I came across this rumor recently (thanks to “The Epcot Explorer’s Encyclopedia” Facebook page) regarding the glass pyramids of Future World. Supposedly, the entire Imagination pavilion will close on Jan. 2nd 2014. The rumor states that Captain EO will close for good, but the store… Read More »Rumor Mill: Imagination Pavilion closing entirely in 2014?
EPCOT Center, the first Disney theme park to break the Magic Kingdom mold, turns thirty on October 1st. While the mission has shifted from the original vision for the future and the name is now just Epcot, it’s still spectacular in many ways. The 1st… Read More »EPCOT Center Celebrates 30th Anniversary With Small Event, Talks
The other day as I strolled around EPCOT, I wondered why is ‘Future World’ stuck in the past. Of all the attractions only Mission: Space could be said to be forward looking. Spaceship Earth tacks a little choose your own adventure video on the end with a look forward, but the bulk of the ride is about the past. The rest of the ‘future attractions’ are really now ‘present day’ attractions. Why hasn’t Disney kept up with some of the latest technologies of the future?
Where are the ec0-friendly buildings, how about podcars (or other rapid transit innovations (Google Self Driving car anyone?)), and a view of what work will be like in the future. Recreate a portion of Masdar City, the first city designed to be energy neutral. Inspire guests with a vision of the future where technology is there to enable us to achieve even more as a planet.
Anyway, enough of that rant. There is change at the center, and I took a few pictures on my stroll. Here are some of the new things I saw in the park:
The cast member greeting position for the Seas with Finding Nemo pavilion has a new shade structure. It looks nice, but unfortunately they didn’t see fit to install a solar power fan for the cast member stationed there.
A close look at the floor reveals this is a future site of Fastpass Plus.
Expressions is my series of videos where I attempt to capture some of the wonder of Walt Disney World via atmospheric footage. This new episode features scenes from the Behind The Seeds tour in The Land Pavilion at EPCOT. Disney researches a variety of techniques… Read More »Expressions – Behind The Seeds
The new Epcot attraction – Disney Phineas and Ferb Agent P’s World Showcase Adventure – won’t open until June, but three big talents behind the hit Disney Channel and Disney XD animated series got a sneak peek yesterday. Dan Povenmire and Jeff “Swampy” March are… Read More »Phineas and Ferb Creators and Voice Talent Tour Epcot for Agent P Game
AT&T Archives has uploaded footage from 1982 of the dedication of Spaceship Earth at EPCOT Center. AT&T President William Ellinghaus gives a speech, there’s some great promotional footage, footage of “futurecom” that I’ve never seen, and Card Walker (Chair of Walt Disney Productions at the… Read More »Spaceship Earth Dedication
The 2012 EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival will begin blooming soon. In just over a month the park will roll out its 19th festival and the third with HGTV as a sponsor. I think it’s been a great partnership and look forward to seeing what the combined forces can bring this year.
One of the highlights promises to be the Sorcerer Mickey topiary that’s part of the largest-ever Disney front-entrance topiary. There will be a stellar cast of HGTV design celebrities and a great line up of artists at the Flower Power concert series.
Here’s a sneak peek of this year’s festival news:
The front-entrance floral spectacle will welcome guests to a festival packed with new gardens and displays, featured speakers and hands-on fun for all ages, including daily gardening workshops with take-home projects for all who participate.
Thirty million blooms, 240 floating mini-gardens on two ponds, 700 container gardens of flowers, herbs, plants and vegetables, dozens of Disney character topiaries, 30 “flower towers” of impatiens and sweeping beds of original floral designs create a new tapestry of brilliant color across the 260-acre Epcot landscape. It takes more than one year and 400 Walt Disney World horticulturists to plan and prepare for the 75-day festival.
Halfway through the festival, Disney gardeners remove the cold-hardy blossoms that thrive in March and early April to plant a new crop of flowers that flourish in spring’s warmer temperatures. And throughout the event, dozens of gardening experts meet guests daily with fresh landscape ideas for 2012. Daily workshops at the Festival Center let guests dig into projects they can take home at the end of the day.
Don’t Miss!
Join us below the fold for some topiary trivia:
There are rare moments in human history when you must pause and marvel at the amazing things humanity can create. For many Disney Fans, the ideals, dreams, and hard facts behind EPCOT Center represents the peak, the pinnacle, dare we say, the zenith of human… Read More »The EPCOT Song