One Day at Epcot

[Bellhop97]

Need some advice on how/what to do for a short day at Epcot. Hubby and I are getting off a cruise in feb, getting a rental car and planning on spending the day at Epcot before our 8pm flight. Now the airline has already changed my return flight a couple times and now the latest one is 8pm., wondering if I should just buy the tickets when I get to Epcot that day?, or should I purchase them ahead of time. I just don't want to be stuck with them if the airline changes the flights again. Now we haven't been to Epcot since 2016, and have about 6 hours to enjoy the day there. Any tips?, suggestions?

 

[MAGICFLOP]

First stop should be the wailing walls and see the paint peeling

 

[Smiley/OCD]

Me? I would focus my time in the WS…hit the rides in the “neighborhood/front” of the park and the the WS half…we’ve always enjoyed the WS just bring your appetite and enjoy it!!!

 

[monorail81]

First stop should be the wailing walls and see the paint peeling

Are you talking about what they replaced the tombstones with?

 

[JIMINYCR]

Keep an eye on what the numbers are as you get towards your trip time. Right now the crowds are lower than ever and there would be no issue getting tickets that morning. If you are going during the school vacation weeks things could be different.
What’s your desire for the park? I enjoy the pavilions a lot and spend a lot of time wandering through them and interacting with the CM’s. If you do want to do the attractions then plan on getting through them early to avoid the lines. The popular ones will be longer waits. GotG requires a virtual queue.
If you want to dine at Ep scope out which restaurant you want and book a reservation. Again depending on when and where reservations may or may not be needed in advance.
You can do a lot in the time you have but your park time doesn’t leave you a whole lot of time to get through as if you had an entire day so prioritizing and planning what’s most important for you is a must.

 

[Eric Graham]

Well, I believe you won't need to make park reservations anymore next year so that can be very nice for you all. The festival of the arts will be going on. That can be a fun event. You can eat around the world and meander throughout the countries at a leisurely pace. "A Stroll Is A Gift!" So scrumptious food too. Have a fun time! I hope you get your travel plans settled. Have a great day!

 

[Thepuma]

Firstly, book your ticket in advance, it will allow you to use My Disney Experience to get a head start in the park.

So..

Day before, book your ticket and make sure it's loaded onto MDE.

The morning of your trip:

1) Buy Genie+ before 7am
2) At 7am Get a G+ reservation for Remy for a time you know youll be just into the park (you get an hour grace period)
3) Also at 7am Get a Paid LL+ for Guardians, for a time you know you'll be there for
.......*all above to be done BEFORE you get to the park.


4) Head for Remy - Once tapped in at Remy Get G+ for Test Track
5) Once tapped test track get G+ for Frozen
6) Your frozen return may be a couple of hours, so go through the lighter attractions such as Soarin,Figment,Mission Space and Spaceship Earth in meantime
7) Do your GotG LL+
8) Walk to Frozen for you G+ return time
9) From Frozen walk clockwise round the World Showcase for the rest of the day.

 

[Bellhop97]

Keep an eye on what the numbers are as you get towards your trip time. Right now the crowds are lower than ever and there would be no issue getting tickets that morning. If you are going during the school vacation weeks things could be different.
What’s your desire for the park? I enjoy the pavilions a lot and spend a lot of time wandering through them and interacting with the CM’s. If you do want to do the attractions then plan on getting through them early to avoid the lines. The popular ones will be longer waits. GotG requires a virtual queue.
If you want to dine at Ep scope out which restaurant you want and book a reservation. Again depending on when and where reservations may or may not be needed in advance.
You can do a lot in the time you have but your park time doesn’t leave you a whole lot of time to get through as if you had an entire day so prioritizing and planning what’s most important for you is a must.

Thanks, we are going at the beginning of Feb, so don't think school vacations will be a factor. I decided on Epcot cause as I got older it became my favorite park. As a former CM, I used to spend most of my time at the Studios or MK, but now I just like walking around Epcot and enjoying all the pavilions.

 

[ppete1975]

Need some advice on how/what to do for a short day at Epcot. Hubby and I are getting off a cruise in feb, getting a rental car and planning on spending the day at Epcot before our 8pm flight. Now the airline has already changed my return flight a couple times and now the latest one is 8pm., wondering if I should just buy the tickets when I get to Epcot that day?, or should I purchase them ahead of time. I just don't want to be stuck with them if the airline changes the flights again. Now we haven't been to Epcot since 2016, and have about 6 hours to enjoy the day there. Any tips?, suggestions?

I would buy tickets ahead of time, so that you dont have to waste your time there doing it. Also they are good for awhile if your flight gets changed (id check the website for up to date info).
Now decide what you want to do. Are you a person that just wants to ride everything as much as possible, or are you wanting to ride everything once then relax and enjoy the park the rest of the time.
IF you are the first part.. then get a genie plus.
If you are the second.. i wouldnt waste the money.

Try to get a virtual pass to guardians.
At rope drop go right to rat, ride rat. then go to frozen.
There you have ridden all the hard to get on rides.

Either eat shop or go for your second tier of ride times.
soarin and test track

after that ride whenever you want
3 cabs, imagination, living with the land, mission space, space ship earth living with the seas with nemo. (those rarely have much of a line, just watch the app for ride times, if it is a long wait.. just wait.

Doing this from memory so if I missed a ride, im sorry.

 

[Bellhop97]

I would buy tickets ahead of time, so that you dont have to waste your time there doing it. Also they are good for awhile if your flight gets changed (id check the website for up to date info).
Now decide what you want to do. Are you a person that just wants to ride everything as much as possible, or are you wanting to ride everything once then relax and enjoy the park the rest of the time.
IF you are the first part.. then get a genie plus.
If you are the second.. i wouldnt waste the money.

Try to get a virtual pass to guardians.
At rope drop go right to rat, ride rat. then go to frozen.
There you have ridden all the hard to get on rides.

Either eat shop or go for your second tier of ride times.
soarin and test track

after that ride whenever you want
3 cabs, imagination, living with the land, mission space, space ship earth living with the seas with nemo. (those rarely have much of a line, just watch the app for ride times, if it is a long wait.. just wait.

Doing this from memory so if I missed a ride, im sorry

But if I buy my tickets ahead of time, I can't get a refund if my flights change again and we aren't able to go to Epcot, correct?.. they are non refundable.

 

[Bellhop97]

Well, I believe you won't need to make park reservations anymore next year so that can be very nice for you all. The festival of the arts will be going on. That can be a fun event. You can eat around the world and meander throughout the countries at a leisurely pace. "A Stroll Is A Gift!" So scrumptious food too. Have a fun time! I hope you get your travel plans settled. Have a great day!

Thank you !

 

[ppete1975]

But if I buy my tickets ahead of time, I can't get a refund if my flights change again and we aren't able to go to Epcot, correct?.. they are non refundable.

While Theme Park Tickets to Walt Disney World Resort are nontransferable and nonrefundable, you're certainly not out of luck if your plans change! As long as the previously purchased tickets have never been used the value of the Tickets will still be available even after they expire. This means that you're able to apply the value of these tickets toward a future ticket purchase the next time you're ready for some pixie dust in your life! Since you may not be able to see these Tickets in your My Disney Experience account I would suggest keeping your original confirmation number handy. To put the value of these Tickets toward a new purchase simply call and speak with a Cast Member at (407) 934-7639.

 

[Bellhop97]

While Theme Park Tickets to Walt Disney World Resort are nontransferable and nonrefundable, you're certainly not out of luck if your plans change! As long as the previously purchased tickets have never been used the value of the Tickets will still be available even after they expire. This means that you're able to apply the value of these tickets toward a future ticket purchase the next time you're ready for some pixie dust in your life! Since you may not be able to see these Tickets in your My Disney Experience account I would suggest keeping your original confirmation number handy. To put the value of these Tickets toward a new purchase simply call and speak with a Cast Member at (407) 934-7639.

Thank you

 

[ppete1975]

Thank you

Wait you're a former cast member. Shouldnt you know everything like all of the plans for the next 5 years? I mean the bus drivers do, I assumed the cast members know even more.


I am totally kidding, just picking on the bad info bus drivers give people that they bring on to the message boards as facts.

 

[MickeyLuv'r]

Need some advice on how/what to do for a short day at Epcot. Hubby and I are getting off a cruise in feb, getting a rental car and planning on spending the day at Epcot before our 8pm flight. Now the airline has already changed my return flight a couple times and now the latest one is 8pm., wondering if I should just buy the tickets when I get to Epcot that day?, or should I purchase them ahead of time. I just don't want to be stuck with them if the airline changes the flights again. Now we haven't been to Epcot since 2016, and have about 6 hours to enjoy the day there. Any tips?, suggestions?

you can certainly wait until your dates are close. I'm not we know yet exactly how things will work when park reservations are no longer needed, but at present, if you want to ride GoG or buy G+, then buying your tickets at least a little in advance is wise and helpful.

I would not assume - for now - that the parks will be empty. They may well be, but WDW has the ability to manipulate crowds with discounts - to some degree. The Art Festival is also somewhat popular, esp if you will be there on a weekend.

Of course it also depends a bit on what you want to do too. If you mostly just want to stroll/relax, that is easier than doing a marathon-all-rides-see-everything-commando kind of day. There are a number of things to see like artist booths and chalk art that are no wait.

 

[TomboyJanet]

When I hit Epcot I Immediately reserve GOTG Ride Spaceship Earth and then stick around that area. Test Track or mission space seems to have the shortest lines of the three on the east side so I do that if its crowded. On the West side Soarin and Imagination are constant rerides. Last time I was there Sorin had little to no wait when the park was pretty jammed and around the same time of year. If you go to Soarin you can hit up the land while you are there and eat some food at the cafe. Then if you reserved Gaurdians you'll probably be able to ride it about now and I'd definately get that ride in. After that Mission Space/Test Track (whichever I didn't choose due to lines)

is Right there. so why not. Once I do all of the former future world area I start World Showcase so that I can be near the fireworks but Idk what's going on with that now. The Mexico Ride never has a line and is really relaxing. Frozen is the main ride you'd probably have to reserve in Showcase. Then I would Suggest you eat in France and Ride Ratatouille which is a ride I ALWAYS need spell check to type lol. From there if theres time left over you're basically free to repeat rides and explore the very intricatly detailed world showcase

Oh and there is still the seas but you can probably do it in fifteen minutes.

I hope this helps lol

 

[Bellhop97]

Wait you're a former cast member. Shouldnt you know everything like all of the plans for the next 5 years? I mean the bus drivers do, I assumed the cast members know even more.


I am totally kidding, just picking on the bad info bus drivers give people that they bring on to the message boards as facts.

I was a cast member a long time ago.. in a galaxy far far away....lol I don't get to go to Disney as much anymore .

 

[Bellhop97]

Thank you everyone for your tips and suggestions. I am just happy to be able to get back to Disney even though it's only for a day.