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Future
World is open from
9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
World
Showcase is open
11 a.m to 9 p.m.
IllumiNations
Nightly at 9 p.m.
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To all who come to this place of joy, hope and friendship, welcome.
Epcot Center is inspired by Walt Disney's creative genius. Here, human
achievements are celebrated through imagination, the wonders of enterprise,
and concepts of a future that promises new and exciting benefits for
all.
May Epcot Center entertain, inform and inspire. And, above all, may
it instill a new sense of belief and pride in man's ability to shape
a world that offers hope to people everywhere. (Dedication Plaque)
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On October
1, 1979 ground broke for the second Theme Park at Walt Disney World. Three
years and $1.4 billion later, on October 1, 1982, Epcot Center opened
at the Walt Disney World resort. The new Experimental Prototype City of
Tomorrow was connected via monorail to the familiar Magic Kingdom theme
park.
It was
Walt's Dream to have a self-contained city reside here... unfortunately
he passed away before it could be built. The Walt Disney Company created
a theme park which incorporated Walt's love for World's Fairs and the
promise of the future!
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OVERVIEW
Welcome to
Epcot, a theme park design to both entertain and educate. Epcot is twice
the size of the Magic Kingdom, so be prepared to walk. You really
won't be able to see it all in one day, so if that's all the time you
have, plan carefully.
The 9,000
space parking lot rarely fills. Trams take you to the main entrance
of Epcot where you enter the turnstiles and find yourself right in front
of Spaceship Earth.
Epcot is
made up of Future World and World Showcase. Future World
is where you can experience the past and future of technology advancements.
World Showcase highlights the art, architecture and culture of the countries
that surround the World Showcase Lagoon.
Epcot is
open daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily. Most of Future World remains open
until 7 p.m.; World Showcase opens at 11 a.m. and remains open until 9
p.m. IllumiNations is shown nightly, at closing, around the World
Showcase Lagoon. On busy holidays (4th of July, Christmas, Easter) Epcot
may remain open until 10 p.m. or later.
Ever wonder
what EPCOT stands for? The official answer is Experimental Prototype Community
of Tomorrow. Epcot visitors and cast members have other answers: Every
Person Comes Out Tired, Employee Paychecks Come Out Tuesday, and so on.
What's
New?
Epcot's
15th Annual Flower and Garden Festival March 19 - June 1.
Spaceship
Earth has officially reopened.
Teppan
Edo and Tokyo Dining have opened in Japan - Menus
Teppan Edo / Tokyo
Dining
and
Photo Gallery
Epcot
Creating the World of Tomorrow gallery, which celebrates
the past 25 years, is located in Innoventions West in Future World. Photographs,
memorabilia and models highlight the exhibit. Be sure to see it while
you can as it - no set ending date as of now.
National
Treasures Exhibit at the American Heritage Gallery - American Adventure.
Photographs
Here. Exhibit
Dedication Here.
Tutto
Italia has opened temporarily in Italy.
O
Canada! film in the Canada pavilion is updated and the new movie
debuted September 2007.
House
of Innoventions has reopened (Innoventions East) - June 2007
The
American Adventure - the "Golden Dreams" film montage
new updated ending (about 45 seconds) June 2007
What's
Coming?
Nine
Dragons table-service
restaurant will close in early 2008 for renovations that include an exhibition
kitchen that will feature five cooking stations where guests can interact
with chefs from China. Scheduled opening is fall 2008. (Tentative dates
of closure are: January 6 - November 30, 2008)
What's
Going - Going - Gone...
Mobile
Muppet Lab - August
22 September 6, 2007
Original
O Canada film - replaced by new film fall 2007
El
Rio de Tiempo - Mexico - replaced by the Gran Fiesta Tour (April 2007)
A
wide variety of sources were used to obtain the Epcot information found
on AllEarsNet.com including: Fact Sheets obtained from the former Discovery
Center at Epcot, Discussions with Cast Members, various Epcot Center and
Epcot Guidemaps, "Walt Disney Imagineering" by the Imagineers,
"WDW 20 Magical Years" by The Walt Disney Company, and "The
Art and Science of Gardening at WDW" 1984 a WDW Production.
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