Throughout my work on this site, Disney Under 3, I’ve talked to a lot of families planning their Disney vacations. Many families note that they plan to skip the World Showcase at Disney’s Epcot, because they feel that it is simply full of drunks or that their young children will be bored. I covered Epcot Attractions for Infants and Toddlers in a previous post, but let’s look only at the World Showcase at Disney’s Epcot. I highly recommend visiting the World Showcase early in the day. You will find low crowds shortly after the World Showcase opens (usually 11am) and typically people are well behaved early in the day.
Shows to Watch for By Country
- Mexico: Mariachi Cobre – An upbeat mariachi band. The music is big and bright and toddler friendly. Toddlers will appreciate getting out of their stroller and dancing around.
- Norway: Norway Vikings – This is a comedy show that my toddlers weren’t interested in. Give it a try and see if you have better luck.
- China: Jeweled Dragon Acrobats – A traditional team of Chinese acrobats. Toddlers will love people flying, flipping, and jumping all over. This show usually draws a large crowd, so be sure to arrive early so that your toddlers will have a good view of the show.
- Germany:
Groovin’ Alps– Show set to end March, 2018. - Italy: Sergio – An Italian mime and juggler that engages the audience throughout the show. This is a toddler favorite in our family. Children are welcome to sit on the ground during the show, and often get picked to participate.
- American Adventure: Voices of Liberty – A group of a capella singers. This show is fantastic and their voices are wonderful, but it may not hold the attention of a toddler for long.
- Japan: Matsuriza – (Traditional Taiko Drummers). This show consists of synchronized drumming on huge Japanese drums. From my experience, my toddlers will watch it for a few minutes, then be ready to move on.
- Morocco: Matboukha Groove – This show features a Moroccan folk music band with several dancers. Toddlers (and adults!) are welcome to jump in and dance around. This is another great place to take a break from the stroller!
- France: Serveur Amusant – This show is a comical balancing act. Toddlers will love watching the performers balance in different stunts. This show also draws a large crowd, so plan to arrive a few minutes early.
- United Kingdom: British Revolution – A British rock band. This show gives toddlers a good reason to jump around and be loud while dancing.
- Canada: Suroît – A Canadian band. My littles were uninterested in this show. Maybe you’ll have better luck.
Spending an afternoon watching shows at Epcot is a great way to have a restful day in the parks with toddlers. No reservations or Fastpasses are needed for any of the shows. There are enough shows to fill most of an afternoon “line-free”. Remember: The times for shows vary weekly, so you’ll want to pick up a Times Guide to find the times for each show on the day of your visit.
Kidcot: If you need something to do for a few minutes between shows, consider stopping into a Kidcot station in any of the countries. Kidcot provides a free puppet on a stick that children can color with markers. Feel free to stop into Kidcot just a pick up a puppet. It’s a fun thing for a toddler to hold onto for the day.
Characters: In addition to all the shows in the World Showcase, don’t forget to make time to meet your favorite characters. If you time it right, you can often go from line to line to line and knock out a lot of characters in a single afternoon. Here’s who you can see: Donald Duck (Mexico), Mulan (China), Snow White (Germany), Aladdin and Jasmine (Morocco), Belle and Aurora (France), Mary Poppins and Alice (United Kingdom), Anna and Else (Norway), Daisy (Entrance to the World Showcase),
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