Epcot: The Disney Park that Delivers Maximum Value
In my opinion, Epcot is definitely worth the money, whereas Animal Kingdom and Magic Kingdom may not be worth it. I recently had the opportunity to visit the parks for the first time in my life, except for the one in California, and I want to share my experience with you. Throughout my trip, I was able to observe the atmosphere and cost of everything, and I will explain why certain parks are worth more than others. So, let's get started!
Animal Kingdom, the first part of our Disney trip, is known for its magical nature and animals, but while it was beautiful, it was also quite lackluster. The park offers stunning views of nature and beautiful florals but that's about it. There weren't many rides for little kids, and a lot of the rides were rundown. The food choices were limited, which was unusual for a Disney park. The only redeeming factor was Pandora, the Avatar-themed area, which had two rides. However, the lines were incredibly long, and it's not worth wasting two hours for a simple boat ride or a ride similar to "soaring over the world." The food in Pandora was amazing, though, especially the margaritas with boba balls.
Disney World is a popular destination for many people who are willing to spend a lot of money to be there. Animal Kingdom, in particular, is a well-known attraction. However, the park hours are short, closing at 7:00 PM, which can be a bit disappointing. Although the safari ride was cute, I think I've seen more animals at the Phoenix Zoo. The best part of the experience was getting up close to the animals in their habitats. But, honestly, I don't think I would spend my money just to drive a car through an animal's land. When you pay for Disney, you expect that magical experience, and I didn't quite get that in Animal Kingdom, except for the magical tree and the world of Pandora. The roller coaster was a bit of a letdown, and I hope they add something more special to the park, perhaps with water or the land of Moana. It feels empty compared to the other parks, and we finished most of the rides by midday. I heard that the dinosaur ride will be removed and replaced with an Indiana Jones ride, which is exciting. Animal Kingdom probably needs the most work out of all the parks.
If you have young children who are patient and enjoy observing animals while walking through the jungle, then it is worth a visit. However, for adults who are going to Disney for the first time, it may be a bit underwhelming.
During our trip, we visited Epcot and it was definitely worth the money. There's so much to do there for adults, and even our friends with kids enjoyed it. Epcot is known for its different worlds and you can drink and eat around the world. There was also a festival going on at the same time, so we were able to try a bunch of different foods without waiting in long lines. The park felt spacious and it was easy to get fully immersed in each country. It was magical, especially during the nighttime in France. The Disney magic was definitely there! Epcot is a place I'm excited to go back to because there was so much to do. It's also fun to drink around the world and try the drinks from every place. Overall, Epcot is 100% worth it and I hope to go back there soon.
If you're a fan of roller coasters, Epcot's Guardians of the Galaxy ride is a must-try. It's difficult to put into words just how amazing the experience is. It's like a more incredible version of Space Mountain, but with a magical twist that's hard to describe. Despite only being able to ride it once due to the long wait times and reserved line system, it was still an incredibly fun experience that I highly recommend. If you're an adult who loves coasters, make sure to ride it as many times as possible!
Epcot is well worth its money. I would probably pay double to get back in, which is incredible. I didn't get to ride all of the rides, so I'm so happy to go back there to see everything again and experience the rides that I wasn't able to experience. I think it's worth it, even if you have kids. It's very family-friendly. Everyone's entertained. There's something for everyone, and it's fun.
Please note that the food and drinks at Epcot tend to be pricier compared to the other parks. Although the portions are smaller in size, the quality is always top-notch. If you're planning on dining at Disney, be prepared to spend a little extra for the food and drinks, but it is worth it. During our visit, we made a reservation at a restaurant in France, which was a bit expensive, but the food was delectable, and the experience was memorable. We even got to watch the fireworks from our table, which was an added bonus. Check out the attached photos from our free course dinner at the restaurant.
I recently visited Magic Kingdom and had an interesting experience. If you're traveling with little kids, I would recommend it, but if you're an adult and a Disneyland fan, it may not be the best option for you. I was disappointed by Magic Kingdom as it didn't quite live up to its reputation. Unlike Disneyland, which has all those magical OG touches that make it special, Magic Kingdom felt like a copy-and-paste job that didn't quite work. The Haunted Mansion lacked the same effect as the original, and they didn't have the holiday version of it, which was a big disappointment for me. The Pirates ride wasn't anything special, and the lighting was pretty good. Space Mountain was old, broken down and not worth the long wait. On the other hand Magic Kingdom was still enjoyable. However, you might have to wait quite a while to get on the rides with your kids.
I'd like to share my thoughts about the food options at Magic Kingdom, and I have to say, they were pretty disappointing. They definitely didn't live up to the magical standards that you would expect from a place like that. Even the food at Animal Kingdom was better in comparison. While I would still recommend Magic Kingdom for families with children, as an adult who loves Disneyland, I don't think I would choose to return to Magic Kingdom. Disneyland just holds that special place in all of our hearts, and it truly embodies Walt Disney's vision. I hope this doesn't come off as overly negative, but the long lines and less-than-ideal conditions just weren't worth it for me. While it was wonderful to see Walt's brothers' version of the park, it felt more like a money grab than a true Disney experience.
Unfortunately, I didn't have the opportunity to visit Disney Hollywood Studios. Since Star Wars Land offers more options in Disneyland, I thought it would be a waste of money. Besides, I'm not a huge fan of Toy Story. I skipped the Slinky Roller Coaster and the Tower of Terror, which was converted into the Guardians of the Galaxy Ride. In my opinion, the updated version of the Tower of Terror in California Adventures is better than the one in Disney Hollywood Studios. Additionally, the rock and roller coaster and Mickey's Railroad Adventure didn't catch my attention either. Since Mickey's Railroad Adventure is already available in California, I felt like visiting Disney Hollywood Studios would be a waste of money. Maybe I'll go there next time, but I'm not sure.
As a Disney enthusiast, I truly hope that my insights help you plan your future trip to the parks. I wanted to share some of the key factors my family and I considered when deciding where to go and what to do, including which attractions were worth waiting in line for. While I'll be covering Universal Orlando in a separate post, for now I'm solely focusing on Disney because we had such a packed week there. I'm excited to hear about your favorite parts of the parks, and I hope you have an amazing vacation full of magical moments.
