epcot ball spaceship earth — Epcot’s Enormous Golf ball

(Second Dad to the Right Disclaimer: The following blog was written by my 9-year-old daughter. The opinions expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of Second Dad to the Right, so please direct complaints to her.)

Hey guys! If you’re heading to Disney with elementary- aged kids then you need to know the right rides for them, especially if it's your first time there. If you’re going to EPCOT, then you will need to know which rides to ride and which to not ride. Since I’ve been to Disney World a bunch of times, I know what to recommend. And I know what kids like because I am just finishing third grade. But, if you’re not going to EPCOT, then I’ve also done a, Hollywood Studios, Animal Kingdom, and Magic Kingdom post. But if you are going to EPCOT, then keep reading. Here are the best EPCOT rides for kids.

Test Track

This ride is really cool because you get to experiment with what happens when you drive over rough terrain, and when a car loses control. Anyway, you are testing to see if your SIMcar has the four most important things that a SIMcar needs: Capability, efficiency, responsiveness, and power. It goes very fast, up to 65 miles per hour at the end of the ride. So, if your child does not like rides that go crazy fast, then this is not the ride for them. Also, most of the ride takes place in the dark, so if your child does not like the dark, then this is definitely not the ride for them. Funny story, when my sister was wearing a MagicBand, she scanned it against the reader, and she accidentally gave us a Lightning Lane!

Living with the Land

This is a very calm ride, so, if you and your child want to take it easy, then this is the perfect ride for that. You are riding on a gentle boat cruise through multimedia agricultural displays. At the beginning, you see a few nature scenes featuring a few Animatronics, then you tour the four greenhouses where EPCOT grows its delicious plants. Well, if you like vegetables. At the beginning, one of the nature scenes has thunder and lightning, which can be scary for toddlers and young kindergarteners. However, if you are planning to go near the end of 2023, then it is going under construction for a new update.

Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure

remy topiary france pavilion epcot — Topiary of Remy the Rat

This new ride is very fun because it is about the adventures of Remy the rat, helping Linguini become a great chef. You can find this ride in the France pavilion, the lines for this ride are usually long, so if you don’t want to wait an hour and a half to ride, then I recommend getting Lightning Lanes. For this ride, you will need to wear 3D glasses, but don’t worry, the ride has them for you. If your child doesn't like abrupt stops or temperature changes, this is not the ride for them.

The Seas with Nemo & Friends

the seas nemo and friends — The Entrance to The Seas with Nemo and Friends, Photo Cred: Josh Hallett https://flic.kr/p/r4WHL

This ride is just like Under the Sea: The Journey of the Little Mermaid at Magic Kingdom. Instead of Animatronics though, you are just looking at a screen. You are trying to help Nemo’s friends find Nemo. This ride could be fun for toddlers, because they would be willing to help find Nemo. If your child is sensitive to flashing light sequences, then this isn’t the ride for them.

Journey Into Imagination with Figment

figment epcot — Figment being crazy, Photo Cred: https://flic.kr/p/dRJYAv

This ride is all about the power of imagination, which I love about this attraction. You are trying to help Figment the purple dragon to teach a scientist how to use your imagination. You go through all five senses except for taste and touch. Then you go to Figment’s house, where uses his imagination to turn his whole house upside down! Then finally, at the end, you succeed in teaching the scientist how to use his imagination. If your child is afraid of the dark, or is sensitive to flashing light sequences, then this is not the ride for them. If you want to ride one more ride on the way out of the park, there’s never a line for Figment. Head here if you want hear my dad’s explanation about why our family loves Figment.

Frozen Ever After

frozen ride olaf — Olaf and Sven greeting you

This ride is based on a beloved classic that I’m pretty sure you heard about, Frozen. You go through a boat ride and see Anna, Elsa, Olaf, Kristoff, and Sven. They are looking for Elsa because they want to bring back summer! When you finally make it to Elsa’s ice palace, she sends you backwards! You may get wet after this. Then you see Elsa’s snow monster, Marshmallow, which brings wet steam all over you! At the end, Anna and Elsa reunite and they listen to Olaf sing about how much he loves summer. You can find this ride in the Norway pavilion. If your child does not like the dark, this is not the ride for them.

Soarin’ Around the World

soarin epcot — Soarin’, Flyin’, there’s not a star in heaven that we can’t reach (it’s from High School Musical), Photo Cred: Josh Hallett, https://flic.kr/p/r51jP

In this ride, you are traveling across the world in a glider, but don’t worry there are seats in the glider, so you don’t have to be in a weird position. You will go to Switzerland, Italy, Greenland, Australia, Germany, Tanzania, China, Egypt, India, and France. Then fly to EPCOT and see Tinker Bell! If your child is afraid of heights, then this is not the ride for them.

Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros

three caballeros epcot — The Three Caballeros Concert, Photo Cred: Steven Miller https://flic.kr/p/HCDYhs

This ride is found in the Mexico pavilion. This gentle boat ride is touring Mexico while trying to help Panchito and Jose find Donald Duck for their upcoming concert. Can you help find Donald in time for the concert? It is mostly looking at a screen, but at the end, there are Animatronics of The Three Caballeros’ concert. The cool thing is, when the concert is happening, there are fireworks on the ceiling! If your child does not like the dark, or is sensitive to flashing light sequences, this is not the ride for them. The funny thing is when my sister was about four, she was afraid of the fake volcano, so you might wanna watch out for that, too.

Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind

The Guardians’ Ship, Photo Cred: Jim and Janine Eden https://flic.kr/p/2nxV7a1

This roller coaster is an indoor roller coaster about the Marvel movie series Guardians of the Galaxy, and the planet Xandar has made a portal to travel to Earth, and you are going to test the portal out. However, the portal is stolen by the antagonist Eson. And you have to help the Guardians stop Eson before he terrorizes Earth! When you ride, music from the 70’s to 90’s will play, while you spin around to look at the screens. It is crazy fast, so for those children who don’t like fast rides or the dark, this is not the ride for them.

Right now this ride is only available through virtual queue. If you want to ride it a bunch of times, check out the EPCOT After Hours Event.

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