Hiya Angela!
Welcome to planDisney, fellow Epcotter! Epcotian? Let's say citizen of EPCOT! I am so glad you stopped by to ask us this magical question and that you are planning your next Disney vacation. With so many new offerings, this year is an especially magical time to visit the Walt Disney World Resort, and I hope you will experience it all real soon!
EPCOT's Leave a Legacy was a project available from 1999 to 2007 that allowed Guests to purchase personalized plaques displayed at EPCOT's entrance. Unfortunately, these plaques are no longer being sold, and while the original displays were removed from in front of Spaceship Earth, Guests can still look through these plaques near the bus transportation. Now in a beautiful, colourful display, Leave a Legacy also makes a great backdrop for family photos!
As for your camera equipment, the main rule when it comes to photo equipment is that
selfie sticks and hand-held extension poles for cameras or mobile devices are not allowed in any of the theme parks, water parks or on Galactic Starcruiser. In addition, tripods that are not small enough to fit inside a regular backpack or that extend past six feet or 182 cm are also not permitted. Therefore, as long as you do not bring an expendable stick or a tripod that exceeds the size limit, it should be allowed inside the parks! Personally, I brought a small tripod for my camera into the theme parks, and since the legs did not expand, it was allowed in. You may be asked to prove that the stick does not expand at security, so I recommend holding it outside your bag and in front of you when going through security.
Lastly, I thought I would share some of the exciting new offerings that you will be able to discover on your next visit to EPCOT. First,
Connections Café and
Connections Eatery opened their doors in the Spring of 2022, and I highly recommend stopping by for a meal or snack! Both are located in the same building between the Guest Relations building and Creations and have a beautiful decor inspired by the history of EPCOT. The Eatery includes many internationally-inspired, delicious menu items, but my favourite remains the Liege Waffle with its fresh strawberries and chocolate syrup. Another exciting offering is the new attraction
Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind. This ride is perfect for the thrill-seekers in your family and highly resembles Magic Kingdom Park's
Space Mountain, in my opinion. It is a truly unique experience, and the groovy music makes it that much more fun!
I hope this was helpful, Angela, and that you will have the best day ever on your next visit to the Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow. If you have any other questions in the time leading up to your trip, please don't hesitate to reach back out. We are always happy to help fellow citizens of EPCOT!
Have a magical day,
Ariane