Epcot is the best park at Walt Disney World. You can tell me it’s not, but I won’t believe you. Ever since I was a kid I’ve loved “traveling” around the world, getting a little crazy with Figmet, and watching the monorail zoom through the park. Because of this, it’s difficult for me to pick the best rides at Epcot.
Best Rides at Epcot
Over the years Epcot has seen a lot of changes, with even more to come, but to be it still doesn’t hold a candle to the other parks. As a self-proclaimed Epcot Expert these are my favorite rides in the park. (And just an FYI as soon as the Guardians of the Galaxy Roller Coast opens, it’ll be on this list too.)
Please note that some of these rides it is easiest to get on using the Genie+ service to gain access to the Lightning Lane. To help you here are my recommendations for the best Fastpasses for Epcot.
Does Epcot Have Rides?
When I get asked about Epcot, which is my favorite of all the parks at Walt Disney World, I frequently get the question: “Does Epcot have rides?”
The answer is a definitive YES!
To prove my point I’m going to share a full list of Epcot rides. As of this writing, there are 11 rides at Epcot. They are:
- Frozen Ever After
- Gran Fiesta Tour Starring the Three Caballeros
- Guardians of the Galaxy – Cosmic Rewind
- Journey Into Imagination With Figment
- Living With the Land
- Mission: SPACE
- Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure
- Soarin’
- Spaceship Earth
- Test Track
- The Seas With Nemo and Friends
I hope this Epcot list of rides has helped disperse the myth that there are no rides at Epcot.
Best Rides at Epcot: Guardians of the Galaxy – Cosmic Rewind
Calling all Marvel fans! This ride is not to be missed and is like no other ride at Epcot. Guardians of the Galaxy – Cosmic Rewind is the newest ride at Epcot, having opened in May of 2022 (it was delayed because of the pandemic).
The planet Xandar and Peter Quill (who loves Epcot) have created the first Other World Showcase at Epcot. Riders will learn from the Xandarians and the Nova Corps about space travel with a hyperjump visit to Xander itself! However, The Searcher inturupts the trip to Xander and in true Guardians of the Galaxy fashion they come to save the day, but things don’t go exactly right.
With specially built ride vechiles, this indoor roller coaster is packed full of twists and turns you won’t expect. If you get Genie+ know that at the time of writing, this ride was not included and only has an individual lighting lane ride, which you will have to purchase separately. I recommend heading right ot this ride at rope drop.
If you’re wondering if this ride is right for you, check out the video below to watch a POV of the expereince.
Cosmic Rewind Specs
Location: World Discovery
Category: Indoor Roller Coaster
Height Requirement: 42″ or taller
Duration: A little less than 4 minutes
Good for: Tweens, Teens, Adults
Disney Genie+/Lightning Lane Pass: Yes
Top Rides at Epcot: Soarin’
Soarin’ is one of the most amazing rides the Imagineers have ever created. I’ve been lucky enough to ride it at Epcot and the version they have at Tokyo Disney Sea.
Originally, it was Soarin’ over California when it first opened at Disney’s California Adventure and when it made its debut at Epcot several years later.
In its current form, it is Soarin’ Around the World! Which makes me feel super cool (that never happens) when I get to fly over destinations I’ve seen all over the world.
Soarin’ is one of the most popular rides at Epcot and tends to have a very long line. Keep that in mind when you’re planning your day around the park. I’m personally a fan of heading there first as it is easy to get to from both the front and back entrances, and since it is one of the older of the best rides at Epcot the rush to get there first thing in the morning is a bit less.
Until I brought my husband on this ride the first time we went to Epcot together I didn’t think that this ride could cause motion sickness. It does and as a result he was not a fan. Soarin’ creates the feeling of movement which caused him to not feel well. If someone in your party doesn’t like motion simulation rides, like Star Tours at Hollywood Studios, they might want ot skip this one.
Take a look at the video below to see the full ride expereince.
Soarin’ Specs
Location: The Land Pavilion
Category: Slow Ride with Small Drops
Height Requirement: 40″ or taller
Duration: 4:45
Good for: Kids, Tweens, Teens, Adults
Disney Genie+/Lightning Lane Pass: Yes
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Best Rides at Epcot: Frozen Ever After
If you have someone in your family that loves Frozen, you’ll need to go on this ride! Located in the Norway pavilion this ride took the place of the Maelstrom and uses the same tracks and boats. As a lover of Disney and especially Epcot from a young age, I love that they used the old boats. It was a total throwback when I first boarded the ride.
Frozen Ever After takes riders on a journey to the Kingdom of Arendelle to visit Anna, Elsa, and the gang. The storyline has riders visiting during the Winter in Summer Celebration and is full of Frozen music and classic Disney magic! This alone makes it one of the best rides at Epcot.
The audio-animatronics are like none I’ve ever seen before at Disney with the faces projected on them so I look just like the movie! Wait until you see Elsa cast her frozen magic, it was my favorite part of the entire ride, but I don’t give it away. That moment alone makes this one of the best rides at Epcot.
To help little ones prep for this ride, watch the following video!
Frozen Ever After Specs
Location: World Showcase; Norway Pavilion
Category: Dark, Slow Ride with Small Drops
Height Requirement: Any
Good for: All
Duration: 5:00
Disney Genie+/Lightning Lane Pass: Yes
Best Rides at Epcot: Spaceship Earth
Spaceship Earth is the iconic centerpiece of Epcot rising over the others buildings. From most parts of the park you can see the giant geodesic globe calling you toward it. It is especially beautiful at night and the exit has one of WDW’s staple Disney Walls.
Inside is one of the original rides in the park which has grown and changed over the years, but has always told the same story. The story of our planet, our history, and the technology we’ve developed. With all the changes coming to Epcot it is getting another makeover and I can’t wait to see what its transformation will be.
Take a closer look at what hides inside Epcot’s most iconic ride with this video.
Spaceship Earth Specs
Location: World Celebration
Category: Dark, Slow Ride
Height Requirement: Any
Duration: 15:00
Good for: Any
Disney Genie+/Lightning Lane Pass: Yes
Top Rides at Epcot: Test Track
Test Track is currently the only thrill ride worth going on at Epcot until the Guardians of the Galaxy roller coaster opens.
This ride, sponsored by Chevrolet, takes visitors through the process of creating and testing a car. That’s right, you get to design your very own virtual car from the bottom up. Once the design is complete you get in your ride vehicle and put that car to the test. It will go head to head with the other cars people in your ride vehicle have designed.
From testing the breaks, taking tight turns and going through all kinds of weather each car gets graded. The final test is speed which takes you outside the test building and on to a track!
Parts of this ride take place in the dark and could be scary for small children. There are also sudden sharp turns and stops that could aggravate the neck. i don’t recommend anyone with nexk issues go on this ride.
Check out the entire experience with this video to see if Test Track is right for you.
Test Track Specs
Location: World Discovery
Category: Thrill Ride and Small Drops
Height Requirement: 40″ or taller
Duration: 5:00
Good for: Kids, Tweens, Teens, Adults
Disney Genie+/Lightning Lane Pass: Yes
Can’t Miss Rides at Epcot: Journey into Imagination
I’ve loved Figment’s Journey into Imagination since I was a kid. While this ride has had a facelift since I first went on it, it’s still one of my favorites, and if they close it’ll probably cry.
This is a ride for the whole family to enjoy as it’s a smooth ride and easy to get in and out of the carriage (for lack of a better word) that you need to sit in for the ride. There are some loud noises, but for the most part, it is a completely visual ride. Most of the time there isn’t a line either, which I think is a big plus!
Maybe I think this is one of the best rides at Epcot because I’m nostalgic, but you’ll have to be the judge of that one yourself. Here’s a video to give you a front seatview of what the Journey into Imagination is all about!
Journey into Imagination Specs
Location: World Celebration
Category: Dark, Slow Ride with Loud Moments
Height Requirement: Any
Good for: All
Duration: 8:00
Disney Genie+/Lightning Lane Pass: Yes
Top Rides at Epcot: Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure
Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure is like no other ride I’ve ever been on before! This ride makes you feel like you’ve been shrunk down to the size of a rat in the kitchen of Gusteau’s in the movie.
The carts seat 4 passengers and are shaped like a rat, each one is a little different from the last as they’re all different colors and have various facial expressions. The attention to detail both in line and while on this ride makes it one of the best rides at Epcot.
While I enjoyed this ride I did get a little motion sick. This ride is fast-moving and requires riders to wear 3D glasses. I think the combination was a bit too much for me and I did feel a little sick afterwards. I wouldn’t recommend anyone that gets motion sick to do this ride.
This ride takes place in the dark, so it might scare smaller children. Here is a youtube video of Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure to help prepare smaller children for it or anyone that wants to know what they’re getting into.
Remy’s Ratatouiile Adventure Specs
Location: World Showcase; France Pavilion
Category: Trackless Dark Ride
Height Requirement: None
Duration: 4:40
Good for: Any
Disney Genie+/Lightning Lane Pass: Yes
What do you think the best rides at Epcot are? Did they make the list? Let me know in the comments.
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