How to Make the Most of Evenings at Epcot (Without Fireworks)

TouringPlans is pleased to welcome guest author Leigh Anne Stringer.

Walt Disney World’s EPCOT is known for its innovative attractions and nearly year-round festivals. However, with the changes to all Disney parks due to COVID-19, EPCOT temporarily has no nighttime fireworks show; not to mention there is a crazy amount of construction in Future World. So what is there to do at EPCOT in the evenings now?

I recently took an adults-only trip to Disney World to celebrate my mom’s 70th birthday. My kids are so much fun at Disney, but they are kind of a bummer at EPCOT. It is a big park, and by the time we get to World Showcase they are usually done. So it was a nice change of pace to get to slow down and enjoy what EPCOT has to offer. We park hopped to EPCOT several evenings of our trip. Here are a few ways to enjoy Epcot in the evenings while there are no fireworks!

Enjoy the Festivals

EPCOT is hosting festivals almost year-round at this point. While they are considered a “taste” of each festival due to COVID-19, each festival still has tons to offer. I got to experience the Taste of Epcot International Festival of the Arts in February, and there was so much to see and do and EAT. If you are visiting EPCOT during a festival, make sure to pick up a festival map so you don’t miss out on any activities. We enjoyed strolling around World Showcase in the evening looking at the merchandise booths and seeing what each food booth offered. Most plates are large enough to share so this makes it fun to try new dishes from around the world.

Food and Drinks

I know I just talked about the festival food booths, but don’t forget that EPCOT’s World Showcase is home to great food and beverage choices! After a long day in the parks, it is so nice to have a meal in one of the many sit-down restaurants. Or grab something from a quick-service restaurant and eat by the lagoon. My family likes to grab snacks from all around World Showcase and then have a “picnic” of sorts.

Enjoy Cooler Weather

We all know that Florida is hot and humid. But when the sun goes down, it can be very pleasant. Future World is great during the heat of the day since most attractions are inside pavilions. But World Showcase can feel like the surface of the sun. My family can go pretty hard at Disney World, but we all seem to wither in World Showcase. If you have a park hopper ticket, it may be beneficial to hop to EPCOT in the evenings.

Ride Queues are Shorter

And what better way to enjoy the cooler weather than waiting in line! Ride queues are currently marked for social distancing per COVID-19 protocol. And while lines are moving pretty quickly with no FastPass line, the queue for Frozen Ever After stretched from Norway to China. This would have been brutal in the heat of the day, but it was quite relaxing at night. Plus, queues tend to be shorter at night. Even with the line wrapped around a whole World Showcase pavilion, it only took about 25 minutes to get on the attraction.

These are just a few suggestions on how to make the most of an evening in Epcot right now. I am looking forward to fireworks returning to all the parks. As controversial as the Harmonious barges in World Showcase Lagoon are, I can’t wait to see that new nighttime show when it debuts. But for now, EPCOT still has so much to offer in the evenings.

What are your favorite ways to enjoy EPCOT at night without fireworks? Let us know in the comments.