Epcot might be one of the most unique achievements in theme park history.
To the unfamiliar, the concept of Epcot sounds bizarre at best—a theme park where the primary focus isn’t rides or even intellectual properties but rather a celebration of the world as it could be. It’s probably the only park in the world with roots as a premise for a utopia—an Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow. This idea evolved into a theme park like no other where learning was made fun, emerging technologies could be tested hands-on, and where guests could experience the culture of nations from around the world. Despite being in a class of its own, Epcot has thrived over 35 years as a favorite to generations of Walt Disney World fans.
Unfortunately, of all Disney’s parks, Epcot usually runs into the toughest reputation problems. It’s a hard sell for parents of small kids who are used to the Magic Kingdom experience, and it sometimes gains a sour label as either a “nerd” park or a place better suited to tipsy adults who want to drink around the world.
This is an unfair assessment for a truly outstanding park, one where the best might just be yet to come. What are some of the most common misconceptions people seem to have about Epcot? Here are the top ten that come up the most.
1. It’s the least interesting park at Walt Disney World
One of the most common mistakes first time (or even repeat) guests make visiting Walt Disney World is to skip Epcot.
For families visiting on a 3-day ticket or with kids, it can seem like a tempting option. Most visitors generally treat Magic Kingdom as the must-see Walt Disney World experience with the other three parks trailing in as an afterthought. Disney’s Animal Kingdom bounced back powerfully from a downplayed reputation as a themed zoo after the opening of The World of Pandora, and Disney’s Hollywood Studios has the benefit of hosting a number of familiar intellectual properties like Star Wars, Indiana Jones, and Toy Story. Amidst those options, Epcot can seem like an odd duck.
We tend to gauge theme parks based on rides. Rides, rides, rides. While Epcot has a number of excellent rides, including some top-notch crowd pleasers like Test Track, Soarin’, and Frozen Ever After, the truth is rides aren’t really what Epcot is about.
A visit to Epcot is all about wonder.
Epcot is much less a parade of rides than it is a celebration of culture—past, present, and future. Its edu-tainment roots may have diminished over the years, but they are hardly dead. At Epcot, we get to experience the past through exhibitions of history like the evolution of human communication in Spaceship Earth, world history in the galleries of World Showcase, or national history in The American Adventure. We reflect on the present as we consider the natural world in The Seas with Nemo and Friends, take flight over the globe on Soarin’, or meander through Epcot’s eclectic festivals. Finally, we look to the future near and far, exploring scientific advancement in Mission: SPACE, Living with the Land, and even Innoventions.
Attractions are just a tiny portion of what Epcot has to offer. The reason Epcot continues to timelessly appeal to all ages is because it does something few other theme parks are able to do—it takes us through an all-senses experience, inviting us to imagine the familiar world as it could be.
2. The park was supposed to become a utopian city
Image: Disney
It is true that Walt Disney’s original vision for his Florida project included an “Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow”—an extremely ambitious utopian city where everyone would have a job, all living arrangements and transportation would enjoy cutting edge technology, and where diversity would be preserved in international districts. Walt was so passionate about this vision that he may have only agreed to build the Magic Kingdom as a capitulation to his company’s board, simply as a sort of stepping-stone to fulfill his greater goal of building E.P.C.O.T. Even on his deathbed, Walt continued designing his prototype community, meant to act as a model that cities of the world could follow in its stead. Unfortunately, he passed away before his concept could be realized.
On one hand, it may not have been such a bad thing that Walt’s E.P.C.O.T. didn’t work out. Some elements of his original plan sounded far more like the makings of a dystopian young adult novel than a real utopia. For one thing, no one in E.P.C.O.T. would ever be able to retire—everyone over the age of 18 would have to hold a job. Walt viewed this as a means to eradicate crime and poverty. On a second peculiar note, no one would be able to own land in the city. Rather, Disney would own all of the land so they could update the city’s property, design, and technology uninhibited. All weather would be controlled beneath a giant dome, motorized vehicles would drive underground, and significant aspects of day to day life would be controlled by Disney.
After Walt’s death, it didn’t take long for the E.P.C.O.T. concept to wither. The company quickly changed gears, and when designs began on the actual park, the utopian city idea was long dead. Instead, the designers focused on preserving Walt’s love for learning, futurism, and the World’s Fair concept in a park that kept all of these ideas intact.
3. The World Showcase pavilions are run by their respective countries
Image: Jett Farrell-Vega
One of the most popular assumptions about Epcot’s World Showcase is that the individual countries are run by the governments of the nations they represent. This idea is often cited as the reason more pavilions and rides haven’t been added to World Showcase over the years. While Epcot has run into plenty of stalls in the past due to sponsorships falling through, the root of this idea actually has to do with a quote taken from Disney’s 1975 Annual Report:
“Each participating nation will be asked to provide the capital to cover the cost of designing, developing and constructing its attraction and/or ride and all exhibits, as well as the Pavilion itself. It will also have the responsibility for funding the housing for its employees in the International Village. Its land lease will cover the cost of maintaining the attraction for a minimum of ten years.
The Disney organization will be responsible for area development, including the construction of transportation systems and utilities. We will also build and operate the internal people moving system, the Courtyard of Nations, and central theater facility.”
Epcot didn’t open until 1982. While a series of embassy-like pavilions sponsored by their respective nations may have been part of the early concept of Epcot, this idea never really worked out. In truth, the countries of World Showcase are all run by Disney with some partial sponsorships from business partners like Twinings for the Tea Shoppe in the UK or Mitsukoshi for Japan. The only exception to this is the Moroccan pavilion, which is still sponsored indirectly by the Kingdom of Morocco.
4. Teens won’t like Epcot
Image: Disney
Epcot has gained a frequent reputation as something of an adult-focused park—specifically, a park that is likely to bore teenagers and children to groans and tears.
We’ve addressed this before in our guide to bringing teenagers to Walt Disney World, but the truth is that Epcot is actually an awesome park for teens. People often assume that the best park for adolescents at Walt Disney World is Disney’s Hollywood Studios because of its thrill rides, followed by Disney’s Animal Kingdom (because, well, Pandora), and then Magic Kingdom. Epcot doesn’t usually even make the list.
While Magic Kingdom may be a favorite park for small children, the truth is that teens tend to not enjoy it as much, especially if they don’t have years of Disney nostalgia behind them. While Disney’s Animal Kingdom and Disney’s Hollywood Studios are both outstanding parks to bring teenagers, many families are pleasantly surprised when they give Epcot a chance with visitors in this age range.
Teens can’t stand being treated like little kids. There’s something in them that starts to crave new experiences that might not appeal to younger siblings. Hands-on learning becomes more engaging, they become more curious about the world abroad, and they may even be willing to try new foods they wouldn’t before. Epcot provides the perfect experience for this.
As far as attractions go, Test Track is often ranked as a teen favorite followed by Mission: SPACE Orange Team and Soarin’. Many teens cite that they love Epcot’s eclectic festivals, and you also can’t go wrong visiting teen-friendly exhibits in World Showcase like the sword displays or shops in Norway, Germany, the UK, and Japan. Mitsukoshi, in particular, is an absolute winner, while the Moroccan pavilion can feel like something straight out of a video game. With the Guardians of the Galaxy roller coaster coming soon, Epcot is on-track to become more teen friendly than ever.
5. Kids won’t like Epcot
Image: Disney
“Okay, maybe teens might be all right, but Epcot will certainly bore small kids.”
There is so much for smaller kids to love at Epcot. Frozen Ever After is a hands-down favorite for many of the park’s youngest visitors, as is the Seas with Nemo and Friends (especially if you stop by Turtle Talk with Crush). A Ratatouille attraction coming soon to the France pavilion will add another kid friendly attraction soon.
As for Epcot’s more easy-going rides, the smells, sounds, and sights of Spaceship Earth still captivate all ages (especially the interactive part at the end). Journey Into Imagination may not be quite the hands-on paradise it once was, but kids still enjoy it. Finally, Epcot also has some great scavenger hunt opportunities like its Kidcot craft stations and Agent P’s World Showcase Adventure. Oh, and if your little one loves sweet treats, you can’t beat La Halles Boulangerie Patisserie, Kringla Bakery, or L’Artisan des Glaces.
If that’s not enough, Epcot also has some of the best character greet opportunities you will find in Walt Disney World, especially throughout World Showcase. Characters with ties to each of the countries appear regularly, and characters like Wreck It Ralph or Mickey and Minnie can be found at Future World’s Character Spot. If you’re looking for character dining, Akershus Royal Dining Hall in Norway also hosts one of the most highly reviewed princess dining experiences on property!
6. The food is the hands-down best at Walt Disney World
Image: Disney
This one treads into controversial territory but hear us out…
Epcot does have some of the best food of any of the parks at Walt Disney World—but not all of Epcot’s food is equal.
One of the biggest misconceptions about Walt Disney World is that the food is all burgers, hot dogs, and turkey legs. With this in mind, many guests at Epcot tend to head straight to the Liberty Inn or Electric Umbrella to nosh on something familiar. While Epcot does have plenty of traditional offerings for guests, these are definitely not its strength. Epcot’s best restaurants tend to be those that lean away from standard American and theme park fare.
Finding Epcot’s best restaurants, however, has been complicated by ongoing budget cuts and menu tweaking (often blamed largely on the effects of the Disney Dining Plan). In decades past, Epcot had some seriously amazing restaurants that stood out as best in their class in the Orlando area, including Restaurant Marrakesh, Le Cellier, and The Garden Grill at the Land. These restaurants share a sad common attribute—they cost more than ever before but the quality is nowhere near where it once was. Frequently, guests report that they just felt let down by their experiences at many of Epcot’s classics.
The good news is that Epcot still has some excellent dining. The Biergarten continues to offer mouth-watering German cuisine you won’t forget, and Tutto Italia stands apart as an excellent Italian restaurant. Spice Road Table combines pleasant atmosphere with delicious dishes, while Kringla Bakery hosts some of the most unique sweets you’ll find anywhere in the parks. So far, the Rose and Crown Pub remains a guest favorite, while France’s Monsieur Paul stands out as one of Disney’s finest signature experiences. In the area of quick service meals, Katsura Grill, Tangierine Café, and Sunshine Seasons all provide excellent options.
By the way, on the subject of food…
7. The festivals are all the same
Image: Disney
Epcot’s festivals have become an integral part of the park’s DNA. Whereas the International Food and Wine Festival and Flower and Garden Festival were once pleasant but short-lasting annual events, nowadays, you can visit Epcot almost any time of the year and find a festival taking place.
The year starts off from January to February with the Epcot International Festival of the Arts, offering visually-stunning culinary treats and a broad range of artistic experiences, from living statues to an artisans marketplace that stretches around World Showcase lagoon.
Next comes The International Flower and Garden Festival from March to June. The incredible skill of Disney’s topiary artists and gardeners is put on grand display in stretches of verdant art that cover practically the whole park. The festival’s food offerings focus on natural foods, especially highlighting fruits and vegetables. Special activities include a butterfly garden, educational displays, and a pretty awesome kid’s play zone.
Third is Epcot’s most famous festival and certainly the one with the best eats (indeed, the offerings at the other festivals can seem almost mediocre in comparison). The Epcot International Food and Wine Festival runs from the end of August to November, including a parade of cuisine from over 30 international marketplace booths, special demonstrations from celebrity chefs, and a huge festival center in the old Wonders of Life pavilion. If you only plan to attend one of Epcot’s festivals, this is it, and the food truly is an experience not to be missed.
Finally, the year concludes with the Epcot International Festival of the Holidays. During this mini-festival in November and December, the park is transformed with Christmas cheer from across the nations, and guests can enjoy special dishes and sweet treats from around the world.
8. There’s only one way in
Image: Loren Javier, Flickr (license)
This is a small misconception about Epcot, but it’s one that can save you a ton of time. It may even affect what resort you decide to stay at.
Epcot has a secret entrance.
Okay, it’s not really that secret, but there are still many visitors who have no idea about Epcot’s International Gateway. This sort-of hidden entrance is tucked between World Showcase’s France and UK pavilions, providing direct access to Disney’s Boardwalk as well as to the Epcot resorts like the Yacht and Beach Club, Disney’s Boardwalk Inn, and The Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin. Friendship boats stop at these resorts travelling in between Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Disney’s new Skyliner transportation system will also drop guests off at the International Gateway.
While guests travelling in their own vehicles will generally still need to use Epcot’s main entrance, the International Gateway provides two great functions. First off, the Epcot resorts are some of the most beautiful and convenient on Walt Disney World property. They are all within walking distance of the park thanks to this special entrance. Second, the International Gateway is a great option for guests looking to exit the park without getting caught in the hubbub of Epcot’s main entrance. From the International Gateway, if you want to head to a destination not accessible by friendship boats, you can always walk to a nearby resort and take the bus to the Magic Kingdom, Disney’s Animal Kingdom, or to Disney Springs.
9. Epcot’s facts and representations are all completely accurate
We love Epcot, and it is certainly one of Disney’s most well-known parks for educational entertainment. However, attentive fans may notice that Disney doesn’t quite get everything right with their representations of science, history, and culture in the park.
This is a subject that has fueled entire articles, but Spaceship Earth alone hosts a number of flubs on its historical accuracy. The Egyptians did not exactly invent paper as we know it, the Phoenicians might not have invented the alphabet, and the ancient Greeks didn’t necessarily perfect the idea of public schools. Soarin’ also holds some glaring inaccuracies in its depictions of national landmarks—the Taj Mahal, for one thing, is not nearly that pristine and is often packed with tourists.
Guests who have visited or are from World Showcase’s namesake countries may also spot other inaccuracies. Some of these are intentional—after all, World Showcase is meant to represent an idealized picture of each of these nations. Some of the goof ups are more obvious than others, though, such as the fact that on the map of Mexico at the end of the Gran Fiesta Tour in the Mexico pavilion, the northern half of Mexico (which includes the states of Chihuahua and Sonora) is depicted as a formless, desert wasteland bereft of cities compared to more affluent areas like Mexico City and Cancun. Also, after the Frozen Ever After takeover, there is almost no actual representation of Norwegian culture left in the Norway pavilion.
World Showcase is still an amazing place to visit. It stirs guest curiosity to learn more about each of the nations it has represented, and it also gives guests the opportunity to meet real cast members from those nations. Still, it is an idealized—sometimes too-idealized—picture of these countries.
10. The old attractions are lost forever
Image: Loren Javier, Flickr (license)
Longtime Epcot fans can’t help but pine for nostalgia. There are some elements of Epcot that are nearly unrecognizable from the days of yesteryear, and some of the park’s best attractions (like Horizons) were lost prematurely due to sponsorship fall-throughs and ongoing changes in the park’s culture. While it might be easy to assume that all of the Disney magic of days gone by has been lost forever, there are actually some elements of former attractions that still survive to this day.
We already mentioned one: guests who visit Epcot’s International Food and Wine Festival can take a stroll over to the event’s Festival Center to get a look inside Epcot’s long-lost Wonders of Life pavilion. The famous Rainbow Tunnel from Journey Into Imagination’s ImageWorks reportedly found new life in the Wreck It Ralph character greet, and if you happen to be visiting the Hollywood Backlot at Disney’s California Adventure, you might just spot a familiar sea monster from the classic attraction, The World of Motion. Finally, while Frozen Ever After might follow it’s own pace, the attraction is built directly atop of the bones of another lost Epcot classic, Maelstrom, to the point that maybe—just maybe—you might be able to throw on a pair of headphones running the old ride audio and get a vague feel for that long lost journey through troll country…
What are some of the biggest misconceptions you’ve run into about Epcot?
