Young kids and Epcot - is this rumor true??

[amypooh]

I was half-listening to a Epcot travel channel show the other day and thought they said that Epcot has now begun having craft booths and other activities for the kids at several of the world showcase countries so that parents can watch the shows / movies that the kids would not usually sit through.

Is this true or just wishful thinking?

We want to go to Epcot with the 3 kiddos (all 5 and under), but they can't sit still for 5-10 minutes, much less the 15 minutes of some of the shows. Especially since the subject matter does not appeal to them at their age.

EDIT:
Apologies if i implied that these places were a babysitting service. That was not my intent. Was more focused on one of us seeing a show while the kids did crafts, then switching.

It does seem that there are some activities for the kids there, so may move that park back to a full-day run in our scheduling.

Thanks for the responses!

 

[tigsmom]

They have the Kidcot Stations, but I have never seen just kids there by themselves (especially ones that small), a parent is always close by. I don't think the crafts take all that long to finish. We saw kids come and go while we waited in line to have a photo taken.

 

[Cinderella1976]

There are places located around Epcot called kidcot stations were your child can do arts and crafts. But I am not sure where they are all exactly located. I know there is one in the Living Seas and at Test Track (where you exit) so little ones who can not ride can keep busy. We visited the stations a couple of times on our last trip. You can look at your park map to see where they are or maybe someone on here knows better than me.

 

[The Mom]

As far as I know, these are NOT babysitting services!!! It's something that children might enjoy, but parents are supposed to watch (or even participate) They cannot just walk away and leave their children there.

 

[Fievel]

Mom is correct....these are all 5 minute activities that your kids will enjoy if they like arts and crafts time. If you want a babysitter, WDW can get one for you, but - as with everything - it'll cost you.

 

[happymom52003]

We want to go to Epcot with the 3 kiddos (all 5 and under), but they can't sit still for 5-10 minutes, much less the 15 minutes of some of the shows. Especially since the subject matter does not appeal to them at their age.

You can skip some of the shows that are geared toward an older audience and still have alot of fun at Epcot, so don't let that stop you! We have 2 kids under six and we still have a blast.

 

[PurpleDragon]

Yes they have the Kidcot fun stops, but they are all short little activities and crafts for the kids to do. They are not meant as a babysitting service, they are simply there to give the kids something to do to break the monotony of the World Showcase, which many kids find to be boring.

Also these funstops have been around for a few years now.

 

[Yellow Shoes]

We're hitting a nerve here with me.

EPCOT IS NOT BORING!!

Not even for little kids.

Not even for teenagers with bad attitudes.

Let's not underestimate the value of, say, the movie in France. It's dark and cool, and there is soothing impressionistic music playing. A great place for anyone to relax for a while. Toddlers might even catch some sleep.

Granted, 3 year olds are not interested in shopping for perfume (neither am I!)

There's lots of excitement in Morocco, plus Jasmine and Aladdin. I love just walking through the labryinth of rooms there.

The store in Japan has LOTS of toys, plus cool stuff like oysters with pearls inside.

Kidcot and increased character stops are designed to get little ones to World Showcase. Along the way, you will discover unexpected gems.

And I agree--Kidcot is NOT babysitting. You must stay with your child.
You should do it, however. The crafts are really nifty. Don't know what they are now, but they are designed so that you add a piece at every stop. Last year it was a lanyard with "charms".

 

[gman2]

Yes

YEAH it is cool i saw the one in canada it looked nice but i think that the parents like to stay with there kids so they do leave. so that whole parents go to the movies kids to the craft thing isnt working most of the time:veryconfu

 

[Dream Finder]

Thank You

We're hitting a nerve here with me.

EPCOT IS NOT BORING!!

Not even for little kids.

Not even for teenagers with bad attitudes.

Let's not underestimate the value of, say, the movie in France. It's dark and cool, and there is soothing impressionistic music playing. A great place for anyone to relax for a while. Toddlers might even catch some sleep.

Granted, 3 year olds are not interested in shopping for perfume (neither am I!)

There's lots of excitement in Morocco, plus Jasmine and Aladdin. I love just walking through the labryinth of rooms there.

The store in Japan has LOTS of toys, plus cool stuff like oysters with pearls inside.

Kidcot and increased character stops are designed to get little ones to World Showcase. Along the way, you will discover unexpected gems.

And I agree--Kidcot is NOT babysitting. You must stay with your child.
You should do it, however. The crafts are really nifty. Don't know what they are now, but they are designed so that you add a piece at every stop. Last year it was a lanyard with "charms".

Thank you. I LOVE EPCOT!

 

[Figment82]

When I went to WDW for the first time, I was 2 years old. I LOVED Epcot - so much so that I actually didn't really care that much about going to Magic Kingdom (back when it was only 2 parks).

Don't listen to the people who say it's only for adults. Epcot is for everyone.

 

[ThinkTink721]

I was half-listening to a Epcot travel channel show the other day and thought they said that Epcot has now begun having craft booths and other activities for the kids at several of the world showcase countries so that parents can watch the shows / movies that the kids would not usually sit through.

Is this true or just wishful thinking?

We want to go to Epcot with the 3 kiddos (all 5 and under), but they can't sit still for 5-10 minutes, much less the 15 minutes of some of the shows. Especially since the subject matter does not appeal to them at their age.

Another note about Epcot WS - it has many more characters to see than when they 1st opened.
This may make it more enjoyable for the kids (if they are not afraid of the characters).
:wave:

 

[daverube]

As far as I know, these are NOT babysitting services!!! It's something that children might enjoy, but parents are supposed to watch (or even participate) They cannot just walk away and leave their children there.

Oh, come on Mom, you know that you want to go to Disney and babysit all these kids!!!! :ROFLOL:

 

[The Mom]

YEAH it is cool i saw the one in canada it looked nice but i think that the parents like to stay with there kids so they do leave. so that whole parents go to the movies kids to the craft thing isnt working most of the time:veryconfu

It IS working! It was, and still is, a way for children to interact with CMs from other countries, have a little fun, and come away with a freebie. It was NEVER (to my knowledge) supposed to be a place to drop your kids while you entered the attraction.

 

[The Mom]

Oh, come on Mom, you know that you want to go to Disney and babysit all these kids!!!! :ROFLOL:

I wouldn't mind watching some of them (I've seen quite a few cuties) but think I would pass on the majority. :lol:

 

[WDWFigment]

When I went to WDW for the first time, I was 2 years old. I LOVED Epcot - so much so that I actually didn't really care that much about going to Magic Kingdom (back when it was only 2 parks).

Don't listen to the people who say it's only for adults. Epcot is for everyone.

You really remember going to the parks when you were two years old?? That's pretty impressive. I think my first memory of Epcot was like when I was five or six (and I had been there 3 times previously) and I got a Spaceman Figment PVC toy after going on JII (which I loved, and demanded that we go on many, many more times that day) and playing with the PVC figure on hand rails as we walked around the rest of the park.

 

[amypooh]

Apologies if i implied that these places were a babysitting service. That was not my intent.

It does seem that there are some activities for the kids there, so may move that park back to a full-day run in our scheduling.

Thanks for the responses!

 

[PurpleDragon]

I'm sorry but when I was little I hated the world showcase, because the only rides were El Rio and Maelstrom and my family spent most of their time there shopping. To a 6-7 year old, shopping is the most boring thing you can do.

Yes there may be more characters in WS now, but that doesn't make it any less boring to a kid under the age of 8. The main draw to WS is the food and shopping, not exactly something little ones find intersesting, hence why they chose to add the kidcot fun stops, to give kids something fun to do between the shop visits.

 

[The Mom]

It really depends upon your child. My daughter loved WS, even more than MK. My son never really warmed up to it until they set up the train in Germany, then, when he was older, he started to enjoy Japan and Canada (Off Kilter)

I believe he still prefers MK and AK. though.

 

[Blonde Princess]

FYI at Kidcot stations, the cast member from the countries do not keep track of the children. Children come and go as they please from the craft table. The only time I saw any cast member take any notice was in United Kingdom. A small (4 or 5) year old boy was left a the coloring table for an inordinate amount of time. We waited for Pooh pictures and Pooh took a break between sessions. The boy was just sitting there looking around. Finally, a cast member asked him where his parents were . He didn't know. The cast member called security. Later after pictures, we saw security with the parents and the child. They were sitting outside the Rose and Crown pub on the patio enjoying themselves.