Thrill Rides
The thrill rides at EPCOT are roller coasters or flight simulators with intensity. These rides may not be for the faint of heart (or short of inches).
Mission: SPACE
Mission: SPACE is a flight simulator ride, You’ll board a rocket like an astronaut and launch into space. This ride can be intense, so there are two versions. The Green mission around Earth is a better option for those who become nauseous easily. There is a 40 inch height requirement. The Orange mission to Mars, on the other hand, spins to replicate G-forces. You must be 40 inches (102 cm) to board the Orange mission, and free of serious health conditions. Still, this is a fun one for astronaut wannabes. Wait times tend to hover between 20-40 minutes. Mission: SPACE is located in Future World between Cosmic Rewind and Test Track.
Soarin’
Soarin’ is a flight simulator, too, but it’s less intense than Mission: SPACE. Soarin takes you on a hang glider ride over the Earth. There are two versions of Soarin’. The first one is Soarin’ over California. This ride takes you above beaches and orange groves and ends in Disneyland. The second edition is Soarin’ Around the World. This will take you over the Great Wall of China and the Lau Islands and ends in Epcot. While Soarin’ Over California is the original, Soarin’ Around the World definitely fits in better at Epcot. Sometimes Soarin’ Over California will make return runs, like for the Disney 100 Celebration. Check the My Disney Experience app or Disney World website to see which iteration is currently available. Regardless of which version is running, Soarin’ is a popular ride. Wait times can get up to or even over an hour long, especially mid-day. To avoid peak times, you may want to hop in line within the first two hours of park opening and the last two hours before park close. There is a 40 inch height requirement. Soarin’ is located on the bottom floor of the Land pavilion. To find it, you’ll need to take the stairs or escalator down once entering the pavilion. There is a 40 inch (102 cm) height requirement.
Test Track
Test Track is the perfect ride for car lovers (even though it is sponsored by Chevy). While in the queue for this ride, you’ll be able to design your own car. Then when you get on the ride, you’ll test out your design. The final test, speed, launches your car on track above the park. In fact, Test Track is the fastest ride in not just Epcot, but all four Walt Disney World Parks. There is a 40 inch (102 cm) height requirement. Test Track regularly attracts over an hour long line. Many people chose to rope-drop Test Track to beat the crowds. This strategy works especially well if you are entering the park at the Spaceship Earth main entrance as Test Track is nearby.
Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind
A recent and popular attraction to EPCOT, Cosmic Rewind is a must-do for many. This ride is an indoor spinning coaster with screens and music featuring Marvel superheroes. Since this ride is so new at the time of writing, there is currently a virtual queue system. Either at 7am or 1pm, you’ll need to open the My Disney Experience App. First, hit the three horizontal lines button in the corner of the app. This will take you to a menu. From here, select the “virtual queues” button. Scroll until you find Cosmic Rewind and click to join the virtual queue. If you make it through, you will be assigned a boarding group number. Be sure to check your app frequently to see which boarding groups are being called. There is a 42 inch (107 cm) height requirement.
Dark Rides
Dark rides are indoor rides that involve a mild-moving vehicle going through various scenes and set pieces. Some of these attractions tell the story of various Disney movies. Dark rides are great for kids or people who don’t enjoy thrill rides.
Frozen Ever After
Relive the story of Frozen on this magical boat ride through Arendelle. Frozen is located in the Norway Pavilion in the World Showcase. Wait times for this ride regularly reach an hour and above. So, many guests will rope drop this ride at the very beginning of the day to try and beat the crowds. Wait times also start to dip around an hour before park close, though you risk missing out on the nighttime show.
Gran Fiesta Tour Starring the Three Caballeros
This ride is a hidden gem inside the Mexican pyramid. It is a smooth boat ride through the country, but Donald and the Three Caballeros arrive and chaos ensues. It is a great ride for people that do not like or qualify for some more intense rides. Wait times for this ride are very low, usually no more than 20 minutes. This attraction may not be a priority for many, but it is still a fun time (especially if you have been drinking around the world).
Journey Into Imagination with Figment
This ride is classic Epcot. Figment is the mascot of the park. This ride is a little weird, but it has its cult following. This ride is all about exploring your senses and Figment testing the bounds of imagination. Wait times do not usually exceed half an hour. To find this ride, look for the glass pyramids in Future World.
Living With The Land
This is a boat ride through some of the park’s greenhouses and the latest plant science technology. A perfect example of edu-tainment, This is another Epcot ride that is not many people’s favorite, unless you are a die-hard Epcot stan. The wait times for this ride are typically very low, and the length of the ride itself is fairly long. Living With The Land is a great break ride, where you can sit in the boat and relax for 15 minutes. This ride is located next to the more popular Soarin’, on the bottom floor of the Land Pavilion.
The Seas with Nemo and Friends
Hop inside a clam shell and visit the big blue with Marlin and Dory to find Nemo. The ride unloads inside the Seas pavilion, where more aquariums and sea creatures are located. Nemo is a great ride for small kids. This ride is normally a walk-on, but wait times can get up to 30-45 minutes on busy d
ays. If you plan to visit the Seas pavilion, this ride is the best way to enter.
Spaceship Earth
Did you know that the big “golf ball” in Epcot actually has a ride inside of it? Spaceship Earth is a dark ride focused on communication and how it has developed from cave paintings to computers. There is even an interactive element to the ride where you can explore the possibilities of your own future. This ride is another one that is typically a walk on, but still a must-do for many. Just don’t forget to thank the Phoenicians.
Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure
Another recent addition to Epcot, Remy’s really livens up the World Showcase. This dark ride combines screens and props for a 4D experience through the kitchens in Paris. Since this is a new ride, wait times regularly reach above an hour. Many guests will enter through the International Gateway via the Skyliner and rope drop this ride to get ahead of the crowds. For a more comprehensive explanation of this ride, check out Disney Darling’s review.
Walkthroughs
Walkthrough attractions are not rides, but they are interesting things to do. They usually display exhibits that you can walk through at your own pace. Many of these are located in the pavilions of the World Showcase, and focus on different cultures.
American Heritage Gallery
This gallery is located in the American Adventure and features pieces of Native American art.
Bijutsu-kan Gallery (Japan)
Located in the very back of the pavilion, this museum revolves around Japan’s kawaii culture.
Gallery of Arts and History (Morocco)
Currently, this is home to an exhibit about surviving in the Sahara Dessert. You can find it in the front of the pavilion, near the fountain.
House of the Whispering Willows (China)
This gallery is located inside the eye-catching circular structure in the China pavilion. Currently, it is housing an exhibit on Shanghai Disneyland.
Journey of Water Inspired by Moana
The latest attraction to arrive at Epcot, this is an interactive walkthrough about the water cycle and is themed around Moana. This is an exemplary attraction for EPCOT as it combines technology, education, entertainment, and a little bit of Disney magic.
Mexico Folk Art Gallery
This gallery is located right inside the Mexican pavilion pyramid. Currently, it is decorated with a Dia de los Muertos exhibit.
Stave Church Gallery (Norway)
The large wooden structure at the front of the Norway pavilion is the Stave Church. Inside is a gallery all about the Vikings and the ancient Norse gods.
SeaBase
See coral reefs, manatees, dolphins, sharks, rays, turtles, clown fish, and more in one of the largest aquariums in the entire world. Epcot’s aquarium is a great place to spend some time indoors with some air conditioning.
Play Areas
EPCOT has plenty of areas for kids to run around and burn off steam. If you are visiting with children, you may want to consider stopping at one of these areas.
Advanced Training Lab
Located in the Mission: SPACE building, this interactive play area has fun things for tiny future astronauts to explore, from an indoor playground to video games.
Bruce’s Shark World
Located in the Seas Pavilion, this area is dedicated to Bruce from Finding Nemo. It has photo ops and interactive quizzes to teach kids all about sharks.
Green Landing Family Playzone
There is a playground located behind the Creations gift shop, next to Test Track.
ImageWorks - The What If Labs
As you exit the Journey Into Imagination ride, you’ll come across this play area. It is an interactive exhibit for kids.
Project Tomorrow
After exiting Spaceship Earth, this area is sort of a post-show, featuring some interactive games for kids.
Splash Pad
There is a small area with fountains for children to play in near Mission: SPACE.
Miscellaneous Attractions
DuckTales World Showcase Adventure
This is a scavenger hunt-like activity that takes kids all around the world showcase to help Huey, Dewey, and Louie find some treasure. To begin, you’ll have to download the Play Disney Parks app. Click “play” and your phone will instruct you where to go. The whole game may take a couple of hours to complete, but is a fun thing for kids to do while parents drink and eat and look around the world.
Top 3 Must-Do Attractions at EPCOT
- Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure
- Spaceship Earth
- SeaBase
Top 3 Most Popular
- Cosmic Rewind
- Frozen Ever After
- Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure
Classic Epcot fans will love
- Spaceship Earth
- Living With the Land
- Soarin’
- Journey Into Imagination With Figment
- Gran Fiesta Tour
Small kids will love
- The Seas With Nemo and Friends
- Frozen Ever After
- Journey of Water
- The splash pad
- ImageWorks
Older kids will love
- DuckTales World Showcase Adventure
- Soarin’
- Mission: SPACE
Disney animated movie fans will love
- Frozen Ever After
- The Seas With Nemo and Friends
- Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure
Science nerds will love
- Test Track
- Mission: SPACE
- Spaceship Earth
History nerds will love
- Spaceship Earth
- American Heritage Gallery
- Stave Church Gallery
I hope Disney will work hard. I hope they decide to do a Pocahontas remake if they change their minds.
ReplyDeleteThat would be awesome!
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