Attractions for Toddlers at Epcot Center
Taking Small Children to Disney’s Epcot Theme Park
May 22, 2009
Besides the rides appropriate for preschoolers, toddlers and infants at Epcot, there are several activities the under five crowd can enjoy. Disney World season passholder, mom, and Gifted teacher Amy Moreland shares her insights into how to make the most of an Epcot trip with very young children in a May 2009 interview with Suite.
Activities for Toddlers at Epcot
While Epcot is typically viewed as a park for older kids and adults, there are plenty of activities for small children. Check out the hands-on and exploratory games inside the Spaceship Earth ball and in the Imagination pavilion. The Imagination pavilion has an especially fun area where kids can jump and run on colored light projections on the floor that mimic musical instruments. It’s so tempting, the adults can’t resist jumping in, too!
The World Showcase, the Seas and the Land also feature “Kid Spots” where kids can color symbols and attach them to a lanyard. The Seas also features “Turtle Talk with Crush,” a little show featuring an animated Crush (from Finding Nemo) projected onto the aquarium. He interacts directly with the kids and answers their questions about sea life. People of all ages will also enjoy exploring the aquariums, where manatees, manta rays, seahorses and more can be seen.
“The ‘Honey I Shrunk the Audience’ 3-D show is fun,” says Moreland. It’s located in the Imagination Pavilion. “It’s not as menacing as ‘It’s Tough to Be a Bug’ in Animal Kingdom, but there is a big, hissing snake that comes out at you.”
Besides the main attractions, there are lots of little “surprises” to delight children at Epcot. For example, the dancing fountains in front of the Imagination pavilion, and in the evening, little LED light designs appear on the ground around Innovations.
Character Greetings at Epcot Center
One bonus for families of kids who like to meet the Disney characters is that many of the most popular ones can be seen all at once after waiting in only one line. At Innovations, Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Daisy Duck, Goofy and Pluto are all waiting to meet their little fans. Another plus: it’s indoors and air conditioned.
More characters can be seen throughout the park, although their schedules vary. The Genie, Aladdin and Jasmine can often be seen in a small room at the back of Morocco in front of the restaurant. Character greeting areas are designated with a white Mickey glove sign, or ask any Disney cast member for assistance. Believe it or not, there is a special phone number employees can call to find out the schedule of any particular character from any of the major parks. Rest assured parents, if it’s a priority, that special certain someone can always be tracked down.
Practical Advice for Taking Babies and Toddlers to Epcot
Moreland mentions that the baby care station at Epcot is on the small side, but it does offer coloring and an opportunity to get out of the sun. Parents of small children may also want to know that all the Disney baby care centers feature non-automatic flushing toilets. The automatic ones found around the park can be quite disturbing to a potty-training child or even a preschooler - especially when they go off while the child is seated.
Also, there are a several areas in Epcot where strollers are not permitted. For example, the Land pavilion has a great food court, but strollers aren’t allowed downstairs where the restaurants are. Also, the Seas does not permit strollers inside.
“If you want to eat at one of the sit down restaurants in the World Showcase, make a reservation,” advises Moreland. One way to expose the children to worldly tastes without having to make it a sit down meal is to visit Epcot during the International Food and Wine Festival.
Moreland even recommends visiting the park in the evening when it’s cooler and families can watch the World Showcase fireworks. “It’s such a big park. You can’t do the whole park in one day. You could do two evenings and maybe spend the day at the Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom or Hollywood Studios."
She adds, “And it’s really hot. I wouldn’t recommend it during the day if you’re pregnant.”
For families with multiple days to explore Walt Disney World, or those living near the Orlando area, Disney's Epcot Theme Park may deliver more than expected for toddlers and preschoolers; parents just need to know where to look.
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