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Epcot

Coordinates:28°22′16″N81°33′00″W/ 28.371°N 81.550°W/28.371; -81.550
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"EPCOT" redirects here. For the original concept upon which the theme park was planned from, seeEPCOT (concept).

EPCOT
Spaceship Earth,the landmark of Epcot
LocationWalt Disney World,Bay Lake, Florida,United States
Coordinates28°22′16″N81°33′00″W/ 28.371°N 81.550°W/28.371; -81.550
StatusOperating
OpenedOctober 1, 1982(41 years ago)(1982-10-01)
OwnerDisney Experiences
(The Walt Disney Company)
Operated byWalt Disney World
Key people:
Kartika Rodriguez (VP)[1]
Javier Rossy (GM, Operations)[2]
Theme
SloganThe magic of possibility
Operating seasonYear-round
Websitedisneyworld.com/epcot
Walt Disney World
Theme parks
Water parks
Other attractions and areas
Resorts
Affiliated services
Transport

Epcot,stylized inall uppercaseasEPCOT,is atheme parkat theWalt Disney Worldresort inBay Lake, Florida.It is owned and operated byThe Walt Disney Companythrough itsDisney Experiencesdivision. The park opened on October 1, 1982, asEPCOT Center,the second of four theme parks built at the resort. Often referred to as a "permanentworld's fair",Epcot is dedicated to the celebration ofhuman achievement,particularly technologicalinnovationand internationalcultureand is known for its iconic landmarkSpaceship Earth,ageodesic sphere.

During early development of the Florida property,Walt Disneywanted to build anexperimental planned communityshowcasing modern innovation, known as "EPCOT", an acronym forExperimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow.After Disney's death in 1966, the company felt his grand vision was impractical. However, it laid the groundwork for EPCOT Center, a theme park that retained the core spirit of Disney's vision. The park was divided into two distinct areas, Future World reprises the idea of showcasing modern innovation througheducational entertainmentattractions insideavant-gardepavilions, while World Showcase highlights the diversity of human cultures from various nations. From the late 2010s to the early 2020s, the park underwent a major overhaul, adding new attractions and Future World was restructured into three areas: World Celebration, World Discovery and World Nature.

The park spans 305 acres (123 hectares), more than twice the size ofMagic Kingdom.In 2023, the park attracted 11.98 million guests, making it the eighth-most visited theme park in the world.[3]

History

[edit]

1960s: Experimental concept

[edit]
Main article:EPCOT (concept)
The remaining portion of the Progress City model, the original concept for the city of EPCOT, seen on display from thePeopleMoverat Magic Kingdom in 2024

The genesis for Epcot was originally conceived as autopiancity of the future byWalt Disneyin the 1960s. The concept was an acronym forExperimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow,often interchanging "city" and "community."[4]In Walt Disney's words in 1966: "EPCOT will take its cue from the new ideas and new technologies that are now emerging from the creative centers of American industry. It will be a community of tomorrow that will never be completed but will always be introducing and testing, and demonstrating new materials and new systems. And EPCOT will always be a showcase to the world of the ingenuity and imagination of American free enterprise."

Walt Disney's original vision, sometimes called Progress City, would have been home to twenty thousand residents and would be a living laboratory showcasing cutting-edge technology andurban planning.It was to have been built in the shape of a circle with an urban city center in the center with community buildings, schools, and recreational complexes. It would be surrounded by rings of residential areas and industrial areas, all connected bymonorailandPeopleMoverlines. Automobile traffic would be kept underground, leaving pedestrians safe above ground. This radial plan concept is strongly influenced by British plannerEbenezer Howardand hisGarden Cities of To-morrow.

Disney went as far as petitioning theFlorida State Legislaturefor the creation of theReedy Creek Improvement District(RCID), with the authority of a governmental body over the Walt Disney World land. The RCID was established in 1967. However, Walt Disney was not able to obtain funding and permission to start work on his Florida property until he agreed to first build theMagic Kingdomtheme park. He died in 1966, nearly five years before Magic Kingdom opened.[5]

1970s: Concept evolves into park

[edit]

After Walt Disney's death, the company decided that it did not want to be in the business of running a city without Walt's guidance.

The original plans for the park showed indecision over the park's purpose. SomeImagineerswanted it to represent the cutting edge ofemerging technologies,while others wanted it to showcase international cultures and customs. At one point, a model of the futuristic park was pushed together against a model of aWorld's Fairinternational theme, and the two were combined. The park was originally named EPCOT Center to reflect the ideals and values of the city. It was constructed for an estimated $800 million to $1.4 billion and took three years to build, at the time the largest construction project on Earth.[6]The park spans 305 acres (123 hectares), more than twice the size ofMagic Kingdom.[7][8]The parking lot serving the park is 141 acres (57 ha) (including bus area) and can accommodate 11,211 vehicles.

The park opened on October 1, 1982, in a ceremony with Disney chairman and CEOCard Walkerand Florida GovernorBob Graham.

1980s: Opening and operation

[edit]

As part of the opening-day ceremony, dancers and band members performed "We've Just Begun to Dream".[9]TheSherman Brotherswrote a song especially for the occasion entitled "The World Showcase March".[10]During the finale, doves and many sets of balloons were released. Performing groups representing countries from all over the world performed in World Showcase. Water was gathered from major rivers across the globe and emptied into the park's Fountain of Nations with ceremonial containers to mark the opening. The theme park opened on October 1, 1982.[11]

On opening day, Future World featured six pavilions:Spaceship Earth,CommuniCore,Journey Into Imagination,The Land,Universe of Energy,andWorld of Motion.World Showcase featured nine pavilions:Mexico Pavilion,China Pavilion,Germany Pavilion,Italy Pavilion,The American Adventure Pavilion,Japan Pavilion,France Pavilion,United Kingdom Pavilion,andCanada Pavilion.During the 1980s, several additional pavilions opened:Horizonsin 1983,Morocco Pavilionin 1984,The Living Seasin 1986,Norway Pavilionin 1988, andWonders of Lifein 1989.

1990s–2000s: Change in vision

[edit]
Spaceship Earth in the evening hours.

Despite its initial success, Epcot was constantly faced with the challenges of evolving with worldwide progress, an issue that caused the park to lose relevance and become outdated in the 1990s.[12]To maintain attendance levels, Disney introduced seasonal events such as theInternational Flower & Garden Festivaland theInternational Food & Wine Festivalin 1994 and 1995, respectively.[13][14]In the mid-1990s, Disney also began to gradually phase out the park'sedutainmentattractions in favor of more modern and thrilling attractions.[15]As a result, many of the attractions within the Future World pavilions, were either overhauled or replaced entirely.The Landpavilion saw its attractions replaced under new sponsorNestlébetween late 1993 and January 1995, and Spaceship Earth was updated with music by Edo Guidotti and narration fromJeremy Ironsin 1994.Universe of Energywas reconfigured asEllen's Energy Adventurein 1996.Journey Into Imaginationclosed in 1998 and was replaced withJourney into YOUR Imaginationthe following year,World of Motionwas replaced withTest Track,andHorizonswas demolished in 1999 and replaced withMission: Spacein 2003.[16][17]In 2000, Walt Disney World held theMillennium Celebrationwith the central focus of the event at Epcot, and a 25-story "magic wand" structure was built next to Spaceship Earth.Millennium Villagewas closed on January 1, 2001, and was turned into the World Showplace festival center, which is frequently used for Epcot festivals.Journey into YOUR Imaginationclosed in 2001 due to strong negative reception and was replaced withJourney into Imagination with Figmentin 2002. The Living Seas was closed in 2005, and rethemed with the introduction of characters fromFinding Nemo,asThe Seas with Nemo & Friends.That same year,Soarin',a flight simulator ride originally developed forDisney's California Adventure,was added toThe Land(replacingFood Rocks) following its massive popularity in California. TheWonders of Lifepavilion closed in 2007, with the pavilion being occasionally used for the park's annual festivals until permanent closure. The Mexico pavilion'sEl Rio del Tiempoattraction closed on January 2, andGran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballerosopened in its space a few months later. After the "magic wand" structure was removed from Spaceship Earth, the attraction's fourth version, narrated byJudi Dench,soft-opened on December 8.Kim Possible World Showcase Adventureopened at EPCOT in 2009.

2010s–present: Transformation and redesign

[edit]
As part of Future World's overhaul from 2019 to 2024, several original structures were reutilized, such as theCommuniCorePavilion being repurposed as Connections Cafe.

Test Track was refurbished into new version presented byChevroletin 2012, and Kim Possible World Showcase Adventure was rethemed to Agent P's World Showcase Adventure the same year. The Norway pavilion'sMaelstromattraction closed in 2014 and replaced two years later byFrozenEver After.Soarin' was also temporarily closed while a new film was added to the attraction. In November 2016, Disney revealed that Epcot would be receiving “a major transformation” that would help transition the park into being “more Disney, timeless, relevant, family-friendly”.[18]In 2017, Mission: SPACE was divided into a new green/Earth mission, and the original orange/Mars mission. In July 2017, Disney formally announced that Epcot would undergo a multi-year, redesign and expansion plan that would introduceGuardians of the GalaxyandRatatouilleattractions to Future World and World Showcase, respectively, as well as maintaining the original vision and spirit for the park.[19]As part of the announcement,Ellen's Energy Adventureclosed the following month, and the pavilion's show building was reused forGuardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind,[20]while the EPCOT 35 Legacy Showcase exhibition opened in the Odyssey Pavilion. That same year, the park reported the first drop in overall attendance ranking among the four Walt Disney World Resort parks, dropping from second to third place, the first in its history.[21]

On August 25, 2019, at the 2019D23 Expo,Disney expanded on the plans for the improvements to Epcot.[22]One of the most significant changes announced was the creation of four distinct "neighborhoods"; the subdivision of Future World into three areas (World Celebration, World Discovery, and World Nature) and World Showcase.[22]Journey of Water—Inspired byMoana,a walkthrough attraction, was also announced.[23]At the same expo, Disney also announced thatPinar Toprakwould be composing a newmusical anthemfor the park. Toprak's EPCOT anthem was eventually used in various nighttime shows, such asHarmoniousandLuminous,as well as featured inambient musicwithin the entrance plaza and throughout World Celebration.

Disney began to stylize the name as "EPCOT" as an homage to both the park's original name and Walt Disney's original concept, although the name is no longer an acronym.[15]On October 1, 2019, it was announced that a new nighttime fireworks show,Epcot Forever,and The EPCOT Experience Center, a preview space for the park's expansion project, would replaceIllumiNations: Reflections of Earthand EPCOT 35 Legacy Showcase. In late 2019, EPCOT installed new directory signage in Seabase Alpha, restoring the former Living Seas logo, as the pavilion was renamed to The Seas Pavilion.[24]ThatAgent P's World Showcase Adventureclosed on February 23, 2020; it was slated to be replaced withDuckTales World Showcase Adventure,which did not open until 2022. The parkwas closedfrom March 16 to July 15, 2020, due to theCOVID-19 pandemic in Florida.[25][26]Modified operations were established, including a pause on concerts and fireworks, in order to promote sufficientphysical distancing.Spaceship Earth: Our Shared Story,the attraction's fifth update, theWondrous Chinafilm, thePLAY!pavilion in World Discovery, and the United Kingdom pavilion's Cherry Tree Lane expansion were indefinitely delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the CommuniCore Hall exhibit space and the CommuniCore Plaza festival stage was built instead of a three-level festival pavilion.

On September 29, 2021, the nighttime fireworks showHarmoniousreplacedEpcot Foreveras part of the resort's 50th anniversary celebration.[27]The show ended its run on March 31, 2023, in preparation forLuminous: The Symphony of Uswhich debuted later that year;Epcot Foreverreturned during the interim period.Remy's Ratatouille Adventure(duplicated fromDisneyland Paris) opened in the France pavilion on October 1 as part of the same celebrations.[28]The EPCOT Experience Center closed in 2022, andGuardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind,part of the Wonders of Xandar Pavilion, opened on May 27.[29]

Journey of Wateropened in World Nature opened on October 16, 2023, and World Celebration Gardens, divided into five sections (Inspiration Gardens, CommuniCore Gardens, Connections Gardens, Creations Gardens, and Dreamers Point) opened on December 5 of that year. CommuniCore Hall and Plaza, named after the former Future World pavilion, opened to the general public on June 10, 2024. Test Track closed for refurbishment on June 17 to make way for the attraction's third iteration.[30]At D23 2024, it was announced that this lounge will take the place of the former Siemens lounge attached to Spaceship Earth and will open in 2025.[31]

Park layout and attractions

[edit]
See also:List of Epcot attractions
TheWalt Disney World Monorail Systempasses through Epcot's World Celebration, providing transport between the park,Magic Kingdom,and theTransportation and Ticket Center.

Epcot is divided into four main themed areas, known as "neighborhoods": World Celebration, World Discovery, World Nature and World Showcase.

The park consists of a variety ofavant-gardepavilionsthat explore innovative aspects and applications including technology and science, with each pavilion featuring self-contained attractions and distinct architecture in its design. Currently, the park features ten major pavilions: Galaxy, Imagination, Journey, Land, Motion, Odyssey, Seas, Space, Spaceship Earth, and World Showcase, which itself has eleven individual nation pavilions.[32]

World Celebration, Discovery, and Nature were originally grouped as one area called Future World, which debuted with six pavilions: Spaceship Earth,CommuniCore,Imagination!, The Land,Universe of Energy,andWorld of Motion.TheHorizonspavilion opened the following year, andThe Living SeasandWonders of Lifepavilions were added in 1986 and 1989, respectively, bringing the lineup to nine. CommuniCore, World of Motion, Horizons, Wonders of Life, Universe of Energy, andInnoventionsclosed in 1994, 1996, 1999, 2007, 2017, and 2019, respectively. TheFountain of Nations,a large circularmusical fountainwhich debuted with the park, was removed in 2019 as well. Each pavilion was initially sponsored by a corporation which helped fund its construction and maintenance in return for the corporation's logos and some marketing elements appearing throughout the pavilion.

Additionally, each pavilion of Future World featured a unique circular logo designed by Norm Inouye (except for the Wonders of Life logo due to its later introduction), which was featured onpark signageand throughout the attractions themselves.[33]The pavilion logos were gradually phased out in the early 2000s, as the pavilions instead were identified by name and recognized by the main attraction(s) housed inside. Several homages remained scattered throughout the park, including merchandising. However, in 2019, the circular pavilion logos were revived as part of Epcot's transformation, with both classic logos reprised and refreshed and newer logos introduced.[34]

World Celebration

[edit]

World Celebrationserves as the park's main entrance and a central hub that honors global human interaction and connection, including communication, imagination, creativity, andthe visual and culinary arts.[35]The neighborhood features four major pavilions—Spaceship Earth, Imagination, Odyssey, and CommuniCore—as well as additional attractions, shops, and restaurants.[32]

Guests enter through the main entrance and walk underneathSpaceship Earth,an eighteen-story-tallgeodesic spherestructure and the anchor pavilion, which also houses an eponymousdark rideattraction that depicts the history ofcommunication.[36]Directly behind Spaceship Earth are the World Celebration Gardens and Dreamers Point, featuring lush interactive gardens, lighting fixtures andWalt the Dreamer,a bronze statue commemoratingWalt Disney.TheImagination!pavilion celebrates the concept ofimaginationand featuresJourney into Imagination with Figment,a dark ride starringFigmentthat exploresthe senses.CommuniCore Hall and Plaza is a multi-use pavilion used for exhibitions, gallery space, a mixology bar, ademonstration kitchen,and music performances, as well as meet-and-greets with Disney characters.[37]The Odyssey Pavilion is an exhibition space during the park's annual festivals.

World Celebration is also home to Creations Shop, the park's maingift shop;Connections Eatery & Cafe, a quick-service restaurant andStarbucksthemed toglobal food history;andClub Cool,anCoca-Cola- themed attraction and shop featuring complimentary samples of Coca-Colasoft drinksfrom around the world.

World Discovery

[edit]

World Discoverycenters on space, science, technology and intergalactic exploration. Lying on the east side of World Celebration, the Discovery neighborhood currently features three major pavilions in clockwise layout: Galaxy, Space, and Motion.[32]

The Galaxy Pavilion, also known as the Wonders of Xandar Pavilion, housesGuardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind,an enclosed spinningroller coasterbased on thesuperhero team of the same name.The building originally opened as theUniverse of EnergyPavilion.

The Space Pavilion housesMission: Spaceis acentrifugalmotion simulatorthrill ride that replicates aspace flightexperience toMarsand alow orbittour over the surface of Earth. Next to it isSpace 220,athemed restaurantsimulating dining aboard a space station located 220 miles above Earth.[22][38]The building is located on the original plot site of theHorizonsPavilion.

The Motion Pavilion housesTest Trackis a high-speedslot car rideinspired by theautomobile testingprocedures thatChevroletuses to evaluate concept cars. The Motion Pavilion was one of the original pavilions of Epcot and has always housed an attraction sponsored byGeneral Motors.

In between the Galaxy and Space pavilions, is one standing butunused pavilionthat once housed theWonders of Lifeattraction.

World Nature

[edit]

World Naturefocuses on understanding and preserving the beauty, awe and balance of the natural world.[22]Located on the west side of World Celebration, the Nature neighborhood features three major pavilions in counterclockwise layout—Seas, Water, and Land—inspired byhuman interaction with the Earth,specificallyocean exploration,hydrology,agriculture,horticulture,ecology,and travel.[32]

Based on ocean exploration and inspired by theFinding Nemoseries,The Seaspavilion features thesixth-largest aquarium in the worldwith marine life exhibits; anOmnimoverattraction inspired byFinding Nemo;andTurtle Talk with Crush,an interactive show hosted byCrushfromFinding Nemo.Connected to the building is theCoral Reef Restaurant,a themed seafood restaurant that provides views into the aquarium. Nearby is theJourney of Waterpavilion, an outdoorwalkthrough water attractiondepicting the Earth'swater cycle,inspired byMoana.[37]Finally,the Landpavilion features three attractions;Soarin' Around the World,an attraction that simulates ahang glidingflight over various regions of the world;Living with the Land,a narrated boat tour throughAudio-Animatronicsscenes, a greenhouse andhydroponicslab; andAwesome Planet,a short documentary film presented in the pavilion's Harvest Theater about the Earth's biomes and the perils ofclimate change.

World Showcase

[edit]

World Showcaseis the park's largest neighborhood, dedicated to representing the culture, history, cuisine, architecture, and traditions of 11 nations from across four continents—North America,Europe,Asia,andAfrica.Each nation pavilion features attractions, shops, restaurants, and landscaping that celebrate or portray authentic settings from each country—several pavilions also contain recreations inspired by existing buildings and landmarks, such as theEiffel Tower,Itsukushima Shrine,Hampton Court Palace,Château Laurier,Gol Stave Church,St Mark's Campanile,and theKutubiyya Mosque.

The nation pavilions surround the World Showcase Lagoon, a man-made lake located in the center of World Showcase with a perimeter of 1.2 miles (1.9 km), which is the site of the park's nighttime fireworks display,Luminous: The Symphony of Us.In counter-clockwise order, the 11 pavilions are:

The American Adventureis the host pavilion of World Showcase, sharing its name with its marquee attraction in Liberty Theatre: a titular stage show detailingAmerican historyand hosted byAudio-Animatronicsversions ofBenjamin FranklinandMark Twain.The pavilion also includes the American Heritage Gallery, where the "Portraits of Courage: A Commander in Chief's Tribute to America's Warriors" exhibit will be hosted starting June 9, 2024. On the shores of the lagoon is the America Gardens Theatre, an outdooramphitheaterthat hosts the park's festival concerts. The France Pavilion hostsImpressions de Francein Palais du Cinéma, an 18-minuteCinerama-style film depicting the culture of France, and along withBeauty and the Beast: Sing-Along.Tucked behind the lagoon-facing portion of the pavilion isRemy's Ratatouille Adventure,a 3D dark ride inspired byPixar’sRatatouille.The Canada and China Pavilions each hostCircle-Vision 360°films—Canada Far and WideandReflections of China—that depict the diverse cultures and countrysides of their respective countries. Two dark boat rides reside within the Norway and Mexico Pavilions—Frozen Ever AfterandGran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros,respectively—inspired byFrozenandThe Three Caballeros.

A secondary park gate is located between the France and United Kingdom pavilions of World Showcase and is known as the International Gateway. The International Gateway is directly accessible to guests arriving from theDisney Skylinerand fromwatercraft transport,and by walkways from the nearbyEpcot Area ResortsandDisney's Hollywood Studios.[39]

Of the 11 pavilions, onlyMoroccoandNorwaywere not present at the park's opening, as they were added in 1984 and 1988 respectively.[40]Each pavilion contains themed architecture, landscapes, streetscapes, attractions, shops and restaurants representing the respective country's culture and cuisine. In an effort to maintain the authenticity of the represented countries, the pavilions are primarily staffed by citizens of the respective countries as part of theCultural Representative ProgramthroughQ1 visaagreements. Some pavilions also contain themedrides, shows, and live entertainmentrepresentative of the respective country. The Morocco pavilion was directly sponsored by the Moroccan government until 2020, when Disney took ownership of the pavilion.[41]The remaining pavilions are primarily sponsored by private companies with affiliations to the represented countries.

Originally, the showcase was to include partnerships with the governments of the different countries. According to Disney's 1975 Annual Report, the Showcase would:

...offer participating countries a permanent installation for such features as themed restaurants and shops, product exhibits, industrial displays, cultural presentations, a trade center, and even special facilities for business meetings.

Major sponsorships for each participating nation will be asked to provide the capital to cover the cost of designing, developing and constructing its attraction and/or ride and all exhibits, as well as the Pavilion itself. It will also have the responsibility for funding the housing for its employees in the International Village. Its land lease will cover the cost of maintaining the attraction for a minimum of ten years.

The Disney organization will be responsible for area development, including the construction of transportation systems and utilities. We will also build and operate the internal people moving system, the Courtyard of Nations and central theater facility.[40]

Proposed pavilions and unused locations

[edit]

There are currently seven undeveloped spots for countries around the World Showcase in between the locations of the current countries. Two sites are located on either side of the United Kingdom, one between France and Morocco, one between Morocco and Japan, one between Italy and Germany, and two between Germany and China.[40]

In 1982, Disney announced three pavilions were "coming soon":Israel,SpainandEquatorial Africa,blending elements of the cultures of countries such asKenyaandZaire.[42]A model of the Equatorial Africa pavilions was also shown on the opening day telecast. However, the pavilions were never built. Instead, a small African themed refreshment shop known as the "Outpost" currently resides in the area between China and Germany, where the Equatorial Africa pavilion was to be located.[40][43]

More than 50 nations, among them,Brazil,Chile,India,Indonesia,Israel,New Zealand,Saudi Arabia,Swedenand five African countries (Eritrea,Ethiopia,Kenya,Namibia,andSouth Africa), took part in theMillennium Village,a project that took place in Epcot duringMillennium Celebrationfrom 1999 to 2001.[44]The Millennium Village was located inside a temporary structure built behind the United Kingdom pavilions that remains in use asWorld ShowPlace.

Alcohol policy

[edit]

Unlike Magic Kingdom, which up until 2012 did not serve alcohol,[45][46]most stores and restaurants at Epcot, especially in the World Showcase, serve and sell a variety of alcoholic beverages including specialty drinks, craft beers, wines, and spirits reflective of the respective countries. The park also hosts theEpcot International Food & Wine Festival,an annual event featuring food and drink samplings from all over the world, along with live entertainment and special exhibits.

Annual events

[edit]
Epcot during the annual Flower and Garden Festival

Epcot hosts a number of special events during the year:

  • TheEpcot International Flower & Garden Festival,inaugurated in 1994, uses specially-themed floral displays throughout the park, includingtopiarysculptures of Disney characters. Each event takes more than a full year to plan and more than 20,000 cast member hours.[47]
  • TheEpcot International Food & Wine Festival,inaugurated in 1995, draws amateur and professional gourmets to sample delicacies from all around the world, including nations that do not have a permanent presence in World Showcase. Celebrity chefs are often on-hand to host the events. In 2008, the festival featured theBocuse d'Or USA,the American semifinal of the biennialBocuse d'Orcooking competition.[48]
  • The Epcot International Festival of the Arts, inaugurated in 2017, is a festival showcasing visual, culinary, and performing arts. The first annual event took place on weekends from January 13 through February 20, 2017.[49][50]
  • The Epcot International Festival of the Holidays (previously known asEpcot Holidays Around the World(1996–2016), inaugurated in 2017, is Epcot's annual holiday celebration. The World Showcase pavilions feature storytellers describing their nation's holiday traditions, and three nightly performances of the "Candlelight Processional" featuring an auditioned mass choir and a celebrity guest narrating the story of Christmas. Kiosks throughout the World Showcase feature holiday dishes.

Attendance

[edit]

The Walt Disney Company generally does not publish attendance figures for its theme parks,[51]so industry groups such as theThemed Entertainment Associationestimate these figures.

Year Attendance
(millions) 		Ref
2011 10.8 [52]
2012 11.0 [53]
2013 11.2 [54]
2014 11.4 [55]
2015 11.7 [56]
2016 11.7 [57]
2017 12.2 [58]
2018 12.4 [59]
2019 12.4 [60]
2020 4.04 [61]
2021 7.75 [61]
2022 10.0 [62]
2023 11.98 [63]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
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Further reading

[edit]
  • Alcorn, Steveand David Green.Building a Better Mouse: The Story of the Electronic Imagineers Who Designed Epcot.Themeperks Press, 2007,ISBN0-9729777-3-2.
  • Mannheim, Steve (2002).Walt Disney and the Quest for Community.Routledge.ISBN0754619745.
[edit]
Preceding station Walt Disney World Monorail Following station
Transportation and Ticket Center
Terminus
 Epcot Line Terminus
Preceded by Host ofFIRST Robotics World Championship
1995–2002 		Succeeded by
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Epcot&oldid=1247649634"