Rides You Can Skip at Disney’s EPCOT

EPCOT at Walt Disney World Resort may have the distinction of boasting over having some of the newest theme park attractions (after Magic Kingdom’s Tron Lightcycle Run). The Disney Park has undergone several changes in the past few years, including adding Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure, and an upcoming Moana-inspired Journey of Water walkthrough experience.

But despite having some of the biggest and best rides, there are also a handful of skippable EPCOT attractions. This is especially true if your time at EPCOT or Walt Disney World Resort is limited. Some Guests may only have one day (or half a day) to visit EPCOT’s list of must-sees. This is further complicated if a Guest plans on touring countries and sampling foods, flavors, and culture at the World Showcase.

As such, here are a few EPCOT attractions you can feel comfortable skipping during your Disney Resort vacation.

Journey Into Imagination With Figment

As the unofficial mascot of Walt Disney World’s EPCOT, Figment, the dragon enjoys quite a following, so the idea of skipping Journey Into Imagination with Figment may raise a few eyebrows. But this journey through the five senses simply doesn’t measure up to the other attractions in EPCOT, and Figment, unfortunately, doesn’t save it. The ride is dated, borders on annoying, and the sensory overload can be too much for certain Guests. The best thing about Journey Into Imagination is there’s rarely a line. Of course, sometimes that can be a telling sign of what attractions may not be worth your time or energy.

Gran Fiesta Tour Starring the Three Caballeros

The line for Gran Fiesta Tour Starring the Three Caballeros is rarely more than a few minutes long, and it is fun to hop on a boat and ride past a Mayan pyramid inside the Mexican Pavilion. It was once a journey through Mexico’s history titled El Rio del Tiempo. But in 2007, the indoor boat ride was updated to include Donald Duck, Jose Carioca, and Panchito Pistoles from The Three Caballeros (1944).

Currently, the dated attraction consists of footage showing the sights of Mexico, punctuated by animated snippets of Donald and his two amigos. But even with the fun animation, there’s not much to entertain or thrill Guests on this dark boat ride.

Mission: SPACE

Disney’s Mission: SPACE in EPCOT has a checkered popularity with almost all who ride it. The Future World attraction offers two different versions of the experience, both attempting to emulate the sensation of space travel. The intense version (Orange Mission) uses a centrifuge to spin Guests around, simulating the G-force you’d experience if you went into space while a screen provides images of you flying to Mars. The ride’s mild version (Green Mission) doesn’t spin or simulate G-force but maintains the same visual displays. Unfortunately, there doesn’t appear to be a happy medium with this ride, as Disney Guests exit either feeling extremely nauseous or incredibly underwhelmed.

Add to that the vehicle you ride can be incredibly claustrophobic and even comes stocked with vomit bags, just in case the spinning or tight spaces become too much to handle. Sounds fun, right?

So Much More

EPCOT offers some exceptional attractions worth exploring. In addition to the newest rides in their lineup, it is also home to Spaceship Earth, Soarin’, and the Living Seas With Nemo and Friends. There is also the entire World Showcase, where one can explore the culture, architecture, and food of the various countries represented.

Luckily, there are several EPCOT attractions you can safely miss and many more that are worth your time and ticket price, especially if you plan on spending more time at the Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, or Hollywood Studios.