| EPCOT Center, which was rebranded as simply | | | | Not wanting to be responsible for a full-fledged city, |
| "Epcot" in 1996, is one of the most iconic creations | | | | the board of directors refused to continue with the |
| ever conceived by Disney engineers and is as | | | | plans for EPCOT (though they did allow Walt Disney's |
| well-known as a part of Walt Disney World as | | | | brother, Roy, to complete the Magic Kingdom.) |
| Cinderella's Castle. It opened to much fanfare in | | | | Several of the ideas which had been created for |
| October of 1982, and remained the largest of | | | | EPCOT were included in the final design of Walt |
| Disney's various theme parks until 1998 when | | | | Disney World, including some of the unique solutions |
| Disney's Animal Kingdom opened nearby. Epcot was | | | | that the park employed for transportation and its |
| designed by Walt Disney himself as one of his | | | | water and electrical supplies. |
| greatest creations, though unfortunately he did not | | | | EPCOT Center Opens |
| live to see its construction or the changes that were | | | | E. Cardon Walker, the CEO of Disney at the time, |
| made to his original plans. | | | | decided in the late 1970's that he wanted to revisit |
| Envisioning EPCOT | | | | the EPCOT theme. The board of directors still did not |
| EPCOT, which is an acronym that stands for, | | | | like the idea, and Walker himself agreed with them |
| "Experimental Prototype Community (or sometimes | | | | that the idea wouldn't work the way that Walt |
| City) Of Tomorrow", was originally conceived by | | | | Disney had originally designed it. A compromise was |
| Walt Disney during the 1960's while he was | | | | eventually reached which would enable some of the |
| developing plans for Walt Disney World in Florida. The | | | | concepts of the original plan to survive without the |
| EPCOT idea existed even before the plans for the | | | | need for a full-fledged city to be built. The new |
| Florida location were set in stone, and was based | | | | design would come to be known as the EPCOT |
| upon the amount of experience that Disney's | | | | Center, and would showcase the innovative ideas |
| "Imagineers" had acquired in building construction and | | | | that Disney had prized before his death in a manner |
| advanced concept designs. Disney imagined EPCOT | | | | similar to the presentations at a World's Fair. |
| to be a thriving community with up to 20,000 | | | | EPCOT Center opened in late 1982, with a short |
| residents, where shopping, schools, civil services, and | | | | speech by Walker paying tribute to both Walt |
| all of the residents' needs would be more or less | | | | Disney's innovative ideal for EPCOT and the wonder |
| self-contained within the community itself. | | | | that Disney had hoped that EPCOT would present to |
| The EPCOT city was to be designed as a radial | | | | the world. Keeping with the radial design of Disney's |
| community, with shopping and commerce being | | | | original plan, the centerpiece of EPCOT Center was a |
| centrally located. Beyond that, the schools and civil | | | | giant sphere known as Spaceship Earth. |
| services that the residents would need would make | | | | Epcot Today |
| up the second ring (and would thus be closer to the | | | | Though the name of Epcot has changed a few times |
| residents themselves.) The outermost ring would be | | | | over the years (first to "Epcot '94", then "Epcot '95", |
| made up of the residential sector, and those living | | | | and finally just "Epcot"), it still stands as a |
| there would have the advantage of being the same | | | | representation of the best that humanity can strive |
| distance from everything that they would need (as | | | | for. The entire park is dedicated to themes of |
| opposed to the sprawl that is encountered in modern | | | | diversity and peace in a futuristic setting, and |
| cities.) Disney envisioned EPCOT as a city that would | | | | contains amazing displays and technological |
| never be completed, as new technology and | | | | innovations which can leave audiences full of wonder. |
| innovation would keep improving the designs and the | | | | The park is divided into several sections, including |
| lives of all who lived there. | | | | Future World and the World Showcase. Future World |
| A Change of Plans | | | | is the location of Spaceship Earth, Mission: SPACE, |
| The board of directors however did not like the idea | | | | and other innovation and exploration themed |
| of Disney opening a city with no central attractions, | | | | attractions. In addition to Future World, the World |
| and though Walt Disney was opposed to the idea of | | | | Showcase features pavilions that represent 11 |
| making a "sequel" theme park to Disneyland he | | | | different countries and the 13-minute fireworks show |
| eventually relented and allowed the construction of | | | | at closing time known as IllumiNations: Reflections of |
| the Magic Kingdom to be planned for the Florida | | | | Earth. Epcot also features international events |
| property. He still expected to make EPCOT a reality, | | | | annually, including food, flower, and holiday |
| though he passed away before the city of his | | | | showcases. |
| dreams could be built. | | | | |