Epcot vs Animal Kingdom – A Head-to-Head Comparison

EPCOT and Animal Kingdom are two of the four Disney World theme parks you can visit. However, there’s a major distinction between the two of them as far as their themes go. So if you’re planning a Disney World trip and have to choose between the two, which would you pick?

There are lots of things to compare between Epcot and Animal Kingdom. We’re going to talk about all of them here.

Differences Between Epcot and Animal Kingdom

To get a more in-depth comparison between the two parks, we’re going to cover various aspects and decide which of them does a better job in those aspects. We’ll be covering the attractions, dining options, and available rides. Then, we’ll conclude which of the two is arguably better.

But before that, let’s first have a brief overview of each park:

Epcot and Animal Kingdom Overview

EPCOT, short for Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow, was the second theme park to open following the Magic Kingdom. At 300 acres, it’s twice the size of its predecessor, allowing it to hold many attractions and amenities for that genuinely magical experience.

On the other hand, Animal Kingdom is the last theme park to open right after Hollywood Studios. Covering 580 acres of land, Animal Kingdom is the largest Disney World theme park, even double that of EPCOT. Most of its attractions are traditional theme park attractions with a handful of zoo elements in the mix.

Now that we’ve had a brief overview of the two parks, let’s proceed to our head-to-head comparison.

Attractions and Entertainment

Both parks provide unique attractions and entertainment for everyone. However, the main difference between the two is that EPCOT is more suited for adults and guests who love to experience various cultures around the world and indulge in eating and drinking sessions.

On the other hand, Animal Kingdom is more suited for those who love animals and live stage shows. It’s also perfect for kids as it’s one good way of teaching them everything they need to know about animals. Aside from that, both parks have their own variety of shows available. EPCOT’s performances are more geared toward cultures of different countries while Animal Kingdom’s performances are based on Disney properties.

Let’s have a look at some good examples of EPCOT’s shows:

• The American Adventure
• Reflections of China
• World Showcase Performers
• The Seas Pavilion

Meanwhile, Animal Kingdom has the following:

• Finding Nemo: The Musical
• Disney Kitetails
• Festival of the Lion King
• Maharajah Jungle Trek

As you can see, their themes greatly differ in terms of the entertainment they offer. Nonetheless, both of them offer some really amazing and fun entertainment that you won’t find elsewhere.

For this category, we’re giving it to EPCOT due to the larger variety of attractions and entertainment that you can find. While Animal Kingdom definitely offers amazing shows, EPCOT is arguably better, but only by a tiny bit.

Dining Options

There are many restaurants with fine dining options available through EPCOT and Animal Kingdom.

Both parks offer three different types of restaurants that you can visit. These are the Quick Service, Table Service, and Food Stands and Carts. Regardless of your choice, the foods they offer are delicious, making it quite hard to decide which is better.

In this category, it’s safe to assume that of the four Disney World theme parks, these two have the most delicious food selections.

EPCOT is home to the finest snacks and wines and a wide variety of fine dining options. Restaurants like the Le Cellier Steakhouse, Chefs de France, Via Napoli, and Monsieur Paul all offer outstanding dining experiences and tasty food.

You can also find a bunch of quick-service restaurants throughout the park. There are lots of options depending on which type of food you crave. There’s food and chips at the Yorkshire County Fish Shop, pastries in the Les Halles Boulangerie-Patisserie, as well as ice cream and beer.

Meanwhile, Animal Kingdom is where you can find some amazing quick-service restaurants like the Flame Tree BBQ and around 20 Food Stands and Carts. It also has a good selection of fine dining restaurants such as the Tiffins, Satu’Li Canteen, and Yak & Yeti. However, your options are fewer compared to that of EPCOT.

Overall, EPCOT wins in this category because it has way more dining options than Animal Kingdom. It’s also where you can experience the best table service restaurants among all Disney World theme parks. While Animal Kingdom also offers excellent offers, your options are rather limited.

Available Rides

Animal Kingdom’s selection of rides offers an excellent between adrenaline-pumping rides for thrill-seekers and relaxing rides for the family. Not only that, but it’s also home to the most popular ride you can ever find in all of Disney World: the Flight of Passage.

As of now, there are four thrill rides that you can experience in Animal Kingdom which are as follows:

1. Expedition Everest – Legend of the Forbidden Mountain
2. Kali River Rapids
3. Avatar Flight of Passage
4. Dinosaur

If you’re looking for a slower and more interactive experience, you can try the Kilimanjaro Safaris, Na’Vi River Journey, and Wildlife Express Train.

For EPCOT, you have three thrill rides to experience:

1. Guardians of the Galaxy – Cosmic Rewind
2. Mission: SPACE
3. Test Track.

Compared to the rides at Animal Kingdom, EPCOT’s rides are slower and offer a more interactive experience. This is particularly true for Mission: SPACE which takes you on a journey to the vast darkness of space.

Meanwhile, Test Track lets you design a car that you can then take to road tests to see how well it performs. As one of the most popular rides in EPCOT, you’ll have to wait a little bit longer as waiting lines can be quite long.

Overall, despite the interactive ride selections at EPCOT, Animal Kingdom’s selection of rides is far better. Its great balance of thrill and relaxing rides means there’s definitely a ride for everyone in your group or family. Also, most people prefer to experience the high-energy, adrenaline-pumping rides that Animal Kingdom offers.

Conclusion

So, which is the better park: EPCOT or Animal Kingdom? Well, it’s hard to tell since it ultimately depends on your personal preferences. However, if I were to pick one, I’d go for EPCOT because they have far better food selections than Animal Kingdom.

However, both parks have a lot to offer in just about any aspect. They’re undoubtedly excellent in their unique ways, so regardless of which park you choose, you’ll have a great and fun time.