Hello Heather!
Welcome to planDisney! I love EPCOT and have found it has grown on me every time I visit. The variety of foods, festivals almost year-round, and the many areas to just relax and people-watch with an adult beverage make it a delightful day. You are lucky as you will be arriving during the
EPCOT International Festival of the Arts!
After reviewing the
Special Offers page I found that if you are a
Disney Visa Cardholder you can get up to 20 percent off select rooms at various Disney Resort Hotels. If you are an Annual Passholder there could be other savings as well. I would keep an eye on this page to find the best deal but frankly, I would not delay. Secure your park ticket and make your
Park Reservation.
If I only had one day to spend in the Parks and it was going to be EPCOT, I would choose an EPCOT area resort such as
Disney's Beach Club Resort,
Disney's Yacht Club Resort, or
Disney's BoardWalk Inn. There are a few more but these are the three I find excellent in terms of their distance to the parks. They are a
very short walk to the International Gateway entrance and you can easily go back to your room for a midday break or if you forgot your sunglasses. My favorite is Disney's Beach Club Resort which has access along with Disney's Yacht Club Resort to
Stormalong Bay which can be a relaxing beginning or end to your trip.
Finally, I can leave you with one piece of advice, read the
Disney Eats Food Guide for the 2023 EPCOT International Festival of the Arts Presented by AT&T. That Hummingbird Cake at The Artist's Table near The American Adventure is calling out to me and I hope you find something you will enjoy too!
I hope you have a wonderful time!
-Nimmy