EPCOT

Welcome to EPCOT, a unique and spectacular showcase of technology, innovation, and the beauty and diversity of the world’s nations.

Let’s Explore!
Future World World Showcase

Let’s Explore!

Future World

World Showcase

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Magical Moments

Hidden Mickeys & Other Secrets

Did You Know…?

Touring Tips

Photo Gallery

As you enter EPCOT, you’ll pass beneath the giant geosphere that is the symbol of EPCOT, and home to one of its premiere attractions, Spaceship Earth. Directly behind Spaceship Earth is Future World. It is here that most of the major attractions can be found, and it is also here that you can experience the latest advances in technology for home, communication, and entertainment.

Past Future World is a walkway taking you to World Showcase Lagoon. Surrounding the lagoon is World Showcase itself; eleven spectacularly detailed pavilions recreating the splendor and majesty of countries from all over the world.

Epcot is a unique blend of thrills, innovation, and exploration that conveys the spirit of adventure, discovery and togetherness that was at the heart of Walt Disney’s dream!

Choose a Land and Let’s Explore!

Future World

Explore the oceans, the land, the world around us, outer space, and even your own imagination!

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World Showcase

Take a trip around the world and experience the sights, tastes and beauty of a variety of countries from across the globe.

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Magical Moments

If your first visit to Epcot is via the monorail, you’re in for a magical treat. The monorail takes you for a complete tour of Future World before arriving at the station. You’ll get magnificent views of Spaceship Earth, the Land pavilion and the rest of Future World. You’ll even get to catch a glimpse of World Showcase.
If you arrive at nighttime its especially magical, and it’s exceptionally magical during the holidays when the monorail glides right past the giant Christmas Tree at Showcase Plaza.
Walking through Future World at night when the crowds are light is an experience you’ll never forget. A gentle breeze, quiet music in the air and the futuristic pavilions combine to make you feel like you’re truly visiting a utopian city of the future.
If you watch the evening fireworks show, stay behind after the show ends and walk around World Showcase for a while. As the crowds thin you’ll have it all to yourself, and even though the stores are closed, you can wander through the pavilions and experience lots of magical moments that you’ll never forget.
The holidays are a magical time at Epcot. The holiday decorations are spectacular, and every night you can see the tree lighting ceremony at Showcase Plaza. You can also experience the joys of Christmases around the world as you wander through World Showcase. You’ll discover the unique traditions of each country, and you’ll occasionally get a visit from their version of Santa Claus. Santa and other storytellers will enchant you by weaving tales of the holiday celebrations and legends that are particular to their country.

Did You Know...?

The name of the park has gone through several subtle changes. When it opened, the park was known as EPCOT Center (EPCOT was always printed in capital letters signifying its use as an acronym for the Experimental Prototypical Community Of Tomorrow). By 1994, it was thought that the name EPCOT was sufficiently recognized as a word unto itself (rather than just an acronym), so the name of the park was changed to simply Epcot. Today, the name has reverted to its “all caps” variation, and this EPCOT it is!
Additionally, in keeping with the World’s Fair concept, it was decided that the park would be reexamined and updated every year to keep it current and vital. Thus, EPCOT Center became Epcot ’94, with Epcot ’95 and Epcot ’96 following in subsequent years. After 1996 that idea was abandoned and the park has been known simply as Epcot ever since.
A model of the original city concept was constructed during the early planning stages of Epcot. While the city itself was never constructed, you can see the actual model on display at the Tomorrowland Transit Authority in the Magic Kingdom.
The original design of Epcot was vastly different from the final version. For one thing, Future World and World Showcase were reversed, with World Showcase serving as the entrance to the park. Additionally, Epcot was at one time intended to be built across from the Magic Kingdom on Seven Seas Lagoon.
You may notice that the walkways throughout Epcot have a pinkish hue. This was purposely done to create visual contrast between the pavement and the grass, making the grass appear much more vibrant (red/pink and green are complimentary colors).

Touring Tips

Future World and World Showcase open and close at different times. Future World typically opens at 9:00 am and closes at 7:00 pm (though some of the headliner attractions often stay open after 7:00), while World Showcase usually opens at 11:00 am and closes at 9:00 pm (at which time the IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth show begins on World Showcase Lagoon).
Park hours may change during certain times of the year, so it’s always a good idea to consult your park guide when you arrive.
The most important tip is to enjoy the magic. Part of that begins with the planning of your trip, but once you’re there, remember to let yourself be immersed in the fantasy. Epcot has so much to offer besides the attractions. Take time to explore the different lands and to enjoy the little things. Don’t be in such a hurry to get from point A to point B, there’s so much more to see in between!
Of course, the attractions are the big draw, and you will want to experience as many of them as you can. To enable you to visit the attractions you want without getting caught up in rigid timetables and frantic scurrying, try the following tips:• Visit the headliner attractions during less busy times to avoid long waits. Good times to visit are first thing in the morning and during parades or shows.• Take advantage of FastPass+ whenever you can. A good rule of thumb is to use FastPass if the standby wait time is more than 20 minutes. While you’re waiting for your FastPass time to arrive, visit some of the less crowded attractions or do some exploring.
• Visit during Extra Magic Hours so you can ride the major attractions as often as you like with little or no wait (it’s also a great time to experience the magic of the park).
• If you are staying for several days, don’t try to cram too much into a single day. Spread yourself out so you can take your time and enjoy everything the Magic Kingdom has to offer.
If your time allows, take a break in the middle of the day. Not only does this allow you to avoid the busiest time of day when crowds are the largest, it will give you a chance to experience more of the magic that Walt Disney World has to offer. Visit one of the deluxe resorts for lunch, or take a swim at your resort’s pool. By the time you get back to the park, you’ll be refreshed and ready for an evening of fun!
Getting to the Epcot can be half the fun. Take a monorail ride from the Magic Kingdom, or enjoy a boat ride from any of the Epcot resorts.
Another strategy to avoid the crowds is to do everything at the “wrong time”. For example, eat lunch at eleven and dinner at three. You’ll avoid the mealtime crush at the restaurants and also be able to enjoy the parks while everyone else is eating. You can also leave early to avoid the crowd of people trying to leave the park at day’s end. If you watching the evening fireworks show, hang around and let the crowds jostle their way out of the park. You can wander around for a while, soaking up the nighttime ambience of World Showcase, and then leave after the crowds have thinned a bit. (Don’t worry about being able to catch your transportation, remember that many people are still in Epcot enjoying a late dinner, so the monorail, boats and buses will be running for quite a while).