Hello, my name is Roxie Reynolds. I’m a Disney obsessed college student from South Carolina. If you’re also a Disney fan come check out my blog www.iheartdreaming.com, where you may find anything from “Best resorts for families of 5 or more” to “50 Ways to Make Walt Disney World More Romantic”. You can also find me on https://www.facebook.com/iheartdreaming, https://www.facebook.com/groups/heartdisney/, and https://twitter.com/iheartdreaming1
Links to blog posts mentioned in intro. http://iheartdreaming.com/50-ways-to-make-your-disney-vacation-more-romantic/ and http://iheartdreaming.com/disney-resorts-for-families-of-5-or-more/
When planning their Disney World Trips, lot of families neglect to consider Epcot as a viable destination. Many feel that Epcot is more for adults and children – especially young children — will be bored and uninterested. This is a shame because Epcot has plenty for people of all ages to enjoy, even young kids. While Epcot does have exhibits that will keep adults interested, those same exhibits have areas and attractions built to cater to children as well. Children are often more interested in the cultural and technological exhibits at Epcot than people expect. It is also a nice destination for families that are looking for something mildly education, but still the classically fun Disney experience.
World Showcase & Kidcot
The World Showcase at Epcot is famous, and for good reason. The World showcase is much like a mini-world’s fair, with pavilions dedicated to several countries of the world. Each pavilion features cultural information, food, drinks, and goods unique to each country. Many people assume children will not be interested in the cultural rewards found at the World Showcase, but that is simply not the case. Disney has made it easy to get your little ones excited to visit each pavilion by providing areas just for kids called “Kidcot Fun Stops”. At each Funstop, parents can grab the complimentary Duffy Bear cardboard character from the attending cast member. Duffy the Bear is Mickey’s own teddy bear and he’s quite the lover of travel. Kids are given stamps and crayons to decorate Duffy the Bear at each Kidcot station. If your kids love this scavenger hunt type of activity, consider purchasing the Disney World Showcase Passport. This little booklet features a page for each country, which makes kids excited to visit each showcase so they can get a stamp on every page. Decorated Duffy the Bear’s and the Showcase Passports also make great, personalized, inexpensive souvenirs to take home. Many visitors to the World Showcase are surprised by how much their kids enjoy learning and experiencing the different cultures of each country. A lot of kids are excited to learn how to say “hello” in each language, which is happily taught by the showcase attending cast members.
Character Experiences
A major benefit to Epcot over some of the other, more obviously child-friendly parks is the Disney character meeting experiences. People who have never visited Epcot are surprised to find that there are plenty of the traditional and beloved Disney characters throughout the park. Because Epcot is often overlooked by families with small children, the lines to meet these characters are usually a lot shorter than in other parks. Epcot also has character dining options available.
The Seas with Nemo & Friends
It’s safe to say that most children love the movie Finding Nemo. If your child is a fan, “The Seas with Nemo & Friends” is an absolute must-see at Epcot. This exhibit is part of the “Future World” section of Epcot and it is appropriate for visitors of all ages. The first portion of this attraction is a slow, but exciting ride in a “clamobile”. This interactive ride takes riders into the ocean with Nemo and his friends. Dory and Marlin are looking for a lost Nemo and riders are encouraged to help with the discovery. Kids will love the beautiful, imaginative puppetry and animation throughout the entire ride. It will really feel like they are part of one of their favorite movies. The entire cast of characters from Finding Nemo are represented: Dory and Nemo, of course, but also Bruce the shark, Mr. Ray, and Crush the sea turtle. After the ride ends, you and your family will get off to visit an actual salt water aquarium featuring the real-life counterparts to Finding Nemo’s characters. Children love aquariums, and they will for sure love this one. The aquarium is also a nice, slow-paced way for families to get out of the sun for a while and take it easy in a relaxing atmosphere. “The Seas with Nemo & Friends” also is home to the Coral Reef Restaurant where the tables are surrounded by huge, impressive views into the aquarium tanks. Kids will be enthralled with the rare, underwater dining experience.
Journey into Imagination
Journey into Imagination is another all-ages attraction popular with parents and children alike. Figment is a dragon character that guides you along this slow, “dark ride” through a series of rooms that teach you about the five senses. Yes, the ride is educational, but it is also exciting, sweet, and funny. Children will love to use their sense of sight, smell, touch, hearing, and taste during this sensory treat for the entire family.
Epcot is not just a park for adults. Kids will have a great time wandering around this park, learning about the world and the future while experiences everything they love about Disney.
