Davis Family Newspaper

EPCOT Tips

Two attractions can be difficult to get into: Soarin and TestTrack.

EPCOT is really spread out, so you should try to minimize bouncing from east to west or north to south. With the exception of Soarin which depends on your FastPass time, its best to just take the attractions in order starting on the right side, then the left side, then start doing the countries by going left.

Soarin'

The attraction is so popular that FastPass tickets run out sometime early in the day and the line length is often over 1.5 hours long. Our recommendation is to go to this attraction as soon as you enter the park - take the ride if its less than a 45 min wait or get a FastPass.

The best seats are row 1. You won't get a choice, but sometimes can manipulate the queue to get that row.

TestTrack

The line for this is very very slow. Best bet is to FastPass right after you've done Soarin.

Mission Space

Lines move fast and the ride is not as popular as you'd expect due to nausea. Don't ride immediately after eating, and later in the day is better so your entire day isn't ruined. To reduce nausea, look directly into the screen as they instruct. When they tell you not to look around they really mean it! The experience is awesome, but not recommended for small kids or people with weak stomachs.

Update: For the second year in a row the Mission Space ride caused enough nausea for our family that it diminished the rest of the day. I still recommend that people try the ride - the experience is worth it ONCE. Just know that you might feel the effects all day long and the next time you go to Disney you can skip it.

Voices of Liberty

Several times a day there is a singing group inside the American Pavilion just prior to the shows. Great singing!

American Adventure

This is perhaps my second favorite show in the world, second only to Lion King in Animal Kingdom. The kids make fun of me, but the story and the music is very moving. The Civil War section is particular haunting. Pay close attention to the deep bass sound of the music as the story enters the American Western section, and then again to the full multi-channel sound towards the end as the curtain rises along the sides of the theatre. The montage of photos of famous and influential Americans is fascinating as you realize how our society values our celebrities.

Food

The food court at The Land is excellent if you can time around your Soarin visit.

Fireworks

We almost always view the Fireworks in front of Italy or Germany. We've found that the smoke from the fireworks can really obscure the show, so start by determining wind direction by looking at the fire pylons that are lit about 30 minutes prior to the 9pm show. There are no seats anywhere, but the Italy/Germany area is usually less crowded and you can sit on the ground. We also enjoy a nice relaxing walk out of the park once the show is over rather than the crush of the crowd.