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Epcot
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124 reviews for Epcot
a MUST-GO if you're in orlando! it is pricey but it's unlike any theme park and perfect for adults and kids alike.
the perfect time of year to go is october/november (but not during thanksgiving week) - perfect weather (not humid but not cold yet) and super short lines.
do not eat in morrocco - trial of their chicken wraps was expensive, small, and sadly disappointingly untasty - save your stomach for eating at the restaurant in japan (a beautiful huge building that overlooks the water) or follow the recommendations of the travel book and one of my friends and eat at the mexican restaurant - yummy and the most romantic spot in the park!
NOTE: if you're attending a conference at the world marriott you get discounted tickets to theme parks after 4pm (i think it's $55 for epcot). epcot is do-able (if you plan it out and get fast passes) starting at 4pm since they're open until 9pm. to get the deal show your badge at the information desk in the lobby and pay for and receive the tickets from them. of note they also have a list of other parks that are discounted (less if you go at 2pm, larger discount if you go at 4pm).
I love love LOVE Epcot! Especially during the International Food & Wine Festival!
This is really a park that you only learn to fully appreciate as an adult. Don't get me wrong, it's got stuff for kids too. (I have always loved the boat ride in Norway, particularly when there's the thrill of it almost falling during the back wards part) But really, Epcot is a place for an adult to enjoy Disney while fully inebriated. In fact, I think they should make it 21+ over only like Cinebistro. All the little ones can stick to Magic Kingdom.
They also have some great restaurants in the World Showcase, although I don't get to take advantage of them during the Festival because I'm so engorged from the International cuisine at the kiosks around the park.
If you go to the Festival make sure to check out the frozen caipirinha at the Brasil kiosk, the spicy tuna roll in Japan and the cheddar cheese soup in Canada. Those are MUSTS!
This review is based on the food and wine fest.
At first glance, the Food and Wine Festival is quite similar to last year. The second the Marketplace Food Kiosks around the World Showcase Lagoon represent cities, not countries. Cooking demonstrations and wine seminars are in the beautiful Wonders of Life pavilion. Guests have the option of signing up for costly wine events, including the "Party for the Senses" feeding frenzy every Saturday evening.
There are 27 Marketplace Food Kiosks this year. All but three of them represent cities around the word. The other three are "Desserts & Champagne," "The Mouse Catch" (cheese), and "The Brewer's Collection " (primarily beer).
Kiosk prices seem similar to last year. Plates Range from $3.00 to almost 8.00. The popular Escargot Persillade en Brioche (garlic and parsley snails in three little brioche rolls) at the Paris kiosk is will cost you $4.50. Another favorite, is the the Cheddar Cheese Soup at the Montreal kiosk.
The Lovely Vanessa Carolton performed as part of the "Eat to the Beat!" series While I was there. There's a concert at Epcot's America Garden Theatre every night of festival.
Sadly I heard that The festival didn't do so well this year. Hopefully it will be back next year.
I love Epcot, especially during the Food & Wine Festival.
I never spent much time at Future World, but more and more that's improving. The Mission: Space ride -- the calmer version -- is now palatable and fun, and the big golf ball ride as you enter the ride is now a LOT of fun, thanks to the Judi Dench narrative and the fact that they show you your future when your photo is taken.
I still love the World Showcase. There's always a lot going on there.
Coming back to EPCOT always feels like coming home. I don't know why, but its true. Even our daughters agree, its their favorite Disney park.
We have been for the International Food and Wine Festival two years in a row, and for the International Flower and Garden Festival aside from enjoying the park in Christmas. A must see!
Little piece of trivia in the World Showcase: Each country actually pays for and maintains/updates their plaza and rides. Maybe that is why Norway is soooo outdated, but its still fun and kitch! Also that is the reason some have no rides at all, just a movie.
The countries are fun to wander around but especially when a festival is going on. The food isn't limited to the countries they have at EPCOT in the food and wine festival, so there are some gems that are to die for (I was however highly disappointed in Austrias Sacher Torte - the apricot jello in the middle of the torte was disrespectful to the actual art of the tart jam that the Hotel Sacher puts in their dessert. I have yet to find anything that comes even close in the USA and was hoping that at Disney they would have replicated it. Shame on you).
This year we came back - twice - for the Tacos de Cochinita Pibil at Mexico. Oh. My. God.
The Boulangerie Patisserie at France is a MUST. Do NOT miss it, the pastries are the best I have ever had. Yes, even better than in Paris or Vienna.
The park is breathtaking in the Garden Festival, keep your eyes peeled in England for the teacup planters with tea plants in them. So cute.
As for the Land, Future World, Imagination, etc. Disney has always focused on having something for everyone. Spaceship earth has been updated and is quite fun, Soarin' is a nice ride for everyone, but the test track was a huge disappointment. Its great if you have kids, I guess but a car taking a curve at 60MPH? Meh.. If you want some thrills check out Mission Space. Green mission for the faint of heart or Orange for those of you who like a good thrill!!
After a few years of not going we went back to Imagination with Figment. It had originally been really creepy but we LOVED it because of that and the song that kept on playing over and over.. I had mixed feelings when I realized they had updated it! Where was the creepy leprichaun? Where is that song that will drive you crazy for years to come when it becomes wedged in your subconcious only to play over and over in your brain at the most inopportune moments????? Luckily right when I was ready to hit a low in disappointment at the end they saved some of the Figments from the old ride and played the song! Yay, thank you for keeping that from all of us who grew up with the old ride.
I could go on and on about how amazing EPCOT is, but I won't - you will have to experience it for yourself.
My lord. Epcot Center. I haven't been here since I was 5 years old. Yesterday I had the privelage of going again. Although I'm 25, I still had the time of my life.
Bring your sneakers boys and girls cause you're going to do quite some walking. I'd say to make it worthwhile, invest on the Fast Pass cause the lines can get pretty insane. Now I won't elaborate on every single ride because there are tons of reviews that already do so. Epcot will probably take you 8-10 hours to go through, so prepare yourself to spend your whole day there. Just know its 100% worth your time.
I was here for Epcot's International Food & Wine this past weekend and had a blast. I have been coming here, since Epcot first hosted it more than 8 or 9 years ago.
Each year the event is well organized; the food is usually very good; and the crowds get larger and larger. I do miss the free recipe cards that they used to hand out for each tasty item. Now you have to spend $15 and can only get the "most popular" dishes---and not even ones that are new for that year.
Regardless, I had a terrific time and was not disappointed at all. For little more than $70, I got to try all different types of foods and really enjoyed myself. In fact, here is a list of the items i tried with a rating from (1 to 5), with prices.
Cork, Ireland
*Bunratty Meade Honey Wine - $4.25 (4*)
Santiago, Chile
* Corn and Cheese Arepa - $3.00 (4*)
Buenos Aires, Argentina
* Beef Empanada with Tomato Salsa - $4.25 (4*)
* Grilled Beef Skewer with Chimichurri Sauce - $4.75 (3*)
Munich, Germany
* Spaetzle Gratin with Ham and Cheese - $3.50 (5*)
* Nuernberger Sausage in a Pretzel Roll - $4.25 (3* SEE PHOTO)
The Brewer's Collection
* Affligem Blonde Ale - $6.50 $12.75 (22oz) (3*)
Wellington, New Zealand
* Lamb Slider with Tomato Chutney - $4.50 (5*)
Montreal, Canada
* Canadian Cheddar Cheese Soup - $3.75 (4*)
New York State Wine Adventure
* Lieb Cellars Bridge Lane Merlot Blanc - $3.25 (2*)
San Juan Puerto Rico
* Ham Croquettes - $3.25 (3*)
Mouse Catch
* Trio of Cheese: $4.75 (5*)
o Piave, Italy
o Mahon, Spain
o Dorothea, Holland
Mexico City, Mexico
* Taco de Conchinita Pibil - $5.75 (4*)
Barcelona, Spain
* Taste of Spain (Serrano Ham, Chorizo, Manchego, Olives, Tomato Bread) - $4.25 (4*)
Shanghai, China
* Chicken Urumqi (Grilled chicken with cumin and traditional Chinese spices) - $3.75 (2*) (GET BEEF RICE INSTEAD)
Vienna, Austria
* Sacher Torte - $2.75 (5*)
New Delhi, India
* Rice and Lentil Crepe with Potato and Onion Filling - $3.25 (5*)
Cape Town, South Africa
* Seared Beef Tenderloin - $4.75 (5*)
Bangkok, Thailand
* Chicken and Coconut Soup - $3.25 (*3)
Leaving very satisfied.....priceless.
EXPERIMENTAL PROTOTYPE COMMUNITY OF TOMORROW
Epcot is one of my favorite parks in Walt Disney World. I feel like I am going on an educational trip around the world in a day. Epcot is split in two distinct areas known as Future World and World Showcase. Future World consists of a variety of pavilions that explore innovative aspects and applications of technology. World Showcase contains small scale replicas of eleven countries.
Future World consists of the following pavilions:
Spaceship Earth-Take a trip through time from prehistoric man to the invention of the computer inside the geodesic sphere. One of my favorite rides; I like the updated sets and new musical score. 4/5
Innoventions Pavilions-Two large pavilions focus on technologic advances and how they impact our lives. I enjoyed the House of Tomorrow exhibit; worth a visit if you have time. 3/5
Universe of Energy-Home to the very odd "Ellen's Energy Adventure"; a 45-minute ride in gigantic cars that take you on a trip to discover the origins of oil. I think this attraction needs some serious updating; only visit if you have the time and want to a break from the heat and need a nap. 2/5
Mission: SPACE-A thrill ride that simulates a rocket launch. The orange version of the ride contains spinning and is very intense and the green version is less intense with no spinning. I decided to try the orange version and I felt dizzy for about an hour after the ride. 3/5
Test Track-Become the test dummy of this ride as you are put through a series of tests that include temperature changes, curves, and speeds of over 60 miles per hour. A thrilling ride that you must try at least once. 4/5
The Seas with Nemo and Friends-Ride in a clam shell to enter one of the largest saltwater aquariums in the world featuring dolphins, sharks, sea turtles, and manatees. Worth a visit if you have the time. 3/5
The Land-Home to two of my favorite rides: Soarin' and Living with the Land. The Soarin' ride in Disney World is identical the one in Disneyland's California Adventure. It gives you the sensation of gliding over California complete with the scent of oranges. Living with the Land was closed this time but I look forward to riding through the hydroponic gardens on the next visit.
Imagination!-Features the rides Honey, I Shrunk the Audience and Journey into Imagination with Figment. I subjected myself to these attractions once and that was enough for me. 1/5
World Showcase
World Showcase contains eleven countries: Mexico, Norway, China, Germany, Italy, United States of America, Japan, Morocco, France, United Kingdom, and Canada. I like the fact that each county is staffed by citizens of the countries; this makes the experience seem more authentic. My favorite thing to do is wander through the countries and experience the culture, entertainment, and food. I have sampled many of the restaurants here and some of my favorite ones are Tutto Italia in Italy and Chef de France in France.
We had a great time strolling through Epcot in September because there were no lines. Because I have been here many times, it was nice to just enjoy the park with no agenda.
I'm not a big Disney fan (I grew up in Anaheim and overdosed on Disneyland as a child), but I LOVE this Epcot business.
It's like Disneyland for grown-ups. I love all the little towns, each one has its own cuisine (and booze!). I spent the entire day eating, going on all the rides, eating, looking at the "museums", eating, eating, shopping, eating...etc. This was so much fun!! Definitely the best of the parks, if you only have time to see one, this is it!
I really wanted to like this park more, it is such a good idea but for some reason it just is a bit of a disappointment to me. The tour of the world area is interesting since they hire people from the country they represent.
One thing that really bothered me was they had a USA stop, why would they do that? We are already in the US, plus they have the Hall of Presidents in the Magic Kingdom which is pretty similar. If they had left that out they could have put another really interesting country that was left out, ie India, could have had some really good cultural stuff and Indian food.
I did enjoy the soaring ride (a realistic hang glider ride over California) and the Space Ship Earth ride.
This park is by far my favorite in the WDW resort. It's like a foodfest if you time everything correctly and have a huge appetite, both of which I'm extremely skilled at.
They actually hire people from those countries to come and work there for a few months, and so a lot of them actually have heavy accents and are difficult to understand (i.e. ordering excellent, delicious sushi in Japan).
Of course they're all super nice, and one of the guys in Morocco offered to write my name in Arabic. Oh, and he was super gorgeous too.
The gift shops are actually worth going into; I heard a woman who grew up in London remark that the UK gift shop carried a toy and candy that she loved while growing up, and hadn't seen in years since she'd been living in the US.
I could pretty much spend the whole day on the international side, eating my way through the countries - gelato, funnel cakes, crepes, ramen, churros, etc. Epcot also serves tons of alcoholic drinks, and drinking your way through is also an option. The food is good (the ones you get at the restaurant, with waiter service will always taste better because it's a lot more freshly made, but it'll be more expensive), the drinks are good, and this place is just gorgeous.
There's a hidden secret to Epcot that I discovered the last time I was there: the Coca-Cola cooling station. You can try 6 or 7 different soft drinks from countries around the world that have the hype and popularity of Coke/Pepsi products here. Some of them are good, others.. not so much. But it's all free, and it's a good place to quench your thirst.
Most people remark that they're not on vacation to "learn," but really, when it's put into a Disney context, learning is fun. Make sure you bring your camera!
Just returned from a weekend at Disney and the park of choice was Epcot. I can really recommend this park for the little more grown up fun. Not quite that many character focused attractions, but good fun.
The rides... Started the day off with Mission to Mars. WOW. What a ride. Not sure how they do it, but it really feels as if you are in space, including some zero-gravity moments...
Next to the Testrack. The highlight here is the speed finale, that gets you above 60 mph in a nice banked turn. Definitely a thrill ride!
I still recommend the spaceship Earth (the ride inside the famous silver ball). It is slow, but nice and certainly a good reminder what really matters in life! (hint: it is not video games and monetary wealth...)
Also the Nemo ride is short and sweet. Even though more tailored to the younger crowed, this is to cute to miss, especially if you like the movie. Favourite part for this ride for me? The animated seagulls at the entrance... Mine, Mine, Mine...
I missed the "must do" soaring... the line was just too long (go for the Fastpass option, if you are in for the ride...)
The best part about Epcot is the International Showcase. We particularly chose this section for it currently features the Epcot Food and Wine Festival! ...and what a festival it is. Eat and drink around the world in one day! Perfect. There are some staples that are always here, but this festival adds some specific kiosks ,features three dishes, paired with wine or beer. These are up for grabs and highlight that countries best dishes. They did a fine job, having actually been to many of these places. I want to note the Tzaziki chicken in Greece and the Escargots in France! Great creations!
It is Disney, so going with the mindset of being amazed and not worrying too much about your wallet is a must.
If you have time to go during this event, do it. It is a day well spent!
The landscape is breathtaking, the weather was humid and hot in August.
It drizzled for a bit but it was tropically a magic moment.
There's a lot of walking here just like any other amusement park.
Not many rides but it was all good.
There are shops within and decent food courts.
Make your way to the famous iconic ball for the picture taking.
Got my vote.
I LOVE IT! I come here most of all the parks, because we walk laps around the lake. Right now the food & wine festival is AWESOME (and sadly counteracting all the walking) They should really have it all year long! I love the Fishermans pie in Cork Ireland! I love riding spaceship earth! I love the topiaries! Ilove everything!!
450th REVIEW!
This was, by far, my favorite theme park at the Walt Disney World complex! EPCOT, the Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow, was originally Walt's dream of creating a self-contained community where people would live and work, using public transportation and utilizing amazing marvels of engineering like "air conditioning." It may seem a little Utopian and crazy now, but I still like that "air conditioning" idea-- especially in Central Florida! UGH!
Future World is, for the most part, pretty dated and a little cheesy. I can see why there's so many more adults than children at this park! Innoventions is even less innovative than it is in Anaheim, and the Land Pavilion is a crock. Worst of all is the Imagination Institute, where Figment embarrasses you continually for about fifteen minutes, making you want to shield your face as you exit the attraction so that no one knows you experienced it! The Seas with Nemo and Friends was a real treat, and getting to see a couple manatees up close really made my day! Mission: SPACE was pretty intense, but as long as you don't think about the fact that you are spinning, you can hardly feel it. Test Track was alright, but I feel like it could have been made more exciting. Spaceship Earth was fun if only for the fact that you get to go up into the geosidic dome at the front of the park, but it seemed a little dated, too. No major progress since the personal home computer? Sad!
The real standout at this park is the World Showcase! Mexico, Norway, China, Germany, Italy, America, Japan, Morocco, France, the UK, and Canada. Mexico's Pavilion was, to me, the most impressive (and the most "air-conditioned"), and I had to resist the urge to spend a grand buying all the adorable Oaxacan wood sculptures. The little mercado in the middle reminded me of Olvera Street in Los Angeles at night, but the prices were shockingly more reasonable. I loved the kitsch factor of the Norway pavilion, and the Maelstrom ride is pretty fun, if a little scary at the end. Norway seems like a scary place, with all that off-shore drilling! China was understated, and I feel could have been much more impressive. Germany was great, and I enjoyed several glasses of Riesling, beer, Haribo, and pretzyls here. Italy didn't feel quite like Italy to me-- no cobblestone streets of Florence, only Venetian masks? Bummer. Japan was so much fun, and my boyfriend had to drag me out of Mitsukoshi to keep me from blowing my whole vacation budget on cute Japanese knick-knacks! France was beautiful, but I couldn't understand how to get to the Eiffel Tower? Britain was cute, but their Beatles shop didn't really offer that much in the way of exciting merchandise. Canada was, well, Canada.
We also managed to visit during the Food & Wine Festival, and we tried just about EVERYTHING! Also sat in on a Sam Adams beer seminar, which was more about getting free beer than learning anything about it. We especially enjoyed the German spaetzle and the schnitzel in pretzyl bread. Also, the fisherman's pie in Ireland was YUM! But don't opt for the honey meade, it was gross!
Overall, we came in EPCOT four times during our weeklong vacation and walked the World Showcase the same number of times! We truly loved this park, and I wish we had something similar to it in California!
A view of the future set in the 1970s. The Brit section had every stereotype imaginable... like being back home.
PROS: lots and lots of different foods. that one ride.. Soarin' was really fun. definitely go on all the rides! Mission to Mars.. do the more 'scary' choice. it's more fun. dont worry if you puke on that ride.. there are barf bags inside the ride lol. really big amusement park. took all day to explore it. great shows too.
CONS: pricey.. but what do you expect? i bought one of those turkey legs for like $8.. so fatty and unflavorful. very greasy.
Good for adults. lots of culture stuff and some good rides. not so great for little children.. take them to DisneyWorld instead.
Day three of the Disney whirlwind tour was planned as a day of rest. I was channeling both Sleepy and Grumpy when Mrs H - spurred by commercials for the Seas with Nemo & Friends ride/aquarium - was feeling some Epcot. No rest for the weary.
Buckminster Fuller would be proud of the huge geodesic dome - Spaceship Earth - that is Epcot's trademark. Dang long lines at this beast, though. Scratch that.
I was excited to try the ride Soarin', but even with a Fast Pass the next ride was 4 hours away. Dang long lines at this beast, too. Scratch that. Argh.
We -did- catch the "Honey, I Shrunk the Audience" 3-D movie. Was ok, but looked a tad dated with it's blurry 3-D effects. I enjoyed "A Bug's Life" at Disney's Animal Kingdom much better. Wasn't worth the sweaty 45 minutes it took to finally see the thing. One burly behemoth of a man got claustrophobic from being cramped in the waiting space they packed us lemmings in before the show and bailed hard and fast.
Also saw the Ellen DeGeneres, Bill Nye the Science Guy ride/movie "Ellen's Energy Adventure" at Universe of Energy. It was an impressive in size - you want to talk about wide screen??? - travel through time about the history and responsibility of energy management, but ultimately not a hair raising, heart pumping experience. I appreciated the tidbits of info I gleaned and was mildly entertained.
Epcot's raison d'être is to inform and educate more than entertain. Never a bad thing, but I wasn't ready to burn brain cells that day. Mrs H liked her little Nemo ride and we both adored the huge aquarium.
I don't dislike Epcot. Very impressive in scope and vision. But maybe wasn't what I was after on my Walt Disney World whirlwind tour.
Maybe I was channeling Dopey as well?
MAGICAL!!!
I love Disney World, especially the theme parks located inside; Epcot, Animal Kingdom, Disney's Hollywood Studios, and of course Magic Kingdom.
They're all:
1. Beautifully designed
2. Really, really, i mean REALLY the happiest places on earth --I think their biggest goal is to make each of you to feel like you're a good child that deserve real treats from santa or somewhat like that ;)--
3. Very clean for a theme park (yeah there were a little trash over here and there, but the cleaning services were everywhere, and they do decent work all the time)
4. Hiring the most FRIENDLY + HELPFUL + KNOWLEDGEABLE staffs!!
5. Giving you so much nicely scheduled + performed shows --shows are great for all ages, and if you are a Disney fanatic like me, you'll be infused by them--
6. Very smartly designed or managed for people with disabilities!
7. Always improving themselves by adding new shows, new attractions, new offers.. And they were all GREAT!!!
http://goflorida.about...
cons:
Some foods were very pricey when the taste wasn't really good. Some restaurants were pretty good in taste and atmosphere, but still they were pricey.
**http://disneyworld.dis...
I ate breakfast and brought my lunch from outside the park so i just have to spend for dinner and some snacks inside the park. I also brought bottled water (refilled again and again with tap waters that located everywhere in the park) so I think I saved a lot ;)
**note: I did the tap water refilling thing at Epcot, Animal Kingdom, Disney's Hollywood Studios, and they were all fine. But Magic Kingdom's tap water tasted a little funny. I suggest this time you avoid the refilling thing :b
Overall, I really enjoyed my visit to Disney World, so I promised myself there will be next visit(s)!
call me a bore.
Epcot was supposed to be an ever-evolving city..an overly-ambitious vision Walt Disney had and quite possibly could of acheived if it wasn't for those cigarettes.
The park in itself is a homage to Walt's vision..a posthumous gift from his Imagineers at WED Enterprises. Future world was an exclamation point when it originally opened up. It featured innovative ideas not just in ride design, but in construction, lighting, and theme. It was all about the future!
That whole idea died when Disney decided to change direction when they closed down the world of motion and horizons. Since the demise of those two rides..Epcot has been a park without a theme. it's not about the future but rather...what can we put inside this building to make people come? ooh Nemo! ooh Soarin! ooh Ellen!!(OMG Ellen???)
I hope Disney hires smarter 'imagineers' than lame-o's Joe Rhode and his staff of hacks that cannot produce an original idea that can last for generations like their fore-fathers before them.
Other than that..the park is beautiful. The most beautiful park in Disney World. With lots of beautiful gardens, the world showcase's 1/4-1/2 scale models of landmarks, and that geosphere helps soothe the mind. Makes the rather long stroll around a lot easier on the feet.
tip: if you plan on having dinner and don't mind missing the fireworks show...reserve somewhere in the showcase at 8:30 the night you go..enjoy your dinner..then have a nice stroll in a relatively empty park on your way out..it's a very nice experience for those who hate crowds.
Before I go any further, I must say - EPCOT is still my favorite park in the entire WDW complex. It may be my favorite theme park ever. In the whole world. I know for a fact that it's still my parents' favorite vacation (well, next to Thailand), and my parents still say stuff like "remember the time at EPCOT when..." or during discussions (debates) about world hunger and the role industrialized nations need to play in eliminating this (yes, these are our normal dinner-time topics), my dad would whip out facts that he gleaned during our trip to EPCOT (20 years ago!), to support his arguments.
When my parents first took us to Walt Disney World when I was 12 or 13, we spent 4 days in EPCOT. Mostly because they hate roller coasters, but also because it was educational while being fun, and my parents were keen on making every vacation/outing/event an educational one for my brother and I. I will admit, despite how crazy that sounds, to this day, I try to make every vacation or road-trip I take into a new experience and try to learn something new about where I am visiting. Shhh, don't tell them, but I think my parents' crazy training paid off.
This time around, I went with my best friend, her boyfriend and my husband, and while I was super keen on EPCOT, I could see all three of them rolling their eyes. They could tell I was going to drag them through every crazy educational exhibit and start spewing facts like I was in the final rounds of Jeopardy. Unfortunately for me, but fortunately for them - they outnumbered me, so I couldn't force factoids down their throat. Heh.
EPCOT is really split into two areas, the front half of the park is the educational stuff about loving the Earth, our future, our past and all that good stuff. The second half is the World Showcase, which has little mini-sections of various countries. Although every one tends to gravitate to the World Showcase, for me, the highlight is all the educational stuff. The Living Land is still my favorite exhibit, as the hydroponic stuff is shown, and I don't care who you are, the sight of a 9 pound lime is just awe inspiring (do you have any idea how many margaritas can be made with a 9 pound lime?!?!)! The best part is that the educational stuff? No lines!
To me, the World Showcase is an excuse to have silly ethnic souvenir shops. Don't get me wrong - I still went in and spent WAY more then I should, but it's silly. Also, I have to ask, what is up with the "Africa" showcase? It was basically 3 huts that sold all the left over souvenir stuff from the other countries! If I came from Africa, I would be really offended! Especially as every other showcase was a country...this was an entire continent, and all it had were 3 lame huts. Boo on that! Regardless, we did have some marvelous food here, and the shops were cool. In a way, it was rather fun to "travel the world" in only 4 hours...but then, I'm the kind of dork that enjoys silly things like that.
The final topper, had to be the fireworks show. Each park has a fireworks/lights show that closes out the park for the evening. EPCOT's was a combination of fireworks and lasers, and if we hadn't just seen the Hollywood Studios show (which was over the top amazing), I would have been tremendously impressed. As it was, it was incredibly cool, and inspiring.
All in all, EPCOT forever and will be my favorite theme park. Even if I did get motion sick on the Mission Space ride...causing me to throw up on Little Nemo ride immediately afterwards. But that's a different story for a different day :)
A strong 4.5 Stars....
I heart this place. If Disneyworld and Disneyland weren't a part of this world, then I might just be happy being here at Epcot!
I had many friends dissuade me from attending this wonderfully decorated, albeit not magical, park. The appeal here was not "magic" but more so marvels. The different worlds (Japan, China, Mexico, Germany, France, Morocco.... and yes even Canada and Norway were pretty cool).
My pluses were from what I can recall from my travels the Disney team in imagineering did a pretty darn good job of representing the world in their showcase, I especially like the animatronic foreigners who help us at every world.... (wait a sec, they're people actually from those countries?) ok, so the PEOPLE here were really cool, and actually had a lot of the stereotypes that I thought I'd see in those countries:
France - The Women were Really Cute, The Guys were really rude.
Japan - Everyone was always smiling and bowing
Mexico - Everyone was drunk and smiling
You get the picture...
If I could I'd go back here and celebrate my birthday, I mean it's only in (1, 2, 3, 4...) months so I could save up....hmmm...
Well if you can't make it to Animal Kingdom, or Hollywood Park is too crowded, make your way to EPCOT, but be weary this is not really THAT interesting to those under 3 years old, I saw plenty of sad, tired faces in that park.
But please enjoy!
Luvd, luvd, luvd Epcot.
The weather still wasn't the greatest, but at least it did not require the use of a poncho. At least for the most part. If anything, it was pretty hunid, but I guess that's just Orlando for you.
The first ride....Space something...reminded me of a tour up and all over a moving planetarium...sorry, I am sure I am butchering this description. It was actually quite entertaining, and at one point, I felt like I was in the matrix.
The other ride, COMPLETELY forgot the name of it, was more enjoyable than I thought it would be. I think it was because of my friend screaming at the screen and the controls. It literally felt like we were on a space journey to Mars though. Interesting tidbit about the ride though, is that they provide individual compartments to place your stuff...alongside of barf bags in the ride....just in case.
We also did that car test drive ride before heading off into countries of Epcot. I read somewhere that this was the longest coaster ride in the Disney Parks, and I was almost inclined to believe it. The unfortunate thing about this experience was that the weight was ridiculously long...though I do believe it was because of the weather.
The country replications were done rather well, and of course we could appreciate the ability to drink wine, beer, and champagne...not necessarily in that order. We were fortunate enough to be around for a Japanese drum show, as well as be able to take pictures of the various princesses and female characters situated all over the park.
As is the case for many others, this is our favorite Disney World park. There is so much to see and do here that few adults will ever be bored even after years of repeat visits. We should know; my husband and I have been annual pass holders for years.
EPCOT is divided into two parts, Future World and World Showcase. Future World is where the rides and interactive exhibits are. World Showcase is a tiny sampling of culture in a few foreign countries. WS is not the part to take teenagers for thrill rides, of which there are none, or entertain toddlers with cartoon characters; there are none of the latter, either. But it's big enough and diverse enough to entertain thousands upon thousands of people without feeling overly crowded most of the time. The only caveat to that statement is to find a good place to watch the nightly fireworks show at least an hour beforehand.
The BEST time to come here is during the annual spring garden show. The weather is great then, there are unique events galore, and the diversity of flower filled landscaping is absolutely breathtaking. Be sure to bring your camera!!!
When I went to Epcot center I just wanted to go to any theme park and see what it was like. Epcot to me wasn't anything that special, the remakes of landmarks seemed pretty good, but probably not as good as the genuine ones.
If you go to Epcot center to experience various cultures from around the world, yeah, you'll get it. The place that resembled China was pretty cool, it had lots of clay tomb guards from actual tombs in China. There are also restaurants, pretty pricey though, in those little places serving food from that culture. You can also experience culture in some of the non-thriller rides that just put you on a slow-moving car with facts and demonstrations by robots on the side as you pass.
If you go to Epcot center to experience a thrill, like on a ride, there aren't many only a few. One of my favorites, I think it was called, Test Track- you get in 4 seat "car" on a track and you go through various turns accelerating on every turn (there's a speaker saying how fast you go) and then when you're about to crash into a wall of wood......... it moves- when you come out you're doing maybe 60mph on a track suspended like 100ft in the air, on every turn you can feel yourself getting squashed by the g-forces and on the final turn it's like turning on one of those oval Nascar tracks. It wasn't as scary as it sounds though. :)
Well yeah, great for the family. 5 stars.
My second favorite park with my number one favorite ride Test Track!!
The World Showcase is spectacular everyone! Favorite showcase is China and their restaurant. Really wanted to have some of the Japanese food :( . Mexico has great churros :D .
Test Track is a freakin unbelievable, amazing, spectacular, thrilling fun heaven on wheels ride. I am a car fanatic and love going fast so this is my kind of ride. I hope Heaven has this ride when I die :) . The showroom is sweet and I got great pics of the blue Camaro. Glad they have a Saab in there. Hopefully that will bring more customers to them. The gift shop has some of the coolest automobile related merchandise in there. The wooden Hummer in there would have been the best kids toy for me!
At the Land, they have an eating center (forgot the name, it is RIGHT BY Soarin) that has honestly some of the best sushi I have had. Not in the same league as Sushihana but some of the best. I had the spicy roll with a tropical citrus Vitamin Water. The eatery has some neat looking hot air balloons on display. The establishment is very clean and well taken care of.
To put it simply, if you were to do one thing, you have to do Test Track! The only negative thing is that I only got to ride it twice due to the DAMN rain!!!!
EPCOT is by far the coolest, most thrilling park of the WDW area. Soarin' and Test Track are right up there with not only the best rides at WDW, but the best rides you'll experience anywhere.
But the rides are just a small part of the attraction of EPCOT. For one thing, the park is remarkably well landscaped with beautiful flowers, water displays, and shrubbery. Everything in this park is a feast for the eyes.
World Showcase features some of the coolest exhibits ("The American Adventure") and eateries ("Le Cellier").
With no exaggeration, I could spend a whole 10 day vacation at EPCOT and never once get bored.
I love it!
Nice park... don't know if I'd plan a whole day around it but if you can jump between this and say Animal Kingdom or Hollywood Studios then you'll make the most of your time.
Test Track was the most fun I've had on a ride in a long time... I hope they bring that over to Anaheim at some point. The Finding Nemo ride has dolphins?! Didn't see that coming.
The most unintentional fun I had was on the Norway ride... it's so bizarre. There are gnomes and snow monsters and witches... and then there's a small drop and all of a sudden you're in present day industrial Norway and it's dark and and there's lightning but I'm not sure if it's supposed to scare you or what. I laughed too loud and annoyed the people in front of me when my friend screamed "Aaahh! Oil rig!!"
I love Epcot. Not only is this the best Disney Theme Park, it's one of my favorite theme parks in the world. It's really strange, because I'm a huge roller coaster guy, and Epcot doesn't have anything in the way of real thrill rides. But something about Epcot is just fascinating. Plus, you've got acres and acres of delicious food options to choose from (more on that below).
I'll start with Future World. Future World is the front half of the park, and by far the worst half. There is some pretty interesting stuff in the front half and a lot of crap too. Highlights include Innoventions East and West (two larger pavilions where you can view lots of cool, interactive exhibits), Test Track (a high speed ride in a "car"), the huge aquarium in The Living Seas (complete with Dolphins), and Spaceship Earth (the giant globe). Most of the rest of the rides / exhibits in Future World a lame, though. 50 minute energy ride with Ellen DeGeneres and Bill Nye? Long and out-dated. Soarin'? More like Snoozin' (har har). Journey Into Imagination? Lame since they changed the ride and made Figment super annoying. Honey, I Shrunk the Audience? Bring back Captain EO. There also aren't any really good restaurants in the front, with the exception of the seafood place in The Living Seas.
However, World Showcase (the back half) is a whole other story. This place is fantastic. Each pavilion represents a different country, and features shops, restaurants, and (usually) a show representative of that country. The shows are great. Stop by China to see incredible Chinese children doing acrobatics or a breathtaking 360 degree movie of China's best sights. Stop by Japan to see some bad-ass Taiko drummers or a bizarrely hilarious candy sculpture lady. Stop by Canada for some entertaining Celtic rock music, or America to see a marching band or a capella singers. The list goes on.
But the best part is the food. I love food, and Epcot has a great variety. My favorites are the Norwegian bakery, the German pretzel / brat shop, and the Japanese hibachi restaurant. Great stuff.
Epcot has a pretty good fireworks show, too, although not as good as Magic Kingdom's. Plan to spend two days at Epcot if you want to see everything. Eddy A. has a great tip in his review about dinner reservations. You can see the fireworks one night and get late reservations the other night (8:00-8:30) and enjoy a pleasant walk out of the park without the crowds. Very relaxing way to end the day.
Epcot, have my babies!!!
Epcot is a theme park that suffers from an identity crisis! The front half of the park, while it has been "updated" still feels like a 1980's bold vision of a future now passed!
Some of the thrill additions -
Test Track - a fun ride but not worth the 90 minute wait you can experience on busy days opened over 9 years ago now!
Mission:Space opened 4 years ago, and is already feeling dated.
Soarin' opened in Disney's California Adventure 8 years ago and opened in EPCOT 3 years ago and is already feeling very dated!
Honey I shrunk the Audience is now an OLD pop culture reference from a B movie released over 20 YEARS ago!
The park feels stale and old! When you get to the other half of the park, it is the World Showcase you get little slices of the world, with lot's of shops, restaurants, and very little else! Back in 1982 this kind of theming was unprecedented and Disney could charge money to have you shop in a themed mall, but in 2009 and with so many unique dinning and shopping options opening up around the country and world, this sort of experience needs more than just geographically themed shops and restaurants to make it worth visiting! There are 2 rides in the world showcase.
Mexico- Gran Fiesta tour with Donald. A cute slow boat ride through Mexico.
Norway- Maelstrom - travel the river of time slowly and with a few drops, through Norway's past.
I honestly want to LOVE Epcot, but I can't because it has stagnated for so long that it really offers nothing new and exciting! The bright spot at EPCOT is the Living Seas Pavillion with Nemo and Friends, where you take a nice slow ride through aquariums with the Finding Nemo characters added in with cool digital video technology, that is also where you can experience Turtle Talk with crush which is a great interactive experience with Crush the Sea Turtle!
All in all, Epcot is a place to experience, as the fireworks show IllumiNations Reflections of Earth is almost worth the price of admission alone! Just don't have high expectations as you experience a 1980's world fair!
Dawn's Tips to Epcot:
Start Epcot around Lunchtime. In Mexico. (You're savvy, so you would have made an RSVP from another park before you got here). The food is EFFING awesome. Best chips EVER.
Upon leaving the pyramid, walk straight ahead for your travel Margarita.
Head towards China. Now drink and eat your way around the world.
Most of the rides not to miss are up front (hit those during Illuminations later for short lines) but Norway has a fun ride.
There's great food abound in this park, from every country to The Land up front. Everything that can be grown on site is, by the way. So enjoy. Don't worry about calories... you're walking them off as you go.
And there's shopping from around the world also, if you feel like dishing out the $$... I tend to save my ethnic shopping for ethnic neighborhoods... it's a lot cheaper that way. Still, it's fun to fish for your own pearls in Japan!
On October 1, 1979 ground broke for the second Theme Park at Walt Disney World. Three years and $1.4 billion later, on October 1, 1982, Epcot Center opened at the Walt Disney World resort. The new Experimental Prototype City of Tomorrow was connected via monorail to the familiar Magic Kingdom theme park.
It was Walt's Dream to have a self-contained city reside here... unfortunately he passed away before it could be built. The Walt Disney Company created a theme park which incorporated Walt's love for World's Fairs and the promise of the future!
Epcot has come a long way since the early days. On October 1, 2007, Epcot celebrated it's 25Th Anniversary!
Epcot is twice the size of the Magic Kingdom. Epcot is made up of Future World and the World Showcase. Future World is where you can experience the past and future of technology advancements. World Showcase highlights the art, architecture and culture of the countries that surround the World Showcase Lagoon. ( Where you can view a Beautiful Fireworks display, nighty )! Many folks do not know that the employees working in each country are actually from that Country! Most are students and here on a Visa.
Some of the Best Restaurants in WDW can be found in Epcot. My favorite being Le Cellier, Canada pavilion. There are 11 Country Pavilions; Canada, Germany, America, France, United Kingdom, Mexico, Norway, China, Italy, Japan and Morocco.
Future World is divided into different areas and the first one you see when entering Epcot is the infamous Spaceship Earth Pavilion. Cool ride! Universe of Energy, Mission: SPACE Pavilion, Test Track Pavilion ( long lines for this ride )!, Innoventions: The Road to Tomorrow, The Seas with Nemo & Friends Pavilion, The Land Pavilion which has one of my very favorite "rides" in all of WDW and that would be "Soarin"., Imagination! Pavilion, Journey Into Imagination With Figment is cool! and Honey, I Shrunk The Audience" is cool, at least once.
I LOVE going to the theme parks in Orlando. I'm like a big kid every time I go, it's magical. Now Epcot has become kind of a tradition for us (my cousins and I). Every October they have the WIne & Food Festival, and for the past couple of years we've gone. When the festival is running, the World Showcase has more contry pavillions, than usual, to offer their traditional wines and food. For a couple of $$ you get to try a little bit of everything "around the world". Now pace yourself so you can enjoy it...
Really recommend attending the festival, we always have a great time - walking around, learning about wine @ some of the free seminars, and learning a little bit about the contries. I remember one year there was Africa, on top of their traditional food, they also had people doing their traditional dance. It was so much fun to watch and they were all so nice, we spent a part of our day just talking with them.
Same thing happend another year at Australia. They were offering a free wine tasting, the people were so friendly and helpful we ended talking with them more after the tasting was over.
You need to go and get pastries at France, eat shushi in Japan, have a margarita in Mexico and/or a beer in Germany.
At the World Showcase you can't go wrong, and do stay 'til the park closses to enjoy "illuminations", the best fireworks show.
In addition to the festival, there is of course the usual atractions like Race Track - love this one!!!, Soaring, Space Ship Earth, etc.
I can say million more things but it's one of those things you'll have to experience yourself, make it your own, and build the memories.
Epcot lets you go around the world in less than a day. There are a few rides: Test Track and Soarin' are definitely worth seeing. I remember when it first opened; it was my least favorite as a kid but I was only interested in the rides.
I've heard that there's a bench somewhere in the park that you can stand on at a certain time and see four Goofys all at once. It's secrets like that which make this park worth coming back to.
I would love to go back for the Food and Wine Fest now that I'm older. I'm sure I will one day with my wine-geek SO. And I'll definitely review it when I do.
Smoked turkey legs
Gargantuan to feed two individuals
Smoked turkey legs
Of this place called Walt Disney World
Found at EPCOT Park in Orlando, Florida
Where cast members direct guests to meet and greet Mickey, Goofy, and friends
Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow (EPCOT), a utopian city envision by Walt Disney
Travel around the world
Without wings
Without a passport
Where guests can sample cuisines from Mexico, China, Japan, Canada, France, Norway
To name a few
Where a 360 circular movie, recently updated, portrays cities of Hong Kong, Shanghai, Beijing and more
Where Mandarin and Canto skills are tested in the China Pavilion, World Showcase
Smoked turkey legs
Flavor some and tasty
A gargantuan appetite is required
Invigorating to senses yet very filling
A delightful treat!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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8/24/2008
Epcot is one of my favorite Disney World parks. It allows guests to travel the world to China,… Read more »
If you don't have a bit of a plan, you aren't going to be able to do Epcot in one day. Or, you will have to rush the world's showcase, which you shouldn't do.
Get there reasonably close to when the park opens. Pick a side (the Test Track & Mission Space side or the Soarin' & Nemo side) FAST PASS one of the major rides, wait in line for the other, and do any of the other things you want to do on that side.
Then do innovations. You'd be surprised how long the lines can be to some of the more popular innovations features. And a lot of the stuff is really cool.
Now do the other side. Again, FAST PASSING one of the main attractions while waiting in line for the other.
I like to do the Test Track side first, because I'm usually ready for a small meal by the time I get to the other side, and the LAND pavilions has an awesome food court. Seriously.
Now you are ready to walk the worlds.
Most of the movies, wrap around screen or not, are pretty boring.
Don't miss the viking ride, but do proceed directly through the theater at the end of the ride, as they have not updated the movie since the 70's.
Best place for dinner is Marrakesh in Morocco. The lamb falls off the bone, and the belly dancer performs every hour.
Food & Wine Festival is a blast.
Christmas is beautifully decorated and you can compare Christmas traditions from the different countries.
If you go for Christmas, make reservations for dinner and reserved seating for the Candle Light Procession. Otherwise, the line to get a seat starts about 3 hours in advance.
I remember hearing about Epcot when I was a kid. I was fascinated with the thought of Disney building a park where people could experience a taste of many countries in one day.
I was 30 and had my first Florida vacation scheduled. The complication was that I was only going to have one day to visit WDW. Considering there are 4 theme parks, 2 water parks and a Downtown Disney, some may have difficulty deciding what to do with that day.
Not Me.
I wanted to see Epcot. It did not disappoint. We recently made the full scale trip to WDW and even though we had been to Epcot once before, we re-visited this park 4 or 5 times.
My youngest was fascinated with the world showcase. Particularly Japan, in fact she said "Japan" so many times, my teenager threatened bodily harm to her if she so much as uttered one more "Ja".
They have a boat ride/in-door restaurant in the Mexico pavilion that I didn't even know existed. It's reminiscent of POTC & Blue Bayou in Disneyland.
You'll find it difficult not to snap a thousand pictures as you meander through the different lands. If it's warm, treat yourself to a grey goose slushy in Russia and Beirgarten in Germany is a dining experience not to be missed.
The Living Land & Seas areas easily have enough to see & do, to fill an entire day. Turtle talk with Crush was incredible. My daughter's kept asking, "How do they do that?" As if I'm supposed to know! :P
The above alone warrants a theme park, then they went and added Mission Space & Test Track. Test Track is a thrill ride that everyone in the family will love.
Mission Space is beyond cool. Have you ever wanted to be launched into space? Go on a mission to mars? Feel forces up to 2.4 G's? I heard a lady handing fast passes over to a couple and they asked if it was for the green or orange side. She replied, "I don't know but the orange side made me vomit". :P
My whole family rode it and loved it.
Love you Epcot!
Many years ago, before many of you Yelpers were born, my family and I left our house in August at 6:00 AM and DROVE here. By the time of our first stop in Elko, NV, I was a basket case. I lost all hope of sanity by the time we hit Kansas three days later. While we saw a lot on this 9000 mile trip (200 miles of it was backtracking to the hotel when my dad was looking for his glasses, which he thought was left at the hotel, but were in his suitcase. But that's another story.)
EPCOT is an acronym for E(very) P(erson) C(omes) O(ut) T(ired). You should plan on at least a week to see everything. You will wait in lines to get in line to line up to "ride" the attraction in a line. The attractions are like conveyor belts, taking you around animatronics like only Walt Disney can. There are fewer attractions than most Disney parks, but it's more entertaining. I remember a character named "Figment", who encouraged you to used your imagination, hence Figment of Your Imagination.
You may visit many other "countries" as well. Each area is designed to look like a specific country, such as Mexico, China, Japan, Italy and many others.
It is hot and humid, but it's Orlando. My step brother and I got drenched by laying underneath these fountains that throw a large stream of water from one side of the paths to another.
Any family should try to see this amusement park at least once in your lifetime. While I will NOT drive there again, I look forward to going back, now that I am older and can appreciate it more.
Awesome place to go! It doesn't have many rides like the main park, but its quite an experience! They have a bunch of countries in the park so you can visit them all and taste what each country has to offer! A major plus about Epcot is that THEY SERVE ALCOHOL HERE!!!! U can go to Italy and try out some delicious wine and champagne.....or go to German and try some beer....or hit up Japan and get some Sake Bombs!!! Some of the restaurants don't taste "authentic" but its a delight to be able to just try some dishes you wouldn't have an opportunity to do depending on where you live. Epcot has a spectacular light show on the lake at night! Something you have to see while you're at the park! Oh, and what I also like about Epcot being so culturally diverse, is that the workers at each country are actually from that country! Not good for kids...but great for adults :)
"EPCOT, you have broken my heart."
This was uttered by my girlfriend as we left the park. We both had such fond memories of EPCOT as kids. We had our own fond memories of the park with me focusing on the technology and her relishing the thoughts of the different nations of the world.
Strangely, this time around, it just seemed like one big gift shop. Some nations had exhibits with Japan's tin robot exhibit being the best in my opinion but others like UK just being a place to have greasy food or buy Disney-related wares.
The technology area that I really loved, seemed watered down and inaccessible.
Sure, that dated Mexico ride is still there. So is the funny Norway mural. And yes, you got to love a park dedicated toward education instead of cheap thrills but still... it did not come close to living to our expectations.
Maybe it's because we are older, wiser and less filled with magic. Maybe because Soarin' and it's stupid line sucked the life out of us early. Maybe because it really has changed.
