Epcot with Little Kids

WALT DISNEY WORLD ITINERARIES

EPCOT

With Littles! Several Plans to Fit Your Needs

Some people think Epcot is an adult park, but that is not the case at all! There are plenty of fun things for younger kids to do! And a must-do for Frozen fans!

*If any of the adults in your group want to take time to ride Guardians of the Galaxy Cosmic Rewind, you may want to consider buying a Lightning Lane Single Pass and then using rider swap. This will ensure you can ride without a long wait for the other adult(s) and kids waiting on you.

There are several versions of this intinerary depending on if you’re using early entry and which entrance:

Using Early Entry - Starting from the Main Entrance

If you are staying at a Disney resort or a hotel on this list, we highly recommend making use of Early Entry! If you do, you do not need to buy Lightning Lane MultiPass.

If you will be arriving by car, bus, or monorail, use this plan because you will be arriving at the main entrance.
All times are just a guide. Do not be too concerned with sticking to this exactly – the times are more about the amount of time each activity will probably take. You will need to rearrange based on dining reservations.

I know this seems early, but it takes time to walk to transportation, wait for transportation, and get to the entrance. Your goal is to get to the entrance around 8am, 30 minutes before the official start of early entry.

If you’re staying at a busy resort and arriving by bus, you may need to leave your room at 7am to walk to the bus stop, wait for the bus, then ride to the park. Bus times can be a bit unpredictable so I always think it’s better to give yourself plenty of time. A relaxed morning is better than a stressed and rushed morning, even if it means waking up a bit earlier.

If you’re staying at a monorail resort, you may be fine leaving your room at 7:30 to get to the monorail and get to the park by 8. 

Walk from transportation to the main entrance and get in line for security and ticket check.

Time-Saving Tip:
If you’re pushing a stroller, put all bags in the stroller and have one person wait in the bag line with the stroller. Everyone else can skip the bag line and get in the ticket/magic band scanning line. The line to the far left is often the shortest. The person with the stroller will hopefully join you in line before you go through or meet you on the other side. The ticket line will often start letting people through before 8:30am, that’s why you’re arriving early!

Make sure everyone has a magic band or have the tickets pulled up in the My Disney Experience App. Cast members will be there to help you if you have trouble.

As soon as they let people into the park, know where you’re going and walk quickly but don’t run to your first attraction. It’s not the time to take many photos but you can do that later!

While Test Track is down and/or you have kids under 40″ – head to Norway to ride Frozen Ever After.

Once Test Track re-opens – choosing Test Track first is a good idea. You may be able to ride Test Track and still get over to Frozen Ever After before official park opening time.

Since you are entering at the main entrance, trying to walk fast to Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure is not a good choice. It will take a while to get there and everyone entering at the back entrance will beat you there.

Anything else is not a good choice to do first.

(This recommendation will change once Test Track re-opens)

If you’re up for a brisk walk, you may be able to get in line for Remy before the rest of the crowd enters the park from the main entrance. As soon as you exit Frozen, start walking quickly to the right (back the way you came) and keep going around the lake all the way to the France pavilion. (You could also walk the other way around the lake but we have found going through Canada to be a bit faster). Don’t stop to enjoy the world pavilions – you’ll do that later!

Get in line for Remy. If the wait is already over an hour you could wait and hope it’s shorter late in the day, but it doesn’t often drop much.

The queue for Remy goes through many different rooms that keep it interesting, but also keep you guessing about how close you’re getting.

You did it! You knocked out the two attractions with the longest lines before 10am! That was a lot of fast walking! Now it’s time to slow it down…

Enjoy the France pavilion as you exit Remy. I recommend getting a breakfast snack at Les Halles Boulangerie-Patisserie. Check the app to see if Princess Belle is doing any meet n greets in France while you are there. There is a movie in France that rotates between Impressions de France and Beauty and the Beast Sing-Along. They are enjoyable but not must-dos. If you’d like to take time to meet some characters today, I might skip this movie to save time.

Next, cross the bridge to the United Kingdom. You can meet Winnie the Pooh in Christopher Robin’s room if you head toward the back. You can also sometimes meet Mary Poppins in the UK area.

Next you can head to Canada. The main thing to do here is watch the 360 degree movie “Canada Far and Wide in Circle-Vision 360.” It is a 12-minute movie with some gorgeous scenery if you’d like to take time to enjoy it. 

Walk to the Imagination Pavilion (what looks like 2 pyramids). Get in line for Journey into Imagination with Figment, a slow-moving dark ride with no height requirement. It’s not amazing, but it’s still fun! 

As you exit the ride, you will go through the Imagination Pavilion which has some fun interactive areas and sometimes has characters you can meet like Joy from Inside Out. Let your kids enjoy this area for a bit!

The other attraction in the Imagination Pavilion is the Pixar Short Film Festival. These are a selection of Pixar shorts and are fun, but not a must-see since you can watch these on Disney+. You can decide if watching a movie would interest your kids.

Outside the Imagination Pavilion are some fun jumping fountains that kids like to play with!

Walk to the Land Pavilion. It’s to the left as you exit the Imagination Pavilion and up the hill to the building labeled “The Land.” 

Inside the Land building, you will find the entrance for Living with the Land, a slow-moving boat ride that is an old-school Epcot classic! Learn about the journey of water, farming, and see a working green house where they grow food you eat in the park

Lunch will vary depending on if you have a dining reservation for a sit-down restaurant or not. Please see the tab above about Advanced Dining Reservations and places we recommend.

If you don’t have a table-service dining reservation and are in the Word Nature or World Celebration area, you can eat at Sunshine Season in the Land pavilion, find a festival booth nearby, or try Connections Eatery.

This is such a fun area where you get to interact with water in many different ways. Warning – you can get wet! You can avoid getting wet, but your kids may choose not to avoid getting wet. It’s a great way to cool down on a hot day, and a good choice to do before you leave the park for a nap or pool break.

Even if your kids don’t always nap at home, Disney will wear them out! If you’re staying on property, you could go back to your room for a nap or break.

If you’d rather not spend time leaving the park, you can walk around and see if your kid(s) will nap in their stroller. Then as the kid(s) nap adults could enjoy taking turns on bigger rides, or trying drinks and snacks.

No trip to Epcot is complete without a ride into the big ball! This is an original Epcot classic that takes you on a 16-minute trip through the history of communication.

Walk over to the Seas building and enter the queue for The Seas with Nemo and Friends. This is a lovely dark omnimover ride. 

The end of the ride will put you into the sea base. Take some time to enjoy this aquarium! There are some great animal exhibits, a huge tank full of tropical fish and sharks, and a manatee rescue habitat. 

While in the sea base, find the sign for Turtle Talk with Crush if you have kids. Teens may not be interested, but most kids love this opportunity to talk to Crush the sea turtle from Finding Nemo. Crush really interacts with the audience and talks and asks them questions. It’s delightful and usually funny too!

Head into the middle section (World Celebration) and enter the CommuniCore building where you can meet Mickey and friends! This is the place to meet Mickey in his classic tuxedo with red pants.

These popular princesses can get a long line and are not open during early entry, but by this point in the evening should have a shorter line. BUT…during some times of year they stop the line at 6:15. Check the app early in the day and it will tell you what time it closes.  If it closes early, take out a step above or shorten your break.

This is a great character meet and greet! Both sisters really take time with each kid and make it fun!

This is a fun pavilion to explore! It’s inside a pyramid and inside it feels like you’re in a traditional Mexican village at night. 

Adults might enjoy stopping in La Cava del Tequila and getting a beverage.

Head toward the back of the building to get in line for the Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros. It’s a classic dark boat ride about Mexico featuring Donald, Jose, and Panchito.

Enjoy the pavilions you haven’t seen yet! In order, Norway, China, Germany, Italy, then you’ll be back to France where you were this morning. There are many cool shops and eateries and the best part is enjoying the ambiance, especially at night! During festivals there are also many food booths around. 

After you get some food, evaluate if you think your kids can keep going and see the nightime show or if you need to head back and go to bed.

We like to have some food or drinks in hand, then grab a good spot to watch Luminous around the lake. Anywhere with a good view of the lake and the sky without things blocking you is a good view.

This show is wonderful! I know it’s late for some kids, but if they had a nap and you think they can make it through, I think it’s worth it. This is not just a “fireworks show.” It combines fountains, projections, fireworks, light, music, and beautiful storytelling. If you’re a person who likes to feel feelings, and can let yourself get lost in the magic, you will love this show!

If you have no interest in the show or will be at Epcot multiple nights, then end of the night is also a great time to hop in line for one last ride of the day.

Using Early Entry - Starting from the International Gateway Entrance

If you will be Skyliner, boat, or walking from a Boardwalk-area resort, use this plan.
All times are just a guide. Do not be too concerned with sticking to this exactly – the times are more about the amount of time each activity will probably take. 

I know this seems early, but it takes time to walk to transportation, wait for transportation, and get to the entrance. Your goal is to get to the entrance around 8am, 30 minutes before the official start of early entry.

If you’re staying at a busy resort and arriving by skyliner, you may need to leave your room at 7am to walk to the skyliner station, wait in line for the skyliner (the line moves fast though), then ride to the park. It can take longer than you think. A relaxed morning is better than a stressed and rushed morning, even if it means waking up a bit earlier.

If you’re staying at Boardwalk area resort, you can take a boat or walk. Walking could be fasted and you may only need 15 minutes to walk over. 

Walk to the entrance and get in line for security and ticket check.

Time-Saving Tip:
If you’re pushing a stroller, put all bags in the stroller and have one person wait in the bag line with the stroller. Everyone else can skip the bag line and get in the ticket/magic band scanning line. The line to the far left is often the shortest. The person with the stroller will hopefully join you in line before you go through or meet you on the other side. The ticket line will often start letting people through before 8:30am, that’s why you’re arriving early!

Make sure everyone has a magic band or have the tickets pulled up in the My Disney Experience App. Cast members will be there to help you if you have trouble.

As soon as they let people into the park, walk quickly to the right over the bridge and right again into France and toward the back to the entrance of Remy. Just follow the crowd or the cast member leading the pack. Walk quickly but don’t run. If you have a stroller, go on and get your kids out of it and have them walk or carry them so you can quicly park it and run in.

If you made it in and out of Remy before official park opening time, you have a great opportunitiy to try to beat the regular crowd over to Frozen Ever After while the line is still shorter. The quickest route is usually going left from France, toward UK and around the lake toward Mexico and then to Norway. You can also go right to get to Norway. It’s a pretty even distance but it seems to be slightly faster the other way and we’ve done both. Either way, walk fast! You’ll slow it down soon 🙂

These popular princesses can get a long line and are not open during early entry, but this early in the day it should have a shorter line. 

This is a great character meet and greet! Both sisters really take time with each kid and make it fun!

This is a fun pavilion to explore! It’s inside a pyramid and inside it feels like you’re in a traditional Mexican village at night. 

Head toward the back of the building to get in line for the Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros. It’s a classic dark boat ride about Mexico featuring Donald, Jose, and Panchito.

There is a playground located behind the Creations Shop, across from the entrance to Test Track if your kids want some time to run around! It’s also a good time for adults to take turns riding Guardians of the Galaxy or Mission Space while the kids play.

No trip to Epcot is complete without a ride into the big ball! This is an original Epcot classic that takes you on a 16-minute trip through the history of communication.

Lunch will vary depending on if you have a dining reservation for a sit-down restaurant or not. Please see the tab above about Advanced Dining Reservations and places we recommend.

If you don’t have a table-service dining reservation and are in the World Celebration area, you can eat at Connections Eatery, a festival booth, or backtrack to Mexico to find delicious food.

This is such a fun area where you get to interact with water in many different ways. Warning – you can get wet! You can avoid getting wet, but your kids may choose not to avoid getting wet. It’s a great way to cool down on a hot day.

Even if your kids don’t always nap at home, Disney will wear them out! If you’re staying on property, you could go back to your room for a nap or break.

If you’d rather not spend time leaving the park, you can walk around and see if your kid(s) will nap in their stroller. Then as the kid(s) nap adults could enjoy taking turns on bigger rides, or trying drinks and snacks.

Walk over to the Seas building and enter the queue for The Seas with Nemo and Friends. This is a lovely dark omnimover ride. 

The end of the ride will put you into the sea base. Take some time to enjoy this aquarium! There are some great animal exhibits, a huge tank full of tropical fish and sharks, and a manatee rescue habitat. 

While in the sea base, find the sign for Turtle Talk with Crush if you have kids. Teens may not be interested, but most kids love this opportunity to talk to Crush the sea turtle from Finding Nemo. Crush really interacts with the audience and talks and asks them questions. It’s delightful and usually funny too!

Walk to the Land Pavilion. It’s to the left as you exit the Imagination Pavilion and up the hill to the building labeled “The Land.” 

Inside the Land building, you will find the entrance for Living with the Land, a slow-moving boat ride that is an old-school Epcot classic! Learn about the journey of water, farming, and see a working green house where they grow food you eat in the park!

Head into the middle section (World Celebration) and enter the CommuniCore building where you can meet Mickey and friends! This is the place to meet Mickey in his classic tuxedo with red pants.

Walk to the Imagination Pavilion (what looks like 2 pyramids). Get in line for Journey into Imagination with Figment, a slow-moving dark ride with no height requirement. It’s not amazing, but it’s still fun! 

As you exit the ride, you will go through the Imagination Pavilion which has some fun interactive areas and sometimes has characters you can meet like Joy from Inside Out. Let your kids enjoy this area for a bit!

Enjoy the world pavilions you haven’t seen yet! You can do everything, but that’s ok! At least enjoy the ambiance! In order:

  • Canada – Check out the 360 degree film – Canada Far and Wide, featuring some beautiful scenery.
  • United Kingdom – Check out the gardens and the maze. You can also check the app to see if Winnie the Pooh, Mary Poppins, or Alice in Wonderland are doing meet and greets.
  • France – There are two movies in France – Impressions de France and the Beauty and the Beast Sing-Along. They are not must-dos but ok if you have extra time. You can also check the app and see if Princess Belle or Princess Aurora are doing meet and greets.
  • Morocco – Check out the Gallery of Arts and History. You can also check the app to see if Jasmine is doing meet and greets. 
  • Japan – You can pick out a pearl at the main store, check out the zen garden, check the app for Mulan.
  • America – See if the Voices of Liberty are performing around the time you’re there. They are a wonderful singing group. There is also a half-hour animatronic show about American History that is wonderful, but sometimes boring to kids.
  • Italy – Check out the plaza and the fountain
  • Germany – Meet Snow White, check out the glass art in Germany
  • China – Has a beautiful film called Reflections of China
  • Then you’re back to Norway where you were this morning. If you didn’t before, you can check out the Stave Church Gallery featuing myths and legends of the Vikings.

There are many cool shops and eateries in each pavilion and the best part is enjoying the ambiance, especially at night! There are also live performances that happen throughout the day. During festivals there are also many food and drink booths around. 

Another thing to do with kids is collect the postcards from the Kid Corners. And if you have time, you could do the DuckTales scavenger hunt in the Play Disney App.

We like to have some food or drinks in hand, then grab a good spot to watch Luminous around the lake. Anywhere with a good view of the lake and the sky without things blocking you is a good view.

This show is wonderful! I know it’s late for some kids, but if they had a nap and you think they can make it through, I think it’s worth it. This is not just a “fireworks show.” It combines fountains, projections, fireworks, light, music, and beautiful storytelling. If you’re a person who likes to feel feelings, and can let yourself get lost in the magic, you will love this show!

If you have no interest in the show or will be at Epcot multiple nights, then end of the night is also a great time to hop in line for one last ride of the day.

NOT Using Early Entry or Lightning Lanes - Starting from the Main Entrance

Without early entry you will have a few longer waits, but it’s totally doable! Use this plan to avoid waiting too long.

I know this seems early, but it takes time to get to the park, walk to the entrance, and get through security and ticketing. Your goal is to get to the entrance around 8:30am, 30 minutes before the official opening time.

Walk to the entrance and get in line for security and ticket check.

Time-Saving Tip:
If you’re pushing a stroller, put all bags in the stroller and have one person wait in the bag line with the stroller. Everyone else can skip the bag line and get in the ticket/magic band scanning line. The line to the far left is often the shortest. The person with the stroller will hopefully join you in line before you go through or meet you on the other side. The ticket line will often start letting people through before 8:30am, that’s why you’re arriving early!

Make sure everyone has a magic band or have the tickets pulled up in the My Disney Experience App. Cast members will be there to help you if you have trouble.

You are arriving early because they will let you into the park before 9am. You can go in and take some photos before getting in line for your first attraction.

I normally tell people to head to Frozen or Remy first, but if you’re not using Early Entry, the lines for those two will already be long by the time to walk to them, especially with little kids in tow.

Instead you’re going to wait a bit until the rope-drop crowd dies down.

You might as well start with a trip into the giant ball! Spaceship Earth is an original Epcot classic that takes you on a 16-minute trip through the history of communication.

Head into the middle section (World Celebration) and enter the CommuniCore building where you can meet Mickey and friends! This is the place to meet Mickey in his classic tuxedo with red pants.

This line get longer later in the day but should be short this early in the day.

Now it’s time for Frozen! There will be a line, but the rope drop crowd should have died down by 10am so there is often a bit of a lull. The main part of the queue is inside and styled to look like the village of Arundel at night and is quite a lovely queue to wait in!

A lot of people get in line for this meet and greet after rope dropping Frozen Ever After, so the line should be shorter than a little earlier. But if it longer than 45 minutes, wait and come back in the evening. 

This is a great character meet and greet! Both sisters really take time with each kid and make it fun!

Start walking over to France. You will go through several other countries as you walk and are welcome to check the app for any characters that may be out, or you can do that after Remy.

Remy’s will have a wait. If it’s way too long for you, you can choose to skip it altogether or ride it at the end of the night instead of watching Luminous (I don’t recommend this swap but some prefer rides over nighttime shows).

Lunch will vary depending on if you have a dining reservation for a sit-down restaurant or not. Please see the tab above about Advanced Dining Reservations and places we recommend.

If you don’t have a table-service dining reservation and are in the World Showcase area, you find so many quick-service options and food booths to fit any food preference.

After lunch you can continue to explore World Showcase. Some things younger kids may be interested in (character meet and greets not guaranteed – check the app! They can also get long lines):

  • Canada – Canada Far and Wide 360 degree movie
  • UK – Meet Winnie the Pooh, Mary Poppins, and/or Alice in Wonderland
  • France – Beauty and the Beast Sing-Along movie, meet Belle in her provincial clothes, meet Princess Aurora
  • Morocco – Meet Jasmine
  • America – Voices of Liberty performance. There is also a 30-minute animatronic show but most kids find it boring.
  •  Germany – Meet Snow White
  •  China – Meet Mulan, 360 degree movie

Even if your kids don’t always nap at home, Disney will wear them out! If you’re staying on property, you could go back to your room for a nap or break.

If you’d rather not spend time leaving the park, you can walk around and see if your kid(s) will nap in their stroller. Then as the kid(s) nap adults could enjoy taking turns on bigger rides, or trying drinks and snacks.

Walk over to the Seas building and enter the queue for The Seas with Nemo and Friends. This is a lovely dark omnimover ride. 

The end of the ride will put you into the sea base. Take some time to enjoy this aquarium! There are some great animal exhibits, a huge tank full of tropical fish and sharks, and a manatee rescue habitat. 

While in the sea base, find the sign for Turtle Talk with Crush if you have kids. Teens may not be interested, but most kids love this opportunity to talk to Crush the sea turtle from Finding Nemo. Crush really interacts with the audience and talks and asks them questions. It’s delightful and usually funny too!

This is such a fun area where you get to interact with water in many different ways. Warning – you can get wet! You can avoid getting wet, but your kids may choose not to avoid getting wet. It’s a great way to cool down on a hot day.

Walk to the Land Pavilion. It’s to the left as you exit the Imagination Pavilion and up the hill to the building labeled “The Land.” 

Inside the Land building, you will find the entrance for Living with the Land, a slow-moving boat ride that is an old-school Epcot classic! Learn about the journey of water, farming, and see a working green house where they grow food you eat in the park!

Walk to the Imagination Pavilion (what looks like 2 pyramids). Get in line for Journey into Imagination with Figment, a slow-moving dark ride with no height requirement. It’s not amazing, but it’s still fun! 

As you exit the ride, you will go through the Imagination Pavilion which has some fun interactive areas and sometimes has characters you can meet like Joy from Inside Out. Let your kids enjoy this area for a bit!

There is a playground located behind the Creations Shop, across from the entrance to Test Track if your kids want some time to run around! It’s also a good time for adults to take turns riding Guardians of the Galaxy or Mission Space while the kids play.

I recommend getting some dinner in Mexico! Or any other location near you.

This is a fun pavilion to explore! It’s inside a pyramid and inside it feels like you’re in a traditional Mexican village at night. 

Head toward the back of the building to get in line for the Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros. It’s a classic dark boat ride about Mexico featuring Donald, Jose, and Panchito.

We like to have some food or drinks in hand, then grab a good spot to watch Luminous around the lake. Anywhere with a good view of the lake and the sky without things blocking you is a good view.

This show is wonderful! I know it’s late for some kids, but if they had a nap and you think they can make it through, I think it’s worth it. This is not just a “fireworks show.” It combines fountains, projections, fireworks, light, music, and beautiful storytelling. If you’re a person who likes to feel feelings, and can let yourself get lost in the magic, you will love this show!

If you have no interest in the show or will be at Epcot multiple nights, then end of the night is also a great time to hop in line for one last ride of the day.

NOT Using Early Entry, using Lightning Lane MultiPass

If you will not be able to use Early Entry and want to save some time in line, MultiPass will help you save time on at least one attraction. 

Please refer to the Disney World page for instructions on how to purchase Lightning Lane MultiPass and select your first 3 selections.

You will be able to choose 1 attraction from Tier 1. Your first choice should be Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure. The time doesn’t matter much – take whatever you can get. If Remy is unavailable, your second choice is Frozen Ever After.

You will be able to choose 2 attractions from Tier 2. The most important thing is to have one of these be at 9am. You also want it to be something you do actually want to do. A decent priority order should be:

  1. Spaceship Earth
  2. Mission Space – Skip this one if you get motion sick or don’t like small spaces.
  3. The Seas with Nemo and Friends
  4. Living with the Land

You want one Lightning Lane as soon as possible because as soon as you tap into your first attraction at 9am, it opens up your ability to book another Lightning Lane in ANY tier. Ideally you will have booked Remy in advance, you’ll have something like Spaceship Earth or The Seas with Nemo booked for 9am, then be able to book Frozen as soon as you tap into your first attraction.

Another thing to consider is how far apart some attractions are at Epcot. Frozen and Remy are not close to eachother or any other Lightning Lane attraction. Check the app in advance to familiarize yourself with where things are.

A good pre-selected schedule:

  • 9am – Spaceship Earth (early – yay!)
  • 10am – The Seas with Nemo and Friends (close to Spaceship Earth to avoid crisscrossing the park and still early)
  • 5pm – Remy (later in the day is just fine!)
A bad pre-selected schedule:
  • 11am – Turtle Talk with Crush – too late for your first LL and this attraction doesn’t need it
  • 2pm – The Seas with Nemo and Friends – too late and not close enough to Turtle Talk because they are in the same building
  • 8:30pm – Remy – You’ll miss the nightime show Luminous if it’s too close to 9pm

I know this seems early, but it takes time to get to the park, walk to the entrance, and get through security and ticketing. Your goal is to get to the entrance around 8:30am, 30 minutes before the official opening time.

Walk to the entrance and get in line for security and ticket check.

Time-Saving Tip:
If you’re pushing a stroller, put all bags in the stroller and have one person wait in the bag line with the stroller. Everyone else can skip the bag line and get in the ticket/magic band scanning line. The line to the far left is often the shortest. The person with the stroller will hopefully join you in line before you go through or meet you on the other side. The ticket line will often start letting people through before 8:30am, that’s why you’re arriving early!

Make sure everyone has a magic band or have the tickets pulled up in the My Disney Experience App. Cast members will be there to help you if you have trouble.

You are arriving early because they will let you into the park before 9am. You can go in and take some photos but try to head in the direction of your first Lightning Lane.

As soon as it’s 9am, enter the Lightning Lane entrance of your first attraction and tap your phone or magic band at the silver sphere touchpoints. As soon as you tap in, open your app, go to Ligthning Lanes, and if there are any available Lightning Lanes for Frozen – grab it fast! If they are gone, at least get Soarin’. 

Now put your phone away quick and enjoy your first attraction!

If you didn’t get the best time when you quickly grabbed your next Lightning Lane, you can try to modify it, but sometimes if you see an earlier time by the time you grab it someone else will have grabbed it and it could be gone.

The good thing about Epcot is all of the other attractions besides the Tier 2 attractions usually have short waits. So it’s easy to fill in time in between Lightning Lanes with other attractions. Even if the attraction is included in Lightning Lane Multipass, that doesn’t mean you need to wait to get a Lightning Lane to do the attraction. It probably won’t save you much time and criss-crossing the park to try to do as many Lightning Lanes as possible doesn’t work well at this large park.

Instead, check out whatever attraction is close to where you are, or what is in between where you are now and where you next Lightning Lane is.

If you’re first Lightning Lane was for The Seas with Nemo, do Turtle Talk or explore the aquarium. If your first Lightning Lane was Spaceship Earth, you could go right to The Seas, or left to Mission Space.

As soon as you tap into your next Lightning Lane, book another. If you already got Frozen, book Soarin’. If there are no Tier 1s available, choose another Tier 2 you’re interested in.

Keep an eye on what times you are choosing and where attractions are. You don’t want an order such as Remy, then Living with the Land, then Frozen, then Soarin – you’ll spend your day walking and pushing a stroller and will wear yourself out!

Do more attractions close to where you are. 

Things kids enjoy in the bottom half of the park:

  • Exploring the aquarium and doing Turtle Talk with Crush in the Seas building
  • Playing with water at Journey of Water Inspired by Moana
  • Living with the Land boat ride
  • Journey into Imagination with Figment and exploring the interactive exhibits and characters inside the Imagination pavilion
  • Meet Mickey, Minnie, and friends in World Celebration
  • Playing on the playground near Test Track
  • Playing in the water splash area near Mission Space

Things kids enjoy in World Showcase (other than the 2 major attractions – Frozen and Remy):

  • Gran Fiesta Tour
  • Exploring shops
  • Meet Anna and Elsa
  • Meet characters around the world – check the app for times they will be out
  • Beauty and the Beast Sing-Along
  • Duck Tales Scavenger Hunt in the Play Disney app
 
 
 

Lunch will vary depending on if you have a dining reservation for a sit-down restaurant or not. Please see the tab above about Advanced Dining Reservations and places we recommend.

If you don’t have a table-service dining reservation and are in the World Showcase area, you will find so many quick-service options and food booths to fit any food preference.

If you are in the World Celebration area, there are kid-friendly options at Sunshine Seasons inside The Land building and Connections Eatery.

Even if your kids don’t always nap at home, Disney will wear them out! If you’re staying on property, you could go back to your room for a nap or break.

If you’d rather not spend time leaving the park, you can walk around and see if your kid(s) will nap in their stroller. Then as the kid(s) nap adults could enjoy taking turns on bigger rides, or trying drinks and snacks.

Return to the park. If you have any upcoming Lightning Lanes, make sure you give yourself enough time to get there. In between Lightning Lanes, do the other things in the park as you come to them.

Things kids enjoy in the bottom half of the park:

  • Exploring the aquarium and doing Turtle Talk with Crush in the Seas building
  • Playing with water at Journey of Water Inspired by Moana
  • Living with the Land boat ride
  • Journey into Imagination with Figment and exploring the interactive exhibits and characters inside the Imagination pavilion
  • Meet Mickey, Minnie, and friends in World Celebration
  • Playing on the playground near Test Track
  • Playing in the water splash area near Mission Space

Things kids enjoy in World Showcase (other than the 2 major attractions – Frozen and Remy):

  • Gran Fiesta Tour
  • Exploring shops
  • Meet Anna and Elsa
  • Meet characters around the world – check the app for times they will be out
  • Beauty and the Beast Sing-Along
  • Duck Tales Scavenger Hunt in the Play Disney app
 
 
 

Dinner will vary depending on if you have a dining reservation for a sit-down restaurant or not. Please see the tab above about Advanced Dining Reservations and places we recommend.

If you don’t have a table-service dining reservation and are in the World Showcase area, you will find so many quick-service options and food booths to fit any food preference.

If you are in the World Celebration area, there are kid-friendly options at Sunshine Seasons inside The Land building and Connections Eatery.

We like to have some food or drinks in hand, then grab a good spot to watch Luminous around the lake. Anywhere with a good view of the lake and the sky without things blocking you is a good view.

This show is wonderful! I know it’s late for some kids, but if they had a nap and you think they can make it through, I think it’s worth it. This is not just a “fireworks show.” It combines fountains, projections, fireworks, light, music, and beautiful storytelling. If you’re a person who likes to feel feelings, and can let yourself get lost in the magic, you will love this show!

If you have no interest in the show or will be at Epcot multiple nights, then end of the night is also a great time to hop in line for one last ride of the day.

Attraction Information:

Description: This is a wonderful attraction for all ages! Board a boat and go through dark rooms with scenes inspired by the movie Frozen, featuring many of the great songs and all your favorite characters. 

Height Requirement: None! BUT…

There are Small Drops – Hold on to babies and toddlers. When you reach Elsa’s castle scene, Elsa pushes you back and your boat goes backward down a small hill. Then after you see the big snowman (Marshmellow), you’ll go forward down a hill that ends in a small splash. The hill is similar to the small drop on Pirates of the Caribbean. Littles will be fine, but you need to hold onto them.

Queue: The queue is part of the experience! When the line is long it may start outside, but then you’ll move inside where it feels like evening in the square in Arendelle. You’ll even get to walk through Oken’s and may see Oken peeking out from the sauna. 

Ride Vehicle: Boat with 4 bench rows that fit 2-3 people each. No lap bar.

Ride Length: 5 minutes

Lightning Lane: Yes, included in Lightning Lane MultiPass as a Tier 1 attraction.

Lightning Lane Sell-out Time: Lightning Lane time slots are usually gone by 10am on moderate days and may be gone before the park even opens on heavy crowd days. It will occasionally pop back up though, so keep refreshing.

Average wait time: 60 minutes

Location: Norway Pavilion in World Showcase

Ride Photo: Yes! During the final drop after you see Marshmellow, the big snowman.

Description: Shrink down to the size of a mouse and go on an adventure with Remy through his restaurant in Paris. It combines real sets, 3D screens, and trackless ride vehicles to create an awesome experience!

Height Requirement: None! But hold on to babies and toddlers. The ride does a few turns that whip around a bit quickly. The ride includes 3D glasses which may not fit babies and toddlers but they will still enjoy it.

Queue: The queue is part of the experience! You will go through multiple small rooms that are themed to Paris and out onto a Paris rooftop. Some of the rooms are a little small and when you think you must be getting close, there’s another room. If the queue starts outside – it’s too long.

Ride Length: 5 minutes

Ride Vehicle: Trackless mouse with 2 rows that fit 2-3 people each. There is a lap bar that pulls down but it is not tight. The ride also requires 3D glasses.

Lightning Lane: Yes, included in Lightning Lane MultiPass as a Tier 1 attraction.

Lightning Lane Sell-out Time: Lightning Lane time slots are usually gone by 8:30am on moderate days and are usually gone before the park opens on heavy crowd days. It will occasionally pop back up if you refresh, but not very often.

Average wait time: 70 minutes

Location: France Pavilion in World Showcase

Ride Photo: No

This attraction is currently going through refurbishment. We will update this with any new information after it reopens in 2025.

Description: Board a car and go through test simulations that take you around tight curves and other maneuvers in an indoor set building, then head outside for a thrilling race around a track where you hit speeds of over 60mph. It’s a fun thrill!

Height Requirement: 40″ – Rider swap is available. Check in with a cast member at the entrance to use rider swap. Smaller kids can play at the nearby playground while older kids and parents ride.

Queue: The queue is part of the experience! (This is based on the old queue which could be changing.) You will get to see some cool car designs and then create your own car using touch screens. They pair 2 or 3 people up at each car design station. Keep this in mind so your kids aren’t fighting too much over who gets to design the car! 

Ride Vehicle: Car with 2 rows of 3 seats each

Ride Length: 4 minutes

Lightning Lane: Yes, included in Lightning Lane MultiPass as a Tier 1 attraction.

Lightning Lane Sell-out Time: I don’t have recent info on this yet while the ride is under refurbishment.

Average wait time: 60 minutes

Location: World Discovery

Ride Photo: Yes! It’s taken during the fast outdoor part of the ride. Through your hands up and smile!

Description: The newest, most thrilling, and best attraction in Epcot! This is an indoor roller coaster unlike any other! It has a backward accelerated start, cars that turn, amazing visual effects, and an awesome soundtrack that changes each time you ride! 

Height Requirement: 42″ – Rider swap is available. Check in with a cast member at the entrance to use rider swap. Smaller kids can play at the nearby playground while older kids and parents ride.

Virtual Queue: This attraction currently does not have a standby queue option. You either need to purchase in Lightning Lane Single Pass or get a free Virtual Queue. A Virtual Queue will tell you what time to return to get in line. You will have one hour to return once your group is called. There will still be a little bit of a wait but it will be much shorter than if it was a typical standby queue. 

The windows for getting a virtual queue open at 7am (when you’re not in the park yet) and 1pm (must be inside the park). Set an alarm for a few minutes before the time so you don’t forget! Have the My Disney Experience App open on your phone, and click on Virtual Queue from the home screen or the menu. You may be able to confirm your party before the time slot opens. Have a clock with seconds available and pull down to refresh the screen at 5 seconds before 7am or 1pm. As soon as the button turns blue click “Join Virtual Queue”. It should then give you a boarding group number. The app will send you an alert when it’s time for you group to join. 

The 7am window fills pretty quickly. The 1pm window is usually pretty easy to join.

Queue: The queue is part of the experience! You’ll get to learn all about the planet Xandar and meet some of the Guardians as you wait. My favorite part is Star Lord talking about Epcot in the 90s. There is also a pre-show that sets up the storyline for the ride. This is what makes Disney attractions so great – the stories, the creativity, and the details!

Ride Vehicle: String of roller coaster cars with 2 rows, 2 seats each.

Ride Length: 4 minutes

Lightning Lane: Lightning Lane Single Pass only. The typical price is $17-20/person.

Lightning Lane Sell-out Time: I don’t have recent info on this yet while the ride is under refurbishment.

Average wait time: 10 minutes with Lightning Lane, 30 minutes with virtual queue

Location: World Discovery

Ride Photo: Yes! It’s taken during the accelerated start which makes for some hilarious photos!

Description: Blast off to outer space! There are two options on this ride, green or orange. The orange side is more intense and spins you in a centrifuge to simulate the g-forces you would experience going to space. The orange side takes you on a mission to Mars. The green side has movement like a typical simulator but without the spinning. The green side takes you into orbit around Earth.

Warnings: Both versions involve tight spaces and I don’t recommend doing it if you get claustrophobic. Only do the orange side if you NEVER get motion-sick and can handle spinning. Because you’re in a centrifuge, you won’t see that you’re spinning but you will feel it. If typical motion simulator rides make you motion-sick, don’t even do the green side. This ride can ruin the rest of your day if you’re not careful. If you really want to try it, I recommend taking motion sickness medicine beforehand just in case.

Height Requirement: 44″. Rider swap is available. 

Ride Length: 15 minutes

Lightning Lane: Yes, included in Lightning Lane MultiPass as a Tier 2 attraction.

Lightning Lane Sell-out Time: Usually not until early or late evening

Average wait time: 23 minutes

Location: World Discovery

Ride Photo: No

Description: This is the attraction inside the huge ball and is an Epcot classic! You will board a 2-person omnimover and go on a journey through the history of communication. The ride is slow-moving and takes you through lots of cool historical scenes with animatronics as you make your way up into the ball. On your way back down interactive screens light up and kids can make choices that will lead to a story about what the future could be like.

Height Requirement: None!

Queue: There isn’t a themed queue for this attraction. Most of the queue is outside until you go up a ramp and then board an omni-moving car. Parts of the outside queue can be hot and sunny, some parts can be in the shade of the ball, and some parts can be very windy as wind whips around the ball.

Exit: Instead of exiting into a gift shop, this ride exits into an area with cool interactive exhibits and games. Just keep in mind that your kids may want to check out these interactive areas which will make this attraction take up more time overall.

Ride Vehicle: 2-person omnimover

Ride Length: 16 minutes

Lightning Lane: Yes, included in Lightning Lane MultiPass as a Tier 2 attraction.

Lightning Lane Sell-out Time: Lightning Lane time slots are usually gone by 10am on moderate days and may be gone before the park even opens on heavy crowd days. It will occasionally pop back up though, so keep refreshing.

Average wait time: 15-20 minutes (I once saw it at 90 minutes on a holiday though!)

Location: World Celebration, front of the park, inside in giant ball

Ride Photo: It’s not a typical ride photo, but they do take your photo and place your headshot into an interactive scene at the end.

Description: Board an omnimover clam shell and go on an underwater adventure with the character from Finding Nemo. The end of the attraction has windows into a real aquarium so it looks like real fish and the characters are swimming together.

Height Requirement: None! But…

A few scary parts: There is a dark part of the ride with an angler fish that can be a little scary. There is also a room with giant jellyfish that is actually quite beautiful but could be scary to some. Most of the ride is very tame and has a fun, happy song.

Queue: There isn’t usually much of a line, but the queue is all indoors and themed so it looks like you enter at the beach and then go underwater.

Show Length: 4 minutes

Lightning Lane: Yes, included in Lightning Lane MultiPass as a Tier 2 attraction.

Lightning Lane Sell-out Time: Usually not until the evening, sometimes afternoon on busy days.

Average wait time: 15 minutes

Location: World Nature, Seas Pavilion

Ride Photo: No

Description: A fun show where Crush from Finding Nemo really talks to kids in the audience! Kids are seated on the floor up front and adults sit on benches behind them. There is a big screen/window where Crush can see all the humans in the human tank. He will call on kids that politely raise their hands and kids can ask Crush questions. It always ends up being quite funny and entertaining!

Your kid may not get picked: Not every child can be chosen to ask a question. Prepare them for this so they understand and will enjoy the show even if they aren’t chosen. 

Queue: There is usually no line, you’re just waiting for the next show to begin.

Ride Length: 8 minutes

Lightning Lane: Yes, included in Lightning Lane MultiPass as a Tier 2 attraction.

Lightning Lane Sell-out Time: Usually not until the evening.

Average wait time: 15 minutes

Location: World Nature, the Seas Pavilion

Description: This is a delightful walk-through attraction where you get to interact with different water elements. It’s beautiful, it’s fun, and the Moana-inspired music is magical!

Crowds: There usually isn’t a line to get in, but on crowded days they may limit the number of people allowed in the area and then a queue could form. Once inside you may have to wait your turn to try out some of the interactive elements. Make sure you and your kids are cognisant of other people waiting to have a turn.

Your kids may get wet: It’s completely possible to enjoy this attraction without getting wet, but kids can find a way to get very wet if they want to!

Average time spent enjoying it: 15-20 minutes

Location: World Nature

Description: Embark on an exhilarating ride around the world! You will board a simulated hang-glider seat and take off into the sky in front of a huge IMAX screen as you see scenes from around the world. The music and smells change with each scene and the whole experience is delightful! The ride is very smooth and appeals to all ages that meet the height requirement.

Height Requirement: 40″

Queue: It’s all indoor and there is a fun trivia game you can join from your phone or just play as a family. The questions are best suited for older kids through adults. The line won’t constantly move, but usually moves in big waves, then stops, as the theater fills.

Ride Vehicle: The theater has 3 rows with 3 groups of seats each, and each seat group has about 10 seats grouped together. There is a spot under each seat to store loose items. 

Best Seats: The best seats are the middle center – B1, so nothing on the slightly curved screen is distorted. Cast members will tell you which section to go to, but you can ask to wait for your preferred seats if you desire.

Ride Length: 8 minutes

Lightning Lane: Yes, included in Lightning Lane MultiPass as a Tier 1 attraction. Don’t choose this one as your first Tier 1 attraction. Select it after you’ve used your first Lighting Lane for the day if the other Tier 1s are gone.

Lightning Lane Sell-out Time: Usually not until the evening, or afternoon on busier days.

Average wait time: 35 minutes

Location: World Nature, the Land Pavilion

Ride Photo: No

Description: Board a boat and learn about land, water, and how we grow food. That may sound dull but it’s really a delightful boat ride through several scenes of nature, a farm, and then into a real working greenhouse using the latest technology to grow food that is used in restaurants all around Disney World. This is a an Epcot classic and our whole family enjoys it!

Height Requirement: None. No drops or fast motions.

Queue: This attraction does not have a themed queue, but it’s all indoors inside the Land Pavilion.

Ride Vehicle: Boat with multiple rows of benches.

Ride Length: 14 minutes

Lightning Lane: Yes, included in Lightning Lane MultiPass as a Tier 2 attraction. 

Lightning Lane Sell-out Time: Usually not until the evening.

Average wait time: 10 minutes

Location: World Nature, the Land Pavilion

Ride Photo: No

Description: Go on a tour of the Imagination Labs, but watch out because Figment (a little orange and purple dragon that is a figment of your imagination) is going to take over and show you what a little imagination can do. It’s not the greatest attraction, but it’s cute enough and rarely has a long line.

Height Requirement: None. No drops or fast motions.

Queue: All indoors unless it’s a really crowded day.

Exit: This attraction exits into a fun interactive indoor play area. Kids will love exploring the Imagination Pavilion. During some hours (not all so check the app) you’ll find characters like Joy from Inside Out.

Ride Vehicle: Cars with 2 rows that fit 2-3 people each.

Ride Length: 6 minutes

Lightning Lane: Yes, included in Lightning Lane MultiPass as a Tier 2 attraction. 

Lightning Lane Sell-out Time: Usually not until the evening.

Average wait time: 11 minutes

Location: World Celebration, the Imagination Pavilion

Ride Photo: No

Photo Gallery

The new Walt statue in World Celebration
Remy's Ratatouille Adventure
The queue for Remy's makes you feel like you're in Paris at night!
Frozen Every After is a wonderful classic boat in the dark attraction.
Riding up into Spaceship Earth
The Spaceship Earth attraction tells the history of communication.
Riding the elevator up to the Space 220 space station!
Space 220 is a fun restaurant adventure
If you take the skyliner to Epcot you will enter at the back gate.
Don't miss the aquarium in the Seas pavilion!
San Angel Inn is a beautiful place to enjoy a meal.
Epcot is a good rainy day choice! We went during Hurrican Ian!
You can meet Pooh Bear in Christopher Robin's bedroom in the UK Pavilion
There is a fun little playground in World Discovery near Test Track. If you need to use rider swap for Test Track, Mission Space, or Guardians, this is a great place for littles to play while bigger people ride!
There are many great places to eat in Epcot, but sometimes the cafeteria-style Sunshine Seasons in the Land pavilion is a winner for littles.
As you walk around World Showcase, check out the mini train village!
The nighttime show at Epcot (Luminous) is incredible! It's beautiful and emotional and the perfect way to end a great day. Don't miss it!!
Our kids LOVE Test Track! We are excited to see the new version opening soon!
Living with the Land is a wonderful classic Epcot attraction. It's a long boat ride, but it's relaxing and interesting!
La Cava del Tequila is a great spot to get a unique margarita in Mexico
Kids love playing with the jumping water fountain near the Imagination pavilion
You can meet Joy inside the Imagination pavilion (ride Journey into Imagination and you'll exit through this area)
There are fun indoor play areas inside the Imagination Pavilion too!
Savoring a quiet evening in Italy! You don't have to rush for the exit at closing. Take your time and enjoy the ambiance (but also don't linger too long for the sake of the cast members.)
Festival of the Holidays display
Gran Fiesta Tour inside the Mexico Pavilion
Meet Mickey and friends at Garden Grill!
World Showcase is beautiful at night!
Flower and Garden Festival is a beautiful time at Epcot!
Flower and Garden Festival
As you rush to an attraction during early entry, also take a moment to savor an uncrowded park!
Turtle Talk with Crush is so fun for kids!
Chefs de France
Sometimes you just need to take a break from attractions and play with your new Woody. Remember that doing all the things isn't the goal. Stop and smell the roses sometimes.
Meeting Aurora at Akershus Royal Banquet Hall
Hugs from Cinderella at Akershus Royal Banquet Hall
Meeting Ariel at Akershsus Royal Banquet Hall
Epcot-ball-2021
Spaceship Earth lights up at night
View General Epcot Advice and More Itinerary Options