EPCOT Scavenger Hunts with Kids: What to Know Before You Go
Throughout the year, EPCOT offers different scavenger hunts during festivals and holidays. Most take place in World Showcase, although a few may include locations in other areas of the park.
If you’ve ever set out to spend the day walking around World Showcase with young kids, you probably had a plan to take your time, explore each country, try different food booths, and check out some of the shops. But at some point, the walking starts to feel like a lot for your little ones, and they can only spend so much time walking around World Showcase before they start losing interest. Scavenger hunts give kids something to do along the way, which makes it feel a lot more manageable (and more fun) for everyone.
Scavenger hunts are also a great choice if you’re looking for something a little more flexible and low-key. You can complete them at your own pace–either in one visit or over multiple days (as long as the scavenger hunt is still running and supplies are available). They’re a great way to enjoy EPCOT without feeling like you need to rush from ride to ride.
In this post, I’ll walk through how EPCOT scavenger hunts work, share a few tips for completing them with young kids, and take a closer look at two we recently tried: Spike’s Pollen-Nation Exploration and the Eggstravaganza scavenger hunt, so you have a better idea of what to expect.
How EPCOT Scavenger Hunts Work
Although the different scavenger hunt themes and prizes vary, they’re all set up in a similar way.
First, you’ll purchase a map and sticker set from select merchandise locations around EPCOT. You can usually find them at places like Creations Shop, Disney Traders, World Traveler, and select festival booths. There are signs throughout the park that will help point you in the right direction if you’re not sure where to go. You can also usually see the prize options on display before you buy, which is helpful if you want to make sure it’s something your kids will actually be excited about.
Once you have your map, you’ll head around World Showcase (and sometimes a few other areas of the park) searching for specific characters or items. As you find each one, you’ll place the matching sticker on your map in the corresponding location. For example, during Spike’s Pollen-Nation Exploration, you’ll search for Spike the Bee in different gardens and match him to the flower he’s sitting next to on your map.
When you’re finished, you can bring your completed map back to one of the designated merchandise locations to receive a small prize. One thing to keep in mind is that for shorter or more seasonal scavenger hunts, prize availability can vary depending on the location. If there’s a specific one you’re hoping for, you may want to check a different redemption spot, especially toward the end of the event when supplies start running low.
Most scavenger hunts cost around $11.99, although discounts (like an Annual Passholder discount) can sometimes be applied. And while you’ll want to do your best to match everything correctly, it doesn’t have to be perfect–Cast Members aren’t checking every sticker placement, so if one is slightly off, you’ll still be able to collect your prize.
Tips for Completing Scavenger Hunts with Kids
If you’re planning to try one of the scavenger hunts with young kids, a few simple things can make it go a lot more smoothly.
Start earlier in the day if you can
You can walk around World Showcase as early as 9AM when the park opens, and rides like Frozen Ever After or Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure will be open at this time as well. Some restaurants and festival booths may not open until closer to 11AM, so keep that in mind if food is part of your plan. Starting earlier gives you more flexibility to go at your own pace, enjoy cooler temperatures, and get ahead of the crowds that tend to build later in the day.
Spread the scavenger hunt out over the day
You don’t need to finish everything all at once. We found it worked really well to do a few locations at a time in between snacks, rides, or breaks. This helped keep the day from feeling rushed.
Let your kids take the lead
Have them look for the character or item as you make your way around World Showcase. Some locations can be tricky to spot. During the Eggstravaganza scavenger hunt, a few eggs were higher up on buildings, so we would give our older son small clues. He still felt like he was the one finding everything, but it helped keep him from getting frustrated.
Don’t skip the playgrounds
Many of the scavenger hunts will bring you right by one of EPCOT’s play areas. These are great spots to take a break, let the kids run around, and burn off some energy before continuing. It’s a nice change of pace from walking.
Don’t stress about getting every location exactly right
Do your best to find each character or item, but don’t worry about it being perfect. There were a couple of eggs and flowers we had trouble finding, and instead of wandering around too long, we asked a Cast Member for help. They’re usually more than happy to give you a clue or point you in the right direction. If you’re not sure where something is, like the garden locations listed on Spike’s map, they can help with that too.
Bring a stroller (even for older toddlers/preschoolers)
You might be surprised how much walking you end up doing in EPCOT, and for little ones it can be a lot. One of the first times we tried a scavenger hunt, we didn’t bring a stroller for our older son because he insisted on walking. About halfway around World Showcase, he was exhausted and my husband ended up carrying him. Having a stroller makes it much easier for kids to take a break, cool off, have a snack, and keep going. If you’re not planning to bring one with you, you can also look into renting a stroller at Disney, which we’ve covered in more detail here.
Spike’s Pollen-Nation Exploration (Flower & Garden Festival)
For several years now, Spike’s Pollen-Nation Exploration has been featured as part of the Flower & Garden Festival, which you can read more about here. Your map will list different gardens located around EPCOT, and the goal is to find Spike the Bee garden stakes in each one. Spike is placed next to a different type of flower in each garden, and you’ll use the matching sticker to mark that location on your map.
Spike the Bee is a cute character that’s relatively easy to spot once you’ve found the right garden, and the concept is simple for young kids to understand. We also liked that this scavenger hunt took us to areas around World Showcase that we likely wouldn’t have explored otherwise.
This one does include a few locations outside of World Showcase, so it helps to have a general plan before you start. We purchased our map at World Traveler (right at the entrance to World Showcase) and went counterclockwise through each country. We ended near the Camp Get Out ‘N Play area and were able to redeem our map at Creations Shop before leaving the park.
Along the way, this scavenger hunt brought us right by both the Playalong Bay and Camp Get Out ‘N Play playgrounds, which made it easy to build in some break time for the kids.
We did find a few of the gardens a little harder to locate. Some we remembered from a previous visit, but for others we needed to ask a Cast Member for help. The gardens are labeled, so once you’re in the right area, keep an eye out for the name listed on your map. One thing we noticed is that a few of the gardens are placed just outside the main area of the country. They’re still considered part of that location, but may be along the walkway across from it, so don’t stop looking right when you enter each country.
EPCOT Eggstravaganza Scavenger Hunt
The Eggstravaganza scavenger hunt is a limited-time experience typically offered around Easter during the Flower & Garden Festival. Instead of searching for Spike the Bee, you’ll look for Disney bunny-themed Easter eggs placed throughout the countries in World Showcase and match each one to the correct location on your map.
Since both the Eggstravaganza and Spike’s Pollen-Nation Exploration scavenger hunts were available during our most recent visit, we chose to complete them at the same time. My toddler actually had an easier time spotting the eggs since they were larger, although some were placed higher up. In comparison, Spike was always located within the gardens and closer to their eye level.
This scavenger hunt stayed entirely within World Showcase, but similar to Spike’s, a few of the eggs were positioned slightly off to the side. They were still part of each country, but sometimes located along the walkway across from it, so it helps to keep an eye out as you move between locations.
One thing we noticed with this scavenger hunt is that it seemed especially popular. We completed it toward the end of its run, and some of the redemption locations were already running low on prizes and no longer had all four options available. It also looked like availability varied depending on the location, so if there’s a specific prize you’re hoping for, it may be worth checking more than one spot.
Although it’s only available for a short time each year, this scavenger hunt typically returns in a similar format, so it’s helpful to know what to expect if you’re visiting during the spring.
Are EPCOT Scavenger Hunts Worth It with Kids?
As an experience with an additional cost, you may be wondering if EPCOT scavenger hunts are worth it with kids. Overall, I do think they are, but it really depends on a couple of factors.
One of the biggest things is your child’s age. If they’re old enough to recognize the character or item you’re looking for, they’ll get the most out of it. For example, my 2 ½-year-old enjoyed finding the eggs, even though he didn’t fully understand the concept of a scavenger hunt. Being able to spot something and feel like they found it is really what makes it fun at this age.
It also depends on what your plans for the day look like. If you’re trying to fit in a lot of rides, Lightning Lanes, or sit-down meals, adding a scavenger hunt on top of that can feel like a lot. For our family, these work best on more relaxed days when we’re spending time walking around World Showcase without a set schedule. We’ll still hop on a ride if we come across a shorter wait, but the scavenger hunt becomes the main activity. It’s also a nice option if you’re looking for something to do that doesn’t involve waiting in line.
In terms of cost, most scavenger hunts are around $11.99 (plus tax), which can add up if you’re purchasing more than one map. The prize at the end is usually something small, but it’s still something that my kids get excited about. For us, the value really comes from the experience itself, having something fun and interactive to do as we explore EPCOT.
Overall, I do think scavenger hunts are worth it, especially if you’re planning a slower-paced day and have kids who will enjoy searching for each item. It’s a simple way to make walking around World Showcase more fun and something I would definitely recommend adding to your day if it fits your plans.
Final Thoughts
EPCOT scavenger hunts are a simple way to add something fun and interactive to your day, especially if you’re already planning to spend time in World Showcase. They give kids something to focus on as you walk, and can make that part of the day feel a lot more manageable for them.
For our family, they’ve become one of those easy add-ons that make the day feel a little more enjoyable without adding extra stress. If you’re visiting EPCOT with young kids and looking for something different to do, it’s definitely worth trying at least once.
If your kids enjoy scavenger hunts, there’s also a free one inside the aquarium after riding The Seas with Nemo & Friends, which we’ve shared more details about here.