Why are there so many people who don't like Epcot??

[William Marsden]

I just saw some recent postings from members who don't seem to like Epcot very much. Several spoke about how "Honey, I Shrunk the Audience" is far and away thier least favorite 3-D Show at WDW. (Admittedly I like Mickey's Phil. more, but I still love "Honey, I..."). In the same posting someone mentioned a friend who had nicknamed the park "Bored-to-Deathcot". I also saw a post from someone who planned only half a day at Epcot during his family's 7 day stay. I have a friend who is going to WDW in early December and is planning on skipping Epcot altogether while spending at least a day in the other major parks. I gotta say I just don't get it.

Between MK, MGM, AK and Epcot, Epcot is my favorite and my wife's first choice also. It has more attractions then any other park except for the Magic Kingdom. Also, with the exception of Maelstrom, all of the attractions seem to be 5 to 20 minutes in duration (no two minute Dumbo rides here!). Maybe because I grew up close to Disneyland I find the Magic Kingdom to be ok (I actually prefer Disneyland but find the two parks roughly comparable). Sure, the Animal Kingdom is great but I'm not enough of a nature lover or zoophile to be absolutely wild about it. Disney MGM is also wonderful and I certainly prefer it to Universal. However, I think Epcot is absolutely the most unique theme park in the universe. I don't for a moment want to take from the other three parks but there is absolutely nothing to compare with Epcot. Not in Anahiem, Paris, Tokyo or Hong Kong.

When we visit the world we plan at least two and a half days for Epcot. I don't find it "overly educational" either. I still don't pretend to know jack squat about hydroponic (sp?) plants but I love riding around on Living with the Land. Am I just wierd or are there some big Epcot fans out there?

 

[Dragonrider1227]

My bet is that it's not a typical Disney park. It's not cartoony, it's not the typical place to find characters *except for the princess and such in their respective countries* and most of it's attractions involve learning which is something people say is the last thing they want to do on thier vacation. That's my thought. My personal opinon however, Well, I didn't spend the whole day there, but I wouldn't call it "Bored-to-deathcot." I could spend all day at World Showcase alone.

 

[WeLuvDisney]

When I was younger I HATED Epcot. I actually dreaded going there everytime my parents told us we had to. As I have matured, I grew to love it. Its one of my favorite parks. Its nice to see all the different cultures out there and to taste all of the foods.

I Love Epcot!

 

[Dragonrider1227]

When I was younger I HATED Epcot. I actually dreaded going there everytime my parents told us we had to. As I have matured, I grew to love it. Its one of my favorite parks. Its nice to see all the different cultures out there and to taste all of the foods.

I Love Epcot!

Me too. As a kid, I remember not HATING EPCOT so much as just not being all that impressed with it. Except for Journey into Imagination, there wasn't alot in EPCOT that really spoke to me. Now though, I love World Showcase.

 

[GarryandLindy]

When I was younger I HATED Epcot. I actually dreaded going there everytime my parents told us we had to. As I have matured, I grew to love it. Its one of my favorite parks. Its nice to see all the different cultures out there and to taste all of the foods.

I Love Epcot!

My words exactly.

 

[robertiscool88]

Well in my opinion i think that littler kids and even teenagers like me really like to learn about stuff on a trip to Disney. Dont get me wrong, I love Epcot.

 

[CrashNet]

Don't worry... BIG fan of EPCOT here. Its my favorite park. And its the only park that REALLY knows how to have a fireworks display.

 

[schroder6452]

I love EPCOT. I can spend all day just wandering around there. On my first CP it was my roommate, my friend and my park of choice to go to. I'd say we went there about 3 or more times a week and never got tired of it, even though my roommate worked there. Actually I think it was because my roommate worked there and I kept going to meet up with her that I fell in love with the place. Or maybe it is because we are dorks and like all the educational things. When my parents came to visit me we did 1 whole day at EPCOT and the other was half AK and half MK.

Don't get me wrong but I also like MK, just not quite as much as EPCOT. I spent nearly everyday there last summer. AK and MGM, they are alright.

 

[DDuckFan130]

I'll go find the poster child for hating Epcot and get him to come in here :lookaroun

Give me a little time :lol:


BTW, I like Epcot

 

[CoffeeJedi]

When i was kid, EPCOT Center was my favorite park, i suppose i've always been a bit of a science and learning wonk. I'm afraid that nowadays, anti-intellectualism and pseudoscience are "dumbing down" our culture.
Check out what this guy says on this blog, i agree with him nearly 100%:
http://epcot82.blogspot.com/

 

[MerHearted]

I'll go find the poster child for hating Epcot and get him to come in here :lookaroun

Give me a little time :lol:


BTW, I like Epcot

:snore: :snore: :snore: :snore: :snore:

:lookaroun

 

[Ivan72]

We LOVE Epcot. :sohappy: :wave: :lol:

 

[brertigger]

I think the main reason people don't like EPCOT is that is has a pretty good reputation as 'Educational.'

Luckily, EPCOT has added several new rides in the past few years that add fun to your EPCOT day, like Soarin', Test Track, and Mission Space.

I think once some of these people that say they hate EPCOT give it one more shot, they will probably like it.
I recently offered some trip planning advice to a family. They had not been in a few years, so they had not even heard about new EPCOT rides. I told them to give EPCOT a chance. And they did. They actually liked it a lot more than they used to. Everyone in the group liked either Test Track or Mission Space and went on their favorite multiple times.
They were amazed about the fireworks show, especially the grand finale (I wish they could have seen the Peace on Earth tag--that is truly amazing).

I like EPCOT more than I used to. I think it has grown into a great park.

 

[erasure fan1]

I have always loved Epcot. When I was a kid though, I did NOT want to do world showcase past Mexico and Norway. I still am not to fond of it, as discussed in other threads I think they need to add a quality ride or two. I don’t mind walking around and seeing the pavilions once a trip, but I can see how some think its boring and only want to see future world. I love Epcot and if world showcase gets some quality attractions it will change a lot of peoples perception, in my opinion.

 

[Clark Griswold]

I believe that Epcot is the most underrated theme park at WDW. I really enjoy spending time at the park and experiencing the countries at World Showcase along with riding the three big rides. I have to admit though, that some of shows in the countries are bogus, minus the American Adventure!!!! It's the best show in all of WDW!!


Goin' Back to the World! July 31-August 6

 

[CrashNet]

I think part of my reasoning for liking EPCOT so much is because I'm a CM and visit the parks frequently. I know the ins and outs of all of the parks, where to go what time of day, etc, and can knock everything out quickly. EPCOT, though, its almost like it just tells you, "hey, slow down and relax. Stay for a while." Some friends and I would go get lunch at the Mexican Cantina outside and we'd sit at a table by the water. It had a peaceful feel to it, grown up and sophisticated. We sat there for two hours and just talked, admired the scenery, and watched the barges come out. The birds flew by, swam in the water...I don't know, it just pulls you away from that "ok, we have to make it to Space Mountain, get in and out in an hour, or we'll never have enough time to get in Cinderellabration and the 3:00 parade at 3:30" feel. Its not hectic, or pushed, or pressured.

It's...a day in Central Park playing with your dog, reading a book, or sleeping. It's admiring the scenery, enjoying life, and forgetting everything else.

It is to me at least.

 

[Cliff]

I was always under the impression that (statistically speaking) EPCOT has the second highest anual attendence numbers of all the parks in Orlando. That includes Sea World and Universal. (Oh,...and Holy Land too)

I thought I read that stat a couple years ago.

Has that changed?

Anyhoo,..it's always been my favorite from the day it opened and it still is today.

To me it's still "EPCOT Center" too.

CT

 

[dvcnut39]

I find myself almost nightly wishing that I was walking around World Showcase waiting for Illuminations.

 

[macsmom]

When my son and I went seven years ago, Epcot was almost empty and we weren't quite sure what to do and what to see. All those buildings...could we go inside...what was there. We just didn't know. And, I felt almost too dumb to ask anyone. We stayed maybe two hours and then went back to MK. When I went two years ago, I just wanted to leave and go home....my friend was driving me THAT crazy. :brick: When I go back in October, I'll know a little bit more what to visit thanks to everyone here. I won't feel as dumb as I did all those years ago.

danna

 

[ChuckElias]

Because they're not willing to do just a little work to discover all the great stuff that's there.

EPCOT is my favorite park. Just standing in front of the fountain is Disney to me.