Animal Kingdom vs EPCOT

[DisneyAndUniversalFan]

Let's say that you have one single day in the Orlando area, and you can only go to one of these two parks. Which would you pick?
Both parks have excellent rides, great themed lands and immersion, and overall rely on a fun theme park experience.
Which park is superior, has better rides, more fun, etc? Which is the better park? Discuss.

 

[JIMINYCR]

One day... Then its EP for me. I enjoy leisurely walking through the different pavillions, doing some shopping and conversing with the CM's. I like the attractions, especially MS, TT, Soarin, Rat, Figment. Looking forward to doing GotG in the future. Love the AA show. I can watch it multiple times. If the unique food kiosks are up then that adds to my enjoyment. If not then the better selection of restaurants are there too.

 

[Eric Graham]

I prefer Epcot. My wife really enjoys the festivals, while I tend to be inside for a bit at Nine Dragons. We also really like to walk around and visit the different countries. The people are always so nice from different lands! We also really enjoy Soarin', the Frozen ride, Figment (of course), and the Seas with Finding Nemo and Friends. There is a not a lot for us in Animal Kingdom. We do enjoy Kilimanjaro Safaris and Tough To Be A Bug There. Sometimes Pandora. We do really enjoy Yak and Yeti there also. Wonderful Chinese and great service! I have heard from a naturalist at a place here where we have a membership that Animal Kingdom is the most sought after job for naturalists.

 

[buckeyegator]

animal kingdom is really,imo, a half-day park, especially if you only do the shows and EE, FOP, safari, dinosaur and maybe bug.

 

[krissybear2003]

I enjoy Epcot, the rides, the culture and the food. The festivals are so much fun! Animal kingdom can be done in a 1/2 day, and closes earlier then the rest.

 

[WondersOfLife]

There was a time where it used to be EPCOT... But now it's AK for thematic sake......

...........for now....................................

 

[MadderAdder]

Animal Kingdom.

 

[LeighM]

My last trip, I only had a few days and couldn't do all 4 parks. I did MK with after hours ticket, Epcot, and HS. I chose Epcot because I had never experienced Festival of the Holidays or the new Ratatouille ride (Guardians not open at the time). I wished I had done Animal Kingdom lol. The crowds were bad at Epcot and construction walls were everywhere. But if I had the ability to choose, I would say both with a park hopper Start the day at Animal Kingdom and close it at Epcot. Currently, I prefer the food at Animal Kingdom and the nature aspect. It's just much more relaxing to me especially ending in Pandora when everything is glowing. And I much prefer Epcot at night anyway. There's just an energy in the air that's not there for me during the day (same for me at MK).

 

[Nottamus]

It’s tie

When all the people who say AK is a 1/2 park leave, it’s a great place to be! Especially in the fall with dark skies- its was like we had walkways to ourselves

Epcot will always be a great place to stroll with a loved one or two sampling drinks/food from booths - and again- nice sunsets there

We spend a LOT of our time at those two parks

 

[JohnD]

It’s tie

When all the people who say AK is a 1/2 park leave, it’s a great place to be! Especially in the fall with dark skies- we’ve it seem we had walkways to ourselves

Epcot will always be a great place to stroll with a loved one or two sampling drinks/food from booths - and again- nice sunsets there

We spend a LOT of our time at those two parks

It was until I voted AK. Honestly, both are great parks. I just like AK better.

 

[erasure fan1]

I have a soft spot for original Epcot, but this version we have now, isn't anywhere close to Animal kingdom. The AK is the most well put together park WDW has from a theme standpoint. If it had another e-ticket and 2 more D-tickets, it could be one of the absolute best parks in the world.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

I’m good with either. I would probably pick DAK but I feel like they are both about even right now. I would pick either of them over DHS and I would pick MK over either of them as well. Haha.

 

[Sonconato]

My family and I much prefer DAK over Epcot. DAK mostly still has a cohesive theme whereas Epcot has no theme whatsoever now. Epcot theming started to disintegrate as soon as they closed World of Motion. The only thing I don’t like about DAK is Pandora. I think that would have been better suited for DHS and utilize that space in DAK for theming of another part of “this” world.

 

[Sonconato]

I have a soft spot for original Epcot, but this version we have now, isn't anywhere close to Animal kingdom. The AK is the most well put together park WDW has from a theme standpoint. If it had another e-ticket and 2 more D-tickets, it could be one of the absolute best parks in the world.

I very much agree with you. The sad part is that all four parks were well themed at one point. Epcot & DHS no longer make any sense. Goes to show how scatter brained the current leaders of TWDC are.

 

["El Gran Magnifico"]

So. Rum vs Beer?

I declare a tie.

 

[SyracuseDisneyFan]

Animal Kingdom

 

[Br0ckford]

It’s tie

When all the people who say AK is a 1/2 park leave, it’s a great place to be! Especially in the fall with dark skies- its was like we had walkways to ourselves

Epcot will always be a great place to stroll with a loved one or two sampling drinks/food from booths - and again- nice sunsets there

We spend a LOT of our time at those two parks

Epcot will always be my fave. On our last trip we made an effort to go down all the trails and take in all the little things AK has to offer. We were a AK is 1/2 park people. It can very much be a full day. Pandora at night is amazing.

 

[jloucks]

So, interestingly, it appears that Epcot fans monitor this site more regualrly than AK fans. Epcot was winning by a landslide at first, and now the glorified zoo is winning in the final stretch. Interesting.

It's rigged I tell ya! Rigged.

 

[JusticeDisney]

Love them both, but I’m going with EPCOT. It’s unlike any other park anywhere else, and I always find it so relaxing to be there.

 

[SpectreJordan]

Animal Kingdom's become my favorite park over the past year. The theming in that park is so damn good; it really feels like I've been transported outside of Orlando. It's also very relaxing to be in "nature" & watch all of the animals. I think AK has the best food at Disney too, there's some really good stuff in that park & that's without festivals like EPCOT has too. I really think it is a full day park if you take advantage of everything the park has to offer. Just take your time.

I wish DAK had more rides but I think what they have is fantastic outside of Kali Rapids. Everest, Kilimanjaro & Flights are all great. I have a soft spot for Dinosaur too.

EPCOT's great too but the theming of the front of the park is sort of...nothing? They're just a bunch of buildings lol. World Showcase is amazing though; they're so fun to explore & hang out in. EPCOT has some good food but I think they're overrated food wise; the worst meal I've had at Disney was at the Japanese quick service restaurant, that was borderline garbage.

EPCOT has some good rides but the only one I love is Guardians. The rest are fun but I wouldn't say they're top of the line for Disney. I do wish I could've seen Spaceship Earth in its prime & Horizons/the original Journey at all.