November 20, 2017

World Showcase in a Circle

Brilliant, beautiful EPCOT Center. It's not what it used to be, but even then, it wasn't what it was once intended to be- and here's the proof. I'm talking about the second Disney theme park in Florida, not the Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow that was intended when Walt first began to dream. Just imagine a World Showcase as a theme park all its own, with a similarly separated Future World as another park. Yes, that is exactly what the suits and Imagineers had in mind at the beginning of it all. Just make believe there are dozens of national pavilions represented in each slice of this arc of a building, one of two. That particular concept itself has been copied by other Expos and World Fairs as well.

The design of two parks of two separate parks gave way to what we know today. The opportunities were once endless to make EPCOT a minimum of a two day visit. For now, the place is a shell of what it once was and still only a memory of what was once planned. Who knows what tomorrow will bring? Marvel is coming and so are more attractions themed to animated adventures such as Coco

Will we ever see anything as future focused as Horizons or as culturally educational and entertaining as Wonders of China? Perhaps not soon, but the thing could come full circle once Disney begins to trust its instincts once more instead of just following the dollar. 

I could give you other photos to show this two park idea as well, but then I'd rob you of the fun of discovering the more than 350 posts on this blog alone that show concept art and more about this incredible Disney World. 

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

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