Check out everything about Disney’s Epcot Park in Orlando: sightseeing tips, must-see attractions, cool restaurants and more! Here we explain everything about it, but if you already want to go to the website where you can buy your tickets, just click here, which is a partnership we made with one of the largest tour operators in the world to guarantee the best price in the parks.
After reading this article, check out our tips about how to save a lot of money on your trip to Orlando. It is the most accessed article on our blog and will help you with all the trip planning. There are several unmissable tips that will save you A LOT of cash and set up your entire trip to Orlando.
Why should I visit Disney Epcot?
Disney Epcot theme park in Orlando is one of Florida’s premier parks and one of the four theme parks that are part of the Walt Disney World complex in Orlando. Remembered for its huge white ball, which is just inside the entrance, it was the second park to be built in the complex, which opened in 1982.
“Epcot” stands for “Experimental Prototype Community Of Tomorrow”, so the park would be an experimental prototype of a community of tomorrow. The idea of the park is precisely that: to simulate a futuristic society, which would be surrounded by technologies. Epcot opened after the death of Walt Disney, but the goal of its founders was not to lose the visionary’s main idea, and always keep the magic of the place. That’s why Epcot is so interesting: it mixes this whole futuristic trend with Disney’s signature magic.
- Adults favorite: Disney Epcot theme park in Orlando has the latest technology and brings incredible experiences with simulators and toys that will make you impressed. For this reason, it is considered by many to be the park in the Walt Disney World complex where adults have more fun, as it has attractions for all ages and tastes.
Disney Epcot Areas
Disney Epcot theme park in Orlando is currently divided into four areas: Future World East and Future World West (which are closer to the entrance and are more futuristic), and World Showcase and Showcase Plaza (with are representations of some countries, which are located around the lake in the park ).
There are themed pavilions from 11 countries with toys, restaurants and everything related to them. Walking there is like taking a trip through Mexico, Norway, China, Germany, Italy, United States, Japan, Morocco, France, United Kingdom and Canada, in that order (clockwise). Each pavilion is very different from one another, but they all try to be a miniature of the country they represent, bringing typical elements of the nation.
Epcot’s main attractions:
Below, we’ve listed the park’s 13 must-see attractions, which are the ones you can’t miss during your visit. Therefore, we recommend that you prioritize them during your tour:
1. Mission: Space
A cool attraction in the Future World area is Mission Space. It’s an experience that makes you feel like an astronaut traveling more than 12,000 kilometers in five minutes in a very realistic space flight to Mars. You have to dodge meteors while doing your aeronautical tasks. There are 4 people per rocket, depending on where you sit, you are assigned a role, such as navigator or pilot.
At certain times during the flight, buttons light up and you have to press them to complete the mission, making the attraction very interactive. As everything is very realistic, it’s important to make it clear that if you don’t do what the toy asks, nothing will go wrong, they just added this for tourists to feel like real astronauts, composing the atmosphere of the toy. The Mission Space queue is also incredible, with lots of huge space objects.
- Attention: this is a very radical toy, because of the pressure, as it simulates a rocket launch. Staff advise anyone with any type of heart problem or indoors not to go. Right at the entrance you can choose between the weakest and the strongest option. The tip is to go first on the weaker one and, if you like it, go on the strongest one. Another tip is to always keep your attention on the screen while the attraction takes place.
2. Test Track
One of the main and most sought after attractions at Epcot is the Test Track. It is a state-of-the-art toy in which the adventure starts right in the queue, where you can see various Chevrolet car models and parts. Then you have the chance to build your own car, with custom color, engine, model and everything else. After all that, you climb into a 6-person vehicle that is the toy itself, and that’s where the fun really starts.
You’ll take part in brake tests, climb tests, suspension tests, temperature tests and finally the high speed test on an open-air oval track, which goes out from inside the attraction and you can see the entire park. The car reaches 110 kilometers per hour, but as it is a very low vehicle, it seems to be running at more than 200 kilometers per hour, being super tasty and is a paradise for those who like speed and extreme things. At the end, you see more cars from the brand that sponsors the Test Track, and even check the performance of your custom car, created in the queue, in all these tests.
3. Spaceship Earth
Spaceship Earth is the huge white ball that is the symbol of Disney Epcot theme park in Orlando, and one of the most photographed sights in the world. It is a stroller that moves very slowly and shows the entire evolution of humanity, from the beginning of the first records to the present day, through the age of caves, ancient Rome and Greece, the invention of computers and much more.
The attraction lasts about 15 minutes and despite being a slow attraction it is very beautiful and exciting, and anyone who loves history loves it.
4. Soarin Around the World
Soarin is another popular attraction and usually has a long queue, but it is one of the quietest attractions in Orlando’s Epcot park. It is a 4D hang gliding simulator over various iconic landscapes around the world, such as the Great Wall of China. You experience the feeling of free flight while passing through landscapes and even feeling the wind and the smell of “them”.
It’s an amazing experience and a toy recommended for all ages. Only be careful if you’re afraid of heights, because the simulator goes up a few meters, and to make the experience even more realistic, your feet are loose.
5. The Seas With Nemo and Friends
This is a recommended attraction for young children, but if you’re a fan of Nemo movie, it’s also worth it, because it’s fast and really cute. It’s Nemo’s attraction, called The Seas With Nemo and Friends. They are shell-shaped carts that move very slowly along a path that simulates the seabed, where you can see all the characters in the cartoon, who talk, sing and interact. Everything is done from screens, and the scenarios are really physical.
6. Living with the Land
Living with the Land is one of Epcot’s less famous and popular tours, but it’s interesting. It’s a 14-minute boat ride through rainforest, desert, prairies and most importantly, greenhouses and plantations. The idea of the toy is to demonstrate how food can be grown in the future, and there are several techniques there.
You will also see numerous tanks producing fish and seafood, such as tilapia, pacus, piranhas, shrimp, among others. This is an educational toy, because the plantations there were developed for research and study, and everything produced there, from vegetables, fruits and fish, is used in Disney restaurants. The good thing about this attraction is that it almost never has queues.
– Disney Epcot theme park in Orlando countries:
Entering now the attractions of the second half of the park, more focused on countries and very different from the first one, you can choose between starting on the right side (Canada) or left side (Mexico), with each country having its own attraction and restaurant with a small store typical, as shown in the map below:
7. Mexico Pavilion at Epcot at Disney in Orlando
Starting in Mexico, you’ll see a very large Mayan temple outside and an exhibition of Mexican art inside. The setting of this large square seems to be outdoors, with craft stalls, toys, accessories and many straw items. There is a boat trip there, which is the attraction of the place, with Pato Donald, José Carioca, a Brazilian character, and Panchito, a Mexican. The three live great adventures attraction lasts 6 minutes. Inside there is also a restaurant and a Tequila Bar.
8. Norway and Frozen Ever After attraction at Epcot in Orlando
Epcot Park’s Frozen attraction, called Frozen Ever After, is one of the most popular in Disney, being located in the Norway area. The film Frozen is an absolute success all over the world, and the toy takes a boat trip through different scenes of the film, with the main songs and characters. As it’s a hotly contested attraction, we recommend that you make a FastPass well in advance, which we’ll explain below, or get to the ride early.
9. China at Epcot at Disney in Orlando
The China area is one of the most popular in the park, mainly for taking pictures. You might even think you actually went there! There is a replica of the famous Temple of Beijin and it is possible to admire the beauty of China in a 360º film and also buy at Young Feng Shangdian, which is an Epcot Chinese variety store. There you will find puppets, animes and characters that made history in China.
10. Morocco at Epcot at Disney in Orlando
The Morocco area is a replica of a North African city called Marrakesh. The house and fountain are true reproductions of famous structures from ancient Morocco, and were made by 19 native artists there. There are guided tours on foot through the Treasures of Morocco, as well as an exhibition of arts and history. It is possible to buy rugs, clothes and crafts. There are also leather and ceramic items, which are typical there. There are some stalls with Moroccan food that are great. That’s where you meet Aladdin and Jasmine, with whom you can take pictures and ask for autographs.
11. France at Epcot at Disney in Orlando
This pavilion is a replica of the charming streets of Paris. There’s even the famous Eiffel Tower over there, and you can take beautiful pictures with it in the background; in addition to the beautiful and decorated gardens, to the sound of French music, the Guerlain perfume, cosmetics, gifts and wine shops. That’s where some princesses usually show up to take pictures and sign autographs. The place also has a delicious pastry shop, and a very chic French a la carte restaurant.
There’s also a new Remy-inspired subregion, the “Mini Chef” from the movie “Ratatouille”. With it, the pavilion doubled in size and gained a new attraction, a restaurant, a small French market called Allé des Merchands, a small river imitating the River Seine with gondolas, and an Art Nouveau arch representing a metro station in Paris.
The attraction is called Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure and is aimed at the whole family, making visitors feel the size of the mice in the film and trying to create a “culinary masterpiece” while living an adventure in English and French. It is a railless cart that passes through immersive scenes (with 3D glasses) where even the smells are felt! A nice note is that there is more than one possible path on the toy, and depending on which one you take, it will follow a different path – allowing you to experience the attraction over and over again.
The restaurant La Crêperie de Paris offers a menu inspired by the French Brittany region, with many fine savory crepes and delicious sweets, and the famous ciders, in addition to soup and salad options. You can eat inside the restaurant or on the doorstep, with fast door service. At the end, be sure to buy a souvenir, such as the interactive chef’s hat, in which little Remy “cooks” with the user (as in the movie!); and take pictures in the scenes full of details.
12. Illuminations Show: Reflections of Earth at Epcot in Orlando
This is Epcot Park’s main and most exciting attraction: the IllumiNations fireworks show, which takes place every day in the center of the lake at the World Showcase and mixes fireworks with lasers and images. It’s chilling anyone! It is displayed every day, usually at 9 pm, but depending on the month and day of the week the time may vary. The fireworks, laser, water, music and images show lasts about 13 minutes.
Even if you’re exhausted, stay for this show, which is considered by many to be one of the most beautiful of all parks. Choose a place and sit down, eat something, see photos of the day as time passes quickly. Any place around the lake that doesn’t have any trees in front of it is a good place to watch the Illuminations, whose main theme is evolution on planet Earth. It’s really unmissable.
13. Meeting Disney Princesses
Disney Epcot theme park in Orlando has the biggest number of Disney princesses. There you will find practically all of them! They have scheduled times to show up, which can be tracked by the map or the Disney app. Jasmine and Aladdin stay in Morocco, Aurora in France, Mulan in China and generally Elsa and Anna de Frozen in Norway. Whenever they show up, the place gets long lines.
Where to eat at Epcot: best restaurants
Disney Epcot theme park in Orlando offers the widest variety of restaurants. Below you can see the ones we like the most and think are the best:
1. Akershus Royal Banquet Hall
Our first restaurant tip at Disney Epcot theme park in Orlando is the Akershus Royal Banquet Hall. It is a Norwegian cuisine restaurant and is located in the Norwegian pavilion. There you can eat with the Disney princesses, even this is the main attraction of the place, the dinner with the princesses.
There are also some North American dishes and a dinner there for around 40 dollars per person, just for the company of the princesses. Reservations are required there, so check out how to make reservations at Disney restaurants in Orlando, it’s super easy and fast.
2. The Garden Grill
The Garden Grill is located in the The Land pavilion and serves American food. The restaurant is revolving and it’s very slow, so you don’t even feel it, but when you realize it, you’re on the other side of the room. The style there is self-service and the price range for a full meal per person is 36 dollars. It’s worth making a reservation to guarantee your place.
3. Coral Reef
Coral Reef is the restaurant next to Nemo’s toy in Disney’s Epcot Park in Orlando, where you can eat seafood dishes and gourmet specialties, like lobster. To further improve the environment, it has a huge aquarium, with 85 different species of fish, which are swimming around.
4. La Hacienda de San Angel
La Hacienda de San Angel is a very nice restaurant in the Mexican pavilion at Epcot. Its cuisine is Mexican, with delicacies from that country, focusing on the southern part of Mexico. Dinner there is very nice and prices range from 15 to 36 dollars. It’s worth making a reservation there to guarantee your table.
5. Le Cellier Steakhouse
Le Cellier is a steakhouse located in the Canada Pavilion and has a very intimate atmosphere; it was designed as if it were a wine cellar. There you can eat different types of meat, including filet mignon and ribs, as well as seafood. Prices range from 15 to 70 dollars depending on what you order.
6. Les Chefs de France
If you want to eat at a good French restaurant inside Disney’s Epcot park in Orlando, try Les Chefs de France. It’s under the Eiffel Tower, in the Pavilion of France, and is well-regarded and elegant. The French cuisine there is very good and the menu changes seasonally. The price ranges from 36 to 60 dollars. Reservation required.
- It is worth remembering that there are several carts and kiosks around the park, which sell good snacks at much lower prices (from US$4 to US$15).
Tips to avoid queues + FastPass and Single Riders
- Walt Disney World parks have many attractions, and a tip is to arrive early and go to the most popular toys first, because parks start to fill up after 10am.
- Use sneakers and very comfortable clothes. Drink plenty of water to resist the whole day under the sun.
- Buy souvenirs at the end of your visit, no matter how great the temptation to visit stores is!
- Use the Single Riders, which are separate lines for those who are alone or do not mind going with someone they don’t know in a attraction car. In Orlando, both in Disney parks and Universal parks, there is the normal queue and, alongside, Single Riders. You save a lot of time when using them, as these lines run much faster and fill car holes
- Another tip to get along in all Disney Parks is to use the Disney Experience App, which is amazing because it shows the entire map of the park, where the attractions are, the waiting time in lines, bathrooms and restaurants. And in it you schedule Disney FastPass +, which is the system to “skip the line” at the attractions, where you program the time when you will visit each attraction. It’s great and saves you a lot of time! You can schedule them even before your tour starts, through the Disney app.
- We always recommend that you visit the parks on weekdays, with the exception of Mondays. Usually, on weekends, tourists and locals come to them, and you will take the queues much longer than usual.
- Another tip is to walk the park counterclockwise, since most people start their journey in a clockwise direction. But, of course, remember to go to the most popular attractions first – run to them as soon as you arrive at the park!
- Remember that parking at Epcot costs US $ 22.00, but guests at Disney hotels do not pay and can still use the free transportation, as well as enter the parks an hour early (called the “extra magic hours”).
Tips to make the most of your trip to Orlando
Now that you’ve seen everything about Disney Epcot theme park in Orlando, a great tip that makes the difference on your trip is to choose the location of your hotel. Orlando is a big city, and it’s so much better to stay in a region close to the main tourist spots. See our article best areas to stay in your trip to Orlando to learn about the best regions to stay there and how to get a great hotel for an excellent price (and find good deals). You will stay in the best region, close to the parks and outlets, and enjoy even more your trip!
Orlando’s parks, outlets and tourist spots are very far apart, which is why the tourists always choose to rent a car in the city. With a car, you will be able to enjoy your trip even more, visiting everywhere and shopping with peace of mind. If you want, see our article how to rent a great and cheap car in Orlando, where we give you every information that you need to know about this subject, with tips about how to find unique prices using comparators. It ‘s much cheaper than people think, and it is worth it because Orlando is definitively a city to explore by car.
How can I use my phone in Orlando?
Being able to use your cell phone on your trip is something extremely useful. With it working, you can search about all the spots, access the discount coupons and park apps, check the weather and even use the GPS, saving the rent of this equipment for the car. Besides, of course, being connected to the various social networks!
We have selected the best tips about how to use your phone in Orlando, in which we indicate the cheapest way to use it all day long and anywhere in the entire country. With the mobile internet, you can search everything about Disney Epcot theme park in Orlando!
Where is the cheapest place to buy Orlando tickets?
Many people don’t know where (and even when) to buy Disney and Orlando tickets. We’ve done a lot of research and find out where is the cheapest place to buy Orlando parks tickets. We always buy our tickets there! It’s where you’ll find the best prices and where you can buy all the tickets, for all the parks and attractions at once, in the same place.
Don’t forget about the Travel Insurance for Orlando!
A very important tip is to have an International Travel Insurance before traveling to Orlando. No one should travel without it, so you can avoid major problems abroad! It ends up being cheaper than people think, and in our article of International Travel Insurance for Orlando you check everything you need to know about it: which are the best insurance companies, and tips for hiring excellent coverage for a lower price, saving a lot.
Must-see articles from Orlando:
- Best things to do in Orlando: must-see places and sights in Orlando.
- Best places to go shopping in Orlando: a complete guide to shopping in Orlando.
- Orlando’s Best Parks: all the main parks in Orlando.
- Walt Disney World Parks in Orlando: the incredible parks of Disney World.
