Walt Disney’s original vision was for Epcot® to be a real, working, futuristic city—a place where state-of-the-art technology combined with Disney creativity to provide a safe, clean, comfortable place for people to live. In fact, Epcot® stands for Experimental Prototype Community Of Tomorrow. Walt’s idea eventually became a giant showcase for cultural and technological achievements, which sounds a bit stuffy but is actually a whole lot of fun.

 

Epcot® is really two different parks in one: Future World offers glimpses into developments that may eventually improve all our lives, and the World Showcase offers a sampling of the sights, sounds, and tastes of eleven diverse countries. It’s sort of a permanent World’s Fair.

 

Getting To Epcot®

Disney Resort hotel guests can take buses from their hotels right to Epcot®’s front gates. If you are staying at a Disney hotel on the monorail system, you can take the monorail to Epcot®. There is also monorail service between the Magic Kingdom® and Epcot®, and there is ferry boat service between Disney's Hollywood Studios® and Epcot®. Hotels along the way like Disney’s Yacht and Beach Club and the Disney BoardWalk can also reach Epcot® by ferry. Ferry boats arrive and depart at the International Gateway near France in the World Showcase.

 

Our Strategy For Visiting Epcot®

Epcot® is one park, but is divided into two very different experiences. If you are a thrill seeker and want more exciting attractions, you may want to spend more time in the Future World side of the park. If you enjoy more cultural experiences like museums and fine dining, the World Showcase may be more appealing.

 

Make Dining Reservations As Far In Advance As Possible!

Disney Resort hotel guests can start making dining reservations as soon as they have booked their room, months in advance. For some of Epcot®’s prime dining spots, this is a very smart thing to do. If you did not make your reservations well in advance, you can try to make same-day reservations at your Disney hotel’s concierge desk, or you can use your own phone to make dining reservations on a whim by calling 407-W-DINE (407-939-3463). This is your best option for dining reservations if you are staying outside of the Disney property.

 

Use shortcuts whenever possible. Epcot® is gigantic! Any time you can save yourself a few steps or relax for a little while, it’s a good thing. The best way to accomplish this is to use the ferry boats that shuttle between Future World and the World Showcase.

 

Let’s Begin...

Although we just suggested you start your day in the World Showcase, we’re going to list park attractions beginning from the main gate in Future World, in the order you would encounter them as you walk into the park.