Epcot Tips

[3BellesAndABeast]

Epcot is my favorite park and my husband's too. We are trying to get our girls-13 and 7-more interested in the World Showcase before our trip in June. The Kid Stops are too young for DD13 and bored DD7 on our last trip. I'm wondering what other tips, secrets, etc. others here might have. Thanks in advance!

 

[JZCubed]

Epcot is my favorite park and my husband's too. We are trying to get our girls-13 and 7-more interested in the World Showcase before our trip in June. The Kid Stops are too young for DD13 and bored DD7 on our last trip. I'm wondering what other tips, secrets, etc. others here might have. Thanks in advance!

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/attractions/epcot/agent-p-world-showcase-adventure/

 

[sharonabe]

The Agent P adventure JZCubed linked you to is a great way.

Another possibility is to hone in on something that interests them that they can look for in each country. Do they like sweet snacks? Find a candy or something in each gift shop from that country and try it out. Do they like hats? Take a picture with a hat from each country. Do they like history? Find a cool history fact from each one. Do they like to talk/meet people? Ask a CM from each country something about their home or how to say something in their language. There's lots of ways to make it fun for them.

 

[Klayfish]

To be honest, if they're not interested in it you're going to have a hard time trying to get them to be. My kids (12, 9, 9) don't have a ton of interest in it either and never have. They don't hate it, there are some odds and ends that they like, but it's far from the highlight of their trip. I'm not saying to just skip it, certainly not. I just think you'd find it tough sledding to try to get them interested in something like the World Showcase if they're not pumped about it now. It's not really a kid centric place, at least not as much as the rest of the parks are, and that's OK. We tried the Agent P thing too, but they had no interest in it, so we didn't force it. We don't spend a lot of time in the World Showcase ourselves, but when we do go here's what we tell the kids...first, keep an open mind, you never know what you may like. Second, if you don't like it, that's OK, but be patient and deal with it until we're done. They have pleasantly surprised themselves a few times.

My best advice is to talk about some of the things in there they may enjoy (FEA, boat ride in Mexico, some of the shops), so they at least have a few things to look forward to. Other than that, don't try to force excitement, rather just get them to understand it's part of WDW, and a part you and DH enjoy.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

I agree with Klayfish. My DS9 is like that with MK and would much rather be in EP! I, too, would see if there are one or two things your girls would enjoy there - Grand Fiesta Tour or FEA, some of the shops, shows or movies and actively put those attractions in your tour plan. Would they enjoy the entertainment on the Boardwalk in the evening (jugglers, magicians, carnival games)? If so, perhaps you could plan to go out the IG exit one evening and enjoy those activities (there is great ice cream at Ample Hills, too!) so at least they have something to look forward to after touring WS with you and DH? I can just about get DS9 to endure anything in WDW with the promise of carnival games in the evening!

 

[WhispyPixie]

We have 4 kids (all grown now) and when they were your children's ages the interest was very little. With that said, we always challenged them to collect something from each country. One trip we gave each of them $20 and they had to get something from each country. Of course they couldn't buy something from each one, so it ended up being a scavenger hunt of sorts. At the end of the day, it was almost like a contest to see who had the coolest thing. Then we tried the Epcot passports, they liked them. We did the pintrading one time, and they had to trade with a CM that was actually from that country. Challenging, but they loved it. As they grew to teens....it still remains one of their favorite parts of the trip. When they turned 21...they couldn't WAIT to get to the worlds for their Mexico Marg..lol Good luck!

 

[DisneyCAL]

Try something new from each country they've never had before. We actually got our 5 year olds to try candied crab chips from the Japan pavilion (Gross!) but they got a kick out of trying it. DH on the other hand took one bite and spit it out, lol. But there are definitely food challenges you could try. You could order a custom ink t-shirt or one on etsy that has Epcot World of Languages and challenge them to learn new words in each country from a CM and have the CM sign the shirt. Or do the hidden Mickeys around the world.

 

[Tigerlily125]

Agent P for sure; passport stamps in each country; penny machines; also saw on another thread someone suggested trying on a hat in each country and taking a family picture with them on. Such a great idea!

 

[5kidsmommy]

I guess my kids are weird. They've always loved the World Showcase, although not when they were toddlers and littles. But once they were teens and preteens they've always insisted on a day or more at Epcot. They love the shops. They love the different foods, they've never been picky eaters though so any chance to get sushi sushi or some other treat is a good thing. If they aren't interested I am not sure how to get your kids interested, kids are like that.

 

[Wish Upon A Starbucks]

Check out the times guide so that you happen upon some of the entertainment like the acrobats in china, juggler guy in Italy, two men who balance all the chairs in France, band in UK. My kids love when we see those! Sorry I don't have their official names but if you check a times guide I think you will see them.

 

[ruthies12]

They would seem to be the perfect age for pick a pearl in japan. Etsy has a ton of cute Disney themed pearl cages really cheap.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Your kids are at a good age for doing some of the more "adult" things in WS now. I think just taking time, meandering through WS helps. Visit each country and take in all it has to offer. Stay to watch the movies (France is a favorite, also Canada and China good, too), look around in the gift shops, get a piece of chocolate or some other little thing there (I like to buy the incense in Japan; DS always gets a Toblerone in Germany), TALK to the CMs from there, watch a concert or show (many to choose from), eat in the restaurants (kids like the soft chicken tacos in Mexico, we even got them to try bratwurst and apple strudel in Germany when they were little and they liked it from the get-go, we like a sit-down meal in China, DD has to get a kaki gori in Japan, France has some great pastries and we like to share a cinnamon bun from Kringla before Illuminations, I might get a limoncello in Italy or a champagne in France, DH might get an espresso, etc.). Develop your own routines and discover new things, that way you/they look forward to going back. My kids always LOVED The American Adventure - for different reasons. DS is a history buff, but DD would always fall asleep for a little nap, it became the running joke, lol. So that was a must-do for us, but we never rushed getting to the middle of WS, each trip we'd find something else in a different country we liked to see or do. There have been lots of "things to do in Epcot" threads that give you plenty of good ideas, maybe try a Search, too. Have fun!

 

[aretha30]

Our boys 13 and 8 enjoy WS. We take the time to see the shows and movies (if they have them). We usually take at least 2 days in Epcot, starting at Mexico and going as far as we can one day. The next day we will start at Canada and do the rest of the countries we didn't do the day before. We have done Agent P but the boys don't really ask to do it again. They do like to snack around the world. Find something that will interest your kids, what they like to do and try to center your time in Epcot around that activity.

 

[BalooFan]

What about eating around the world? Each member of the family takes a turn choosing a snack or quick service meal in each country and then splits it with the rest of the family. You can even use the menus available online and plan ahead.

 

[Accident]

My daughter has always hated and only recently started to less hate it. You may not get your kids to actually like the place and if they really hate it, may not change when they are older and appreciate it more.

Things like agent p or those hidden item games when there is food kiosks is what really changed it for her. She can't just go around world showcase, she needs a distraction with a game, hunting for something, getting into taking pictures of topiaries. Now once that game is over, we're back to "why did you bring me here".

 

[3BellesAndABeast]

I guess I was unclear-they do not hate it. I'm just looking for new things that we may not have thought of. I love the idea of a scavenger hunt or looking for Hidden Mickeys.

 

[LuvMyEAR]

I appreciate your question! Engaging guests (of all ages) is important or it is just a long walk. We are lucky to have never experienced any flagging in our DGSs' appreciation of Epcot, so far. They have a real love of seeing and doing familiar things, which is one of the charms of WDW overall. They also love looking for the "new" things.

This year, they can't wait to see Soarin' Version 2, and FEA. They really enjoy the live entertainment, looking for pressed penny machines and checking for new designs. Spotting hidden Mickeys is always a big competition. In 2015, the Food & Wine festival caught their interest, big time. Our older DGS (11 at the time) was suddenly morphing into an adventurous eater and he couldn't wait to go from kiosk to kiosk, and he scrutinized the menus with enthusiasm. Yes, he tried escargots but they were not a hit. His younger brother obsessively collected passport stamps at the festival booths. They both had a great time and collection of stamps but the highlight of the day came as we were leaving the park. A very sweet cast member was able to provide the missing stamp. It was like they had been handed the keys to the kingdom!

This year, they will have a bit more independence, being 13 and 12. That will bring another new dimension to how they experience Epcot, as we will be comfortable letting them move a few pavilions ahead to scout out wait times, and FOOD, or to catch an act that appeals to them. They really like the Eat to the Beat concerts, too.

 

[bweagle]

What about the passport? They get them signed at the kid-cot stops, but aren't making the craft, more geared for younger kids. My kids like when the CM's write a message to them in their native language. Also, in China, my daughter bought a fan and one of the CM's wrote her name for her in Chinese on it.

We devote a whole day to WS. We have done a candy from each country and a "snack" from each country on previous trips. The kids enjoy going through the shops looking for their treat and in countries they couldn't decide we would take to the CM's about what their favorite was from their native country.

We also make sure to hit many of the entertainment at each country. Sometimes it means we back track a country or two to catch something, but many of the countries have great shows/music.

We also have at least one TS meal at WS on each visit and we try to make it a TS we haven't been to before. Last trip we hit Via Napoli and Chefs de France. Both were great.

Make sure to walk all the way back through the countries. Many of displays that are missed because visitors don't wander far enough back.