Top Photo Spots at EPCOT
Top Photo Spots at EPCOT - Orlando, Florida (a Disney property)
Are you heading to Disney in Orlando, Florida? While there do you plan to visit EPCOT? If so, bring the camera! This place is loaded with great photo opportunities!
Are you looking for the best places to take photos at EPCOT? Do you love world-travel experiences? Do you long for a little foreign culture?
EPCOT is my favorite place to visit whenever I go to Orlando, FL. It’s just a lot of fun for me, especially the World Showcase section that incorporates foreign cultural experiences and recreations of famous foreign cities and landmarks. It’s like taking a mini world tour in a few hours. They even bring in exchange students from the various nations, which adds a little authenticity to the experience. It’s fun.
I have been there several times with the camera, and have always found it to be a great place for photography, and especially HDR. It’s just such a great environment for shooting. The only downside is of course that it gets very crowded, but honestly that comes with the territory. You just have to work around it a little. This is Disney, after all. It’s crowded.
And I have been asked this before - I have had ZERO problems using a tripod here. Not a single problem - well, other than tourists bumping into the legs when I am shooting. But the Disney folks don’t seem to mind at all! So bring the tripod!
Here are some of my favorite spots in EPCOT to shoot. Note that these are mostly in the World Showcase section of the park. There are other interesting bits in the Future World section (like the Planet Earth structure - looks like a huge golf ball), but I spend my time in the World Showcase. Then again, it feeds my travel habits so you can probably understand that.
So here we go, in no particular order...
1) The Morocco Pavilion
They had very interesting architecture here and I just loved this little courtyard! I did have to wait it out a bit to get a clean shot, but that's expected. I did find that once I had my tripod set up and in position, the other tourists were kind enough to let me get my shot. Thanks folks!
2) The Japanese Tori Gate and the rest of the Japanese Pavilion
This tori gate is almost iconic, so you pretty much have to shoot it. Get it at sunset if possible, and make sure you get Spaceship Earth in the background too. Then wander a bit in Japan and capture some more good stuff!
3) The Chinese Temple
This is just plain beautiful! Look up when you first walk inside - the ceiling just inside is pretty fabulous with a lot of intricate tile work. They also have a replica of those clay soldiers that you have probably read about before. Having not been to China (yet!), I can't vouch for authenticity, but it sure feels like China to me.
4) Just about anything in Italy
The whole Italy section is one beautiful thing after another...kinda like the real Italy! I just absolutely love Italian architecture, so in lieu of going to the real Italy, this section is a pretty nice escape from reality. Eat some pasta!
5) The English section
This was off the main drag, tucked away a little. Just looked like a little English village. I halfway expected a horse-drawn carriage to roll by.
6) Germany
I am a BIG fan of German architecture, so I just ate this place up. Then I drank a cold German beer, because you know, it gets hot and humid in Florida, so you need to refuel, right?
7) France
It’s fairly authentic feeling here and if you can get nice light you are in good shape. Even if the light is terrible, it's still a lot of fun to wander this section of the park. It just feels so French.
8) Sunset reflections
The entire World Showcase basically wraps around a big lagoon, so you have ample opportunity to shoot some awesome reflection shots! Even if you don't stay for sunset, you can still get nice views across the lagoon in the middle of the day (second photo).
9) The laser show
EPCOT has a very cool fireworks and laser light show every night before they close. Get the camera ready, and be sure yo bring a tripod. This is fun to watch, and there is a LOT going on during this show, including fireworks and a big ball of fire sort of thing in the middle of the lagoon.
10) Canada
Oh, Canada! This section of the park has an excellent 360 degree movie that is quite fun to watch, but of course after that I am busy taking photos. Here's one from one afternoon there.
11) Spaceship Earth
This huge structure is at the entrance to EPCOT and is impossible to miss. It looks almost like a golf ball, but it's HUGE. I shot both of these photos in the evening there (though on separate trips). As you can see, it's all lit up and shiny then, so it's hard to resist firing a few when you are on the way out.
Bottom line - lots to aim the camera at here while having some simulated global travel experiences - well worth spending a day here! It's really fun and you will be amazed at how quickly the time passes.