How much is there to enjoy in the WS pavilions???

[jmani56]

Yes it's always great just sitting in the pavilions and enjoying a drink, it's very relaxing and gives you a chance to soak things in.

You could also try sampling the exotic snacks in Japan's market (which can be very risky), or take your time and capture some nice photography.

 

[WorldKey]

You could easily spend an entire day just in the world showcase.

Lunch and dinner, films, shopping, shows, rides, galleries and museums.

Well said - another person who totally agrees....WS is fantastic! From someone who doesn't usually like to shop, I recommend spending a lot of time at least browsing the stores in each country. Getting a good look at some of the things they sell really tells you a lot about a particular culture (not talking about the 'souvenir' items). Japan, for example has a lot of food items that are very foreign and interesting to us Yankees! I never knew they ate so many types of dried seafood! :slurp:

 

[jvenegas]

There's tons to do. Me and my wife took a solo trip (no kids) for the first time last July 2010 and spent a whole day at the WS.

The Morocco Pavilion is absolutely wonderful!! It gives you the feeling you are actually walking through the streets and alleys of Morocco.

Street performers, museums, galleries, food :slurp:, beer, you name it.

Take your time and soak it all in, you will definitely enjoy it.:wave:

 

[MichWolv]

Back in January, I had a day in Epcot completely on my own. I spent most of the day exploring the things you typically skip on a vacation when pressed for time. It was wonderful.

In WS, I saw the following street entertainment:
Off Kilter, Canada
Server Amusant (sp?), France
Taiko drummers and Miyuki, Japan
Voices of Liberty, American Adventure
Sergio, Italy
Dragon Legend Acrobats (now gone), China
Mariachi Cobre, Mexico

I also rode the friendship boats, looked in stores that I usually skip, did a KP mission by myself, checked out the art galleries in China and Japan, the National Treasures exhibit at the American Adventure, watched the little show when the ROE ball comes out into the lagoon, and people-watched.

In FW, I rode Soarin' (cuz I never miss Soarin'), hit Sum of All Thrills, the Great Piggy Bank Adventure, and a couple other Innoventions areas that I usually skip, and played in the post-show area of Spaceship Earth.

It was a wonderful day, and you'll enjoy your free day as well.

 

[jlandis44]

Something about the France pavilion does it for me. I love the way the buildings wind back toward the movie (which is very good too). I also love to walk into the main restaurant and wander around just looking.

 

[WorldKey]

Something about the France pavilion does it for me. I love the way the buildings wind back toward the movie (which is very good too). I also love to walk into the main restaurant and wander around just looking.

You know, I bet I've been to EPCOT 10 times in the past and only recently actually walked into the 'Pastry' shop in France (since I'm not a huge fan of sweets) and realized I had been missing out!! They have croissants and bagettes with excellent cheeses and meats just like we got in Europe - delicious! It pays to explore everywhere in WS! :slurp:

 

[Poirot4]

I have a sweet tooth, so on my last trip, I tried to sample candy from all around the world. I tried an interesting chocolate bar in the UK which had an interesting honeycomb center. In Japan, I tried some marshmallow rice balls which were veeeerry interesting. I also tried some German chocolate. There were some other things as well but I can't remember what they were.

 

[David S.]

I have a sweet tooth, so on my last trip, I tried to sample candy from all around the world. I tried an interesting chocolate bar in the UK which had an interesting honeycomb center. In Japan, I tried some marshmallow rice balls which were veeeerry interesting. I also tried some German chocolate. There were some other things as well but I can't remember what they were.

I've done that too! I'm not a foodie or a big drinker, so the table service or "Drinking Around The World" aren't really my thing, but I do enjoy sampling the candy of each nation!

To answer the OPs question, I will echo what everyone else has been saying. In addition to the "major attractions" (the 2 boat rides, 4 travelogue films, and American Adventure) I enjoy the Art Galleries, the live entertainment (I'm partial mainly to the music, but I also loved the Dragon Legend Acrobats in China. I haven't seen their replacement yet), and also just going at a leisurely enough pace to soak in the atmosophere and buy into the illusion that I am really traveling around the world.

So I like to enjoy things like the exterior architecture, which is extremely well done, the music loops, which are among the best in WDW IMO, and the garden areas .I particularly like the gardens in the two Asian countries, the train garden in Germany, and the wilderness area in Canada. I also LOVE the "perpetual night" that is the Mexico interior. I even enjoy strolling through the shops, looking at their interior design as well as their merchandise, which is generally more "authentic" than the typical stores in the parks.

As others have mentioned, I also really enjoy a cruise on the Friendship Boats, especially if I can snag a seat on the outdoor back row, and feel the nice breeze!

Most of this stuff would likely be missed by those trying to cram all of the Epcot attractions into one day.

I know when I started "slowing down" and devoting a full day just to really absorb World Showcase, I started appreciating it more!

Have fun

 

[Bravo 229]

Take time and look at everything, there is so much there that you'd never see just by passing through WS. Make sure to try the various desserts, and if you enjoy adult beverages, there are some hidden gems in the wine shops!