EPCOT is often called Disney World’s “adult park,” but this expert knows families can still find magic, culture, and fun — even if it isn’t always kid-friendly.

If you’ve made it this far into the world of planning a Disney World trip, the odds are good that you’ve learned that planning your adventure is part of the fun. If your kids are still on the young side and this is your first trip, however, there’s a question that has probably rattled your cage once or twice already. Should we just skip EPCOT? Isn’t it more of an adult park? Wouldn’t they enjoy it more when they are older?

Well, you’re not entirely wrong…except insofar as you are, in fact, entirely wrong. You are not the first Disney Parent to toy with this notion, though, for a few reasons that feel pretty convincing. Let’s deal with them one at a time.

Reason #1: Hasn’t EPCOT Always Been for Grown-Ups?

Well, this is at least a little bit true. Baked into the DNA of EPCOT is Walt Disney’s vision for an experimental city of the future, and that certainly does flavor the spirit of the place.

However, the park we have today is a far cry from that vision of a permanent World’s Fair (which never really came to pass). Unless your children are big fans of 20th Century retro-futurism, they’ll never miss it.

Reason #2: Aren’t EPCOT’s Attractions… Educational?

Again, you’re not wrong. You can take a leisurely boat ride through greenhouses full of the experiments of EPCOT scientists, visit the astonishing beauty of the undersea world in all of its glory and get bundled into a pod that rolls you through a geodesic dome where Dame Judi Dench intones sweet nothings in your ear that are actually the history of civilization. Is that too educational to be fun? (HINT: No, it isn’t)

Reason #3: Wouldn’t My Kids Rather Spend Another Day at the Magic Kingdom Instead of EPCOT?

Well, this is a tougher one, because that does sound like fun. I would argue that you are already at Disney World, and it feels right to see and do as much as you can in the time that you have.

Also, as a parent who’s been in your shoes: Beware of making too many executive decisions. It’s better to let your whole team in on the planning and find out what is most important to them. At some point in your travels, they are going to become aware of Frozen Ever After or Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure, and it feels much better to say “That’s at EPCOT. We’re going there on Tuesday” than the alternative: “That’s at EPCOT. We aren’t going there because I didn’t think you’d like it.” Go on, try it… isn’t that better?

Also, don’t assume that just because an attraction isn’t built around a film your kids have seen a million times that they won’t enjoy it. Odds are good that Donald Duck is the only character they will know on Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros, but oh, what fun they will have riding it on repeat (which has happened to us more than once). Meeting Anna and Elsa and having Figment blow a stink cloud at you are things everyone can enjoy, even if your gang aren’t big enough to thrill to Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind (And if they aren’t, you should ride it anyway! It’s okay to do some things for yourself.)

I know you want to make magic for your kids, but the attraction they most want to spend time with is you! If you are having fun, they will have fun right along with you. 

Photo by Marisa Alvarado

Trust Me: Your Kids Will Enjoy EPCOT

If your family is like mine, your relationship with EPCOT will grow and change over the years and with repeat visits, maybe more than with other parks. I know that, way back when, I asked myself the same questions, and however much I was unsure if my family was ready for EPCOT, looking back, I wouldn’t give up that first visit for the world, and I’m confident that you will feel the same. To paraphrase an old saw; you regret 100% of the EPCOT visits you don’t book!