EPCOT®, at Walt Disney World® Resort, is more than 40 years old! (Where did the time go?) We thought it would be fun to share a few behind-the-scene facts about this unique theme park. Now, the next time you visit, you can impress your family and friends with your inside knowledge!
1. Making the Future Bright Takes Time, Space and People
With EPCOT®, Walt Disney Imagineers wanted to create a theme park that embodied Walt Disney’s belief that science and technology would make the future brighter. A whopping 54 million cubic feet of earth was excavated and 19 major revisions took place to capture that vision. By opening day, nearly 3,000 designers, 1,000 consultants and 4,000 construction workers had helped create the park!
2. A Memorable Dedication
On October. 24, 1982, EPCOT® had its grand opening ceremony, which included a dedication address by Disney legend and chairman of the board, E. Cardon Walker. Walt’s wife Lillian Disney (who was also an artist at Disney Studios) participated in the dedication. On that day, two World Showcase pavilions were not yet present: Morocco and Norway.
3. Creating Attractions
Making some of your favorite attractions takes a lot of mousepower. Mission: SPACE at EPCOT® took more than five years and 650 Imagineers to go from concept to reality (that adds up to more than 350,000 collective hours)! Speaking of concepts, did you know that Imagineer Mark Sumner used a popular children’s construction toy to create a model for how Soarin’ Around the World might work?
4. Acres of Discoveries
The 305-acre park is divided into four sections that represent unique aspects of the world and EPCOT®: World Celebration: Connect with a Global Community; World Discovery: Explore the Wonders of Science and Technology; World Nature: Be Amazed by Our Incredible Planet; and World Showcase: Discover Cultures Across 11 Countries.
5. Keeping Food Fresh
Disney horticulturalists grow fresh fruits and vegetables onsite at EPCOT®. Each year, more than 30 tons of these nutritious options are served at the Garden Grill Restaurant and elsewhere at Walt Disney World® Resort! Guests can cruise past greenhouses on the Living with the Land boat ride to learn about the innovative growing techniques and crossbreeding high-yield crops used to help feed our growing planet.
6. A Walk Across the World
World Showcase’s Promenade spans 1.2 miles. The path links the 11 different countries featured in World Showcase and their unique cultural opportunities together.
7. Bringing History to Life
American Adventure, the host nation of World Showcase, features a multi-media theatrical journey through key historical moments utilizing audio-animatronic® figures and a 28-feet-tall by 155-feet-wide projection screen—the largest ever built.
8. Making a Modern Icon
Legendary science fiction author and screenwriter Ray Bradbury helped develop the story for the Spaceship Earth attraction at EPCOT®. This iconic space houses an attraction showing the history of human communication, is 180 feet tall and covered with 11,448 individual custom-fitted alucobond tiles. The network of hidden interior backstage corridors is so complex, maintenance workers sometimes draw pencil lines on the walls to find their way back from where they came.
9. Festivals of Fun
EPCOT® hosts fan-favorite seasonal festivals, throughout the year across a variety of themes.
EPCOT® International Flower & Garden Festival: Topiaries of 26 Disney Characters and 25 unique gardens, which take a year to prepare, are displayed for Guest enjoyment.
EPCOT® International Food & Wine Festival presented by CORKCICLE: The festival dishes up global flavors for Guests, including various wines and champagne options and 1.2 million hors d’oeuvre plates.
EPCOT® International Festival of the Holidays presented by AdventHealth: Each night, a variety of celebrity narrators tell the story of Christmas in the Candle Light Processional, featuring a 50-piece orchestra and a full choir.
EPCOT® International Festival of the Arts presented by AT&T: All arts are celebrated, from the fine and performing arts to culinary art.
Although the festivals vary, one thing is consistent: The miniature Garden Railway train and village is updated to complement the festival. You can find it along The Romantic Road in the Germany pavilion.
10. Ocean Adventure
The Living Seas at EPCOT® debuted in 1986, featuring a 5.7 million gallon aquarium that is home to more than 2,000 sea creatures and 65 different aquatic species. Guests can also check out Turtle Talk with Crush, an interactive live chat that debuted in 2004 featuring the little surfer dude from Disney•Pixar’s hit film, Finding Nemo.
Bring home a keepsake from the state-of-the-art Creations Shop to commemorate your time of discovery at EPCOT® and enjoy Cardmember savings of 10% off select merchandise purchases of $50 or more at select locations.12
