EPCOT

**EPCOT** also known as **EPCOT Centre**, **E.P.C.o.T./E.P.C.T. (The Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow)** or more simply **Epcot** is a theme-park in Walt Disney World.

## History

### Development history

Epcot was originally conceived by Walt Disney under the name of **Progress City** as part of **the Florida Project** which was Walt Disney World. EPCOT was not intended to be a theme-park but rather an experimental municipality which Walt and the Walt Disney Company would preside over with the intention of developing progress. This would have involved pre-planned layouts of the city's neighbourhoods and several corporations being invited with the express purpose of working together to advance technology.

Walt died before this idea came to fruition and the EPCOT project was shelved. According to Roy Disney who was against the concept, the last thing which Walt did with him was explain the EPCOT project from his hospital-bed. By 1982, EPCOT was revived as a new theme-park to be featured in Walt Disney Work working under the gimmick of being Walt's vision.

## Connections

### Atlantis: The Lost Empire

In the UK Pavilion at the base of the Royal Adventurer’s Society is a book with Atlantean writing on its spine and several pieces of artwork from this film.

### Discovery Bay

The characters of the Dreamfinder and Figment were originally conceived for the proposed Disneyland expansion of Discovery Bay where Dreamfinder AKA Professor Marvel would have been a scientist experimenting in Jason Chandler's science colony.

### Dinosaur (Countdown to Extinction)

In *Chester & Hester's Dinosaur Treasures* is a sign which reads, " When in Florida be sure to visit EPCOT ".

### Disney Springs

In the backstory for Disney Springs, Walt Disney chose to build his, "Florida Project" around the town of Disney Springs, Florida due to his parents having spent time their around the time of their marriage. As EPCOT is the only one of the four Walt Disney World theme-parks to be an in-world Floridian location (excluding the Sunshine Tree Terrace of Adventureland and Diggs County in Disney's Animal Kingdom), it is likely that this is inferring EPCOT is near the town of Disney Springs. Additionally, in the marketplace of Disney Springs is a sign of flights connected to the town with one being, "Progress City", an early pseudonym for EPCOT. The kingdom of Arendelle which patrons the Norway Pavilion is also listed on this board in addition to their neighbouring region of the Enchanted Forest.

### Fortress Explorations

In the, "KitCot" at the UK Pavilion is an outpost for the Royal Adventurer’s Society which is shown to be in possession of a book titled, "The Society of Explorers and Adventurers". The defunct attraction World of Motion also featured the historic figures of Leonardo Da Vinci and Christopher Columbus both made appearances as animatronic characters in World of Motion. In addition to being represented in Fortress Explorations, both are identified as honorary members of the Society of Explorers and Adventurers. It should also be noted that the Da Vinci tableau heavily featured his flying-machines with said machines in the S.E.A. mythos having been inspired by Atlantean flying-machines in the Shepherd's Journal and going on to be featured in Cellino Falco's Museum of Fantastic Flight where they would inspire Camellia Falco's own flying machines.

### Jungle Cruise

#### Skipper Canteen

World of Motion is referenced within the *Jungle Navigation Co.* *Ltd. Skipper Canteen*. Here, a map by Mary Oceaneer features the, "*Kimballum Horriblus*" as a legendary creature of the Mediterranean. This creature being the sea-serpent that terrorized Colombus in World of Motion and its name being a tribute to imagineer Ward Kimball who designed much of the attraction. Dreamfinder's voice can also be heard in the mess-hall of this attraction, asking where he can park his Dream-Machine.

### Tomorrowland

#### Carousel of Progress

The original post-show for this attraction when it appeared in Disneyland had a model of Progress City. Mother and Father narrated this segment to explain Walt's vision for EPCOT.

#### PeopleMover

In the *Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover* is a model of Walt's vision for Progress City. The announcer for the attraction details the PeopleMover's history as it is passed.

#### Rocket to the Moon

The Innoventions character of Tom Morrow 2.0 is the successor to Tom Morrow, a character from Rocket to the Moon who has since been reimagined as the fictional mayor of Tomorrowland.

#### Space Mountain

In the defunct attraction Horizons there was a robotic butler. In the Space Mountain at the Magic Kingdom, a more sleek robot butler appears within the cosmic tourism destination *Constellation*: *The City of Stars*. One piece of luggage in the terminal of the star-port also lists, "Mesa Verde" which is a location from Horizons. Jules Verne also appeared in the attraction Horizons where he rode inside of one of the bullet spaceships from *De la Terre à la Lune*.

The defunct attraction Mission: SPACE utilized the, "X-2 Deep Space Shuttle" to take guests from EPCOT to the planet Mars. The X-2 is implied to be related to the X-1 spaceship in Walt Disney World's Space Mountain.

### Trader Sam's Grog Grotto

Trader Sam's Grog Grotto in Disney's Polynesian Village Resort has a life-preserver mounted on the wall with the words, "Vesta v gruppen" on it. This was taken from Maelstrom where it was hung along the wall of a waterside building in the village.

## References

1. ↑ http://www.fromscreentotheme.com/FunFindFridayDinoland2.aspx
2. ↑ http://www.mainstgazette.com/2017/10/gate-change.html
3. ↑ http://www.disneyparkscripts.com/tomorrowland-transit-authority-peoplemover-magic-kingdom-2009-version/
4. ↑ https://disneybystephenie.wordpress.com/2015/04/03/trader-sams-easter-eggs/