If you’ve been following me for a while, you probably already know that EPCOT is my absolute favorite park.
But I also always say that EPCOT is a park you either love or hate.
You might hate it because it’s hard to categorize—it’s a theme park, but what kind of theme?
You might love it because, if not for Walt’s untimely passing, EPCOT was meant to become the very heart of what was then called “THE FLORIDA PROJECT.”
EPCOT holds incredible potential, and the name Walt created was, and still is, visionary.
- Experimental
- Prototype
- Community
- of
- Tomorrow
Literally, “Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow.”
The original idea was to create a sort of “community of the future” (hence the name), and to inspire the U.S. real estate market with new housing techniques and methodologies.
If you want to dive deeper into EPCOT’s history, I recommend checking out this Wikipedia page.
If you don’t want to miss anything from my guide, download the park map here.
Park Areas
EPCOT is divided into two distinct macro areas:
- Future World
- World Showcase
Future World
Future World is made up of a series of pavilions that explore innovative aspects and applications, including technology and science. It is home to the park’s most iconic landmark, Spaceship Earth, a large geodesic sphere that houses a themed attraction inside.
The most important attractions in Future World are:
- Spaceship Earth
- Mission: SPACE
- Test Track
- The Seas with Nemo and Friends
- Soarin
Each of them will leave you breathless, from the space explorations of Mission: SPACE, to soaring through landscapes on Soarin, to the ocean depths with Nemo, to the high-speed thrills of Test Track.
World Showcase
World Showcase is a vast area reminiscent of a permanent world’s fair, containing 11 themed pavilions, each representing a specific country with scaled-down replicas of famous monuments like the Eiffel Tower in Paris or the Campanile di San Marco in Venice.
The pavilions surround the World Showcase Lagoon, a large artificial lake located at the center of the Showcase. Inside the pavilions, you’ll find souvenir shops selling products from each country, and restaurants offering traditional cuisine.
Some pavilions also host actual attractions, such as Frozen Ever After in the Norway pavilion and the Gran Fiesta Tour with the Three Caballeros in the Mexico pavilion, just to name a few.
The eleven pavilions are:
- United States Pavilion
- Japan Pavilion
- Morocco Pavilion
- France Pavilion
- United Kingdom Pavilion
- Canada Pavilion
- Mexico Pavilion
- Norway Pavilion
- China Pavilion
- Germany Pavilion
- Italy Pavilion
Future Developments
On August 25, 2019, during the D23 Expo, Disney announced major future plans for EPCOT.
One of the most significant changes will be the division of Future World into three separate areas:
World Celebration
Described as the home of “new experiences that connect us to one another and the world around us,” this area will feature a redesigned park entrance, a reimagined Spaceship Earth, and a new plaza area.
Just beyond Spaceship Earth will be Dreamer’s Point, which will include a new statue of Walt Disney and a three-level festival center.
World Nature
The western part of Future World will be renamed World Nature and will focus on “understanding and preserving the beauty, awe, and balance of the natural world.”
The Land and The Seas with Nemo and Friends will be part of this area, along with a new attraction called Journey of Water, inspired by the Disney animated film Moana.
World Discovery
The eastern side of Future World will host the thrill ride highlights such as Test Track, Mission: SPACE, and Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, which will replace the former Universe of Energy.
Mission: SPACE will be expanded to include a new restaurant, Space 220, which will simulate dining aboard a space station located 220 miles above Earth.
The Wonders of Life pavilion, currently closed, will be transformed into Play! — an attraction where guests can interact with Disney characters through various activities.
By the 50th anniversary of Walt Disney World Resort, other new additions announced for EPCOT include:
- A new themed hotel
- A new nighttime spectacular
- A Ratatouille-themed attraction similar to the one in Disneyland Paris, opening summer 2020 in the France pavilion
- A Mary Poppins-inspired attraction coming to the UK pavilion
- A new Beauty and the Beast sing-along show in the France pavilion
- A new 360° film in the China pavilion
- A new 360° film in the Canada pavilion
In Conclusion
EPCOT is innovation
EPCOT is discovery
EPCOT is imagination
If you love even just one of these aspects, you’ll fall in love from the very first step—just like I did over 13 years ago!
If you want to find out which are the best parks in Florida, click here and check out my full description.
