For week three of âA Few of My Favorite Thingsâ, I want to share a few of my favorite things about Epcot. A lot of people write it off since it doesnât have a lot of rides or isnât âfamily friendlyâ since thereâs a lot of people there just to drink around the world. I absolutely adore Epcot. This park has some of my favorite rides and food. I love the whole theme of the park. Plus being someone who loves languages and other cultures, this makes my little heart happy getting to meet people from all over the world.
Ride:
⢠Soarinâ Around The World (Go around the world in minutes. This is a must do on my Epcot list. Itâs magical. Itâs relaxing. Itâs memorable. Plus, itâs fun to see a crooked Eiffel Tower, haha.)
⢠Test Track (Design your own custom car, then take it for a test drive and see how your design ranks. Iâm a thrill junkie, and I love going on this simply for the zoom around the track.)
⢠Journey Into Imagination With Figment (Figment is underrated and I will forever stand on that statement. If you donât love Figment then what are you doing with your life? This is another ride that Iâve ridden so much I have the entire script memorized, lol, oops. Honestly though, if youâre looking for a spot to escape the Florida weather and (typically) not have a long wait, this is the ride for you.)
Character Meet n Greet:
⢠Daisy Duck (Daisy is fabulous and always a joy to hang out with.)
⢠Joy and Sadness (Sadness is the absolute cutest thing ever, and Joy will make you so much happier after you spend a few minutes with her.)
⢠Character Spot ( I mean, who doesnât want to meet Mickey, Minnie, and Goofy?)
Snack/Drink:
⢠School Bread from Kringla Bakeri Og Kafe in Norway (I could eat these all day, every day for the rest of my life. Theyâre lightly sweet and not overwhelming. Itâs a great snack anytime of the day.)
⢠Guacamole and Black Beans with Tortilla Chips from La Cantina de San Angel in Mexico (I love to pop in and grab this for a quick snack if Iâm not going to be eating a big meal for a while, or for my meal itself. This is one of my go-toâs if I want something heavier than a pastry or typical Disney snack.)
⢠Raspberry Macaroon from Les Halles Boulangerie-Patisserie in France (Iâm a macaroon fanatic. My favorite macaroons are fruit flavors, so I am obsessed with this one that has actual fruit in it. Itâs much larger than a typical macaroon so you definitely only need one.)
⢠Unless itâs festival season I donât really have a favorite drink. During regular season, I will typically just grab an iced coffee or water.
Restaurant:
⢠Chefs de France in France (A beautiful table-service restaurant with a magnificent view right inside of France. I am a huge fan of the food here. Definitely make reservations ahead of time if you plan to eat here.)
⢠Tangierine Cafe in Morocco (This is a must in my opinion. If youâre up for something different and incredibly delicious, grab lunch/dinner at this amazing quick-service.)
⢠Kringla Bakeri Og Kafe in Norway (As I mentioned before, this place has one of my favorite foods. Everything Iâve tried here is magnificent. If youâre looking for a yummy place to quickly grab a snack or meal, I would recommend this lovely place. If youâre feeling brave try the Viking Coffee or the Glacier Shot.)
⢠Les Halles Boulangerie-Patisserie in France (Tucked back into France this lovely cafe is easy to miss. The food is phenomenal and the people are lovely. The variety is overwhelming but definitely worth it. If Iâm not up for a meal, I will usually buy a box of macaroons and a baguette to take with me for later.)
Festival:
⢠Flower and Garden Festival (I love all of the festivals, but F&G has got to be my favorite. I love all of the bright flowers and creative displays. Iâm totally lying to myself, but I feel as if all of the options available are healthier than any of the other festivals so I donât feel as guilty. Plus, as someone who is a vegetarian and dairy/lactose-free, I feel as if there are more options for me during this time. Everything about this festival is my favorite.)
Show:
⢠Candlelight Processional (Christmas is one of my favorite times of the year, and Christmas at Disney is even more magical. I love the Candlelight Processional so much. This is not a year-round offering, but if you make it during the Christmas season, this is a definite to fit into your itinerary. At night celebrity guests read the Christmas story and the Christmas tree choir sings carols. Itâs a beautiful experience sure to put you in the Christmas spirit.)
Hidden Gem:
⢠Club Cool (This doesnât seem to be as much of a âhidden gemâ anymore with the ever growing popularity of the Beverly. However, I feel it is still worthy of being a hidden gem so bear with me. This is a great spot to hop in for some A/C and a free drink. You can sample Coca-Cola drinks from around the world for free. Take my word for it, the Beverly is a must; basically a Disney rite of passage.)
⢠Character Experience (If you have the Disney Chase Card you can get special access to a character meet n greet to the left of Figment and the Short Film Festival. The characters are random, but are always some combination of the originals; you typically will get a mouse and a dog. You pretty much get the same characters as the Character Spot, but the line is shorter and you get free photopass downloads of all photos taken during your meet.)
Oldie Goldie I Miss:
⢠Maelstrom in Norway (I love all things Norway and Viking, so this ride was my all-time favorite as a child and even after I became a Cast Member. I was devastated, and am still in mourning, when it was replaced with Frozen Ever After. However, I love that they kept the basics of the ride and simply changed the story.)
⢠Ellenâs Energy Adventure (I honestly donât know why I loved this so much, but it was one of my favorite rides to go on before it was removed.)
⢠Soarinâ (The original ride was my favorite. I love the new one, but I personally loved the sights and smells of the original more.)
Leave a comment below letting me know what your Epcot favorites are. Do we share a favorite? Whatâs your favorite country? Is Epcot a must or a pass for you? Whatâs your favorite festival?
I hope you enjoyed this weekâs edition. Next week, we conclude with the most magical park of all, Magic Kingdom! đ°
Hereâs to spreading a little pixie dust until we can all return. Until then, stay safe and Iâll âSee You Real Soonâ!
Gracie Waldrop 