EPCOT touring plans and Genie+ suggestions (minimize your waits!)

Worried about long waits for EPCOT attractions?

Having well-organized touring plans that make good use of Genie+ is key to avoiding long line waits during your Disney World trip, including at Epcot.

Below, find EPCOT touring plans, along with Genie+ suggestions, to make sure you’re maximizing your time.

Let’s take a look…

In this article

EPCOT Rides and Attractions

EPCOT used to be broken up into 2 main areas: Future World and World Showcase, but as a part of all of the updates being done there, Disney changed things up a bit.

Now, EPCOT is divided into 4 worlds:

World Discovery (formerly part of Future World)
World Celebration (formerly part of Future World)
World Nature (formerly part of Future World)
World Showcase

Not counting the entertainment that you can see in the World Showcase, there are about 19 total rides and shows at EPCOT.

In this guide, we’re first going to give you a list of all the available major attractions you’ll find at EPCOT. And don’t worry, if you need additional information, we’ll link off to more detailed descriptions of each.

Next, we are going to give you a brief description about Genie+, including why we sometimes recommend it for EPCOT. This is important to understand before you start creating your touring plans.

Then, we’ll dive into the meat and potatoes of this post – the touring plans. You can use them as is or, just use them as a basis to customize a trip that is perfect for you and your traveling companions.

Note: This list only includes characters who offer Genie+. Please refer to our Complete Guide to Characters at EPCOT for the full list of available character meet-and-greet opportunities.

Get more info on all the attractions below in our Complete Guide to EPCOT Attractions

Park	Land	Attraction name	Attraction name	Available for Early Theme Park Entry?	Available during Early Theme Park Entry?	Priority Level	Why is it this priority level?	Best times to ride with lowest waits	Is Genie+ available here?	Avg. time G+ return times run out:
Magic Kingdom	Fantasyland	"it's a small world"	"it's a small world"	Yes	Yes, 2nd level priority	3	Genie+ rarely runs out	Early Theme Park Entry, first 2 or last 2 hours of the day, or anytime with G+	Yes	Rarely runs totally out
Magic Kingdom	Tomorrowland	Astro Orbiter	Astro Orbiter	Yes	Yes, but not a priority	No Genie+		Early Theme Park Entry, or first 2 or last 2 hours of the day	No	N/A
Magic Kingdom	Frontierland	Big Thunder Mountain Railroad (40" height req.)	Big Thunder Mountain Railroad (40" height req.)	No	No	2	The 3 mountains at Magic Kingdom (Space, Splash, and Big Thunder) are always popular. Big Thunder Mountain’s queue is un-airconditioned, and although it is covered, it can get kind of stuffy, so minimizing your time waiting in it is a good idea (especially when the weather is extra hot)	First hour or last hour of the day, or anytime with G+	Yes	Mid to late afternoon
Magic Kingdom	Tomorrowland	Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin	Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin	Yes	Yes, 2nd level priority	3	Genie+ runs out late evening	Early Theme Park Entry, first 2 or last 2 hours of the day, or anytime with G+	Yes	Rarely runs totally out
Magic Kingdom	Frontierland	Country Bear Jamboree	Country Bear Jamboree	No	No	No Genie+		Anytime	No	N/A
Magic Kingdom	Fantasyland	Dumbo the Flying Elephant	Dumbo the Flying Elephant	Yes	Yes, but not a priority	3	Genie+ rarely runs out	Early Theme Park Entry, anytime standby, or anytime with G+	Yes	Rarely runs totally out
Magic Kingdom	Fantasyland	Enchanted Tales with Belle	Enchanted Tales with Belle	No	No	2	Enchanted Tales with Belle is a unique attraction, but the capacity isn't great which means the standby lines can really get long. Because of that, using a Genie+ here can really save you some time if you aren't able to ride it right at park opening.	First hour or last hour of the day, or anytime with G+	Yes	Mid to late afternoon
Magic Kingdom	Adventureland	Enchanted Tiki Room	Enchanted Tiki Room	No	No	No Genie+		Anytime	No	N/A
Magic Kingdom	Town Square	Festival of Fantasy Parade	Festival of Fantasy Parade	No	No	3	There are limited reserved spaces, but there are plenty of non-reserved spots to view the parade without using a Genie+ reservation.	As scheduled, as scheduled with G+	Yes	Limited reserved spaces (but there are plenty of other non-reserved spots to view the parade w/o using a G+ reservation)
Magic Kingdom	Liberty Square	Haunted Mansion	Haunted Mansion	No	No	2	Even though Haunted Mansion is continuously loading, the waits here can get quite long starting about an hour or 2 after park opening. And, although a large chunk of the queue is covered, it is in the open air (which means it can still be a long, hot wait).	First 2 or last 2 hours of the day, or anytime with G+	Yes	late afternoon to early evening
Magic Kingdom	Adventureland	Jungle Cruise	Jungle Cruise	No	No	1	This is one of the classic Disney attractions that is popular but also very slow to load. Lines here quickly build and this is typically one of the first attractions to see Genie+ spots run out.	First 2 or last 2 hours of the day, or anytime with G+	Yes	Mid to early afternoon
Magic Kingdom	Liberty Square	Liberty Square Riverboat	Liberty Square Riverboat	No	No	No Genie+		Anytime	No	N/A
Magic Kingdom	Fantasyland	Mad Tea Party	Mad Tea Party	Yes	Yes, but not a priority	3	Genie+ rarely runs out	Anytime standby or Anytime with G+	Yes	Rarely runs totally out
Magic Kingdom	Fantasyland	Meet Ariel in her Grotto	Meet Ariel in her Grotto	No	No	2	If you are a fan of character meets, consider snagging a Genie+ for Ariel because the line here is often quite long, and because she is often not open from park opening to park closing, the Genie+ spots can run out fast.	First 2 or last 2 hours of the day, or anytime with G+	Yes	Early afternoon
Magic Kingdom	Fantasyland	Meet Cinderella and a Visiting Princess at Princess Fairytale Hall	Meet Cinderella and a Visiting Princess at Princess Fairytale Hall	No	No	2	If you are a fan of character meets, consider snagging a Genie+ for Princess Fairy Tale Hall. The princesses are very popular and Genie+ reservations often run out for both sides by mid-afternoon.	Anytime standby or Anytime with G+	Yes	Mid to late afternoon
Magic Kingdom	Town Square	Meet Mickey at Town Square Theater	Meet Mickey at Town Square Theater	No	No	2	If you are a fan of character meets, consider snagging a Genie+ to Meet Mickey Mouse at Town Square Theater. He is popular and the lines here are often 30+ minutes long, and Genie+ spots typically run out by mid-afternoon.	Anytime standby or Anytime with G+	Yes	Late afternoon
Magic Kingdom	Fantasyland	Meet Princess Tiana and a Visiting Princess at Princess Fairytale Hall	Meet Princess Tiana and a Visiting Princess at Princess Fairytale Hall	No	No	2	If you are a fan of character meets, consider snagging a Genie+ for Ariel because the line here is often quite long, and because she is often not open from park opening to park closing, the Genie+ spots can run out fast.	Anytime standby or Anytime with G+	Yes	Mid to late afternoon
Magic Kingdom	Fantasyland	Mickey's PhilharMagic	Mickey's PhilharMagic	Yes	Yes, but not a priority	3	Genie+ rarely runs out	Anytime standby or Anytime with G+	Yes	Rarely runs totally out
Magic Kingdom	Tomorrowland	Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor	Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor	Yes	No	3	Genie+ rarely runs out	Anytime standby or Anytime with G+	Yes	Rarely runs totally out
Magic Kingdom	Fantasyland	Peter Pan's Flight	Peter Pan's Flight	Yes	Yes,1st level priority (consider riding FIRST if paying for ILLs at Seven Dwarfs and Space Mountain)	1	This is one of the classic Disney attractions that is popular but also very slow to load. Lines here quickly build and this is typically one of the first attractions to see Genie+ spots run out.	Early Theme Park Entry, first or last hour of the day, or anytime with G+	Yes	Early afternoon
Magic Kingdom	Adventureland	Pirates of the Caribbean	Pirates of the Caribbean	No	No	2	Attractions that use boats are notorious for being slow loaders, which means they can develop long lines. Spots for Pirates tend to last for quite a while, so if you want to ride, you may be able to snag a Genie+ spot here later into the day.	First 2 or last 2 hours of the day, or anytime with G+	Yes	Mid to late afternoon
Magic Kingdom	Fantasyland	Prince Charming Regal Carrousel	Prince Charming Regal Carrousel	Yes	Yes, but not a priority	No Genie+		First 3 or last 3 hours of the day	No	N/A
Magic Kingdom	Fantasyland	Seven Dwarfs Mine Train (38" height req.)	Seven Dwarfs Mine Train (38" height req.)	Yes	Yes, 1st level priority (Consider riding FIRST if not paying for ILL )	Individual Lightning Lane Selection and Standby Line only		Early Theme Park Entry, first or last hour of the day, or anytime with ILL	No	Individual Lightning Lane Selections typically run out by 8:30 am (although you can sometimes find some limited availability later in the day)
Magic Kingdom	Tomorrowland	Space Mountain (44" height req.)	Space Mountain (44" height req.)	Yes	Yes, 1st level priority (Consider riding FIRST if not paying for ILL or ride 2nd if you also want to ride Seven Dwarfs without ILL)	2	Space Mountain is a classic, but because it is a bit more intense than other attractions, it doesn't run out of Genie+ spots until (typically) the afternoon.	Early Theme Park Entry, first or last hour of the day, or anytime with G+	Yes	Mid-afternoon
Magic Kingdom	Frontierland	Tiana's Bayou Adventure OPENING 2024 (40" height req.)	Tiana's Bayou Adventure OPENING 2024 (40" height req.)	No	No			TBD	Yes	Late afternoon to late evening (will be earlier on hot days)
Magic Kingdom	Adventureland	Swiss Family Treehouse	Swiss Family Treehouse	No	No	No Genie+		Anytime	No	N/A
Magic Kingdom	Fantasyland	The Barnstormer (35" height req.)	The Barnstormer (35" height req.)	Yes	Yes, but not a priority	3	Genie+ rarely runs out	Early Theme Park Entry, anytime standby, or anytime with G+	Yes	Rarely runs totally out
Magic Kingdom	Liberty Square	The Hall of Presidents	The Hall of Presidents	No	No	No Genie+		Anytime	No	N/A
Magic Kingdom	Adventureland	The Magic Carpets of Aladdin	The Magic Carpets of Aladdin	No	No	3	Genie+ rarely runs out	Anytime standby or Anytime with G+	Yes	Rarely runs totally out
Magic Kingdom	Fantasyland	The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh	The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh	Yes	Yes, 2nd level priority	2	Fantasyland attractions are notorious for having long lines during the daytime hours. As night falls and families with little ones head out, the waits will drop. But, if this is a priority for your family, it is a sound option for a 2nd choice.	Early Theme Park Entry, first 2 or last 2 hours of the day, or anytime with G+	Yes	Late afternoon to early evening
Magic Kingdom	Frontierland	Tom Sawyer Island	Tom Sawyer Island	No	No	No Genie+		Anytime (opens late so check MDE)	No	N/A
Magic Kingdom	Tomorrowland	Tomorrowland Speedway (32" height req. to ride, 54" to drive solo)	Tomorrowland Speedway (32" height req. to ride, 54" to drive solo)	Yes	Yes, but not a priority	3	Although the Genie+ reservations here can run out by early evening, the waits at the end of the day are typically 30 minutes or even way less as the evening progresses. We only recommend you use Genie+ here if you know you won't be able to stay late enough in the evening to take advantage of the lower wait times.	First 3 or last 3 hours of the day, or anytime with G+	Yes	Late evening
Magic Kingdom	Tomorrowland	Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover	Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover	Yes	Yes, but not a priority	No Genie+		First 3 or last 3 hours of the day	No	N/A
Magic Kingdom	Tomorrowland	TRON Lightcycle / Run (48" height req.)	TRON Lightcycle / Run (48" height req.)	No	N/A	Individual Lightning Lane Selection and Virtual Queue only		Can only ride with an ILL or by getting a spot in the Virtual Queue	No	Individual Lightning Lane Selections typically run out shortly after 7:00 am
Magic Kingdom	Fantasyland	Under the Sea ~ Journey of The Little Mermaid	Under the Sea ~ Journey of The Little Mermaid	Yes	Yes, but not a priority	3	Genie+ rarely runs out	Early Theme Park Entry, first 3 or last 3 hours of the day, or anytime with G+	Yes	Rarely runs totally out
Magic Kingdom	Town Square	Walt Disney World Railroad	Walt Disney World Railroad	No	No	No Genie+		Anytime	No	N/A
Magic Kingdom	Frontierland	Walt Disney World Railroad (Frontierland Station)	Walt Disney World Railroad (Frontierland Station)	No	No	No Genie+		Anytime	No	N/A
Magic Kingdom	Fantasyland	Walt Disney World Railroad (Storybook Circus Station)	Walt Disney World Railroad (Storybook Circus Station)	No	No	No Genie+		Anytime	No	N/A
Magic Kingdom	Tomorrowland	Walt Disney's Carousel of Progress	Walt Disney's Carousel of Progress	Yes	Yes, but not a priority	No Genie+		Anytime	No	N/A
Hollywood Studios	Toy Story Land	Alien Swirling Saucers (32" height req.)	Alien Swirling Saucers (32" height req.)	Yes	Yes, but not a priority	2	For families looking for attractions with low or no height requirement, this is a good level 2 option. Plus, the queue is entirely outside, and although parts are covered, if you are traveling during the time of the year when the weather is hot, it can make a lot of sense to use G+ here to avoid waiting in the heat.	First 2 or last 2 hours of the day, or anytime with G+	Yes	Early evening
Hollywood Studios	Sunset Boulevard	Beauty and the Beast Live on Stage	Beauty and the Beast Live on Stage	No	No	3	Genie+ rarely runs out before the final show	Anytime standby or anytime with G+ (as scheduled)	Yes	Rarely runs totally out before the final show
Hollywood Studios	Animation Courtyard	Disney Junior Play & Dance!	Disney Junior Play & Dance!	No	No	3	Genie+ rarely runs out before the final show	Anytime standby or anytime with G+ (as scheduled)	Yes	Rarely runs totally out before the final show
Hollywood Studios	Sunset Boulevard	Fantasmic!	Fantasmic!	No	No	No Genie+		N/A	No	N/A
Hollywood Studios	Echo Lake	For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration	For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration	No	No	3	Genie+ rarely runs out before the final show	Anytime standby or anytime with G+ (as scheduled)	Yes	Rarely runs totally out before the final show
Hollywood Studios	Echo Lake	Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular!	Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular!	No	No	3	Genie+ rarely runs out before the final show	Anytime standby or anytime with G+ (as scheduled)	Yes	Rarely runs totally out before the final show
Hollywood Studios	Sunset Boulevard	Lightning McQueen's Racing Academy	Lightning McQueen's Racing Academy	No	No	No Genie+		Anytime	No	N/A
Hollywood Studios	Hollywood Boulevard	Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway	Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway	Yes	Yes, 1st level priority (Consider riding FIRST if not paying for ILL)	2	Not only is this attraction one of the newest in the park, it also one of the first families see when they walk in. Look for available Genie+ spots to be gone by midday.	Early Theme Park Entry, first or last hour of the day, anytime with G+, or anytime with ILL	Yes	Late afternoon
Hollywood Studios	Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge	Millennium Falcon Smugglers Run (38" height req.)	Millennium Falcon Smugglers Run (38" height req.)	Yes	Yes, 2nd level priority	1	Although it is less popular than Rise of the Resistance, the lines here can still get quite long. Tip: if you don’t mind having your party split up, there is often a Single Rider Line here that can greatly reduce your wait time if you opt to skip using a Genie+ selection.	Early Theme Park Entry, first or last hour of the day, or anytime with G+	Yes	Mid to late afternoon
Hollywood Studios	Grand Avenue	Muppet*Vision 3D	Muppet*Vision 3D	No	No	3	Genie+ rarely runs out	Anytime standby or Anytime with G+	Yes	Rarely runs totally out
Hollywood Studios	Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge	Rise of the Resistance (40" height req.)	Rise of the Resistance (40" height req.)	Yes	Yes, 1st level priority (Consider riding FIRST if not paying for ILL )	Individual Lightning Lane Selection and Standby Line only		Early Theme Park Entry, first or last hour of the day, or anytime with ILL	No	Individual Lightning Lane Selections typically run out shortly after 7:00 am
Hollywood Studios	Sunset Boulevard	Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith (48" height req.)	Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith (48" height req.)	Yes	Yes, 2nd level priority	2	Disney World doesn’t have a lot of coasters, so thrill seekers love Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster, and that means there are long lines here for most of the day. Tip: if you don’t mind having your party split up, there is a Single Rider Line here that can greatly reduce your wait time if you opt to skip using a Genie+ selection here.	Early Theme Park Entry, first or last hour of the day, or anytime with G+	Yes	Mid morning to early afternoon
Hollywood Studios	Echo Lake	Meet Olaf at Celebrity Spotlight	Meet Olaf at Celebrity Spotlight	No	No	3	Genie+ rarely runs out (Note that Olaf's hours are typically shorter than the official park hours)	Anytime standby or Anytime with G+	Yes	Rarely runs totally out (note that operating hours here are shorter than the park hours)
Hollywood Studios	Toy Story Land	Slinky Dog Dash (38" height req.)	Slinky Dog Dash (38" height req.)	Yes	Yes, 1st level priority (Consider riding FIRST if not paying for G+ )	1	Slinky Dog Dash is one of the most popular Genie+ selections in any park. If you want to use Genie+ here, this should definitely be your #1 priority for G+.	Early Theme Park Entry, first or last hour of the day, or anytime with G+	Yes	Early morning (shortly after 7 am)
Hollywood Studios	Echo Lake	Star Tours: The Adventures Continue (40" height req.)	Star Tours: The Adventures Continue (40" height req.)	Yes	Yes, but not a priority	3	Genie+ rarely runs out	First 3 or last 3 hours of the day, or anytime with G+	Yes	Rarely runs totally out
Hollywood Studios	Sunset Boulevard	The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror (40" height req.)	The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror (40" height req.)	Yes	Yes, 2nd level priority	2	The Tower of Terror is great for thrill riders, but it is also known for its lines – especially if they are only operating one of the elevator shafts. Plus, most of the queue for this attraction is outside, so if you are looking to avoid that, try to snag a G+ for it.	Early Theme Park Entry, first or last hour of the day, or anytime with G+	Yes	Late morning to early afternoon
Hollywood Studios	Toy Story Land	Toy Story Mania!	Toy Story Mania!	Yes	Yes, but not a priority	2	Toy Story Mania is one of the few attractions at Hollywood Studios that doesn’t have any height restrictions. That plus the fact that it is fun for all ages makes it a popular choice and lines here can get quite long without Genie+.	First 2 or last 2 hours of the day, or anytime with G+	Yes	Late morning to early afternoon
Hollywood Studios	Echo Lake	Vacation Fun - An Original Animated Short with Mickey and Minnie	Vacation Fun - An Original Animated Short with Mickey and Minnie	No	No	No Genie+		Anytime	No	N/A
Hollywood Studios	Animation Courtyard	Walt Disney Presents	Walt Disney Presents	No	No	No Genie+		Anytime	No	N/A
Epcot	World Nature	Awesome Planet	Awesome Planet	No	No	No Genie+		Anytime (as scheduled)	No	N/A
Epcot	World Showcase	Beauty and the Beast: Sing-Along	Beauty and the Beast: Sing-Along	Yes	Yes, but not a priority	No Genie+		Anytime (as scheduled)	No	N/A
Epcot	World Showcase	Canada: Far and Wide	Canada: Far and Wide	No	No	No Genie+		Anytime (as scheduled)	No	N/A
Epcot	World Celebration	Disney & Pixar Short Film Festival	Disney & Pixar Short Film Festival	No	No	3	Genie+ rarely runs out here	Anytime standby or Anytime with G+	Yes	Rarely runs totally out
Epcot	World Showcase	Frozen Ever After	Frozen Ever After	Yes	Yes, 1st level priority (Consider riding FIRST if not paying for ILL )	1	Frozen Ever After is one of the 4 most popular attractions at Epcot, and the theme and the fact that it does not have a height requirement makes it a favorite with Frozen fans (big and small!).	Early Theme Park Entry, first or last hour of the day, anytime with G+, or anytime with ILL	Yes	Late morning to early afternoon
Epcot	World Showcase	Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros	Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros	No	No	No Genie+		Anytime	No	N/A
Epcot	World Discovery	Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind (42" height req.)	Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind (42" height req.)	No	N/A	Individual Lightning Lane Selection and Virtual Queue only		Can only ride with an ILL or by getting a spot in the Virtual Queue	No	Individual Lightning Lane Selections typically run out by mid-morning
Epcot	World Showcase	Impressions de France	Impressions de France	No	No	No Genie+		Anytime (as scheduled)	No	N/A
Epcot	World Celebration	Journey into Imagination with Figment	Journey into Imagination with Figment	No	No	3	Genie+ rarely runs out here	Anytime standby or Anytime with G+	Yes	Rarely runs totally out
Epcot	World Nature	Living with the Land	Living with the Land	Yes	Yes, but not a priority	3	Genie+ rarely runs out here	Anytime standby or Anytime with G+	Yes	Rarely runs totally out
Epcot	World Discovery	Mission: SPACE (44" height req. for orange (more intense), 40" for green (less intense))	Mission: SPACE (44" height req. for orange (more intense), 40" for green (less intense))	Yes	Yes but not a priority	2	Although we think Soarin' should be a higher priority, if you've already ridden it, Mission: SPACE is another good option, especially if you prefer the Orange side, which can often have longer lines.	First 2 or last 2 hours of the day, or anytime with G+	Yes	Rarely runs totally out
Epcot	World Showcase	Reflections of China	Reflections of China	No	No	No Genie+		Anytime (as scheduled)	No	N/A
Epcot	World Showcase	Remy's Ratatouille Adventure	Remy's Ratatouille Adventure	Yes	Yes, 1st level priority (Consider riding FIRST if not using G+ )	1	Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure remains popular, and considering it is one of the 2 newest attractions at Epcot, as well as being one of the only rides in the World Showcase, we expect to see its popularity continue for the forseeable future.	Early Theme Park Entry, first or last hour of the day, or anytime with G+	Yes	Morning (shortly after park opening)
Epcot	World Nature	Soarin' (40" height req.)	Soarin' (40" height req.)	Yes	Yes, 2nd level priority	2	Although Soarin’ remains incredibly popular, it can move a lot of people through, which tends to keep the wait times lower than Test Track, making this the #2 priority when it comes to Genie+.	Early Theme Park Entry, first 2 or last 2 hours of the day, or anytime with G+	Yes	Rarely runs totally out
Epcot	World Celebration	Anytime with Genie+, or anytime after 2 pm	Spaceship Earth	Yes	Yes, but not a priority	3	Genie+ rarely runs out here	Early Theme Park Entry, anytime with Genie+, or anytime after 2 pm	Yes	Rarely runs totally out
Epcot	World Discovery	Test Track (40" height req.)	Test Track (40" height req.)	Yes	Yes, 1st level priority (Consider riding FIRST if not using G+ )	1	Out of the 4 most popular attractions here, Test Track is one of the slowest to load plus it tends to “go down” often (either due to weather or mechanical issues) meaning it will have long lines throughout the day. Tip: if you don’t mind having your party split up, there is a Single Rider Line here that can greatly reduce your wait time if you opt to skip using a Genie+ selection here.	Early Theme Park Entry, first or last hour of the day, or anytime with G+	Yes	Early to mid morning
Epcot	World Showcase	The American Adventure	The American Adventure	No	No	No Genie+		Anytime (as scheduled)	No	N/A
Epcot	World Nature	The Seas with Nemo & Friends	The Seas with Nemo & Friends	Yes	Yes but not a priority	3	Genie+ rarely runs out here	Anytime standby, or anytime with G+	Yes	Rarely runs totally out
Epcot	World Nature	Turtle Talk with Crush	Turtle Talk with Crush	No	No	3	Genie+ rarely runs out before the final performance/show	Anytime standby or Anytime with G+	Yes	Rarely runs totally out
Animal Kingdom	Pandora - the World of Avatar	Avatar Flight of Passage (44" height req.)	Avatar Flight of Passage (44" height req.)	Yes	Yes, 1st level priority (Consider riding FIRST if not paying for ILL )	Individual Lightning Lane Selection and Standby Line only		Early Theme Park Entry, first or last hour of the day, or anytime with ILL	No	Individual Lightning Lane Selections typically run out shortly after 7:00 am
Animal Kingdom	Africa (Rafiki's Planet Watch)	Conservation Station	Conservation Station	No	No	No Genie+		Anytime	No	N/A
Animal Kingdom	Dinoland U.S.A.	DINOSAUR (40" height req.)	DINOSAUR (40" height req.)	Yes	Yes, 2nd level priority	2	With so few G+ options at Animal Kingdom, putting Dinosaur in as a 2nd level priority makes sense, considering it typically will see its spots run out before any of the remaining G+ attractions in this park.	First 3 or last 3 hours of the day, or anytime with G+	Yes	Rarely runs totally out
Animal Kingdom	Discovery Island	Discovery Island Trails	Discovery Island Trails	No	No	No Genie+		Anytime	No	N/A
Animal Kingdom	Asia	Expedition Everest: Legend of the Forbidden Mountain (44" height req.)	Expedition Everest: Legend of the Forbidden Mountain (44" height req.)	Yes	Yes, 1st level priority (Consider riding FIRST if not paying for ILL )	2	Expedition is sometimes available as an Individual Lightning Lane Selection (which can save you a bunch of time in line), but even when it isn’t, the Genie+ return times here don’t typically run out until late afternoon.	Early Theme Park Entry, first 2 or last 2 hours of the day, anytime with G+, or anytime with ILL (when available)	Yes	Rarely runs totally out
Animal Kingdom	Africa	Festival of the Lion King	Festival of the Lion King	No	No	3	Genie+ rarely runs out before the final show	Anytime standby or Anytime with G+	Yes	Rarely runs totally out before the final show
Animal Kingdom	Dinoland U.S.A.	Finding Nemo - The Big Blue... and Beyond	Finding Nemo - The Big Blue... and Beyond	No	N/A	3	Genie+ rarely runs out before the final show	As scheduled, as scheduled with G+	Yes	Rarely runs totally out before the final show
Animal Kingdom	Africa	Gorilla Falls Exploration Trail	Gorilla Falls Exploration Trail	No	No	No Genie+		Anytime	No	N/A
Animal Kingdom	Discovery Island	It's Tough to be a Bug!	It's Tough to be a Bug!	Yes	Yes, but not a priority	3	Genie+ typically runs out an hour or two before the park closes, but the waits here are typically 20 minutes or less	Anytime standby or Anytime with G+	Yes	Rarely runs totally out
Animal Kingdom	Asia	Kali River Rapids (38" height req.)	Kali River Rapids (38" height req.)	No	No	2	Kali River Rapids is often closed when the weather is cooler, but when it is hot outside, the Genie+ spots can go quickly and the Standby lines can get long.	Anytime standby or Anytime with G+ (can have long lines when hot)	Yes	Rarely runs totally out
Animal Kingdom	Africa	Kilimanjaro Safaris	Kilimanjaro Safaris	No	No	1	Kilimanjaro Safaris is one of the highlights of Animal Kingdom with nearly every guest having it on their “must ride” list. That means long lines here for most of the day.	First hour or last hour of the day, or anytime with G+	Yes	Mid morning (during busy times), may not run out when the park is open later
Animal Kingdom	Asia	Maharajah Jungle Trek	Maharajah Jungle Trek	No	No	No Genie+		Anytime	No	N/A
Animal Kingdom	Discovery Island	Meet Favorite Disney Pals at Advenurers Outpost	Meet Favorite Disney Pals at Advenurers Outpost	No	No	3	Genie+ rarely runs out (Note that the operating hours here are typically shorter than the official park hours)	Anytime standby or Anytime with G+	Yes	Rarely runs totally out (note that operating hours here are shorter than the park hours)
Animal Kingdom	Pandora - the World of Avatar	Na'vi River Journey	Na'vi River Journey	Yes	Yes, Yes, 1st level priority (Consider riding FIRST if not paying for G+ )	1	As one of the newest attractions in Animal Kingdom, Na’vi River Journey remains very popular – especially for guests looking for attractions without height requirements.	Early Theme Park Entry, first or last hour of the day, or anytime with G+	Yes	Mid-afternoon
Animal Kingdom	Africa (Rafiki's Planet Watch)	The Animation Experience	The Animation Experience	No	No	3	Genie+ rarely runs out before the final performance time, which is typically a few hours before park closing	Anytime standby or Anytime with G+	Yes	Rarely runs totally out (note that operating hours here are shorter than the park hours)
Animal Kingdom	Dinoland U.S.A.	The Boneyard	The Boneyard	No	No	No Genie+		Anytime	No	N/A
Animal Kingdom	Dinoland U.S.A.	TriceraTop Spin	TriceraTop Spin	Yes	Yes, but not a priority	No Genie+		Anytime	No	N/A
Animal Kingdom	Asia	Feathered Friends in Flight	Feathered Friends in Flight	No	No	3	Genie+ rarely runs out before the final show	Anytime	Yes	Rarely runs totally out before the final show
Animal Kingdom	Africa	Wildlife Express Train	Wildlife Express Train	No	No	No Genie+		Anytime	No	N/A
Park	Land	Attraction name	Attraction name	Available for Early Theme Park Entry?	Available during Early Theme Park Entry?	Priority Level	Why is it this priority level?	Best times to ride with lowest waits	Is Genie+ available here?	Avg. time G+ return times run out:

Genie+ basics

If you are already familiar with Genie+ feel free to skip down to the next section. Otherwise, keep reading and we’ll go over a brief overview. If all of this is new to you, though, we recommend you check out some of our other Genie+ resources to help get you all caught up on how this service works.

Disney Genie+ is the new FastPass+ system at Walt Disney World. Like the old FastPass+ system, Genie+ lets you cut the waits at the most popular attractions by allowing you to enter through a special line called a Lightning Lane (bypassing the longer Standby Line).

But, unlike the old FastPass+ system that was free, Genie+ costs extra; it uses a date-based pricing system, with busier times of the year being more expensive.

Currently, Genie+ starts at $15 per ticket, per day (plus tax) but the price has gone all the way up to $35 per ticket. Unfortunately, there isn’t a way to know ahead of time how much Genie+ will cost on the day of your visit. Instead, you will see the price when you go to purchase it inside the My Disney Experience app.

Why we sometimes recommend you use Genie+ at EPCOT

Genie+ will make touring EPCOT easier during busy times of the year, but if you are traveling during a less busy time of the year, and you don’t mind standing in some lines (and possibly skipping breaks) you can get a lot done without it.

With Genie+ you will definitely find it a lot easier to get everything accomplished in 1 day, though.

Consider also purchasing an Individual Lightning Lane selection

EPCOT currently has 1 Individual Lightning Lane attraction:

Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind: $14-$17

If it is in the budget, purchasing an Individual Lightning Lane for Cosmic Rewind will guarantee you a ride. Plus, it is the only way you can select the time you ride.

If you want to ride twice (or if you want to save some money), or you don’t care what time of day you ride, you can also try for a spot in the Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind Virtual Queue. The virtual queue is free.

Best Times to Ride Graphic To Save to Your Phone

We have a handy graphic that can help you see the recommended times to visit the attractions at EPCOT.

We suggest you save this image to your phone, so you can reference it on your trip:

How touring works with Genie+:

If you are purchasing Genie+, you’ll often hear people talking about “stacking” and “churning”.

The reality is that on most days – no matter how busy it is – you’ll find yourself doing both.

You’ll see what that looks like in the touring plans we have provided below, but keep reading to learn what stacking and churning actually mean.

Stacking

Stacking simply means prioritizing the grouping of Genie+ reservations together for later in the day when the standby lines are the longest.

Some people like to stack for late morning or early afternoon, but you can also stack reservations for the evening. Stacking works well if you are planning to spend all day in 1 park, but it is also a popular technique to use if you are planning a late start or if you are hopping to a different park.

Stacking Genie+ reservations works best during less busy times of the year, when Genie+ reservations at most attractions last the longest.

This includes anytime Genie+ can be purchased for less than about $25 per person, per day.

Here’s how stacking Genie+ reservations works:

At 7 a.m., book an attraction that runs out of Genie+ reservations the fastest, regardless of what that return time is. You can see what we recommend in the graphic above.
Use Early Entry to ride at least 1 of the available popular attractions (onsite guests only)
Plan to ride several things in the first couple of hours without Genie+, unless, of course, your first Genie+ return time is during those first 2 hours. If it is, ride it as soon as possible, and then select your next G+ for an attraction that has the return time already pushed into the time of day you are trying to stack for. (Early afternoon until evening works best.) The goal is to stack your Genie+ reservations back-to-back. They can overlap, just make sure you allow enough time to get from one attraction to the next.
As the standby lines build, ride some of the “anytime” attractions listed in the graphic above or meet characters and continue selecting Genie+ reservations with return times as close to your already stacked Genie+ reservations as possible.
When the time comes, start using your stacked Genie+ reservations, keeping in mind that it may be possible to fill any gaps by churning attractions with Genie+ reservations remaining.

Churning

Churning simply means focusing on snagging Genie+ reservations as close together as possible. You should still prioritize the most popular attractions, but your primary focus is selecting rides with return times as close as possible to the current time, vs. stacking them up for later in the day.

Churning Genie+ reservations works best during the busiest times of the year, when Genie+ reservations run out at all attractions faster and when the lines for even the least popular rides are long.

This includes all major holidays and anytime Genie+ prices creep up over $25-$30 per person, per day.

Here’s how churning works:

At 7 a.m., book an attraction with a return time as close to park opening as possible
Use Early Entry to ride at least 1 of the recommended attractions (onsite guests only)
Continue selecting Genie+ reservations with return times as close to the current time as possible, filling in gaps by riding “anytime” attractions or meeting characters
Eventually, you may find that all return times are pushed several hours out. Make sure to prioritize your must-dos and begin stacking return times for later in the day.
Keep an eye on the wait times for popular attractions you were unable to get a Genie+ reservation for, and jump in those lines once they drop to an acceptable level.

IMPORTANT: We’ve included example return times for G+ reservations in the touring plans below, but, keep in mind that you can NOT select your return times for Genie+. Depending on the time you make your selections and the overall crowd levels, your return times may be earlier or later.

For that reason, you’ll need to stay flexible when you get to the parks and be ready to pivot or adjust your touring plan on the fly.

Early Entry at EPCOT (Arrive before park opening)

To make the best use of your time, arrive at EPCOT about 45 minutes before park opening.

If eligible, you’ll typically be allowed in about 30 minutes before Early Theme Park Entry begins.

Guests entering at the International Gateway are typically held near the bridge to France, while the exact spot(s) where guests are held at the front of the park can vary.

At EPCOT, there are 3 attractions we recommend you head towards first for Early Entry:

Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure (if entering at the International Gateway)
Frozen Ever After (if entering at the front of the park)
Test Track (if entering at the front of the park)

Which one you should choose will ultimately depend upon how you plan to spend the rest of your day touring. Keep reading for help with that.

Depending on which attraction you are headed to first (Frozen Ever After, Test Track, Remy’s, etc.), there will likely be different holding areas for guests. Make sure you go towards the one that is on the path to whatever attraction you are heading to first. If you are unsure where that is, there will be Cast Members nearby to assist you.

Get more information about how Rope Drop works

How to get to EPCOT for Early Entry

Here’s our advice on what time you should be heading to the parks based upon how you plan to get there. If your goal is to be at the very, very front, we recommend you err on the side of following the earlier times listed:

Bus

While we used to recommend arriving at the bus stop 60 to 75 minutes before Early Entry begins, after testing the timing out many times, we now recommend 90 minutes. That 90-minute window is especially important if you:

want to be on the first bus (which we recommend), or
if you are staying at a large resort like Art of Animation, Pop Century, or the All-Stars, or
if you are staying at a resort with multiple internal stops, like Caribbean Beach or Coronado Springs.

Expect the first bus of the day to arrive between 1 hour to 75 minutes before Early Theme Park Entry starts. The goal is to be on the first bus of the day, and the lines for the buses will get very long, very fast. Arriving 90 minutes before Early Theme Park Entry will get you to the front of the pack, and likely on that first bus.

Car

When traveling by car, plan to arrive at the parking lot entrance about 70 minutes before Early Theme Park Entry. If the parking lot booths are not open at that time, you should be able to just wait for them to officially open up. But, don’t show up too early because they may not let you wait for the booths to open and instead will force you to turn around and come back closer to opening.

Read more about Parking at Disney World

Skyliner

For the Disney Skyliner, aim for 75 minutes before Early Theme Park Entry begins if you don’t have to transfer, and 90 minutes if you do. Both the Hollywood Studios and Epcot lines start up about 1 hour before Early Entry begins.

Monorail

Plan to get to your monorail stop about 60-75 minutes before Early Theme Park Entry. For reference, the Resort Monorail Loop goes:

Transportation and Ticket Center
Polynesian Resort
Grand Floridian Resort
Magic Kingdom
Contemporary Resort

Boat

If traveling by boat, 60-75 minutes before Early Theme Park Entry is probably good.

Walking

Walking? You’ll have it the easiest!

Guests that walk are typically allowed to line up at the tapstiles around 60 minutes before the park opens for Early Theme Park Entry. If you want to be at the front of the pack of the walkers, plan to arrive ahead of that. (If you arrive before they begin allowing people to line up at the tapstiles, you’ll be held back by security.)

Important things to know about touring EPCOT

Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind is extremely popular, but it is only available via Virtual Queue or by purchasing an Individual Lightning Lane Selection. If you wish to ride it, make sure you read up on how those work.
EPCOT has 2 entrances. Guests with easy access to the International Gateway Entrance (either by walking or via the Skyliner) will have an easier time rope dropping Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure.
EPCOT hosts nearly year-round festivals. Some festival offerings (like the Candlelight Processional) are extremely popular and will require a chunk of your park touring time. Make sure you review our Festival Guides to see if you’ll need to add in extra festival time to your touring plan.

Genie+ can come in very handy if you are traveling during a busy time of the year. Make sure you review our Genie+ recommendations before you make your first selections

EPCOT Genie+ Priorities (book these first!)

2 of the main attractions here – Soarin’ and Test Track – both have 40″ height requirements, but they’re fairly mild and non-scary (as long as your child can handle a car traveling at a high speed for a lap around the track on Test Track). If your child is at least 40″, it may be worth giving them a try, but maybe skip Mission: Space which has a height requirement of 40″ and could scare some kids.

Things that might scare little ones

If you don’t mind having your party split up, Test Track has a single rider line that can significantly cut down your waits there.