8. Don’t skip Mitsukoshi!
If there is one place in World Showcase we’ve found a frequent hit with teens, it’s Mitsukoshi.
For those unfamiliar, Mitsukoshi is the massive Japanese department store in the Japan pavilion. Everything about this place is cool. Kids who enjoy anime tend to particularly enjoy it since they have a large section dedicated to that fandom. Beyond that, there seriously is something for everyone in there, from unique souvenirs to clothes, to Japanese sweets. In the past, they’ve had Japanese swords on display as well (though we didn’t see those out on our last visit).
9. If possible, let them bring a friend
This one is a big if, particularly for families visiting from abroad, but allowing a teenager to bring a friend can make a HUGE difference in a Disney vacation. Fun tends to be contagious between teenagers, and sometimes situations a lone teen would write off as boring or “cringey” instead can result in goofy fun with a friend.
This is easiest for Florida residents as Disney tickets can be somewhat more affordable for this group, but it isn’t impossible for families visiting abroad. In some cases, a family may not be able to afford a Disney vacation for the whole family, but they might be able to cover a ticket and some expenses for a teen to visit with a friend’s family who invites them. For those in Florida, a common scenario we’ve seen is that parents aren’t particularly interested in visiting Walt Disney World, but if a teen wants to go with a friend, they’re open to them going with a trusted adult.
This option, of course, depends on your situation and isn’t an option for everyone. If you can make it happen, you can exponentially increase the fun factor for teens visiting in your party. I can safely say some of our visits to Walt Disney World with teens who were friends have been our most fun trips to date.
10. Consider park hopping
Epcot has a unique point in its favor among Disney parks: it is an excellent park for park hopping due to its proximity to Disney’s Hollywood Studios.
Making a day of visiting both Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Epcot can make for a seriously amazing trip teens will love. We have had the best luck starting our day at Disney’s Hollywood Studios (hitting attractions like Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run, Tower of Terror, and Rockin Roller Coaster early in the day), then drifting to Epcot for the afternoon when crowds are still moderate. In our case, we concluded our evening by drifting back to Disney’s Hollywood Studios for a ride on Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance (which has been enjoying low waits in the final hours of the day lately).
Park hopping isn’t for everyone, but these two parks go together like peanut butter and jelly, and we can say that the combination definitely passed the approval test for teens we’ve taken to Walt Disney World.
What are your best tips for bringing a teenager to Epcot? Let us know in the comments or on Facebook. Thanks for reading!
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Comments
Another great article, Jett! I fell in love with EPCOT when I visited at age 11 and 16, and it's still the place my heart feels most at home.