Epcot - Attractions
Updated: Jul 23
Learn about the different attractions that the Magic Kingdom has to offer. This will help you be better informed when selecting which rides and shows will be most exciting to you and your family. Make sure to check out closing and refurbishment list here before you go.
World Celebration
World Discovery
World Nature
World Showcase
Epcot Forever
World Celebration
Spaceship Earth
Inside the iconic Epcot ball sits the Spaceship Earth attraction. On this slow moving ride you will travel through time learning how communication and its progress have influenced and changed the world. As this ride sits at the front of the park it will often get a long-ish wait time relatively quickly as people stop at the first ride they come to. However, the line does move quickly since the ride is a continuous loader (it doesn't stop for loading). If you have mobility issues they can slow, or even stop, the ride for you to get on and off.
Journey Into Imagination with Figment
"One little spark of inspiration" is what you will find over at Journey Into Imagination with Figment in the Imagination Pavilion. Here you will take a tour through the senses, and, more importantly, your imagination with the lovable little purple dragon Figment. You’ll see Figment all around the park as the unofficial mascot of Epcot. This is his official ride. It's a cute family friendly ride that rarely has a long wait attached to it.
Disney & Pixar Short Film Festival
Next door to the Figment ride is the Magic Eye Theater where Disney & Pixar Short Film Festival plays. This is three different short films reworked to provide a 4D experience for each one. Currently playing are Get a Horse (a Mickey black-and-white short), Feast (a short featuring a Boston Terrier pup), and Piper (where a baby sandpiper overcomes her fear of the ocean). Each of these short films can be found online for free, but the 4D experience is a fun addition and the show serves as a good break from the crowds and heat. The wait time for this is generally only until the previous show ends..
World Discovery
Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind
The newest attraction in Epcot is Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind. The story line is that the Xandarians (from the Guardians of the Galaxy movie) are looking to establish communications with earth, and it goes wrong when a Celestial Eston (check out the Eternals movie) shows up to reset reality. You then go on a high speed adventure with the Guardians to set it right again. In addition to twists and turns, made more twisty and turny by your vehicle spinning freely, there is an upbeat soundtrack (the song changes every ride) and some hysterical dialogue if you can catch it. This is a high intensity roller coaster that whips you around. People’s mileage seems to vary on whether it is just right and so much fun or too much and motion sickness inducing. It is, however, much smoother than other roller coasters. Currently you can only ride with either a virtual queue or Lighting Lane Single Pass (LLSP) purchase. Note, if you get the virtual queue, when you show up for your time you will likely still be waiting in an hour for more in line.
Mission: SPACE
Journey to Mars, or just around the earth, in Mission: SPACE. This is a simulation ride, based on the simulation techniques used to train real astronauts, but with a nice Disney story to accompany you while you experience some g-forces (or not). There are two intensity levels for this ride, the orange side where you will go to Mars accompanied by the high intensity forces likely leaving you nauseous at the end, (challenge offered, will you accept?) and the green (for wimps like us) where you take a rumbly tour orbiting earth. The views on the green are definitely really cool, so even if you don’t want to risk your breakfast, this ride is worth a stop. Note that you will be in an enclosed vehicle that can be very triggery for anyone who is uncomfortable in tight spaces. The orange side tends to have a shorter line than green but neither is generally very long most days.
Test Track
***closed for reimagineering.
Test Track is closed for an extensive “reimagining.” Imagineers and a team from Chevrolet will be reaching back into Epcot’s history to draw inspiration from the World of Motion, the original ride that occupied the space Test Track currently inhabits. No details beyond those and the concept art have been released, and nor information about the length of time of the closure have been shared.
World Nature
Soarin’ Around the World
See the world as a paraglider in Soarin’ Around the World over in the Land Pavilion. Set to an awe inspiring soundtrack, you will “glide” over some of the most recognizable natural and man made wonders of the world. This ride does simulate flying at great heights, so if you are afraid of heights that might be an issue for you. You can, however, request a row, so if heights are a problem for you we recommend requesting row three. This will put you at the bottom of the ride where you can see the edge of the screen. Soarin’ is no longer the hottest ride in the park, but it is still quite popular and the wait time can get long. If you do get Lightning Lane Multi Pass at Epcot, this is a good attraction to use it on as your second or third pick.
Land Pavilion
Also over in the Land Pavilion you will find the attraction Living with the Land. If you are a nut for farming and gardening, or just want a nice cool and lengthy ride to rest on, this is a good pick. This 15 minute boat ride teaches about ecology, land use, and farming practices. You’ll also get to see the Disney greenhouses where they are doing actual research into improving farming techniques. When the park is crowded some of the overflow ends up in line here, so the line can get long then, but generally this queue is quick and then you’ll be on your way.
Awesome Planet
As you enter the Land Pavilion, keep to the right and on the way down you will find Awesome Planet. This is a 15 minute film covering both the diversity of ecosystems and animals across the planet and the trials our planet is currently facing. It’s a nice little film with gorgeous visuals and the wait time is only for the previous show to finish. If you are looking for a break from walking or have a kid who loves animals, it’s an easy stop off while going down to the more major attractions on the lower level of the Land Pavilion.
The Seas with Nemo and Friends
Join Marlin on his hunt for Nemo in The Seas with Nemo and Friends attraction in the Seas Pavilion. The ride is your classic continuous loader slow ride taking you through the story of Finding Nemo. At the end you’ll see some neat effects that put Nemo and his friends into a real aquarium with other fish. During that part of the ride they sing “The Big Blue World” song, which is not from the movie but rather the Finding Nemo Musical over in Animal Kingdom. When the park is crowded there can sometimes be a longer wait time for this attraction, but generally this ride has about a 15-20 minute wait or less.
Turtle Talk with Crush
Ever wanted to ask a sea turtle how long they can live for? Over in Turtle Talk with Crush you can do that and so much more. This is a 15 minute show where Crush actually interacts with the audience, answering questions in real time and telling stories and jokes. It’s super cute and definitely worth a stop if you have kids, since that is who he predominantly interacts with. The wait time for Turtle Talk with Crush is typically just until the previous show gets out.
Journey of Water, Inspired by Moana
For lovers of Moana and learning, Journey of Water allows guests to take a self guided tour into the water cycle. This lush trail is full of fun ways to interact with the water elements that surround you, and a plethora of delightful details from the Moana film. Learn how water is a friend by splashing along and soaking up the information sprinkled throughout. This is a new attraction with a virtual queue implemented on busy park days starting at 9am.
World Showcase
Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros
Over in the Mexico Pavilion you will find the Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros. This ride takes you on a tour of Mexico accompanied by three fun loving and musicophile birds. It’s one of the few attractions in the World Showcase area, so the line can sometimes get lengthy. If you happen upon it with a shorter wait it is worth a hop on, but otherwise we wouldn’t recommend waiting a long time for this ride.
Frozen Ever After
The cold never bothered us anyways…and hopefully the line waiting. In Norway’s Pavilion the popular Frozen Ever After ride takes guests on a quick trip to visit Elsa in her ice palace with appearances by some of the most lovable Frozen characters. This is the only Frozen ride at WDW, and given the continued popularity of the movie it is unsurprising that the wait time for this ride is often quite long, stretching out to beyond an hour most days. If this is a must do for you and your family we recommend going there first thing in the morning or getting a LLMP reservation for it.
Reflections of China
Take a virtual tour of China in the Reflections of China film. The film can be found in the Temple of Heaven building in the China Pavilion and will fly you over some of China's most well known and incredible sights. This is a CircleVision 360º film, which means it was shot with a special 360º camera so that you could feel more immersed with the film showing all around you. Having the screens surround you can cause some mild motion sickness for some people. There are rails around the edge of the theater and it might be worth standing near the rails and using them if you feel off balance during the film. This is a 14 minute show with no seating, so be ready to stand for the duration. The wait for this show is just for the previous show to finish.
The American Adventure
At the back of the world showcase, in the America Pavilion, you will find The American Adventure show. At just under 30 minutes, this is a lengthy show that spans from the pilgrim’s discovery of America, through the revolutionary war, civil war, westward expansion, industrial revolution, the world wars, and on to the present day. The perseverance and ingenuity of the American spirit is highlighted and ever present throughout the show. It’s both a lovely show with animatronics and video used in equal measure, and a great place to take a break from the heat and the crowds and get off your feet for a while. The wait time is pretty much always for the previous show to finish, so if you time it right you can just walk right into the theater, or only have a short wait in the rotunda area.
Beauty and the Beast Sing-Along and Impressions de France
At the back of the main part of the France Pavilion you will find the Palais du Cinema where Beauty and the Beast Sing-Along and Impressions de France are both screened. Beauty and the Beast Sing-Along shows for most of the day, providing an abbreviated telling of Beauty and the Beast over 15 minutes, with songs of course, and funny short interludes with LeFou as he plots to bring Belle and the Beast together behind the scenes. In the evening you can catch Impressions de France, a beautiful film with scenes from all over France. Impressions de France is an 18 minute film. Neither show typically has a long wait, just until the previous show gets out, and there is bench seating in the theater.
Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure
One of the newest rides at Epcot is Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure in the France Pavilion. Situated in a new area to the right of the pavilion, this trackless ride takes you on a 4D adventure with Remy as he evades Skinner and ultimately becomes the Little Chef he was meant to be. If you get motion sickness the 3D glasses paired with sudden movements can be triggery, but in general this is a great family friendly ride. Since it is a newer ride, and one of the few rides in the World Showcase area, the line for this ride is often quite long. If you want to ride this without purchasing a Lightning Lane Pass we recommend entering through the International Gateway, if possible, arriving at 30-45 minutes before Early Theme Park opening (they will start letting guests queue at popular attractions before opening), and bee-line for Remy. If you are purchasing Lightning Lane Multi Pass, Remy should be one of the first attractions you book.
Canada Far and Wide
If you wind your way to the back of the Canada Pavilion you will find Canada Far and Wide. This virtual tour of Canada provides breathtaking scenery, incredible city skyline views, and so much more as it takes you from one end of Canada to the other. This is a CircleVision 360º film, which means it was shot with a special 360º camera so that you could feel more immersed with the film showing all around you. Having the screens surround you can cause some mild motion sickness for some people. There are rails around the edge of the theater and it might be worth standing near the rails and using them if you feel off balance during the film. This is a 15 minute show with no seating, so be ready to stand for the duration. The wait for this show is just for the previous show to finish.
Epcot Forever
In the evenings there is a fireworks and laser show over the World Showcase lagoon called Epcot Forever. You can view the show from anywhere around the lagoon, but for an unobstructed view head to one of the bridges or to the World Showcase Plaza area. Epcot Forever is a temporary show serving as filler between Harmonious, which closed earlier this year, and the new, as yet unannounced show coming to Epcot. This show is typically scheduled at the same time as park closing, but double check the times guide or your MDE app for the day you are there.
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