The World Showcase is the part of EPCOT that centers around eleven different countries. In relation to the theme park, the countries are referred to as pavilions, which just references the building that is designed with each country in mind.
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As of writing this EPCOT World Showcase guide, the 11 pavilions are:
2023 marks the end of its transformation with Journey of Water, Inspired by Moana, opening Oct. 16. World Celebration will also be completed in December with a new statue of Walt Disney in an area called Dreamers Point and a new exhibition space called CommuniCore Hall.
When it comes to attractions, Epcot will have more to do in 2023 than it did in the last few years. Plus, Epcot has better atmosphere and food options than any other park at Walt Disney World, which is especially true and important as the phased reopening continues.
There are 11 rides at EPCOT in 2023, and only 9 rides at Hollywood Studios or Animal Kingdom. With the addition of Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind Coaster, EPCOT attractions have even taken a spot as some of the best thrill rides in Orlando!
If you're looking for the best Disney park between EPCOT vs Hollywood Studios, we would have to say EPCOT has the edge. Hollywood Studios used to be the park with the newest and most exciting attractions, but we would have to say that EPCOT has now taken that place with Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind.
With that said, our actual advice is visiting Epcot on a weekday. Mondays through Wednesdays are all equally good. We've noticed a slight uptick in crowds on Thursdays, and a more significant one on Fridays. Still, not nearly as bad as Saturday or Sunday.
Let's get one thing out of the way: there has never been a country that was removed from Epcot. All the countries that were originally there opening day — or added later on — remain in the park. The closest we get to a “removal” is perhaps Israel and Africa.
The Moroccan Pavilion at Epcot is the only Pavilion in the World Showcase where the country's government helped to design the space. The Moroccan Pavilion at Epcot first opened on September 7, 1984, and the pavilion is the only one at Epcot that was fully sponsored by a government and not by a corporation.
Spain PavilionThere also would have been an additional attraction as well as shopping and dining experiences. The market place would have featured both the new and old of Spain. The pavilion was never built because Disney was not able to find a sponsor. Efforts to sign on Spain has been tougher.
On a recent visit to EPCOT's Morocco Pavilion, @ExpThemePark took to social media to note, “Inside Restaurant Marrakesh for the first time in forever. It is going to become the future home of the Florida Blue Medicare Lounge.” The sign in the tweet notes, “Future Home of the Florida Blue Medicare Lounge.
Journey of Water Inspired by Moana is a new attraction coming to EPCOT at Walt Disney World in the front of the park between Spaceship Earth and World Showcase.
So when should you visit for the lowest crowds, generally? Go on a Wednesday! Fewer guests head to EPCOT mid-week and you can hopefully then walk up to the festival booths without having to wait in long lines. As a bonus tip — make sure to visit the festival booths early in the day.
Off-peak times fall around January, February, September, and early November. Discounts on vacation packages booked directly through Disney (which combine park tickets and hotel stays) can be found year-round, though they're most common at these less-crowded times.
We've noticed a slight uptick in crowds on Thursdays, and a more significant one on Fridays. Still, not nearly as bad as Saturday or Sunday. Even though the impact on wait times isn't terrible, Epcot is the one park we try to avoid on Saturday and Sunday if at all possible.
And as a general rule of thumb, the best time to go to Disney World, Florida is from January to early February, as well as the late February to early March range. Then later on in the year, most days in August, and September, as well as most weekdays in October are generally the cheapest times to visit.
Walt Disney World Epcot – Best for Ages 8 to 14It's a great theme park for intellectually curious kids (and adults) but not the best for little kids under the age of 8. Older kids will enjoy some of the major thrill rides (like Test Track and Mission: SPACE) and may really enjoy World Showcase.
EPCOT is arguably the least family-friendly park at Walt Disney World, so you may not need more than a few hours to do everything of interest if you have small children. With that said, a full day at EPCOT is highly recommended for first-timers.
While Magic Kingdom has MORE attractions, EPCOT has some of the NEWEST attractions. Frozen Ever After, Remy's Ratatouille Adventure, and Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind have all been added to EPCOT more recently than any ride at Magic Kingdom.
Epcot has the most walking paths (measured by miles) and is the second-largest park by acreage. The park has two distinct sections: World Showcase and Future World. The layout of the larger section, World Showcase, is really simple.