Heads-up for your dates
- Spaceship Earth is expected to close for a reimagining, likely in 2027. Check before you go.
Our take
EPCOT is where grandparents and teenagers both have a good day, which is rarer than it sounds. The front half has the rides; World Showcase is a 1.2-mile loop of food, shade and shows. It is a lot of walking, so treat it as two half days rather than one long one, and eat your way around the lake instead of booking a big lunch.
Who it works for
Little ones
- Frozen Ever After and Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure: no height limit
- The Seas with Nemo and Friends, then the real aquarium next to it
- Kidcot Fun Stops in World Showcase: a free craft in each country
Big kids
- Test Track: design your own car, then race it (40 in)
- Soarin’ Around the World (40 in)
- Mission: SPACE, gentler green side or orange side (40 in)
Teens
- Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind (42 in), the one to book first
- World Showcase for the food: pick five countries and share small plates
Grandparents and a slower pace
- Spaceship Earth and Living with the Land are slow, seated and cool
- The American Adventure and the Canada and China films are seated shows
- Benches and shade along the lake; the Friendship boats cross the water so you can skip the walk
Height check
My shortest rider is
| Ride | Minimum | Can ride |
|---|---|---|
| Mission: SPACE | 40 in | |
| Soarin' Around the World | 40 in | |
| Test Track | 40 in | |
| Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind | 42 in |
Heights are checked with shoes on. Every ride not listed has no minimum height. Riders under 48 in at Universal need a companion 14 or older.
Game plan from ChampionsGate
- Rope drop Cosmic Rewind or book it the moment your Lightning Lane window opens (3 days ahead for off-site guests).
- Do the front half in the morning, World Showcase from mid-afternoon when the countries open and the lines are short.
- The fireworks over the lake are a strong ending; the drive home is 20 to 30 minutes.
