Disney's most grown up & Educational Park. (Epcot)

Member Name: mr_nadge

Product:	Epcot
Date:	19/07/09 (27 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Thrilling Rides. Lots to do & see. Something for everyone.

Disadvantages: Educational slant. Not so much for small children.

Welcome to Walt Disney's Experimental People's Community Of Tomorrow or EPCOT for short.

This was the second Theme Park to open in Walt Disney World. It is possibly Disney's most grown up (& educational) park.

I will stick to reviewing the attractions as I the shops & restaurants are very similar to the rest of Walt Disney World.

EPCOT is split into 2 sections. FUTURE WORLD is where the vast majority of the rides are. WORLD SHOWCASE is a trip around the world with the sights & sounds of 11 different countries.

When you arrive, you walk into FUTURE WORLD through leave a legacy. This is an opportunity to leave a small engraved plaque on the entrance to EPCOT. Good idea, although on my second visit in 2009, all sites had sold out.
The first ride you come to is SPACESHIP EARTH. This inside the Giant Geosphere (more commonly known as the Golf Ball) It is a ride through the history of communication & technology of mankind. It is good although the recent update which asks you questions at the begining & then shows you a custom film with you in it at the end based on you responses is very entertaining. You can even e-mail it to yourself & keep it. I still have mine.
Walking left from the Golf Ball you come to three rides
On the left is UNIVERSE OF ENERGY. This is a 45 minute (yes that is not an error - 45 minute) show & ride in which Ellen DeGeneres takes you back to the age of the Dinosaurs to explain the origin of Fossil Fuels (told you this was eductional). It is a good ride & worth a go, but try to turn up just as it's about to start & you won't have to queue. The ride holds around 100 people all at once. I'll say this though DINOSAUR in ANIMAL KINGDOM is a better ride.
In the middle you have MISSION SPACE. A simulator ride in which teams of 4 (which you'll be put into) train for a Mission to Mars in simulators. A very entertaining ride. Great fun & realistic feeling (although I'm not an Astronaut so what would I know!). There are two versions of the ride. GREEN TEAM has just the motion simulator aspect of the ride. It is easier on people with motion sickness like me. ORANGE TEAM is on a Gravitron Wheel which spins like a genuine Atronaut training excersise & is very realistic. Not recommended for people with motion sickness & I didn't go near this.
On the right is TEST TRACK. This is a car ride which is similar to a roller coaster without the drops or rolls. The plot is that you are riding in a car that is going through a proving ground. Your car goes through bumps, skids & then a speed test where you get up to around 60mph. Great fun for everyone without big scary drops. I really like this ride.
In the middle of FUTURE WORLD between these & the other ride is where you find the shops. I have to mention this though. If you're thirsty & running low on Dollars - go in the Coke Shop. They have drinks from all over the world which are all FREE to drink. Great stuff.
To the right of the Golf Ball you are greeted with three Pavillions.
On the right is THE SEAS. This has two FINDING NEMO attractions.
One is THE SEAS WITH NEMO & FRIENDS in which you board a clam & ride through the sea (an aquarium) where NEMO & his friends swim with the fishes. This is OK. Didn't mind it but hardly thrilling for an adult. Good for kids though.
The second is TURTLE TALK WITH CRUSH. A comedy show in which a video of CRUSH converses with the Audience. Great for the kids.
In the middle is THE LAND pavillion. This has three attractions inside plus the foodhall. Come here first thing for breackfast and to ride the best ride in Florida - SOARIN'. This is a smilulator ride which represents you flying in a hand glider through Californian Landmarks. It works by hoisting you up on a carriage in front of a massive video screen. The screen plays video as your carriage gently sways & moves in time with the film. While this is happening you get a gentle breeze & the smells of what you are flying over. I could ride this over & over again. I defy anyone not to like it. It's fantastic. The only downside would be the massive queue. Get here early or use FASTPASS to avoid them.
LIVING WITH THE LAND is the second attraction. Another educational ride which you travel on a small boat through Green Houses & a Fish Farm. Most of the produce is used in the restaurants throughout DISNEY WORLD. Mildly entertaining. The highlight is MICKEY MOUSE shaped watermelons. Worth a look if you done everything else or want the little ones to learn something.
THE CIRCLE OF LIFE is an animated film featuring the characters from THE LION KING advocating looking after the environment. I wasn't really up for this one & was happier on queueing for SOARIN' lol.
The pavillion on the left is the IMAGINATION! pavillion. It has two rides.
JOURNEY INTO IMAGINATION WITH FIGMENT is another one for the kids. It's about boosting their confidence & teaching them about senses like smell & sound. I've got no kids so again I didn't bother with this one.
HONEY, I SHRUNK THE AUDIENCE is a 4D feature with "feelers". You watch a 3D film in which the characters from the Disney Honey, I ... films shrink you the audience. "Feelers" make you feel like what is happening is real. Like wind in you hair if someone sneezes behind you. I'm not going to spoil it but there are quite a few of these. Great attraction. Very popular with all my family.

WORLD SHOWCASE is a great area. Although to be fair, with the exception of shops & restaurants there isn't that much of substance in there. There are three CIRCLE-VISION films on offer. This is where you go into a 360 Degree cinema with screens all around you. Films are shot with a special system of cameras which record on all sides. The three films are on offer in & about the countries on CANADA, CHINA & FRANCE.
GRAN FIESAT TOUR STARRING THE THREE CABALLEROS is a river ride through the pyramid in MEXICO. It's EPCOT'S answer to IT'S A SMALL WORLD and could be described as it's a small Mexico. A bit of fluff for the kids, with THE THREE CABALLEROS (DONALD DUCK, JOSE CARIOCA & PANCHITO) singing their them song. It's not too bad though.
MAELSTROM is a boat voyage through the Viking Era in NORWAY. It's a log flume ride which is tries to be scary with it's set decor as opposed to with a stonking great drop at the end like, say, SPLASH MOUNTAIN. It's suitable for everyone & is good fun. It tries to fool you too.
THE AMERICAN ADVENTURE is in AMERICA & tells the story of the nation & it's people.
There is also a new attraction for 2009. KIM POSSIBLE is an interactive game that can be played in anyone of the 11 Countries in the WORLD SHOWCASE. You can't choose which country you start with but once you have completed your first mission you can pick the country of your choice. You are given a small mobile telephone where the characters from the KIM POSSIBLE TV show give you a mission to complete & tell you to go to certain points in the country you are in & do something. Things around you happen & then you move on to the next clue. they take around 20 minutes. I played NORWAY. I'm glad that I played one although with me not having kids I didn't bother with any of the others. You could spend a day doing all 11. The final act of the mission was great too & worth the wait. My only problem is that the kids this will appeal to the most might be a bit too young to work the handset & the kids who can, might be a bit too cool for it.

As with any DISNEY park. You finish your day with FIREWORKS. EPCOT is no let down and ILLUMINATIONS - REFLECTIONS OF EARTH is spectacular. taking place over the lake with fireworks & a laser show it's a great way to end the day.

Overall the park has a great deal to offer. You can probably fit in what you are interested in over one day. Two or more might be better though to try to get it all done.

Summary: A great theme park. Better for Teens & Adults.