Magic Kingdom VS Epcot – A Quick Comparison Between Disney Parks

Let’s say you only have one vacation day to spare and you are torn between which Disney World park to spend your day at. I made this Magic Kingdom vs Epcot guide just for you to provide a straightforward comparison of Disney Worlds’s two most popular parks. Let’s get started!

MAGIC KINGDOM VS EPCOT – THE SHORT ANSWER

Magic Kingdom is the “true” original Disney experience optimized for young children and families. Epcot is best for adults, older kids, and anyone who loves great food and international cultures. Both Disney parks have a large layout and a variety of attractions that appeal to all ages and preferences.

There is an endless number of things to do at both parks. To help guests sort out which park is best suited for their family and how they should break down park time I have compared the parks using three broad criteria: Park Layout, Rides & Attractions, and Restaurants.

The Park Layout

Magic Kingdom

Magic Kingdom was designed to escape reality and embrace classic Disney stories with its dynamic park layout. The 142-acre park is divided into five lands that give you the entire flavor of Disney, including Main Street U.S.A. The five lands are called: Adventureland, Frontierland, Liberty Square, Fantasyland, Storybook Circus, and Tomorrowland. 

Rides, restaurants, and stores that relate to the theme of each land are located around the park. Some parts of the park will become extremely crowded with tourists and children running amuck as it has the highest visitor attendance out of all Disney Parks. You can counteract the crowds by visiting Magic Kingdom during off-season months and utilizing your Fast Pass for popular rides at peak times.

Epcot

Epcot is truly a unique park covering a massive 300 acres. The park was originally designed to be the Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow; a place for people to work, live, and play together. With Epcot’s vast amount of acres, it is essentially two parks in itself, Future World and World Showcase.

Future World is a forward-thinking park that hopes to leave guests with a few extra tidbits of knowledge they did not have when they arrived by exploring science, communication, physics, and many more concepts through rides and films.

The World Showcase presents the individual culture of each 11 countries: Mexico, Norway, China, Germany, Italy, America, Morocco, Japan, France, The UK, and Canada. Each country’s “Pavilion” has unique restaurants, entertainment, attractions, and shopping pertaining to its culture.

Rides & Attractions

Magic Kingdom

Magic Kingdom is much more ride heavy than Epcot and includes a few shows and films scattered throughout the park. The iconic, although slower paced rides, here include Pirates of the Caribbean, It’s a Small World and Ariel’s Grotto. The two high thrill rides are Space Mountain and Splash Mountain. For guests hoping to escape the heat and enjoy a short show during the park day, there is Mickey’s PhilharMagic, Monster’s Inc. Laugh Floor, and Hall of Presidents.

When evening comes, crowds will flock to Main Street to catch a good view of the daily fireworks show, Happily Ever After. This 15-minute epic fireworks show pulls in music from some of Disney’s most beloved films and displays a light show on Cinderella’s castle. It will surely leave a twinkle of magic in your eye as you finish your day at Magic Kingdom.

Epcot

Epcot generally has more shows and films than Magic Kingdom and fewer rides. Future World’s rides are designed with “visions of technology, the future, and innovation”. The rides include Soarin’ Around the World, Spaceship Earth, Test Track, and more.

The biggest “attraction” of the park is the World Showcase where each nation has an informative film about its culture. Guests can also enjoy interactive shows like Under The Sea With Nemo and Friends and classic animatronic shows like The American Adventure.

And if that isn’t enough, Epcot hosts different festivals throughout the year, like the Flower & Garden Festival and the Food & Wine Festival.

Restuarants

Magic Kingdom

Guests of The Magic Kingdom can enjoy classic Disney foods like a Dole Whip, juicy smoked turkey legs, or meals from an array of quick service or table service restaurants that offer American, French, Italian, and several other cuisine specialties. Most of the quick-serve dining options fall under typical “theme park food”. All-in-all, there are some good restaurants for quick food at Magic Kingdom, but there’s an equal number of lackluster ones.

Check out these top rated Magic Kingdom restaurants:

• BE OUR GUEST
• CINDERELLA’S ROYAL TABLE
• LIBERTY TREE TAVERN
• THE CRYSTAL PALACE
• THE JUNGLE NAVIGATION CO.
• SKIPPER CANTEEN
• TONY’S TOWN SQUARE

Epcot

No competition on who wins in this restaurant comparison. Epcot is the mecca for delicious and authentic food. When dining in Epcot, you can completely skip Future World and head straight to the World Showcase and sample each country’s unique cuisine.

You can also take on the Drink Around the World challenge where you have one alcoholic drink in each of the 11 countries as you stroll around the lagoon. (Now you can see why this park is the favorite among adults)

Check out these top rated Epcot restaurants:

• MONSIEUR PAUL
• LE CELLIER STEAKHOUSE
• VIA NAPOLI
• CHEFS DE FRANCE
• BIERGARTEN
• ROSE & CROWN PUB & DINING ROOM 

Final words

With Epcot being a truly unique park unlike any other and Magic Kingdom being your classic Disney experience, there is no wrong or right decision here.

If it was your first time to Orlando’s Walt Disney World then I would have to say that Magic Kingdom is a must. Seeing Cinderella’s Castle is a bucket list check in the box. But if you were truly wanting a day full of enchantment and to ignite your senses then Epcot is my personal recommendation. It is hands down my favorite theme park ever.

Still planning your Orlando trip?

I’ve got you covered there too. I created this complete three-day theme park itinerary for the best theme parks in Orlando. It covers everything from highlights of each park, budgeting tips, and the best time of year to visit.

For a visual guide, you can check out my three-day itinerary vlog of Orlando theme park adventures. Make sure to subscribe to my youtube channel if you haven’t already.

Enjoy your trip!