Top Things to See at Disney’s Epcot with your Homeschooler
Disney’s Epcot is one of the 4 Disney parks located just outside Orlando, Florida in the city of Kissimmee. It is one park that is unlike so many others, without the typical type of things you always see at them, and it is great for any age.
Top Things to See at Disney's Epcot with your Homeschooler
It has a great layout with some really awesome things to see towards the front of the park and you can easily spend most of your day just in the front sections, but then there is what they call the “World Showcase” where there are several countries represented and they are all spread out around an area of water, so it doesn’t tend to get as crowded as some other parks, because it is so spread out. It is easily the best Disney park for homeschoolers to visit, hands down.
One more tip. If you want to check out the non Universal or Disney park attractions you can get discount admission with the Orlando GoPass. You can save up to 55% off admission prices buy building your own pass. Locations to choose from including Legoland, Sea World, Bush Gardens, The Titanic Museum, The Kennedy Space Center, Gatorland, many water parks and more! You can also buy an all-inclusive pass for up to 5 days and get into as many attractions as you can fit into your schedule for 5 days!
One more quick note when planning your Disney Trip check out the packages deals at GetAway Today. They are Disney Pros and know how to get all the best deals and the #1 Disney Package seller.
Here is a list of the top things to see with your kids when you go as homeschoolers. There are plenty more, too, but these you don’t want to miss!
Related: How to Get a Free Disney World Vacation
The World Showcase
This alone can keep your kids busy and educate them in so many ways about each country represented. If you know ahead of time that you are going, you can also plan to study one or more of these countries to make it an even more impactful experience.
Have them try the food in that country, see the clothing and buildings, and hear the music. Each country is so different and as you walk from one into the next, Disney has done a fantastic job making you really feel like you are in a new place.
Some of the countries do have rides, but the majority of them are in the other areas of the park. (One of the more popular rides is a Frozen theme and it is in the Norway area. Plan ahead and get a fast pass, or you may never get in….just a tip!)
A few cool examples of things to see in the countries are the London phone booths, the German clocks, Japanese Pop culture exhibit & the Japanese food is awesome, Mexican artifacts galore, French cuisine and shops, and much, much more!
Spaceship Earth
This is a ride that is one of the first things you come to when you go in the park. It is located inside the Epcot ball. It is a must, if you’ve never been on it. It has a history theme and takes you throughout history and covers technology and many things like art, printing press, radio, movies and more. There are animatronics in each area of the people from those areas, some of which are famous people like Michaelangelo painting the Sistine Chapel, and things like that.
Related: What to do at Epcot – 25 Bucket List Items
At the end of the ride, you are let out into an area that is all about new technology, and there are lots of hands on things for the family to do and try. There are games and activities and it is also a nice, cool place to hang out, so if you are there in the heat of the summer, do it in the afternoon.
Coca-Cola exhibit
This may sound like a commercial, but truly the Coke spot is worth checking out and it takes a short time to do. There is of course, a store, and if you like that type of merchandise, you will find items you won’t see anywhere else, but the main draw is that they have free samples of sodas from all over the globe. You can try as many as you like, too. It’s very fun to see your kids’ reactions to some of the odd ones! This reminds me of Atlanta's Coke Experience as well!
Related: 11 of the Absolute Best Places to View Manatees in Florida
The Food
If you can, my advice would be to book a reservation for one meal, as it is really worth doing that. Disney goes above and beyond on their food and the whole dining experience. If you have food allergy issues, Celiac disease, or anything like that, they will take great care of you, so don’t hesitate on that area. Then, just hit a couple of place for small things throughout the day if you can, so that you can try different foods. Every country has restaurants, and also smaller kiosk type places, so you don’t have to do a sit-down thing each time, and you can try all sorts of fun things. There are lots of fun drinks too, as well as desserts.
A couple things I would recommend and have a hard time passing up every time we go is the sushi in Japan, as well as the shaved ice there. The macarons in France, and almost anything in Mexico!
Kidcot
This is a Disney's Epcot exclusive thing just for kids. I would say it is geared more for younger ones than say, middle schoolers or above. Your kids get a passport and then at each country there is a special “Kidcot” stop for them to visit. They can do different activities and make souvenirs to take with them, and get their passport stamped. Very fun!
The Seas
This section is near the front of the park before the World Showcase and is one of the best parts of the park, easily. There is more than one floor inside and they have tons of fish and other sea creatures. There is a manatee area, a very large aquarium with dolphin, sharks and lots of other fish. There’s a turtle exhibit, and then there is an area with individual, smaller tanks that have some great fish and other creatures in them, with information on each one, so your kids can really get a good look up close at them and learn about them. Clown fish, like Nemo are one of the many.
There is a play area as well, if you have toddlers who need a time to run and play, and a Finding Nemo ride. It is all indoors, so nice and cool, too!
Next to the Seas is the Land area.
The ride, “Soarin’” is there and it is a must-do. It takes you on a tour around the world while you sit in a seat that elevates and makes you feel like you’re flying through it. It is not scary, either, so as long as your kids are tall enough, you have to do this one. Also in the Land is another ride called “Living with the Land” where you learn about farming and growing plants and foods and you get to go through areas where Disney is growing tons of plants and foods there, and they tell you all about them. There are lots of flowering plants, edible plants, fish and shrimp and more. My kids love this ride and it makes them want to eat better, too!
Plants
All over the park are tons of gorgeous plants and topiaries. In the countries you will see things that are themed for that area, which is neat, and then in the Spring, they have the International Flower and Garden Festival, where there is so much more of it and there are many extra things to see for just that time of the year, and also extra things to do as well.
Overall, with a little planning, you can work much of your schooling around this visit and let so much of what they’ve learned come to life when they see it in person. Between the food, the buildings and all the technology-related things there, you can easily spend a couple of days at this park and not only get some great education, but have a great time as well.
Don't forget to check out the Top 5 Disney Restaurants for the Best Disney Dining and also the Top 10 Places (and Tips) to Meeting Disney Characters That Are Hard to Find.