The Other Side of Epcot

All visitors to Epcot understand the importance of experiencing Soarin’, Mission Space and Test Track, but what about all the other hidden gems that the park has to offer? On a recent day trip to the land of the “giant golf ball,” Carter and I decided to check out some lesser-known aspects of the park, as well as hitting some of our familiar favorites.

We arrived at around 1:30 p.m. and ate lunch at one of our favorite spots, Sunshine Season Food Fair in The Land pavilion. This quick service restaurant offers upscale fast food like fresh salads, healthy sandwiches, noodle bowls and decadent desserts, and its plethora of inexpensive and tasty choices means plenty of options for everyone. I usually stick to the oak grilled vegetable flatbread sandwich. Yum!

After lunch, we hopped on the Living with the Land boat ride, which takes you through working greenhouses to explore how innovative technologies are used to simultaneously increase food production and preserve the environment. This must not be one of Epcot’s more popular rides, because the wait is rarely more than 10 minutes. What a shame! Carter and I love this ride and feel like we learn something new every time we’re on it. If you’re interested in food, the environment, or just really cool-looking vegetables, be sure to make time for this attraction.

We then headed over to the World Showcase to get a fun dose of culture, Disney style. We started out on the Gran Fiesta Tour in the Mexico pavilion. Though this is a dinky little ride, I never get tired of it. There’s something about riding on a boat right past the San Angel Inn restaurant and a smoking volcano that charms me every time. I also love the Small World-esque attributes of the attraction.

We dawdled in the Mexico pavilion for a bit (my favorite pavilion in the World Showcase — where else does it look like night in the middle of the day?) before venturing to Germany and Italy. If you really take your time in the World Showcase, you’ll notice beautiful architecture and authentic details.

For instance, this dessert cart in Italy is an authentic Sicilian donkey cart! It was painted by an 80-year-old man by the name of Giuseppe Ducato, one of the most acclaimed cart painters of the last century. You can read all the details here.

Carter and I hung around in Italy for a while to check out some of the entertainment. First, we chuckled while we watched Sergio the Italian Clown Juggler. He’s a mime, a juggler and a comedian all wrapped into one silly person! The kids, even the itty bitty ones, love him!

Then, we watched The Ziti Sisters comedy routine. At first, we wondered what we had gotten ourselves into as they sung, danced, and handed out tambourines to the audience. But before long, not only were we laughing at their antics, but we were two of the stars of the show! Struggle past the first 5 minutes of the show, and you’ll probably find yourself laughing along with the guy next to you. And don’t be shy — Disney crowds are friendly crowds.

Then we were off to listen to the Voices of Liberty in the American Adventure pavilion. This a cappella group has been invited to sing for several United States Presidents, so it’s a privilege to hear them sing.

We ended our day in Canada, where we watched the O, Canada 360-degree film. I love CircleVision films because I feel as though I am right in the midst of the movie, and this experience was no exception. It wasn’t quite as awesome as the Reflections of China movie, but it was still pretty great.

So, are you planning your Disney vacation (or day trip) yet? There is so much to explore that you’ll never run out of adventures. As much as I love Disney, it’s only fitting that I’m now enjoying a career as a Disney Travel Specialist! I can make all of your reservations and help you with all of your planning for free!

Contact me at for more details!

Tammy Schauf
Authorized Disney Vacation Planner
610-247-9890
tammy@mickeytravels.com
www.mickeytravels.com