A July trip to Epcot
Arriving at Epcot around 10:45 am on a Wednesday in late July, I am stunned by the emptiness of the park. Parking in the Moana lot, closest to the front of Epcot, I walk through security and the gate with ease. Again, no discernable lines.
Lines for most attractions are under 20 minutes, with the exception of the big three-Frozen, Ratatouille, and Soarin’ The temporary closure of Test Track is increasing the wait times at the big three. The other major attraction in this park, Guardians of the Galaxy, requires enrolling in the virtual queue.
The good news is you can enroll in a virtual queue starting at 7AM via the My Disney Experience app. The secondary enrollment period for virtual queues begins at 1PM. My best advice is to use the Disney My Experience app and begin trying to enroll at 12:55PM. Sometimes the app allows early enrollment in the virtual queue.
Wandering around the world showcase at Epcot, I amazed at the number of guests carrying Loungefly bags. Loungefly bags come in all designs. These useful Mini-Backpacks can be found in the Creations Shop. For guests preparing for a fall visit to Disney world and for Halloween, I recommend this Halloween themed Mini Backpack. Check out this Loungefly Disney Mickey O Lantern mini-backpack purse.
July and August are great times to visit Epcot with lower park attendance. There are no festivals at present, so you can meander in and out of gift shops in World Showcase with ease.
Walking around the world, albeit very hot, was enjoyable without the ever- present crowds seen in the spring (Flower and Garden Festival) and fall (Food and Wine Festival). The walkways are relatively empty and as a fitness walker accomplishing the one-mile journey around the world showcase evoked memories of the Disney 5K.
The character Stitch seems to be resurging everywhere in the park. Many items and Loungefly bags are dedicated to him.
The new and improved fireworks show, Luminous The Symphony of Us is spectacular. During the summer months of July and August it is not necessary to reserve a spot early. We got in line around 8:55PM for a 9PM show and our visibility was great. Children and smaller adults will have no problem seeing the show. Try your best to ignore the drones that fly around the center of the show. Initially they are mentally distracting and you need to work visually to tune them out. Once you look past the drones, you see an absolutely spectacular show.
Final words of advice, for Florida summer days it is important to be prepared. For example, always wear sunscreen, and bring a refillable bottle of water and a rain poncho with you.
Water is so important this time of year. With the heat index often over 100 degrees, it is important to stay hydrated to avoid heat stroke. My advice is to bring your own water bottle.
Most days, thunderstorms are guaranteed. They tend to occur around 3 to 5PM although they can happen later. These are the best times to ride the big three rides, as the lines will be shorter.
