EPCOT Center
EPCOT – Experimental Prototype Community Of Tomorrow
EPCOT, or rather EPCOT Center, opened exactly 12 years later in 1982. It was almost double the size of its predecessor. This was Walt Disney’s “vision for the future”. EPCOT was originally intended to be a utopian city of the future. The concept was to house the Cast Members working at Walt Disney World. Transportation was to be provided by PeopleMovers (like the one in Magic Kingdom), and monorails (such as the Walt Disney World Monorail System).
EPCOT’s vision was changed to EPCOT Center after Walt Disney passed away. It is now designed to be a intermingling exhibition of future technology; it is called an idealistic World’s fair. The park is an hourglass shape. The entrance being through Future World; the lower bulb being World Showcase, which is centered around the World Showcase Lagoon.
Spaceship Earth
The icon of EPCOT is Spaceship Earth, a unique, iconic attraction housed inside an 18 story geodesic sphere. Spaceship Earth’s attraction “sails” through the course of time in a time machine, while telling the story of the advent of modern communication. Future World has eight pavilions, including Spaceship Earth: Universe of Energy, home to Ellen’s Energy Adventure (featuring Ellen DeGeneres and Bill Nye the Science Guy), Mission: SPACE, Test Track presented by Chevrolet, Journey Into Imagination with Figment, The Land (the home of Soarin’ Around the World), The Seas With Nemo and Friends, and Innoventions.
World Showcase
World Showcase is a permanent “World’s Fair” featuring different offerings from eleven different countries: Mexico, Norway, China, Germany, Italy, United States, Japan, Morocco, France, United Kingdom, and Canada. Each pavilion offers different attractions, shows, restaurants, and shopping unique to the culture of those countries. A feature that makes the World Showcase unique to the rest of Walt Disney World is the inclusion of Cultural Representatives from each country.
Special Events & Nighttime Entertainment
EPCOT has seasonal events like The EPCOT International Flower and Garden Festival (spring) and The EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival (fall). Both feature music performances by headlining bands, as well as food and beverage offerings unique to the eleven countries featured plus more.
IllumiNations
IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth is EPCOT’s nighttime spectacular featuring a whimsical score, fireworks, lasers, and water effects directly over the middle of the World Showcase Lagoon.