Why EPCOT Feels Like My Home Park: A Love Letter

By Jenna Caron

There’s something about EPCOT that lives in my bones. I know that sounds dramatic, but every time I walk through the gates, there’s this internal exhale that feels suspiciously like coming home.

EPCOT doesn’t rush you. It invites you. It opens its arms in the way a favorite neighborhood does, where every walkway feels familiar and every pavilion whispers “welcome back.” I think that’s why it’s my forever favorite.

Let’s start with mornings in World Celebration. The way the light hits Spaceship Earth feels like the park is gently waking up, stretching its limbs, and inviting you into the day. I could stand there forever just watching people stop for photos, point upward, and smile without realizing they’re doing it. It’s a little daily miracle.

Then there’s the World Showcase, which is basically my comfort loop. I wander it the same way people wander their hometown streets. I know exactly where I’ll find a quiet spot, where the breeze hits just right, which snack windows call to me depending on mood. My feet remember the rhythm of the promenade better than my brain does.

But here’s what I love most: EPCOT celebrates curiosity. Not perfection. Not efficiency. Curiosity. It asks you to try something new, listen to a different language, taste something unfamiliar, or pause longer than you planned because a performer pulls your attention. What other theme park gives you this experience?!

There’s something grounding about that. In a world obsessed with instant answers and fast results, EPCOT reminds you that learning can feel like play and that exploring can be soft and gentle rather than rushed.

And yes, part of my affection is sentimental. EPCOT is where I’ve had some of my best conversations, where vacations turned into traditions (where Tasha suggested we buy DVC), where solo days felt peaceful instead of lonely. It’s where I’ve laughed until my face hurt and cried because a fireworks show caught me off guard in the best way.

It’s also the place that makes me feel most like myself. I can wander, snack, pin trade in the breezeway, explore, or sit and do nothing and it all feels right. EPCOT doesn’t require a performance. It just lets you exist.

So if you’ve ever wondered why I talk about EPCOT like it’s an old friend, this is why. It isn’t just a park to me. It’s a place that holds memory and magic in equal measure, and every return trip feels like dropping by a familiar doorstep.