The Definitive Guide To

Introduction to Kidcot Fun Stops

Ever see those symbols on the Epcot map and wonder what they mean? They identify locations (known as Kidcot Fun Stops in Epcot) where children can engage themselves in educational and free (yes, free!) activities. This page will set out to tell you everything you'll ever need to know to take full advantage of them. There are eleven Kidcot Fun Stops in all, one in each of the pavilions in World Showcase. All of the Future World locations have closed.

World Showcase

The main component of Kidcot Fun Stops is the mask that children can add charms to at each of the countries in the World Showcase.

While you can start, end and continue at any country you'd like, for the sake of this page, we'll start off in Mexico and wind our way around to Canada where we'll complete our tour and our project. When you begin at the country of your choice, you will pick up a mask with your first charm at the Kidcot Fun Stop. The mask is simply a thin white cardboard on a wooden stick which also gets stamped at each Kidcot Fun Stop. Each Fun Stop is also stocked with colored markers which allows little ones to occupy their time providing personal details to the mask and charms should they wish.

Please note that due to events and construction, the location of the Kidcot Fun Stops may be moved on a temporary or even a permanent basis. If you cannot locate the Fun Stop based on the information provided here, be sure to ask a Cast Member.

Also, the charms pictured are resized based on width and are not proportion to each other in size. Colors and shapes may vary.

MEXICO (more information about Mexico)
	Kidcot Charm: Jaguar   Kidcot Location: Right in the front of the pavilion as you enter it.     Did You Know?: It's always night time when you shop, play and dine in the Plaza de los Amigos because in Mexico, it would be too hot during the day.

NORWAY (more information about Norway)

Kidcot Charm: Viking Ship   Kidcot Location: Tucked away inside the chain of gift shops. You will either pass by it on your way out after visiting Maelstrom or you can find it directly by entering the Puffin's Roost shop seen here on the left side of the pavilion as you enter it.     Did You Know?: A museum inhabits the Stave Church. Traditionally, stave churches are built on peninsulas, so the dark brown bricks on the ground represent water that forms a peninsula around the church and ‘flows' from the visible waterfall at Maelstrom to the World Showcase Lagoon.

CHINA (more information about China)

Kidcot Charm: Kite   Kidcot Location: Inside the gift shop at the back of the left side of the pavilion as you enter it. It will also be to your right as you exit into the street from the Reflections of China attraction.     Kidcot Extra!: You will get an additional stamp representing your Chinese zodiac sign. You may also get your name written in Chinese on the back of your mask (feel free to ask for it if the Cast Member doesn't ask your name). Did You Know?: Although it's far from the most densely populated country, nearly 1/5th of the world's population lives in China making it the most populated in total. The streets in the back of the pavilion are narrow to make it seem more crowded as guests exit Reflections of China to simulate what living with over 1.3 billion other people might be like.

GERMANY (more information about Germany)
	Kidcot Charm: Teddy Bear   Kidcot Location: Right inside (on the left) of the Volkskunst shop which is on the right side of the pavilion as you enter it.     Did You Know?: Look around and you may find statues representing 3 Hapsburg emperors - there are supposed to be four, but the last one wouldn't fit! Look even further and you'll see one sports a hidden Mickey.

ITALY (more information about Italy)
	Kidcot Charm: Mask   Kidcot Location: Right off the courtyard area on the right side as you enter the pavilion.

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA (more information about the United States of America)

Kidcot Charm: Rocking Horse   Kidcot Location: Perhaps ironically, this is one of the harder Kidcot Fun Stops to locate - and it's outside! In this photo, an exhibition is set up for the Food and Wine Festival so the Fun Stop has been temporarily relocated directly in front of the building towards the right side, but the Fun Stop is normally located around the corner against the right side of the building as you face it.

JAPAN (more information about Japan)

Kidcot Charm: Origami (Butterfly pictured, Frog has been offered in the past)   Kidcot Location: Another extremely difficult Kidcot Fun Stop to find, this one is tucked away inside the Timeless Beauty exhibit all the way in the back of the pavilion. In the photo below, keep going back as far as you can through the doorways until you notice the museum on your left.     Kidcot Extra!: You may get your name written in Japanese on the back of your mask (feel free to ask for it if the Cast Member doesn't ask your name).

MOROCCO (more information about Morocco)

Kidcot Charm: Khamsa (Hand of Fatima) (Plastic)   Kidcot Location: Follow the pavilion towards the back and as you enter the city walls, you'll find the following shops on your right.     Kidcot Extra!: You may get your name written in Arabic on the back of your mask (feel free to ask for it if the Cast Member doesn't ask your name). Did You Know?: Morocco is the only pavilion sponsored by its government and not corporate sponsors. The Bureau International des Expositions prevents its member countries from participating in permanent World's Fairs so corporate sponsors allow for each pavilion, but Morocco sponsors its own pavilion in Epcot anyway.

FRANCE (more information about France)
	Kidcot Charm: Hot Air Balloon featuring the Fleur-de-lis   Kidcot Location: Inside the Souvenirs de France shop which is located in the back of the pavilion on the left half as you enter it. You will also enter the shop after exiting the Impressions de France attraction.

UNITED KINGDOM (more information about the United Kingdom)
	Kidcot Charm: Dragon   Kidcot Location: At the back of the Toy Soldier gift shop. Follow the main street into the pavilion and you should end up facing the Toy Soldier pictured below which is against the courtyard area. The Kidcot Fun Stop is deep inside the shop, towards the back of the pavilion.

CANADA (more information about Canada)
	Kidcot Charm: Dreamcatcher (A Maple Leaf has been offered in the past)   Kidcot Location: Pass under the arch directing you to Le Cellier. You'll pass by the gardens as well as the restaurant. You'll end up facing O Canada but can continue walking to your right directly to the Kidcot Fun Stop. The O Canada attraction will also exit you directly into the Kidcot Fun Stop area.

Upon visiting each of the Kidcot Fun Stops in the World Showcase and completing the mask, you will be rewarded with a magical moments certificate. In the past, a reward poster featuring Goofy was offered but this was discontinued in early 2008.

Wishing Tales

Meant to be magical moments, each country has a trading card (pictured above for each respective country) that features a map identifying the country and the nation's flag. On the reverse is a small story relating to tossing a coin in the respective pavilion's water feature and making a wish. The cards may be available upon request at any of the Kidcot Fun Stops, attraction, dining or shopping locations within the pavilion but quantities may be limited (for example, Norway's was unavailable at the time).

Making it Educational

On the surface, coloring masks and charms may not seem to be too educational, but a little elbow grease can go a long way. One of the most magical aspects of the World Showcase is that the Cast Members are citizens of their respective countries and are only in the United States for a short period of time, making them an excellent resource for learning about life abroad. You may want to make a game of this advantage by learning a bit about each country prior to visiting Walt Disney World or building your knowledge of foreign languages by asking the Cast Members to teach you simple phrases such as Hello, Goodbye and Thank You (or simply feel free to use them if you already know them).

World Showcase Passport

An alternative to the free masks is the World Showcase Passport which is generally more suitable for older children. The package includes a button, stickers for each country and the passport itself. You can bring the passport to each Kidcot Fun Stop and get it stamped and signed by the Cast Members with a special message in their native language (you may wish to ask that they add an English translation as well). In addition to the usual messages, you should get special messages during the holiday season or you can request a special message, perhaps as a birthday activity. The passport costs just under $10 and is available most anywhere merchandise is sold in the World Showcase.

You should also be able to have some success asking Cast Members to simply sign your autograph book if you prefer (although depending on the Cast Member, they may not stamp them).

Kim Possible World Showcase Adventure

The Kim Possible Worldshowcase Adventure is a revolutionary in-park game created to encourage further exploration of the World Showcase pavilions in a fun, interactive way. Guests are assigned missions which will each take place exclusively in one of the seven countries currently participating (Mexico, Norway, China, Germany, Japan, France and the United Kingdom). And the best part of it is that the experience is completely free with admission to Epcot. For the most information anywhere on the Kim Possible World Showcase Adventure, please see Stitch Kingdom's Definitive Guide to the Kim Possible World Showcase Adventure here.