Touring Epcot with your kids is more fun than you think!

On the surface, Epcot is not exactly the most kid-friendly theme park at Disney World. Let’s dig deeper into what all is available that will make your visit to Epcot one you – and your kids – won’t forget!

Best Attractions

All of Epcot’s rides and attractions are kid-friendly. However, a few stick out to me as being the best. First, we have rides based on characters. These include Frozen Ever After, Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure, Turtle Talk with Crush, The Seas with Nemo and Friends, and Gran Fiesta Tour.

Second, Test Track and Cosmic Rewind are great thrill rides that have lower height requirements, which make them great options for young ones. Third, you cannot go wrong with Soarin’. Kids will love flying high over the world and taking in all the sights. The funny smells and vivid sights of Journey into Imagination with Figment cannot be missed either.

A few others are not as well-known but are still great options for kids. Many people do not realize that Epcot has an aquarium. This watery world is home to thousands of aquatic creatures including fish, snails, sharks, sea turtles, and dolphins. You can also feed the fish! It is called SeaBase and can be found in the same building as the Seas with Nemo and Friends.

Best Restaurants

There are two character meals that are excellent choices for children. Garden Grill is located in the Land Pavilion and features homestyle favorites. Meet Mickey, Pluto, and Chip ‘n’ Dale in their farmer outfits and enjoy birds-eye view of the Living with the Land attraction. Akershus is a meal fit for royalty. Located in the Norway Pavilion, sample Norwegian and American favorites and meet several Disney princesse. Be sure to check out my review of Akershus HERE.

We love Space 220 for kids as well because of the immersive theming! Part of the appeal is that it takes visitors to the Centauri Space Station 220 miles “above” EPCOT! The restaurant itself is a theme park attraction featuring a fun virtual elevator ride where Guests watch the Earth shrink away as they ascend into space. Once they arrive they are treated to heavy space theming. Many guests consider it a must-try. See why kids love it so much HERE.

While not technically a restaurant, Club Cool is a must-do for kids when visiting Epcot. Here, you can sample some soda flavors from around the world. It is located in the World Celebration neighborhood at Epcot. There are several great reasons to try Club Cool other than the opportunity to sample soda flavors. It’s free and has some pretty cool Coke merchandise! You can read all the great reasons to try it HERE. Also, be sure to check out our ranking of flavors!

Play Places

Sometimes in the hustle of touring theme parks, parents can forget that kids just need some time for free play. Disney World offers plenty of play places in Epcot that allow kids to stretch their imagination with hands-on activities.

At the exit of Mission: Space, the Advanced Training Lab is an indoor (ie: air conditioned!) play space. It has a number of interesting video games kids and even adults can enjoy. Twisty, turny tubes fill an entire room of the playground. Of course, there are also slides and rocketships to fuel the imagination. It is adventure and fun waiting to happen.

Another fun playground at EPCOT is across from Test Track and next to Creations. This is a traditional playground with standard equipment for kids and benches for parents. There are also several splashpads set up in the Future World section of the park.

After your Journey Into Imagination with Figment, stay and play with sensory activities and games that spark creativity. Lead an orchestra by waving your arms in the air, create a symphony of sound by jumping on “Stepping Tones,” record yourself in super-slow motion and design your own dragon and email it to your friends. This play place is all about exploring your senses in a fun way!

There is also a fun play area for kids to discover called Bruce’s Shark World. Children can enjoy games associated with marine life. They can play hide and seek and peer through periscopes. They can even climb into a shark and peek out of its mouth for a cute photo op. Don’t worry! Bruce knows kids are friends, not food. Find this cute play area in the same building as The Seas with Nemo and Friends and SeaBase.

Additionally, Critter Crossing is a great spot for kiddos to explore different types of animal tracks. It is located next to the Disney Vacation Club kiosk in the Canada Pavilion. Be sure to look for the statues and cute photo op, too!

Touring the World Showcase

The World Showcase can be hard to tour with kids. Enter: Kidcot. In each pavilion, learn more about that country and pick up a memorable memento with facts! At the end of your adventure, you will have a wonderful keepsake that kids can look at over and over once they get home. This program is a great way to keep your child’s attention in the World Showcase and add in some education as well.

DuckTales is a virtual game played in the Play Disney Parks app around the World Showcase. Your quest is to find 7 Lost Magic Treasures and return them to their rightful owner. Also, be prepared to assist Huey, Dewey, Louie and Webby as they follow clues, defeat some villains and uncover the missing artifacts. This, along with Kidcot, will keep your kids excited for each pavilion. Note that because this is a game played on your mobile device, it may not be as “hands on” as kids hope.

Performers like Sergio the Juggler, Matsuriza in Japan, and Mariachi Cobre are other great attention-grabbers in the World Showcase. These live performers bring the pavilion to life, and many times they will even get kids involved! Be sure to check Character Locator for their schedules.

A Note About Epcot Festivals

Aside from the permanent attractions and World Showcase pavilions, Epcot is home to four festivals that take place throughout the year. Festival of the Arts celebrates everything art and runs in January and February. Flower and Garden Festival showcases the beauty of our natural world from March to July. Food and Wine runs from July to November and is the go-to place for foodies. Finally, celebrate the holidays during Festival of the Holidays which runs after Thanksgiving until New Years.

There are so many unique activities to participate in and food and beverage choices to indulge in during these festivals. Since these festivals cover almost the entire year, you are likely to always hit one no matter when you visit. You’ll find scavenger hunts, a butterfly garden, holiday storytellers, and concerts.

I (Monica) have taken my children to all four festivals, and I have learned some helpful tips along the way. Here are five things you can do to make your visit to an Epcot festival one enjoyable for your entire family.

What do you love most about taking your kids to Epcot? Do you enjoy any experiences not on this list? Let us know in the comments below and share this post with a friend.