A Guide to EPCOT

ByLindsey Updated

Epcot is home to Spaceship Earth, the iconic geodesic sphere. It comprises four neighbourhoods celebrating our world and its people; World Celebration, World Discovery, World Nature, and World Showcase. Each section has several dining and shopping options, as well as rides and attractions.

Epcot Ball

International Gateway

The EPCOT International Gateway is an entrance to the park used by guests staying in an Epcot resort or those arriving on the Skyliner. You can find the pathway in World Showcase between the France and UK Pavilions. Here you can access several Disney resorts, such as Beach Club and Yacht Club, and the shops and restaurants on the BoardWalk. If you fancy a trip to Hollywood Studios, you can also jump on a friendship boat or the Skyliner.

The Skyliner

The Skyliner connects Epcot to Hollywood Studios, Art of Animation, Pop Century, Caribbean Beach and Disney’s Riveria Resort. The station is located at Epcot International Gateway.

The Monorail

The monorail is one of Disney’s most iconic modes of transport, and it stops right outside Epcot’s main entrance! The monorail to Epcot runs between Epcot and the Transportation and Ticket Center (TTC). At the TTC, guests can switch lines to get to Magic Kingdom or one of the monorail hotels.

How to Meet Disney Characters in EPCOT

EPCOT is a great place to meet an array of Disney characters, including a lot of Disney princesses! They often appear in their home pavilions and Akershus Royal Banquet Hall in Norway is home to Princess Storybook Dining. You can find all the information you need in our guide to Disney characters in EPCOT.

World Celebration

World Celebration encompasses the main entrance into Epcot and includes the famous Spaceship Earth ball. It aims to connect guests to each other and to the world around them. This section has two exhibitions, Project Tomorrow and ImageWorks – The “What If” Labs, featuring interactive games and activities. There are several shops in this area, including the main Epcot store, Creations Shop, and Club Cool, where you can try different Coca-Cola products from around the world.

Dining

Connections Eatery: A large quick-service restaurant which sells food items such as burgers, pizza and Liege Waffles.
Connections Cafe: Starbucks.
Popcorn Carts: There are two popcorn carts in this section.

Rides & Attractions

Spaceship Earth: A slow dark ride that takes you up into the “giant golf ball” and gives guests a lesson on human communication and how it has evolved.
Journey Into Imagination With Figment: This is another slow ride, but this time it’s through the sensory labs of the Imagination Institute with Figment, a small purple dragon, as your guide.
The Disney and Pixar Short Film Festival: An 18-minute show where you can relax and enjoy three Disney and Pixar movies in 4D with special effects.

World Discovery

World Discovery is where “stories about science, technology, and intergalactic adventure come to life”. Many stores, rides and restaurants are space themed, including the Advanced Training Lab, an interactive area with games and activities.

Dining

Joffrey’s: Coffee, tea and doughnuts.
Space 2020: A signature-dining restaurant where guests can choose one appetizer and one entree for a fixed price. The theming in this restaurant is pretty great – you can see Earth right outside the window as you dine from space!
Snack Stands: There are two stands that sell snacks such as pretzels, ice cream and popcorn.

Rides & Attractions

Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind: Epcot’s first rollercoaster features your favourite Guardians of the Galaxy characters in a thrill ride through space and time.
Test Track: Put your car to the test as it accelerates quickly, swerves around corners and reaches a speed of up to 65mph.
Mission: SPACE: Mission: SPACE is known for causing motion sickness and offers two missions, one more intense than the other. The ride launches you into space on a mission to Mars, and the intenser ride spins and tilts imitating the speed and G-forces of a rocket launch.

World Nature

World Nature celebrates the beauty of the natural world. The attractions and restaurants in this section focus on the Earth and seas.

Dining

Sunshine Seasons: A quick-service restaurant in The Land Pavilion sells a range of food from roast beef sandwiches to pizza rolls and spicy fish tacos.
Garden Grill Restaurant: Character dining with Chip ‘n’ Dale and friends.
Coral Reef Restaurant: This unique restaurant has stunning underwater views of The Seas with Nemo & Friends and serves a range of fish and meat dishes.
Snack Stands: The Land cart sells pretzels as well as fruit and vegetable plates.

Rides & Attractions

Soarin’ Around the World: Guests sit in a hang glider and soar above the wonders of the world. The ride uses a 180-degree, 80-foot IMAX digital projection dome to immerse riders, and gentle movements give the sensation you’re flying!
Living with the Land: A relaxing boat ride through the Disney greenhouses, this attraction teaches you about the history of farming.
Awesome Planet: A 10-minute film that celebrates our planet and its future. The film has special effects such as wind, water and scents.
The Seas with Nemo and Friends: Climb aboard a clam and head under the sea to look for Nemo. This dark ride takes you into the aquarium.
SeaBase: SeaBase is large aquarium that is home to fish, sharks, dolphins, turtles and manatees. Guests can also go on a self-led scavenger hunt with Dory or pose for photos at Bruce’s Shark World.
Turtle Talk with Crush: An improvised show where Crush interacts with the audience.

Manatees at SeaBase.

World Showcase

World Showcase features eleven pavilions based on eleven nations. Each pavilion celebrates the food, architecture and culture of the country it is inspired by. The pavilions border the World Showcase Lagoon, the site of Epcot’s nighttime show.

Canada

The Canada Pavilion’s main feature is the Hotel du Canada, inspired by Ottawa’s Chateau Laurier. It sits among beautiful gardens, a canyon and a waterfall.

  • Dining: Signature dining at Le Cellier Steakhouse & a popcorn cart with maple popcorn.
  • Shopping: The Canada Pavilion has two stores that sell Canadian-themed food and souvenirs such as handmade ornaments and maple syrup.
  • Attractions: Canada Far and Wide in Circle-Vision 360 is a film showing incredible views of the Canadian landscape.

United Kingdom

The quaint British street features a thatched roof cottage and a colourful garden with a bandstand. Guests can also wander down cobblestone streets lined with brick buildings and charming old-fashioned street lamps.

  • Dining: The Rose & Crown Pub serves popular British food, such as shepherd’s pie and scotch eggs, alongside beer and other alcoholic drinks. Guests can also find fish and chips at the quick-service restaurant Yorkshire County Fish Shop.
  • Shopping: Shops here sell an array of British items, such as tea and biscuits, football shirts and merchandise based on British popular culture like The Beatles and Doctor Who.

France

A Parisienne neighbourhood overlooked by the Eiffel Tower, the France Pavillion is a great place to eat and shop.

  • Dining: The France Pavillion has some great dining options. There’s upscale dining at Monsieur Paul or Les Chefs de France for those looking for a more casual restaurant. There’s also a patisserie and an Artisan Ice Cream shop.
  • Shopping: Shops here sell a range of French wines, chocolates and perfumes. Guests can also purchase Paris souvenirs, books on France and cooking items.
  • Attractions: The France Pavillion has two shows, an 18-minute movie about France and a Beauty and the Beast sing-along. There’s also an exhibit, Tales As Old As Time: French Storytelling on Stage and Screen, displaying costumes, artwork and music.
  • Rides: Go on a chase through Gusteau’s Parisian restaurant on a trackless coaster with Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure.

Morocco

The Morocco Pavilion celebrates Morocco with a replica of the Koutoubia Minaret in Marrakesh, North African plants and mosaic art.

  • Dining: Guests can enjoy a range of Mediterranean food at Spice Road Table or grab a kebab from the quick-service restaurant Tangierine Cafe. Oasis Sweets Sips serves a selection of pastries in addition to frozen mint tea and sangria.
  • Shopping: The Morocco Pavilion has plenty of shops where guests can find everything from rugs to traditional Moroccan clothes and jewellery.

Japan

The entrance to the Japan Pavilion features a red Torii gate and a Japanese Pagoda, modelled after the Horyuji Temple in Nara. This is another section with a beautiful garden featuring native plants, trees and streams of colourful koi fish.

  • Dining: Katsura Grill offers quick-service meals such as noodles, sushi, salads and Teriyaki. There’s also hibachi cooking at Teppan Edo and signature dining at Takumi-Tei.
  • Shopping: At the Mitsukoshi Department Store, you will find a range of Japanese products, from traditional clothing to kawaii plushies. You can also find a range of recognisable characters and brands, such as Pokemon, Hello Kitty and Totoro.

United States

This pavilion is a single building which celebrates the USA. There are quotes from famous Americans, including Walt Disney himself, and the Hall of Flags, which exhibits flags throughout America’s history. On display, you can also find American paintings and the Spirits of America, twelve statues which represent American values.

  • Dining: The United States section only has a quick-service restaurant. Regal Eagle Smokehouse sells burgers, ribs and smoked chicken. You can also find kiosks that serve food and drinks, such as turkey legs, hot dogs, funnel cake and craft beers.
  • Shopping: The American Adventure has an Art of Disney store, which sells a range of prints and artwork by Disney artists.
  • Attractions: The American Adventure theatre takes guests on a journey through America’s history using Audio-Animatronics. The theatre is also the home of The Soul of Jazz: An American Adventure, where Joe Gardner from the movie Soul shares the history of jazz.

Italy

The buildings in the Italy Pavilion are inspired by beautiful Italian architecture and feature St Mark’s Campanile, a fountain inspired by the Trevi Fountain and the Columns of San Marco and San Todaro.

  • Dining: Pizza and pasta are on the menu at the Italy Pavilion’s restaurants, Via Napoli Ristorante e Pizzeria and Tutto Italia Ristorante. The wine bar, Tutto Gusto Wine Cellar, also serves Italian food alongside wine flights.
  • Shopping: The shops sell a range of Italian products, from Venetian masks to perfumes to leather handbags. They also sell tasty Italian snacks, chocolate, coffee and wine.

Germany

The little German town features a medieval castle, a clock tower that chimes on the hour and a statue of St. George and the Dragon. There’s also a miniature village complete with model trains.

  • Dining: The Biergarten Restaurant celebrates Oktoberfest with a German buffet serving traditional German food. There’s also a quick-service restaurant, Sommerfest, where guests can purchase bratwurst, pretzels and beer.
  • Shopping: The Germany Pavilion shops sell beautiful German merchandise such as cuckoo clocks and hand-painted eggs. You can also find traditional toys such as puppets and teddy bears at Der Teddybar, a German toy store.

China

The China Pavillion welcomes guests with its towering ceremonial gate. There’s an impressive replica of Beijing’s Temple of Heaven and beautiful white Chinese bridges over fish-filled ponds.

  • Dining: The Nine Dragons Restaurant serves Chinese food such as dumplings and Kung Pao Duo in a traditional Chinese restaurant setting. There’s also a quick-service restaurant where you can find chicken pot stickers and Mongolian beef with noodles.
  • Shopping: The House of Good Fortune is one of the biggest stores at the World Showcase and sells souvenirs such as Chinese lanterns, jade carvings, folding hand fans, teapots and crystal jewellery. There are also plenty of pandas!
  • Attractions: Reflections of China is a 12-minute Circle-Vision 360° film which guides you on a beautiful tour of the sights and landscapes of China.

Norway

The Norway Pavilion celebrates a range of Norwegian architecture and features Oslo’s Akershus Fortress, a statue of Olaf II Haraldsson and a stave church with a Norwegian culture and Norse mythology exhibit inside.

Norway Pavilion Shopping
  • Dining: At the Akershus Royal Banquet Hall, guests can dine with Disney Princesses while enjoying a range of Norwegian and American food. There’s also a bakery, Kringla Bakeri Og Kafe, which sells Norwegian treats such as School Bread, Norwegian Kringla and Lefse.
  • Shopping: The Wandering Reindeer sells a range of Frozen merchandise, but for guests looking for more traditional Norwegian items, you can find plenty of trolls, Viking equipment and clothing adorned with the Norwegian flag in The Fjording!
  • Rides: The Norway Pavilion is home to Frozen Ever After. The popular water ride transports guests around Arendelle, where they will meet their favourite Frozen characters, such as Anna, Elsa and Olaf.

Mexico

The Mexico Pavilion is a replica of a Mesoamerican pyramid. Inside you will find a Mexican village with an “outdoor” marketplace under a twilight sky. Nearby diners eat by a lagoon with a smoking volcano and the grand Mayan pyramid in the background.

  • Dining: The restaurants sell a range of delicious Mexican food you’d expect to see, such as tacos, empanadas and enchiladas. If you’re looking for something alcoholic, there’s a tequila bar and a margarita bar.
  • Shopping: The Mexico Pavilion has some great shopping options under beautiful lanterns that hang from the ceiling. The Plaza de Los Amigos has little carts selling sombreros, piñatas, crystal ornaments and Coco merchandise.
  • Rides: The Gran Fiesta Tour Starring the Three Caballeros is a slow boat ride down the Rio Grande. Take in the sights of Mexico whilst looking for a missing Donald Duck.
The Plaza de Los Amigos

Read more about EPCOT!

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How to Meet Disney Characters in EPCOT

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