Best Epcot Attractions & Ride Guide
Here we cover the pros & cons of Epcot’s rides & shows, must-dos, and more. If you’re visiting Walt Disney World, you need to know which attractions to prioritize, and what to skip. This rates & reviews everything in the front of the park and World Showcase.
We’ve updated this EPCOT ride guide now that Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind has opened. Although the park is still in the midst of its transformation, EPCOT has already received multiple major additions during the World’s Most Magical Celebration–all of which you can read in our Guide to Walt Disney World’s 50th Anniversary. (The celebration itself is underwhelming, but at least EPCOT is improving!)
Despite this, Epcot is still a park very much in transition. Its core is home to the Giant Epcot Dirt Pit™️, with a lot that’s coming soon. Much of what that will entail is still unknown, as Walt Disney World has changed and cutback its plans, but hasn’t revealed full details about what’ll happen. What has been announced–like CommuniCore Hall & Plaza–is underwhelming. Suffice to say, if you’re visiting Epcot between now and 2023, you might want to keep tabs on ride construction progress; for that, we recommend subscribing to our free email newsletter.
Epcot has headliners and less-popular attractions that many guests overlook, but that are worth checking out. We recommend experiencing as much as you have time to experience, even if we don’t rate it highly. Epcot has a deceptively high number of “things to do,” even though it’s actual attraction count is significantly lower than the Magic Kingdom, so it’s quite likely that you’ll experience fewer attractions in Epcot than you expect.
If you’re wanting to know how we would spend an ideal day in Epcot, read our 1-Day Epcot Park Itinerary. We could spend an entire day simply wandering around the park, not doing any attractions. (We’ve quite literally done exactly that several times.) However, that touring plan covers an actual, substantive day in Epcot.
A lot of the things to do in Epcot are in the form of World Showcase entertainment. If there are adults in your party, expect to spend a decent amount of time in World Showcase absorbing the atmosphere (and the booze) with our Guide to Drinking Around the World, which is one way to “enhance” the cultural experience. World Showcase is often viewed as boring, but we vehemently disagree with this perspective. It’s just a different type of theme park experience.
Regardless, this guide to Epcot’s attractions should give you an idea of which attractions are must-see for you, and which ones you won’t have time to do. Note that this list only covers Epcot. We have a separate Magic Kingdom Ride Guide, Disney’s Hollywood Studios Ride Guide, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom Ride Guide. If you have children, you should also consult our full list of attractions with height requirements at Walt Disney World.
This guide assumes that you have a full day to spend in each of the Walt Disney World theme parks. You may have more or less time depending on how many day tickets you purchase and whether you add on the Park Hopper option (read our Walt Disney World Ticket Guide to determine which tickets are best for you).
Numerical scores are on a scale of 1 to 10, and only take into consideration overall quality relative to that specific type of attraction. Dark rides are judged against other dark rides, roller coasters are judged against other coasters, etc., to create a relatively level playing field. Attractions are rated based upon how much their target audience will enjoy them. You get the idea.
Order of attractions really only matters for Soarin’, Test Track, Frozen Ever After, Mission: Space, and Spaceship Earth, for the most part. If you’re going on a particularly busy day (Easter Week, for example), other things might matter, too. Sometimes, Living with the Land, Journey into Imagination, and the Seas with Nemo & Friends can have modest lines. Normally, wait times at Epcot are fairly short beyond the headliners.
With that in mind, let’s go through the attractions, starting in the front of the park in what used to be Future World (and is now World Celebration/Nature/Discovery) before continuing to World Showcase…
World Celebration, Nature & Discovery Attraction Ratings
Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind (10/10) – This new family-friendly Marvel roller coaster replaces the old Universe of Energy pavilion, which is now the Wonders of Xandar pavilion. This a “storytelling coaster,” which is to say it’s a roller coaster with show scenes that’s suitable for most guests and thrill levels. While the flow of the roller coaster is smooth and the ride vehicles move in tandem with the screens, the ride will still cause motion sickness issues for some people.
For most people, Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind will be an incredibly satisfying attraction from start to finish, with a queue and pre-shows that provide depth, a couple of wow-moment effects, hilarity & hijinks, and a compelling story set-up. The same is true for the roller coaster itself, which is satisfying in duration and has fantastic flow and fluidity. In large part, this is owing to the Guardians of the Galaxy characters, humor, and use of music–the roller coaster feels like it’s dancing, for lack of a better term.
Above all else, Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind is flat-out, fantastic fun. It’s one of the most fun attractions in all of Walt Disney World. It hits all of the right notes, and is just a non-stop hoot from start to finish. Read our Spoiler-Free Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind Ride Review for more details, info, and photos of the blockbuster new attraction!
Experiencing the new ride is a bit complicated, so if you want to experience it (and you should!), check out our How to Ride Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind & Virtual Queue Speed Strategy to improve your chances of success for joining the free virtual queue.
Test Track (8.5/10) – Guests design a SimCar and then get into a test car to see how it compares on ‘the grid’ to the prototype they’ve designed, concluding with a thrilling speed test. The current version (“Test Track 2.0”) redid the attraction to resemble a virtual grid on which the prototype cars are tested. The digital look is reminiscent of Tron, and has a cool aesthetic.
Actually being able to design and test cars gives this great interactivity and even makes it educational with regard to the design process. Either do Test Track at the beginning of the day or the end of the night. Alternatively, do Test Track via the Single Rider line.
Mission: Space (7/10) – Simulator thrill-ride that sends guests crashing on Mars. There are two versions: green (less intense/no spinning) or orange (more intense/spinning). This might be the least popular of all Disney’s thrill rides, but the orange version is pretty fun, if you can stomach it.
The green version was recently redone as an orbit of earth, and is marginally better than it was before, but still a subpar experience. The story itself isn’t compelling enough to put up with the green version–the thrills here are about the only draw.
Soarin’ Around the World (8.5/10) – A popular hang-glider simulator ride that offers a grandiose flight over amazing locations around the globe. The giant screen combined with the swinging and an epic score creates a believable experience, minus questionable CGI and bent architecture (if you’re seated off-center).
Nevertheless, Soarin’ is an absolute must-do for anyone who meets the 40″ height requirement and isn’t terribly afraid of heights. Do Soarin’ early or towards the end of the night when wait times start to decrease (in watching wait times the last couple of days, we’ve noticed it’s only ~30 minutes at the end of the night, versus peak waits of 90 minutes around lunch).
Living with the Land (8/10) — Slow-moving boat ride showcasing the future of agriculture. Living with the Land is a great attraction that weaves together elements of a traditional Disney attraction with a heavy dose of “edutainment” components (the original mission of EPCOT Center). I don’t have any interest in gardening, and even my curiosity is piqued by the experimental horticulture techniques showcased in The Land greenhouses. Living with the Land is a testament to human ingenuity, and it’s a shame that more people aren’t interested in experiencing this relaxed boat ride.
Awesome Planet (6/10) – Located in the Land pavilion upstairs from Soarin’ Around the World, right next door to Garden Grill. Awesome Planet showcases Earth’s beauty and diverse natural landscapes in a 10-minute film featuring some in-theater lighting effects and an original musical score. It’s breathtakingly shot, the score is relaxing, and narration from Ty Burrell as a realtor pitching Earth is amusing (especially for Modern Family fans).
The Seas with Nemo and Friends (6.5/10) – A dark ride in The Seas pavilion with the Finding Nemo characters trying to find Nemo. A variety of technology is used here, and the coolest scenes are the Angler fish ‘chase’ and the projections of fish into the Living Seas’ aquarium. Despite a couple of neat moments, the ride itself is a fairly uninspired CliffNotes version of the film. However, it’s a short ride that can be done easily later in the day, so there’s no reason not to do it.
Turtle Talk with Crush (8/10) – Kids interact with Crush from Finding Nemo in a screen-based attraction that mimics a water tank. The interactions are all about kids, and the “Living Character” Crush engages with kids excellently (really cool technology). We think Turtle Talk is just as enjoyable for adults, as part of the humor goes over kids’ heads, and there are a lot of “kids say the darndest things” type moments in every show.
Journey into Imagination with Figment (5.5/10) – Dark ride with Figment showcasing the power of imagination. This third version of Journey into Imagination isn’t as bad as the second, but doesn’t hold a candle to the original. Figment is obnoxious and can be grating, although the ride does have its moments.
Disney & Pixar Short Film Festival (3/10) – Cartoon shorts that you could watch on Disney+ shown in a 3D theater with some effects thrown into the mix. The shorts are delightful, but there are better uses of your time unless you need a break in the air-conditioning, which would be totally understandable.
Spaceship Earth (9/10) – One of the best classic attractions at Walt Disney World, Spaceship Earth is a slow-moving dark ride through Audio Animatronics-heavy scenes depicting the evolution of how humans communicate (more broadly, it’s really just about technological innovation) housed in Epcot’s iconic geodesic sphere.
The story of our changes in how we communicate is a compelling one, and besides a few cringe-worthy moments in the script, it’s very interesting and captivating for all guests. It stumbles a bit in the home stretch cheesy screen-based ending and lack of show scenes during this descent. Do Spaceship Earth in the afternoon or evening. Crowds entering the park in the morning tend to be drawn to it, leaving short lines later.
Beacons of Magic (10/10) – Sporadically throughout the evening, lights shine from within Spaceship Earth’s reflective panels as “stardust emerges to symbolize beacons of possibility and optimism” (in Disney’s words). Even setting aside the flowery language, this is awesome. These dancing light displays last only a few minutes each, but are visually stunning.
World Showcase Attraction Ratings
Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure (8/10) – This is a new family friendly trackless dark ride that debuted in an expansion to the France pavilion for Walt Disney World’s 50th Anniversary. It is a 3D attraction with some fast and sharp motion simulating a rat scurrying around a restaurant. The bulk of the ride is set in front of gigantic screens.
Some people love this attraction, finding it cute and charming. We agree to an extent, but feel its faults are very pronounced. The problem with Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure is the misuse of screens, and the poor balance of screens with physical sets. During most of the attraction, it feels like you’re simply parked in front of a giant screen–because you are! You can read our spoiler-free Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure Ride Review for more thoughts.
Frozen Ever After (8/10) – This boat ride in the Norway pavilion features characters from Frozen and takes guests to Arendelle (yes, a fictional country depicted in a real one in World Showcase) and immerses visitors in many of their favorite moments and music from the film. It’s a cute attraction with some cool Audio Animatronics figures and fun songs.
Frozen Ever After is still one of the most popular attractions at Walt Disney World, with waits regularly exceeding 60 minutes. While Test Track can command waits just as long, we recommend Frozen Ever After as of your top priorities for Epcot. You can read our spoiler-free Frozen Ever After Review for more thoughts.
The American Adventure (10/10) — The American Adventure is an Audio Animatronics-driven “montage” stage show of key moments in American history. The scenes are detailed and insightful, and impressive as they rise from the stage. This is a powerful show that may make the eyes of patriotic Americans leak a bit. American Adventure ranks as one of the all-time greatest achievements of Walt Disney Imagineering, and shouldn’t be missed by anyone.
There’s never a line for this show due to its enormous theater, but 45 minute gaps between showtimes mean you’ll want to consult a times guide before heading to American Adventure. Be sure to see the Voices of Liberty perform before American Adventure for the full, distinctly patriotic experience.
Gran Fiesta Tour (7.5/10) — Boat ride featuring the Three Caballeros with Mexico’s culture as a backdrop in the search for Donald Duck. This mainly makes this list for the sake of variety and ease–it’s one of only two rides in World Showcase, and the only one that regularly has no wait. Gran Fiesta Tour weaves culture together with Disney characters to make for an enjoyable and more dynamic experience that appeals to a broad selection of guests.
Reflections of China (6.5/10) – This Circle-Vision 360 film about China is poetically narrated, and features scenes in China where Western camera crews typically are not allowed. It’s beautifully shot and scored, with a sweeping camera that envelopes guests in the action in a way not possible through traditional film. The 360-degree approach also adds repeat-ability to the attraction, since you can’t possibly see it all in one viewing. Reflections of China won’t be a favorite pick among families with small children, but mature adults should really enjoy it.
Canada Far & Wide in Circle-Vision 360 (6/10) – This is an update to the previous O Canada! film—with Martin Short removed, additional scenes & footage added, a new musical score by Canadian composer Andrew Lockington, and new narration by award-winning actors Catherine O’Hara and Eugene Levy. Canada Far & Wide offers a whirlwind tour of the country, with its natural beauty, cosmopolitan cities, and multiculturalism on full display.
Beauty and the Beast Sing-Along (0/10) – This new film that runs during the daytime hours in the France pavilion (before Impressions de France in the evenings) is quite literally the worst attraction at Walt Disney World. They should’ve gone the lazy route with this, simply playing an existing sing-along on the screen, as this is actively bad. (Read more about this and the next Canada & Awesome Planet movies in our Epcot New Film Reviews: The Good & Ugly.)
Impressions de France (9/10) — Wide-format film highlighting the culture and natural beauty of France set to a hauntingly beautiful score. Impressions de France is our favorite film in all of Epcot. Impressions de France has a beautiful, chills-inducing score, a digital projection, and breathtaking visuals. Impressions de France showtimes begin at 7 pm.
Harmonious (8/10) – The new nighttime spectacular in World Showcase Lagoon for Walt Disney World’s 50th Anniversary, and the long-term replacement for IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth. Harmonious features an assortment of songs from Disney movies, choreographed fountains, colorful lights, lasers, LED panels, fireworks, a giant Stargate, and more.
It’s an odd mix of technology and the show suffers from pacing issues and visuals that are incredibly location-dependent. Read and see more in our comprehensive Harmonious Review. For planning purposes, consult our Best Epcot Fireworks Viewing Spots posts for a list of the best spots and other tips for viewing the show.
Finally, a big part of the Epcot experience is entertainment, especially in World Showcase, where performers are once again appearing.
Right now, you can enjoy the Voices of Liberty, Mariachi Cobre, Sergio, Matsuriza, and Alberta Bound. Other acts are slowly starting to return, but it isn’t even close to the same yet. If you are interested in knowing when particular acts are performing, check out this regularly-updated Walt Disney World Entertainment Guide.
There are other entertainment acts and character meet & greets that are not listed in this guide. Moreover, seasonal events are not covered here, and these are a huge part of the Epcot experience–you should absolutely plan for whatever festival will be occurring at Epcot during your Walt Disney World vacation. See our separate pages for the seasonal festivals that now are held the majority of the year at Epcot:
- Epcot International Festival of the Arts Guide (January to February)
- Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival Guide (February to July)
- Epcot International Food & Wine Festival Guide (July to November)
- Epcot International Festival of the Holidays Guide (November to December)
Note that dates change year to year, and do not encompass the entire months listed above (for example, Food & Wine typically begins at the end of August). Visit the above festival guides for exact dates, money-saving tips, info to enhance your festival experience, and advice for avoiding crowds during the festivals.
Planning a Walt Disney World trip? Learn about hotels on our Walt Disney World Hotels Reviews page. For where to eat, read our Walt Disney World Restaurant Reviews. To save money on tickets or determine which type to buy, read our Tips for Saving Money on Walt Disney World Tickets post. Our What to Pack for Disney Trips post takes a unique look at clever items to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Ride Guides will help. For comprehensive advice, the best place to start is our Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide for everything you need to know!
Your Thoughts
Which Epcot attractions are your favorites and which do you skip? Which are your favorite entertainment acts? Do you agree or disagree with our ratings? If you haven’t visited Walt Disney World yet, which Epcot attractions are you most excited to experience? Please share your questions and thoughts in the comments!
my first time taking the sky way i donot loud noises i looking for pressed penny machines
I have a concern about the amount of pollution due to the different shows in the parks in which fire and explosives are used. I am worry about global warming issues and how Disney complex is working with that issue to assure that is not contributing to the global warming. I was in the Orlando Parks and the shows were amazing, but too much pollution into the air. I expect to see the the response on this issue.
Best fireworks in all of mankind?
Clearly you’ve never been to burning man
Waited 75 minutes for Frozen the week before Christmas ’18…not a favorite of mine by a long shot…kind of boring, actually…for very young Frozen-lovers only…
I agree. September 2019- still very boring, very short, and I recommend it only for little tykes in terms of enjoyment!
The. Popcorn stand outside the countries sells you broken boxes if you don’t buy the souvenir bucket. The bottom leaks Buyer beware
I really enjoy reading your blog in general and I’m especially enjoying reading these attraction and ride guides, thanks!
I am confused by one statement though, in Grand Fiesta Tour you say “This mainly makes this list for the sake of variety, as it is currently the only ride in World Showcase (since Maelstrom closed).”
I’m assuming this was written between Maelstrom closing and frozen opening?
Happy New Year!
I don’t know how on earth that got missed during past revisions, especially since I mentioned (since removed) the Coco rumor in that same section.
In any case, the post has been updated once again–thanks for the heads up!
spaceship earth REALLY NEEDS TO BE UPDATED. Nice ride to relax but it needs to change.
You totally forgot the giant and super cool aquarium at the Seas pavilion! It features dolphin shows, among many other things. Totally awesome part of Epcot in line with the original mission of the park.
I live for illuminations firworks…the finale brings me.to tears..of joy. This Dec 2017 visit left me dissapointed. The end was lame compared to the years before when so many fireworks went off at one time I jumped for joy like a child. Why the change to this finale??
No mention of Muppet Mobile Lab? At all!? HUGE Omission. I know you agree with me on this, and only wonder whether it will tie or overtake American Adventure in your rankings.
Most reviews of the world showcase discount its appeal to young children. My two year old loved the world showcase performing artists at each country, as well as the trains in Germany. it was a win-win for us during F&W. we sampled and he was entertained several evenings without the need to ride any rides.
Voices of Liberty is our absolute favorite performing group in all of Disney. They are not to be missed!
It’s been about 9 years since we’ve been to Epcot, your blog is very helpful. I have a question regarding Fastpass+ limitations: If we only scheduled (2) Fastpass reservations (one tier 1 & one tier 2), and not a third, prior to getting to the park and then used them both…..could we then get another tier 1 or would it have to be a tier 2 ??
You won’t be able to get another tier 1 for that day until all your fastpasses are completed. One thing you can do is book for a third fastpass – even if you don’t go on it, once the time frame for that fastpass passes (woof that was a tongue twister) then you’re able to book more fastpasses, one ride at a time!
And going early and staying late help let you use lower crowd times to your advantage.
I was a first timer at WDW Magic Kingdom. I read your tips on best attractions and FastPass+ use. Thank you for helping us have a plan that led to a great day and evening. Your map helped us get a really good position for the Once Upon a Time and the fireworks show. I will use your advice for all of the parks. Thanks again
I personally think that test track and the frozen rides are really good and super fun for young childern
Soarin’ was a little disappointing for 2 reasons. One, there were not nearly as many smells as there were in California, and two, if you’re not centered, the images are crooked, especially of the Eiffel Tower and Castles.
Also, don’t wait more than 30 minutes for Frozen. It’s essentially a much shorter Pirates of the Caribbean with a lazier theme and better animatronics.
Test Track, Spaceship Earth, and Living with the Land are great and I’d say Living with the Land is very underrated.
I also wouldn’t wait more than 30 minutes for Frozen (that’s just me), but I think the Pirates of the Caribbean comparison is way off. The only thing they have in common is boats and Audio Animatronics. If that’s your view, it’s also similar to it’s a small world or Living with the Land (which I’d also agree is underrated).
We just got back from our latest Disney trip. We are annual passholders and finally did the new Frozen ride at Epcot. Oh dear Lord was it awful. What a disappointment. I can’t beleive anyone would knowingly wait 2 hours for that! We love Disney, but that is just a horrible addition. Maelstrom was 10 times more interesting.
Regarding the Disney & Pixar Short Film Festival, I’m wondering if we saw the same films?
My family just went this past Monday and the first film in particular, which features a creatively updated Mickey and Minnie classic with some 4D surprises is definitely not something you can experience watching Netflix on a laptop.
No, its not as good as Its Tough to Be a Bug or the spectacular Muppet Show version, but 1 our of 10 seems way too harsh.
I agree with you totally. I loved it! La Luna was charming, I just smiled throughout the whole thing. And as you said, the first one was totally cool once the 3-D characters were added. I would give this one an 8 out of 10.
I agree Ethan. Although I agree with Tom’s picks, I really enjoy Disney & Pixar Short Film Festival and no “I don’t enjoy setting fire to 100 dollar bills”. I loved the short where the kid “lasso’s the moon”
I think “Agent P’s World Showcase Adventure” is a must! It’s a bit like the interacting wand at the Harry Potter but you will be using your smart phone instead. (and there isnt a lot of people playing so wont spoiled your fun) You will be amazed at how many little secrets there are in World Showcase. Sometimes you can even get little free gifts to bring home too if you pick the right country ;). I think it’s something you can play while visiting each country in the World Showcase
Even for adults? We’re 50some year young kids!
I’m 69 and will be 70 when my friend since kindergarten and I go to Disney World in November. Having a ball planning it. Went on Disney Cruise and did the parks this past November with my son and daughter in law and friends. Loved all of it. Feel like a kid again and get to leave the “real world” behind for awhile.
You’re too kind to Figment Tom when you call him obnoxious. Whenever I go to Epcot and look at that big, beautiful Imagination Pavilion, I get a bit depressed and maybe irritated that Journey to Imagination was actually given a green light. The Imagineers that brought us Pirates of the Caribbean, Splash Mountain, the Haunted Mansion, Peter Pan’s Flight, etc…. should have been able to come up with a better “imagination” themed attraction for that beautiful building? I can’t help but speculate that Walt would not be pleased at the effort here. Imagination is there whole job!. There is a lot of Epcot that needs updating. I think the heavy reliance on films and videos in all of Epcot’s attractions is somewhat of a cop out, although less expensive and easier to update. The Mexico ride is visually beautiful but they hammed it up with Donald and the 3 Caballeros.
Tom & Sarah I love your blog the most! I crack up when I read about Figment because my spouse was immediately annoyed with him as well. Tom — I’d love a little post on your review of Figment in general!
Thanks for doing all of your work!