Top 10 Ultimate Epcot Attractions
#10: World Showcase
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Considering the World Showcase takes up half of the entire park, it may seem crazy to list the entire thing as one entry. Many of the attractions we’ll be featuring today are actually within this section of the park, but here we’re talking about the area as a whole. This world’s fair type attraction comprises eleven pavilions, each representing a different country. Each pavilion is heavily themed and gives guests a chance to fully immerse themselves in the culture of another nation. You could easily spend an entire day walking about here and exploring, and seriously, try to grab a bite while you’re there; there’s some AWESOME restaurants.
#9: International Food & Wine Festival
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Speaking of food, every autumn - and lately late August - Epcot’s World Showcase is taken over by the ever-popular International Food & Wine Festival. If you’re a foodie, you’d be smart to plan your trip during the couple of months that this takes place each year. This event has been going on since 1995 and involves each pavilion pulling out all the stops to showcase their country’s culinary offerings. Similarly, in the spring Epcot plays host to the (xref) International Flower & Garden Festival where you can view incredible Disney themed topiaries and take part in special events.
#8: Journey into Imagination with Figment
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Located on the other side of the park in Future World is the Imagination! pavilion, which houses this kid-friendly ride. Journey into Imagination has gone through many changes since it was first opened in 1983. It started off as a more frightening dark ride, but the latest update it received in 2002 heavily features Figment the friendly dragon, who has become the Imagination! pavilion’s mascot. This is a great ride for little ones and features points of interests for all your senses, reminding us that innovation comes with one little spark.
#7: The Seas with Nemo & Friends
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Not to be confused with Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage, which is located at Disneyland and actually takes guests underwater, this indoor dark ride follows the same theme of trying to locate our favorite animated clownfish. You travel in a “Clamobile” under the sea and visit with all the recognizable characters from the 2003 Pixar animated feature. This is a great ride for kids and typically has short wait times, so it’s the perfect pick if your little ones are getting cranky mid-afternoon - or if they’re into aquariums, and who isn’t?
#6: Frozen Ever After
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“Frozen” mania has officially taken over Disney World, and the center of it is at Epcot. Located in the Norway Pavilion, the ride isn’t actually brand new, as it was previously Maelstrom. The Disney Imagineers did a thorough re-theme of the existing boat ride and it boasts extremely long wait times. Be sure to get a FastPass for this one because lines have been known to last upwards of two hours! Once on it, you’ll be taken through the beloved locales of the Disney blockbuster, all the while getting to revisit with Anna, Elsa, Kristoff, Sven, and Olaf, along with other characters from the other “Frozen” properties!
#5: Spaceship Earth
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Each park has their iconic landmark; Magic Kingdom has Cinderella’s Castle, Animal Kingdom has the Tree of Life, and Epcot has Spaceship Earth. This giant geodesic sphere is the most emblematic attraction of the park and it houses a fun and informative ride. Fun fact: sci-fi legend Ray Bradbury was instrumental in the look and story of this attraction. The theme of the ride is the history of human innovations in communication technology and guests travel from the beginning of time to the present - but during the ride you can create your own future on the ride’s screens. We’ve gotta say, this is kind of a must when you’re at Epcot, if only to experience that distinctive Disney fire smell. Yeah, specific, we know.
#4: Mission: SPACE
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If you’ve ever dreamt of travelling to space, this is the closest you’ll get… well at least at Walt Disney World. Mission: Space uses innovative technology to simulate the experience an astronaut would have while making the journey to Mars. There are two options for this ride depending on what you can stomach – an orange version and a green version. The orange is more intense and thrilling while the green is a bit tamer. As of 2017, the green version has actually been given a whole new storyline in a bid to attract more guests.
#3: Test Track
In this unique experience, guests have the opportunity to design a high-speed slot car and then race it around a track. If you’re looking for thrills, you’ll be interested to know that this is actually the fastest attraction at any Disney Park, reaching speeds of 64.9 miles per hour. If you don’t decide to use a FastPass for Test Track, be prepared to wait in relatively long lines unless you hit it first thing in the morning. The ride does offer a single rider line, which is your best bet if you want to avoid the wait.
#2: IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth
If you haven’t seen a Disney World nighttime show, you have no idea what you’re missing. Of all the after-dark attractions at Disney, Epcot’s IllumiNations stands out from the pack. Calling IllumiNations “fireworks” doesn’t do justice to the incredible, one of a kind viewing experience you’ll get at the World Showcase Lagoon. The show features water-based elements, pyrotechnics, searchlights, and lasers, as well as great music. Better catch it soon though, because as of October 2019, this nearly 20-year-old show will be replaced with Epcot Forever. Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions. Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros The American Adventure Turtle Talk with Crush Living with the Land
#1: Soarin' [aka Soarin' Around the World]
This unique attraction has been consistently popular since it first debuted at Epcot in 2005 and with its most recent update, you’ll be able to have a whole new experience even if you’ve already been on it. As of 2016, this flight motion simulator - which by the way, makes you feel like you’re in a hang glider - has a whole new video, expanding it from sights of California to landmarks from all over the globe. The features of this ride make it wholly immersive, and you’ll forget for a minute that you aren’t actually flying over the Swiss Alps or the Great Wall of China.
