Have you ever heard of the EPCOT International Gateway? It’s a second, lesser-known entrance to the park located at the back in the World Showcase that is free for anybody to use.
This secondary entrance is what makes the nearby resorts so convenient (and more expensive) because it basically gives you an easy, walkable entrance to the World Showcase section of EPCOT.
Here’s everything you need to know about how to get to the EPCOT International Gateway.
What is the International Gateway?
The International Gateway is EPCOT’s secondary entrance located between the United Kingdom Pavilion and the France Pavilion in the World Showcase.
If you’re staying in the EPCOT Resort Area or along the Disney Skyliner route, it’s really easy to get here. It may not be as convenient for those staying farther out, but it’s a quick trip for anyone close by.
We love using this entrance because it drops us right into our favorite place in all of EPCOT – the World Showcase. So, whenever we are staying nearby, we can be sure that we’ll be taking full advantage of it.
Access to Hollywood Studios
In addition to being a secondary entrance to EPCOT, it also is where you’d exit EPCOT if you were planning to hop to Hollywood Studios (or vice versa).
From the International Gateway you can either walk to Hollywood Studios (it’s about a 20-30 minute walk) OR take one of the Friendship Boats that dock right there.
Who can use the International Gateway?
Anybody can use the International Gateway – you don’t even have to be an onsite guest. It’s just like any entrance to one of the theme parks, it’s just smaller with fewer tapstiles and metal detectors.
If you aren’t staying onsite and you want to use the International Gateway, your best bet would be to to use a rideshare service like Uber or Lyft to drop you off at either Disney’s Beach Club or Disney’s Boardwalk Inn.
Conversely, if you arrive at the front of the park via rideshare, but plan to end your day at the back of the park, you can exit EPCOT out the International Gateway and then walk over to The Beach Club and call your Uber or Lyft from there.
Doing that can save you a lot of steps and make for an easier return to your resort.
Which resorts primarily use the International Gateway?
Resorts in the EPCOT area do not have bus service to the front of the park, instead you’ll be walking to the International Gateway OR taking one of the Friendship Boats from your resort over to the International Gateway.
Resorts within walking distance to the International Gateway:
- Disney’s Beach Club Resort and Beach Club Villas (closest resorts to EPCOT)
- Disney’s BoardWalk Inn & Villas
- Disney’s Yacht Club Resort
- Walt Disney World Swan Hotel
- Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel
- Walt Disney Swan Reserve
Resorts with easy access via the Disney Skyliner:
In addition to the resorts within walking distance, resorts on the Skyliner also primarily use the International Gateway, too.
The exception to this is during inclement weather. When the winds are high or it is storming, Disney will provide buses that will drop you off at the front of the park.
- Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort
- Disney’s Riviera Resort
- Disney’s Pop Century Resort
- Disney’s Art of Animation Resort
What things in EPCOT are near the International Gateway?
In addition to everything the World Showcase has to offer, here are a few other things that are conveniently located near the entrance to the International Gateway:
Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure
The International Gateway is the closest entrance at EPCOT for Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure.
If you plan to Rope Drop EPCOT during Early Theme Park Entry (Disney’s complimentary bonus 30 minutes of park time that they give to all onsite Disney Resort Guests), and you have access to the International Gateway, you’ll be in a great position to be at the front of the pack because of just how close the ride is to where you enter EPCOT.
France and United Kingdom Pavilions
The International Gateway dumps you into the World Showcase, but specifically you’ll be walking in directly between both the France and United Kingdom Pavilions.
That means you’ll have super easy access to dining at those locations, including the Rose & Crown Pub in the United Kingdom Pavilion, one of our favorite bars in all of Walt Disney World.
It also makes it really close to Les Halles Boulangerie & Patisserie where you can grab a delicious breakfast if you’re looking to start your morning Drinking Around the World with a Mimosa and some French pastries.
Nighttime Fireworks Viewing
If your goal is to dip into EPCOT to catch the nighttime fireworks Luminous, you’ll also be able to easily do that from the International Gateway. We recommend heading to the area along the water between Morocco and France or just past the United Kingdom Rose & Crown Beer Garden along the fence in that area.
Just make sure that in either of those spots, the trees aren’t too heavy directly above you otherwise they’ll block some of the higher fireworks.
What about strollers, wheelchairs, and scooter rentals?
The International Gateway has stroller, wheelchair, and scooter rentals, just like you have at the entrance at the front of the park.
You’ll find those services located inside the World Traveler shop (just past the tapstiles on your left as you enter).
What if I have a question about my ticket?
The International Gateway also has all the same Guest Services that you’ll find at the front of the park, so you’ll be able to speak with a Disney Cast Member to get help with tickets, etc. right there.
What other things are available at the International Gateway?
Just like at the main entrance at the front of the park, you’ll find:
- Restrooms
- Lockers
- Park maps and festival guides
- Drinks and sundries (like sunblock) available for purchase inside of World Traveler
- FuelRod exchange kiosk
- Coin press machines
Plus, oftentimes you can also find a character meeting just past the International Gateway entrance, too!
How to find the International Gateway
Here’s where to find the International Gateway:
From the front of EPCOT:
Head to the World Showcase. The Canada side will be faster, but either way around will work:
- Starting in Canada (shortest route): Just past the United Kingdom Pavilion as you’re heading towards France is a bridge. Instead of taking a left towards the France Pavilion on that bridge, keep going straight down the hill.
- Starting in Mexico: At the top of the bridge just past France, there is an intersection where you can go right towards the United Kingdom, or left down a hill. Head left down the hill.
The International Gateway is around a little bend at the bottom of that hill, right between World Traveler (shop) and the Disney Skyliner station.
From Outside EPCOT:
If you’re heading to EPCOT, here’s how to find the International Gateway:
Disney Skyliner
- Board the Disney Skyliner from Disney’s Riviera Resort, Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort, Pop Century, or the Art of Animation Resort.
- Disembark at the EPCOT station, which is right at the International Gateway entrance.
Friendship Boats
- Take a Friendship Boat from Disney’s BoardWalk Inn, Disney’s Yacht and Beach Club Resorts, or the Swan and Dolphin Hotels.
- The boat docks directly at the International Gateway entrance.
Walking
- From Disney’s BoardWalk Inn, Yacht Club, or Beach Club Resort, or the Disney Swan, Swan Reserve, or Dolphin resorts, walk along the path toward EPCOT.
- Follow the signs to the International Gateway, which is a 5-10 minute walk (for the onsite resorts) and about a 15 minute walk for the Swan and Dolphin.
Bus
- There are no buses that drop off in a convenient location to use the International Gateway.
Tips for using the International Gateway
- Timing. If you want to use the International Gateway in the morning for Rope Drop, we recommend getting there at least 45 minutes before the park is scheduled to open.
- Park Hopping: If you plan to hop between EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios, the Skyliner makes it incredibly easy to travel between the parks. And since it is located right outside the International Gateway, you’ll have easy access to it. Just keep in mind that when using the Skyliner to hop between Hollywood Studios and EPCOT, you’ll have to transfer at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort.
- Dining and Shopping: The International Gateway makes it super easy to take advantage of the proximity to the World Showcase pavilions, which are just steps away from this entrance. It’s perfect for grabbing a quick bite or starting your world tour early.
- Security: The same kind of security procedures are located here as what you’ll find at the front of the park. You won’t have to open your bag (typically), unless the scanners go off. We’ve found that holding these items in our hands, straight ahead of us minimizes them pulling us over for a secondary screening:
- Umbrellas
- Metal water bottles
- Large external batteries
- Eyeglass cases with metal in them
- Altoid tins
Tell us what you think!
So there you have it! Tips for finding the International Gateway at EPCOT. Do you ever use the International Gateway? We value your input, even (or especially) when it differs from ours. Plus, we know other readers appreciate varying perspectives, so please take a second to drop your thoughts in the comments!