How to Visit Epcot

Step-by-Step Guide

1. 1

   Step 1: Decide if you truly want to visit Epcot.

   Discuss some of your other options that exist for the other nearby Walt Disney World parks or local attractions in the area.
   
   With other major possibilities being the Magic Kingdom, the Disney (Hollywood/MGM) Studios, and Disney's Animal Kingdom and the 2 of Disney-owned water parks (and few other non-Disney operated water parks including Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach) and other activities that Disney sponsors, decide if Epcot is your best choice.
2. 2

   Step 2: Realize that Epcot mostly tries to give people information they would not have known of otherwise.

   If you want thrill rides, the Magic Kingdom and the Disney Hollywood Studios have a handful of them, but not many thrill rides exist at Epcot.
   
   If you want to go for information with not much thrill, head to Epcot. , Alternatively, you could take the monorail from your hotel or the Ticket and Transportation Center (TTC) to the Epcot station.
   
   The address to Epcot is located at 1200 Epcot Resort Blvd, Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830 .
   
   The cost to park your car at the Magic Kingdom will run you about $17 for cars and upwards from there (depending on complexity of vehicle).Dependent on the row, you could be parked in one of 7 areas of the parking lot system at Epcot.
   
   These areas include the Journey , Discover, Amaze, Create, Imagine, Explore or Wonders lotYou can alternatively take a Disney's Magical Express (Disney-operated bus that is free to guests staying on Disney property) from Orlando International Airport to this park.
   
   If you are staying at one of the hotels that has the monorail stopping at their resort (including Disney's Contemporary Resort, Grand Floridian Resort or Polynesian resort), you can take the monorail to this area.
   
   There is no cost to ride the monorail at any time in your vacation. ,, At the entrance you'll find one of 2 racks holding an English version of the map, along with maps of other subsequent languages.
   
   The languages they have include Spanish, French, German, Chinese, Italian).
   
   It's two lands are essentially called Future World and World Showcase.
   
   Future World is composed of several rides and attractions that are primarily an informational-only experience.
   
   World Showcase features some informative information about the cultures of countries worldwide. , Visit Test Track as the first thing you do when you arrive.
   
   Besides being the attraction the farthest back on the one side, this one gets very crowded well before noon on most weekdays and weekends.
   
   Ever wanted to experience what it's like to test a car during it's production? This attraction is where to try it out and see what it's like. , Try out the Mission:
   Space exhibit if you have ever wanted to know how it feels to become an astronaut who journeys into space.
   
   It is located one pavilion to the north of Test Track, and much like Test Track, does tend to be crowded at times. , Tour the Ellen's Energy Adventures building.
   
   Do this if you'd like to learn about the history of the energy sources you very commonly use in today's world. , If you can't seem to find the geodesic dome, ask one of the Disney's Cast Members for assistance, however finding it shouldn't be hard as it's the biggest (and iconic) theme building there is on the Epcot property.
   
   Unless you've been there before, most people don't know that the glass golf-ball shaped building actually has a ride inside it! This ride presents an informative view of the history of telecommunications. , Although this exhibit changed from being informative to a more comical take on the ocean floor, it has actually gotten an upgrade with its 2006 upgrade.
   
   It now contains a very fun attraction that kids love to come back and try time and time again to ride.
   
   Whether it's the Turtle Talk with Crush exhibit or the Nemo (from Finding Nemo movie) ride, they will both take you on a journey to see aquatic wildlife to see and explain those viewpoints of the marine wildlife here. , Although it is one of this pavilion's most-often visited attraction in the park (Soarin), it also has some information booths and another ride (called Living with the Land).
   
   There are a few tours that step through this pavilion(which might be rather cheap but worth the money tour called Behind the Seeds), and you can even eat some of the crops that are forested here, inside this pavilion's one restaurant. , However, everything that this building was once known for, has been removed (including the DNA helix that once stood in front of the building).
   
   If you end up walking into a building that has no people inside it and it has a yellow domed roof, chances are that you've arrived into the former Wonders of Life pavilion., It's actually rather comical and definitely a relief in the hot and humid Florida heat to ride this ride.
   
   Look for the Upside-Down House here.
   
   This will keep your kids' minds from going blank and keep asking you "How did they do that" no matter how many times you'll ride it.
   
   Your mind will be amazed at what your eyes are turning around and showing you what it in-turn interprets. , And what's really interesting about this exhibit/attraction, is that they have two entrances from both the East and West sides of Future World. , It's breathtaking looking at Bay Lake, it's boats that depart and arrive from Epcot.
   
   It's so peaceful, that sometimes doves and seagulls can be seen and heard in the area.
   
   There are benches near the monorail track before in the center area before crossing the bridge to World Showcase, but it's more interesting and more invigorating when you actually partake to walk into the area called World Showcase. , Ride the Grand Fiesta Tour or eat at the restaurant that overlooks the beginning portion of the ride's area out the back of the restaurant.
   
   Take in a few of it's shopping possibilities here.
   
   What's even better is if you are able to get a seat inside the building which overlooks the entryway for the remainder of the shopping portion of the pavilion.
   
   The building itself will sometimes even make people stop and think: "Am I really in America now?"
   
   However, be careful; the first several days the attraction was open they experienced several evacuations (as per several videos on YouTube already) and your ride could be a thud as well.
   
   It opened on June 22,
   2016.
   
   If you choose not to ride, there is at least one shopping location and several restaurants associated to the Norwegian pavilion.
   
   Maelstrom closed in 2014 and a complete rebuild opened in
   2016.
   
   What makes this experience even more fun, is that they also have other Norwegian-inspired things that show you the other side of this cold country called Norway.
   
   Be careful of Akershus Royal Banquet Hall.
   
   On top of dining, this is also a very popular place to meetup with a few of your Disney royalty character friends. , Eat Chinese food and drink green tea from a Chinese tea garden (called Joy of Tea and Lotus Blossom Café) here.
   
   However, no shopping locations exist in the Chinese pavilions. , Although The Outpost was never fully finished , a portion of that land still exists inside Epcot.
   
   You'll find The Outpost situated conveniently between the China and Germany pavilions in the World Showcase side of the park.
   
   It contains mostly shopping locations (such as Bead Outpost) but there's also Village Traders nearby in the same area.
   
   If you want refreshments, they sell Coca Cola products in this area, but you'll have to ask to receive what product you want. , Visit the Germany pavilions, if you'd like to learn a little more about the food and culture of Germany.
   
   Or take a breather near the fountain just outside the "town" square which was featured on the Florida episodes of Full House in 1994 when Bob Saget (stage named Danny) tried to propose to Gail Edwards (stage named Vicky) but got interrupted by a German Lederhosen band! There are several shopping locations that sell German trinkets as well as beer and wine here (one of the few places on Disney property that does so, so savor the moment if you choose to buy some.) , Learn a little something about Italy and their rich culture in the Italian exhibit with their food and shopping options.
   
   With many Italian pizzerias and Italian cuisine here, there's no way you can leave empty-stomached. , If you want, there's a cool stage act (that goes by the same name as the pavilion itself) which can surely take the heat off tired feed on a hot summer day.
   
   If stage plays aren't your "thing"
   
   the Voices of Liberty perform inside the entrance several times a day, or you can eat at the Liberty Inn or Fife and Drum Tavern or shop at a trinket shop called Heritage Manor Gifts or at a bookseller called My Heritage Books.
   
   Take a look at some of the painted portraits on the walls inside the building for the full experience of what United States really is; you might even see something you might not even be expecting in them. , With their Japanese inspired dancers (in Jeweled Dragon Acrobats and Matsuriza) on the outside ring that occasionally perform, these performances are very inspiring.
   
   However, watch out for these times on your times guides, as this doesn't happen all that often every day.
   
   You can either eat fish dishes at Teppan Edo or eat at Tokyo Dining.
   
   For those with shopping on their minds, they have gift shops here too called Good Fortune Gifts as well as the House of Good Fortune.
   
   If grilled dishes and other Japanese-inspired dishes more casually suit your taste buds, try out either Kabuki Café or Katsura Grill in and around Japan's pavilions. , Let Morocco rule out when you need to learn a little about African culture.
   
   There are a few shopping opportunities here that present the Moroccan culture to the everyday person.As far as Moroccan shopping prevails here, they mostly sell leather goods including pocketbooks (at a higher price) as well as brass trinkets.
   
   Take a look at the décor around these shops and areas; they will remind you of Moroccan architecture and almost become Aladdin-like. , Try out France's 3D movie available called Impressions de France,(interpreted into English as Impressions of France).
   
   From a shopping and dining presence, there are a few shopping and dining establishments here but few are well-known at this time. , Visit an English bar and/or pub in this area with Rose and Crown Dining Room&Pub.
   
   Listen to some music from a British group who call themselves the "British Revolution" who perform nearby (which is no longer a group who look like those from "The Beatles").
   
   Walk down the fake Abbey Road strip as you enter the area or shop around this area (including into shops called Crown and Crest as well as Tea Cady or Sportsman's Shoppe) to get a rich feel for the culture of England.
   
   If you'd like, you can even head into "Queens Table" (shopping), if all these other choices aren't quite enough.
   
   Make a quick photograph moment in a former British payphone booth that used to have a working payphone (but no longer does). , It may be one of the last places you'd think to be able to keep yourself cool, but it surely will.
   
   If 3D movies aren't your thing, you can shop at Northwest Mercantile (a Canadian-like) gift shop or Trading Post or you can eat at the rather small steakhouse onsite.
   
   The amount of work the designers put into this land here is really spectacular.
   
   Whether it's the Canadian house of parliament or it's the totem poles, design here is very immense and spectacular.
   
   If they are performing, there may even be a band at the entrance performing on bagpipes, but you'll have to ask around to see what's going on when you are there to ensure that you won't miss them; it is all just "that good". , With a few stops inside World Showcase along with the few stops outside the park at a few of their resorts and even one close to Disney's Hollywood Studios around the corner, the boats are actually becoming a valuable option to choose to use when coming to the park, or for those who wish to transfer between parks midday if they don't wish to head into World Showcase for very long.
   
   There are two docks near the center of the entrance near the bridge near the monorail loop as well as near the Morocco and Germany pavilions, getting around World Showcase by way of water is actually rather sweet.
   
   However, in preparation for all nightly activities to come out, setup and run these boats don't run the entire day long., Their show better known just as Illuminations" is grandiose in action and features many synchronously-timed fireworks and laser beams that shoot high into the sky.
   
   It's shown on most nights at around 9 PM, and is rarely cancelled due to rain or other inclement weather.
   
   They even have some seasonal variations including a Christmas and New Years Eve and Independence Day special Illuminations. , This band plays on the most unlikely of instruments including garbage cans, garbage can lids and other clanging instruments.,,
3. 3

   Step 3: Drive and park at Walt Disney World.

4. 4

   Step 4: Purchase your tickets and enter through the turnstiles.

5. 5

   Step 5: Pick up a map and realize that Epcot is spread into two main "lands".

6. 6

   Step 6: See what it's like to be a car design tester.

7. 7

   Step 7: Soar to outer space.

8. 8

   Step 8: See the history of energy and where energy will make us soar to new heights in decades to come.

9. 9

   Step 9: Visit Spaceship Earth

10. 10

    Step 10: which is the theme building for Epcot.

11. 11

    Step 11: Visit the The Seas with Nemo and Friends exhibit

12. 12

    Step 12: if you'd like to learn about the interesting stuff that goes on with the ocean floor.

13. 13

    Step 13: Visit The Land building.

14. 14

    Step 14: Don't plan on visiting the former attraction called "Wonders of Life" unless an annual seasonal exhibit has come to the park that exists within this building.

15. 15

    Step 15: Visit Journey into the Imagination with Figment if you would like to learn about the way our sense of sight is communicated to our minds.

16. 16

    Step 16: Interact in the Innoventions area found inside the center of all the Future World attractions.

17. 17

    Step 17: Cross the pathway as you walk over to the area to World Showcase.

18. 18

    Step 18: Get a history of Mexico at the Mexico pavilion

19. 19

    Step 19: or shop for Mexican gifts in the Mexico pavillion.

20. 20

    Step 20: Ride the "Frozen Ever After" ride that is located inside the Norway pavilion at the former site of Maelstrom.

21. 21

    Step 21: Be passionate when you watch the culturally-rich history/movie called Reflections of China in the China exhibit in Epcot.

22. 22

    Step 22: Visit what would have been an East African village exhibit at The Outpost.

23. 23

    Step 23: Have an Oktoberfest right at the Germany pavilion.

24. 24

    Step 24: Spice up some information about Italy inside the Italy pavilion.

25. 25

    Step 25: Learn a little more about our own heritage and culture in the American Adventure pavilion.

26. 26

    Step 26: Learn a little more about Japanese culture when you visit the Japan pavilion.

27. 27

    Step 27: Learn about Morocco's culturally rich history through shopping and some dining in the Morocco pavilion.

28. 28

    Step 28: Get your French passion on to learn a little of the history at the France pavilion.

29. 29

    Step 29: Learn about the English heritage in the United Kingdom pavillion.

30. 30

    Step 30: Watch the really enticing 3D movie called Oh Canada in the Canada pavilion of the Epcot park.

31. 31

    Step 31: Take a trip on the boats that can take you around the World Showcase.

32. 32

    Step 32: Watch Epcot's nighttime illuminated show called Illuminations:Reflections of Earth.

33. 33

    Step 33: Look for showings of "JAMMITORS at Future World East".

34. 34

    Step 34: Look to meet with several characters including Anna and Elsa

35. 35

    Step 35: Belle and many more characters in such places as in Norway

36. 36

    Step 36: United Kingdom

37. 37

    Step 37: France

38. 38

    Step 38: Mexico

39. 39

    Step 39: Morocco

40. 40

    Step 40: Germany and in the Epcot-special place called The Epcot Character Spot.

41. 41

    Step 41: View a mariachi band near the Norway pavilion in the Mariachi Cobre.

Detailed Guide

About the Author