Just A Dream Away

Just A Dream Away


One Disney Day: Epcot

January 02, 2016

You only have one Disney day to explore Walt's Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow? No worries! Epcot is a wonderfully laid back park to explore (in comparison to the other three gates), if you know your stuff! If you only have one day to take in Epcot, here's our guide to getting it done.  Before You Arrive - When you are able to schedule your FastPasses for your trip, be ready to make an important choice - will you use your Tier 1 FastPass on Test Track or Soarin'? Personally, I think it is smarter to use your Tier 1 FastPass on Soarin' as this queue is terribly boring and often very long! Now, Test Track will also be quite a hearty wait, but there are at least a few things to look at or interact with in the queue that make it a little less miserable (a little, I can't be totally sunny and glass-half-full here). So, schedule your Tier 1 for Soarin' and plan it for somewhere between 10:30-11:30, if possible. As far as your Tier 2 FastPass options go, just pick whatever is important to you. You really don't need FastPass for any other attractions in Epcot (depending on when you will be visiting). Just because FastPass exists doesn't necessarily mean you HAVE to schedule three. I suppose scheduling for Spaceship Earth doesn't hurt, though you probably won't need it. After that, it's totally up to you.*Sidenote: If you visit after Frozen Ever After opens, you will definitely want to use a FastPass on this attraction. We have no information yet on what Tier this attraction will fall into or how it might affect the Tier system for Epcot FastPass+.Early To Rise is Crucial Be at the Park at rope drop. There is little glamor or dazzle about Epcot's rope drop, but you need to be there if you want to take in Test Track and Soarin' in the same day without too long of a wait. Also, your goal is to wrap up Future World by World Showcase rope drop at 11:00, maybe noon at the latest.Grab a Times Guide as you enter the Park. This will help you explore World Showcase and take in the entertainment each pavilion has to offer, if you so choose.*Note: If you are staying on property, this plan works best during Morning EMH for Epcot. You will easily accomplish all of Future World by 11:00 and even be searching for ways to occupy yourself until 11:00.If you have a scheduled FastPass for Soarin', then rush right to Test Track in the morning. Yes, everybody will be going there too, but that's just the way it has to be. It will be slightly shorter than in the height of the day. Grin and bear it. After you've designed and tested out your car of the future, head over to Mission: Space. There should be a very very short wait. Go Green if you have an easily upset stomach or go Team Orange if you enjoy the G-Forces and the feeling like you've lost the pull of gravity. We are Team Orange all the way! You can't feel that you're spinning, I promise! But do keep your head back on the head rest, okay?Keep an eye out on the wait time for Spaceship Earth as it can sometimes have a bit of long line in the morning just as people enter the Park. It's the first thing people see, so they may hit it immediately upon entrance. If the wait is 15 minutes or less, then you should definitely get on board (and thank the Phoenicians). *However, if you do have a FastPass, you will just ride whenever you scheduled that FastPass.Go ahead and explore The Seas with Nemo & Friends next. The pavilion will probably be fairly empty and you will walk and walk through the queue wondering why on earth it ever needed to be so long. Hop into your clam, enjoy the ride and then take a little time enjoying the different aquariums and exhibits. You can take it pretty easy. You only have three more attractions to do.Head over to The Land pavilion. Depending on your FastPass for Soarin' (if you went with that option), you can ride Living with the Land before or after Soarin'. There will be maybe a 10 minute wait and chances are that it won't even be that long in actuality.