10 Tips & Tricks to Enjoy the Best Day Ever at EPCOT

With projects stopping and starting throughout EPCOT, it can be easy to discount this park. Don’t. EPCOT is still a beautiful and unique place that embraces the possibilities of the future and the diversity of the world. Even with the construction, there are still plenty of attractions, shows, and eateries to fill up multiple park days. Today, we’re going to share some of our best tips for having an excellent day in this excellent park. Take notes and get excited for your EPCOT adventure!

  

1. Ride the Skyliner

While this may not be available from your resort, take advantage of the new Skyliner Gondolas for your arrival if possible. This ski-lift style transportation services the Caribbean Beach, Pop Century, Art of Animation, and Riviera resorts. Relax inside your enclosed vehicle as you see Disney World from a birds-eye view. Trust the experts, it’s way more relaxing and comfortable than a bus. Plus, a ride on the Skyliner is both futuristic and better for the environment. It is such an EPCOT-appropriate way to travel! This method of transportation will drop you right outside of the World Showcase gate, which brings us to the next “must-do” on your list.

2. The Most Important Meal of the Day

Many people get in the enormous line forming outside the patisserie in France, but an equally delicious bakery can be found a little further down the road. The Kringla Bakeri Og Café in the Norway Pavilion not only has a shorter line, but it also has the Disney World famous School Bread. Order a specialty coffee and one (or several) of the featured pastries. As mentioned earlier, the custard-filled coconut school bread is a staple item, but the buttery Lefse and fluffy Troll Horns are also delectable. Best of all, after your breakfast, you’ll be poised to jump on Frozen Ever After before the wait times increase. This sounds like a pretty joyous combination to us!

3. Knock Out a Thrill Attraction

Speaking of jumping on rides early in the day, this is an ideal time to head over to Future World. With many guests getting sidetracked by Spaceship Earth and family pictures at the entrance, you can take advantage of a shorter wait for either Soarin or Test Track. Since the queues for both rides rarely drop throughout the day, the sooner you can get in line, the better. Be warned though, you’ll probably only have time for one ride before the crowds explode. Choose your favorite and keep a pin in the other one for later. We’ll come back to this.

 

 

4. Walk to the Walk-ons

Assuming the park is busier, it’s time to enjoy the low-wait attractions in Future World. Luckily, there are many! At this point, the morning rush for Spaceship Earth has subsided, so check out this classic EPCOT ride. Afterward, check out any number of fan favorites including Living with the Land and The Seas with Nemo and Friends. All of these attractions provide an excellent blend of entertainment and education. And if your family loves aquariums, the Nemo ride is attached to a huge, indoor multi-tank exhibit! Even with the ongoing projects, Future World is still a place you can spend hours exploring.

5. Start a Worldwide Culinary Tour

EPCOT usually has a food-themed festival running, but even if you don’t visit during one, there are still countless snacks to nibble and drinks to sip. Save your advance dining reservation for dinner and spend your lunch snacking around the park. If a festival is running, you can visit booths (on both sides of the park) for bite-sized treats and smaller pours of specialty beverages. At any time of the year though, you can stop at the permanent carts and quick-service restaurants sprinkled in the World Showcase. Guest favorites include margaritas from Mexico, French crepes, hand-braided soft pretzels from Germany, and Canadian poutine. Lines for the food booths can get very lengthy after dinnertime, so get a head start on the crowds. You’ll be glad that you did.

6. Hear Angelic Voices

Many live shows have yet to return, but the Voices of Liberty are back and sound better than ever. And while you can have an amazing EPCOT visit with minimal planning, you’ll want to check out the showtimes for this acapella group. It won’t be hard to snag a seat in the huge, outdoor America Gardens theater, but there are a limited number of shows. While walking around the World Showcase, stop by the America pavilion to see which time slot you can make. The full-bodied, stunning tones of this group will sound even more beautiful to your ears. They are still a “must-hear”.

7. Beyond the Food in World Showcase

When it comes to World Showcase offerings, seeing the Voices of Liberty is just the start. Just like Future World, this side of the park is also full of wonderful attractions with minimal wait times. Frozen Ever After is the headliner, but the festive Gran Fiesta Tour in Mexico is adorable and is usually a walk-on. The animatronic American Adventure show is also running full steam ahead in a gigantic auditorium. And the gorgeous Impressions de France movie is still playing within picturesque France. As you travel between the attractions, be on the lookout for random character cavalcades and distanced character appearances. (Mary Poppins has been known to stroll the gardens of the UK and the famous royal sisters have been spotted many times in Norway.) Between these magical moments and the rides, you probably won’t have time to see everything before dinner.

8. Suppertime

Although there are a lot of snacks and treats to be had, save room in your tummy for one ADR. We recommend making dinnertime special. After all, when you walk around all day, you’re sure to work up an appetite. Luckily, EPCOT has some of the most delectable and well-themed restaurants. Every restaurant hasn’t reopened, but favorites like Germany’s Biergarten, Canada’s Le Cellier, France’s Chefs de France, and Italy’s Via Napoli are welcoming diners. The environments there are truly transportive. And during a time when international travel is still difficult, dining in the World Showcase is more special than ever. So, kick your feet back, splurge on your entrée, and sip imported wine while you dream of your future travels.

9. Find the Perfect Souvenir

World Showcase is full of unique, specialty gift shops, but sometimes the gifts are too … specific. If you don’t want a gift tied to a specific country, we’d suggest you visit EPCOT’s version of the Emporium: Mouse Gears. This huge gift shop in Future World is a treasure trove of Disney-themed clothing, toys, housewares, pet supplies, and jewelry. Take it from Disney veterans, this is the perfect EPCOT shop to find the perfect gift. The sheer variety of merchandise makes it difficult to walk away empty-handed. Make your way to this store after dinner, and beat the park-exit crowds.

10. End on a High-Note

Since fireworks have yet to return, this is a great time to enjoy attractions late at night! And since Disney allows guests to enter the queue until the park is closing, you can technically stay past closing time. Before ending your perfect day, we’d suggest you jump in line for a popular attraction you haven’t ridden yet. Test Track, Soarin, and Frozen Ever After are all excellent possibilities. This may not pack the same punch as a nighttime spectacular, but it’s still a pretty thrilling option.

With this itinerary in hand, we know if your day at EPCOT isn’t perfect, it’ll be pretty darn close. Happy traveling and best of luck!