THE LEGACY: EPCOT, THE THEMEPARK
Introduction: from Walt Disney's Epcot to Epcot, the themepark
Introduction: from Walt Disney's Epcot to Epcot, the themepark
Epcot, SpaceShip Earth(Artwork by Walt Disney Productions - The Walt Disney Company)
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.
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 originally was 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.
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.
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.
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 originally was 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.
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.
Opening Day
Teaser Poster for the opening of Epcot, the themepark at Walt Disney World
(Artwork by Walt Disney Productions - The Walt Disney Company)
Teaser Poster for the opening of Epcot, the themepark at Walt Disney World(Artwork by Walt Disney Productions - The Walt Disney Company)
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 with a short speech:
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 in the world. —E. Cardon Walker, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Walt Disney Productions, October 24, 1982Walker also presented a family with lifetime passes for the two Walt Disney World theme parks. His 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 & Figures
August 27, 1981 Internal Epcot Newsletter
(Walt Disney Productions - The Walt Disney Company)
August 27, 1981 Internal Epcot Newsletter(Walt Disney Productions - The Walt Disney Company)
- Total cost: $1.4 billion (estimated)
- Construction time: three years (at the time the largest construction project on Earth)
- Park size: 260 acres (more than twice the size of The Magic Kingdom)
- 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 Ice Cream. 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. Because World Showcase is at the rear of Epcot, backstage areas simply run behind the perimeter of World Showcase.
- Official dedication didn't take place until October 24, 1982.
- Construction time: three years (at the time the largest construction project on Earth)
- Park size: 260 acres (more than twice the size of The Magic Kingdom)
- 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 Ice Cream. 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. Because World Showcase is at the rear of Epcot, backstage areas simply run behind the perimeter of World Showcase.
- Official dedication didn't take place until October 24, 1982.
Park Layout
Epcot Aerial View
(Artwork by Walt Disney Productions - The Walt Disney Company)
Epcot Aerial View(Artwork by Walt Disney Productions - The Walt Disney Company)
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
Epcot Map featuring both Future World & World Showcase (2008)
(Artwork by Walt Disney Productions - The Walt Disney Company)
Epcot Map featuring both Future World & World Showcase (2008)(Artwork by Walt Disney Productions - The Walt Disney Company)
Future World consists of a variety of pavilions that explore innovative aspects and applications of technology. Originally, each pavilion featured a unique circular logo which was featured on park signage and the attractions themselves. The logos, including that of Epcot itself, have been phased out over recent years, but some remnants still remain scattered throughout the park.
SpaceShip Earth (2008)
(Photos by Sebastien Barthe)
Spaceship Earth is the iconic and symbolic structure of Epcot, a theme park that is part of the Walt Disney World Resort. One of the most recognizable structures at the Walt Disney World Resort, it is not only the centerpiece and main focal point of Epcot, but also the name of the attraction housed within the 18-story geodesic sphere that takes guests on a time machine themed experience using the Omnimover system. The 13-minute dark ride shows guests how advancements in human communication has helped create the future one step at a time. The attraction involves a timeline from the origins of prehistoric man to the dawn of the 21st century, where guests can then create a future for themselves.
The structure was designed with the help of science fiction writer Ray Bradbury, who also helped write the original storyline for the attraction. Both the structure and the attraction's name were inspired by the work of Buckminster Fuller. However, he was not given credit.
The structure is similar in texture to the United States pavilion from Expo 67 in Montreal, giving a misconception that it is a geodesic dome. By definition, a dome can only be part of a sphere. Spaceship Earth is a complete sphere, supported on legs.
Geometrically, Spaceship Earth is a pentakis dodecahedron, with each of the 60 isosceles triangle faces divided into 16 smaller equilateral triangles (with a bit of fudging to make it rounder)[citation needed]. Each of those 960 flat panels is sub-divided into four triangles, each of which is divided into three isosceles triangles to form each point. In theory, there are 11,520 total isosceles triangles forming 3840 points. In reality, some of those triangles are partially or fully nonexistent due to supports and doors; there are actually only 11,324 of them, with 954 partial or full flat panels.
The cladding was designed so that when it rains, no water pours off the sides onto the ground. (All water is "absorbed" through one inch gaps in the facets and is collected in a gutter system - and finally channeled into the World Showcase Lagoon.)
Construction took 26 months and 40,800 labor hours to build. The interior steel structure consists of a massive "table" formed by deep trusses and 6 legs, none of which are directly under the sphere. This was done to give the illusion of the ball floating in air. Extending upwards from the table are "quadropod" structures which support the smaller beams which form the actual shell of the steel skeleton. Pipes stand the aluminum skin panels away from the skeleton and provide space for utilities. A small service car is parked at the top of the steel structure and can carry a prone technician down the sides to access repair locations. The shop fabrication of the steel (done in nearby Tampa, Florida) was an early instance of computer aided drafting and materials processing.
Spaceship Earth was sponsored by the Bell System originally, from 1982 until 1984. Bell was broken up into smaller companies in 1984, and its parent company, AT&T became its own independent company. AT&T would sponsor Spaceship Earth from 1984 until 2004.
In October of 1982, the attraction experience began as the ride vehicles moved up into the structure through a lighted tunnel enhanced by a fog machine, and then ascended on a spiraling track up through dark spaces featuring a series of lighted historic vignettes. The attraction featured actor Vic Perrin as the narrator along with a very simple and quiet orchestral composition throughout the attraction.
A list of the scenes is below. The theme of communication through the ages was developed in chronological order in theatrical settings peopled with Audio-Animatronics figures. Actors were seen (and heard quietly) declaiming in a Greek theater. Charioteers carried messages from a Roman court, and Jewish and Islamic scholars discussed texts. With typical Disney whimsy, a monk was seen fallen asleep on a manuscript he was inscribing. Michelangelo, overhead, painted the ceiling of the Sistine chapel, and Gutenberg manned his printing press.
Suggesting the rush of 20th-century technology, subsequent scenes melded together, overlapping each other as the circumference of the ride track narrowed. A newsboy hawked papers, a movie marquee and film clips represented the motion pictures, radio and television were represented. As the vehicles reached the large space at the apex of the ride system, guests saw, on the planetarium ceiling of the sphere, projections of stars, planets, the Milky Way, and, closest and largest, "spaceship earth." The Omnimover vehicles then revolved 180 degrees, so that that the passengers were lying backward facing the "sky" as they began their descent, on a relatively straight track. The attraction ended with guests hearing scientific audio from around the world, and seeing on a series of screens, projected scenes of computer graphics, scientific data, a space shuttle launch, among others. The ride stops intermittently as wheelchairs are loaded or unloaded.
In May of 1986, the attraction was given a slight remodel. This second version of the attraction started off with the lightened tunnel enhanced by twinkling lights, meant to depict stars, with the fog machine removed. Famous news journalist Walter Cronkite was the new narrator, reading from an updated script. A theme song called Tomorrow's Child was composed for the ending of the attraction, which was redesigned with projected images of children on screens to help fit with the theme of "Tomorrow's Child".
In August of 1994, the attraction was given a major remodel. This third version of the attraction kept the lightened tunnel as it was in 1986, and maintaining the majority of the scenes depicted in the beginning and middle of the attraction. Three scenes toward the end of the attraction that showed a computer in a boy's bedroom of the 1980s, a woman's office of the 1980s, and a network operations center of the 1990s, were all removed and replaced with one scene depicting a boy and girl using the internet from America to Asia via instant communication. Actor Jeremy Irons was the new narrator, reading from an updated script. A new orchestral composition was composed for the beginning, middle, and end of the attraction. The ending itself was completely redone, with the removal of the Space Station scene located in the attraction's planetarium, replacement of an old projected image of Earth in the planetarium with a new image, and replacement of the 1982 and 1986 ending scenes of the ride them with miniature architectural settings connected by color-changing fiber optic cables and arrays of blinking lights representing electronic Communication pathways. The attraction re-opened in its third version on November 23, 1994.
On July 9, 2007, the attraction was again closed for another remodel that included a number of updates to the attraction. The attraction opened again with its fourth version in February 2008, with a new score composed by Bruce Broughton and new narration provided by Dame Judi Dench. The attraction's exterior was also modified for the 2007 renovations.
The original post show for Spaceship Earth was called Earth Station. It lasted from 1982 until 1994. It was a wide open exhibit space that included:
- EPCOT Center Guest Relations
- Seven large rear projector screens mounted on the walls of the exhibit space toward the ceiling that displayed visual previews of various EPCOT Center attractions.
- WorldKey Information: Interactive kiosks that offered previews of various EPCOT Center attractions. Guests could also talk to a live cast member via two way closed circuit video, or make a restaurant reservation while in the park.
When AT&T renewed their sponsorship in 1994, they redesigned the exhibit space for Earth Station into the Global Neighborhood. The original Global Neighborhood lasted from 1994 until 1999. In 1999, the exhibit space was updated to become the New Global Neighborhood for the Millennium Celebration. The exhibit space closed in 2004 after AT&T left as sponsor.
AT&T's departure as sponsor in 2004 caused the exhibit to close. Siemens AG, the new sponsor of Spaceship Earth, having signed on in 2005, created a new exhibit space called Project Tomorrow: Inventing the Wonders of the Future. The new exhibit space once again uses the entire exhibit space that only Earth Station had once used. The new exhibit space houses interactive exhibits featuring various Siemens AG technology. These interactive displays and games allow guests to see the future of medicine, transportation and energy management. The space opened with two games, with two new games added in December 2007 and January 2008.
Project Tomorrow current attractions are:
- An illuminated globe featuring an ever-changing collage of inspirational images of tomorrow.
- Body Builder, a 3-D game allowing guests to build a digital human body.
- Super Driver, a driving simulation video game featuring vehicle accident and avoidance systems. It simulates what is supposed to be the future of driving. You drive a "smart-car" (that has a British accent,) and try to stop the city from being destroyed.
- Power City, a large digital "shuffleboard-style" game that has guest racing around the board to power their city.
- InnerVision, a coordination and reaction-time game with elements similar to Simon and Dance Dance Revolution.
A VIP lounge exists on the second floor at the back of the building that houses the post show for Spaceship Earth. It is a place for employees and customers of the current sponsoring company to relax while visiting the park. When Spaceship Earth was without sponsorship from 2004–2005, the room was utilized for private events such as weddings and conventions. The layout is small and curved in shape, with one wall consisting of large windows where visitors can look out onto the park.
When Siemens AG took over as sponsors, the lounge was given the name "Base21".
In celebration of the year 2000, a large 25-story "magic wand" held by a representation of Mickey Mouse's hand was built next to the sphere. Inspiration for it came from the Sorcerer's Apprentice sequence of Fantasia (although, oddly enough, Mickey did not use a magic wand in that sequence). At the top of the structure was a large cut out of the number 2000. While the structure wasn't technically meant to be permanent, it is unclear as to how long the structure was to be used. After the Millennium Celebration ended, the structure was left standing. In 2001, the number 2000 was replaced with the word "Epcot" in a script font which differs from the park's logotype. On the morning of July 5, 2007, it was officially announced by Epcot Vice President Jim MacPhee that Spaceship Earth would be restored to its original appearance and that the "magic wand" structure would be removed in time for the park's 25th anniversary on October 1, 2007.
On Monday, July 9, the attraction itself was closed for refurbishment, and the surrounding area was walled off. As of October 1st, the entire wand structure, the stars, and the star supports have been removed. In addition, palm trees and other plants that originally stood where the wand was prior to 2000 have been added to the landscape of Spaceship Earth.
With the new Siemens AG sponsorship, changes have been made to the ride and post show area. The ride's updates include new scenes, modifications to existing scenes; some new costumes, lighting, and props; a new musical score by Bruce Broughton, new narration by Judi Dench; and a new interactive ending featuring a touch screen. New scenes show a Greek classroom, mainframe computers and the creation of the personal computer.
The "time machine" vehicles now have an interactive screen where riders can choose their vision of the future. This resembles a similar idea on the now-defunct attraction Horizons At the beginning of the ride, a camera takes riders' pictures (using facial recognition technology) which are used at the end of the ride to conduct an interactive experience about the future of technology, featuring the riders' faces on animated characters. Visitors are now also asked where in our Spaceship Earth they live, this is used in the post-show area where a map of the world is displayed with the riders' faces on where they live.
The renovations were scheduled to be completed for a February 2008 reopening, but the attraction opened for "soft launch" previews starting in December 2007. On February 15th, 2008, the ride reopened officially after closing periodically in January for last-minute adjustments.
The ride begins with the Omnimover vehicles ascending into a dark tunnel. A series of twinkling stars surround guests. Soon, guest's pictures are taken on a face-recognition program that is to be featured in the attraction's post-show. Guests then re-enter the starfield. Guests then see prehistoric man fighting for survival, later on Cavemen are depicted, who developed the first spoken languages. Then guests see the Egyptians, who invented a system of hieroglyphs and made papyrus on which to record them; Phoenician merchants, who developed a written alphabet (the Phoenician alphabet); Ancient Greece, where the theater was a popular form of entertainment; and Ancient Rome, whose leaders built a vast system of roads all over Europe.
After the sacking of Rome by invaders, guests see scenes of the Middle Ages, when Jewish and Islamic scholars continued to progress in science, and when monks copied Bibles by hand. The attraction then moves on to the European Renaissance, the development of the movable-type printing press, and the 20th century communications revolution—newspapers, telegraphs, radio, telephones, movies, television, as well as the computer.
The remainder of the ride is involved in seeing a depiction of Earth from space, traveling through an infinite amount of stars and into a realm of glowing triangles where guests can then use the touch-screens in their Omnimover vehicle to create a possible depiction of their future.
The present day 2007/4th Version of Spaceship Earth:
- Starfield
- Face-Recognition Program
- Starfield
- Prehistoric Man
- Cavemen
- Egyptian Temple
- Phoenician Merchants
- Greek Math Teacher
- The Roman Road Network
- Islamic Empire
- Cathedral Abbey
- Gutenberg Press
- Renaissance Italy
- Industrial Revolution
- The Age of Invention
- The Age of Information
- Tunnel of Facts and Figures
- Spaceship Earth Planetarium
- Infinite Stars
- Descent Tunnel featuring Glowing Triangles and touch-screens within the Omnimover vehicles that allow guests to create their future.
Timeline:
October 1, 1982
- Spaceship Earth opens with the opening of EPCOT Center.
- Sponsored by the Bell System.
- The narrator is uncredited but is believed to be Vic Perrin.
May 26, 1986
- Attraction reopens from first major renovation
- AT&T is now the sponsor, having signed on in 1984.
- Narrator changes to Walter Cronkite.
- Finale music changed to Tomorrow's Child.
August 15, 1994
- Closes for second major renovation.
- "Home computer", "Office Computer", "Network Operations Center", and "Space Station" scenes removed.
- New final scenes installed and replace old final scenes.
- Earth Station closes.
- Tomorrow's Child ending removed.
November 23, 1994
- Attraction reopens.
- New ride narration by Jeremy Irons.
- New ride score by Edo Guidotti.
- The Global Neighborhood replaces Earth Station.
September 29, 1999
- The Mickey Mouse arm holding a wand is dedicated with "2000" over Spaceship Earth.
November 24, 1999
- The Global Neighborhood is replaced with The New Global Neighborhood, a new exhibit space serving as a hands-on playground for Spaceship Earth's post show.
May 2001
- The Mickey Mouse arm holding a wand is changed to say "Epcot" over Spaceship Earth.
January 1, 2003
- AT&T sponsorship ends.
April 2004
- The New Global Neighborhood is removed and the area is boarded up. AT&T references removed.
November 2005
- It is announced that Siemens AG will sponsor Spaceship Earth for twelve years.
April 11, 2007
- Major changes coming to Spaceship Earth are announced.
April 25, 2007
- The new exhibit space in Spaceship Earth's post show called Project Tomorrow: Inventing the Wonders of the Future opens.
July 5, 2007
- Epcot Vice President Jim Macphee announces the removal of the wand structure in time for the park's 25th anniversary on October 1st 2007.
July 9, 2007
- Closes for a fourth renovation.
- Removal of the wand structure begins.
August 24, 2007
- Removal of the wand structure completed.
December 2007
- Guest previews of fourth edition begin.
February 15, 2008
- Fourth edition opens to the general public after renovations.
- New narration by Dame Judi Dench.
March 4, 2008
- Spaceship Earth is Rededicated
Spaceship Earth
SpaceShip Earth (2008)(Photos by Sebastien Barthe)
Spaceship Earth is the iconic and symbolic structure of Epcot, a theme park that is part of the Walt Disney World Resort. One of the most recognizable structures at the Walt Disney World Resort, it is not only the centerpiece and main focal point of Epcot, but also the name of the attraction housed within the 18-story geodesic sphere that takes guests on a time machine themed experience using the Omnimover system. The 13-minute dark ride shows guests how advancements in human communication has helped create the future one step at a time. The attraction involves a timeline from the origins of prehistoric man to the dawn of the 21st century, where guests can then create a future for themselves.
The structure was designed with the help of science fiction writer Ray Bradbury, who also helped write the original storyline for the attraction. Both the structure and the attraction's name were inspired by the work of Buckminster Fuller. However, he was not given credit.
The structure is similar in texture to the United States pavilion from Expo 67 in Montreal, giving a misconception that it is a geodesic dome. By definition, a dome can only be part of a sphere. Spaceship Earth is a complete sphere, supported on legs.
Geometrically, Spaceship Earth is a pentakis dodecahedron, with each of the 60 isosceles triangle faces divided into 16 smaller equilateral triangles (with a bit of fudging to make it rounder)[citation needed]. Each of those 960 flat panels is sub-divided into four triangles, each of which is divided into three isosceles triangles to form each point. In theory, there are 11,520 total isosceles triangles forming 3840 points. In reality, some of those triangles are partially or fully nonexistent due to supports and doors; there are actually only 11,324 of them, with 954 partial or full flat panels.
The cladding was designed so that when it rains, no water pours off the sides onto the ground. (All water is "absorbed" through one inch gaps in the facets and is collected in a gutter system - and finally channeled into the World Showcase Lagoon.)
Construction took 26 months and 40,800 labor hours to build. The interior steel structure consists of a massive "table" formed by deep trusses and 6 legs, none of which are directly under the sphere. This was done to give the illusion of the ball floating in air. Extending upwards from the table are "quadropod" structures which support the smaller beams which form the actual shell of the steel skeleton. Pipes stand the aluminum skin panels away from the skeleton and provide space for utilities. A small service car is parked at the top of the steel structure and can carry a prone technician down the sides to access repair locations. The shop fabrication of the steel (done in nearby Tampa, Florida) was an early instance of computer aided drafting and materials processing.
Spaceship Earth was sponsored by the Bell System originally, from 1982 until 1984. Bell was broken up into smaller companies in 1984, and its parent company, AT&T became its own independent company. AT&T would sponsor Spaceship Earth from 1984 until 2004.
In October of 1982, the attraction experience began as the ride vehicles moved up into the structure through a lighted tunnel enhanced by a fog machine, and then ascended on a spiraling track up through dark spaces featuring a series of lighted historic vignettes. The attraction featured actor Vic Perrin as the narrator along with a very simple and quiet orchestral composition throughout the attraction.
A list of the scenes is below. The theme of communication through the ages was developed in chronological order in theatrical settings peopled with Audio-Animatronics figures. Actors were seen (and heard quietly) declaiming in a Greek theater. Charioteers carried messages from a Roman court, and Jewish and Islamic scholars discussed texts. With typical Disney whimsy, a monk was seen fallen asleep on a manuscript he was inscribing. Michelangelo, overhead, painted the ceiling of the Sistine chapel, and Gutenberg manned his printing press.
Suggesting the rush of 20th-century technology, subsequent scenes melded together, overlapping each other as the circumference of the ride track narrowed. A newsboy hawked papers, a movie marquee and film clips represented the motion pictures, radio and television were represented. As the vehicles reached the large space at the apex of the ride system, guests saw, on the planetarium ceiling of the sphere, projections of stars, planets, the Milky Way, and, closest and largest, "spaceship earth." The Omnimover vehicles then revolved 180 degrees, so that that the passengers were lying backward facing the "sky" as they began their descent, on a relatively straight track. The attraction ended with guests hearing scientific audio from around the world, and seeing on a series of screens, projected scenes of computer graphics, scientific data, a space shuttle launch, among others. The ride stops intermittently as wheelchairs are loaded or unloaded.
In May of 1986, the attraction was given a slight remodel. This second version of the attraction started off with the lightened tunnel enhanced by twinkling lights, meant to depict stars, with the fog machine removed. Famous news journalist Walter Cronkite was the new narrator, reading from an updated script. A theme song called Tomorrow's Child was composed for the ending of the attraction, which was redesigned with projected images of children on screens to help fit with the theme of "Tomorrow's Child".
In August of 1994, the attraction was given a major remodel. This third version of the attraction kept the lightened tunnel as it was in 1986, and maintaining the majority of the scenes depicted in the beginning and middle of the attraction. Three scenes toward the end of the attraction that showed a computer in a boy's bedroom of the 1980s, a woman's office of the 1980s, and a network operations center of the 1990s, were all removed and replaced with one scene depicting a boy and girl using the internet from America to Asia via instant communication. Actor Jeremy Irons was the new narrator, reading from an updated script. A new orchestral composition was composed for the beginning, middle, and end of the attraction. The ending itself was completely redone, with the removal of the Space Station scene located in the attraction's planetarium, replacement of an old projected image of Earth in the planetarium with a new image, and replacement of the 1982 and 1986 ending scenes of the ride them with miniature architectural settings connected by color-changing fiber optic cables and arrays of blinking lights representing electronic Communication pathways. The attraction re-opened in its third version on November 23, 1994.
On July 9, 2007, the attraction was again closed for another remodel that included a number of updates to the attraction. The attraction opened again with its fourth version in February 2008, with a new score composed by Bruce Broughton and new narration provided by Dame Judi Dench. The attraction's exterior was also modified for the 2007 renovations.
The original post show for Spaceship Earth was called Earth Station. It lasted from 1982 until 1994. It was a wide open exhibit space that included:
- EPCOT Center Guest Relations
- Seven large rear projector screens mounted on the walls of the exhibit space toward the ceiling that displayed visual previews of various EPCOT Center attractions.
- WorldKey Information: Interactive kiosks that offered previews of various EPCOT Center attractions. Guests could also talk to a live cast member via two way closed circuit video, or make a restaurant reservation while in the park.
When AT&T renewed their sponsorship in 1994, they redesigned the exhibit space for Earth Station into the Global Neighborhood. The original Global Neighborhood lasted from 1994 until 1999. In 1999, the exhibit space was updated to become the New Global Neighborhood for the Millennium Celebration. The exhibit space closed in 2004 after AT&T left as sponsor.
AT&T's departure as sponsor in 2004 caused the exhibit to close. Siemens AG, the new sponsor of Spaceship Earth, having signed on in 2005, created a new exhibit space called Project Tomorrow: Inventing the Wonders of the Future. The new exhibit space once again uses the entire exhibit space that only Earth Station had once used. The new exhibit space houses interactive exhibits featuring various Siemens AG technology. These interactive displays and games allow guests to see the future of medicine, transportation and energy management. The space opened with two games, with two new games added in December 2007 and January 2008.
Project Tomorrow current attractions are:
- An illuminated globe featuring an ever-changing collage of inspirational images of tomorrow.
- Body Builder, a 3-D game allowing guests to build a digital human body.
- Super Driver, a driving simulation video game featuring vehicle accident and avoidance systems. It simulates what is supposed to be the future of driving. You drive a "smart-car" (that has a British accent,) and try to stop the city from being destroyed.
- Power City, a large digital "shuffleboard-style" game that has guest racing around the board to power their city.
- InnerVision, a coordination and reaction-time game with elements similar to Simon and Dance Dance Revolution.
A VIP lounge exists on the second floor at the back of the building that houses the post show for Spaceship Earth. It is a place for employees and customers of the current sponsoring company to relax while visiting the park. When Spaceship Earth was without sponsorship from 2004–2005, the room was utilized for private events such as weddings and conventions. The layout is small and curved in shape, with one wall consisting of large windows where visitors can look out onto the park.
When Siemens AG took over as sponsors, the lounge was given the name "Base21".
In celebration of the year 2000, a large 25-story "magic wand" held by a representation of Mickey Mouse's hand was built next to the sphere. Inspiration for it came from the Sorcerer's Apprentice sequence of Fantasia (although, oddly enough, Mickey did not use a magic wand in that sequence). At the top of the structure was a large cut out of the number 2000. While the structure wasn't technically meant to be permanent, it is unclear as to how long the structure was to be used. After the Millennium Celebration ended, the structure was left standing. In 2001, the number 2000 was replaced with the word "Epcot" in a script font which differs from the park's logotype. On the morning of July 5, 2007, it was officially announced by Epcot Vice President Jim MacPhee that Spaceship Earth would be restored to its original appearance and that the "magic wand" structure would be removed in time for the park's 25th anniversary on October 1, 2007.
On Monday, July 9, the attraction itself was closed for refurbishment, and the surrounding area was walled off. As of October 1st, the entire wand structure, the stars, and the star supports have been removed. In addition, palm trees and other plants that originally stood where the wand was prior to 2000 have been added to the landscape of Spaceship Earth.
With the new Siemens AG sponsorship, changes have been made to the ride and post show area. The ride's updates include new scenes, modifications to existing scenes; some new costumes, lighting, and props; a new musical score by Bruce Broughton, new narration by Judi Dench; and a new interactive ending featuring a touch screen. New scenes show a Greek classroom, mainframe computers and the creation of the personal computer.
The "time machine" vehicles now have an interactive screen where riders can choose their vision of the future. This resembles a similar idea on the now-defunct attraction Horizons At the beginning of the ride, a camera takes riders' pictures (using facial recognition technology) which are used at the end of the ride to conduct an interactive experience about the future of technology, featuring the riders' faces on animated characters. Visitors are now also asked where in our Spaceship Earth they live, this is used in the post-show area where a map of the world is displayed with the riders' faces on where they live.
The renovations were scheduled to be completed for a February 2008 reopening, but the attraction opened for "soft launch" previews starting in December 2007. On February 15th, 2008, the ride reopened officially after closing periodically in January for last-minute adjustments.
The ride begins with the Omnimover vehicles ascending into a dark tunnel. A series of twinkling stars surround guests. Soon, guest's pictures are taken on a face-recognition program that is to be featured in the attraction's post-show. Guests then re-enter the starfield. Guests then see prehistoric man fighting for survival, later on Cavemen are depicted, who developed the first spoken languages. Then guests see the Egyptians, who invented a system of hieroglyphs and made papyrus on which to record them; Phoenician merchants, who developed a written alphabet (the Phoenician alphabet); Ancient Greece, where the theater was a popular form of entertainment; and Ancient Rome, whose leaders built a vast system of roads all over Europe.
After the sacking of Rome by invaders, guests see scenes of the Middle Ages, when Jewish and Islamic scholars continued to progress in science, and when monks copied Bibles by hand. The attraction then moves on to the European Renaissance, the development of the movable-type printing press, and the 20th century communications revolution—newspapers, telegraphs, radio, telephones, movies, television, as well as the computer.
The remainder of the ride is involved in seeing a depiction of Earth from space, traveling through an infinite amount of stars and into a realm of glowing triangles where guests can then use the touch-screens in their Omnimover vehicle to create a possible depiction of their future.
The present day 2007/4th Version of Spaceship Earth:
- Starfield
- Face-Recognition Program
- Starfield
- Prehistoric Man
- Cavemen
- Egyptian Temple
- Phoenician Merchants
- Greek Math Teacher
- The Roman Road Network
- Islamic Empire
- Cathedral Abbey
- Gutenberg Press
- Renaissance Italy
- Industrial Revolution
- The Age of Invention
- The Age of Information
- Tunnel of Facts and Figures
- Spaceship Earth Planetarium
- Infinite Stars
- Descent Tunnel featuring Glowing Triangles and touch-screens within the Omnimover vehicles that allow guests to create their future.
Timeline:
October 1, 1982
- Spaceship Earth opens with the opening of EPCOT Center.
- Sponsored by the Bell System.
- The narrator is uncredited but is believed to be Vic Perrin.
May 26, 1986
- Attraction reopens from first major renovation
- AT&T is now the sponsor, having signed on in 1984.
- Narrator changes to Walter Cronkite.
- Finale music changed to Tomorrow's Child.
August 15, 1994
- Closes for second major renovation.
- "Home computer", "Office Computer", "Network Operations Center", and "Space Station" scenes removed.
- New final scenes installed and replace old final scenes.
- Earth Station closes.
- Tomorrow's Child ending removed.
November 23, 1994
- Attraction reopens.
- New ride narration by Jeremy Irons.
- New ride score by Edo Guidotti.
- The Global Neighborhood replaces Earth Station.
September 29, 1999
- The Mickey Mouse arm holding a wand is dedicated with "2000" over Spaceship Earth.
November 24, 1999
- The Global Neighborhood is replaced with The New Global Neighborhood, a new exhibit space serving as a hands-on playground for Spaceship Earth's post show.
May 2001
- The Mickey Mouse arm holding a wand is changed to say "Epcot" over Spaceship Earth.
January 1, 2003
- AT&T sponsorship ends.
April 2004
- The New Global Neighborhood is removed and the area is boarded up. AT&T references removed.
November 2005
- It is announced that Siemens AG will sponsor Spaceship Earth for twelve years.
April 11, 2007
- Major changes coming to Spaceship Earth are announced.
April 25, 2007
- The new exhibit space in Spaceship Earth's post show called Project Tomorrow: Inventing the Wonders of the Future opens.
July 5, 2007
- Epcot Vice President Jim Macphee announces the removal of the wand structure in time for the park's 25th anniversary on October 1st 2007.
July 9, 2007
- Closes for a fourth renovation.
- Removal of the wand structure begins.
August 24, 2007
- Removal of the wand structure completed.
December 2007
- Guest previews of fourth edition begin.
February 15, 2008
- Fourth edition opens to the general public after renovations.
- New narration by Dame Judi Dench.
March 4, 2008
- Spaceship Earth is Rededicated
Universe of Energy
(Photos by Sebastien Barthe)
Conceptual Artworks of "Universe of Energy"
published in
Walt Disney's Epcot Center, creating the world of tomorrow,
Abrams Edition, 1982
(Walt Disney Productions - The Walt Disney Company)
Conceptual Artworks of "Universe of Energy"published in
Walt Disney's Epcot Center, creating the world of tomorrow,
Abrams Edition, 1982
(Walt Disney Productions - The Walt Disney Company)
Universe of Energy attraction used the same traveling theater system that is currently used by Ellen's Energy Adventure. The original films presented similar information but in a more serious fashion. The primeval diorama used essentially the same sets and audio-animatronic dinosaurs as Ellen's Energy Adventure, though the latter attraction added several animatroinc figures to tie it to the new films.
Pre-show Theatre Film (audience standing):
- The original pre-show featured a unique film presentation known as the "Kinetic Mosaic," which was invented by Czech film director Emil Radok (see link below for video). The mosaic screen consisted of 100 rotating prisim-shaped flip screens (reminiscent of those on the classic game show Concentration), arranged in a 25 wide by 4 high array. These flip screens rotated under computer control and were synchronized to a live-action motion picture that was projected onto their surface. Each flip screen featured white projection surfaces on two sides and a matte black surface on the third. The combination of the film and the screens' rotation created undulating, sometimes three-dimensional-appearing images. During the conclusion of the pre-show, the song "Energy (You Make The World Go Round)" was played.
- Theatre I Film (audience seated) - Guests viewed a hand-animated film that depicted the beginnings of life on earth and the formation of fossil fuels.
- Primeval Diorama (audience seated) - At the conclusion of the film, the theatre seating broke up into six multi-passenger vehicles. The vehicles traveled through a primeval diorama, which was populated by numerous audio-animatronic dinosaurs.
- Theatre II Film (audience seated) - The lengthiest portion of the show, this live-action film took guests on an in-depth look at various current and future energy resources.
- Theatre I Finale Film (audience seated) - At the conclusion of the film, the ride vehicles returned to Theatre I where guests saw a computer-animated film of laser-like images that were reflected off of mirrored walls within the theatre. The film was accompanied by an upbeat song entitled, "Universe of Energy."
The current show stars Ellen DeGeneres, Bill Nye 'The Science Guy,' Alex Trebek, and Jamie Lee Curtis. It deals with energy, how energy is produced, the history of energy production, and the search for new energy resources. In particular it focuses on the origins of fossil fuels such as petroleum, coal and natural gas. The entire pavilion building itself is an innovation in energy use, as the entire roof is covered in photovoltaic solar panels that partially power the ride system. Visitors travel in large battery-powered "traveling theatre cars" that forego conventional tracks and instead follow guide-wires embedded in the floor.
- Pre-show Theatre Film (audience standing) - Ellen DeGeneres falls asleep, and finds herself in an energy-themed version of Jeopardy!, playing against an old rival Judy Peterson (portrayed by Jamie Lee Curtis) and Albert Einstein (played by Detroit's Benny Wasserman b.April 2, 1934).
- It was not possible to film using the actual Jeopardy! set, so the crew built a replica, which is why the set seen in the attraction varies slightly from the way viewers would have recognized the 1996 set. One of the most notable differences is the lack of a vane display for the scoreboards - instead, light bulbs similar to those used in eggcrate displays form the seven-segment formation used in vane displays.
- Theatre I Film (audience seated) - Bill Nye takes Ellen back billions of years in time to witness the Big Bang and then into a prehistoric jungle where he explains the formation of fossil fuels.
- Primeval Diorama (audience seated) - At the conclusion of the film, the theatre seating breaks up into six multi-passenger vehicles. The vehicles travel through a primeval diorama, which is populated by numerous audio-animatronic dinosaurs as well as an audio-animatronic Ellen.
- Theatre II Film (audience seated) - The lengthiest portion of the show, Ellen and Bill Nye take an in-depth look at various current and future energy resources. Actor Michael Richards also makes a brief cameo as a caveman.
- Theatre I Finale Film (audience seated) - The ride vehicles return to Theater I where guests see the conclusion of Ellen's Jeopardy! dream.
- During the transition from Theatre II to Theatre I, Johnny Gilbert, the Jeopardy! announcer, in traditional game show style, mentions that some contestants would receive as a consolation prize "...a year's supply of energy. Energy - You Make The World Go Round." This line is actually a tribute to the original attraction, whose pre-show film featured a song titled, "Energy (You Make The World Go Round)."
Pre-show Theatre Film (audience standing):
- The original pre-show featured a unique film presentation known as the "Kinetic Mosaic," which was invented by Czech film director Emil Radok (see link below for video). The mosaic screen consisted of 100 rotating prisim-shaped flip screens (reminiscent of those on the classic game show Concentration), arranged in a 25 wide by 4 high array. These flip screens rotated under computer control and were synchronized to a live-action motion picture that was projected onto their surface. Each flip screen featured white projection surfaces on two sides and a matte black surface on the third. The combination of the film and the screens' rotation created undulating, sometimes three-dimensional-appearing images. During the conclusion of the pre-show, the song "Energy (You Make The World Go Round)" was played.
- Theatre I Film (audience seated) - Guests viewed a hand-animated film that depicted the beginnings of life on earth and the formation of fossil fuels.
- Primeval Diorama (audience seated) - At the conclusion of the film, the theatre seating broke up into six multi-passenger vehicles. The vehicles traveled through a primeval diorama, which was populated by numerous audio-animatronic dinosaurs.
- Theatre II Film (audience seated) - The lengthiest portion of the show, this live-action film took guests on an in-depth look at various current and future energy resources.
- Theatre I Finale Film (audience seated) - At the conclusion of the film, the ride vehicles returned to Theatre I where guests saw a computer-animated film of laser-like images that were reflected off of mirrored walls within the theatre. The film was accompanied by an upbeat song entitled, "Universe of Energy."
The current show stars Ellen DeGeneres, Bill Nye 'The Science Guy,' Alex Trebek, and Jamie Lee Curtis. It deals with energy, how energy is produced, the history of energy production, and the search for new energy resources. In particular it focuses on the origins of fossil fuels such as petroleum, coal and natural gas. The entire pavilion building itself is an innovation in energy use, as the entire roof is covered in photovoltaic solar panels that partially power the ride system. Visitors travel in large battery-powered "traveling theatre cars" that forego conventional tracks and instead follow guide-wires embedded in the floor.
- Pre-show Theatre Film (audience standing) - Ellen DeGeneres falls asleep, and finds herself in an energy-themed version of Jeopardy!, playing against an old rival Judy Peterson (portrayed by Jamie Lee Curtis) and Albert Einstein (played by Detroit's Benny Wasserman b.April 2, 1934).
- It was not possible to film using the actual Jeopardy! set, so the crew built a replica, which is why the set seen in the attraction varies slightly from the way viewers would have recognized the 1996 set. One of the most notable differences is the lack of a vane display for the scoreboards - instead, light bulbs similar to those used in eggcrate displays form the seven-segment formation used in vane displays.
- Theatre I Film (audience seated) - Bill Nye takes Ellen back billions of years in time to witness the Big Bang and then into a prehistoric jungle where he explains the formation of fossil fuels.
- Primeval Diorama (audience seated) - At the conclusion of the film, the theatre seating breaks up into six multi-passenger vehicles. The vehicles travel through a primeval diorama, which is populated by numerous audio-animatronic dinosaurs as well as an audio-animatronic Ellen.
- Theatre II Film (audience seated) - The lengthiest portion of the show, Ellen and Bill Nye take an in-depth look at various current and future energy resources. Actor Michael Richards also makes a brief cameo as a caveman.
- Theatre I Finale Film (audience seated) - The ride vehicles return to Theater I where guests see the conclusion of Ellen's Jeopardy! dream.
- During the transition from Theatre II to Theatre I, Johnny Gilbert, the Jeopardy! announcer, in traditional game show style, mentions that some contestants would receive as a consolation prize "...a year's supply of energy. Energy - You Make The World Go Round." This line is actually a tribute to the original attraction, whose pre-show film featured a song titled, "Energy (You Make The World Go Round)."
Timeline:
- Grand opening: October 1, 1982 (Opened with EPCOT Center)
- Grand re-opening: September 15, 1996
- Designer: WED Enterprises (Universe of Energy) / Walt Disney Imagineering (Ellen's Energy Adventure)
- Show Duration (Ellen's Energy Adventure): 45 minutes (new shows every 17 minutes)
- Preshow length: 8 minutes
- Seating capacity: 1100+, Six 97-passenger vehicles per show, two concurrent shows
- Number of audio-animatronics: 36
- Former Sponsor: Exxon (Universe of Energy) / ExxonMobil (Ellen's Energy Adventure)
- Ride system: Traveling Theatre
- Track: 1/8-inch embedded guide-wire
(Photos by Sebastien Barthe)
Motion simulator thrill ride, it simulates what an astronaut might experience aboard a spacecraft on a mission to Mars, from the higher g-force of blastoff to the speculative hypersleep.
The attraction opened to the public in a "soft opening" mode in June 2003, and celebrated its grand opening on October 9 with a ceremony attended by Disney CEO Michael Eisner, HP CEO Carly Fiorina and NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe, as well as several NASA astronauts from its many phases of human space exploration (Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, the space shuttle program and two crew members aboard the International Space Station).
Initially it was sponsored by Compaq, which began working with Disney Imagineers on the design in April 2000. Hewlett-Packard assumed the sponsorship upon its merger with Compaq in 2002. The simulator hardware used in Mission: SPACE was designed and built by Environmental Tectonics Corporation of Pennsylvania.
Mission: SPACE was built on the former site of Horizons, a dark ride that offered optimistic visions of what life might be like in the future. Horizons closed permanently in 1999 after a few years of sporadic operation; construction began on Mission: SPACE shortly thereafter. Industry estimates put the cost of developing the new attraction at US$100 million.
Mission: SPACE is meant to simulate astronaut training for the first human mission to Mars aboard the fictional X-2 Deep Space Shuttle in 2036, the seventy-fifth anniversary of Yuri Gagarin becoming the first man in space. (The year 2036 can be deduced from plaques in the attraction's queue celebrating 75 years of human spaceflight, including two faux milestones in the future.) Riders are "trainees" at the fictional International Space Training Center (ISTC), where they are arranged into crews of four before watching an introductory video featuring actor Gary Sinise.
Before boarding the simulators, each rider is assigned an on-board role (navigator, pilot, commander or engineer) and given two tasks to perform during the mission (pressing a specific button when told). For example, one of the commander's buttons initiates the rocket's first-stage separation, and the other activates manual flight control. The spacecraft's on-board self-automated pilot will perform each task if the rider does not respond to his or her prompt from Mission Control or if there is no one to perform the task. Also featured are various labeled buttons and switches which the rider may play with but do nothing; they are only there to add to the realism aspect of the ride.
The mission includes liftoff from the ISTC, a slingshot around the moon for a gravity-assisted boost, a brief period of simulated hypersleep (to pass the lengthy time required to reach Mars) and a descent for landing on the Martian surface. As a training exercise, the mission contains several unexpected situations that add to the drama.
The futuristic X-2 vehicle is a three-stage rocket which is said to use several technologies in development today, including aerospike engines, solid hydrogen fuel, an aerobrake and carbon nanotubes.
The attraction queue contains several items and commemorative plaques from past, present and fictional future space missions. Among the items on display are props from the 2000 film Mission to Mars, including the rotating "gravity wheel" from the predecessor X-1 spacecraft, a model of which hangs from the ceiling, and a NASA moon rover from the Apollo program on loan from the Smithsonian Institution.
Upon conclusion of the training exercise, guests are invited to participate in activities at the Advanced Training Lab, a post-show area containing a group game called Mission: SPACE Race in which players perform tasks as Mission Control technicians aiding two X-2 spacecraft racing to return to Earth; a space-themed play area for toddlers; a single-person, arcade-style game in which an astronaut explores Mars on foot; and a kiosk where brief video postcards can be created and sent via e-mail.
The attraction is a multiple-arm centrifuge that achieves the illusion of speed by spinning and tilting sealed capsules during the four-minute "mission." Fans blow air gently at riders to help avoid motion sickness, and a magnified display in front of each rider simulates a window to space with high-resolution computer-generated imagery. Mission: SPACE comprises four separate centrifuges, each with 10 capsules holding four riders.
The attraction exposes riders to forces up to 2.4G, more than twice the force of gravity at the earth's surface (effectively multiplying a rider's weight by 2.4). A few months after the ride's opening, motion sickness bags were added within easy reach of riders.
- Grand Opening: October 9, 2003
- Theme Design: Walt Disney Imagineering
- Design and Manufacturing: Environmental Tectonics Corporation
- Sponsor: Hewlett-Packard
- Show Length: 5:38
- Height Requirement: 44"
- G-Force: 2.4g (sustained)
- Ride System: Interactive centrifuge
- Number of Centrifuges: 4
- Centrifuge theme: Spacecraft cockpit
- Capsules per Centrifuge: 10
- Riders per Capsule: 4
- Capacity: 1,600 riders per hour
- Previous attraction: Horizons
(*The ride originally featured a single rider queue, but that has since been replaced by the green team standby line.)
- The Horizons logo, in homage to the attraction replaced by Mission: SPACE, is on display at the center of the rotating "gravity wheel" in the queue. The Horizons logo can also be found on the front of the cash register counter in the gift shop on your way out of the attraction. Also the planter at the front of the building is in the former shape of Horizons.
- The attraction is capable of a throughput of over 1,600 riders per hour if all forty capsules are running correctly.
- Environmental Tectonics Corporation, the manufacturer of the centrifuges, also provided the pitch and roll simulators for Cyberspace Mountain in DisneyQuest.
- Mr. Johnson, the host of Mission to Mars, an older, now defunct Disney attraction, is referenced in the pre-ride video.
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, then re-opened temporarily while neighboring attractions were renovated. Horizons closed permanently in January 1999 and was demolished in the summer of 2000 to make room for the opening of Mission: SPACE in 2003. MetLife abandoned Wonders of Life in 2001 and that area is closed. 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 Bell System from 1982 to 1984, then AT&T (Bell System's parent company, following the Bell System Divestiture) from 1984 until 2003. It was not sponsored between 2003 and 2005. It is now sponsored by Siemens.
World Showcase contains pavilions representing eleven countries—click on the links below for more information about each. In clockwise order, the pavilions are:
(Photo by Sebastien Barthe)
Conceptual Artwork
published in
Walt Disney's Epcot Center, creating the world of tomorrow,
Abrams Edition, 1982
(Walt Disney Productions - The Walt Disney Company)
The Mexico pavilion resembles a Mesoamerican pyramid. The nightly fireworks show "IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth" is controlled from a small office atop the building. The office's window is barely visible from street level, but can be seen at an angle.
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 lagoon. To the side of the plaza, a boarding area leads to a boat ride, Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros.
The 58,000 square foot Norway pavilion is designed to look like a Norwegian village. The village includes a detailed stave church, and the exterior of its main table-service restaurant, Restaurant Akershus, resembles its namesake in Oslo. The exhibit showcases 4 styles of Norwegian architecture: Setesdal-style, Bergen-style, Oslo-style and Ålesund-style.
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 is a Viking ship, inspired by the famous Oseberg ship, that was formerly used as a children's play area. The courtyard contains the entrance to Restaurant Akershus, featuring a hot and cold buffet and "Princess Storybook Dining."
The Norway pavilion is the most recent nation to be added to World Showcase. It was officially opened in June 1988 by Crown Prince Harald in a ceremony that was broadcast live to Norway. The original idea was to create a Nordic Pavilion that would combine elements from various countries into one exhibit. Three countries were consulted, but it finally ended up with investors from Norway raising the required US$30 million as to create an exclusive national pavilion. Disney contributed the other one-third of the construction cost. In 1992, the investors sold their stake to Disney. Since nearly as many people visit Epcot as live in Norway, the government felt it still was a good promotional tool for their tourism industry. The federal government continued to contribute US$200,000 annually for five years to help fund the exhibit. Renewed in 1997 for a further 5 years, the government stopped payments in 2002, against the recommendations from their American embassy.
(Photos by Sebastien Barthe)
Conceptual Artwork
published in
Walt Disney's Epcot Center, creating the world of tomorrow,
Abrams Edition, 1982
(Walt Disney Productions - The Walt Disney Company)
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, as well as a museum containing several ancient Chinese artifacts. The courtyard is bordered by shops selling Chinese merchandise, and two Chinese restaurants. The pavilion is decorated with ponds, crossed by bridges. Chinese acrobats also perform frequently in the pavilion.
The pavilion is home to two Disney characters, Mulan and Mushu, from the 1998 Disney animated feature "Mulan", which was inspired by a Chinese folk tale. The pavilion served as the backdrop for a music video for one of the film's songs, "Reflection", performed by a then-unknown Christina Aguilera.
(Photos by Sebastien Barthe)
Conceptual Artwork
published in
Walt Disney's Epcot Center, creating the world of tomorrow,
Abrams Edition, 1982
(Walt Disney Productions - The Walt Disney Company)
The original design of the pavilion called for a boat ride along the Rhine river. It was to have focused on German folklore, in a similar manner to the Mexico and Norway rides. According to the Walt Disney Company's 1976 annual report the ride was to be " ... a cruise down Germany's most famous rivers -- the Rhine, the Tauber, the Ruhr and the Isar. Detailed miniatures of famous landmarks will also be seen, including one of the Cologne Cathedral."
Though the building was built, the ride wasn't and is now used as storage space. You can see the main entrance hall, as it's now the dining area for the Biergarten. The ride building is used for storage for floats, a workshop and cast member rehearsal space.
The Germany Pavilion is designed to look like a German town, but with architecture from different eras and regions. The Platz (square) 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.
Characters from the Walt Disney animated feature "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs", which was inspired by the version of the tale attributed to the Brothers Grimm, make appearances in and around the pavilion.
The Italian Pavilion features a plaza surrounded by a collection of buildings evocative of Venetian and Roman architecture, including a functional re-creation of St Mark's Campanile (bell tower) of St. Mark's Square. A replica of the Doge's Palace from Venice also figures prominently. The pavilion's design is inspired by other hallmarks of Italian architecture, such as the Neptune Fountain (reminiscent of Rome's Trevi Fountain), the Il Bel Cristallo shop (meant to resemble the exterior of the Sistine Chapel) and the Lion of St. Mark. Musicians, clowns and acting troupes often appear in the piazza throughout the day. There are also small shops selling Italian goods, such as candy and wine. Characters from Walt Disney's "Pinocchio", which was based on the work of Italian author Carlo Collodi, make daily appearances.
The pavilion is a single largue building designed in the Colonial style. It contains the American Adventure show 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.
The American Adventure takes guests on a trip through America's rich 200-plus year history. It is narrated by figures of Benjamin Franklin and Mark Twain. The show is presented in a theater-like auditorium, with sets and characters rising out from the stage floor to represent scenes from different historical periods. The characters provide insight into American life of the past through conversations in which they discuss the current events of their time. Periods include the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, the Centennial International Exhibition of 1876 (representing American industrialization), and the Great Depression. The presentation culminates with a musical film montage representing famous moments and people in American history from post-World War II to the present.
In 1993, the attraction was updated with all new animatronics and a new version of the theme song. In mid-2007, about 45 seconds of footage was added to the end of the Golden Dreams montage, the first updating of the montage since the 1993 renovation.
The theme song for The American Adventure is "Golden Dream", it was written by Bob Moline in 1980. After the rehab in 1993, the song's vocals were sung by a different man and woman, the chorus after the quotes is longer, and the ending is different.
Across from the pavilion is the America Gardens Theatre, an outdoor amphitheater. The America Gardens Theatre hosts concerts, singers, and bands from around the world. Many entertainment acts from around the world perform on this stage.
The America Gardens Theatre has hosted numerous amount of shows since it was built. Over the years some of the more famous shows include Blast! and Barrage. During the park's two major festivals—the International Flower and Garden Festival in the spring, and the International Food and Wine Festival in the fall—musical groups from the 1960's and 1970's perform as part of each festival's concert series ("Flower Power" in the spring, and "Eat to the Beat" in the fall).
In 1999, a revised version of Michael Flatley's Lord of the Dance performed in the theater over the summer. Even though Flatley himself did not perform in the show, its popularity encouraged Epcot to bring the show back in 2000 for another summer run. Originally designed as an open-air theater, partial cover and backstage dressing and show equipment areas were added during a refurbishment that was completed before the inception of the "Magical World of Barbie" stage show.
Characters from recent Disney films such as Pocahontas, Lilo and Stitch, and Toy Story 2 drop by to greet guests.
During the holiday season, the theater hosts the Candlelight Processional. This show follows in the footsteps of the show first performed in Disneyland in 1958, and which was duplicated at the Magic Kingdom in 1971. The show relocated to the America Gardens Theater in Epcot in 1994. The show includes an orchestra and massed choir that perform traditional holiday songs while a guest celebrity retells the biblical story of Christmas. Some of the celebrities who have taken part in the Processional over the years include John Stamos, Marlee Matlin, Corbin Bleu, Haley Joel Osment and Jim Caviezel. The Candlelight Processional is a major part of Epcot's Holidays Around the World celebration, running from the Friday after Thanksgiving until December 30 each year.
A Japan pavilion is one of the original World Showcase pavilions and had been in planning since the late 1970s. Many attractions have been proposed for the pavilion and one show building was built, but left unused. Meet the World was one planned attraction and was a clone of the attraction Meet the World that was once at Tokyo Disneyland. But because management thought that the Japanese film's oversight of World War II might upset many Veterans, it was dropped. The show was so close to opening, the show building and rotating platform was built but then unused.
For years, the idea of a roller coaster attraction based on Matterhorn Bobsleds from Disneyland but themed to Japan's Mt. Fuji has been mulled over by Imagineers. Space, lack of sponsor, and money has been a deciding factor in many of the reasons. Fuji Film originally wanted to sponsor the ride in the early 1990s. Kodak, a major Epcot sponsor, convinced Disney to decline the sponsorship. At one point, Godzilla or a large lizard attacking guests in their cars was tied to theming.[citation needed] Another attraction proposed was a walk through version of "Circle-Vision", in which guests would board and walk through a Shinkansen (bullet train) and looking through windows (actually film screens) that showcase Japan's changing landscapes before exiting. The train would have shaken and moved like a train going through the countryside.
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 Moroccan Pavilion is designed to look like a Moroccan city, with a realistic Minaret. It features the Restaurant Marrakesh which serves Moroccan fare, such as roast lamb in Tagines, Couscous and Harira soups. It includes the Gallery of Arts and History and the Fes 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.
Some of the major defining structures of the pavilion include two prayer towers, the Chellah and the Koutoubia, which are replicas of the ones in the towns of Rabat and Marrakech, respectively. The Baboujaloud archway into the Bazaar area signals the entrance to the downtown replica of the pavilion called the Medina.
The King of Morocco actually sent Moroccan artisans to design and create the many mosaics. Due to Islamic religious beliefs on the content of art, the mosaics contain no representations of people.
Characters from Disney's Aladdin (film) can be seen throughout the park, such as Princess Jasmine, Aladdin (character), and the Genie (Aladdin).
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.
Belle, Beast, and Gaston from Disney's "Beauty and the Beast", which was partly inspired by the version by French filmmaker Jean Cocteau, make appearances at the France Pavilion. Other characters with French backgrounds, such as those from "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" and "The Aristocats" also appear frequently.
The United Kingdom Pavilion is designed to look like a typical British village, although it could be argued that it is more stereotypical, 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 and ale. There is also a Harry Ramsden's restaurant serving Fish and Chips. There is a sport shop selling British sport equipment, including Chelsea FC and Liverpool F.C. shirts.
Throughout the day, characters from British-based Disney features like Mary Poppins, Alice in Wonderland and Winnie the Pooh appear.
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. This pavilion also includes Le Cellier Steakhouse and the semi-permanent home of the Celtic rock band Off Kilter.
Prior to the construction of the Canadian pavilion, the Walt Disney corporation sought financial support for the attraction from the Canadian government. The company wanted the Federal government to fund the cost of building the attraction, in return the government would have input into the design and layout. The Canadian government was concerned about the stereotype of Canada that Disney wanted (i.e., lumberjacks). Funding was refused, and Disney threatened to pull the exhibit, but ultimately did not.
At one time during the planning stage, the pavilion was to have been divided by a main street of shops and restaurants, with one side representing French Canada and the other English Canada.
At the opening in 1982, the original musical talent for the Canadian pavilion was performed by a trio called the "Caledonian Pipe Band". They consisted of 2 pipers, 1 drummer. The performers were Robert (Bob) Proctor (lead, drummer), Kenneth Mauchin (piper) and Robert Mauchin (piper). These performers were recruited by Ron Rodriguez (talent co-ordinator for Walt Disney World) from the Rosie O' Grady's Pipe Band of Orlando. Because all three had ties to Scotland, they also performed in the UK pavilion) at various times.
In 2007 Disney updated the film "O Canada!" which was filmed in 1979. For several years, the Canadian Tourism Commission has been lobbying to have the movie updated, partly to remove outdated stereotypes of Canadian life. On August 31, 2007, the updated edition opened with a new host, Canadian actor Martin Short, and Canadian Idol winner Eva Avila reprising the film's theme song, "Canada (You're a Lifetime Journey)".
Of the eleven pavilions, 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 by the country it represents is Morocco. The remaining country pavilions are all sponsored by private companies.
Pavilions for Russia, Spain, Venezuela, United Arab Emirates, and Israel never made it past the planning phase. An Equatorial Africa pavilion was planned but was never built. It would have featured a large African presentation film hosted by Alex Haley. 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.
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.
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 coming from Disney's Hollywood Studios can access this gate by walkway or boat.
World Showcase Lagoon is a man-made lake located in the World Showcase pavilion. It has a perimeter of 1.2 miles.
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 1999. 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 nineteen large torches signifying the first 19 centuries of the common era, and the show culminates in the globe opening like a lotus blossom to reveal a twentieth torch, representing the now-completed 20th century.
Timeline:
- October 1, 1978: Card Walker, CEO of Walt Disney Productions, reveals plans for the theme park
- October 1, 1979: Official groundbreaking and start of construction
- October 1, 1982: EPCOT Center opens with Spaceship Earth, Universe of Energy, World of Motion, Imagination (Magic Journeys and ImageWorks only), The Land, CommuniCore, and 9 of 11 current World Showcase countries
- March 5, 1983: Journey Into Imagination ride opens.
- October 1, 1983: Horizons opens
- October 1, 1984: Morocco opens
- January 15, 1986: The Living Seas opens
- February 9, 1986: Magic Journeys closes, to reopen at the Magic Kingdom
- September 12, 1986: Captain EO starring Michael Jackson opens
- July 1, 1988: Norway opens
- July 5, 1988: Maelstrom opens at Norway
- October 19, 1989: Wonders of Life opens
- 1994: Name changes from EPCOT Center to Epcot '94
- January 30, 1994: CommuniCore closes
- July 1, 1994: Innoventions opens
- July 6, 1994: Captain EO closes
- November 21, 1994: Honey, I Shrunk the Audience opens
- 1995: Name changes from Epcot '94 to Epcot '95
- 1996: Name changes from Epcot '95 to Epcot
- January 2, 1996: World of Motion closes
- September 15, 1996: Universe of Energy reopens, now starring Ellen DeGeneres and Bill Nye
- October 10, 1998: Journey Into Imagination closes in its original form
- January 9, 1999: Horizons closes
- March 17, 1999: Test Track opens
- September 29, 1999: The Mickey Mouse arm holding a wand is dedicated with "2000" (later changed to "Epcot") over Spaceship Earth. The wand is removed in 2007
- October 1, 1999: Journey Into Imagination reopens as Journey Into Your Imagination and Millennium Village opens
- January 1, 2001: Millennium Village closes, marking the end of the Millennium Celebration
- June 1, 2002: Journey Into Imagination reopens as Journey Into Imagination With Figment
- May 22, 2003: Reflections of China replaces the former Wonders of China
- August 15, 2003: Mission: Space opens
- January 3, 2004: Food Rocks closes
- May 5, 2005: Soarin' opens at The Land
- October, 2006: The Living Seas is refurbished and becomes The Seas With Nemo And Friends
- January 2, 2007: El Rio Del Tiempo closes in its original form
- April 6, 2007: El Rio Del Tiempo reopens as Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros
- July 9, 2007: Spaceship Earth closes for major renovations
- September 1, 2007: O Canada! re-opens in an updated form, hosted by comedian Martin Short
- October 1, 2007: Epcot celebrates its 25th Anniversary with a rededication ceremony, special fireworks display, a gallery exhibition showcasing EPCOT Center memorabilia, and exclusive presentations by Disney Legend Marty Sklar
- February 15, 2008: Spaceship Earth reopens with new sets, narration, soundtrack, and interactive ending
- Grand opening: October 1, 1982 (Opened with EPCOT Center)
- Grand re-opening: September 15, 1996
- Designer: WED Enterprises (Universe of Energy) / Walt Disney Imagineering (Ellen's Energy Adventure)
- Show Duration (Ellen's Energy Adventure): 45 minutes (new shows every 17 minutes)
- Preshow length: 8 minutes
- Seating capacity: 1100+, Six 97-passenger vehicles per show, two concurrent shows
- Number of audio-animatronics: 36
- Former Sponsor: Exxon (Universe of Energy) / ExxonMobil (Ellen's Energy Adventure)
- Ride system: Traveling Theatre
- Track: 1/8-inch embedded guide-wire
Mission: SPACE
(Photos by Sebastien Barthe)Motion simulator thrill ride, it simulates what an astronaut might experience aboard a spacecraft on a mission to Mars, from the higher g-force of blastoff to the speculative hypersleep.
The attraction opened to the public in a "soft opening" mode in June 2003, and celebrated its grand opening on October 9 with a ceremony attended by Disney CEO Michael Eisner, HP CEO Carly Fiorina and NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe, as well as several NASA astronauts from its many phases of human space exploration (Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, the space shuttle program and two crew members aboard the International Space Station).
Initially it was sponsored by Compaq, which began working with Disney Imagineers on the design in April 2000. Hewlett-Packard assumed the sponsorship upon its merger with Compaq in 2002. The simulator hardware used in Mission: SPACE was designed and built by Environmental Tectonics Corporation of Pennsylvania.
Mission: SPACE was built on the former site of Horizons, a dark ride that offered optimistic visions of what life might be like in the future. Horizons closed permanently in 1999 after a few years of sporadic operation; construction began on Mission: SPACE shortly thereafter. Industry estimates put the cost of developing the new attraction at US$100 million.
Mission: SPACE is meant to simulate astronaut training for the first human mission to Mars aboard the fictional X-2 Deep Space Shuttle in 2036, the seventy-fifth anniversary of Yuri Gagarin becoming the first man in space. (The year 2036 can be deduced from plaques in the attraction's queue celebrating 75 years of human spaceflight, including two faux milestones in the future.) Riders are "trainees" at the fictional International Space Training Center (ISTC), where they are arranged into crews of four before watching an introductory video featuring actor Gary Sinise.
Before boarding the simulators, each rider is assigned an on-board role (navigator, pilot, commander or engineer) and given two tasks to perform during the mission (pressing a specific button when told). For example, one of the commander's buttons initiates the rocket's first-stage separation, and the other activates manual flight control. The spacecraft's on-board self-automated pilot will perform each task if the rider does not respond to his or her prompt from Mission Control or if there is no one to perform the task. Also featured are various labeled buttons and switches which the rider may play with but do nothing; they are only there to add to the realism aspect of the ride.
The mission includes liftoff from the ISTC, a slingshot around the moon for a gravity-assisted boost, a brief period of simulated hypersleep (to pass the lengthy time required to reach Mars) and a descent for landing on the Martian surface. As a training exercise, the mission contains several unexpected situations that add to the drama.
The futuristic X-2 vehicle is a three-stage rocket which is said to use several technologies in development today, including aerospike engines, solid hydrogen fuel, an aerobrake and carbon nanotubes.
The attraction queue contains several items and commemorative plaques from past, present and fictional future space missions. Among the items on display are props from the 2000 film Mission to Mars, including the rotating "gravity wheel" from the predecessor X-1 spacecraft, a model of which hangs from the ceiling, and a NASA moon rover from the Apollo program on loan from the Smithsonian Institution.
Upon conclusion of the training exercise, guests are invited to participate in activities at the Advanced Training Lab, a post-show area containing a group game called Mission: SPACE Race in which players perform tasks as Mission Control technicians aiding two X-2 spacecraft racing to return to Earth; a space-themed play area for toddlers; a single-person, arcade-style game in which an astronaut explores Mars on foot; and a kiosk where brief video postcards can be created and sent via e-mail.
The attraction is a multiple-arm centrifuge that achieves the illusion of speed by spinning and tilting sealed capsules during the four-minute "mission." Fans blow air gently at riders to help avoid motion sickness, and a magnified display in front of each rider simulates a window to space with high-resolution computer-generated imagery. Mission: SPACE comprises four separate centrifuges, each with 10 capsules holding four riders.
The attraction exposes riders to forces up to 2.4G, more than twice the force of gravity at the earth's surface (effectively multiplying a rider's weight by 2.4). A few months after the ride's opening, motion sickness bags were added within easy reach of riders.
- Grand Opening: October 9, 2003
- Theme Design: Walt Disney Imagineering
- Design and Manufacturing: Environmental Tectonics Corporation
- Sponsor: Hewlett-Packard
- Show Length: 5:38
- Height Requirement: 44"
- G-Force: 2.4g (sustained)
- Ride System: Interactive centrifuge
- Number of Centrifuges: 4
- Centrifuge theme: Spacecraft cockpit
- Capsules per Centrifuge: 10
- Riders per Capsule: 4
- Capacity: 1,600 riders per hour
- Previous attraction: Horizons
(*The ride originally featured a single rider queue, but that has since been replaced by the green team standby line.)
- The Horizons logo, in homage to the attraction replaced by Mission: SPACE, is on display at the center of the rotating "gravity wheel" in the queue. The Horizons logo can also be found on the front of the cash register counter in the gift shop on your way out of the attraction. Also the planter at the front of the building is in the former shape of Horizons.
- The attraction is capable of a throughput of over 1,600 riders per hour if all forty capsules are running correctly.
- Environmental Tectonics Corporation, the manufacturer of the centrifuges, also provided the pitch and roll simulators for Cyberspace Mountain in DisneyQuest.
- Mr. Johnson, the host of Mission to Mars, an older, now defunct Disney attraction, is referenced in the pre-ride video.
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, then re-opened temporarily while neighboring attractions were renovated. Horizons closed permanently in January 1999 and was demolished in the summer of 2000 to make room for the opening of Mission: SPACE in 2003. MetLife abandoned Wonders of Life in 2001 and that area is closed. 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 Bell System from 1982 to 1984, then AT&T (Bell System's parent company, following the Bell System Divestiture) from 1984 until 2003. It was not sponsored between 2003 and 2005. It is now sponsored by Siemens.
World Showcase
World Showcase contains pavilions representing eleven countries—click on the links below for more information about each. In clockwise order, the pavilions are:
1. Mexico
(Photo by Sebastien Barthe)
Conceptual Artwork
published in
Walt Disney's Epcot Center, creating the world of tomorrow,
Abrams Edition, 1982
(Walt Disney Productions - The Walt Disney Company)
The Mexico pavilion resembles a Mesoamerican pyramid. The nightly fireworks show "IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth" is controlled from a small office atop the building. The office's window is barely visible from street level, but can be seen at an angle.
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 lagoon. To the side of the plaza, a boarding area leads to a boat ride, Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros.
2. Norway (added in 1988)
(Photo by Sebastien Barthe)
(Photo by Sebastien Barthe)
The 58,000 square foot Norway pavilion is designed to look like a Norwegian village. The village includes a detailed stave church, and the exterior of its main table-service restaurant, Restaurant Akershus, resembles its namesake in Oslo. The exhibit showcases 4 styles of Norwegian architecture: Setesdal-style, Bergen-style, Oslo-style and Ålesund-style.
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 is a Viking ship, inspired by the famous Oseberg ship, that was formerly used as a children's play area. The courtyard contains the entrance to Restaurant Akershus, featuring a hot and cold buffet and "Princess Storybook Dining."
The Norway pavilion is the most recent nation to be added to World Showcase. It was officially opened in June 1988 by Crown Prince Harald in a ceremony that was broadcast live to Norway. The original idea was to create a Nordic Pavilion that would combine elements from various countries into one exhibit. Three countries were consulted, but it finally ended up with investors from Norway raising the required US$30 million as to create an exclusive national pavilion. Disney contributed the other one-third of the construction cost. In 1992, the investors sold their stake to Disney. Since nearly as many people visit Epcot as live in Norway, the government felt it still was a good promotional tool for their tourism industry. The federal government continued to contribute US$200,000 annually for five years to help fund the exhibit. Renewed in 1997 for a further 5 years, the government stopped payments in 2002, against the recommendations from their American embassy.
3. China
(Photos by Sebastien Barthe)
Conceptual Artworkpublished in
Walt Disney's Epcot Center, creating the world of tomorrow,
Abrams Edition, 1982
(Walt Disney Productions - The Walt Disney Company)
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, as well as a museum containing several ancient Chinese artifacts. The courtyard is bordered by shops selling Chinese merchandise, and two Chinese restaurants. The pavilion is decorated with ponds, crossed by bridges. Chinese acrobats also perform frequently in the pavilion.
The pavilion is home to two Disney characters, Mulan and Mushu, from the 1998 Disney animated feature "Mulan", which was inspired by a Chinese folk tale. The pavilion served as the backdrop for a music video for one of the film's songs, "Reflection", performed by a then-unknown Christina Aguilera.
4. Germany
(Photos by Sebastien Barthe)
Conceptual Artworkpublished in
Walt Disney's Epcot Center, creating the world of tomorrow,
Abrams Edition, 1982
(Walt Disney Productions - The Walt Disney Company)
The original design of the pavilion called for a boat ride along the Rhine river. It was to have focused on German folklore, in a similar manner to the Mexico and Norway rides. According to the Walt Disney Company's 1976 annual report the ride was to be " ... a cruise down Germany's most famous rivers -- the Rhine, the Tauber, the Ruhr and the Isar. Detailed miniatures of famous landmarks will also be seen, including one of the Cologne Cathedral."
Though the building was built, the ride wasn't and is now used as storage space. You can see the main entrance hall, as it's now the dining area for the Biergarten. The ride building is used for storage for floats, a workshop and cast member rehearsal space.
The Germany Pavilion is designed to look like a German town, but with architecture from different eras and regions. The Platz (square) 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.
Characters from the Walt Disney animated feature "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs", which was inspired by the version of the tale attributed to the Brothers Grimm, make appearances in and around the pavilion.
5. Italy
(Photos by Sebastien Barthe)
The Italian Pavilion features a plaza surrounded by a collection of buildings evocative of Venetian and Roman architecture, including a functional re-creation of St Mark's Campanile (bell tower) of St. Mark's Square. A replica of the Doge's Palace from Venice also figures prominently. The pavilion's design is inspired by other hallmarks of Italian architecture, such as the Neptune Fountain (reminiscent of Rome's Trevi Fountain), the Il Bel Cristallo shop (meant to resemble the exterior of the Sistine Chapel) and the Lion of St. Mark. Musicians, clowns and acting troupes often appear in the piazza throughout the day. There are also small shops selling Italian goods, such as candy and wine. Characters from Walt Disney's "Pinocchio", which was based on the work of Italian author Carlo Collodi, make daily appearances.
6. The American Adventure
(Photos by Sebastien Barthe)
Conceptual Artwork
published in
Walt Disney's Epcot Center, creating the world of tomorrow,
Abrams Edition, 1982
(Walt Disney Productions - The Walt Disney Company)
Conceptual Artworkpublished in
Walt Disney's Epcot Center, creating the world of tomorrow,
Abrams Edition, 1982
(Walt Disney Productions - The Walt Disney Company)
The pavilion is a single largue building designed in the Colonial style. It contains the American Adventure show 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.
The American Adventure takes guests on a trip through America's rich 200-plus year history. It is narrated by figures of Benjamin Franklin and Mark Twain. The show is presented in a theater-like auditorium, with sets and characters rising out from the stage floor to represent scenes from different historical periods. The characters provide insight into American life of the past through conversations in which they discuss the current events of their time. Periods include the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, the Centennial International Exhibition of 1876 (representing American industrialization), and the Great Depression. The presentation culminates with a musical film montage representing famous moments and people in American history from post-World War II to the present.
In 1993, the attraction was updated with all new animatronics and a new version of the theme song. In mid-2007, about 45 seconds of footage was added to the end of the Golden Dreams montage, the first updating of the montage since the 1993 renovation.
The theme song for The American Adventure is "Golden Dream", it was written by Bob Moline in 1980. After the rehab in 1993, the song's vocals were sung by a different man and woman, the chorus after the quotes is longer, and the ending is different.
Across from the pavilion is the America Gardens Theatre, an outdoor amphitheater. The America Gardens Theatre hosts concerts, singers, and bands from around the world. Many entertainment acts from around the world perform on this stage.
The America Gardens Theatre has hosted numerous amount of shows since it was built. Over the years some of the more famous shows include Blast! and Barrage. During the park's two major festivals—the International Flower and Garden Festival in the spring, and the International Food and Wine Festival in the fall—musical groups from the 1960's and 1970's perform as part of each festival's concert series ("Flower Power" in the spring, and "Eat to the Beat" in the fall).
In 1999, a revised version of Michael Flatley's Lord of the Dance performed in the theater over the summer. Even though Flatley himself did not perform in the show, its popularity encouraged Epcot to bring the show back in 2000 for another summer run. Originally designed as an open-air theater, partial cover and backstage dressing and show equipment areas were added during a refurbishment that was completed before the inception of the "Magical World of Barbie" stage show.
Characters from recent Disney films such as Pocahontas, Lilo and Stitch, and Toy Story 2 drop by to greet guests.
During the holiday season, the theater hosts the Candlelight Processional. This show follows in the footsteps of the show first performed in Disneyland in 1958, and which was duplicated at the Magic Kingdom in 1971. The show relocated to the America Gardens Theater in Epcot in 1994. The show includes an orchestra and massed choir that perform traditional holiday songs while a guest celebrity retells the biblical story of Christmas. Some of the celebrities who have taken part in the Processional over the years include John Stamos, Marlee Matlin, Corbin Bleu, Haley Joel Osment and Jim Caviezel. The Candlelight Processional is a major part of Epcot's Holidays Around the World celebration, running from the Friday after Thanksgiving until December 30 each year.
7. Japan
(Photos by Sebastien Barthe)
Conceptual Artwork
published in
Walt Disney's Epcot Center, creating the world of tomorrow,
Abrams Edition, 1982
(Walt Disney Productions - The Walt Disney Company)
Conceptual Artworkpublished in
Walt Disney's Epcot Center, creating the world of tomorrow,
Abrams Edition, 1982
(Walt Disney Productions - The Walt Disney Company)
For years, the idea of a roller coaster attraction based on Matterhorn Bobsleds from Disneyland but themed to Japan's Mt. Fuji has been mulled over by Imagineers. Space, lack of sponsor, and money has been a deciding factor in many of the reasons. Fuji Film originally wanted to sponsor the ride in the early 1990s. Kodak, a major Epcot sponsor, convinced Disney to decline the sponsorship. At one point, Godzilla or a large lizard attacking guests in their cars was tied to theming.[citation needed] Another attraction proposed was a walk through version of "Circle-Vision", in which guests would board and walk through a Shinkansen (bullet train) and looking through windows (actually film screens) that showcase Japan's changing landscapes before exiting. The train would have shaken and moved like a train going through the countryside.
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.
8. Morocco (added in 1984)
(Photos by Sebastien Barthe)
The Moroccan Pavilion is designed to look like a Moroccan city, with a realistic Minaret. It features the Restaurant Marrakesh which serves Moroccan fare, such as roast lamb in Tagines, Couscous and Harira soups. It includes the Gallery of Arts and History and the Fes 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.
Some of the major defining structures of the pavilion include two prayer towers, the Chellah and the Koutoubia, which are replicas of the ones in the towns of Rabat and Marrakech, respectively. The Baboujaloud archway into the Bazaar area signals the entrance to the downtown replica of the pavilion called the Medina.
The King of Morocco actually sent Moroccan artisans to design and create the many mosaics. Due to Islamic religious beliefs on the content of art, the mosaics contain no representations of people.
Characters from Disney's Aladdin (film) can be seen throughout the park, such as Princess Jasmine, Aladdin (character), and the Genie (Aladdin).
9. France
(Photos by Sebastien Barthe)
Conceptual Artwork
published in
Walt Disney's Epcot Center, creating the world of tomorrow,
Abrams Edition, 1982
(Walt Disney Productions - The Walt Disney Company)
Conceptual Artworkpublished in
Walt Disney's Epcot Center, creating the world of tomorrow,
Abrams Edition, 1982
(Walt Disney Productions - The Walt Disney Company)
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.
Belle, Beast, and Gaston from Disney's "Beauty and the Beast", which was partly inspired by the version by French filmmaker Jean Cocteau, make appearances at the France Pavilion. Other characters with French backgrounds, such as those from "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" and "The Aristocats" also appear frequently.
10. United Kingdom
(Photos by Sebastien Barthe)
Conceptual Artwork
published in
Walt Disney's Epcot Center, creating the world of tomorrow,
Abrams Edition, 1982
(Walt Disney Productions - The Walt Disney Company)
Conceptual Artworkpublished in
Walt Disney's Epcot Center, creating the world of tomorrow,
Abrams Edition, 1982
(Walt Disney Productions - The Walt Disney Company)
The United Kingdom Pavilion is designed to look like a typical British village, although it could be argued that it is more stereotypical, 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 and ale. There is also a Harry Ramsden's restaurant serving Fish and Chips. There is a sport shop selling British sport equipment, including Chelsea FC and Liverpool F.C. shirts.
Throughout the day, characters from British-based Disney features like Mary Poppins, Alice in Wonderland and Winnie the Pooh appear.
11. Canada
(Photo by Sebastien Barthe)
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. This pavilion also includes Le Cellier Steakhouse and the semi-permanent home of the Celtic rock band Off Kilter.
Prior to the construction of the Canadian pavilion, the Walt Disney corporation sought financial support for the attraction from the Canadian government. The company wanted the Federal government to fund the cost of building the attraction, in return the government would have input into the design and layout. The Canadian government was concerned about the stereotype of Canada that Disney wanted (i.e., lumberjacks). Funding was refused, and Disney threatened to pull the exhibit, but ultimately did not.
At one time during the planning stage, the pavilion was to have been divided by a main street of shops and restaurants, with one side representing French Canada and the other English Canada.
At the opening in 1982, the original musical talent for the Canadian pavilion was performed by a trio called the "Caledonian Pipe Band". They consisted of 2 pipers, 1 drummer. The performers were Robert (Bob) Proctor (lead, drummer), Kenneth Mauchin (piper) and Robert Mauchin (piper). These performers were recruited by Ron Rodriguez (talent co-ordinator for Walt Disney World) from the Rosie O' Grady's Pipe Band of Orlando. Because all three had ties to Scotland, they also performed in the UK pavilion) at various times.
In 2007 Disney updated the film "O Canada!" which was filmed in 1979. For several years, the Canadian Tourism Commission has been lobbying to have the movie updated, partly to remove outdated stereotypes of Canadian life. On August 31, 2007, the updated edition opened with a new host, Canadian actor Martin Short, and Canadian Idol winner Eva Avila reprising the film's theme song, "Canada (You're a Lifetime Journey)".
Of the eleven pavilions, 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 by the country it represents is Morocco. The remaining country pavilions are all sponsored by private companies.
Pavilions for Russia, Spain, Venezuela, United Arab Emirates, and Israel never made it past the planning phase. An Equatorial Africa pavilion was planned but was never built. It would have featured a large African presentation film hosted by Alex Haley. 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.
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.
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 coming from Disney's Hollywood Studios can access this gate by walkway or boat.
World Showcase Lagoon
(Photos by Sebastien Barthe)
World Showcase Lagoon is a man-made lake located in the World Showcase pavilion. It has a perimeter of 1.2 miles.
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 1999. 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 nineteen large torches signifying the first 19 centuries of the common era, and the show culminates in the globe opening like a lotus blossom to reveal a twentieth torch, representing the now-completed 20th century.
Timeline:
- October 1, 1978: Card Walker, CEO of Walt Disney Productions, reveals plans for the theme park
- October 1, 1979: Official groundbreaking and start of construction
- October 1, 1982: EPCOT Center opens with Spaceship Earth, Universe of Energy, World of Motion, Imagination (Magic Journeys and ImageWorks only), The Land, CommuniCore, and 9 of 11 current World Showcase countries
- March 5, 1983: Journey Into Imagination ride opens.
- October 1, 1983: Horizons opens
- October 1, 1984: Morocco opens
- January 15, 1986: The Living Seas opens
- February 9, 1986: Magic Journeys closes, to reopen at the Magic Kingdom
- September 12, 1986: Captain EO starring Michael Jackson opens
- July 1, 1988: Norway opens
- July 5, 1988: Maelstrom opens at Norway
- October 19, 1989: Wonders of Life opens
- 1994: Name changes from EPCOT Center to Epcot '94
- January 30, 1994: CommuniCore closes
- July 1, 1994: Innoventions opens
- July 6, 1994: Captain EO closes
- November 21, 1994: Honey, I Shrunk the Audience opens
- 1995: Name changes from Epcot '94 to Epcot '95
- 1996: Name changes from Epcot '95 to Epcot
- January 2, 1996: World of Motion closes
- September 15, 1996: Universe of Energy reopens, now starring Ellen DeGeneres and Bill Nye
- October 10, 1998: Journey Into Imagination closes in its original form
- January 9, 1999: Horizons closes
- March 17, 1999: Test Track opens
- September 29, 1999: The Mickey Mouse arm holding a wand is dedicated with "2000" (later changed to "Epcot") over Spaceship Earth. The wand is removed in 2007
- October 1, 1999: Journey Into Imagination reopens as Journey Into Your Imagination and Millennium Village opens
- January 1, 2001: Millennium Village closes, marking the end of the Millennium Celebration
- June 1, 2002: Journey Into Imagination reopens as Journey Into Imagination With Figment
- May 22, 2003: Reflections of China replaces the former Wonders of China
- August 15, 2003: Mission: Space opens
- January 3, 2004: Food Rocks closes
- May 5, 2005: Soarin' opens at The Land
- October, 2006: The Living Seas is refurbished and becomes The Seas With Nemo And Friends
- January 2, 2007: El Rio Del Tiempo closes in its original form
- April 6, 2007: El Rio Del Tiempo reopens as Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros
- July 9, 2007: Spaceship Earth closes for major renovations
- September 1, 2007: O Canada! re-opens in an updated form, hosted by comedian Martin Short
- October 1, 2007: Epcot celebrates its 25th Anniversary with a rededication ceremony, special fireworks display, a gallery exhibition showcasing EPCOT Center memorabilia, and exclusive presentations by Disney Legend Marty Sklar
- February 15, 2008: Spaceship Earth reopens with new sets, narration, soundtrack, and interactive ending
