What Is an Epcot?

As the 30^th anniversary of Epcot approaches, I find myself feeling a certain sense of nostalgia for what was once called EPCOT Center.  If you watch the Epcot opening special with Danny Kaye, you are treated to an explanation of what EPCOT Center is.  He tells us that EPCOT Center is the center of EPCOT, which is made up of the 27000 acres that is WDW.  He goes on to say that all of WDW is considered EPCOT.  Now if you think about this claim, you can see his point to some extent, but does this definition of EPCOT truly fit the Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow?  Well, if you refer back to the Florida Project video where Walt explains his plans for the Florida Park, I would say, “no.”  I don’t think that Walt meant theme park when he described his version of EPCOT.

            With all of this in mind, we can move past what Walt intended and remember what Epcot the theme park started out as and what it has become.  Epcot began as the home of edutainment, a term that means learning while being entertained.  It is as if you are learning, but you are having so much fun that the learning is not painful or boring.  This edutainment was achieved through attractions like the Land, World of Motion, Communicore, Spaceship Earth, Horizons, the Living Seas, and Journey Into Imagination, just to name a few.  These experiences represent the Epcot of my childhood.  There was no Nemo, no characters, no Dame Judi Dench, no Mission Space, and although these experiences are enjoyable, they just lack that certain intangible quality that was so palpable in the EPCOT Center of the mid 1980s.  Epcot as I remember it was a place filled with a hope for a future that could be brimming with endless possibility.

            Although I do have some fond memories of EPCOT Center, this particular park was never my favorite part of a trip to WDW.  I was always (and still am) a huge fan of the Magic Kingdom, but there are aspects of Epcot that I do enjoy.  For example, I was always thrilled to visit the Kitchen Kabaret as well as Horizons and Spaceship Earth.  I remember waiting for Kitchen Kabaret to start in that waiting area inside the Land, eagerly awaiting the catchy tunes that were a part of this memorable show.  In addition, I always liked choosing the ending of our Horizons ride before my brother could press the button.  The ominimax movies always scared me just a little.  Finally, the Sistine Chapel section of Spaceship Earth was also amazing to me.  Anything with audio animatronics fascinated me.  They just looked so real to my young eyes.  I wanted to believe that the future could be full of infinite possibility; we could go anywhere and do anything. 

            As the 30^th anniversary comes this year, I can only long for the EPCOT Center in my memories of the past and hope for the bright future of this park that started out as Walt’s greatest dream for a highly functioning city of the future.  Even though I won’t be at WDW for Epcot 30, I will be celebrating in spirit.  If you are lucky enough to visit the park on October 1^st, take a minute and remember that Danny Kaye opening special and ask yourself, “What is an Epcot?”.  Until next time, have a magical day, and keep moving forward!

My brother and I are enjoying Dreamfinder and Figment.

The Things We Carry

So, it’s time for your Disney World vacation; what do you absolutely need to bring with you?  Well, when it comes to packing for any trip, I could do with an undetectable extension charm for my luggage. When it is time to tour the parks, my inability to pack light does not disappear.  On every trip, I always carry a backpack, my camera (a hefty DSLR with extra zoom lens), my small purse, and my pin strap.  That is a lot of gear, and I have tried many times to de-bulk, but it is impossible for me to do so.  I like to be prepared for whatever may befall my while I am exploring the World. 

In my backpack, I always bring some sort of rain gear, various medicines, trading pins, a hat, Band-Aids and blister pads, extra socks, Ziploc bags, and a carbineer.  This is the minimum that I can carry.  The heaviest item that I bring has to be my camera.  It is a DSLR, and I usually bring my zoom lens too.  Sometimes, I also bring my point and shoot camera.  Basically, I need a wagon to tote around all of the gear that I bring with me.  My husband always asks me why I need so much stuff, and my answer remains that I like to be prepared for whatever may befall us.  Now, Disney Parks are not some undiscovered wilderness, but I know that if I have to buy what I need, I will be spending some serious money.  For example, on one trip, I needed some Tylenol for a headache, and I had to spend $4.00 for two Tylenol pills.  That is pretty expensive, so I always make sure that I have my own. 

Is carrying all of this stuff annoying?  Yes, there are many times that I feel like chucking my backpack into the Seven Seas Lagoon and bidding it a fond farewell.  However, my desire to be prepared outweighs this momentary weakness.  With all of this in mind, what do you really need to bring with you into the park to have a smooth day of touring?  Well, this answer will widely vary with regard to the people in your traveling party.  If you have small children, your needs will be far greater than they would with a group of teens and adults.  Overall, there are some things that you should not be without.  For example, you should bring your own water from home.  Water in Disney Parks is very expensive, and it is easy to bring water from home.  You should definitely wear a hat and sunscreen to protect yourself from the harsh Florida sun.  You should also bring some sort of wallet, plastic bag, or carrying case for your park passes and Fastpasses.  You do not want these items to get wet in the frequent Florida rain showers.  Finally, you should have some sort of rain gear.  You could purchase a poncho from Disney or bring your own.  We opt to bring our own because we have serious rain gear that we purchased from a sporting goods store.

The bottom line is that there is no correct amount of stuff to carry.  It all depends on the needs of the group with whom you are traveling.  Here’s to happy travels and the invention of a backpack that can carry a ton but weigh just an ounce, or maybe I’ll use that undetectable extension charm if only I could get my wand to work.  Until next time, have a magical day, and keep moving forward!

Are you a Disneyphile?

Are you the go-to person for Disney vacation questions?  Are you the resident expert on all things related to the Mouse?  Do you own several bags, articles of clothing, pens, pencils, etc. that have at least one mention of something Disney? If your answer to all of these questions is a resounding, “YES,” then you have a problem.  You are a Disney addict or more politely put, a Disneyphile. 

By definition, a Disneyphile is someone who has an extreme love of many aspects of the Disney Corporation.  Some Disneyphiles love the parks and resorts; some care more about movies or the Disney Channel.  Some have children and care about children’s programming and characters; some are adults who like to vent on Twitter about the way the parks used to be and how that is better than the way they are now.  Whatever type of Disneyphile you are, one common thread unites us all; you are addicted to Disney in some way.  You don’t have to be in love with the Disney Corporation as a whole, but you do have an affinity for something that Disney has created.  Because of the existence of a huge number of Disneyphiles in the world, the Internet has become a place for these fans to gather and discuss all things Disney.  I have learned so much from various websites and conversations online; I am far more knowledgeable now that I have started to interact with the online Disney community.

This online Disney community is so varied that any aspect of a Disney obsession can be explored. For me, I enjoy visiting sites that are devoted to the history of the Disney Parks and Resorts.   I love to visit a site called Yesterland.  This site discusses all of the rides and attractions that existed in the Disneyland of the past.  Werner Weiss, who runs the site, does an excellent job of describing and showing pictures of extinct rides when they were still in their prime.  If you are an East Coast fan, Walt Dated World (maintained by Mouseketeer Alison) is another site that discusses Walt Disney World’s history and rides that no longer exist in the parks.  Both of these sites will keep me occupied for hours because I enjoy learning about the past, especially the past of Disney Parks.  If you like podcasts, Wedway Radio is an excellent podcast that discusses many bits of history related to the Disney Parks.  Matt and Nate Parrish host this podcast, and both hosts definitely know their history as well as conduct interviews with living Disney Legends.  Overall, the Internet is teeming with Disney fans who want to share their knowledge with the rest of the world.

Becoming even a small part of the Disney online community has been so rewarding for me, and I have really increased my Disney knowledge. So, if you are interested in Disney history or Disney news or even Disney garbage cans (there’s a blog for that too), you should take the plunge into the Disney online community and start making connections with other Disneyphiles who are just as addicted to the Mouse as you are.  Until next time, have a magical day, and keep moving forward!