Complete Guide to Epcot at Disney World

Heather Thomas

Epcot was the second park built at Disney World, and it has unique offerings you can’t find anywhere else.

Whether you desire to fly above the world in Soarin’, or to check out one of Epcot’s many festivals (like the Food & Wine Festival), or even to drop in for a visit with Anna, Elsa, and Olaf on Frozen Ever After, you’ll find Epcot has a wide variety of options to appeal to your family.

Don’t try to go to Epcot without first planning your day, though. Check out these resources to help you maximize your time (and money) during your trip…

In this article

How many days should I visit Epcot?

For most trips there simply aren’t enough days to see and do everything at Disney World, so deciding how to divide your time is an important step in planning your stay.

The table below has suggestions for the number of days you should plan to spend at each park, but depending on your family’s tastes and interests you may want to adjust how you allocate your time.

Suggested number of days in each park

wdt_ID	TRIP LENGTH (DAYS)	MK	EP	HS	AK	WATER PARK	OTHER THINGS
1	3	1	1	1 HS or	1 AK	0
2	4	1	1	1	1	0
3	5	2	1	1	1	0
4	6	2	1	1	1	1
5	7	2	2	1	1	1
6	8	2	2	1	1	1	1
7	9	2	2	1	1	1	2
8	10	2	2	1	1	1	3

Epcot map

Epcot is home to 2 distinct areas – Future World and the World Showcase.

Future World is divided into 2 sides: Future World East and Future World West.

The World Showcase surrounds the World Showcase Lagoon and is home to 11 pavilions that each highlight a different country with themed architecture, entertainment, and restaurants:

Mexico
Norway
China
Germany
Italy
The American Adventure
Japan
Morocco
France
United Kingdom
Canada

Want a map you can download? Get Epcot maps to download before your trip.

Parking at Epcot

Thinking about driving at Disney World?

Parking is quick and painless and a good option if you’ll have your car on your vacation.

All parking lots are staffed with an abundance of Cast Members that will help direct you to your spot. If you park too far away from the front gate to walk, there will be handy trams to shuttle you back and forth from the end of your row to near the front gates.

How much does parking at Epcot cost?

Free for Walt Disney World Resort hotel guests
Offsite guests $25/day
Passholders – Free with Passholder card and photo ID
Preferred Parking – $45-50/day

Want more tips on driving? Check out our post on using a car at Disney World.

What should I bring with me to Epcot?

Since Disney allows you to keep your bag with you on every attraction, many people find it handy to carry a bag or backpack with them into the parks.

What you pack in your backpack will vary on your age and who you are traveling with but to help you decide what you might want to bring we have an entire post dedicated to Disney World park bags.

Here are some other common questions on what to bring with you:

Can I bring food with me?

Yes! You can bring your own food items with you. The only restrictions are no glass containers (baby food is an exception) and no alcohol. Also, for the safety of the animals, no straws are allowed at Animal Kingdom.

Can I bring a cooler?

Yes, small coolers are allowed; however, the total size can’t exceed 24″ by 15″ by 18″. We recommend bringing a cooler small enough to fit into a locker or in the bottom of a stroller (note: as of 5/1/19, loose ice and dry ice are not allowed in the parks, so you will need to use an ice pack or something similar if you plan to bring cooled items).

Are wagons allowed?

Items that can be pulled behind you are not allowed at Disney World, and that includes wagons.

Can I bring my selfie stick?

Sorry, but no. Selfie sticks are banned at all Disney World parks, including Animal Kingdom.

Can I bring my tripod so I can take pictures?

Tripods (and monopods) that are small enough to fit in a backpack are allowed.

I heard the lines are long. Can I bring a folding chair with me to sit in while I wait?

Folding chairs are not allowed, and we’d never want you standing in a line long enough that you’d need one! Make sure you read the touring plan information below so that you avoid standing in long lines.