Heading to the EPCOT at Walt Disney World with young kids in tow? You probably have already discovered the vast amount of planning information out there can be wildly overwhelming.
EPCOT is our favorite Disney World park for adults, but guess what? It’s also great for young kids.
Yes, you’re reading that right.
You’ve got plenty of kid-friendly rides like Frozen Ever After and Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure. You’ve got a huge aquarium with an interactive Finding Nemo show.
Most importantly, you’ve got a playground and scavenger hunts to distract the kids while you sip a fresh margarita and snack on festival foods.
Sounds pretty good, right?
Now that you’re in for that EPCOT day, let’s talk about the park.
EPCOT is not just vast in its offerings—it’s also a sprawling park, physically speaking. With its expansive layout and attractions spread so far out, it is vital to have a solid game plan to avoid unnecessary zig-zagging, especially when the Florida sun is beating down and shade is hard to come by. Minimizing backtracking is key!
From the chill and educational rides in the front of the park to all of the unique experiences and offerings in the World Showcase, EPCOT is incredibly diverse in options, so knowing your priorities is essential, especially when you’ve got little ones.
And sure, you have to entertain the kids, but don’t forget about all the available activities for adults. We’re talking about savoring global cuisines, enjoying a specialty drink (or three), and exploring the various festivals and cultural exhibits throughout the year.
And, of course, the whole point of our itineraries is to reduce wait times as much as possible so you can do as much as possible.
Our itineraries are not just a labor of love; they are also research-backed and tested – thanks to Thrill-Data and our decades’ worth of Disney World experience!
This itinerary focuses on families visiting EPCOT with ages 6 or less for one day and ideally using the Lightning Lane Multi Pass (a paid addition to your ticket that allows you to bypass the regular standby lines – more below!). If you’re not splurging on Lightning Lanes though, we’ll still show you the most optimal way to do the park via standby lines.
This means we’ll cover park-visiting basics AND dive into the best headliners, thrill rides, and entertainment geared toward all ages (but with toddler-friendly rides and keeping height restrictions in mind).
EPCOT Basics
For EPCOT, planning your visit requires a bit of a different strategy compared to other Disney parks.
While it may not have as many attractions as, say, Magic Kingdom, EPCOT offers a unique blend of rides, shows, interactive exhibits, and cultural experiences, making it just as challenging to navigate in a single day.
We like to tell people to think of EPCOT as two main parts since you’re likely going to be spending hours in each section:
- The Front Half which has a number of attractions and rides, and
- The Back Half (a.k.a. the World Showcase) which features more shows, exhibits, festivals, food, and pop-up character greetings.
The next best thing is knowing what you want to get out of your visit ahead of time because while some experiences cannot be missed, others can be saved, especially if you don’t need to do it all and you’re focused on the kids.
Rides
Though we’re counting Mission: SPACE and Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind as big thrills that are not the best for young ones, a majority of EPCOT’s rides are huge hits for all ages. Test Track 3.0 is out now, and “bigger” young kids who can handle the fast speed at the end of the car ride will enjoy this as well.
Ranging from the popular and family-friendly Frozen Ever After and Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure to the EPCOT classics such as Living with the Land and Soarin’, there are plenty of fabulous attractions to make your visit a unique one and keep the kids happy.
Entertainment
From the permanent feature films in countries around the World Showcase to huge musical acts like Boyz II Men that play during the rotating seasonal festivals, entertainment options at EPCOT are endless.
Smaller acts – both daily ones like Mariachi in Mexico and seasonal acts like Canadian rock bands during Food & Wine – are also scattered around the World Showcase.
These things really depend on your kids’ personalities, as you probably already know. Some kids love seeing live music and dancing along, while others find it quite boring after 2.3 seconds (talking from experience).
Food
Sampling the unique drink offerings, Festival foods, and even the regular line-up of snacks featured daily around EPCOT could last you for hours or even days.
Eating well is what makes for the perfect visit to EPCOT, in our humble opinion.
The problem is that tons of these foods aren’t super kid-friendly. But, of course, we’re going to clue you in on where to feed ‘em (and yourself!) for the most optimal foodie experience. 🙂
Lightning Lanes
Lightning Lanes, Multi Passes, Single Passes … what the heck is going on?
There is a definite art to making the most of the Lightning Lane Multi Pass (LLMP) system, but for the sake of this itinerary (and if you’re using this itinerary, you’re purchasing and using LLMP!), let’s review the basics:
- Lightning Lane Multi Pass: As we mentioned before, the LLMP is a paid addition to your park ticket that allows you to bypass the regular standby line for participating attractions.
- Lightning Lane Single Pass: Single Passes are designated to certain rides (usually high-priority attractions) as a paid “à la carte” option for guests regardless of whether or not they’ve purchased LLMP, allowing you to bypass the regular standby line.
Lightning Lane Multi Pass Must-Knows
EPCOT is a trickier park as far as “needing” the Lightning Lane Multi Pass goes.
As we’ve mentioned here, you can usually go WITHOUT the Lightning Lane pass if:
- You’re using Early Entry.
You can hit a few headliners (Test Track, Frozen, and Remy’s) in the morning, and then most other standby lines should be <20 minutes if you get them done before noon or after 5 pm (when most people move on to the World Showcase).
If you don’t have Early Entry, you can still knock out 1 or 2 of these attractions if you’re there at opening.
- You don’t mind skipping one of these rides: Remy’s, Frozen, and/or Test Track.
These two rides are the biggest variables when it comes to standby strategy, and if you’re not riding them or don’t care, you’re good without the Lightning Lane Multi-Pass! However, these are usually the 2-3 biggest priority rides if you’ve got little ones (Test Track has a 40″ height requirement and should be considered a thrill ride because of the fast race car effect & speed at the end).
All said, the Lightning Lane Multi-Pass will make things much easier if you don’t want to do either of the above, you’re going during a busy season, or you just aren’t worried about budget and want to make your day easier.
If it’s a busy time of year or you just want to make your day easier, buy the Lightning Lane Multi Pass! We personally purchase it almost every EPCOT visit because we like to sleep in and not deal with lines for rides like Remy’s and Frozen Ever After.
How to Best Set Up Your Lightning Lanes at EPCOT
Ideally, you’re pre-booking your first three LL selections at 7 am EST when your pre-book window opens (3 or 7 days in advance).
You can initially hold one Tier 1 and two Tier 2 attractions. For adults only, we highly recommend these priorities:
- Tier 1: Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure, Test Track, or Frozen Ever After – you should choose what’s most important to you, as they all can sell out early
- Tier 2: Spaceship Earth (book your first Tier 2 as early in the day as possible)
- Tier 2: Mission: SPACE* or The Seas with Nemo & Friends (Tier 2)
*Has height requirements of 40” and 44” for the two different versions.
At the time of writing, these are the top priority attractions we recommend.
Since Lightning Lane return times on the day of can be difficult to find for Test Track, Frozen and Remy’s, booking them in advance is critical.
Note: If Lightning Lane sounds like a lot, we feel you. The system can be confusing, especially at first glance. But learning it is half the battle and puts you ahead of the 90% of Disney World visitors who do no research! If you want to visit Disney like a pro and skip waiting in long lines, check out the Lightning Lane Masterclass.
Lightning Lane Single Pass Must-Knows
Currently, there is one Single Pass option at EPCOT: Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind.
We think it’s the best ride in Disney World, and highly recommend the big kids and adults in your group prioritize riding it (use Rider Swap if needed).
This attraction also has a traditional standby line.
Your day is definitely easier if you can buy the Single Pass since you will get to bypass the longer standby queue (which is typically a 45-70 minute wait during moderate to busy season).
If you decide to purchase the LLSP, we like to purchase a return time between 11 am – 12 pm. This way, we can get through other attractions in the morning and then ride this before we head to the World Showcase for lunch.
Itinerary: Start Here
For the record, this is not a step-by-step itinerary. We will be breaking your day down into sections and you’re going to sketch out your plan from there.
Don’t worry; you’ll still know what to do and when, and this will put you ahead of other guests (who don’t do any research or follow proven itineraries!)
- Morning
- When to arrive
- Early Entry
- Rope Drop
- The Lightning Lane Situation
- Morning Must Knows
- Setting up the rest of your day
- Midday: Explore & More
- Lunch
- Touring the World Showcase
- Evenings at EPCOT
- Dinner
- Nighttime Show
Morning Strategy
EPCOT can be pretty slow the first few hours of the morning, especially with so many attractions pulling people in different directions.
If you’re not using the LLMP, you will need to be at EPCOT for Early Entry/Rope Drop if possible. And even if you are using Multi Pass at EPCOT, it can help to use Early Entry to hit one of the headliner attractions.
This is so you can ride Test Track, Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure, AND/OR Frozen Ever After without the long waits. And know those waits will be long the rest of the day, as these are the most popular attractions in the park.
If you’re staying at an eligible on-property resort and have Early Entry, you will want to use it. If you’re off-property, this makes things a bit tougher, but you’ll still want to be there earlier to knock out what you can.
Let’s get into the details.
When to arrive
If you’re on Disney property, transportation (buses, monorail, Skyliner, and Ferryboats) will start about ~80-90 minutes before Early Entry. If you want to be first, be at your resort transportation stop then. But you don’t have to be!
This is only necessary if you want to be first for an attraction like Remy’s, Frozen, or Test Track.
Once you work through the itinerary, you can decide the best time to arrive.
However, we do recommend getting to the park within 90 minutes of opening to be able to follow this itinerary easily. It’d be impossible to create itineraries for all different times of arrival, so these best work with a start near park open. And again, Early Entry is nearly necessary at EPCOT if you’re not using Lightning Lanes and want to ride Remy’s or Frozen without a long wait.
Early Entry
Early Entry, a perk reserved for those staying on Disney resort property, grants visitors access to the parks 30 minutes before the official opening. It helps to know that the park opens a bit before that, and you can line up then.
Some attractions even start operating a few minutes before the official Early Entry starts! It’s never anything crazy early, but sometimes 5-10 minutes in advance. You might as well be there if you’re going to be up early.
Early Entry can be helpful at EPCOT because you can hit the Tier 1 rides that you didn’t get to pre-book Lightning Lanes for.
This means if you book Remy’s, you could hit Frozen Ever After early. That takes care of having to worry about that Lightning Lane—and vice versa.
Where to go during Early Entry
There are two entrances to EPCOT, and if you’re staying at a specific Disney resort on property, you’ll enter through the World Showcase (The International Gateway). These resorts include Pop Century, Art of Animation, Caribbean Beach, Riviera, BoardWalk, Yacht Club, Beach Club, and the Swan & Dolphin Resorts.
Any other resorts or off-property guests will enter through the main entrance at the front of the park (near the “big golf ball”).
- If you’re coming through the International Gateway entrance, Early Entry is a lot easier—you’re closer to the two most popular rides to rope drop, Frozen Ever After and Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure.
If you’re planning to do both, head to Remy’s first, and then plan to book it over to Frozen immediately after exiting Remy’s. It’s a bit of a hustle, but it’s necessary if you want to get around long waits for the day.
- If you’re coming from the front, know it’s a long walk to Frozen and Remy’s. If you don’t have a quick pace, the line may likely be well over 30+ minutes by the time you get back there, so keep that in mind when creating your overall plan.
We recommend hitting Test Track first if any kids 40″ or higher are up for the thrill. If not, it’s good to head to Frozen Ever After first. You can check the wait for Remy’s when you get off of the first ride, and if it’s reasonable, head over. Just know the wait could still jump higher on the walk over, and it’s probably not going to be super low.
Otherwise, you’ll need to plan on hitting Remy’s later in the day/evening, and just know you will have a bit of a wait for that.
Rope Drop (A.K.A. Park Opening)
After Early Entry, you’ve got the regular park opening when all of EPCOT opens* and all guests will be let in. Whether you’re using EE or not, it’s important to know what you’re doing around this time!
*Excluding the main rides, many of the World Showcase (mostly food vendors, Festival booths, and some entertainment options) does not open until 11 am.
By the time the park officially opens, some of the attractions that were already open for Early Entry will have already grown in wait times (Remy’s in particular, Test Track when it’s open, and sometimes Frozen Ever After).
If you’re arriving at the park after EE, some rides will be out of the question (if you don’t want to wait in mega-long lines).
In this instance, the best thing to do is check wait times for the attraction you want to ride. But you need to check right before you head to that attraction; waits can double even within 5 minutes in the morning, so don’t walk across the park just to have this happen.
If you want a more chill morning or if you’re not using Multi Pass and want to keep hitting rides with short waits, hit Soarin’ (40” height requirement) and Spaceship Earth early. These are both great rides that can have longer lines later, but they will typically be walk-on or take less than 10 minutes to wait for the first hour or so of the park opening.
Tip: Soarin’ is a hang glider simulator where you’ll be individually strapped into a vehicle that rises into the air with your feet off the ground (a flying effect, more or less). Most kids love it but beware if your kids are timid with heights, the darkness, or rides in general.
Heads up: Spaceship Earth is currently closed for refurbishment until further notice.
The Lightning Lane Situation
If you’re using the LLMP for EPCOT, it’s quite easy once you get through the puzzle of juggling Remy’s, Test Track, and Frozen Ever After.
The key to getting on everything easily with the LLMP at EPCOT is to book and scan into your first Lightning Lane attraction EARLY in the morning, after you finish with Early Entry.
Once you scan in, you will have “unlocked” tiers, and you can book another Tier 1 ride. If Test Track, Remy’s, and Frozen still have availability and you aren’t using Early Entry, you want to book whichever one you don’t have yet.
Pro Insider Tip: After scanning into your first LL (Tier 1 OR 2!), you can also modify your other Tier 2 to a Tier 1!
Let’s play out this scenario. Say you’re planning to be at EPCOT at 9:30 am, and you’re not using Early Entry.
Here’s what you’ve pre-booked:
- Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure (Tier 1) for 2-3 pm
- Spaceship Earth (Tier 2) for 9:15 am-10:15 am
- The Seas With Nemo & Friends for 10:15 am-11:15 am
You enter the park, immediately tap into your Spaceship Earth Lightning Lane, and ride it at 9:30 am.
You’re now just holding your Remy’s and The Seas LLs, so you’re eligible to book another, and Tiers no longer apply.
There is still evening availability for Frozen Ever After (or you REFRESH and find one if it was previously sold out!), so you book that. Woot!
THEN you can actually go into your The Seas LL and modify it to Soarin’ for near immediate use if you want to ride, or the other Tier 1 ride (or Test Track for when it reopens in the future). Reminder: both Soarin’ and Test Track have 40” height requirements. You don’t have to do these!
Boom—now you’ve covered all of the major rides.
Yes, you have two Lightning Lanes that you cannot scan in until later in the day, but once you scan into Soarin’, you’ve covered all the major rides. You can then use that one rolling Lightning Lanes to keep booking all the “easier” rides around the front of the park!
Standby Strategy for EPCOT (if not using Lightning Lanes)
Here is our recommended order of doing rides standby during the first few hours after Early Entry to help minimize waits.
You’re going to have a little bit of backtracking between the first two rides, otherwise it’s a good circle around the front of the park:
- Soarin’ – 40”
- Mission: SPACE – 40” for Green Version and 44” for Orange
- Spaceship Earth
- The Seas With Nemo & Friends
- Living with the Land
- Journey Into Imagination
- Journey of Water
- Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind – 42”
*You could swap the first two attractions if you’re closer to one (ex: if you’re starting this list near Test Track, you can do Mission Space first and then head to Soarin’).
Morning Must-Knows
Once 11 am rolls around, standby lines for most rides will grow, and the park will begin to feel more crowded. Hopefully, by now, you have used a few Lightning Lanes and aren’t having trouble continuing to book them.
Below is our recommended order of attractions WITH Lightning Lanes during the first part of the morning and early afternoon to help minimize backtracking (see above if you don’t have Lightning Lanes and missed that).
You definitely don’t have to do them all, but we find them all family-friendly and worth the time if you have it.
Just know that you’re going to have to take a lunch break or rest somewhere in here!
- Meet Mickey & Friends at the character greeting
- Spaceship Earth (with LL)
- The Seas With Nemo & Friends*
- Explore the SeaBase Aquarium
- See Turtle Talk w/Crush at SeaBase*
- Journey of Water (no LL needed, just a cute walk-through Moana exhibit)
You’ll likely need a lunch break around this time, before or after leaving the SeaBase aquarium area. Then, continue to go through the rest of the attractions below.
You can always continue the following in the evening if you don’t plan on spending too much time in the World Showcase. - Soarin’ (with LL) 40”
- Living with the Land*
- Journey Into Imagination*
- Mission: SPACE (with LL) 40” and 44”
- Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind 42”
*Unless it’s a busy time of year, you typically won’t need a Lightning Lane for these attractions. We still like to use one if the availability is immediate (it doesn’t hurt to save a few minutes if you got it!), but otherwise, don’t worry about it. Most waits for these rides before 12 pm will be 5-15 minutes max.
As the park gets busier and we get closer to noon, you’ll want to take the time to focus on refueling (with snacks or food!), bathroom and rest breaks, or “anytime attractions” that are perfect for filling in downtime.
Outside of the rides listed above, here are other EPCOT favorites at the front of the park that fall into the “family friendly” category:
- Visit Club Cool and sample all of the free soda flavors (it’s a lot of fun!).
- Let the kids run around the playground on the other side of Club Cool (closer to Test Track). It’s an epic one, and usually there are some great festival booths nearby so that the adults can grab food and drinks and chill out.
- Visit any Festival booths near the front of the park after they open at 11 am. The best booths often tend to be near the front of the park, actually! FYI that most of the food offerings aren’t great for picky eaters, but this is not always the case!
- Grab a Starbucks and our favorite snack, the Cronut, at Connections Cafe. This is also just a great place to rest for a few minutes—there are fountains to refill ice water, big, clean bathrooms, and lots of food and drink options.
- Shop at EPCOT’s largest merch shop, Creations Store.
Outside of Festival booths in the front of the park, most of the good food is in the World Showcase, so we recommend saving your appetites! If the kids need a meal at the front of the park though, we like to grab chicken fingers or pizza at Connections Eatery.
Setting up the rest of your day
Hopefully, everything has gone to plan, and you’ve knocked out almost every attraction with Lightning Lanes, and have Remy’s or Frozen Lightning Lanes booked for later in the World Showcase.
If you haven’t, don’t sweat it. Unless it’s a packed time of year, EPCOT is quite flexible to tour if you can hit the headliners in the morning. And some kids get bored easily in the World Showcase, so you can always do more rides and take your time instead of heading straight back to the countries.
Midday: Explore & More
Lunch
If you’re like us, food is probably one of the most important parts of your vacation. And EPCOT is absolutely the best park if you’re a foodie.
And don’t worry, we’re going to offer picky-eater friendly recommendations that span the park.
To Festival or Not?
With the exception of just a few weeks out of the year, there is almost always a festival going on at EPCOT:
- International Festival of the Arts (typically runs January-February)
- International Flower & Garden Festival (typically runs February-May)
- International Food & Wine Festival (typically runs August-November)
- International Festival of the Holidays (typically runs after Thanksgiving to after Christmas)
All Festivals include “food booths” with multiple samples of small plates and beverages to purchase. There are typically hundreds of options at each festival.
Most people love snacking and drinking around the Festival, but only eating tons of pricey food samples isn’t for everyone.
Plus, there are plenty of regular, year-round EPCOT staples that shouldn’t be missed.
It’s a good idea to look up some Festival food menus before your trip to see if you want to focus on that food, eat more standard “meal” options, or even have a sit-down at one of EPCOT’s unique restaurants.
Our Favorite Lunch Options
For families, here are our favorite (and tastiest) lunch recommendations that also have solid kid-friendly options:
- La Cantina for a quick-service stop in Mexico. We like this option because it’s at the front of the World Showcase, and we don’t have to wait long to eat. The Nachos and margs are our staples, and the kids’ menu is straightforward.
- Regal Eagle Smokehouse in the American Adventure Pavilion. It’s a barbecue (and beer) stop, and it’s easy and familiar. It’s not the best in the world, but a lot of stuff is good and has great options for all ages.
And while these aren’t as kid-friendly and more specific, we can’t leave out some of our favorite overall dishes:
- Fish & Chips from Yorkshire County Fish Shop (quick-service) in the UK. They’re authentic and incredible. We have readers from the UK writing in to say they’re some of the best fish & chips they’ve ever had!
- Poutine from The Refreshment Port at the front of the World Showcase, adjacent to Canada. There is the classic version (our fave), and typically, a unique Festival version is offered as well.
- Crepes from the quick-service window (Crêpes À Emporter) in France. We love the Bechamel, Cheese, and Ham Galette for a savory option and the Hazelnut & Chocolate Spread for a sweet one.
- Focus solely on snacking at Festival booths and filling up as you lap the World Showcase. This is one of the most fun options if you’re really into food/drinks and trying many different things.
Touring the World Showcase Midday
Since this itinerary knocked out a lot of attractions near the front of the park in the morning, that’s leaving you in the World Showcase in the afternoon (and even in the evening!).
If you feel like you got a lot done, you could also opt to return to your resort for a mid-afternoon nap or pool break (our preferred option with young kids). Otherwise, read on!
Outside of Frozen and Remy’s, almost all World Showcase attractions and entertainment options are readily available and won’t have any real queues.
Here are our top tips for doing the World Showcase with kids!:
- Make sure to check the Characters map in the MDE App before you start looping the World Showcase. Note the times and try to plan for these the best you can as you make your way through the countries!
- Stop at the KidCot locations (creative areas for kids in each country).
- If a festival is going on (likely), get the Festival Scavenger Hunt! It’s inexpensive, and you can redeem it for a prize at the end—and this is *great* at keeping the kids entertained while adults eat/drink.
- Ride the Gran Fiesta Tour in Mexico.
- Hit Mexico’s Pyramid to shop and sip. Adults should make sure to grab a margarita from Choza de Margarita (outside) or La Cava del Tequila.
- Queue to meet Anna & Elsa Royal at Sommerhus in Norway if desired.
- Walk around the China Pavilion and check out the extensive gift shop in the back. Beware, kids love that gift shop and the one in Japan.
- Grab an authentic German beer and pretzels in Germany, and make time for the model train display there. It’s epic.
- Catch any live music at the America Gardens Theater.
- Check out the giant department store in Japan, and do the Pick a Pearl experience if it interests your family!
- Do and eat all the things in France! Grab pastries from Les Halles, or freshly made crêpes closer to Remy’s. See the Beauty and the Beast Singalong at the theater and get off your feet for a few minutes. Adults: The Grand Marnier Slushie is a favorite for good reason, so grab one if you like a sweet drink. Or, hit the champagne bar in Les Vins.
- Grab pints at Rose & Crown (UK Pavilion) and explore the shops and beautiful gardens.
- Explore the Canada Pavilion, take photos with the waterfalls, and see Canada Far & Wide.
There’s so much to do, just know that we can’t list it all. But the above items are our classic “must-dos” for a solid World Showcase lap.
Live Entertainment
You’ll want to check out the app; most live entertainment will be happening around the World Showcase. We don’t consider any of the acts a major must-do to go out of your way to time it properly, but it is fun if it works out and your kiddos have interest. The Voices of Liberty in The American Adventure Pavilion is probably the best act.
And, of course, make sure to check the evening concert schedule if you’re going to a Festival.
Evenings at EPCOT
Depending on the crowd level and how much you’ve got done, evenings are up to you! You should have finished most attractions by now, but we sometimes like to head back to the front “World” sections of the park and finish anything we may have missed.
Otherwise, an evening at EPCOT for us is typically taking our time eating, drinking, and enjoying more of the World Showcase, and letting the kids run around.
Dinner
Again, there’s a lot of different options for dinner at EPCOT:
- Festival Food Booths
- Having a proper sit-down dinner at one of the many restaurants*
- Having a quick-service meal
This is more personal preference and what you’ll have time for—we like to do a mix of both.
If you’re looking to sit down at a restaurant, here are our favorite family friendly options:
- San Angel Inn (Mexico)
- Akershus Royal Banquet Hall (Norway; Character princess dining)
- Biergarten (Germany)
- Teppan Edo (Japan)
- Space 220 (World Discovery)
- Via Napoli (Italy)
We love San Angel Inn for the vibes; it’s one of the most unique restaurants in WDW. The food is solid, and the prices are reasonable, too.
Akershus is where to go if you’ve got a princess-loving kid and don’t mind shelling out for character dining.
For a more fun and culturally immersive meal, we love Biergarten. It’s themed to look like a German village celebrating Oktoberbest, complete with a buffet of authentic German foods. It’s a blast, especially with young kids!
Teppan Edo, Space 220, and Via Napoli have good options for kids and themes that young ones will appreciate.
*While you can sometimes get into the restaurants last minute, you almost always want a reservation in hand at Disney. You can try to find more last-minute reservations by “stalking the app” or refreshing and checking for times throughout the day, just like you would with Lightning Lanes (although not as incessantly or frequently!).
Nighttime Show
Luminous is the nighttime show at EPCOT that plays at 9 pm each evening, right at park close (Note: Occasionally, the park is open until 10 pm some nights in the fall, but this is rare).
While it’s not as good as the old Illuminations show, we still enjoy it, and it’s a great way to end an EPCOT day if you can hang until then.
But if you can’t hang? No biggie, this is honestly a show we consider skippable (versus, say, Happily Ever After at Magic Kingdom!).
There are dozens of places to view the show from around the World Showcase, but here are a few of our preferred spots to take in the action:
- If you plan on leaving via the Skyliner, you’ll want to be close to that International Gateway exit. Otherwise, you’ll be waiting in a big Skyliner line after the show. Try to hang out somewhere and view from the UK or France if possible.
- The countries towards the back of the World Showcase will have fewer people than the front areas and the UK area. Italy, Germany, and Norway will have some pretty open last-minute viewing spots.
Remember that the park closes when the show starts, so once the show is over, that’s it! Queues to attractions and almost all food vendors will close by then, but the park itself and some shops (Creations) will stay open an hour after close. You won’t start getting kicked out by Cast Members until then!
In Conclusion, Class
If that felt like a lot, it’s because it is. There is a lot to know before you head into the parks, but don’t let that overwhelm you.
Most people book their trips and don’t research anything, which equates to long lines, short tempers, and what is potentially a total waste of a very expensive trip. You’re already way ahead of the curve!
And if we’ve got you sold on strategy being the key to a line-skippin’, snack-eatin,’ magical visit to Walt Disney World, be sure to check out the Complete Parks Strategy Playbook for a run-down on the best way to visit all four Disney parks.