Walt Disney World’s Epcot from A to Z

EPCOT opened to Disney World fans on October 1, 1982—11 years after Magic Kingdom’s Opening Day. The park has something for everyone—from young children to older adults and everyone in between! Here are a few things we think are pretty special about EPCOT—from A to Z.

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1. A for Akershus

Enjoy great Norwegian fare at the beautiful Storybook Dining Hall while Disney Princesses roam from table to table, posing for pictures, signing autographs and visiting with Guests. Call (407) WDW-DINE to book your dining reservation up to 180 days in advance.

2. B for Biergarten

Celebrate Oktoberfest any day of the year when you visit Biergarten Restaurant inside the Germany pavilion on the World Showcase. This table-service venue serves an all-you-care-to-enjoy buffet with every kind of German food you could ever want! Soups, salads, sides, meats, schnitzel, breads and amazing desserts are just the beginning! During your meal, enjoy an exciting show with a live German band and lots of audience participation. Be sure to book your dining experience up to 180 days in advance via the My Disney Experience app or by calling (407) WDW-DINE.

3. C for Coral Reef Restaurant

The Coral Reef Restaurant is a table-service venue located next to the entrance to The Seas With Nemo and Friends attraction. You’ll enjoy great food, as well as amazing views of a living coral reef and the 4,000 species of sea life that live there. Start with the Rhode Island Calamari, and then move on to enjoy lobster, mahi mahi or shrimp and grits. And don’t forget to order the turtle cheesecake for dessert!

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4. D for Disney and PIXAR Short Film Festival

Just past the Journey Into Imagination pavilion in Future World, you’ll find the Magic Eye Theater. Head inside and enjoy a unique look at the magic behind animation. Then take a seat inside the theater and put on your 3D glasses. What comes next is a trio of Disney and PIXAR short films presented in a 4D format. The theater seats move, and special effects make the films come to life!

5. E for EPCOT

If you didn’t already know it, EPCOT is an acronym created by Walt himself. It stands for Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow, though the EPCOT we enjoy today has very little in common with the one Walt envisioned.

6. F for Future World

Future World is the name given to the first part of EPCOT you enjoy after you enter the park gates. It is home to the iconic giant silver sphere called Spaceship Earth, attractions like Test Track, Journey Into Imagination with Figment, Living with the Land and more. It is one of two parts of the park—the other part being the World Showcase.

7. G for Gran Fiesta Tour

Inside the Mexico pavilion, Guests can board a small boat and set sail for a tour of Mexico. The Three Caballeros have a concert tonight, but Donald is nowhere to be found! Will Panchito and Jose Carioca find him before the concert?

8. H for House of the Whispering Willows

Step inside the House of the Whispering Willows in the China pavilion on the World Showcase and take a tour of the Shanghai Disney Resort. Learn about the magic and imagination that went into planning a Disney Park that is simultaneously uniquely Disney and uniquely Chinese.

9. I for ImageWorks

Also called the “What-if? Labs,” ImageWorks is the place to be after you enjoy the Journey into Imagination with Figment attraction. After the ride, you’ll be invited to explore creativity, ingenuity and imagination as you participate in interactive games and activities. Don’t miss it!

10. J for Jasmine

You can meet the lovely Princess Jasmine inside the Morocco pavilion on the World Showcase. Check the My Disney Experience app to see when she is meeting Guests on the day you visit.

11. K for Kringla Bakery

Step inside this heavenly bakery in the Norway pavilion and savor the sweet smell of all kinds of Norwegian desserts and pastries. The Kringla Bakeri Og Kafe serves desserts, sandwiches and drinks. Too many choices? Opt for the Troll Horn pastry made with orange crème!

12. L for Living with the Land

This fascinating attraction is housed inside the Land pavilion and highlights greener growing processes used around the world, as well as right there at EPCOT. Board a boat for a gentle gliding tour through the greenhouses used to grow vegetables and edible plants that are used in restaurants around EPCOT.

13. M for Mission: SPACE

Choose between a mission to Mars and a mission to orbit planet Earth and blast off for an adventure unlike any other! This simulation attraction will have you believing you’re an astronaut!

14. N for Nemo and Friends

See Marlin, Nemo, Dory, Bruce and all the gang from Disney/PIXAR’s Finding Nemo at this fun family attraction! Board a clamshell and enjoy this experience that takes Guests through the story of Marlin and Dory and their relentless search for Nemo. You can even hang ten on the E.A.C. with Crush and Squirt! After the ride, be sure to spend some time discovering all the marine life at SeaBase too!

15. O for O! Canada!

“O! Canada!” is a 360-degree video presentation hosted by Canadian Martin Short about the beauty and majesty of Canada! It was filmed in the CircleVision 360 format so that as you stand to enjoy the film, no matter where you look—ahead of you, to the side or behind you—you can see the film and experience it to the fullest! Every seat in the house is the best seat in the house—except that no one sits!

16. P for Project Tomorrow

Project Tomorrow is located at the exit of the Spaceship Earth attraction. Immerse yourself in interactive and hands-on activities and even send yourself a postcard made from the in-ride photo taken during your experience at the Spaceship Earth attraction. Don’t skip this—especially if you have little ones!

17. Q for Quick-Service Restaurants

EPCOT has lots of choices in quick-service or counter restaurants. Fife and Drum in the American Adventure pavilion sells giant turkey legs and beverages. The Sunshine Seasons Food Court inside the Land pavilion offers multiple options in food for lunch, dinner and everything in between! And these spots are just the beginning!

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18. R for Reflections of China

Chinese poet Li Bai from the Tang Dynasty narrates a CircleVision 360 film that details the sights and sounds of China. It’s a breathtaking visual display of the beauty and history of this great country.

19. S for Spaceship Earth

Spaceship Earth is not only the name of the giant iconic silver geodesic sphere at the gates of EPCOT; it’s also the name of the attraction inside the sphere. Board a time rover and go back 40,000 years to a time when communication was virtually non-existent. See how events over time resulted in our world today—in the Age of Information.

20. T for Test Track

This attraction is presented by Chevrolet and begins with the opportunity for Guests to create a virtual concept car. Choose different options from an interactive screen to create your dream machine. Then board a six-person ride vehicle to test your creation against the elements of heat and cold. See how your concept vehicle performs on the roadway as you enter the test track and reach speeds of 65 miles per hour while speeding through high-banked turns. This attraction is a can’t-miss!

21. U for United Kingdom

The United Kingdom pavilion on EPCOT’s World Showcase is a beautiful place to explore. Enjoy the outdoor English gardens, concerts throughout the day, the Twinnings Tea Shop, the Yorkshire County Fish Shop and the Rose & Crown Dining Room. You can also meet Alice in Wonderland and Mary Poppins!

22. V for Vanellope

Guests can meet Vanellope and her buddy Wreck-It Ralph in the ImageWork portion of the Imagination pavilion. Don’t forget your camera and your autograph book. Walk up, say hello and then put on your best smile for the PhotoPass photographer!

23. W for World Showcase

EPCOT’s World Showcase is a 1.3-mile loop around World Showcase Lagoon that features pavilions of 11 different countries from around the world. Learn about the customs, cultures and cuisine of each country—Mexico, Norway, Germany, Italy, Morocco, Japan, China, Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom and France. The World Showcase makes up the second section of the park and is also home to amazing annual celebrations like the International Festival of Holidays!

24. X for “X Marks the Spot!”

If you’re looking forward to taking your kids to EPCOT for the first time, a great activity to enjoy together is creating your EPCOT passport. Visit your local dollar store or a teaching supply store and pick up a “teaching” passport for each of your kids. You can also buy the passport set at shops at EPCOT. As you visit the 11 different countries around the World Showcase, you’ll be able to have the passports stamped at each country’s KidCot station!

25. Y for Yorkshire County Fish Shop

This quick-service window near the United Kingdom pavilion serves fish ‘n’ chips. Really good fish ‘n’ chips. Good, crunchy, hot fish ‘n’ chips. That’s all they serve and it’s wonderful!

26. Z for PiZZZZa!!

Ok, so pizza doesn’t start with a “Z,” but the pizza at the Via Napoli Pizzeria inside the Italy pavilion deserves a mention on this list! No matter which pizza you order, you can count on a delicious pizza with an authentic Italian taste! Be sure to stop in before you leave the park!