Our Epcot itinerary particulars technique for an ideal day, together with Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind. This Walt Disney World touring plan has step-by-step technique to keep away from ready in lengthy strains for rides, beating crowds, seeing reveals, eating at the perfect eating places, and having fun with World Showcase. (Updated October 31, 2022.)
This one-day Epcot plan has been overhauled a number of instances within the final yr, considering Walt Disney World’s fiftieth Anniversary celebration, Early Entry and Extended Evening Hours, competition crowds, plus paid FastPass–however this itinerary assumes you’ll not be shopping for these line-skipping companies. If you do plan on spending the additional, seek the advice of our 1-Day Epcot Itinerary with Genie+ and Lightning Lanes.
Then there’s all the building and new additions. Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind and Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure have now been open for some time now, and these large additions plus Frozen Ever After in World Showcase are all large boosts for Epcot. Which you must prioritize can also be dependent upon whether or not you’re coming from the Crescent Lake resorts or Skyliner gondolas and coming into by way of International Gateway, or Epcot’s entrance entrance. We’ll handle this within the new Late 2022 1-day Epcot itinerary beneath.
This publish continues our sequence of Walt Disney World Park Itineraries & Touring Plans designed to reply the ceaselessly requested query, “what would you do in an ideal day at the park?” We view Epcot as Walt Disney World’s finest “atmosphere park” and there have been full days after we’ve carried out barely any points of interest at Epcot, as a substitute simply meandering round, having fun with World Showcase.
Epcot stays within the midst of a large transformation. On the plus facet, this has already resulted in some enjoyable new choices, with Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind being the large new addition at Walt Disney World for this yr. Additionally, Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure has debuted within the France pavilion, the Harmonious spectacular performs nightly in World Showcase Lagoon, and the entrance of the half begin to take form with new eating places and retail.
With all of that in thoughts, let’s cowl the 1-day Epcot touring plan…
Before Your Visit – When making Disney Park Pass reservations, take into account reserving a few days at Epcot to enhance your odds at experiencing Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind. Booking Epcot Park Passes for days once you’re planning on visiting Animal Kingdom, along with your devoted Epcot day could make sense.
This is our advice as a result of it offers you a number of tries on the Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind digital queue. You’ll perceive why this flexibility is vital shortly…
Fast-Forward to (Cosmic) Rewind – On the morning of your Epcot day, at the least one particular person in your occasion will should be awake earlier than 7 am. This is as a result of visitors with a sound ticket and a Disney Park Pass reservation for Epcot will be capable to entry the digital queue system beginning at 7 am on the day of their park go to. This is finished outdoors the park–earlier than you permit your resort lodge, or from actually wherever.
The digital queue for Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind fills up quick. Our How to Ride Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind & Virtual Queue Speed Strategy is crucial studying and covers every thing you might want to know–like growing your possibilities of success! (This digital queue continues to be in use as of Late 2022, and at this level, we don’t anticipate it to be retired till January 2023.)
If you’re unsuccessful, you’ll be able to instantly change your Disney Park Pass reservations day-of (pending availability) to a distinct park and easily attempt once more on the following morning you have got Epcot reservations. This is what we name the “Epcot Audible” and it’s really helpful except you have got can’t miss Advance Dining Reservations in Epcot. Alternatively, you’ll be able to attempt to be a part of the digital queue once more at 1 pm from contained in the park.
Pencil Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind into this itinerary every time is handy after your boarding group will get known as. You have an hour to return to the attraction from receiving the notification that it’s your time to journey.
Early Entry at Epcot – Walt Disney World is now providing Early Theme Park Entry, which permits on-site lodge visitors to enter Epcot (or any park) half-hour earlier than official park opening time. Early Entry is obtainable in any respect 4 theme parks each single day of the week. This complicates technique, particularly for off-site visitors. Check out our Guide to Early Theme Park Entry at Walt Disney World for more information.
If you’ll be able to benefit from this early admission and can be coming into by way of International Gateway, we’d strongly suggest studying our latest Early Theme Park Entry at Epcot Photo Report for how one can deal with the park’s headliners by way of standby, and why this on-site perk is best than Genie+ and Lightning Lanes at Epcot.
Navigate to Norway – In the previous, we’d not have really helpful prioritizing World Showcase, which is generally purchasing, eating, and wandering. However, there are a number of compelling causes for doing so proper now.
For starters, World Showcase is residence to each of Epcot’s hottest points of interest that provide standby strains. There’s additionally the truth that most visitors arrive by means of the entrance entrance and do Epcot from entrance to again, which means they do World Showcase within the afternoon. Zig when others zag, and work from again to entrance, which places you on the alternative monitor of crowds. It’s like leaving the town throughout morning rush hour as a substitute of becoming a member of the rat race into city.
This is why we begin our day by heading to Frozen Ever After in World Showcase’s Norway/Arendelle pavilion. This is tied for the most well-liked journey at Epcot proper now, and as such, you actually won’t be the one visitors heading on this course–on the contrary, a large variety of visitors will navigate to Norway. However, it’ll be proportionally fewer than different headliners–or that’ll be going to Norway later within the day.
By the time you get again to Norway, there’s likelihood that Frozen Ever After can have a posted wait time of 45 minutes or longer. So lengthy as you arrive proper at Epcot’s opening time, you must do it anyway. Wait instances for Frozen Ever After solely worsen because the day wears on, as most visitors do World Showcase within the second half of the day.
Cross to Canada – Beatles v. Stones. Coke v. Pepsi. Orange v. Lime. Canada v. Mexico.
Walt Disney World followers have lengthy debated which course is the “correct” option to begin a trek round World Showcase. We’re right here to tell you that the perfect method is definitely each. After ending up in Norway, double again and head to Canada, persevering with round World Showcase in that course. You’ll perceive why once you see the following cease…
Scurry to the Streets of Paris – The different hottest attraction in Epcot is Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure, which can also be the most recent at Walt Disney World. Due to this “new ride smell,” it’s what most visitors race to throughout Early Entry and at rope drop.
Consequently, we’ve noticed an attention-grabbing phenomenon with a relative lull in wait instances about an hour after park opening till round midday. This hole is principally between when the early arrivers have already completed up with the attraction however earlier than the visitors who prioritized the entrance of the park arrive to World Showcase. It’s nonetheless early, so this pattern might change, nevertheless it intuitively is smart and our expectation is that it’ll proceed.
As such, your intention needs to be to reach at Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure earlier than lunch. It could not seem to be a lot, however knocking out these two headliners earlier than mealtime is big, and can set you up for an environment friendly afternoon.
Meal Time on the Muppet Meatery – One of the perfect counter service eating places in Epcot is the brand-new Regal Eagle Smokehouse. It has a wide range of crowd-pleasing BBQ, plus salad and even plant-based choices. (We’ve eaten every thing on the menu–learn our Regal Eagle Smokehouse: A Review of All Foods, But Mostly BBQ Meats for ideas on what to order.)
If you have got the time, it’s value noting that World Showcase has a ton of nice desk service eating places. Doing sit-down meals for lunch and dinner is a stable thought for those who can swing it.
Alternatively, if you must head again to the entrance of the park in your Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind return time, eating on the new Connections Cafe & Eatery isn’t a nasty possibility. The menu is straightforward and simple, however surprisingly good.
American Adventure – Right subsequent door to Regal Eagle Smokehouse is Epcot’s finest attraction. American Adventure is a robust Audio Animatronics present montage stage that includes key moments in American historical past.
American Adventure is so good that it made our listing of the Top 10 Disney Theme Park Attractions. Skipping it could be distinctly unpatriotic.
_______ Around the World – The distance round World Showcase is roughly 1.25 miles. If you observe this plan, meaning you’ll be strolling at the least 2.5 miles (you’re more likely to stroll over 10 miles in a day at Walt Disney World, so that is nothing), as that is going to name for two laps round World Showcase. It’s value it.
During this primary lap, we recommend making an attempt Drinking Around the World or Snacking Around the World. Or attempt each for a distinct type of the “Dopey Challenge.” We suggest a snack or drink at each cease for the balanced method, however hats off if you are able to do extra. Along the way in which, take into account breaks for Reflections of China and Canada Far & Wide.
Around the World Pit Stops – If it’s ‘Festival Season’ at Epcot (which principally encompasses all the yr save for the center of summer time), you must cease to take pleasure in both the meals & drink cubicles or particular choices throughout these occasions.
The 2022 Epcot Food & Wine Festival is operating now by means of November 19, 2022. The Epcot Festival of the Holidays begins a few week after that ends, on November 25 and continues by means of December 30, 2022. Early subsequent yr, the cycle restarts, with the 2023 Epcot International Festival of the Arts operating from January 13 till February 20, 2023. The 2023 Epcot Flower & Garden Festival will possible begin the primary week of March and run till July 4, 2023.
Maneuver to Mexico – Around mid-afternoon, you must discover crowds beginning to construct in World Showcase. Now is the time to double again in direction of the entrance of the park. On your means out, make a cease contained in the Mexico pavilion to do the Gran Fiesta Tour boat journey.
If you’re planning on having fun with a drink or few, now can also be time to cease at La Cava del Tequila or Choza de Margarita for a drink. Both places may have already got strains, however these will solely be worse later.
Back to the Future World – Once you’ve “finished” World Showcase, bounce again to Future World. This is the counter-intuitive method. Most visitors do Epcot from entrance to again, which means the wait instances for points of interest on the entrance of the park are longest in the beginning of the day and reducing within the afternoon.
Order of points of interest doesn’t make an enormous distinction in Future World (with a few large exceptions), however our really helpful method is:
- Journey into Imagination with Figment
- Spaceship Earth
- The Seas with Nemo & Friends (be sure that to take a look at the aquatic life, particularly the majestic manatees)
- Living with the Land
- Soarin’ Around the World
- Mission: Space
- Test Track
That includes a little bit of backtracking; be happy to scale back that if you wish to reduce steps.
The vital factor is to ensure Soarin’ Around the World and Test Track are in direction of the tip. Those are the 2 points of interest that may have the longest strains earlier within the day. By early night, each strains needs to be a lot shorter than they have been within the morning.
Dinner – After coming back from the crimson planet in Mission: Space, head above Earth for dinner at Epcot’s latest restaurant. See our Photos & Video Inside Space 220 Restaurant in addition to our Space 220 Restaurant Review that appears at whether or not the meals is definitely worth the price ticket.
In a perfect state of affairs, you’d ebook an Advance Dining Reservation in World Showcase about 2 hours earlier than Harmonious, with dinner wrapping up shortly earlier than that begins. If orbiting above Earth isn’t your pace, there are nice choices in World Showcase.
Spice Road Table is our high choose in World Showcase proper now for delicacies and open air environment. If this sounds outdoors your consolation zone, we’d encourage you to attempt it regardless of that–there are some surprisingly approachable menu choices. If Spice Road Table doesn’t sound interesting to you take into account Via Napoli, which serves the perfect pizza in Walt Disney World.
Impressions de France – This is the attraction we expertise most in Epcot, and is certainly one of our picks for “Underrated Walt Disney World Experiences.” The rating is hauntingly stunning, and the imagery as you swoop by means of totally different elements of France is beautiful.
There are a number of Epcot movies, however that is the one one which’s really a must-do. (Be certain to take a look at the “Tale as Old as Time” exhibit within the foyer beforehand, too.) Unfortunately, it solely is proven the final 2 hours of the day, so that you won’t have time for each Impressions de France and Harmonious.
Hang Out for Harmonious – The new nighttime spectacular in World Showcase Lagoon for Walt Disney World’s fiftieth Anniversary is Harmonious. This fireworks present options an assortment of songs from Disney films, choreographed fountains, colourful lights, lasers, LED panels, fireworks, a large Stargate, and extra.
It’s an odd mixture of expertise and the present suffers from pacing points and visuals which might be extremely location-dependent. Read and see extra in our complete Harmonious Review. For planning functions, seek the advice of our Best Epcot Fireworks Viewing Spots posts for a listing of the perfect spots and different ideas for viewing the present.
Epcot Post Show: World Showcase Stroll – Since the eating places in World Showcase make eating reservations till park closing and it takes some visitors over an hour after park closing to complete their meals, you have got over an hour to linger and slowly make your means out of the park after the park closes. Take full benefit of this with a leisurely stroll out of the park. Trust us, it’s value it.
If you’re capable of do even 75% of the issues on our Epcot touring plan, you might be just about assured of getting a wonderful day in Epcot. If you do have two or extra days to take pleasure in Epcot, or need to expertise different points of interest moreover these we’ve listed, be sure that to take a look at our Epcot Park & Attractions Guide, which charges and evaluations all points of interest.
Planning a Walt Disney World journey? Learn about inns on our Walt Disney World Hotels Reviews web page. For the place to eat, learn our Walt Disney World Restaurant Reviews. To get monetary savings on tickets or decide which kind to purchase, learn our Tips for Saving Money on Walt Disney World Tickets publish. Our What to Pack for Disney Trips publish takes a singular take a look at intelligent objects to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Ride Guides will assist. For complete recommendation, the perfect place to begin is our Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide for every thing you might want to know!
Your Thoughts
What would you embody in your supreme day in Epcot? Any ideas of your individual so as to add, or belongings you’d suggest that this itinerary is lacking? If you haven’t visited Walt Disney World, what do you intend on doing? Any questions? Hearing your suggestions about your experiences is each attention-grabbing to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas or questions beneath within the feedback!