Matt and Scott's Be All, End All, EPCOT Center Thread

[dandaman]

I'm assuming you're suggesting they'll collide while in the station, considering one's entering and one's leaving Epcot?

 

-end Monorail dork observation.

 

I figured you'd be the first to get it.

 

Awesome pictures. LOL at the Canadian guard: He forgot his horse.

[montezooma]

I was loving this thread, and then all the sudden it just went away. Here is an article that I found in an old Disney News. Hopefully it will bring this thread back around. I was learning so much about what Epcot was supposed to be and what it is now.

[mcjaco]

^ Yeah, life has kind of gotten in the way.

 

I find the pavilion list interesting. When was that published? I don't recall WoL being listed as a pavilion until much later in most of the intial brouchures.

[TheRapidsNerd]

Hey Guys,

I have some pictures and tickets from a family trip in 1992 and was wondering if I could contribute to a great thread.

 

Thanks, Michael

[ghost007jas]

Amazing pictures, it's great to see old Disney stuff .

[mcjaco]

Hey Guys,

I have some pictures and tickets from a family trip in 1992 and was wondering if I could contribute to a great thread.

 

Thanks, Michael

 

My next photos probably be chronologically after that, so please do.

[signal]

Epcot hasn't really changed much. I remember when I went in 2005. Looked pretty much the same other than the new attractions/rides

[BeemerBoy]

Epcot hasn't really changed much. I remember when I went in 2005. Looked pretty much the same other than the new attractions/rides

So what you're saying is that everything is pretty much the same except for all the new stuff that wasn't there before? Kinda like when a ride is taken out and replaced by something new....then it's like kinda the same, but different. I think I see what you're saying.

[mcjaco]

^^ I'm not even sure how to respond to that. The changes since EPCOT's opening have been tremendous.

 

You can't make a blanket statement like that from one trip less than three years ago.

[TheRapidsNerd]

Here's a handful of pics from our family trip to Epcot in 1992. Since we did MK on the first trip in the 80's, this second trip centered on Epcot...Center. We stayed in the Contemporary Resort in the wing that was recently demolished, did the character breakfast, and hit up MGM Studios. We also went to Universal Studios, and Seaworld during that trip.

 

What follows is purely Epcot. Can include the Contemporary Resort pics later, but wanted to stick to topic. With that, here are the pics...

 

Also ran across these links with some interesting pics and a video

 

Communicore vid at bottom of page

http://www.omniluxe.net/wyw/cmcr.htm

 

Old Epcot Pics

http://aatvideo.com/lostepcot/worldofmotion.html

I had to try the Jim Suit Training Station. This thing fell into the "Robots are Cool" catagory, depite being a dive suit. Hope you all enjoyed.

As you see, I am not quite dead, Mr. Bond. Jim Jarrat deep sea diving suit. A similar model was used in "For Your Eyes Only" during a fight scene in a sunken ship.

When it was time to feed the fish, they made a show out of it. You could also sign up to dive, but I don't know how that worked. Would love to hear about others who've done this.

The high-tech futuristic themeing was sweet!

The Living Seas. Welcome to Sea Base Alpha.

Anybody else have a sudden urge to listen to Kraftwerk?

"And now Lancelot with engage in a little sword play..."

Over at Communicore was Expo Robotics, where the arms spun tops and balanced them on strings and sword blades.

SSE, fountains, and palm trees. Was so happy to see it all.

A beautiful site despite the clouds. No tarps, monoliths, wands, stars, moons, blue diamonds, 4 leaf clovers, purple horsehoes, or red ballons either.

My ticket to ride. Note that is says MGM Studios and River Country.

Oops! Forgot this shot of World of Motion. Always enjoyed the Bird and Robot show after the ride.

[mcjaco]

 

And for those of you that think the monoliths are a fine addtion to the entrance, this picture shows exactly why you are wrong.

 

Nice, open, and inviting. We used actually hang out in this area, how many people do you see do that now?

[BeemerBoy]

^ I didn't realize those were posted. Excellent stuff there!! I agree, that entry pic is beautiful. I can almost hear "Tomorrow's Child" playing in the background.

 

Kudos also go out for the WOM shot. Seriously, if anyone else has stuff like this, feel free to post 'em!

[TheRapidsNerd]

Thanks you guys! Glad to add to a great topic.

[Erik Johnson]

You guys should check out the brand new Monorail T-shirts that are now for sale.

Classic Style.

Its even your tagline Scott.

[mcjaco]

Those are really sweet. I wish I had bought one of the retro EPCOT shirts when I was there in October. I such a dunce.

[dandaman]

^^My mom actually bought the "Por Favor" one for me last February. It's prettty much my "muscle shirt" as she somehow got the smallest medium-size ever, but whatever.

[stingrock23]

I saw those two and wanted the 2nd one, but I was already buying 2 other retro shirts. Maybe I'll get it when I go back.

[mcjaco]

Yikes, almost two years since I've updated this! I had so much planned and lost track of time. What better way to remedy this, than to post some pictures!

 

First, this is a bit of an oddity, but I've been going through my electronic portfolio of EPCOT goodies, and came across a slew of pictures from pavilions that never came to be or, artwork for pavilions before their finalization. I can't take credit for having many of these myself, as most of them have been saved from years of looking for EPCOT history on the net. One of the best said places is Progress City USA, it's a must for anyone into Disney (mostly Disney World), and it's history.

 

So without further ado, here's some stuff that may amaze....or may not!

And to finish this update, what Mission Space could have been.

Here's the Swiss pavilion with the EPCOT version of the Matterhorn.

And another rendering.

Progress City has a wonder article on how Italy was slighted big time as EPCOT got closer to opening. There was to be a ride through ruins in the back of the pavilion. It was supposed to be added in Phase II, but it never came to be. The entrance is the yellow structure in the back.

Here it is again in a 1991 rendition. This pavilion keeps getting new life every few years in the rumor mill.

And the often talked about Russia Pavilion.

How about the UK with a very cool Victorian Music Hall?

A little Venezuela?

Here's artwork for the never realized "Equatorial Africa" pavilion. It was to be where the current Outpost is.

And Spain. Honestly, seeing this as a kid got me excited. I always thought this was a perfect fit for WS.

Heading back to World Showcase, Coming Soon.....Israel or where an obsessed USC fan comes from.

Speaking of Wonders of Life, here's a model of an early version of it!

Life and Health........or Wonders of Life.

And now the always cool, "Coming Soon" signs of pavilions.....The Living Seas.

An early drawing of Horizons post show area. Something that never came to fruition.

The previously mentioned Science and Invention Pavilion. Obviously, never built.

Part of EPCOT was to host a large transportation hub. I've never been able to find much about this. My best guess is this was for Walt's EPCOT, not the theme park.

BY 1979, EPCOT Center was taking shape. Where Horizons eventually was built is the Science and Invention Pavilion. Horizons, is where The Living Seas currently sits, and was named Century 3.

By 1976, EPCOT was going to have an Arab Pavilion, largely based on Iran. In fact, Iran was highly sought after for a World Showcase Pavilion, until the revolution took place.

In 1975, the vision for Future World was quite a bit different.

We'll start off with Walt's first version of EPCOT. A somewhat utopian society, and not a theme park.

[mwm1444]

That version of the UK (also featuring the canal/narrowboat, which I don't think exists currently) looks a lot more interesting, and slightly more realistic, than the current.

[robbalvey]

I really, really wish the Israel pavilion would have been built! Just imagine having a beer there with Joey every year!

 

[ebl]

The Swiss pavilion with an East Coast Matterhorn ride would have been really cool. I wonder how much different it would have been than the one at Disneyland?

 

Eric

[BudtheWeiser]

that version of mission space would have been superb looks so cool you just know wannabe astronaut kids would have loved that

[thrillrider]

There was also a ride planned for germany as well. Of course it never came to be, but the ride entrance was going to be where the large german mural is now in the entrance to the restaurant. It was supposed to be a trip down the rhine river or something like that.

 

The building for the ride was built. It is now used as a storage area. Not sure how true it is, but I heard the reason that it was never built was because the rides sponsor suspended funds for the project.

[mcjaco]

^ You are correct. Part of the queue, and the ride building are there. The queue was to be in the area where the counterservice restaurant is. The whole building wasn't finished, but what was, is now used for storage, mostly Food & Wine kiosks.

 

Japan also has a large building being used for storage, that was supposedly to house a ride (I have pictures, but can't seem to find them).

[ernierocker]

I remember reading about the Japan ride. It was supposed to be like a simulated train ride I believe.

 

This latest update reminds me that I failed to go into the Wonders Of Life pavilion during Food and Wine this year. I know there isn't anything left but it will be like driving by the old house you grew up in as a kid.