Archives

Contribute to Our Research

I, For One, Welcome Our New Go-Bot Overlords

One of the most oft-repeated elements of early EPCOT lore is how, when the park opened in 1982, it was completely devoid of any of Disney’s signature characters. Disney executives thought it important that the new theme park create its own unique identity, and feared that taking Mickey and the others outside the borders of […]

Speaking of EPCOT…

When I posted my EPCOT rant last week, little did I realize that there was a bit of a wave of EPCOT discussion sweeping the web already. Specifically, this thread on WDWMagic discussing a recent interview with Imagineer Eddie Sotto. The article itself is revelatory; it’s full of Sotto’s ideas of what Tomorrowland and EPCOT […]

New Horizons For… Those Guys

Today’s flashback comes from 1982, when the first show scene had been completed and approved for EPCOT’s Horizons attraction. The first set to be completed was Scene #14, “Urban Habitat.” You remember the one:

To celebrate the first finalized scene for the attraction, what better for a group of talented Imagineers to do than […]

They Did Have Wings…

What you are looking at are forty-two projectors, all preparing to be installed in the Eastern Airlines-sponsored ride If You Had Wings. This Tomorrowland attraction operated in Florida’s Magic Kingdom from 1972 to 1987, and consisted of a whimsical, musical Omnimover trip to various ports of call serviced by Eastern. For those who missed […]

The Giant Upsetting Eye Pavilion

Nothing like a giant, upsetting eye to impress the kiddies!

This is what happens when you encourage me. Since my last question was so quickly and satisfactorily answered, I have another poser for you fine people. The above picture comes from a small article describing an open house at WED/MAPO in early 1982. The other […]