Why Epcot Is my Favorite Disney Park

On one of my recent Disney posts, a few folks got a little off-topic and revealed in the comments how much they hate Epcot. To each their own. But, Epcot is my favorite Disney park. It has been since I was a young girl. Here is why.

Epcot Is Like 2 Parks in 1

Epcot has two areas: Future World and the World Showcase. The two areas are completely different and have little in common.

Future World has rides like Test Track, Soarin’ and of course the flagship Spaceship Earth. The World Showcase has 11 countries with unique food, rides and entertainment.

Epcot Rides Last Longer

Some of the rides in Epcot last a long time. Spaceship Earth is a 15-minute ride! Back when Ellen’s Energy Adventure was open, the pre-show and ride lasted 45 minutes. Compared to some rides at Magic Kingdom (like the Barnstormer which lasts just over one minute), you get a lot of bang for your queue time.

Epcot Has Slow Rides

When I was a young girl, I hated roller coasters and fast rides (that changed when I got older). But until the end of elementary school, I didn’t want to be pressured to go on fast rides. I loved having so many slow, interesting rides at Epcot that didn’t freak me out. Journey into Imagination (the old retro version) was my favorite.

Of course, Epcot now has some faster-paced rides in addition to the slow rides. And, the park will be getting a big makeover by 2021 in time for Disney World’s 50^th celebration.

The Park is Huge

At 200 acres, Epcot is almost double the size of the Magic Kingdom. Yet, it has fewer visitors than Magic Kingdom or even Animal Kingdom. The pathways are wide, and it always feels less crowded to me.

The World Showcase Inspires People to Travel

Ok, let’s talk about the countries in Epcot. No, they’re not real. Yes, they’re still in Florida.

But, the people who work in them are real. They are from the respective countries working at Epcot for a year. When I was a kid, my mom encouraged me to talk to the cast members in each country and ask them about their home country. Everyone I talked to was thrilled to talk about their home.

As a child, I was inspired to visit the countries featured in Epcot after seeing the movies and watching the entertainment. Impressions de France is the movie that stood out to me. The countryside is so beautiful. In fact, I did visit France for my honeymoon.

The reality is that a lot of Americans never travel to Europe or Asia. Visiting the World Showcase in Epcot gives people who can’t or won’t travel abroad the chance to sample different countries.

Is traveling to the actual country better than visiting the country in Epcot? Of course! But, I hate to see people pooh-poohing the value of the World Showcase.

It’s Great for Kids

When Epcot first opened, it had a reputation of not being great for kids. Let’s face it, Magic Kingdom is still the park with the most rides for kids.

However, Epcot still has a lot to offer kids. I took my kids there when they were 1 and 4, and they had a blast! Epcot has characters, Kidcot stations, fountains and plenty of interactive exhibits to keep kids entertained.

Epcot Food is the Best

I can’t write about how much I love Epcot without mentioning the food. No other park has such a large variety of food choices.

I remember on one of my trips as a kid, the only restaurant we were able to get a reservation to was Marrakesh in Morocco. I was dreading eating there since I was young and still somewhat of a picky eater. However, the atmosphere and food were great, and I still remember details about eating there to this day.

Final Thoughts

Magic Kingdom and the other parks are great, but Epcot holds a special place in my heart. What is your favorite park at Disney World? Any other Epcot fans out there?

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