An overview of the fun, educational, and interesting things to do at Walt Disney World's Epcot Center theme park
Future World
Future World is about technology and the possibilities of the future. Corporate sponsored exhibits named simply "The Land," "Imagination," "The Living Seas," and "The Wonders of Life" sprawl out from Epcot's icon, "Spaceship Earth."
The highlights of Future World include "Spaceship Earth," Epcot's premier landmark and home to a 15-minute ride which takes guests on a journey through mankind's history and his inventions; "The Living Seas," a 200-ft-diameter, 27-ft deep tank containing fish, mammals, and other ocean life that recreates an oceanic atmosphere and that scientists use for continuing experiments; "The Land," a 15-minute ride through experimental hydroponic gardens and the latest agricultural technology; and "Test Track," a simulated race car ride that takes guests over rough terrain, around hairpin turns, and up sleep hills at a seemingly high rate of speed.
Future World offers some interesting dining options. Among them is Coral Reef, an upscale seafood restaurant inside "The Living Seas" exhibit. Here guests share the dining room with the fish and other ocean life of the exhibit.
World Showcase
Ten international pavilions plus "The American Adventure" make up Epcot's World Showcase. Like a permanent world's fair, each country's pavilion immerses the visitor in that country's food, culture, shopping, and music. With Disney's flawless attention to the smallest detail, you feel that you have entered a different country as you enter each pavilion.
The international exhibits that make up Epcot's World Showcase are arranged around a forty-acre lagoon, making for lovely vistas both day and night. The lagoon here is also the site of the nightly "Illuminations" display. This mixture of music, fireworks, and light is a highlight of any day at Epcot. Don't miss it.
Canada, Mexico, France, The United Kingdom, Morocco, Japan, Germany, Norway, China, Italy, and The United States are all represented with pavilions in the World Showcase. You can eat couscous in Morocco, shop for hand-carved chopsticks in Japan, and stop by a biergarten in Germany, all in one afternoon.
Highlights of the World Showcase include "The Reflections of China" exhibit in the China pavilion, a 20-minute film on the natural beauty and people of China; "O Canada," a film on the highlights on this vast country that makes you want to catch the next plane to Toronto; and the "The American Adventure," a 30-minute film on American history narrated by Mark Twain and Benjamin Franklin.
Food is an important element in the World Showcase. An authentic English pub, a French patisserie, a fine-dining Roman restaurante, a Japanese tempura restaurant, and a German Biergarten all compete for visitors' attention. Restaurants in Epcot are popular. Go early or late to avoid lengthy waits. On-site hotel guests qualify for "priority seating." This service reserves a time slot for you and puts you ahead of walk-in guests. It's not quite a reservation, but it helps.
Epcot is a special experience for adults and older children. It's impossible not to take something away from a visit to Future World, and the meticulously recreated World Showcase exhibits are like a world tour. If you've never seen Epcot, or if you haven't seen it lately, think about including a stop there on your next trip to Florida.
