Epcot Archives - Page 6 of 8

June 6, 2020July 4, 2020

From Atom to Zurg: 10 Microscopic Ways Imagineers Have Made Guests SHRINK

Disney Parks are big places. In the shadow of Cinderella Castle, Spaceship Earth, Grizzly Peak, or the Tree of Life, it’s only natural that guests might begin to feel small. But some Imagineering experiences around the globe take that to the extreme!

In fact, it may feel that a day at a Disney Park simply isn’t complete without suddenly becoming the size of a toy, rat, or ant at least once. But just how small can you get? Join us as we progressively shrink down through ten miniaturizing Disney Parks attractions that make guests smaller, and smaller, and smaller. Which of these attractions succeed most at transporting guests to an oversized world? We’ll leave that for you to decide… Just let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

Stories in the Extra Features and Special Features collections of Park Lore are all about connections – they’re the threads that interlace between the Lost Legends, Declassified Disasters, Modern Marvels, and Possibilitylands you’ll find in our Main Collections. In other words, these features are for people who really want to dig deep.

This article and hundreds more are available for Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum Members who help support this ad-free, clickbait-free, quality-over-quantity collection with a monthly membership. Park Lore Members can access more than a hundred Member-exclusive articles, unlock rare concept art and construction photos in every story, stream audio across the site, tune into podcast exclusives, and receive an annual member card and merch in the mail!

If you choose to join Park Lore’s community of Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum Members, you’ll instantly unlock this story (and of course, a lot more). You can learn more about joining and supporting Park Lore (and browse all the available Extras and Special Features) in the “Memberships & Perks” menu above. If you can’t afford a Pass, please contact us; we’ll make some magic happen.

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June 6, 2020February 21, 2023

History in Motion Part I: How EPCOT’s Legendary World of Motion Taught a Generation That “It’s Fun to be Free”

When EPCOT Center opened on October 1, 1982, it was a sincere display of futurism, innovation, corporate power, and industry. Because in hindsight it also has an inordinate amount of closed classics, you’ve heard us examine the park’s ambitious and brave concept in Lost Legends features telling the in-depth stories of Journey into Imagination, Horizons, Maelstrom, Soarin’, and Body Wars – just a small sampling of the stunning features preserved in our Lost Legends collection.

But there is perhaps no Lost Legend more aligned to the park’s grand, educational, World’s Fair roots; more a memorial to Walt Disney’s own fascinations; more in tune with EPCOT Center’s celebration of human innovation than World of Motion.

Often overlooked in Epcot’s history of bulldozed classics, this incredible, epically sized dark ride through the history of transportation was no less impressive or important than Universe of Energy or Spaceship Earth. In fact, its story is of a one-of-a-kind, whimsical, and wondrous Disney dark ride created by famed animators packed with as many creative gags and effects as the Haunted Mansion.

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June 6, 2020May 23, 2023

UNIVERSE OF ENERGY: A Journey to the Past and the Extinction of the Last EPCOT Center Classic

The power’s been cut, and another EPCOT Center classic has seen its last days. Our Lost Legends series was developed for just such occasions, and for years now we’ve been adding unabridged entries to this growing library, chronicling the in-depth histories of forgotten fan favorites.

We’ve toured the streets of London on Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride, narrowly escaped the bite of JAWS, explored how Disney’s cancelled Beastly Kingdom became Universal Orlando’s Lost Continent, gotten a taste of EPCOT Center’s “dinner” show Kitchen Kabaret, dissected the history of Disneyland Paris’ one-of-a-kind Space Mountain: De la Terre à la Lune, and so many more.

Today, we sadly induct another classic into our Lost Legends series: perhaps the most epically-sized dark ride Disney ever designed: Universe of Energy. Oversized, educational, and an astounding 45-minutes, this gargantuan journey into the past was a star of Future World and an icon of EPCOT Center’s early years. Today, we’ll dive into the history of the concept and watch its evolution over three and a half decades, then take a cautious look at what’s to come when Epcot changes forever… Ready?

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June 4, 2020February 21, 2023

History in Motion Part II: How the Original TEST TRACK Changed Epcot Forever

From the idling speed of prehistoric times to the white-knuckle thrills of tomorrow, Epcot’s transportation pavilion has always celebrated humanity’s desire to move farther, faster. And today, we accelerate from 0 – 65 as we explore the second life of the transportation pavilion as it became home to fastest ride Walt Disney World has ever hosted.

Technologically groundbreaking, cutting-edge, and game-changing, in 1999 Epcot welcomed a new ride that would change the park forever. Kicking off a new philosophy of industrious thrills, TEST TRACK signaled a change in the wind; a falling domino that – for better or worse – redefined Epcot for a new generation and a New Millennium.

But the story behind this adored ride isn’t a drive in the park. Plagued by frazzled technologies that lead to years of disastrous delays, the true story of Test Track’s opening is a testament to Disney’s perseverance. And the story of its closure is one of forward-thinking sponsorship and adaptability. The ride you see today is so different from the 1999 original, we consider it a new installation altogether. Today, we’ll dissect the development of Test Track (which traces its roots to the 1970s) and see what riders experienced on this lost 1999 thrill ride. Then, we’ll explore what replaced it and why.

And before we head off, remember that you can unlock rare concept art and audio streams in this story, access over 100 Extra Features, and recieve an annual Membership card and postcard art set in the mail by supporting this clickbait-free, in-depth, ad-free theme park storytelling site for as little as $2 / month! Become a Park Lore Member to join the story! Until then, let’s start at the beginning…

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June 3, 2020July 5, 2020

Artificial Worlds: The Rise and Reign of Screens and Simulators at Theme Parks

Back in the first half of the 20th century, the business of entertainment was quite a bit different. Back then, mere “amusement” was enough to draw people to leisure gardens, carnivals and traveling fairs, seaside boardwalks speckled with thrill rides, and rudimentary roller coaster parks. But when Disneyland opened in 1955, entertainment changed.

After being swept up into its “worlds of yesterday, tomorrow, and fantasy” – immersive, cinematic lands built not by carnies, but by filmmakers – guests began to have one simple, timeless, reverberating request: “take me somewhere.” And in the decades since, designers have chased that very idea, looking for increasingly elaborate ways to make guests feel as if they’ve become part of another world, from Peter Pan’s Flight to Pirates of the Caribbean; Haunted Mansion to Indiana Jones Adventure…

But there’s only one kind of attraction that can take guests somewhere without really going anywhere at all: simulators. Today, a growing chorus of critics say that Disney and its contemporaries may rely too much on the transportational power of these increasingly-elaborate attractions, and in an age where guests are increasingly surrounded in screens at home, legitimate questions must be raised: is it time to sideline the simulator? Can physical sets ever make a comeback in the digital age? Or has the reign of these technological giants just begun? Let’s start at the almost-beginning…

This article and hundreds more are available for Gold and Platinum Members who help support this ad-free, clickbait-free, quality-over-quantity collection with a monthly membership. Park Lore Members can access more than a hundred Member-exclusive articles, unlock rare concept art and construction photos in every story, stream audio across the site, tune into podcast exclusives, and receive an annual member card and merch in the mail!

If you choose to join Park Lore’s community of Gold and Platinum Members, you’ll instantly unlock this story (and of course, a lot more). You can learn more about joining and supporting Park Lore (and browse all the available Extras and Special Features) in the “Memberships & Perks” menu above. If you can’t afford a Pass, please contact us; we’ll make some magic happen.

Log In or Join Now

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June 1, 2020February 10, 2022

SOARIN’ – How One Modern Marvel Launched California Adventure & Flew Around the World

In the more-than sixty-year history of Disney Parks, the creative visionaries of Walt Disney Imagineering have developed an attraction catalogue filled with brilliant, masterpiece rides that showcase innovative technologies, stunning visuals, moving musical scores, and thoughtful narratives. Sometimes, even the most wondrous attractions are taken before their time.

And today’s entry into our Lost Legends series is all about one of Disney’s most spectacular modern feats of Imagineering – a staggering blend of innovative technologies, incredible sights, and an indescribable score.

When Disney’s California Adventure opened in 2001, it was an outright failure in the eyes of Disney’s management. The underfunded park tried to be “hip” and “edgy.” Say what you will about the original park; it had at least one thing going for it: a surprising headliner that made many reevaluate what an E-Ticket could look like. Gone but not forgotten, today we remember Soarin’ Over California. How was this soaring simulator developed? What was it like? Why is it gone? Today, we’ll explore it all in our in-depth look back.

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May 31, 2020July 30, 2021

Lost Lands: 12 Areas Axed from Disney and Universal Parks (and What Replaced Them)

Year after year, it seems that more and more classic attractions and beloved fan-favorite rides enter our Lost Legends collection, replaced by hotter, fresher, and newer stories. In fact, fans have gotten used to saying goodbye to rides.

But throughout the history of Disney and Universal’s theme parks, there have also been rare times when entire themed lands disappear off the map – literally. Today, we’re collecting a list of twelve lost lands you may remember. In fact, you may have even stepped foot in these axed areas! Some of these replacements may be obvious improvements… Others may make you wish for a time machine to experience the classics of yesteryear one more time.

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May 29, 2020February 21, 2023

MAELSTROM: The Stormy Story of Epcot’s Lost Norwegian Adventure

A maelstrom can be defined as either a large, powerful, or violent whirlpool, or a restless, disordered, or tumultuous state of affairs.

It’s hard to say which is the most appropriate definition in recounting the tale of Epcot’s Maelstrom, the lost high seas adventure ride once at home in the park’s World Showcase. From its opening along with the park’s new Norway pavilion in 1988, Maelstrom was a rare addition to EPCOT Center: a thrill ride. Trolls, oil rigs, waterfalls, villages, polar bears… There’s no denying: Maelstrom was an oddity and a treasured remnant of Epcot’s earliest days.

And of course, it didn’t last.

*Image: Mark & Paul Luukkonen,* Flickr (license)

As time marches on, beloved lost rides like Maelstrom disappear into Valhalla. And so, here we are once more: as new generations of Disney Parks fans appear, there will come a time (and sooner than you think) when Maelstrom is but a hazy memory. Young fans will have barely heard of it, and certainly won’t understand what the “big deal” was. So let’s remind them. That’s why you’ll see links to our fabled, in-depth Lost Legends entries across the site…

But in today’s entry to our Legend Library, we’ll dive headfirst into the swirling waters of EPCOT’s lost Norwegian adventure to recount its history, record the experience, and look ahead to the future. As always, we’re counting on you to add your memories and impressions to preserve Maelstrom for a new generation.

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May 28, 2020December 12, 2020

These 10 Classic Disney Rides Have Amazing “Spiritual Sequels” You Might Not Think About…

The Dark Crystal and Labyrinth.

Heathers and Mean Girls.

The Nightmare Before Christmas and Corpse Bride.

Jumanji and Zathura.

The Blair Witch Project and Paranormal Activity.

The Shawshank Redemption and The Green Mile.

The Twilight Zone and Black Mirror.

Mary Poppins and Bedknobs and Broomsticks.

How are the two films in each of these pairings connected? Well… they’re not… at least, not on paper.

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May 27, 2020August 7, 2021

ICONS: The 12 Centerpiece Structures of Disney and Universal Parks

They’re iconic for a reason. They inspire breathless wonder. They’re orienting navigational centers. They’re feats of engineering. Though they come in all shapes and sizes, park icons all have one thing in common: they come to represent a park’s stories, settings, and style in our hearts and minds. The road to icon status isn’t always easy, as you might have read in our complementary list of Demoted and Demolished Lost Disney Parks icons.

Below, we’ve collected eleven of the most memorable, photogenic, and widely recognized theme park icons on Earth (in order of their introduction). Which have you seen? Which strike the greatest emotional and adventurous chord in you? Tell us in the comments.

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