epcot

Walt Disney World Parks

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EPCOT is definitely my favorite of the parks. I think what I enjoy is that this park was, unlike the Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom, designed for adults and children.

Quick List:

Don't Miss:
Spaceship Earth

Universe of Energy's "Ellen's Energy Adventure"

The Land's "Living with the Land" Boatride

China's "Wonders of China" 360° Movie

Germany's Biergarten Resturaunt

France's "Chefs de France" Resturanunt

Japan's Gift Shop

Wonders of Life's "Body Wars"

"Honey I Shrunk the Audience" at Journey Into the Imagination

American Adventure's "American Adventure"

If There's Time or the Line is Short:

The Living Seas

Cranium Command

Canada's "O Canada!" 360° Movie

Horizions

Skip It!

Mexico's El Rio del Tiempo Boat Ride

Norway's "Malestrom" Boat Ride

Morocco

Journey Into the Imagination

Journey Into the Imagination's "Image Works"

Innoventions

Future World

It always begins at Spaceship Earth (the golf ball) for us. I've been through this quite a few times, but I still love it. The line moves quickly and the ride is peaceful and entertaining. This was the first time that we got a chance to see the new Universe of Energy ride (with Ellen Degeneres) and it was great! The ride does last 20 minutes though, so be prepared. The Wonders of Life pavilion includes Body Wars and Cranium Command - both of which we enjoyed. I would suggest that you do not attempt Body Wars first thing in the morning or after you have eaten. It’s a very violent ride that will wreak havoc with those who get motion sickness. I think that a lot of people skip Cranium Command but we really enjoyed it.

Test Track was not open when we were there, but I've heard mixed reviews.

Skipping to the other side of the park, The Land has a really interesting boat ride that I always wait for. The Garden Grille Resturaunt in The Land (above the food court) is a definite don't miss. It’s a character lunch and dinner that is served family style. The food is terrific (all you can eat) and the restaurant rotates through The Land's "Living with the Land" boat ride. (Request lower tier seating so that you can see the ride - the upper tier is faced away from the ride) The Land Food Court is also a great place for a quick lunch with a lot of choices.
My least favorite of the exhibits is on this side of the park - The Living Seas and Journey Into the Imagination. The Living Seas line moves slowly so that they can put us into "Hydolators" (fake elevators) that look as though they are moving but actually are not going anywhere. The door on the other side opens and you wait in another line to get into cars that take you, very briefly, through the fish tanks. (I'm saying less than 3 minutes) At the end, you get a chance to look into the tanks at all the exotic sea life. I do enjoy the Manatee tank because you can get close to them. Journey Into the Imagination is definitely the piece that does not fit in this educational and high-tech Future World. Figment is cute, but the ride is way too close to It’s a Small World for me. This pavilion, however, houses the 3D show "Honey I Shrunk the Audience". This is a really great show - the line can be long but it's worth the wait.

I don't know what to say about Innoventions. The two buildings are on my Skip It list. Kids might enjoy the video games, but frankly, I was bored. There are too many great things to see to use up a lot of time here.

World Showcase

I love World Showcase! It was a really great idea to not only represent the different cultures, but to have actual citizens of these far flung places there for us to interact with! I see a lot of parents with small kids bypassing World Showcase because they think that the kids would be bored. It's actually a great opportunity for the kids to meet different kinds of people. Here is a quick punch list of each country and its exhibits:

Mexico: The San Angel Inn Restaurant here is not to be missed by Mexican food aficionados. The shopping inside the Mayan Temple is OK - nothing to write home about. The El Tiempo Boat Ride is probably one of the worst, if not the worst, ride in WDW. We always go on it as a running joke - I can’t believe that the Mexican people want to be perceived this way! You go from the Aztecs and the Mayas to pool bars and beach hotels in the span of a minute.

Norway: They recently installed a "Viking" boat ride in this country to take you through the history of Norway. At the end, they offer a movie (everyone always walks through the theater to exit instead of watching the show, and after watching it I know why) The only thing that I learned about Norway from both the ride and the movie is that they have trolls and everyone is blonde. It’s a shame that they didn't show more. We didn't eat here because the food was kind of strange, but the people that did get it seemed to enjoy it.

China: They offer a 360° movie that is one of the best-offered in World Showcase. It's not very long and it shows a nice slice of Chinese culture. The store here is huge and the restaurant is very good if you like Chinese. There is a show of acrobats that was interesting, so you may want to try and make one of the showtimes.

Africa: This is only a small shop that offers a tribal dance show every hour or so. The show is very good so you may want to hang around for it.

Germany: They offer a 360° movie (I have to admit that I've never seen it) and shopping, and a buffet restaurant. The restaurant is defiantly worth the reservation. They serve beers in HUGE steins and you sit at a picnic-like table with other diners. (The tables hold eight, so if you have less than that you will have to sit with strangers) The Steingarten buffet has tons of food and the waitress always tries to talk you into going up again!

American Adventure: They really did a top-notch presentation of American history at the exhibit here. The animatronics are fantastic and the show is informative. There is a cafeteria here with good ole' American goodies!

Japan: I love the store here - the Bonsai that I bought is still living over a year later! (They ship them to you for a very reasonable rate) They have a gracious exhibit in the rear of the country - many people miss it. Make it a point to check it out because it's definitely worth a look. The restaurants here are terrific if you like Japanese cuisine.

Morocco: We always seem to skip over this country but I can't seem to figure out why. When I go in December, I'll report back!

Italy: The restaurant here is great! The waiters sing Opera and the food is authentic. It is hard to get a reservation, so book early. The exhibit here is a 360° that is pretty good - if the line is long you may want to skip it.

France: The restaurant here is probably the best in all of World Showcase. They brought in some of the best chefs in France and it really shows! This also books up fast so reserve early. The shopping here is OK and the 360° is nice.

Canada: They have a great 360° here - stop and see it. It really shows off the best of Canada. There is a beautiful garden in the back that everyone misses, but it’s a great place to regroup.

United Kingdom: Instead of an exhibit or ride, the UK offers many shows and live performances from British, Irish, and Scottish performers. Stop and watch some of the shows, as they are quite good. The shops here are quaint and, if you have ever traveled to the UK, the food is blah. They do, however, offer tea in the afternoon at the Pub - it’s a great pick-me-up.

Illuminations: This is always a great fireworks/laser show. I've gotten a lot of suggestions about the best place to stand to see everything. After trying all of them, I don't think that there is any one place to stand. If you go on the American Express White Glove package, they give you "priority" seating for the show. This was the best place that we ever had. We were in a roped off area in front of Italy. If not, I would probably suggest camping out by the rail in-between France and Canada. You seem to get the widest angle here.