Best Attractions at Epcot, Walt Disney World Resort
Epcot is one of four theme parks that make up Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida. Based on the themes of world exploration and discovery, Epcot is divided into four sections: World Celebration, World Discovery, World Nature and World Showcase.
The park itself is very spread out (twice the size of Magic Kingdom!), with a lake in the middle. There is a lot of walking to cover the entire park, which makes the park feel less crowded, as a bonus, however there are fewer rides, so the rides inside Epcot do attract long queues.
Our top attractions at Epcot:
1. Guardians of the Galaxy – Cosmic Rewind
The best attraction and EPCOT’s newest ride is Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind. This is a mind-blowing enclosed roller coaster that hurtles forwards and backwards (!) through time and space. The ride opened on May 27, 2022 as EPCOT’s first roller coaster and marks the first ever Disney “Omnicoaster,” in which the individual coaster cars rotate in a pre-programmed manner.
Location: World Discovery
Category: Enclosed Roller Coaster / Thrill Ride
Height Requirement: 42″ or taller
Duration: A little less than 4 minutes
Good for: Tweens, Teens, Adults
Disney Genie+/Lightning Lane Pass: Individual Lightning Lane Pass attraction
2. Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure
The 4D-ride is opened on October 1, 2021. It’s a replica of the original Disneyland Paris attraction based on the Pixar animated film Ratatouille.
Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure has a fun storyline where guests are rat-sized and join Chef Remy scurrying through the bustling kitchen, fancy dining room, and into the walls of Gusteau’s restaurant. Featuring state-of-the-art animation, the experience is exciting and immersive.
Location: World Showcase; France Pavilion
Category: Trackless Dark Ride
Height Requirement: None
Duration: 4:40
Good for: Any
Disney Genie+/Lightning Lane Pass: Individual Lightning Lane Pass attraction
3. Test Track
Test Track as the distinction of being the fastest Disney theme park attraction ever built. The ride is a simulated experience that takes you through the many rigorous testing procedures of Chevrolet’s concept cars. The highlight is a speed trial on a track around the exterior of the building at a top speed of 64.9 miles per hour (104.4 km/h).
Location: World Discovery
Category: Thrill Rides, Small Drops
Height Requirement: 40″ or taller
Duration: 5:00
Good for: Kids, Tweens, Teens, Adults
Disney Genie+/Lightning Lane Pass: Disney Genie+ attraction
4. Frozen Ever After
Epcot’s Frozen Ever After attraction is a gentle, slow-moving boat ride through a frozen willow forest, where you will encounter Kristoff’s family from Troll Valley, the icy blue lands of the North Mountain and onwards into Queen Elsa’s ice palace. Anna, Olaf, and more Frozen characters are featured, with the Frozen songs playing in the background.
We were extremely impressed by the smooth, life-like animatronics on this ride. Please note that as this is a boat ride, you may get a little wet.
Location: World Showcase; Norway
Category: Slow Ride, Small Drops, Dark
Height Requirement: Any
Good for: All
Duration: 5:00
Disney Genie+/Lightning Lane Pass: Disney Genie+ attraction
4. Soarin’
Soarin’ is a flight motion simulator attraction that uses a mechanical lift system to raise you high into the air, creating a hang-gliding flight. The ride employs a 180-degree, 80-foot IMAX digital projection dome and artificial wind and aromas to give you an authentic experience of soaring over some of the greatest natural and man-made wonders in the world.
The original Soarin’ opened at Disney California Adventure in 2001, and EPCOT’s version arrived in 2005.
Location: World Nature; The Land Pavilion
Category: Slow Ride, Small Drops
Height Requirement: 40″ or taller
Duration: 4:45
Good for: Kids, Tweens, Teens, Adults
Disney Genie+/Lightning Lane Pass: Disney Genie+ attraction
5. Mission: Space
You will either love this ride, or it will make you want to throw up. Mission: SPACE is a centrifugal motion simulator thrill ride that aims to simulate the experiences aboard a NASA-style spacecraft on a mission to Mars. After completing “training” for your mission, you will board your extremely tiny vessel and be slingshot around the moon. Throughout the ride, you will experience the g-force of liftoff and then the more relaxing hyper-sleep stage.
There are two missions to choose from. The Orange Mission is the more intense version, while the Green Mission is the tamer, family-friendly version that orbits the Earth. We chose the green mission and still felt quite queasy, so I would highly agree with the many warnings that attraction is not recommended for people with weak stomachs or who are prone to motion sickness.
Location: World Discovery
Category: Thrill Ride, Spinning, Dark
Height Requirement: 40″ or Taller
Duration: 5:38
Good for: Kids, Tweens, Teens, Adults
Disney Genie+/Lightning Lane Pass: Disney Genie+ attraction
More information about Epcot
Epcot opened in 1982 as Walt Disney World’s second theme park. It was designed to celebrate human achievements by showcasing international cultures and technological innovation.
We loved the Garden Grill Restaurant character dining experience.
World Showcase comprises 11 pavilions of different countries, including the U.S.A., the U.K., Japan, Morocco, France, Canada, Mexico, China, Norway, Germany, and Italy. They are extremely popular with local visitors, and have many educational aspects as well as good food options.
World Celebration, World Discovery, and World Nature are the new neighborhoods that cover the area previously known as Future World. These areas feature innovative technological and scientific themes and attractions that we highly enjoyed.
I highly recommend staying till after dark to watch the light show on the Epcot ball. It is truly magical! Show themes and times change throughout the year.
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