After you enter Epcot and take your picture by Spaceship Earth, the big golf ball, everyone rushes to their favorite attractions. Test Track, Soarin’, and Frozen Ever After to name a few. What some people don’t realize is that there’s a lot of really cool hands-on areas as well as having the opportunity to not only learn more about our world, but there’s also a lot to learn about some of the different countries that are part of our world.
Epcot consists of World Celebration, World Nature, World Discovery, and World Showcase. Within World Celebration, you’ll be able to learn about the history of innovation over the centuries while riding along in Spaceship Earth. It also includes Journey Into Imagination With Figment attraction and hands on activities within the Imagination Institute. Here you’re encouraged to stay and play with sensory activities and games that spark creativity.
World Nature encompasses all things to do with Mother Earth. Along Journey of Water, inspired by Moana, you’ll be able to self-explore the wonders of water where you can play with it as it travels from the sky to the oceans and back again. Soarin’, Living with the Land, and Awesome Planet will explore more the wonders of nature. Keep your eye out while you explore this area as you might just see Moana!
World Discovery is home to some action-packed attractions, such as Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, Test Track, and Misson: SPACE. Guardians of the Galaxy is a reverse-launch indoor coaster. This is a first for a Disney coaster! Test Track will allow you to build your extreme car and then take it for a test run on the track to see how it compares to other custom cars. If you have a future astronaut in your group, you’ll not want to miss Mission: SPACE. Along with 2 co-pilots, you’ll be requested to complete a mission on Mars and then head back to Earth. If you choose a less extreme option, your team will orbit the Earth for a more relaxing journey.
As if there’s not enough to explore already, World Showcase has even more. World Showcase is home to 11 countries. Each country will provide you with some learning about their culture, their people, and their community. Upon entering each country, you’ll be transported to another section of the globe by seeing familiar famous landmarks, smelling the cuisine specific to that country, and even hearing the native language being spoken by cast members from these countries.
Depending upon the country, you’ll also be able to learn more about that country, the culture, and the goods that they provide. For example, upon entering China, you’ll be able to journey through ancient and modern China by watching a short Circle-Vision 360 degree film called Reflections of China. You’ll follow along as the Tang Dynasty poet Li Bai guides you through the sights and sounds of China.
After leaving Reflections of China, you might find yourself in the middle of a performance of the Jeweled Dragon Acrobats, which is an acrobatic troupe from China that performs breathtaking feats of strength, agility, and balance. You might also find that the film left you a little hungry for some authentic Chinese cuisine. Whether you’d like to sit, relax, and enjoy a table service meal at Nine Dragons Restaurant or want to grab a quick bite on the go at the Lotus Blossom Café, you won’t be disappointed.
There are a lot of things to discover at Epcot. These are just some highlights of the many ways to learn more about exploring our world and the other countries within our world. We hope you’ll have a chance to take advantage of all it has to offer the entire family. You might have fun learning something new along the way!
