Some of My favorite Things: Epcot Edition!

What is Epcot and why do I want to go there?

Epcot! An acronym that stands for experimental prototype community of tomorrow. It was a vision of Walt Disney to build a new type of community that people would work and live in. While that dream never came to pass, the Imagineers did turn Walt’s vision into what we now know as Epcot. Instead of it being a community, it is more of a sort of World’s Fair. Which also has direct ties to the beginning of Disneyland. Several of the original Magic Kingdom attractions, It’s a Small World and The Carousel of Progress, among others, were first debuted at the World’s Fair. Then, when the Fair was over, Walt simply picked them up and put them in his park! You may have heard someone in your lifetime say that Epcot is the boring, educational park. While the theming is decidedly different from the Magic Kingdom, Epcot has evolved through the years to become the blend of cultural representation and attractions that it is today! Different from The Magic Kingdom, but so delightful as it’s own thing!

What is there to do? Are there rides?

The answer is yes! Rides and attractions that you will not find anywhere else on Walt Disney World property! In fact, before we get any farther, let us talk about the ones which typically have the longest waits and how to maximize your time! 1) Cosmic Rewind (Guardians of the Galaxy in Future World): You can join a Boarding Group for this, which means your spot in line did not require you to buy it! Click here to review how to do that! Currently, there is no standby line, so if you are ready to ride be ready to lock in that group at 7am and 1pm! 2)Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure(France): There is not a boarding group for this attraction so you will need to either stand in the standby line or purchase Genie+ or possibly and individual lightning lane. 3) Frozen Ever After (Norway): Same advice as Remy. Check you MDE app for availability of Genie+ or LL.

Is that all?

There are tons of other attractions! Future World hosts the majority of the rides and interactive experiences. In addition to these, each of the countries hosts one or more attractions that depicts their culture. Here is the best-kept secret about Epcot: there is more than meets the eye! To do this park justice, you will need to spend several days here and spend time looking around in places and exploring! If you just walk through the countries, you just missed almost everything!

Festivals R Us

Epcot hosts several festivals through the year. During the fall, it is the Food and Wine Festival! All throughout Epcot in addition to all of the wonderful restaurants that are always there, (I will talk about those in a future blog! So much!) you will find stands and carts selling well…wine and food from all over the world! These tasty bites are portioned so that you can have a taste here and a taste there! If you are like me, you will want to share these so that you can try more food! So yummy! So do not miss it! Didn’t get that perfect dining reservation? You can still eat as if you did, just on the move!

The rest of the year, there are different festivals: The Festival of the Holidays is coming up this winter, followed by The Festival of the Arts, and the Food and Garden Festival. Think there all the same? Nope! They all have special food as well as other cultural uniqueness including shopping, but they are not the same! You will just have to see for yourself!

What else?

Epcot hosts a firework show that is as unique as the park itself! Currently it is home to Harmonious, but after the 50^th celebration ends, so will this show! This show incorporates many of Disney’s animation movies and songs, but this time presented in the original languages of the countries they are set in. It is one of my favorites! And speaking of the countries, throughout the day they each have cultural representatives displaying music, art, and performance art. Check your MDE app for times.

Finally, when the evening comes head back to Spaceship Earth (the Ball), and watch a lively light show presented on the attractions outer walls!

Questions?

I am happy to answer questions about today’s blog topic as well as anything else Disney vacation related! Simply type your questions in the comment section below! Please remember, I am not a Cast Member nor do I receive any compensation from Disney, but I am more than willing to spread my knowledge of what I have learned over the years. Oh, and most importantly, it is your vacation and you should plan it your way!

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