Epcot 1-Day Itinerary: The Perfect Touring Plan for 2024!

Are you looking for the perfect Epcot 1-day itinerary to outsmart the crowds and get the most out of your Walt Disney World vacation?

Need a summary of rope drop tips, and ideas on how to plan your day at Epcot to maximize efficiency and decrease time spent standing in lines?

My 1-day Epcot touring plan highlights all of these topics and offers a step-by-step plan for an ideal day at Epcot!

For an absolutely perfect one day at Epcot, utilize these practical tips while taking time to enjoy the Disney ambiance that makes Epcot one of our favorite Disney parks!

Important Notice: This one-day Epcot itinerary has been updated many times over the past several years to reflect the ongoing changes at the park.

It represents the permanent suspension of the Disney FastPass system and Disney Magical Express, as well as the additions of the Disney Genie, Disney Genie+, and Lightning Lane services.

And last, please note that Epcot is currently under a huge transformation that is expected to last into 2024.

The area of World Celebration (formerly called Future World) behind Spaceship Earth is being completely transformed into Dreamers Point. It will include a wishing tree in an enchanted forest, natural environments, global design elements, interactive features, and gardens.

Though construction won’t limit your ride experience, expect barricades and construction walls located throughout the front half of the park.

Epcot Touring Plan: Important Considerations

You can’t just wing it when it comes to planning a Walt Disney World vacation.

You can try to go without a plan, but you’ll probably end up being disappointed, especially if it’s your first visit.

Our Epcot itinerary makes it easy for you to get the most out of your experience by outlining the order in which you should visit the rides and attractions.

It is the perfect strategy for those visiting Epcot for one day.

If you are visiting the park for a longer period, you may still take advantage of this plan, however.

When customizing your Epcot touring plan, stick to the general idea of having a solid rope drop strategy and overall touring plan that compliments the layout of the rides and shows within the park.

This will maximize efficiency and decrease the amount of time spent standing in lines.

My Quick Thoughts on Disney Genie+ and Individual Lightning Lane

Disney Genie+ and Individual Lightning Lane (ILL) passes are Disney’s new ‘skip the regular’ line options that can be purchased in addition to your regular theme park entry.

Though it seems confusing at first, they’re quite easy to use if you do your research ahead of time.

When you only have one day at Epcot, I recommend that you purchase both Disney Genie+ and an Individual Lightning Lane pass for Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind (if your funds allow).

I also 100% recommend purchasing Disney Genie+ and Individual Lightning Lane (ILL) passes when visiting the parks during the peak seasons of Christmas, Thanksgiving, Spring Break, and 3-day weekend holidays such as President’s Day and Memorial Day – unless, of course, you don’t mind standing in line for 2 hours!

For guests who want to get on as many rides as possible, Disney Genie+ and Individual Lighting Lane purchases tend to be well worth the added cost to avoid spending hours waiting in line.

With that said, let’s take a look at the first important steps required to plan a successful day at Epcot!

Epcot Itinerary: Initial Steps

1. Check Epcot reservation availability.
2. Purchase your theme park tickets.
3. Make Epcot theme park reservations.
4. Know Epcot’s park hours for the day of your visit.
5. Consult an Epcot crowd calendar.
6. Review the Epcot map.
7. Make a list of ‘must-do’ rides and experiences in World Showcase.

1. Check Theme Park Reservation Availability

Along with purchasing a theme park ticket, you need to make a theme park reservation for each day you’d like to visit any of the Walt Disney World theme parks.

This includes needing to make a reservation to visit Epcot.

It’s important that you start by checking Disney’s theme park availability calendar to see if the date(s) you plan to visit have availability before purchasing your ticket, Annual Pass, or vacation package – as park reservations do run out during peak seasons.

2. Purchase Theme Park Tickets

After ensuring reservation availability, purchase your Epcot tickets.

In my opinion, the easiest way to purchase a ticket to Epcot (or any of the Disney World theme parks) is to buy them directly from a Disney Travel Agent or from the Disney World website.

Others choose to buy them from an authorized ticket seller or discounted ticket site.

Be sure to stick with reputable third-party sellers, however, and verify that there are no hidden usage rules that apply.

Check here to read about the three different types of theme park tickets available: 1 Park Per Day, Park Hopper Option, and Park Hopper Plus Option.

3. Make Theme Park Reservations

Then, due to the limited availability of theme park reservations, make your reservation immediately after purchasing your admission ticket to guarantee your spot.

Theme park reservations can be made online on the Disney World website, or via the My Disney Experience mobile app.

4. Review Epcot Hours

Epcot hours vary by day, by month, and by season.

It is very important to check the Epcot hours for the day that you plan on visiting so that you can plan your experience accordingly.

As you’ll find, the entire park (including World Showcase) now opens at the same time, whereas in the past, the two sections of the park opened at different times.

The Epcot park hour calendar shows early entry hours and park hours, as well as the times of events, fireworks, and nighttime entertainment.

You’ll also want to check this calendar for temporary ride closure information.

Additional planning tip: Early theme park entry is a benefit for registered Guests staying at Disney Resort hotels and other select hotels.

It involves getting to enter Magic Kingdom and riding select rides 30 minutes before the park’s scheduled opening time.

5. Consult the Epcot Crowd Calendar

It’s safe to assume that Epcot is always going to be busy, but there are times such as Christmas, Spring Break, mid-summer, and other school holidays when the crowds can be overwhelming.

Bigger crowds mean longer attraction lines, and consequently experiencing fewer attractions – unless, of course, you’ve carefully planned your Epcot 1-day itinerary and plan to take advantage of Disney’s paid ‘skip-the-regular-line’ options.

Our 1-day Epcot itinerary assumes moderate to high crowds at the park when lines are long.

This exact plan was utilized when crowds were rated 9/10 according to Touring Plans.

To accomplish this itinerary in a single day, some (less popular) attractions are skipped. 

No matter when you visit, however, this 1-Day Epcot itinerary is optimized and ordered so that walking and your waits in line are minimized.

Additional planning tip: If you are planning on visiting several Disney Parks during your Orlando itinerary, we highly recommend adding in non-parks days. 

Disney World non-park days offset the busyness of the crowds and help keep you fully energized!

6. Review the Epcot Map

Epcot is huge – 305 acres to be exact – which is almost three times the size of the Magic Kingdom.

This makes Epcot the second largest park at Disney World behind Animal Kingdom.

Due to its enormous size, I never recommend visiting without having a general idea about the layout of the park.

Epcot theme park is organized into the following four neighborhoods:

• World Showcase
• World Celebration
• World Nature
• World Discovery 

They are laid out as follows:

Each neighborhood is home to a mixture of themed rides, attractions, cuisine, and unique character sightings.

They are all accessible via a standard Epcot park ticket.

(In other words,1 Epcot park ticket gets you into all 4 neighborhoods.)

When planning your Epcot touring plan, be sure to know what ‘must-do’ rides are in which land, as the overall goal is to do as many rides as possible in each land before moving on to the next one.

This decreases the time of time you will waste zig-zagging within the park.

It also cuts down on the amount of walking you will do throughout the course of the day.

Additional planning tip: In addition to this itinerary, don’t forget to consult helpful know before you go Disney tips to avoid preventable touring mistakes.

And last, double-check your Disney packing list to be sure that you have not left behind the top 9 most forgotten items to have with you in the park.

7. Make a List of Your ‘Must-do’ Rides

Epcot is a combination of rides, shows, character-meet-n-greets, dining experiences, and the World Showcase.

It would be absolutely impossible to do everything in one day at Epcot.

For this reason, talk with your family or whoever you’re visiting with and make a list of your ‘must-do’ rides and attractions, and be sure to allow time for them in your Magic Kingdom itinerary.

The most popular rides include Guardians of the Galaxy, Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure, Frozen Ever After, Test Track, and Soarin’.

Eating and drinking around World Showcase and the nighttime fireworks shows are other attractions most people typically don’t want to miss.

Epcot 1-Day Itinerary

Before you arrive at Epcot, be sure to download the official Walt Disney World app on the App Store or the Google Play Store.

The app, which has always been helpful, is now essential.

You’ll use it to view the park map, look at wait times, order quick-service food, and make dining reservations, as well as access all Disney Genie digital services and virtual line queues.

In addition, you must use your Smartphone to obtain a virtual boarding group number if you’re looking to experience Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind.

Keep in mind that the first boarding group times are released at 7 AM each day, and not again until 1 PM, so do act quickly.

The app will notify you when it’s your turn to ride, and you have 1 hour to join the physical line.

Additional planning tip: For the 7 AM release time, you don’t need to be in the park to secure a boarding reservation, but you do need a Park Pass Reservation for that day.

For the 1 PM release time, you will need to have checked into Epcot for the day prior to being able to obtain a boarding group number.

Epcot Arrival

If you are arriving at Epcot by car, Epcot has its own on-site parking lot.

Simply follow the signs to the Epcot parking area and parking attendants will direct you to the next available spot.

Catch a parking lot tram to Epcot’s entrance if want to cut down on the walking.

If you are a guest staying at a Disney World resort, parking is free. Other visitors should expect to pay a $25/daily fee for parking.

Guests staying at any Disney theme park resort can arrive right at the entrance by complimentary bus. Though the buses run continuously, expect delays at peak times and plan accordingly!

Guests staying at the Yacht or Beach Club, the Swan, Dolphin, or the Boardwalk resorts can arrive at Epcot by boat.

In addition, you can travel to Epcot by monorail from the Ticket and Transportation Center, or from Magic Kingdom.

Finally, Disney Skyliner connects Epcot to the following Disney Resort Hotels: Disney’s Art of Animation Resort, Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort, Disney’s Pop Century Resort, and Disney’s Riviera Resort.

Epcot Park Entry

We recommend getting to the park turnstiles 45-60 minutes prior to the scheduled park opening, especially on projected busy days.

This act has long been known as ‘rope drop’.

Rope drop involves getting to Epcot before it begins operating for the day so that you can be among the first guests to enter and enjoy the attractions.

It essentially means getting to your first ride with NO WAIT and having 1 hour to ride rides with the shortest lines of the day.

The following tips will help you make the most of rope drop at Epcot:

• Epcot generally allows guests through the turnstiles 30 minutes prior to the official opening.

• Once you’re inside Epcot, you’ll be held at Spaceship Earth if you enter through the front entrance. If you’re entering from the International Gateway entrance you’ll be held in the World Showcase.

• There will be a rope manned by cast members at each of these entrances preventing guests from entering further into the park.

• Immediately at park opening, cast members remove the ropes (hence the name “rope drop”) allowing you to walk briskly, but not run, to whatever land/attraction you desire.

• If you truly want to ride without a wait, be as close to the front of any waiting ‘rope drop’ crowd as you can. After rope drop, instant waits of up to 60 minutes for popular attractions will form.

Epcot Touring Plan: Morning

The following Epcot 1-Day itinerary assumes a 9 AM park opening without the early entry benefit for onsite guests.

Adjust the times accordingly if you’re visiting when there’s a different park opening time.

Also, keep in mind that Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind can currently only be ridden with either a virtual line reservation or the purchase of an individual lightning lane pass – there is no standby line available.

Because of this some, details of your 1-day Epcot itinerary are subject to change based on the availability of virtual queue times for Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind.

Likewise, we do not factor in Disney Genie+ reservations in this itinerary, as not everyone uses Genie+, and for those who do, every ride choice and return time is different making it impossible to create a universal touring plan.

(If this is your first time visiting Epcot, I recommend visiting this Virtual Queue FAQ page to determine how to use Disney’s virtual queues.)

Suggested times

6:50 AM: Log into the My Disney Experience app and navigate to the Virtual Queues page.

Next, press “Join Boarding Group” in My Queues. Select ‘Epcot’ then ‘Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind’, then ‘Confirm Your Party’.

Be ready to click ‘Join’ at exactly 7 AM and wait for a confirmation of a boarding group number and an estimated time when you’ll be able to ride.

7:00 AM: First try to get a virtual queue time for Guardians of the Galaxy (they can be gone in as early as 4 seconds!). If unavailable, consider purchasing an Individual Lightning Lane pass for Guardians that also becomes available at 7 AM.

8:15 AM: Park arrival.

9:00 AM: Official Park Opening. Go to the left and head straight for Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure (or Test Track if you have older kids who want to skip Remy’s.)

Morning Epcot Rides and Attractions

Upon your arrival at the park, your goal is to ride as many headliner attractions as possible, especially if you haven’t purchased Disney Genie+.

For that reason, our recommendation is to head straight to World Showcase to ride Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure and Frozen Ever After.

As mentioned, if you are visiting Epcot with older children who don’t mind skipping these rides or saving them for later, I suggest riding Test Track first.

1. Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure

2. Frozen Ever After

3. Test Track

4. Mission Space

Afterward, cross over to World Nature and ride Soarin’ and Living with the Land.

Save the rest of World Nature for later in the evening when there will be no lines.

5. Soarin’

6. Living with the Land

Next, cross back to World Celebration and ride Spaceship Earth and Journey Into Imagination with Figment.

7. Spaceship Earth

8. Journey Into Imagination with Figment

Next, you will start your journey around the World Showcase in a clockwise direction.

The distance around World Showcase is roughly 1.25 miles, so do plan accordingly.

Epcot Touring Plan: Afternoon

Spend the afternoon of your Epcot 1-day itinerary making your way around Epcot’s World Showcase.

This is a magical area to explore at your own pace while taking in all of the sights, sounds, and flavors of different countries.

Most people choose to ‘eat and drink’ their way around the countries stopping frequently to enjoy the ambiance of the various culinary offerings.

We enjoyed cocktails in Morocco, caramels at Karamell-Kuche in Germany, funnel cakes in American Adventure, and a full Italian meal at Via Napoli.

Upon stopping for various photo ops and pop-up entertainment offerings, be sure to savor each and every moment enjoying this unique experience.

Additional planning tip:  Snacking your way around the park instead of indulging in fancy meals is one of our top tips for visiting Disney World on a budget!

Afternoon Epcot Rides and Attractions

Here is an example of an afternoon itinerary for Epcot.

The majority of the afternoon is spent in World Showcase while revisiting the rides left in the front of the park during the evening hours.

1. Canada

2. United Kingdom

3. France (home of Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure and Palace du Cinema that features the 18-minute Impressions de France Film and Beauty and the Beast Sing-Along.)

4. Morocco

5. Japan

6. The American Adventure (A 29-minute audio animatronics stage show featuring key moments in American history; located in a large air-conditioned theater.)

7. Italy

8. Germany

9. China

10. Norway (Home of the hugely popular ride; Frozen Ever After.)

11. Mexico (Ride the Grand Fiesta Tour boat ride located inside.)

In conclusion, finish off the evening with the following:

12. Return to any of the headliner rides that you may have missed due to long lines in the day, i.e. Remy, Soarin’, Frozen Ever After.

13. Turtle Talk with Crush (15-minute animated show)

14. The Seas With Nemo and Friends Attraction

15. Watch Harmonious

Epcot’s Harmonious

Having debuted on October 1st, 2021, Harmonious is the name of the new nighttime spectacular being held at Epcot.

Similar to the previous IlumiNations: Reflections of Earth show, Harmonious is held outdoors on the water of World Showcase Lagoon.

With state-of-the-art technology, Harmonious features large-scale floats, LED panels, fountains, lights, fireworks, and lasers.

Inspired by beloved movies like Moana, Aladdin, Coco, Mulan, and The Lion King, the show was created by more than 240 artists from around the world. 

You absolutely won’t want to miss this show in your Epcot touring plan!

Dining in Epcot

We could write an entire article dedicated to dining in Epcot, after all, food makes up a huge majority of the Epcot experience.

There are only a few table service, quick service, and snack stops located throughout the first 3 neighborhoods of the park.

The majority of the noteworthy dining experiences are located within World Showcase, however, as each pavilion is home to both ethnic restaurants and several unique dining options.

Along with the long-standing best restaurants in Epcot, its newest additions include La Crêperie de Paris in the France pavilion of World Showcase and Space 220 found in World Discovery.

Space 220 is a highly-anticipated space-themed restaurant that simulates traveling 220 miles above Earth to a space station.

After checking in, visitors are given boarding passes for a space elevator (known as Stellarvators), that takes you to the Centauri Space Station to dine among the stars.

Additional planning tip: A confirmed table-service dining reservation is required for day guests (those not staying overnight) and is highly recommended for guests staying overnight at a Disney Resort hotel.

Epcot dining reservations can be made 60 days in advance via the My Disney Experience app or via the Disney website. You can also call (407) WDW-DINE.

*Click here for our exclusive FREE Family Vacation Packing List and BONUS Disney Day Bag Packing List to complement your Disney vacation!

Epcot 1-Day Itinerary: Conclusion

In conclusion, this Epcot 1-day itinerary was the perfect combination of rides, attractions, and shows.

We left feeling like we did it all!

We were not zig-zagging throughout the park, and we never had to stand in line for more than 60 minutes (on a day when every ride had a 60-120-minute wait in the afternoon).

Every parent knows their kids’ limits, as well as knows what touring plan is going to work for their family.

In our opinion, this is the perfect Epcot touring plan…we hope you think so too!

What strategies will you use in your Epcot 1-day itinerary? What are you most looking forward to when spending a day at Epcot? Happy travels!

Jen

If you liked reading our Epcot Itinerary, continue planning your Walt Disney World vacation with us!

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