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	Context: Travel Articles > Disney > Epcot
	EPCOT - The quieter rides Sunday, April 2nd 2006
	Spaceship Earth at Epcot	One of the best things Disney does is to create rides for every type and age of visitor – from two years old to 92 years old. There are lots of thrill rides that a lot of us cannot do any more – perhaps we are just a little bit too old, or perhaps they make us feel unwell or maybe, like my husband, you suffer from motion sickness. He used to be able to do most of the rides when he was younger, but as the years tick by, the roller coasters and Mission Space, etc. are now all out of the question – until someone comes up with a motion sickness patch that actually works !! So…. we look for the quieter rides and places to be and there are plenty of them……
	Disney's biggest, and best, example of this has to be the World Showcase in Epcot – now our favorite spot in all of Disney. World Showcase is a relaxing, and often a quiet and peaceful place to be – gone are the days when at rope drop we joined in the manic “every man for himself” attitude as we raced to the favorite attraction as though our lives depended on it – we now wander aimlessly along in the World Showcase taking in the beautiful scenery in each of the countries along with interesting shops, exquisite restaurants -- and – best of all - no thrill rides. Even if the rest of your group are thrill riders, you can all meet up as is it the perfect place to go to enjoy a wonderful lunch or dinner and ride some of the gentler rides (Mexico, Norway and Italy all have enjoyable boat rides): El Rio del Tiempo in Mexico - The River of Time, a nine minute boat ride, which is sometimes called the Mexican It's A Small World because of its upbeat, repetitive theme song and small animatronic dolls. The Maelstrom in Norway - During this ten minute ride you journey back in time to the Norway of old aboard dragon-headed 16 passenger boats. Travel to a 10th century Viking Village and enter the shadows of a mythical Norwegian forest populated by trolls. One of the creatures casts a spell on the boat and you suddenly are traveling backwards into the rapids….. but it is a fun ride with a couple of short waterfall drops. Alternatively you can just wander round the different countries enjoying what each has to offer… and maybe grab a funnel cake from the funnel cake stand just along from the American Pavilion, which are delicious – I have tried loads in Orlando and this is by far and away the best !!		The World Showcase
	Epcot also provides another alternative: Innoventions: It has hands-on and educational exhibits, and provides a wide variety of activities, and it's only a quick walk away from the big rides - Mission:SPACE and Test Track so the no-thrill riders can while away some time here and then meet up with the rest of the group when they have ridden their scary rides !!