Epcot Holidays Around the World Shows

Are they worth incorporating into the touring plan and earmarking time to watch? Do kids (specifically older kids) enjoy these or do they just get bored?

And totally unrelated, but is Stitch really that awful? My last WDW was 25 years ago, so I’m basically a rookie. As such, I want to keep an open mind and give everything a chance. But the reviews are so universally brutal! Are people just being overdramatic?

If you’ve got kids I Epcot travelling around the world showcase then the phone clue thing they give you to solve would be more fun for them I think. Takes about 30 mins to 40 mins per land where you choose to do it though unless it’s changed?

Once the times are released you have the option of including them in your TP. However it will play havoc with a “sensible” route around WS, as the show times don’t tie in with each other!

We watched in Norway, Italy and happened to catch Pierre Noel in France. It was interesting to hear the stories, and I would have happily watched more if we had been spending more time that day (Christmas). But trying to do them all would involve most of the afternoon I think. As I say, it would be a bit disjointed, trying to get from one to another, with a lot of back tracking, and not leave much time to enjoy each pavilion.

I will weigh in on Stitch’s Great Escape. I did the ride when it was the Alien Encounter (or something like that) and also as Stitch. So my thought is, it really isn’t the worst ride. I think the problem is there isn’t a good demographic for it. It scares kids and is boring for adults. I am an adult who loves Stitch, so maybe that’s why I don’t hate it? It is my understanding that the Alien ride was changed because it was too scary for kids, lots of complaints from consoling parents no doubt. The change to the ride is barely more than replacing the Alien with Stitch. So it still goes pitch black with loud sirens, in turn still scary for kids. I think it was better as Alien, able to get even adult hearts racing a bit. The problem wasn’t the ride, but rather the parents who put children on rides just because they meet the height requirement without really knowing what the ride is.

We have done Epcot at Christmastime the last two years. The first year, we paid no attention to the holiday presentations. This past year, we incorporated about 5 of them into two of our Epcot days, and we really enjoyed them, especially Norway, America (amazing a capella group), and France. I’d definitely note the times and try to catch them if you are around (they are only about 15 minutes each), but I wouldnt necessarily plan my day around them. It made Disney much more “Christmas” for me, personally, and my older teens enjoyed them as well.

I wouldn’t really call it a “ride”, but more of a theater based attraction. It has creepy effects you feel, similar to the old Honey I Shrunk the Audience or It’s a Bug’s Life. Plus some of it is in darkness. You are held in place by shoulder restraints. I forget what effects stayed or changed for Stitch, compared to Alien Encounter, but I thought AE had the absolute creepiest effects! Feel free to do it, so you can see what it’s all about. The description of it here on TP’s site describes it well.

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