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{{otheruses4|the Epcot theme park|the EPCOT concept|Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow (concept)}}
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image= [[Image:Epcot Logo Color.png|200px|Epcot logo]]<br>[[Image:Mmspaceshipearth|240px]]<br><small>[[Spaceship Earth (Disney)|Spaceship Earth]] is the icon of Epcot''|
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Revision as of 15:50, 3 April 2007

This article is about the Epcot theme park. For the EPCOT concept, see Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow (concept).
Epcot
Epcot logo
File:Mmspaceshipearth
Spaceship Earth is the icon of Epcot
LocationWalt Disney World Resort, Lake Buena Vista, Florida, USA
Operated byThe Walt Disney Company
ThemeTechnology, innovation and internationality
Walt Disney World
Theme parks
Water parks
Other attractions and areas
Resorts
Affiliated services
Transport

Epcot is the second theme park built at the Walt Disney World Resort near Orlando, Florida. It was dedicated to international culture and technological innovation. The park opened on October 1, 1982, and was named EPCOT Center from 1982 to 1993. Based on square footage, it was the largest Disney theme park in the world until 1998, when Disney's Animal Kingdom opened.

Dedication

To all who come to this place of Joy, Hope and Friendship—Welcome.

EPCOT is inspired by Walt Disney's creative vision. Here, human achievements are celebrated through imagination, wonders of enterprise and concepts of a future that promises new and exciting benefits for all.

May EPCOT Center entertain, inform and inspire and above all, may it instill a new sense of belief and pride in man's ability to shape a world that offers hope to people everywhere.

— E. Cardon Walker, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Walt Disney Productions, October 24, 1982

History

The planned community

Main article: Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow (concept)

The name Epcot derives from the acronym EPCOT (Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow), a utopian city of the future planned by Walt Disney (he sometimes used the word "City" instead of "Community" when expanding the acronym). In Walt Disney's words: "EPCOT...will take its cue from the new ideas and new technologies that are now emerging from the creative centers of American industry. It will be a community of tomorrow that will never be completed, but will always be introducing and testing and demonstrating new materials and systems. And EPCOT will always be a showcase to the world for the ingenuity and imagination of American free enterprise."

Walt Disney's original vision of EPCOT was for a model community, home to twenty thousand residents, which would be a test bed for city planning and organization. The community was to have been built in the shape of a circle, with businesses and commercial areas at its center, community buildings and schools and recreational complexes around it, and residential neighborhoods along the perimeter. Transportation would have been provided by monorails and PeopleMovers (like the one in the Magic Kingdom's Tomorrowland). Automobile traffic would be kept underground, leaving pedestrians safe above-ground. Walt Disney said, "It will be a planned, controlled community, a showcase for American industry and research, schools, cultural and educational opportunities. In EPCOT, there will be no slum areas because we won't let them develop. There will be no landowners and therefore no voting control. People will rent houses instead of buying them, and at modest rentals. There will be no retirees; everyone must be employed." The original model of this original vision of EPCOT can still be seen by passengers riding the Tomorrowland Transit Authority attraction in the Magic Kingdom park; when the PeopleMover enters the showhouse for Stitch's Great Escape, the model is visible on the left (when facing forward) behind glass. This vision was not realized. Walt Disney was not able to obtain funding and permission to start work on his Florida property until he agreed to build the Magic Kingdom first. Disney passed away before the Magic Kingdom opened.

Spaceship Earth is the symbol of Epcot. Mickey's magic wand and the Walt Disney World monorail track are visible beside it.

After Disney's death, The Walt Disney Company later decided that it did not want to be in the business of running a town. The model community of Celebration, Florida has been mentioned as a realization of Disney's original vision, but Celebration is based on concepts of new urbanism which is radically different from Disney's modernist and futurist visions. However, the idea of EPCOT was instrumental in prompting the state of Florida to create the Reedy Creek Improvement District (RCID) and the Cities of Bay Lake and Reedy Creek (soon renamed Lake Buena Vista), a legislative mechanism which allows the Walt Disney Company to exercise governmental powers over Walt Disney World. Control over the RCID is vested in the landowners of the district, and the promise of an actual city in the district would have meant that the powers of the RCID would have been distributed among the landowners in EPCOT. Because the idea of EPCOT was never implemented, the Disney Corporation remained almost the sole landowner in the district allowing it to maintain control of the RCID and the cities of Bay Lake and Lake Buena Vista. Disney's intent appears to be that it wishes to keep the RCID as an instrument of the company, as witnessed by the method by which the RCID redrew its boundaries to exclude Celebration rather than allow Celebration's resident landowners to dilute Disney's control over the RCID.

The theme park

The landscape of Epcot includes lots of water, grassy slopes, and many trees.

The theme park was originally known as EPCOT Center to reflect the fact that the park was built to embody the ideals and values of EPCOT the city. In 1994, the name was changed to Epcot '94 and subsequently Epcot '95 a year later. By 1996, the park was known simply as Epcot, a non-acronym, mixed-case word, as the park no longer reflected Walt Disney's plans for a futuristic city.

The original plans for the park showed indecision over what the park's purpose was to be: some Imagineers wanted it to represent the cutting edge of technology, while others wanted it to showcase international cultures and customs. At one point a model of the futuristic park was pushed together against a model of the international park, and EPCOT Center was born - a theme park with the flavor of a World's Fair.

Epcot is generally regarded as more "learning-oriented" than other theme parks. It has only three thrill rides (Test Track, Mission: SPACE, and Soarin'); the rest of its attractions are dark rides, shows, or walkthrough exhibits. Some claim that Epcot's Future World is showing its age; the exhibits there no longer represent the most modern advances in technology. There are however many cutting edge technologies still exhibited throughout the park.

Epcot is also regarded today as the quintessential park of the 1980s. There are many who feel the park is stale and severely outdated. On the other hand, there are many who enjoy the nostalgia, and Epcot does update both its shows and countries periodically to attempt to keep with the times.

Various satirical expansions of the acronym Epcot have emerged over time, such as "Every Person Comes Out Tired" (because of the amount of walking required in the park), "Every Pocketbook Comes Out Thinner," "Evil Polyester Costumes Of Torture" (referring to either the employees' costumes or the Tapestry of Nations puppets), "Every Paycheck Comes On Thursday" (the pay day for Disney Cast Members), "Eisner Puts Cash On Table" (in light of the high admission price to the Disney parks, and former Disney CEO Michael Eisner's bonuses in the 1990s), "Eisner's Personal Coin-Operated Toy," and "Eisner's Personal Cash On Tap."[citation needed]

Opening day

File:EPCOT Center's Spaceship Earth on opening day.jpg
EPCOT Center's grand opening on October 1, 1982

Before the park had its debut on October 1, 1982, Walt Disney World Ambassador Genie Field introduced E. Cardon Walker, Disney's chairman and CEO, who dedicated EPCOT Center and presented a family with lifetime passes for the two Walt Disney World theme parks. Walker's remarks were followed by Florida Governor Bob Graham and William Ellinghouse, president of AT&T.

As part of the opening-day ceremony, dancers and band members performed We've Just Begun to Dream. The Sherman Brothers wrote a song especially for the occasion entitled, "The World Showcase March". During the finale, doves and many sets of balloons were released.

Performing groups representing countries from all over the world performed in World Showcase. Water gathered from major rivers across the globe was emptied into the park's lagoon from ceremonial containers to mark the opening.

Located at the front of the park is a plaque bearing Walker's opening-day dedication, as seen above.

Facts and figures

  • Total cost: $1.4 billion (estimated)
  • Construction time: three years (at the time the largest construction project on Earth)
  • Park size: over 300 acres (1.2 km²)
  • Parking lot:
    • 141 acres (including bus area)
    • 11,211 vehicles (grass areas hold additional 500+ vehicles)
  • The pavement at Epcot was engineered by Disney and Kodak photography to be painted a specific custom color of pink that makes the grass look greener and pictures look brighter. In addition, the colored sidewalks give an overall cleaner look to the park.
  • Unlike the Magic Kingdom, Epcot only contains tunnels underneath the buildings that contain Innoventions East, the Electric Umbrella, MouseGear, Innoventions West, and the building housing Club Cool and Fountain View Espresso. The tunnels are used primarily for the support facilities necessary for the merchandise shops and restaurants contained therein (stock rooms, break rooms, prep kitchens, garbage disposal, etc). There is an entry/exit corridor that runs from the northeast corner of the tunnels (the area below Innoventions East/the Electric Umbrella restaurant) to a backstage area located between the Universe of Energy/Ellen's Energy Adventure and the east side of the main entrance complex.
  • To commemorate the opening of EPCOT Center in 1982, the Imagineers who worked on the project put together a massive cake that was a scale model of the park. It was dubbed "EpCake: The Experimental Prototype Cake of Tomorrow".citation
  • Official dedication didn't take place until October 24, 1982.

Park layout

The park consists of two sections: Future World and World Showcase. Both are patterned after the kinds of exhibits which were popular at World's Fairs in the first two-thirds of the 20th century, in particular the 1939 New York World's Fair. Epcot has become essentially a permanent display of the world's nations.

Future World Pavilions

See also: List of current Epcot attractions

Future World consists of a variety of pavilions that explore innovative aspects and applications of technology. Originally, each pavilion featured a unique logo which was featured on park signage and the attractions themselves. The logos have been phased out over recent years, but some remnants still remain scattered throughout the park.

Each Future World pavilion was initially sponsored by a corporation who helped fund its construction and maintenance in return for the corporation's logos appearing prominently throughout the pavilion. For example, Universe of Energy was sponsored by Exxon, and The Land was sponsored by Kraft, then Nestlé. Each pavilion contains a posh "VIP area" for its sponsor with offices, lounges, and reception areas hidden away from regular park guests. In the years since the park's opening, however, some sponsors have decided that the branding wasn't worth the cost of sponsorship and have pulled out, leaving some of the pavilions without sponsors. Disney prefers to have sponsors helping to pay the bills, so pavilions without sponsors have an uncertain future. After General Electric left Horizons in 1993, it closed for a couple of years, and opened again in 1995. It was ultimately demolished in 2000 to make room for Mission: SPACE. MetLife abandoned Wonders of Life in 2001 and that area is now operating seasonally. Test Track is sponsored by General Motors, Imagination! is sponsored by Eastman Kodak, and Mission: SPACE is sponsored by Hewlett-Packard. Spaceship Earth was sponsored by AT&T from the park's opening until early 2004. It is now sponsored by Siemens.

World Showcase

See also: List of current Epcot attractions
File:Epcot World Showcase Logo.png
Norway and China, seen from across the World Showcase Lagoon
Germany and Italy, seen from across the World Showcase Lagoon

World Showcase is made up of eleven pavilions (click on each link for main article about each pavilion):
(in clockwise order)
Mexico

Norway

China

Germany

Italy

United States of America

Japan

Morocco

France

United Kingdom

Canada

Of the eleven countries, Norway and Morocco were not present at the park's opening, and were added later. Each of these contains representative shops and restaurants and is staffed by citizens of these countries, many of them college students living in Walt Disney World College Program housing. Some also contain rides and shows. The only pavilion that is sponsored (and paid for) by the country it represents is Morocco, the remaining country pavilions are all sponsored by major corporations. Pavilions for Russia, Spain, and Israel never made it past the planning phase. An Equatorial Africa pavilion was planned but was never built. A small African themed refreshment stop is now in its place, known as the Outpost. After Disney's Animal Kingdom - an African themed animal preserve and park - opened, any plans for an African Pavilion were dropped.

To cut costs, Disney now usually opens World Showcase two hours after park opening and closes certain Future World rides and attractions at 7:00 PM. However over the years as new rides are built, the newer more popular attractions like Test Track, Soarin', Mission Space, and most recently The Seas with Nemo and Friends, as well as the iconic Spaceship Earth, have been remaining open from park open through to park close.

Unlike the Magic Kingdom, which does not serve alcohol, many stores and restaurants in the World Showcase do serve or sell alcoholic beverages from their respective countries, and beer is sold at refreshment stands throughout the park. A popular activity is to "drink around the world" at World Showcase.

There is an entrance to the park between the France and United Kingdom Pavilions known as the International Gateway. Guests staying in a number of the Epcot Resorts and guests at the Disney Studio's can access this gate by walkway or boat.

World Showcase Lagoon

World Showcase Lagoon is a man-made lake located in the World Showcase pavilion and it has a perimeter of 2 miles.

IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth

Main article: IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth
The World Showcase Lagoon during IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth

This thirteen-minute fireworks show takes place in the World Showcase Lagoon every night at the park's closing time (usually 9:00 PM). The show features Fireworks, lasers, fire and water fountains timed to a musical score over the World Showcase Lagoon. A large rotating globe with curved LED screens is the centerpiece of the show and is used to project images of people and places. The current version premiered as part of the park's millennium celebration in 2000. The show tells the story of Earth and is divided into three movements titled "Chaos," "Order," and "Meaning." The music has an African tribal sound to it, to emphasize the idea of humanity as a single unified tribe on this planet; the lagoon is surrounded by twenty large torches signifying the past twenty centuries, and the show culminates in the globe opening like a lotus blossom to reveal a twenty-first torch, representing the new century.

Pavilions in the World Showcase

Mexico
External View of the Mexico Pavilion
Main article: Mexico (Epcot)

The Mexico Pavilion looks like an Aztec/Mayan pyramid. Visitors enter through a display of Mexican artwork, the "Animales Fantasticos" art collection. The main room is the home to a twilight-lit Mexican marketplace, Plaza de los Amigos. At the edge of the plaza, a restaurant, San Angel Inn, overlooks an indoor river. To the side of the plaza, a boarding area leads to a boat ride, formally known as El Rio del Tiempo (The River of Time), which took guests through the river, past a model volcano, and then through Mexico, from its Pre-Columbian Past to its "present" (circa 1982). However on January 2, 2007 the ride closed for extensive refurbishment as well as a name change. The new ride will be known as "Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros." Among the significant changes will be a complete re-theme of the ride's story around The Three Caballeros. The "Gran Fiesta Tour" film features an animated overlay of the caballeros being reunited for a grand performance in Mexico City. Along the way, Donald disappears to take in the sights of the country, leaving José and Panchito to search for their missing friend. In addition to the new film, the boat ride's props, set facades and sound system have been refurbished and enhanced.The ride should have re-opened on April 2nd but has been delayed by up to 1 week.

Norway
Norway Pavilion
Main article: Norway (Epcot)

The Norway Pavilion is designed to look like a Norwegian village. The village includes a detailed stave church. Much of the pavilion is taken up by interconnected shops. These shops are decorated with large wooden trolls and sell assorted Norwegian goods, including clothing, candy, and small troll statues. The courtyard of the pavilion contains the entrance to Maelstrom, a boat ride into Norway's past and present. Kringla Bakeri Og Kafe is a bakery, featuring assorted Norwegian pastries, such as cream horns and open-faced salmon sandwiches. There was a children's play area that looks like a Viking ship, however it closed in 2006 due mostly to the possibility of injury and resulting law suits and now appears as just a display. The courtyard contains the entrance to Restaurant Akershus, a hot and cold buffet which also hosts 'Princess Breakfasts'.

China
China Pavilion
Main article: China (Epcot)

Visitors enter the China Pavilion through a large Chinese gate. The courtyard is dominated by a Chinese temple, the Temple of Heaven, which contains the entrance to Reflections of China, a Circle-Vision 360° movie exploring China's history and scenery. The courtyard is bordered by shops selling Chinese merchandise. The pavilion is decorated with ponds, crossed by bridges. The pavilion also contains a Chinese restaurant, the Nine Dragons Restaurant and a fast food version called Lotus Blossom Cafe. On the roof of the Nine Dragons Restaurant you can see a man seated on a hen. This is Prince Min, a 3rd-century ruler who was hanged for his cruelty. As a warning to other tyrants it is customary to install an effigy of him. The animals behind him should keep him from escaping. Chinese acrobats also perform frequently in the pavilion.

Germany
Germany Pavilion
Main article: Germany (Epcot)

The Germany Pavilion is designed to look like a German town, but with architecture from different eras and regions. The Platz (plaza) is decorated with a statue of St. George and the Dragon and a clock tower. The Biergarten, at the rear of the courtyard, sells traditional German food. The pavilion also has numerous small shops selling German goods, including dolls and cuckoo clocks. The area near the pavilion is decorated by an extensive model village with working model trains. There was a boat-ride based attraction planned for Germany, a Rhine River Cruise, but while the building for the ride was built and the planned entrance area is still recognizable, the ride itself was never constructed.

Italy
Italian Pavilion
Main article: Italy (Epcot)

The Italy Pavilion features a piazza surrounded by a collection of buildings evocative of Venetian and Roman architecture, including a functional re-creation of Venice's Campanile (bell tower) of St. Mark's Square. A replica of the Doge's Palace from Venice also figures prominently. The Pavilion is also home to the four-star "L'Originale Alfredo di Roma Ristorante," which was created by the direct descendants of Alfredo di Lellio, the inventor of Fettuccine Alfredo and features classical Roman decor. The piazza is decorated with statues, such as the Neptune Fountain and the Lion of St. Mark. In the piazza various types of street performers, such as clowns, pantomime. A Living Statue Act used to perform, but is now found more often at the France pavilion. There are also small shops selling Italian goods, such as candy and wines. Italy is also the location for the VIP viewing area for Illuminations, perhaps giving you a glimpse of a celebrity with their family.

The American Adventure
Main colonial-style building that houses theater.
Main article: The American Adventure (Epcot)

The American Adventure Pavilion is in a building designed in the Colonial style. It contains The American Adventure, a stage show about American history using audio-animatronic actors and the Hall of Flags exhibit, a display of the different flags throughout U.S. history. It also contains the Liberty Inn restaurant which serves American fare, such as cheeseburgers and hot dogs. There is a small gift shop, Heritage Manor Gifts, selling American items.

Japan
The Japanese pavilion features taiko drum shows.
Main article: Japan (Epcot)

The Japan Pavilion is made up of buildings surrounding a courtyard. The entrance to the courtyard features a Japanese Pagoda. A torii gate decorates the water in front of the pavilion. The area is filled with Japanese pools and gardens. At the end of the courtyard is the gate to a Japanese castle, including a moat, which leads into a display of Japanese culture. The Mitsukoshi department store sells many Japanese items, including clothing, jewelry, and toys. It has been expanded in recent years to include a far greater variety of items than before. More specifically, a greater portion of the store sells Japanese pop-culture related items, presumably to take advantage of the growing interest in these types of products in America. In the Teppanyaki Dining Room, chefs prepare stir-fried foods right in front of the guests. The attraction Meet the World from Tokyo Disneyland, which explores Japanese history, was planned and the show building built, but the show never opened. Other plans for an attraction for the pavilion included a Mount Fuji roller coaster and a Godzilla thrill ride, but both seemed a bit inappropriate due to having cultural disrespect in the former and not matching World Showcase's realistic tone for the latter.[citation needed]

Morocco
Restaurant Marrakesh in the Morocco pavillion
Main article: Morocco (Epcot)

The Morocco Pavilion is designed to look like a Moroccan city, with a realistic re-creation of the Koutoubia Minaret, the famous prayer tower in Marrakesh. It features the Restaurant Marrakesh and the Tangerine Café which serve Moroccan fare, such as roast lamb and shish kebab. It includes the Gallery of Arts and History and the Fez House, an example of a typical Moroccan house. It has many shops with a Moroccan feel, selling such goods as rugs, leather goods, and clothing. The area is decorated with gardens and fountains to give a North African feel. Later in the evening, there is a musical show including a belly dancer who often invites guests to dance with her. Where the other pavilions are sponsored by corporations, this one is financed by the King of Morocco himself, who sent in native artisans to make sure it was especially authentic.

France
France Pavilion
Main article: France (Epcot)

The France Pavilion is themed to look like a Paris neighborhood with a pool and fountains and with a view of the Eiffel Tower in the distance. Most of the shops on the streets are actual shops selling French goods such as Guerlain perfumes. The pavilion features Impressions de France a panoramic movie which visits France's cities and historical structures. It also includes two French Restaurants, the Bistro de Paris and Les Chefs de France, and a bakery, the Boulangerie Patisserie.

United Kingdom
Miniature Hampton Court Palace replica at EPCOT UK Pavilion.
Main article: United Kingdom (Epcot)

The United Kingdom Pavilion is designed to look like a British village, with buildings based on different periods of British architecture. It has British gardens (including a hedge maze). The shops sell British items, such as tea, toys, clothing and Beatles merchandise. There is also a Beatles tribute band called "The British Invasion" that performs regularly in the Pavilion. The Rose & Crown Pub and Dining Room serves traditional British food, as well as beer, liquors, and wine. On weekend nights at the pub Pam Brody, a pianist and entertainer, plays a selection of British music and sing-a-longs. There is also a Harry Ramsden's restaurant serving Fish and Chips.

Canada
Canada pavillion
Main article: Canada (Epcot)

The Canada Pavilion is designed to remind the guest of the Canadian outdoors. The pavilion is decorated with a canyon, a waterfall, gardens, a pool with fountains, and totem poles. The main attraction at the Canada Pavilion is O Canada!, a Circle-Vision 360° movie of Canada's cities and scenery. The film was made in 1979 and features the music of Stan Rogers. This pavilion also includes Le Cellier Steakhouse and the semi-permanent home of the Celtic rock band Off Kilter.

Timeline

References

  1. ^ Ronald Reagan. "The President spoke at 12:41 p.m. from a reviewing stand near the American Adventure Showcase. In his opening remarks, the President referred to Mr. and Mrs. Michael Eisner. Mr. Eisner was chairman of the board and chief executive officer of Walt Disney Productions. Participating in the parade were the bands scheduled to perform in the 1985 Inaugural Parade, which was cancelled due to extremely cold weather. Following his remarks, the President traveled to Miami." http://www.reagan.utexas.edu/archives/speeches/1985/52785a.htm

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Epcot.

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