A Rides Guide to Epcot
I can honestly say that Epcot is my FAVORITE park because it not only has such a unique atmosphere, but the combination of classic and new rides makes this park so special. Epcot was Walt’s dream and there is so much innovation in this park that he would be proud! (even if it isn’t exactly how he envisioned it)
Let’s break down all the rides in this park so that you are ready to go for your next trip to Disney.
World Showcase
World Showcase is the half of Epcot that features 11 countries from around the world as well as their cultures and traditions. There are some really popular attractions located right inside of several of the pavilions!
Remy's Ratatouille Adventure
This is Epcot’s NEWEST attraction that opened on October 1st, 2021. This ride was originally created for Disneyland Paris, but with it’s high popularity, they brought it over to the states! This is a 3D Trackless ride which means you don’t know where your ride vehicle is going to go next! There is a mixture of 3D sets and immersive screens to let you feel like you shrunk down to the size of a mouse!
This ride is a little jerky and the 3D glasses might make you a little dizzy. If you get motion sickness, just be warned that you may feel a little ill after this one. (But not too bad). There is no height requirement for this attraction, so the whole family can experience this one!
Currently there are only two ways to ride this attraction. With a Boarding Group (virtual queue) or with an Individual Attraction Selection for a Lightning Lane. The Virtual Queue is free, but can be tricky to get, so make sure you are prepared on how to get one!
The Individual Attraction Selection is something that you will pay per person for and does vary in price depending on the day. This is a little less stressful, but I recommend getting a return time for earlier in the day if possible as this ride has a tendency to go down periodically. If that is the case and it happens earlier in the day, you will receive a ‘freebie’ pass to come back and ride it later in the day. (But you’ll be out of luck if this happens to you later in the evening!)
Frozen Ever After
If you have a Frozen lover, you will LOVE this ride! It is located in the Norway Pavilion and is a dark boat ride with animatronics of your favorite characters like Elsa and Olaf.
This is one of my personal favorites! The scenes are really beautifully done and the music is alot of fun! There are two drops in this ride (one forward and one backwards). They aren’t too intense, but might be a little scary for small ones if they don’t like drops. However, there is no heigh requirement, so this is another one that the whole family can enjoy!
Be sure to pay close attention in the queue for all the hidden easter eggs! There are even a few for the attraction that used to be there: Maelstrom.
Grand Fiesta Tour
This is a fun classic ride located inside of the Pyramid in the Mexico Pavilion. (Yes! You can go inside the pyramid!)
This is a slow boat ride that is filled with fun music and colors and takes you on a journey to find Donald Duck just in time for their performance! You will also find Panchito and Jose singing alongside him!
This is a great ride if you are looking for something with generally low waits or you need a break out of the sun. This is a very slow moving ride and has no heigh requirement, so your whole family can enjoy.
World Nature
The other half of Epcot is broken up into three ‘worlds’. This one celebrates nature and all that our earth has to offer.
Soarin’ Around the World
Another one of my favorites! This attraction makes you feel like you are on a real life hang gliding tour around the world. You will fly over several World Wonders like the Taj Mahal, the African Savanna, Niagra Falls, and the Pyramids of Giza.
Make sure you pay attention to the smells! This ride does go up high in the air, so I wouldn’t recommend if you are afraid of heights. You are engulfed by a massive screen that wraps around you so it feels like you are really there. There is wind blown on you to simulate movement, but the actual movement is very little.
Height requirements for this attraction is 40 inches (102 cm) tall. These lines get long! So I suggest riding this first in the morning or checking back throughout the day for low waits.
Living With the Land
This is another ride that is great if you need a break from the heat (or just want to get off your feet for awhile). This is a boat ride that has two parts. The first takes you through a series of sets that represent different types of ecosystems. The second half takes you through the gardens where you can see all the fruits, vegetables, and flowers grown specifically for the restaurants! There are also examples of their aqua farming and a peek into their testing labs.
Be sure to be on the lookout for hidden mickeys! There are a TON!
There is no height requirement for this ride, but know that this ride is LONG (15 minutes) so even though wait times are generally low, if you are trying to make it to a dining reservation or Lightning Lane return time, you won’t miss it!
It isn’t back quite yet, but there is a tour called Behind the Seeds which is a one hour walking tour through the gardens where a cast member will teach you about the plants they grow there and the unique processes they use. This tour is pretty inexpensive too, so a great option for a little add on to your day!
The Seas With Nemo and Friends
Little kiddos are going to LOVE this ride! This is located in the Seas Pavilion and is a slow moving ride featuring all your favorite friends from Finding Nemo. The queue of this attraction is really neat because you really feel like you are under the sea.
Throughout this attraction, you will experience a mix of digital screens and 3D sets that show you different scenes inspired by the movie. Towards the end they sing a song “Big Blue World” and be sure to pay attention because you will be looking right at the real live aquarium! (you might even spot some divers if you are lucky!)
Afterwords, be sure to check out the SeaBase and all the aquatic life there and even do Turtle Talk with Crush where you might get to talk to Crush himself!
World Celebration
This is the located along the main entrance of Epcot and includes several classic attractions.
Spaceship Earth
There isn’t a more classic ride in Epcot than Spaceship Earth! This inside of the giant geodesic sphere (the giant golf ball). It is a slow moving ride that takes you on a journey through the evolution of communication.
There are different sets with animatronics representing different periods of time in our history. There is also a narrator that guides you through the significance of each period in time. This is another LONG attraction, but it’s great if you need a break (or a short nap… lol). If you are big Disney history fan, you will probably love it, but honestly it probably won’t be everyone’s cup of tea.
HOWEVER make sure to make a funny face when it takes your picture near the beginning because later it will be used for a ‘story’ that will pop up on the screen in your ride vehicle. It can be pretty entertaining depending on the face you make! Again, no height requirement, so perfect for everyone!
Journey Into Imagination With Figment
Personally, I love this attraction! But again, it’s probably geared more towards classic Disney fans or younger kiddos. This is a moderately slow moving ride that takes you through a series of sets where you will encounter the little purple dragon Figment as he causes chaos in the senses labs.
This attraction has TONS of easter eggs both in the queue and on the attraction, so pay close attention! This ride has generally low (if any) wait and is great for all ages as there is no height requirement.
World Discovery
You will find some great thrills in World Discovery and there is even a new ride that will be coming in 2022!
Test Track
If you want to go FAST and you like cars, this is a GREAT attraction! In the queue you will have a chance to build your very own test vehicle that you get to ride in!
The car itself takes you through a series of ‘tests’ that will put your car to the test of the others’ in your vehicle. Then towards the end, you will be launched on a track with speeds of up to 60 Miles Per Hour! Sorry mom… you will NOT be having a good hair day after this ride.
This is such a fun one because it’s thrilling, but not too scary. There are not big drops or anything, it just goes FAST! However, there is a height requirement of 40 inches (12o cm) to ride this attraction.
Mission Space
Okay…. now if any ride is going to make you sick… it’s this one. This attraction puts you in a shuttle simulator that launches you on one of two different missions. Mission Green is the less intense option where you go on a journey around the earth and back.
Mission Orange is far more intense (they used really astronauts to test this one out). It spins pretty fast and you will go on a mission to mars!
Each person is given a ‘job’ and will push the buttons when the ‘computer’ tells them to. Don’t worry, it doesn’t actually affect the ride, but it does give a fun interactive element to it.
AGAIN this ride DOES spin and is in a SMALL ENCLOSED SPACE! So if either of those things do not appeal to you, or you are prone to motion sickness, DO NOT RIDE THIS RIDE! But don’t worry, if you do get sick, there are barf bags on the ride…
The heigh requirement for this attraction is 40 inches (120 cm) to ride.
Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind
This coaster is coming next year and we are PUMPED about it! This indoor coaster is MASSIVE and will include some really neat innovative technology where your ride vehicle will turn as you go through the coaster. There will also be a pretty immersive storyline that we can’t wait to know more about!
I’m not sure what height requirements will be for this ride yet, but I do expect there to be one.
Epcot is a GREAT park for families as there are plenty of attractions for the whole family as well as a good variety of rides. PLUS there are TONS of other things to do besides the rides that everyone will be able to find something that they enjoy!
