It’s no secret that most of the people visiting EPCOT are tourists. They come from all around the world to experience all that the park has to offer.
EPCOT’s World Showcase
However, there’s a difference between first-time tourists at EPCOT and those who have visited the park many times and consider themselves self-proclaimed “pros.” Those of us who have been to EPCOT over and over choose to skip several things because we know they aren’t nearly as important as they seem. So if you’re going to EPCOT for the first time, consider skipping these four things!
Buying Generic Souvenirs in World Showcase
EPCOT is a great place to get Disney World souvenirs. You’ll find a variety of shops with loads of unique and exclusive merchandise, including Creations Shop, Port of Entry, Disney Traders, and all the shops at each World Showcase pavilion.
Creations Shop
Regardless of whether you’re a first timer or a pro, you’ll probably be buying some cute and fun Disney souvenirs. But here’s what the pros DON’T buy: generic items that you can find anywhere else, but usually on Amazon. When you shop at the World Showcase pavilions, you’ll see some really neat items from that specific country that SEEM unique and exclusive, but they’re really not.
Mitsukoshi
Sure, you might not find all the items at these stores at many other places in the U.S., but they likely can be found somewhere outside of Disney World and likely for cheaper. For example, the flavored Kit Kats from the Mitsukoshi store at the Japan pavilion can be purchased on Amazon.
Matcha and Chocolate Kit Kats can be bought on Amazon!
That also goes for the flavored pretzel snack sticks, Pretz. These can also be bought on Amazon!
Pretz can be bought on Amazon, too!
Everyone LOVES the adorable cat sushi souvenirs at Mitsukoshi, but guess what? Yep, many of them are also on Amazon!
Cat Sushi souvenirs are a hit, but you can buy a lot of them on Amazon.
And (if you’re catching on to the theme here) the popular, uniquely flavored Lay’s Potato Chips at the China pavilion are, you guessed it, on Amazon!
You can get Lay’s like these on Amazon!
This theme goes for almost every generic cultural souvenir in World Showcase. I once saw the gorgeous Norwegian sweaters in the Norway pavilion, but was able to buy one online for half the price. So if you’re going to buy a souvenir in EPCOT, we suggest grabbing something that can be personalized, is unique to Disney World, or is special in some way to you.
Eating Classic Theme Park Snacks
EPCOT is full of culture, special experiences, and learning. You can visit World Discovery, World Showcase, World Nature, and World Celebration, and find something new and exciting in each one.
World Celebration Gardens
With all of these special spots and all 11 country pavilions in World Showcase, eating standard theme park food is never on a pro’s to-do list in EPCOT. We skip the popcorn, the Mickey pretzels, and the Mickey ice cream. Instead, we opt for specialty sandwiches and pastries at Les Halles, tasty Mexican eats at La Cantina de San Angel, and delicious sushi at Shiki-Sai.
Les Halles Boulangerie Patisserie
Seriously, there are so many great exclusive dining and snack options in EPCOT, you really don’t need anything you could get elsewhere (unless you’re just REALLY craving some Disney popcorn, which we totally understand).
Booking Dining Reservations During a Festival
Yes, there are several good options for dining at EPCOT, such as Space 220, San Angel Inn Restaurante, Monsieur Paul, and Rose & Crown Pub & Dining Room. And normally, we would suggest trying one of these spots; however, we actually recommend skipping them if there happens to be an EPCOT festival underway.
2025 EPCOT Food and Wine Festival
The EPCOT Food and Wine Festival, Festival of the Holidays, Flower and Garden Festival, and Festival of the Arts all offer food booths all around the park that are both tasty and fun to try. So if you’re visiting during one of these festivals, skip a reservation and eat at the booths! (And follow along with DFB for all the coverage of every one of these festivals.)
EVERYTHING You Need To Eat and Drink at the 2025 EPCOT Food and Wine Festival
Rope Dropping Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind
Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind is truly one of the best rides at Disney World. This backwards launch roller coaster is exhilarating and so much fun.
Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind
You can ride it in one of two ways: by standing in the standby queue or by purchasing a Lightning Lane Single Pass. Some people may choose to rope drop this ride (go to your very first ride right when the park opens), but pros know to buy that Lightning Lane instead! It’s generally a better plan to rope drop Frozen Ever After, Test Track, or Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure, since these are Lightning Lane Multi Pass rides and their Lightning Lanes usually sell out faster than Cosmic Rewind.
Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind
When it comes to booking Frozen Ever After, Test Track, and Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure Lightning Lanes, you can only book one of them in advance. So if you’re going to use Multi Pass, you’ll want to book one of these, then plan to rope drop one of the others. You can then get the last of these three rides’ Lightning Lane once you’re in the park and have used your first Lightning Lane. With this game plan, buying the Lightning Lane Single Pass for Cosmic Rewind makes the most sense, instead of rope dropping it.
Cosmic Rewind entrance
These are four things we prefer NOT to do when we’re visiting EPCOT. We’ve been there MANY times, and we’ve found that there are other, potentially better ways to have a great day at the park. But if these things are important to you, there’s definitely no right or wrong way to enjoy your time. We hope you have a great trip, however you choose to!
For more Disney news, keep following DFB!
REVIEW: I Spent $54 on Dinner in the U.K. Pavilion in EPCOT, and I’d Do It Again in a Heartbeat
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But rope drop is a LOT LOT cheaper than LL and there are so many more things to do with our money. Also when are we suppose to make dinning reservation as the festival complete the year from Aug to end of May. That leave the hot months of June and July. Then the only thing you can do is get to the part in time for your reservation and then run back to your room or pool. Do make a dinning reservation and enjoy the many delicious types of restaurants Disney has. Just sample the here and there at festivals. Space your eating out to enjoy both.