As Disney World’s second park and the home of multiple delicious festivals, EPCOT can be pretty popular!

We often see heavier crowds here on the weekends as people flock to the park to enjoy yummy cuisine from around the world, or people book trips to check out one of the four annual festivals. With nostalgic vibes, several fun rides, and lots of cultural intrigue, there are plenty of reasons to visit EPCOT. But today, I’m here to share 9 cringey things that made us rethink ever walking into that park again!

Problematic Pre-show People

Starting out this list, I’ve got to mention those problematic pre-show people! This is particularly an issue at Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind. We’ve often experienced people talking and shouting things out during the first pre-show for the ride, but the second pre-show is where the REAL problems are.

During the second pre-show, there’s always a group of people who will rush the exit doors on the right side of the room, and it’s rather distracting to those who are trying to pay attention to the plot of the show. The group by the doors also tends to get loud and rowdy as they wait for the show to be over. Even if you’ve seen the pre-show before, remember that there’s likely someone in the room seeing it for the first time — don’t ruin the experience for them!

Obnoxious Over-consumers

When you think of problems in EPCOT, obnoxious inebriated people is probably one of the first that comes to mind! Many people visit the park to “drink around the world” for a birthday, bachelorette party, or group trip, and often, those people consume a bit too much and start getting rowdy.

If you walk through the World Showcase in the evening, you’re bound to find a group of people who are loud and liquored up — probably not paying attention to how they’re affecting people around them. Sometimes you can walk right past them, but if you get stuck walking behind them or waiting behind them in line for something, it can be an unpleasant experience.

Cucumber Cat Burglars

A few years ago, a rather infamous news story made the rounds when a TikTok video was posted of a tourist jumping out of the ride vehicle on Living with the Land to steal a cucumber. The slow-moving boat ride travels through the greenhouses of EPCOT and the ride has multiple announcements about how you need to stay seated throughout.

Ride vehicle jumpers are DANGEROUS and can cause major issues for the operation of the ride and the safety of the others in the vehicle. Keep in mind that Disney has cameras on the rides and is watching — if you jump out of a ride, it may result in you being asked to leave the park.

Fountain Feet

Another viral video that made the rounds featured some people attempting to cool off by removing their shoes and sticking their feet in a fountain in the France Pavilion. It certainly wasn’t the first time people decided to step in, wash in, or drink from Disney fountains, but it needs to be the last!

The Disney World fountain water is definitely not safe for consumption, and putting your feet (or any part of your body) inside of it is not allowed. Plus, it’s gross. 😂

Insensitive Inquisitors

This next one makes us cringe EVERY TIME. When you visit the World Showcase, you’ll often encounter Cast Members who are part of Disney’s International Program, meaning that they traveled from their home country to work in Disney World for a little while. And if you see these people, PLEASE be mindful of the way you speak to them.

Just because they are culturally representing their country in the World Showcase does not mean you can ask them inappropriate, uncomfortable, or culturally insensitive questions. Be kind and courteous to them as you would any other Cast Members!

Multi-Mile March

One of the most unfortunate things about EPCOT is the loooong distance you have to walk between the front and back of the park. If you parked in the parking lot and you’re trying to get to the back of the World Showcase, you’ll be walking for half an hour before you make your location.

This can be particularly tiring at the end of a long day or even at the beginning, when you’re trying to get back to Frozen Ever After or Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure for rope drop. Just remember to wear your best walking shoes when visiting EPCOT!

Parking Lot Parade

And speaking of the parking lot, it is a BEAR at EPCOT. If you’re among the earliest to arrive at the park, you’ll be parked the furthest away and will likely have to walk back to your car instead of taking the tram to the main section of the lot.

Even if you get to take the tram to your parking spot, it may not save you much time if you’re parked on the far end of a row. The EPCOT parking lot is rather wide, so you can have a pretty long hike just to get to the center aisle. 

Ravaged by Rain

While EPCOT is home to many indoor pavilions and buildings, there’s also a LOT of outdoor space in-between. This means that when it’s raining, you’ll probably have to walk a long distance outside in the storm to get to your next location. 

This is particularly true in the World Showcase, where there is a broad distance between some of the pavilions. Don’t forget to pack your poncho or you’ll be soggy all day!

The Wait Time Wallop

And finally, we’ve got to talk about an unfortunate side effect of some EPCOT rides — the wait time wallop! It seems to be a common occurrence with some of EPCOT’s more popular rides (foremost Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure) that we end up waiting LONGER than the posted wait time.

I’ve personally experienced this phenomenon multiple times on the ride — having been stuck in the queue for over 2 hours on three separate occasions when the posted wait time was much shorter. Some of EPCOT’s ride queues are also a bit more boring than other parks, so it can make you feel like your wait time is dragging on and on. 

That’s a wrap on the cringey things that make us want to avoid EPCOT, even though we still go back over and over again! Stay tuned to DFB for more Disney World updates.

Click Here to See Our Ranking of EPCOT Rides!

What’s the cringiest thing that’s happened to you in EPCOT? Tell us in the comments!