track and Spaceship Earth. The former is fast. The latter is slow, and it's very circa 1980s but the end result is hilarious. Trust me.
We also rode The Seas (Nemo and 3D graphics without the glasses), The Land (learn about plants and food), Maelstrom (viking ship) and Ellen's Energy Adventure (Ellen Degeneres and Bill Nye the Science Guy!) We also watched the Illuminations show (fireworks). Quite spectacular.
We walked around the World Showcase a few times. (Some of the items sold in the shops are bordering on offensive. I mean, really, Mickey ears with pretzel on one ear and the German flag on the other? Really, just the preztel? And don't even get me started at the items at the China shops.........
Soft serve in France is to die for! Trust me, you won't be disappointed. -
Review from Desiree M.
Belleville, IL
1/22/2012 2 Check-ins Here
I use to dislike epcot when I was younger, however, as i've gotten older I have found it quite intriguing. If you ever have a chance to run the disney 5k's or even half-marathons, this place is fun to run through :)
I think Epcot is my first fav of the four parks at Disneyworld.
They keep things interesting by changing things often, everytime i come to disney (every 2-3 years) there is something different going on. I do like the spaceship earth better than ever. -
Review from Jennifer A.
San Diego, CA
1/21/2012 1 Check-in Here
Highlights
- trying to drink around the world (tequila bar in mexico is very impressive)
- aquarium (i love aquariums)
- so many food options (and souvenir options)
- seeing the iconic huge golf ball
- Illuminations fireworks show
Didn't get on too many rides because of all the eating and drinking, but the The Seas with Nemo & Friends is a cute kiddie ride, Spaceship earth was cool, and I hear they have California Soarin', but since I have that in CA we skipped it. Mission Space is a huge hit for a lot of people, and it is a really cool experience, I recommend you ride it, however it did make me very motion sick...so save it for the end of the day if you fear that may happen to you.
Gotta say, running past the worlds during the marathon was one of the nicest parts of the route!Listed in: Disney World!
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Review from Heather L.
Des Plaines, IL
1/15/2012
I anticipated this would be my favorite of the four Disney Parks. Instead it was my second favorite after Hollywood Studios. As a life long xenophile, I was especially looking forward to the World Showcase. The kids were slightly less cooperative than hoped for.
I was traveling with my fifth grade son, third grade daughter and my hubbie. The front of the park is all science and we especially enjoyed the Spaceship Earth in the big golf ball as you first walk in. It is a slow moving ride that takes you through a brief history of mankind and our technology. There is a fun video game on the ride down as well as more educational games when you are done.
Soarin is by far the best ride in the park. There aren't alot of rides to speak of here but we loved this one and did it twice. Get the fast pass if you have to and sit in front if you can. You fly through the California landscape and in front you won't see other pple's feet dangling above you to give you a truer sense of flight.
Test Track is not as scary as it looks. It shows all the ways GM tests it's cars for durability and then in the end you go really fast in a circle. It's educational in line if your kids are into how engines work.
Now let's talk about Mission Space before moving on to World Showcase. I HATED IT! And we did the green easier ride. Because a good friend who is a full grown man thought he was "going to die" on the orange ride, we did not attempt. I suffer from a very mild case of claustrophobia. Many of the rides will worn you about the sense of closed in spaces but nothing really bothered me until I did this ride. I have never had a medical grade panic attack in my life but I nearly did on this ride. You sit in a pod which doesn't seem so bad at first but then after the doors are closed the front console comes in closer to you so there is only a few inches between your entire body and it. I HATED IT! Do not go on this ride if you have even a slight fear of claustrophobia. The ride itself is not strenuous and my kids loved it. I obviously did not.
Now on to World Showcase. This is very well done and very beautiful. The buildings transport you and the ongoing street festival environment really was charming. Eleven countries are represented with traditional architecture, food, gift items and street shows. Norway and China have museum like exhibits.
Now a girlfriend recommended I set the kids up with the Kim Possible game. And my thought was the kids were going to be playing this scavenger hunt style game while I sampled the beers and foods of the world while casually taking in the scenery. My friend's kids loved it but mine fought non-stop. They only give you one phone per family and they could not take turns making it so I had to play interference the whole time. It really took away from our experience and I finally just said ENOUGH.
As for the food, we especially liked the Napoleon at the Patisserie in France $3.70, the fish and chips in United Kingdom $8.19 and the buttery goodness of the pretzel in Germany $4.50. No nacho cheese necessary. I recommend you sample your way through this area, sharing bites here and there. The beers all ran between $7.25 and $8 and my favorite first try was the Hovel in Germany though the Guiness with the Shamrock engraved on top in the Rose and Crown Pub was a nice touch. Also, this place was hopping late night the Friday night they had Magic Hours till midnight. While some of the other areas shut down, they were rocking like we were in Dublin on a Friday night.
The nighttime show here is not as impressive as the other two parks but it's not bad and we saw it twice. The first time between America and Italy and the second between Mexico and Norway. The latter was the better viewing.
We had one sit down dinner in Epcot at the Teppan Edo Restaurant. This is incredibly impressive looking from the outside but nothing really special inside. It's hibachi style dining which I had never done before so it was fun but I have nothing to compare it to. The chefs showcased knife skills and a volcano out of onions. The food was a little too oily for me and the sushi appetizer was nothing special. $160 for our family of four.
A friend ate at The Garden Grill and loved it. Coral Reef also looked good for a sit down option but 6 weeks beforehand they were already sold out - so it must be good.
The moral of the story on this one is, not great for little kids but impressive nonetheless. -
Review from John L. H.
New Orleans, LA
Epcot is my favorite Disney park by far.
Epcot was originally Walt Disney's idea for a planned community. As soon as he died, the Disney executives killed that idea. Fortunately they built a park that is a year round world's fair.
The world areas of Epcot are the best. They sell beer, actually have good food, plus they have excellent gift shops.
I enjoyed EPCOT so much that I could stay a week at Disney and only visit this park. It was great.
I highly recommend EPCOT.Listed in: Disney World
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Review from Keila N.
12/16/2011 32 photos
A guy I'm dating told me about Epcot. My daughter and I visited it on a Friday afternoon (12/16). It was a perfect day to come here. The kids are still in school so the park wasn't over crowded.
Epcot has areas that features various countries. I enjoyed dining at a French restaurant in France and having delicious desserts with my daughter sitting outside on the bench as the French Santa told a story about Christmas.
Japan even had Mitsukoshi, which is a large department store chain that's actually in Japan. We even had kakigori with condensed milk in a concession stand in Japan.Listed in: Orlando, Florida
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Review from Rhea P.
12/30/2011 1 Check-in Here
Epcot is by far is my favorite Disney Park. Even as a child I loved Epcot. I think a part of it is that I am not a huge roller coaster person, and I loved learning, so this is the perfect place for me.
As an adult, the most exciting part of Epcot is the world showcase. I have often wondered what is a strategy for choosing the particular countries that are featured. I seriously need to return in order to experience the park in its entirety.
if I were to change a few things, it would be to have more power outlets available for guests. People have various types of technology to document their experiences. Cameras, camcorders, and smart phones need to be recharged at some point. It was very frustrating that I could not find outlets available for recharging at any of the Disney parks.
It seems so much to absorb, honestly. What I do like about the world showcase is being costumes, as well as the cast members who are from the different countries featured. Just writing about this place makes me want to go back really soon!Listed in: Epcot
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Review from Sonny G.
I did the walk from Canada to Mexico about six times in total. The first time I walked "the walk" I started at Canada because it happened to be closest to where we were at. I learned later on in my trip that if we did "the walk" again we would ALWAYS be starting in Canada. I bet your wondering why.....
I haven't been to this park since I'm a kid, and I didn't enjoy coming here because I remember it being "boring", and even upon my arrival to Epcot (this time) I thought it wasn't going to be that fun. For some reason I was soooo hyped the whole entire time to visit 'Mexico'. Maybe because I've been there before, and really love it... whatever the case may be we didn't follow the parks guide/map simply because Epcot is one big circle; we wanted to be "surprised". I was surely "surprised" that Mexico was the very last country (it could have been the first if we went left in stead of right), as I just kept looking for it the whole time we walked. When we got to Mexico we decided to have margaritas. Let me just say that before this trip I didn't even LIKE Margaritas or perhaps I never gave them a chance (wake up with sunglasses and Advil you know u ran into tequila last night). I have to also make it very clear that I am a fat slob, and all I love to do is eat, so keep in mind that my stomach is rarely empty, and we had been snacking all day!
There's a little margarita stand with a yellow awning as you first approach Mexico. I had a margarita (on the rocks) with patron in it. It was strong, but really good. I enjoyed a margarita for the first time. Then we enter San Angel inn, with the Tequila bar inside. Let's just say I left more than happy. By the time we left Mexico we were literally sleep walking. It was the very end of the day. We had woken up at like 3am to fly to Florida. Got to Florida, spent the whole day at Epcot, and right before we got to the end we had experienced what you should probably only experience at the end of "the walk".
So.....when starting off--START IN CANADA!
What stuck out in my mind as I visited all the different sections of Epcot was:
The Nemo Exhibit- Its not a "ride" per say. You sit in these little cars on a track (inside the building) streaming slowly through a guided tour by Nemo and his crew, of the parks aquarium. It's really nice if you love aquatic shit like I do, and also great for kids. When you get off the moving track, you have the ability to walk around and look some more at the aquarium/fish tanks (and have a talk with Crush, the turtle). The restaurant associated with this attraction is called The Coral Reef, a restaurant whose food is simply OFF THE CHAIN!
Canada- Cool leather bracelets that you can have engraved with whatever name/word you'd like. These make great souvenirs to bring back home. I got one for myself, and my best friend. It's not like getting a tacky Mickey tee; this is something you can wear outside of Disney.
France- the Eiffel tower was really cool, and shit it looked just like the real thing. The shops here are some of the most expensive ones in Epcot. There's a lot of makeup and perfume that you would find at boutiques in France. You can try it on and have a party (like MAC in the mall). There's also champagne tasting, which will cost you about $7, and my FAVORITE thing was the Patisserie- the most delicious bakery I've yet to encounter.
Mexico- my absolute favorite....hand crafted wooden items from Oaxaca Mexico, an AMAZING structure which houses an even more amazing restaurant/tequila bar. The inside of San angel inn is just breath taking, no lie. Here you will also find very affordable gifts from sombreros to leather pocket books that range in price from $10-35.
Norway- I wouldn't have commented on Norway except that I bought two sterling silver rings for $6 each, and there awesome...so mad I didn't buy more!
Morocco- beautiful accessories; jewelry, scarves, pillows, and outfits decorated with a lot of colorful silks, tinsel, golds, and patterns that really POP!
Japan: GINORMOUS coy fish in the pond
Germany: Oktoberfest (LOTS of beer), brats, sauerkraut, and Coo Coo clocks.
The ice box- a place where you can try soda from all over the world (for free).
Epcot is my new FAVORITE park! The thing that's really cool is that you get a taste of what each particular country is really like; therefore you have a better idea of if you'd even want to travel to that country. I now have confirmed where I do want to travel to, and where I don't (and yes Epcot played a role on my decisions).
Things to try in Epcot:
The patisserie (France): strawberry tart and/or napoleon
La Cava del Tequila (Mexico): Wild passion fruit margarita
The Coral Reef (by Nemo): Mahi Mahi with mashed potatoes -
Review from Shon P.
12/28/2011 3 Check-ins Here
In many ways this is the best park at Disney--it is not big on rides, but it has a lot else going for it: best food options, best fireworks, best shopping (Mouse Works, Disney Traders, and all the country specific stores) AND best for live shows (Japanese Drummers, Chinese acrobats, concert areas, etc).
The world showcase shouldn't be missed--parents can get a taste of beers/wines from around the world, while kids go to kid stations and get their passport stamped. Be sure to reserve at least a few days for EPCOT. For the other parks, you can generally make a list of rides/attractions you like and knock them out. For EPCOT, you will want more time to just linger and explore. -
Review from Maureen L.
Middletown, CT
1/31/2012 3 Check-ins Here
When we were planning our trip to Walt Disney World, many people told us that we would need three days at the Magic Kingdom and only one at Epcot. I am so glad that we decided to divide our time evenly because two full days of Epcot was barely enough time to see what we wanted to see. Our daughters are 5 and 7 and they really enjoyed the entire park. They loved Spaceship Earth, various parts of The Land, Soarin' and many of the other rides - but there were so many attractions that we just never made it to, like Ellen's Energy Adventure, The Seas, etc. Our entire family enjoyed the World Showcase - first of all, there are so many places to meet characters and so many characters that you can only meet in Epcot (like Mulan, the Beast, Marie, to name a few). The documentaries from the various countries were great, the countries' rides were hokey but cute nonetheless, and the food was great. We did A LOT of snacking in Epcot - pot stickers, sushi, funnel cake, burritos, you name it! We had two great dinners (Mexico and Japan) and just really enjoyed our experience. I also think that when the kids get older, we could end up spending a third day here.
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Review from Christina C.
Pasadena, CA
1/18/2012 2 Check-ins Here
Awesome! Need more than one day to see/do it all!
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Review from Harry D.
While no Magic Kingdom EPCOT is a wonderful place. The vision of a true genius Walt Disney didn't live long enough to see his dream fulfilled.
Not really a place for the little kids the upside is they do serve spirits here. Great Beer in London and frozen drinks in France the lands have it all.
Clearly the best ride in EPCOT is Soaring a chance to actually get just a taste of what it's like to fly. * Hidden Mickey alert* There are two on this ride that are easily seen. The first is on the golf ball, you can clearly see it when it's hit right at your head. The second one is a combination of three fireworks behind the castle at Disneyland at the end of the ride.
Have a great time! -
Review from Tilia M.
11/30/2011 1 Check-in Here
Another great year at Epcot Center! In my opinion, the best of the Disney parks for teens and adults, Thanksgiving weekend is the best time to visit. There are no lines and the weather is perfect!
This place is wonderful. The feel of it is less magical and more of a globe-trotting, into the future experience. If you love all the things that world and time-travelling brings, you'll absolutely love this place.
Make sure you wear comfortable shoes, and stay for the 9:30pm fireworks! -
Review from Jennifer C.
Queens, NY
1/3/2012
I definitely enjoy Epcot more now that I'm older. Not many rides, but the world showcase makes up for it. Undoubtedly has the best food out of all Disney parks. Nice to just walk around and enjoy the scenery and different cultural areas. Fast passes go fast here...we were there at 10AM and they were giving out fast passes for 8PM returns. Illuminations fireworks is better than the Wishes fireworks at Magic Kingdom- be sure to stay for it. If you're short on time, Epcot doesn't really require a whole day, so grab a park hopper and head to Hollywood Studios, too.
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Review from Mia L.
10/25/2011 3 photos
This was top notch, but compared to all the other Disney parks, this was my least fave. I still give it 5 stars because it's Disney, and there is so much thought put into the design, function, and purpose of their parks. It is still very beautiful, colorful, animated, and fun...It's is just not my cup of tea. I prefer the other cups..like the spinning ones at Magic Kingdom! Lol enough with the cheesiness.
When you walk into the park, you'll see that it is designed with space and futuristic architecture in mind, and there are different pavilions: America, Canada, China, Japan, France, Germany, Morocco, Norway, UK, Mexico, and Italy. Each is pretty informative of different cultures. I believe this is great exposure for children. Each pavilion usually has at least a store for souvenirs and such, a restaurant, and some attraction (whether it be a show or ride), all of which coincides with the culture of the pavilion. I thought that was pretty neat!
Here are my highlights:
Test Track--I'm a thrill-seeker! And I think this is the fastest ride at Epcot. I like how the track goes outside of the building for a little bit. This was fun! I highly recommend this!
Spaceship Earth--It's not a thrill ride, but it was a fun and unique way to learn about our past, present, and our possible future! This ride is slow, but you are actually in that huge Epcot ball structure for this ride. So yeah, I'd say it's a must...don't you wonder what's in that thing anyway?
Morocco Pavilion--I loved the buildings and the store. They had some great stuff in their store...very unique! There are belly dancers here! And this is where Jasmine and Aladdin are (my fave Disney movie)!
Japan Pavilion--Mitsukoshi Department Store had some awesome items worthy of purchasing. It was bigger than the other stores. I do remember seeing some Hello Kitty stuff!
Mexico Pavilion--There's a cute indoor boat ride here called the Gran Fiesta Tour featuring the Three Caballeros (those colorful parrots). They play their videos during the ride. It's very colorful! The scenery is neat. I really liked the beginning of the ride because there was a large structure which reminded me of a large Mayan ruin in Coba. The restaurant is cute too. It's right next to this structure and the water so you have a nice view while you eat. The store is neat too. It's set up like a marketplace. All of these are in the same building.
IllumiNations fireworks show at night--It was really nice. There's more meaning and depth to it than just fireworks. Everyone has to gather around the water and there is this globe in the center of the pool. You get to see kind of water/laser/light/fireworks show. The globe actually wasn't large enough to make the show grand. To me it was not as breath-taking as Magic Kingdom's fireworks but still worthy of staying at the park to see. -
Review from Erik S.
Orlando, FL
1/6/2012 1 Check-in Here
Honestly, every Walt Disney park gets 5 stars from me. I have been going to this park since 1983 (my parents took my at 8 mo.) and I have always loved it. I am sentimental so I will tell you that I liked the park in the late 80's to mid 90's more than I like it now, but I suppose I'm also biased since I was a kid during those times. I love that this park is devoted to the sciences and especially new technology. This park helped shape my love for technology and the future. You can't go wrong with the World Showcase. Only place that I know of where I can get an Alhambra one minute and then get a Sapporo the next.
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Review from Rachel C.
10/15/2011 1 Check-in Here
I feel like you come to appreciate Epcot SO MUCH MORE when you are older. Well, pretty much when you become of age to participate in a little adult bevvie!
Let's talk eating around the world first. It's amazing! This park is the only one that actually contains fantastic food in it. And it should, considering that's what you come here for.
Mexico was just remodeled and it looks awesome! Couldn't even get into the new Tequila bar because it was so packed! I loved eating in Morocco, with great food (hello lamb) and fantastic entertainment with belly dancers while you dine! I love Italy (dah!) for the wine and some of the most fantastic gnocchi I've ever had....not to mention the great wine flight you can buy in the little wine store. Japan and China have thee best gift shops, hands down, with some fun and different types of things from the countries. If you end up drinking too much, you may end up with a kimono (like two really inebriated men did last time I visited!). I love England for the pub and cider, and of course, the tea shop! I just could go on and on and on!
If you look at Epcot from the ride/theme park point of view I think it's kind of lame. I mean, Mission Space had it's moment and Soaring is definitely worth the wait. I also enjoy The Living Seas, which is actually a pretty large aquarium, complete with Manatis! But I can't really tell you much else that's a must see on that side.
So go eat and drink around the world, much cheaper than a real trip and you don't even need a passport!Listed in: Walt Disney World
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Review from Brentin O.
Slidell, LA
1/8/2012 2 Check-ins Here
It is one of the best parks at Disney World, it's got something for everyone. Its a permanent worlds fair, a great variety of food choices and has some really great rides. The vitage 80s future theme is classic.
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Review from Richard K.
Fort Lauderdale, FL
10/1/2011
It is a small world resonated when you come to EPCOT. It really is a small world after all when you can walk across the world from Mexico to France. Its amazing that visitors can go to one place to experience numerous cultures around the world. During the International Food and Wine Festival, the amount of countries present with their local cuisine and drinks quadruples.
It is a must for everyone of age to try the "drink around the world challenge". It is drinking in every country around the world. I promise, at the very least, it will ensure a good state for participants. For real champions, try it during the International Food and Wine Festival. I promise pukage on that one.
As for the resident countries in EPCOT, some are boring and some are fun. The boring ones include good ol' USA, Canada, Italy, and Morocco, so go there do your little Matt is around the world dance and move on to the next country. The good countries include China (cool acrobat shows), Norway (fun ride through the North Sea), Germany (BEER, enough said), France (pastries, hell yes), and Mexico (Margarita, yes please).
As for the rides Soarin' is an amazing ride that takes you to see the many wonders of the world from an aerial point of view. Another great ride is Test Track, which it is called that because it is always broken, takes you through the many rigors an automobile would go through at a car factory. Those two are my favorite rides. There are many other cool interactive spots in EPCOT.
This is my favorite Disney park by far and the most accommodating for adults, while being the most compromising for age differences in a family. -
Review from Lauren E.
10/24/2011
Epcot is my second favorite park just behind Magic Kingdom. I spent an entire day here, and it wasn't enough time!
Test Track was so awesome that I went on twice. Both times we didn't wait terribly long, but I'd recommend getting a Fast Pass for mid- to late afternoon rides.
Soarin' was pretty amazing. I went on with Fast Pass both times. Since it is one of Epcot's most popular rides, definitely Fast Pass this one (otherwise, you will wait 45+ minutes). One of the neat things about this ride is it includes smells associated with the various California scenes; my favorite was smelling the lemons while "gliding" through a lemon field.
Even the corny Gran Fiesta Tour with the Three Caballeros boat ride was fun. The view of the Mexican restaurant overlooking the water is beautiful.
I wish I can say I enjoyed the World Showcase, but unfortunately, I did not get to spend a lot of time there because we were running back and forth between rides all day. So I rushed through everything; it is mainly comprised of food, entertainment and shopping. Aside from the Gran Fiesta Tour and Maelstrom, there are really no rides in the area.
I liked that this park had an inside area to greet the main Disney characters (Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Pluto, Donald, etc.); however wait times reached to about 40 minutes when we were in the area (so we passed).
This park and Magic Kingdom are two parks where there is too much to cover in one day. I'd love to return to Epcot in the future! -
Review from Sarah S.
11/13/2011
Epcot is my favorite park at Disney World!
Nothing can beat World Showcase in my humble opinion. You are transported to 11 different countries right in Orlando. My personal favorite is Japan. They have the best shop in all of World Showcase with the greatest variety and most authentic items. The candy maker is so cool to watch for awhile! And I love the restaurants here. Every single country in World Showcase is super cool though! World Showcase has the best restaurants in the theme parks. I've never had a bad meal at any of the amazing restaurants. You can meet tons of characters in their native countries (Mary Poppins & Alice in Wonderland in the UK, Mulan in China, Marie from the Aristocats in france and many more).
Via Napoli is an excellent restaurant in Italy I recommend. Les Chefs de France is another goodie. Also grab some treats from the various bakeries in each country! You won't regret it! I love getting some fish & chips from Yorkshire County Fish Shop in the UK, then grabbing a seat along the water for Illuminations.
Future World is full of fun rides, attractions and shows like Journey Into Imagination with Figment (a personal favorite but not loved by all), Test Track (high speed fun!) and Soarin (sights and smells galore while flying high!). Club Cool fives a nice break from everything letting you try pop from around the world---for free!!! :D I also love Captain EO and I suggest any Michael Jackson fan check it out!
For dining in Future World, I recommend Coral Reef. Food is average but the experience and view of the gigantic aquarium is phenomenal!
This park holds many cool events and activities but my absolute favorite is the Food & Wine Festival! If you're a foodie, I highly recommend this event! See that listing on Yelp for much more information.
Their nighttime show, IllumiNations, is so moving and I think you must see it!
Do not miss Epcot!!! You can ride the monorail in, take a bus or ride a boat from the Disney hotels depending on which you're staying at! -
Review from Karen F.
Updated - 10/5/2011
Took our 6 year old (nearly 7) to 4 Disney parks on her first trip.
She liked Magic Kingdom Best followed by Epcot.
Animal Kingdom was good, too but not awesome.
Hollywood Studios was very lame.
I will elaborate more on each resort very soon.
We just LOVE EPCOT, though.
USE FAST PASS - and go on Soarin' right away!
Our 6 (nearly 7) year old love the Nemo ride (you sit in a pink clamshell) and rode it 4 times.
Food is "meh" - but honestly - for Disney Food - it's some of the bext uou'll get. Try Morocco or Mexico for Lunch, France is decent for dinner.Listed in: Flam gets DIZZY on DISNEY
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Review from Jennifer R.
Los Angeles, CA
12/24/2011 1 photo
I love the Epcot center, although we visited during the Food and Wine festival which makes me question how fun is this place without it? Travelling from country to country and tasting its cuisine was exciting even when the food was not exotic wine tasting in Australia was great! We didn't get on any rides, but kept busy ALL day visiting countries! We loved it here so much that after we went to The Animal Kingdom, we returned!
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Review from Scott L.
10/30/2011 2 Check-ins Here
So, this will be the first in my many reviews of spots at Disney World.
The wife and I went in to Disney on vacation this year. We had a blast. Unfortunately, out of the 4 parks...this was my 3rd favorite.
If you're going to Epoct expect to learn. There are so many things to learn here. Trust me, it's fun...it's amazing...but, it's full of knowledge. Even the fun stuff like the "Stunt Track" is full of learning how cars work...oh well.
The various countries are pretty cool...but, really just kinda fun to walk past and take a pic of.
All in all...there are 4 parks. Epcot is number 3 of 4. -
Review from Matthew M.
Orange County, CA
9/21/2011 1 Check-in Here
It's a small world grew up and blew up! It's basically a trip around the world while going around a huge lake. Disney imports real people from the countries they showcase and it's pretty intense. So if you're walking through Japan for instance they have Japanese food, with Japanese culture style buildings, with real Japanese people serving you. This is like this throughout the whole park! Some stuff wasn't open though, maybe the recession slows it down a bit?
Bathrooms are super clean.
Fireworks show at the end of the day is phenomenal! It's a must see! -
Review from Paul L.
Commack, NY
12/16/2011
If you go, be sure to stay for the Illuminations show that takes place on the water in the World Showcase. It is THE BEST video/light/laser/fireworks show I have ever seen, bar none. I've seen fireworks shows before that are supposed to be set to music but they really are not in sync. Illuminations was in perfect sync with the music. This show was perfect - it starts with HUGE balls of fire - you can feel the heat from 300 yards away. Most of the pavilions for the various countries represented have restaurants and some offer other rides and/or attractions
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Review from Albert W.
9/14/2011 1 Check-in Here
I lost my Disney-virginity here at Epcot. While the other boys and girls give away theirs at a much younger age I decided to wait - and you know, make it special. And special it was as I have to say it was better than Hollywood Studios and the Magic Kingdom for my first Disney (and not last) trip.
Mission: SPACE Advanced Training Lab almost made me throw up (there are actually hurl bags in the pod) - my dad actually did. Nonetheless it was really quite authentic and I really felt as if we went through some real G-forces.
Spaceship Earth, Test Track, The Seas with Nemo & Friends, and many other rides and attractions were great as my folks were able to handle the rest. -
Review from Greg S.
9/25/2011 1 Check-in Here
I dunno how but a switch flipped in my brain when I reached adulthood, suddenly I wanted culture in a theme park. Doesn't sound possible eh?
Epcot, is a great place to get a little bit of that culture without having to travel anywhere. I love how they can serve up some culture and still manage to make it fun as well. Some locations in the World Showcase are better than others. I try not to play favorites, but they really won me over with China, Japan, and Morocco. Mitsukoshi in Japan is a regular stop, for food, snacks, sake, books, incense and otherwise. Just a really cool place.
Never been to the Food & Wine special, but very tempted to go. Sometimes events like that can turn into an episode of "drunks behaving badly", hmm.
All in all, a great place to get some culture and still make it fun for the kids. -
Review from Kim N.
9/29/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Epcot is the adult playground at WDW. You can drink which is a major plus for EPCOT.
The food here is great. La Hacenida is wonderful, Sommerfest, and Oktoberfest also wonderful.
You have spaceship earth, mission earth, and the race track here to ride.
I love walking through all the different cultural areas and sampling the food and drinks.
Japan has a little musuem you can walk through and England had a great tea store and pub to grab a pint. If you only have time for one park and you don't have kids hit Epcot. They have the best firework show at night too. -
Review from Courtney M.
Seaford, NY
10/2/2011 1 Check-in Here
I love coming here because I love the World Showcase. This year I acted like a child and bought a passport with a friend and ran all over "the world" and had my passport signed in each place by a native of each location.
My personal favorite location is China and Japan b/c I'm still waiting to visit these places. Best part is that when I came home there was a souvenir that I really wanted to buy but didn't have the funds at the time. Thru some research i found a Disney Merchandise number that actually connected me with the gift shop who were nice enough to mail me the souvenir. -
Review from Brandon K.
Fort Bragg, NC
12/27/2011
Epcot is more of a park for older groups. There is a taste of just about every country in this park. You can visit many countries and try different types of foods.
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Review from Mercy A.
9/8/2011 1 Check-in Here
Come here at night and without kids. Please. It's mean to bring them here. There's nothing for them to do except walk! Yes, there are a few "rides" but seriously, just don't torture them like this!
The fireworks at the end of the night are super cool...what a show they put on over the water.
The Mexican restaurant is just okay- slow service and mediocre food. Morocco was beautiful as was Japan! -
Review from Rebecca C.
Miami, FL
8/30/2011 3 Check-ins Here
I love Epcot. This is the adult version of Disney, most kids groan when their parents want to spend the day here. But thankfully, Epcot has upped the ante and has some pretty cool rides for both kids and adults: Soarin (huge wait lines - definitely get a fast pass for this one), Mission Space, Tech Track. . . and then there are the countries where you can visit, enjoy some delicious food, and in some places enjoy a cute little video or ride.
Can't wait to visit for the FOOD & WINE FESTIVAL or the FLOWER & GARDEN. Eventually, cause Epcot never disappoints. -
Review from Janice D.
9/13/2011 1 Check-in Here
Epcot is my second favorite of the theme parks, Magic Kingdom being number 1 only because it is my daughters favorite.
I like Epcot because I can at least have an Imported beer and better food while at Disney. I'm not gaga for the countries because the fact that I am in Orlando Florida never leaves my mind. No I do not feel like I'm in Tokyo when we are in "Japan Epcot". It is nice to have my daughter somewhat "experience" other countries, but lets face it she is there to see sleeping beauty. I like the sit down meal in Norway, you can get yourself Ikea meatballs for $100. Beware that children are no longer children after 9, and a sitdown meal will cost you the adult price of upwards $40 when the kid still wants the pizza off the kids menu.
That said it is truly "magical" to spend the time with your child and see their face light up when they meet their favorite characters. Once she is over it though I hope to take better vacations with her.
Maybe we will do Disney next year in Europe. -
Review from alia g.
9/24/2011
Really more like 4.5 stars because as an adult... you can drink your way around the countries! (BTW...sorry for the long entry.)
Each country has its own adult beverage like wine, beer, sake, margarita, etc..... that you can try or buy a glass or and walk around with. C'mon ON! How cool is that at a Disney park?!!
Went on a Friday.... and yea... it was crowded.
BTW... if you go early at 9am like we did... the International Showcase (countries) are not open.... yet... they open at 11am.
So we did the main part of Epcot first... where we found only 1 place open for breakfast... the Sunshine Seasons or Seasons of Sunshine... something like that. It was decent.... and since we were able to get a good breakfast we didn't need to eat lunch.... actually... we ended up having a liquid lunch (if you know what I mean)....
There's a boat tour inside near the breakfast place.... Land of Life (I think)... in any case... it's a good way to 'rest' after eating to digest and get your bearings and plan the rest of your day.... Plus, you get to see some really cool stuff.... like how they grow veggies and fruits from plants that were formed into trees rather than in the natural form on the ground or as a bush... or even upside down... and see how they are farming to be more environmentally friendly and with a mission of sustainability. Really Cool stuff here if you like gardening and / or farming ... or care how your food is grown.
One of the really great rides of the day was the Test Track..... this was fun. You get into a mock test car.... and the ride puts you through a series of tests like a car would go through for various conditions and speeds.
My FAVE ride of the day was was the robot one that you can design your own rollercoaster ride. Super Cool!! It's called Sum of All Thrills inside Innoventions.... the line is a little slow but well worth the wait. You can design your own twists and turns and speed. We would have done this again but we never made it back over to the regular Epcot side.
Epcot (not the countries) is definitely a kid-friendly place .... but I'd say this is for older kids like 6+.... because there's lots of To Do / Hands On stuff... it's much more interactive than Disneyland or Magic Kingdom so it's better if they can and want to "do stuff" on their own like play with the computer simulations or make stuff or interact with the exhibits.
The Countries (International Worldshowcase)... is not all that kid friendly... Yes, there are rides but they are not that good and it's mostly shops, exhibits and shows... and at night there are bands.... plus lots of eating and drinking.
Note... don't make the DUMB mistake like me and order a margarita from the outdoor cantina... it's expensive and it's horrible. Go INSIDE to the indoor mercado where there are a couple of mexican restaurants with REAL BARS where they will make you a REAL MARGARITA. :) Plus, the food is better than the outdoor fast food cantina. That place was just nasty.
If you want to try SAKE.... definitely hit up the small bar inside the Japanese store... it's in the corner near the wall of sake.... this is a good way to try it if you've never had it.
The American Adventure show.... while it is a bit boring... it's a good place to rest and take a short nap like I did... I was refreshed and ready to go after a quick 15-minute power nap. It's a good story about American history... but with the heat, humidity and lots of walking around... I needed a rest. And this place hit the spot! AND... the singers at the American Adventure are Awesome. They sounded Great. I could have listened to them for another 30 minutes instead of the automated presentation that I napped through. Anyways....
France.... don't order the crepes from the outdoor cart... these were YUCK! I took 3 bites ... I don't know why I took so many... and then threw it out. But the sparkling wine at the outdoor cart was surprisingly refreshing!
UK.... at night is hopping... music and the pubs are a good time. But it does get crowded just like a regular pub... so be prepared to get neighborly with folks around you.
LOVE that every country has folks actually from that country working there. Plus, I love that you can buy foods, candies and beverages from that country. It's just so GREAT that you can get a little 'taste' of the country all in one park. Fun, Fun, Fun! -
Review from Robert S.
Reno, NV
8/29/2011
Five stars. Hands down FIVE STARS!! Yes and 300 other people pretty much put it up there as well.
We were at WDW for 14 days straight. Yes that is 14 days. And of those 14 days we went to Epcot on 7 of those days. This park has EVERYTHING for everybody...to the slow moving omnivore...to the fast moving carbovore.
If you have one park to visit while in WDW it's this park. It's layout is spacious, beautiful, inviting and relaxing. It's a bit of a walk from point to point so be prepared to walk and don't have a tight schedule for anything.
We saw everything and did everything in this park. We didn't eat everywhere because we didn't have reservations for Akershus or Cellier Steakhouse. But we did do Biergarten (twice), Marrakesh, Kringla Bakeri Og Kafe, Fountain View Ice Cream, La Cantina De San Angel, Boulangerie Patisserie (twice), Tangierine Café, Fish and Chips in the UK, Lotus Blossom Café.
So here is my list of pass and must see...
Pass....Captain EO....just because they brought it back in respect doesn't mean you should see it again...or even once. Cutting edge for its day, painfully awkward today.
Ok that's it for pass...seriously, not kidding, not being lazy just seriously this is all that you can pass up while at Epcot.
Must see...this one is really hard because I want to put EVERYTHING on the list, but for an hard and fast MUST see....
Kidcot Fun Stops -- This was AWESOME it sucks if you don't have a small to take with you for an excuse but this was GREAT meeting all the nice people from around the world...well almost all the nice people, man was that chic from France grumpy or what? Do this...you will not regret meeting all these wonderful kids from around the world.
Oktoberfest Musikanten -- In the Biergarten. An amazing culmination of AMAZING food and great entertainment make this the best "meal" in all of WDW for me. Like I said before we returned. I've never seen my son eat so much!
Mission: SPACE Pavilion now don't think I am sending you on the actual "Mission Space" ride. No, that is a great ride...but for a family of four to return to Mission: SPACE Advanced Training Lab, the "after ride" area for mission Space is pretty impressive. The Mission Space Race game was amazingly satisfying to a 41 year old male and an 8 year old precocious girl and the wife and teen in between.
If you are looking for affordable fare in the park. The best food deals are in Norway. Hands down you get more "good" food for your money than anywhere else in all of WDW that I could find. Park food almost never is amazing. But Kringla Bakeri Og Kafe gave a sandwich and good sized salad for a good price. Plus they had some AWESOME desserts.
One more note. If you drink Diet and Caffeine free...this park has a few spots where you can get Sprite Zero in a bottle. Yay! But even cooler....head over to the Boulangerie Patisserie and order a caffeine free Diet Coke! I don't know if it was hiding elsewhere in the parks, but man, this is was a golden find for me.Listed in: 14 Days of Disney Fun!
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Review from michelle l.
Miami, FL
11/14/2011 1 Check-in Here
The park is maintained extraordinarily clean! The rides need some major facelifts though, especially spaceship earth. They added a really cute interactive piece at the end but ugh still not cutting it. The food and wine festival in the world showcase is great but what used to ohhhh and ahhhh in the eighties no longer does in 2011, even after a few wines. Soaring is an absolute must. Truly felt realistic! All in all we had a fantastic time but couldnt help noticing these details.
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Review from Diedre R.
8/4/2011
My favorite of all the Disney parks, my family doesn't like it because its the more educational of the parks, but to me, its the one park where you can get LIQUOR!!!
We spent my birthday doing the Disney parks, and I insisted that we do Epcot on my actual birthday, because once you start walking through the various countries, Mexico is the first one you come to, and once you go inside the pyramid, there is a tequila bar La Cava del Tequila downstairs. We also took the Grand Fiesta Tour boat, which really is a very simple boat ride with a Donald Duck narrator on film. Corny, but if you are a Donald fan, so worth it. Plus is that once you exit, there is a Donald Duck photo line.
Disney gives you a "birthday pin' to wear on your birthday and most of the people that work the different booths will give you certain freebies, because it is your birthday. Hence, a free tequila shot! I even got a Birthday serenade from the entire bar and bartenders. I couldn't have been more pleased.
We also were going to ride the "space shuttle", but right as it was our turn to load up, we got pulled off and told that the ride was having some problems. ILOVETHELORD, because I didn't want to ride it anyways, and couldn't have been happier to been pulled off the rider. We did receive a FAST PASS to come back and jump the line for up to 15 days.
After that I was not interested in riding the rides, but the kids waited 50 minutes for an opportunity to do the Fast Track ride.
During that time the rest of the group went to view the Captain EO, starring Michael Jackson, its in 3D, but a 3D film from 1986 that has been re-opened, since the King of Pop passed away a couple of years ago. It isn't the best of quality, but it still MJ when he was in his finest form.
One other country I visited and enjoyed was France, and their Les Vins des Chefs de bar they had Grand Mainer slushies and Grey Goose Lemon Citron slushies. Such a nice treat for visiting HOTFLORIDA at the end of July.
We ate in China, Lotus Blossom Cafe, which was really not any more special than Chinese food you get right here in Atlanta, so that was a disappointment. Actually i've had better Chinese food than what we tasted here.
Saddest and most uneventful area. AMERICA....GO FIGURE! All I saw were people trying to hula hoop :(
By far the most beautiful and adultish or all the Disney parks.Listed in: Yelp365daRemix, Around the World
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Review from Wesley S.
1/6/2012 1 Check-in Here
I have to say when Epcot first opened it was my absolute favorite park. I always considered this the most "grown up" of the four parks at Disneyworld. There is something astoundingly festive about skipping from country to country seeing different traditions and cultures all in one day. Much like the other parks, Epcot has their own unique end of the night spectacular. For the pin trader beneath Spaceship Earth (the big silver globe) there are usually traders with books and book of Disney's cleaver merchandising product. There is a ton of other things to do while at Epcot, including but not limited to a journey into The Living Seas, a ride on the Test Track, a hang glide ride on Soar-In, a journey into the Imagination or of course the ride through human history on Space Ship Earth. Dining at Epcot is generally considered to be great, although the Resorts, particularly Animal Kingdom Resorts, give it a run for it's money. Another fun thing to do while at Epcot is exploring the new and neat technology in Innovations near the front of the park. I see kids having a great time here. This is a place you want to bring your little Einstein to explore their imagination and give them some ideas to see the rest of the world through a new perspective while playing with some really cool inventions. There are a couple prime times of the year to come here to be on the look out for: Food and Wine Festival in the Fall and the Spring Flower Festival. Thanks for reading and enjoy Epcot.
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Review from Minette C.
South San Francisco, CA
9/7/2011
This was interesting...but there's not a lot of rides. I heard that Soarin' could get jammed pack, but we only waited 15 minutes, as the park just opened. That was a fun ride as you hang glided across different areas.
It was amazing to see how much work and effort was placed into constructing the different international areas. Again, it was all just viewing the areas, not a lot to do. I was excited to go to Germany because they have 'bier' there, and they were serving up their Oktoberfest special. Yum!
We also managed to complete this in a few hours, and then went over to the Magical Kingdom. I recommend if you are planning to have dinner at Epcot, plan in advance and make reservations, the wait for dinner well exceeded over an hour wait.
