As a Disney World annual passholder and frequent visitor to the parks, I am often asked how to save time and get the most out of a day at EPCOT. In the last few years, EPCOT has added several popular attractions that often have long wait times.
Additionally, EPCOT is known for their restaurants and food-focused festivals throughout the year. Therefore, it can be hard to ride all of the best attractions and enjoy the food and drinks throughout the day.
However, we have learned some time-saving hacks to get the most of your day at EPCOT. With these hacks, it is very likely you can do everything you want at EPCOT within one full day! Check out our 10 top favorite time-saving hacks in order to enjoy a full day at EPCOT!
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1. Make a Strategy for the World Showcase
EPCOT is separated into four main areas: World Celebration, World Discovery, World Nature, and World Showcase. The World Showcase is the largest area and includes a 1.2-mile loop around Crescent Lake. World Showcase is home to 11 pavilions which represent countries around the world including Mexico, Norway, the United Kingdom, France, Morocco, Canada, Japan, Italy, Germany, China, and the United States. There are also several attractions, restaurants, gift shops, character meet and greet areas, and bars scattered throughout each pavilion.
Due to the large size of the World Showcase, I always try to save time by planning out a high-level strategy for when I am ready to take the one mile loop. It's also important to consider which restaurants and attractions are located outside of the World Showcase. For example, I would avoid booking a Lightning Lane reservation for Remy's Ratatouille Adventure near a dining reservation at Garden Grill, which is located in the World Nature area on the opposite side of the park. Similarly, I could consider booking a Lightning Lane reservation for Frozen Ever After near my dining reservation at San Angel Inn, which is in the Mexico pavilion near Norway.
Although this can be tricky, it's something to keep in mind due to the layout of the World Showcase and EPCOT as a whole. Having a strategy, especially for the World Showcase, is one of my top time-saving tips for EPCOT.
2. Rope Drop Popular Attractions
To get the most out of your day at EPCOT, there are two popular attractions that will probably have at least an hour wait throughout the day. These attractions include Remy's Ratatoutille Adventure, located in the France pavilion of the World Showcase, and Frozen Ever After, located in the Norway pavilion. If you are unable to book a Lightning Lane Multi Pass reservation for one these attractions and want to ride them quickly, the best option is to rope drop EPCOT. Although guests can book up to three Lightning Lane Multi Passes, they must choose only one between popular rides Remy's Ratatouille Adventure, Frozen Ever After, or Soarin' Around the World.
Rope dropping means you need to be in line to enter the park at least 30 minutes prior to park opening. Keep in mind that Disney resort guests get to enter the parks 30 minutes early due to Extra Morning Hours. Resort guests will get a jump start on getting in line for rides, and staying at a Disney resort will also help save time through this perk (more on this later on).
If you are staying at a Disney resort located on the Skyliner route, we recommend rope dropping Remy's Ratatouille Adventure first. This is because the Skyliner will drop you off at EPCOT's International Gateway entrance, which is located between the France and United Kingdom pavilions. These guests will have a much quicker path to Remy's Ratatouille Adventure compared to the guests at EPCOT's main entrance. On the other hand, guests coming from EPCOT's main entrance have a faster path to Frozen Ever After. Although you will likely have a short wait regardless of which entrance and attraction you decide to rope drop, you could save some time on the walk there.
READ MORE – EPCOT Rides Guide 2024 – Ride Reviews, Must-Knows
3. Take Advantage of Extra Morning Hours and Extended Evening Hours
As previously mentioned, guests who stay at any Disney World resort have access to Extra Morning Hours, meaning you can enter any Disney World park 30 minutes prior to official park opening. Additionally, guests staying at a deluxe Disney resort may have access to Extended Evening Theme Park Hours, which take place on select nights and typically last for two hours after the park is closed. At EPCOT, deluxe resort guests are able to join an exclusive virtual queue for Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind.
In order to get the most out of your trip, we always recommend staying at any Disney resort to receive this perk, especially if you plan to rope drop EPCOT. However, guests should still get there 30 minutes prior to when Extra Morning Hours starts. That way, you can still be towards the front of the line along with the other Disney resort guests. Rope drop and Extra Morning Hours work hand in hand and is always the easiest way for guests to save a ton of time at EPCOT.
Return of EPCOT After Hours Events
If you're not staying at Disney resort, another After Hours option is purchasing a ticket for an EPCOT After Hours event! Guests of this event will enjoy little to no wait times on most attractions as well as ice cream novelties, popcorn, and select bottled beverages throughout the night. Disney World recently announced the return of these awesome after hours events which also take place at Hollywood Studios and Magic Kingdom. Currently, the posted dates for EPCOT After Hours are between February 27th, and September 25, 2025. I have personally experienced all of the After Hours events and can't recommend them enough – especially for guests who want to prioritize riding popular attractions while enjoying unlimited snacks.
4. Use the Singer Rider Line When Available
There are several single rider lines throughout Disney World that can come in handy if you are trying to save time. Unfortunately, the only single rider line at EPCOT is normally at Test Track, which is currently closed for reimagining. However, if you are planning a Disney World trip next year, hopefully this thrilling and fast-paced attraction will be open!
I'm assuming that Test Track's single rider line will be available once it reopens, especially because it is one of the most efficient single rider lines at Disney World. Test Track is almost always a long wait, but the ride vehicles contain two rows of seats with three seats per row. Typically, most groups have 2 or 4 guests, and therefore it's very easy to add a single rider to each row. I usually save my Lightning Lane reservations for other popular attractions, and opt for the single rider queue at Test Track. I don't think I've spent more than 10 or 15 minutes in their single rider line, even if the standby queue is an hour or more.
READ MORE – Need for Speed! Fastest Disney Rides Around the World
5. Purchase an Individual Lightning Lane Pass for Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind
If you're visiting EPCOT and love rollercoasters, Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind is a MUST do! However, keep in mind that this attraction uses a virtual queue system. This means guests must request a “boarding group” number at either 7 AM or 1 PM through the My Disney Experience app. At 7 AM, you are not required to be inside EPCOT to make a reservation, however at 1 PM you must be inside EPCOT to request a spot in the queue. Once your boarding group is called, you are able to enter the standby queue for the ride. It's important to know that even if you receive a boarding group number, it doesn't guarantee that it will be called and that you can ride Cosmic Rewind. Additionally, even if your boarding group is called, you might have to wait an additional 20-30 minutes once you are inside the standby queue. If you want to use the virtual queue system, I highly recommend waking up early for the 7 AM queue, because a lower boarding group number typically has a much shorter wait time than the higher numbers.
In order to save time, I usually purchase an Individual Lightning Lane pass for Cosmic Rewind. Individual Lightning Lanes are a one time purchase to experience a popular attraction. Cosmic Rewind, Avatar Flight of Passage, TRON Lightcycle / Run, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, and Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance all require Individual Lightning Lane reservations. Although this is an added cost, it saves a ton of time and is extremely convenient. Guests who purchase Individual Lightning Lanes can not only skip the standby queue, but have the option to choose which time they want to experience the attraction. If I am unable to get to EPCOT for an early virtual queue spot, I always book an Individual Lightning Lane for Cosmic Rewind. Best case scenario, I can grab an early virtual queue AND purchase an Individual Lightning Lane for Cosmic Rewind and go on the ride twice with barely any wait!
6. Wait Until Nighttime to Experience Journey of Water
One of the newest experiences at EPCOT is the Journey of Water, Inspired by Moana. This is a self-guided tour where guests can explore the wonders of water along with an interactive and immersive trail. Admittedly, I have not been through this attraction that many times, mainly because it's usually super crowded during the day and can get overwhelming. However, I recently decided to walk through Journey of Water close to park closing time, and it made a HUGE difference. Not only did I get through the attraction faster because there were less people, but the attraction is absolutely beautiful at night!
Therefore, I recommend ending your day at EPCOT with the Journey of Water attraction to experience it in a completely new way with less crowds!
7. Consider Festival Food Booths Instead of Restaurants
EPCOT has amazing festivals throughout the year which offer special edition food and drink booths throughout the park. These festivals include the International Food and Wine Festival, International Festival of the Holidays, International Flower and Garden Festival, and International Festival of the Arts. If you're lucky enough to visit EPCOT during these festivals, I highly recommend saving time and trying new food offered at the festival booths. Food and Wine and Flower and Garden in particular have a lot of amazing booths to try, and they can serve as your meals and snacks throughout the day. I especially love visiting the festival booths with friends and trying out the various offerings.
Although some of the lines for the booths can get long, the cast members do a great job to make sure they move very fast! By visiting several booths throughout the day, you can not only save time but try a wide assortment of amazing food instead of just one or two restaurants.
8. “Drink Around the World”
Disney World isn't just for kids! EPCOT is known for it's wide variety of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks that are available throughout the park. Another perk is that you don't need to sit down at a bar or restaurant to enjoy drinks, they are very easily accessible at EPCOT, and guests are allowed to walk around the park with a drink in hand. Therefore, those who are looking for a fun night out should consider “drinking around the World (Showcase)” at EPCOT!
As always, we always recommend having a plan to safely get back to your resort, whether it's taking advantage of Disney's free transportation system, designated driver, or rideshare. However, drinking around the world can be a time-saving and convenient way to enjoy drinks at EPCOT.
9. Book a Luminous Fireworks Dining Package
Another time-saving hack for those wanting to watch Luminous: The Symphony of Us while enjoying a meal is to book a dining package! These packages include priority seating to watch the fireworks as well as a meal at either Rose & Crown or Spice Road Table. The package at Rose & Crown costs $92 per adult and $41 per child and included a prix-fix menu with one appetizer, entrée, dessert platter, and unlimited beverages. The package at Spice Road Table costs $81 per adult and $31 per child and includes two small plates, a shared tagine, a dessert platter, and unlimited beverages.
The dining packages save time because you don't have to worry about finding and reserving a good spot to watch the Luminous fireworks! Additionally, guests are able to simultaneously enjoy a delicious meal while watching the show.
10. Use the Skyliner to Visit Other Popular Areas
EPCOT is one of the most conveniently located parks in Disney World. It is located near various resorts as well as the BoardWalk. Guests are able to take the free Disney buses or even walk to some of these areas, but I love taking the Skyliner to and from EPCOT to other areas of Disney World. The Skyliner transports guests in a gandala-style vehicle between various resorts as well as Hollywood Studios. Therefore, for guests who want to park hop to Hollywood Studios or check out the BoardWalk, I recommend doing so on the same day as a visit to EPCOT.
Due to the close locations and convenience and fun of the Skyliner, this is a great time-saving hack!
Read More – 10 Surprising Facts About EPCOT's Mission: Space You Didn't Know
EPCOT's Mission: Space attraction allows guests to experience what it would feel like to blast off on a thrilling NASA-inspired mission to Mars or orbit the Earth through space. Mission: Space debuted in the World Discovery area of EPCOT in October 2003. There were hundreds of thousands of hours spent developing and building this attraction to truly give guests a similar experience as astronauts. Check out 10 fun facts about Mission: Space that may surprise you!
Read More – Disney World's Seven Dwarfs Mine Train – What Should I Be Afraid Of?
Seven Dwarfs Mine Train at Walt Disney World may rank really high in Disney ride reviews, but how scary might it be – and what exactly might you be afraid of? To many guests, it's simply a must-do ride. But what exactly might make it a scary ride? Check out how it ranks on our Mickey Visit Ride Rating System!
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