Eleven world showcases, 1.2-mile lagoon, 13-minute fireworks show, hundreds of rides and a trip to Mars.  I know what you’re thinking, how on earth am I going to see everything, do everything and take in everything?  Well I am here to tell you that it is possible!

Say you buy a 4-day park hopper pass, (remember you can always go back and forth between parks as many times as you want in those 4-days) and you want to get EPCOT (Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow) marked off your “to-do” list.

I have learned from my past history of spending time at Disney Parks, that I have a mental list of everything that needs to be completed in order for that day to in fact feel, complete.  For instance my top (5-10) things to do list at EPCOT include:

1: Buying a Venetian mask in Italy 2: eating pastries in Paris 3: Mission to Mars ride 4: Reimagined! Spaceship Earth 5: IllumiNations Earth 6: Shopping

My first stitch of advice when entering the park is to purchase your Mickey Mouse ear shaped ice cream (they taste great at ANY time of the day.  There is an adorable little vendor right in front of the fountain past Spaceship Earth.)  Then I would decide on what rides/shows you want to see, and next get your Fast Pass.  I highly recommend getting a Fast Pass for Mission to Mars and Test Track.  There is generally a long waiting line, and both rides can be found in Future World.

There is so much to see and do when you enter the world showcase area.  Eleven countries, twenty restaurants (Chefs de France is fantastic and Nine Dragons Restaurants is amazing.  Reservations are recommended at both and at most sit down restaurants for dinner.  For a quick bite definitely check out Boulangerie Patissierie.  A fond memory of mine was watching my brother purchase practically every pastry and consume them all in less than 30 minutes), four films (O! Canada is hosted by actor Martin Short), shows galore, and an occasional impromptu show by the Beatles in the UK are all fun things to be found.  Keep your eyes open for Aladdin in Morocco, Beauty and the Beast in France and Mulan in China.  Cast members and Disney characters are everywhere, smiling waiting for a picture to be taken!

The perfect ending to the night is to find a good spot by the lagoon with a refreshment of your choice (EPCOT does sell alcohol) and a big bowl of popcorn and watch IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth.  It is a 13-minute fireworks show consisting of fire, lasers, and fireworks all times to an amazing score.  The score truly is brilliant, and I promise, you will walk away knowing that you never once wasted a second of your life watching that show.  “We believed in our idea – a family park where parents and children could have fun – together,” Walt Disney said, and EPCOT truly embodies the meaning of that quote.