It's kind of crazy how Epcot was born of looking to the future, and is being ruined by people who don't have proper foresight.

Wasn't Epcot supposed to be a park dedicated to Walt Disney's fascination with the future and education? Feels like turning to IPs to retain relevancy is a cheap last ditch effort to update without having to put in much thought or innovation...and in turn, it's spitting on the grave of Disney himself, honestly. Epcot literally stands for "Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow", and leaning on cheap movie IPs for new attractions doesn't reflect this in the slightest. Absolutely shameful, Disney's shooting themselves in the foot over and over again with these horrible ideas. Epcot was my favorite because it was innovative and different...it was a breath of fresh air. So sad to see it slowly dying. :(

EPCOT should be a place of inspiration, not just only full amusement.

It's horrible that a park empire that was built on the concept of nostalgia can't even allow its own nostalgia to endure. I want Test Track, but I want Test Track AND World of Motion. I want Horizons AND Mission Space. Eisner may have "ruined" Disney, but right now Chapek has a good many people willing to hold his beer. Offer less, charge more, destroy what people love. It's not even a "what would Walt have done" issue anymore, it's "what would a sane person do?"

I agree with all of this. It’s heartbreaking when people think Epcot is the worst park. They don’t know what it once was and what it was meant to be. “More Disney” is absolutely not what Epcot needs. 😢

Thank you for pointing out that Chapek's definition of "more Disney" is not an accurate one. Especially considering Walt's original EPCOT vision and even the way it was transformed into an innovative discovery park. I feel sad for EPCOT and it's fans.

Epcot used to be our favorite Disney park. It was educational and fun and we had no problem with our children missing a couple of days of school because they were still learning. Now it's just a stagnent park with the same festivals year after year. I really miss the original Epcot

It is heartbreaking that they destroyed these incredible attractions, the loss of Horizons being the greatest of them all. They were built by the best and most experienced imagineers Disney had. They (Disney executive management) literally had no idea what they had. A complete failure of imagination.

I would say chasing popular Ip's killed Disney more than anything else when it comes to their amusement parks. They trashed good rides that people liked in favor of some new hip movie. The problem was by the time the project was constructed often that "new hit movie" was old news and the kids who grew up with it were already teenagers. Yet Disney seemed to almost hate any successful ride that wasn't part of their animated collection. I think they disliked the fact Figment was probably more popular than say Donald Duck or Minnie mouse.

I had no idea Epcot had so many animatronic rides!!!!! Those are my Fave 🥺🥺😊

Epcot is experiencing the continued “Dumbing down of Disney,” along with all of the parks.

My favorite Epcot memory is from my first time visiting in 1989. At the end of the night the park had cleared out and Horizons was a walk on. My parents and I rode it three times so we could try each of the endings. It will always be my favorite ride at that park.

I just wanna say that, as a fairly young person who has grown up in the internet age, I find all these attractions about how old technology functioned to be really fascinating. Maybe there would be a period of some years where these attractions felt outdated, but I feel they would've cycled back around to being incredibly interesting after a point (although I guess it wouldn't be profitable for Disney to keep them during that period). Anyway, just my thoughts, loved the video!

When I went to EPCOT, I was inspired to go into STEM fields of work, I wanted to be an imagineer, I wanted to be someone that pushes the boundaries of science, even if that isn't who I am today, that want was still there. I can't go to "EPCOT" today and feel inspired to innovate the world of tomorrow anymore. This is going to harm generations to come, they'll only think of it as another place to go on some rides and no more. If people aren't willing to want to learn, then make them! That's what it used to be, education and fun in one package, that's why I loved going through places like the now retired and demolished innoventions (I've mentioned this on other videos of his). I think the park is beyond saving now, it doesn't feel like an experimental prototype community of tomorrow anymore.

I wouldn't say the old EPCOT attractions were outdated, rather they just need to be updated to fit the times better, like how Disney updates Pirates and Haunted Mansion with new scenes. Lets hope with the new Spaceship Earth this is done well.

I know it sounds dumb, but I've always felt personally connected to Epcot, even as a little kid. One of my earliest baby pictures is my dad carrying me in front of Spaceship Earth right after it opened, and the 2 other times we went back, we always seemed to spend more time there than the other parks. It was just a really special place and time I think.

This makes me miss the EPCOT of my childhood so much. So much of the park feels rather hollow now

I’m glad that I’m not the only person who thinks Disney is ruining EPCOT.

When I was 15 in 1983 my parents took me to Disney world. I ended up spending twice as much time at EPCOT than the main park. I loved it. Watching this video brought back a lot of fond memories of that place. I saddens me to know it's only a shadow of it's former self. I always considered going back but from what I've heard lately I'll never spend another dime on anything Disney creates.

This video is a perfect essay on why the original EPCOT was important up until the early 2000's and how it evolved. I noticed however that you didn't include Wonders of Life. It wasn't original by any means, being the last pavilion to be built in 1989, but it had an interesting history in such a short span of time at the park and it never got updated or changed much at all. I grew up going to the park when Innoventions was dying its slow death in the mid-late 2000's, but at least back then we still had Energy, the Original Test Track, a competent Spaceship Earth, and a still true to theme land pavillion. Now it looks like we only have Spaceship Earth and the Land. All of these newest additions; Guardians, Frozen, Moana don't belong in the park in any way. Donald in Mexico and Remy in France get a pass because they are fairly well tied to the country they are in. This new vision of EPCOT is a true insult to Walt Disney the person as well as the glorious past of imagineering and the fans who loved what the original park and it's early years were. Chapek and the new leadership don't give a damn what the fans want, only the once in a lifetime guest who just wants to see characters from TV and movies at the parks. Chapek and Iger make Eisner look like a saint in terms of creativity and management. Yes, Eisner had a rough time after Frank Wells died in 1994, but his first ten years were excellent. Eisner saved Disney just so Iger and Chapek could shit all over it.

My best Epcot center memory is riding horizons and being the last person to ride it one night in 1992. Then they closed the doors behind us

I went to Epcot in 1999 so I saw some of the last vestiges of epcot center. I was interested in coral reefs and fish so the Seas was my favorite exhibit. I eventually got a degree in marine biology and though I don't work in that field, the subject means a lot to me. I loved finding nemo, but I refuse to ride the replacement for the original show and go into the aquarium from the back entrance. There are coral colonies in some of the tanks that are still alive today that I saw in 99 so I enjoy pointing out to my family and friends the corals that I am certain are over 20 years old. If it ever got fully revamped and those corals removed I would be very sad.

Cause that's why I'm a rooter, for me computer. Everybody needs a friend! The original Epcot soundtrack was great. Horizons. World of Motion. Universe of Energy. The Living Seas. Kitchen Cabaret. Journey into Imagination. Captain EO. Rest in Peace.

I am so upset I was not born to see OG Epcot it looked like something I would absolutely love

Classic EPCOT was...remarkable. As a child there, it filled me with more wonder than any MK experience ever did, because it was about reality, not fantasy. They are taking a park that had NO comparison like it in the world, and making it into a theme-less mish-mash of IP and festivals. Around the country there are Science Centers that entertain children and adults and there's no reason why Disney can't do their own version of that with Epcot without trying to just make it into another IP driven park or thrill ride park. It's still my favorite, but more for nostalgia of remembering the past than anything, and the few little gems like Spaceship Earth and Living With the Land which remain.

Classic Epcot has always been the center of why I love Disney, even though I never got to experience it since I was born 20 years after the park opened. After learning so much about the Epcot of old, it just saddens me that because of Chapek and Disney leadership my favorite park which once was an amazing educational experience is now just becoming another cheap IP filled garbage dump, and I say this after growing up going to the Eisner version. These reasons have actually why I’ve grown distant from my love of the parks, and looking back it really makes me sad

I really enjoyed the point you drove home with this video. The new rides all utilize screens, there is now minimal scenery and animatronics and props, and instead just holograms and screens. It’s so sad to look back and see the time/care/effort put into rides like Horizons and wonder what happened to Disney? I feel as if the only remnant in Epcot of that classic Disney feeling at this point is Spaceship Earth. Making every new ride involve a cartoon character is going to quickly date all of these “new” attractions. What a mess.

Terrific tribute and salient insight. The original EPCOT Center, particularly Horizons and TLS, got under my skin so much as a teen and in my early 20s, it inspired my book series, decades later. The hints are evident throughout. For me, Seabase Alpha never went away - it simply became more real. :)

There is also Futureport '82, a recreation of the original EPCOT Center but with unique features included like the never built Peoplemover that was planned but scrapped. The person is currently working on the actual atttractions next like WoM, Listen to the Land, and Spaceship Earth for the next release whenever it comes out next year or not.

I loved Horizons. It always smelled like oranges. The theming was top notch. My family first visited Epcot in 1988, so I got to experience the park as it was meant to be. Future World was always my favorite as a kid, unlike World Showcase which felt pretty tedious to walk through. The highlight of Showcase to me, however, was Maelstrom. The atmosphere and theming always interested me. That atmosphere just isn't there with Frozen Ever After. Want to turn a classic Disney attraction into a mediocre borefest? Just add IP it. If they really wanted to bring their IPs into the parks, they should just create a 5th Gate to Disney World. It's sad to me that I'm starting to feel more and more disinterested with going to a Disney park, especially since my family is full of Disneyphiles, and more and more interested in seeing the brighter-seeming future of the Universal Parks.

It is heartbreaking to see what has happened to EPCOT. I remember the "classic" attractions fondly, and agree with your notion that reliance on IP, especially recent IP, does not age well at all. And, in fact, it can become annoying and intrusive.

Love everything about this video essay. I would posit that while people say things were updated because they were becoming "outdated," maybe what they really mean is they were being seen as "boring" or "stale." Although, had they received regular updates and maintenance, maybe that could've been prevented (like Pirates and Mansion). Also, Wonders of Life was an interesting one to me. That pavilion came later and felt "dated" almost immediately," closing before others that had been there much longer. Maybe that's a story for another day though?

I'm not intrinsically opposed to sci-fi themes or even IP - Three Caballeros is my favourite Epcot ride - but modern Epcot has certainly suffered... Not from being outdated, but from the idea that education is boring. That's really the issue here. As you were summarizing each attraction, it really struck me how similar they were to the old documentaries Disney made like Man in Space, Magic Highway USA, Victory Through Air Power, and the True-Life Adventures. It begins with a comic history of the subject, followed by the current education content, be is outer space, transportation futurism, or wildlife. It's a timeless formula. The problem is the idea that learning about things is just boring and nobody wants to do that on vacation, but instead just want thrill rides and recognizable IP. Part of what makes Three Caballeros work so well for me is that the movies THEMSELVES were really covert documentaries on Latin America. As long as Disney (and Disney customers) keep buying into the idea that learning stuff is boring, Epcot will NEVER be fixed. Walt's original vision for theme parks were to be "a fair, an exhibition, a playground, a community center, a museum of living facts, and a showplace of beauty and magic," "a place for teacher and pupils to discover greater ways of understanding and education" and "the wonders of Nature and Man for all the see and understand," and where "the older generation can recapture the nostalgia of days gone by, and the younger generation can answer the challenge of the future." He saw his parks as a place for more than just "fun." As long as all we want from Disney is a place for kids to have fun, then we will see continual degradation of the parks across the board. This is not just why Epcot has degraded, but why theming in general is dying out, why new WDW hotels look like any generic hotel anywhere, why there's an overreliance on quickly outdating IP, why Pirates of the Caribbean has been so vandalized that it isn't even a good ride anymore, why people thought Animal Kingdom was a half-day park, and nearly every other problem.

I liked the "slow moving" dark rides of EPCOT. I like high speed and thrill rides as well. I also like IP. But, everything has its place. Mission Space, especially with its new restaurant makes for an excellent Space Pavilion, but Horizons wasn't about that. Like explained in the video, Horizons took from the other Futureworld pavilions to tell its narrative. It was very much a sequel to Walt Disney's Carousel of Progress. It was more of a signature attraction for the park than Spaceship Earth. Spaceship Earth made for a nice icon or weenie, but it was merely about communication and then later became about narrative. Horizons was about humankind and its place in the world; the vision of EPCOT. It's a sad loss for the park. I suppose what the average guest might consider "dated" about these lost attractions is their conveyance and style of narrative. Spaceship Earth, Horizons, Journey Through Imagination, World of Motion, Living Seas and even the Energy Pavilion all utilise a "slow moving" omnimover system that mostly tells a narrative that spans from the distance past on through the future. While the Fantasyland dark rides are omnimover based attractions, their ride vehicles differ and are integral to their corresponding attraction. Guests ride a motor car in Mr. Toad's Wild Ride. They take a ride on a flying galleon in Peter Pan's Adventure. They journey under the sea in a clamshell to visit the realm of the Little Mermaid. Having that story relevant vehicle provides greater immersion than a generic omnimover vehicle. I don't mind sitting back, taking in the narrative like a fly on the wall. But, I think certain guests want greater immersion. They want to somehow be involved in the narrative. Rather than replacing the World of Motion with TestTrack, I would have made the omnimover ride vehicle the gimmick. It could have been a GM or Chevrolet time travel vehicle of the future that took guests on a journey through time to witness the evolution of transportation. In Journey Into Imagination, guests could have played a more active role in collecting dreams with Figment and the Dreamfinder utilising the laser point and shoot system of Buzz Lightyear. As for Horizons, I'm satisfied with its omnimover system. It really just needed updating in its futuretech, swapping out things like modern day "Zoom" calls for something holographic, perhaps. Of course, Nemo and Friends and even Moana are unnecessary additions for a successful Seas pavilion. I like the Seabase Alpha concept. I love the hydrolator. It was the space elevator of its day. If Seabase Alpha and the overall Seas pavilion need more of a narrative or an IP, why not look to Captain Nemo and 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea? Captain Nemo loved the sea and wanted to protect and cultivate its ecosystem in his isolation from the rest of humanity. The Seabase could easily undergo a steampunk redressing. (Not that its even necessary.) Being in (what was) Futureworld, Seabase Alpha can remain set in the future. It just needs an update of its futuretech and overall esthetic. Rather than applying IP to existing attractions, Disney ought to create more cinematic and television IP inspired by its attractions. The original Frontierland in Disneyland was popular among guests in its early years because of Walt Disney's Zorro on ABC and the Davy Crockett segments on the Disneyland TV series. If Disney were to create a scifi oceanographic TV series set within Seabase Alpha (similar to Seaquest DSV), I would definitely watch it. And I think such a series would make guests want to visit its setting within a Disney park much like guests flock to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal and visit Galaxy's Edge and Pandora at Walt Disney World. (I'm imagining a refreshed Seabase Alpha at EPCOT and perhaps even a new Seabase Beta at Tokyo DisneySea.) An expansion to the Seas pavilion could include a (Tokyo) 20,000 Leagues type of attraction where guests depart from the Seabase on an exploratory mission and defend themselves from a giant squid attack or discover a new underwater species of humanoids, that have perhaps relocated from a distant water world on the other side of the galaxy. As for World Showcase, I'm always in favour of sharing or depicting the nations' cultures and folklore over Disney IP. Yes, fairytales like the Snow Queen, the Little Mermaid, Snow White, Pinocchio, Aladdin and even Mary Poppins may have originated in countries represented in World Showcase, but do these particular stories reflect the essence of these nations? Mary Poppins is about a particular London family and their nanny during the 1910s. How does that tell the story of the people of the United Kingdom? Perhaps a better story would be inspired by Camelot. The Sword in the Stone is featured in Fantasyland, but there is much more to the fabled reign of King Arthur than his pulling the sword from the stone. Also, the Arthurian legends are engrained in the origins of their kingdom which lives on today under the reign of the House of Windsor. The story of Ratatouille is set in Paris, but it says little of the people of France. Sure, the French are skilled culinary artists and Paris is the capital. But, it's superficial representation at best. Imagine Oliver & Company representing the US in World Showcase. It's an English story adapted to cats and dogs living in New York City. It makes just as much sense as Ratatouille representing France. Marianne is the symbol and the personification of the French Republic. Perhaps she should take guests on a historical journey though the birth and rebirth of the French nation. (Notice, I'm not mentioning the Hunchback of Notre Dame , The Three Musketeers or The Man in the Iron Mask.) Disney and Disney Imagineers are capable of great storytelling. They just need to be free of the mandate of pushing Disney IP over storytelling.

I want to thank you immensely for this incredible and well-put together analysis of the attractions that defined classic EPCOT Center and why the idea of them becoming outdated is a myth. Having been born after all of the changes in the 90s, I only ever got to experience vestiges of the original EPCOT Center; El Rio Del Tiempo & Maelstrom, the '94 version of Spaceship Earth, Living With The Land, Ellen's Energy Adventure... It is so refreshing to hear such an amazing presentation of the argument that EPCOT Center, save for the exhibits/shows in places like Communicore, never really became outdated and only got into the sorry state it's in currently first because of Michael Eisner losing his touch in the 90s and making miscalculation after miscalculation because he never understood EPCOT Center, and now both Bobs (Iger & Chapek) essentially killing what little is left of the original concept. As a now passionate fan of several classic EPCOT attractions I never got to experience, this video was wonderful to see!

Excellent video. You covered every thought in my head perfectly. It is truly saddening how Disney treated this work of art. It’s getting increasingly difficult to believe Disney will one day fix Epcot, but people like you give me hope. If more and more people are made aware of how beautiful this park used to be, maybe it’ll force Disney to put some thought and effort into their parks once more.

Thank you for bringing back such wonderful memories and for reminding me of why our families last visit in early 2016 will be our last! Though the complete and utter decimation of EPCOT is a large part of that decision, the complete unrecognizable nature of the resort in general is so totally unbearable. The truly sad part is that those who don’t remember or never knew the Magic Kingdom of the 70s and the MK and EPCOT of the 80s and even into the early 90s think that what they are getting is top quality and well worth the exuberant prices they are paying when those of us who have seen what it was realize that they are simply being screwed. Don’t get me wrong I realize that things have to change, that franchises change and the younger generations will have different characters and movies that they want to see and should see but my issue is with the character and nature of the resort in general. I remember being so amazed that you would rarely find a dead plant or trash anywhere at the resort, and yet today it’s more common than not. Add that to attractions clearly in disrepair and cast members who couldn’t tell you where the closest bathroom was much less where to find a particular piece of merchandise and there you go. I remember a day when you would ask for directions and a cast member would literally take you by the hand to make sure you got where you needed to be or would find another cast member that knew exactly what store you needed to go to to find what you were looking for. The last time we went I asked three different cast members a fairly simple question and two of them directed me to the app and one simply shrugged their shoulders and kept walking. And then there is my beloved EPCOT that has now been turned into a generic franchise exhibition with even more generic attractions that offer no imagination, creativity or “meat” but are simply designed to direct you to the huge gift shops of merchandising :-( Add that to the drunk festival they have made of Flower and Garden, Food and Wine and Festival of the Arts and it is just pathetic. Mindnumbing, nauseatingly pathetic! Whatever now exists on that huge piece of property out there is not Disney but simply a giant corporate money pit disguised in Disney costuming. They have and will continue to keep charging more and giving less because they really have nothing to offer. They simply purchase franchises, reboot old franchises and more and more play second fiddle to a Universal that will soon become the trend setter, the mark of excellence that Disney once was while Disney continues to rest on Roy’s Financial genius and Walt’s name :-(

EPCOT was always a failed version of Walt's vision. I was at there on opening day when I was 5 yo and I grew up seeing the original version of Epcot. It was magical, in a different way than Magic Kingdom. For those interested in technology, it gave a glimpse of what the future could bring. What we see today is a very sad version of what it used to be and i doubt the new renovations will bring back the magic of yesterday.

This was really interesting, it makes me feel nostalgic over the old EPCOT despite never being there.

Thank you so much for making this video! I hate the direction Disney is taking with EPCOT. It was always my favorite park but as more and more changes occur it just feels like a hollow shell of its former self. I miss educational EPCOT not IP World. I can only hope that they reverse course and bring it back to how it used to be, but I feel like Disney just sees dollar signs when they look at IP integration and not actually staying true to the vision of EPCOT. Just as long as the little kids want to ride Frozen they see no issue.

I'm so thankful that i got to experience epcot as it was in the early 90's. Epcot was so different than any other theme park. It made learning as kid fun. This video really tugged at my heart. I went to Epcot the other day and it's a complete mess. I wonder if there will ever be anyone who can keep from only doing ips and wall screens. I know it's not related to Epcot but runway railway is a perfect example of that. Yes it's mickey but hardly and ais and mostly wall screens. Money will always run everything but at what cost.

The EPCOT I first visited in the mid-80s did what I previously believed impossible (which is only what Walt loved best to do). It began to thaw my heart to Disney after a long period of being a hard-case towards him and his entire output. I began to feel myself at last coming into tune with the song of his heart, his basic optimism about humanity. Futureworld was like actually stepping into tomorrow's potentiality, World Showcase was offering a glimpse of many possible todays, and the classic animated characters were finally taking a backseat. To think that this EPCOT lives now only in memory is a tearing in me. Didn't Disney's parks ever solicit his guests' opinions? If enough people had responded this enthusiastically to the classic format, I should think they never would have felt any need to drastically alter the park other than the necessary updates. I refuse to believe that a forward-thinking entity such as that which Walter Elias Disney - pardon the expression - "animated" would simply cease to care about what its visitors most enjoyed, and instead determine to decide for them based on market fluctuations. I certainly understand that little children like to find their favorite screen friends everywhere they look, but I thought EPCOT was intended to encourage a child's own imagination without relying overmuch on familiar figures. The idea to make the place "more Disney" is not wrong - it is, I think, just being misinterpreted by its users to mean, "more DISNEY ambience" when it probably should mean "more of Walt the man's essential spirit." Disneyland's Magic Kingdom has a plaque at its entrance, bearing the park's mission statement. If EPCOT lacks one, it requires one as well. It too should speak to the young in heart, and reinforce the message over and over again in all corners of the property: "This place is all about YOU. It is YOU who creates the dreams here. We have no need here to push you in any direction we might desire other than the expansion of your imagination. The *true* profit to be made from EPCOT is in the human mind and soul, not the bank book. It is our fervent desire here to show you the world as it was, as it is, and as it may yet be. It is our equally great desire also to share in its wonders with you. We ask only that you please remember to keep a place for us in the future you will help to make." 🤔 💡 😃

Horizons was a pretty interesting attraction With an unusual system, Journey into Imagination was so timeless that it could fit in the Park forever With almost little to no changes, the seas Pavillion was a more didactic attraction than the seas With Nemo, I would kill for a time machine and visit Epcot at it's prime.

Epcot was my favorite part of Disney and now what it’s be come is nothing of it’s former self,it has been destroyed from what I remember it being and there’s no way that I’d spend a fortune to go to a Disney park in Florida and I got to go to Epcot when it first opened and it’s just sad to see what it’s become.😢

Beautifully done. Classic EPCOT is more relevant today than it was in 1982.

A quick few corrections pointed out to me in the comments: 1. From Rollercoaster Rider: The Rocket Rods premiered in 1998 and not 2000 as I stated (which was the closing year). 2. "Also, I think you confused Submarine Voyage (disneyland) With 2000 leagues under the sea (disneyworld)" - annie Skywalker This correction was also made by John G. Young and Brent Buckner. 3. "Correction: There was not "another domed screen" in Horizons other than the huge omnimax that transitioned riders into the 21st century. When it was time to choose your destination at the end the video was projected on the flat hallway walls that the omnimovers were moving through. If you looked carefully you could see faint seems or other artifacts moving past you underneath the projection effects." -Lawrence Patrick Singson 4. "It is not a combustible engine. The term is internal combustion engine, which defined its energy cycle as being different from a steam engine." - D Morrison

I like to rewatch the documentary on a Disney Archives DVD names "The Dream Called Epcot". It played on property before Epcot's opening, and it's beautiful. It shows Imagineers explaining the inspiration and attractions in opening day Epcot, and it has an amazing ending song. The future started Oct. 1, 1982, and ended on September 30, 2005. I hope Disney historians know the significance of that date.

I appreciate your insights, and I think you’re mostly correct in that they weren’t exactly outdated. And I like how you point out the focus on imagination. But here’s my memory of 1988 EPCOT. Boring. I was 8 years old, there for my birthday, and I got to take several days off of school for this special trip. I have great memories of the Magic Kingdom: It’s a Small World, Pirates, Space Mountain, etc. Fabulous memories. Our family spent a whole day there and planned the second day for EPCOT, thinking we’d have a whole day there too. My memory is thinking that the “giant golf ball ride” was fun, and another one like it (I think the World of Motion) was okay, and that’s it. 3 generations of my family were bored. We left after lunch to go back to Magic Kingdom. Fewer kids want to spend their vacation learning something “fun” than you’d think. I don’t think EPCOT’s visitors numbers were high enough, so they just tried something to bring it up. I don’t disagree that they made bad moves going forward at all though.

I visited Epcot back in July of 1985 with family only a few years after it initially opened - then again in 1987 when I brought my then-girlfriend from England to the park. All I can say is that, while nothing lasts forever, not even Disney attractions, it's sad to see so many of those attractions that I remember from my visits in the 80s now gone. All that is left are the photographs tucked away in the photo albums of people like me, and a few surviving home videos - though they are more rare since camcorders back then were bulky, user-unfriendly, and expensive so not many had them. I'm glad that I took a lot of pictures back then - pictures of places that no longer exist. I really do think that we leave a small piece of our essence behind in the places we visit. Thus, when one of those places is destroyed, there is a sort of ... loss ... that is difficult to put into words. Yet it is tangible. Not as strong as the loss of family or friends - or the destruction of a place that contains a lot of memories - but it can be felt nonetheless. It is no wonder, then, why we sometimes fight progress, why we resist the ridding of the old to make way for the new. It's just too bad that, in the case of Epcot, it seems as if all that is happening is replacing the old with ... well ... nothing. More restaurants. More stores. More trees and picnic tables. Epcot will no longer have that inspirational quality it once did and will instead resemble a state fair with a hodgepodge of unrelated rides, a few shows, and an event here and there. A demolition derby next to a "fattest pig" competition next to a tractor pull next to a pie eating contest next to a karaokie bar next to mud wrestling next to a funnel cake and candy apple stand.

I remember the original EPCOT. My last trip there was in 1994. I really don't think it needed massive change, just updates to keep in tune with actual changes in the world. It was nice to go to a Disney park and see EPCOT specific characters like Figment. All the thrill rides should be at Magic Kingdom.

From an adult perspective, I have so much respect for what EPCOT accomplished. This is a tough deal, because EPCOT, while it was an absolute work of art, lacked on thrills and connection with characters. Younger guests want that when they go to Disney parks, otherwise it can often be written off as boring. Still, I hope there is a bright future for EPCOT. Great video BTW.

As a WDW annual pass holder living in FL, Epcot is my favorite park. I’ll reserve my judgement on the new updates until I see them. As it stands, the only decent rides that are not part of the World Showcase are Soaring (FL version much better than the CA version) and Test Track. The aquarium is nice, also. I’m sure the children enjoy the rides that are more their age appropriate. I would much prefer that Disney find at least 2 other countries to fill out the World Showcase experience. They could also incentivize some of the current countries that don’t have ride attractions to add one. And the restaurants are not “cafeteria food.” I defy the maker of this video to eat at the Canadian restaurant or the main Italian restaurant and say the food is sub-par. But, like I said, adding new countries would help. They certainly have the land to accommodate the expansion.

I used to be a denier of past Epcot's quality, but now, with this video, I've become a true believer. It looks magical. If they took this and only added Soarin', it would have been perfect. I wish I could've been there to see it.

I was a Cast Member working at Test Track while it was being built. We often got sent to work at both Horizons and Energy. I remember as a kid going on field trips and not thinking much of Horizons except the choose your own ending that I loved. Working at the end of it's life and riding it everyday, most of us would ride it on our 15 min breaks, makes me so sad that it's gone now. Such a great ride. Disney doesn't seem to have any imagination anymore. Just cookie cutter ideas based on their IP's. Epcot used to be inspiring, now it has no vision.

Classic Epcot was just so great. It was always the quieter, more mature park and as a teenager going to Disney, I much appreciated it. Horizons was hands down my favourite ride in the park. It was clever, sentimental, optimistic, and those dome screens were amazing. I have so many great memories when it comes to classic Epcot, inside jokes with family, and even knowing a trick to the Living Seas pavillion (a lot of times I just wanted to chill at the Aquarium, and there's a way to go back to where the elevator exit "leads back to the surface" and it was very easy to slip in when people were leaving). The Mexico ride had some really cool Day of the Dead theming, all the 360 theatres were great, and there was even some great food off the beaten path. Norway used to have this smoked fish buffet? Amazing. Speaking of food and old Epcot, The Land had this cake. It was just a triple layer chocolate cake, but it was somehow the perfect cake. I know there are prolly recipes out there to replicate it, but I'm terrible with baking, so it's of little use to me. XD it's just another thing to miss. God, I could literally go on, this video has unlocked so much good (and sad) nostalgia. Sure Ratatouille is a cool ride but at what cost??? That immersion breaking fountain ffs. I mean it's cute and all but honestly, it reminded me so much of the one outside of Muppet-Vision.... (Also, was the shop in Japan always so jammed up with anime?)

I will never forgive them for what they did to "Imagination". In 2012 I went back to the park for the first time since 1996 and I was heartbroken when I saw the state of "Imagination". Both the ride and pavilion where a highlight of my time there as a kid & it kills me that my kids wont get to experience them.

'I think the thing they learned from Roy Disney ousting Eisner was, "We need to wait another ten or twenty years until Roy Disney is gone and then we can move forward with the status quo as planned"

World of Motion was my favorite ride in EPCOT when I was a kid lol I loved the funny gags… oh and the original Imagination ride… sigh.

What I find so interesting with say, the energy pavilion becoming a completely pointless guardians of the galaxy ride, is that the aspect of learning about different sources of energy and their uses will always be relevant, whereas a guardians of the galaxy ride dates itself already, as it’s not as important to society. It’s more just silly. The one pavilion that sorta retains its meaning, is definitely living with the land. It certainly has changed every year, but it’s still retaining its aspect of the land and it’s importance to us.

Thank you for making this, I’ve been waiting for a video like this to exist, all the old amazing stuff in one video. This is exactly the stuff I was citing in my comment on your Efteling Park video about how that park has some rides with the feel of old Epcot. If it’s at least preserved in videos like this it’s at least alive in memory.

I class myself as a massive Disney fan. UK based and visited Florida more than 25 times, California (1) and Paris (5). I can't argue that the current Disney management isn't butchering the EPCOT from a point of view of what it was historically and what it was originally conceptualized as, but at least from my child's perspective, he loved EPCOT recently, some Disney rides and magic, and then the world showcase for some food, rest and relaxation. For him at least (age 5) it was just as magical as it was for me when I first went in 1990 odd. I didn't mind it either as an old fart, because I was just happy to see the wonderment on his face rather than if I could still go on Horizons, or the Imagination. In terms of inspiring the future generations, I would also argue a fun, magical vacation for a child at least, can inspire a lifetime of success, without the need for things like an innovations pavilion, like everything now, the internet can provide so much in forms of education and showcasing the future, do families really need that when visiting a theme park anymore? or should it just be about fun and memories, even if it is heavily Disney IP.

what if you had your own epcot attraction? this video felt like one in itself. inspiring future generations how not to run a park, and how not to be Bob chapek

Spot on analysis. It’s like the people who work in the corporation have only gone to the parks a few times and they are not FANS of the Disney magic and animatronics. They just see it as a job and lack the love and care that the Imagineers put into their work.

Man, I’m SO GLAD we didn’t get the full project Gemini. Spaceship Earth is absolutely beautiful, super happy we didn’t get a stupid coaster.

The thought of gutting Spaceship Earth for a cheesy rollercoaster sends shivers down my spine, oh God. Of all the terrible decisions lifted from Project Gemini, I'm at least grateful they scrapped that one. The Spaceship Earth portion of this video nearly brought tears to my eyes-I grew up in the area, had family who worked for Disney, and attended the parks very often as a kid. Epcot has always been my favorite park, and I always liked to end the day with that ride. I moved away a few years ago and haven't been to Disney since, and I miss it like an old friend. No feeling comes close to reaching the top of the globe and seeing Earth above from the view of space. I wouldn't mind a few scenes getting updated (you're very right about it being eurocentric), but my great nightmare is that Tesla or something offers to sponsor it, and it loses its sentimentality and aims toward some silcon valley investor's idea of the future. Remember how well that Monsanto sponsorship went for Disney?

The more I learn about the EPCOT Center the more abhorrent and an affront to the optimistic sensibility of Walt Disney the current incarnation of the park becomes. Imagine the kind of callous thinking that drives someone to WANT to eviscerate the original Journey Into Imagination. It's actually quite hard for me to get my head around.

I’ve heard so many people say “Oh, Epcot was so boring. Disney’s not for learning!” Over the years, including those dumb talking heads on those VH1 nostalgia programs back in the early 00’s. I don’t so much hate these people, as I feel sad for them. Disney stood for so much more than cartoons during his life. This reminds of when Fantasia flopped during its first theatrical run. Disney was trying to do something to stand out from the other animation studios, and the public just wanted more funny cartoons. Even when the company brings it up today, they only focus on the bit with Mickey Mouse. I’m really glad you made this documentary, because I’ve finally found someone who got classic Epcot in the same way I did.

Unfortunately I never visited classic Epcot. I didnt go to Florida until 2010. That being said I actually loved Epcot. It was such a different and more relaxed and mature vibe that I think fits really well. It kind of reminded me if Disney Sea in that sense. Spaceship Earth, although old, was still really fun, like the classic Pirates ride. Whatever they do I hope they keep that mature atmoshpere and I think it will be worth visiting.

EPCOT was my favorite place to be as a kid from 2002-2009 when we were annual pass holders (and living in Orlando for a number of those years) and I can’t believe how many of these attractions that not only I hadn’t seen (being far before my time) but that I had never even heard of. It’s been more than a decade since I’ve been to Disney world but oh goodness I wish I could go to *this* epicot. At least it can live in my head rent free.

One of the original opening crew here (World Key Information Services.) Such bittersweet memories. I haven't been to Epcot since they started ripping out Communicore. I know I'll feel a profound sadness to see so many things gone, but progress travels onward, right? Thank you for encapsulating them here in this video.

Awesome video! The footage and your essay theme are so close to my heart. I have so much nostalgia for classic Epcot Center because I remember how inspired I was by all these rides. In my mind, Disney can never make another ride as epic as Horizons. Another excellent video that made my day!

I’m not sure how I stumbled onto your channel, but I LOVE it!! Thank you for excellent content and for bringing back memories of things long forgotten. It is a bit sad looking at EPCOT today. ❤️

Being a part of EPCOT Center's opening, this video is superb with insight and valuable criticism.

Why they got rid of the animatronic rides? Why only keep spaceship earth? What happened to the animatronics!

I just found your channel this morning, and I binged all your videos today. You make excellent points about where Disney is going wrong these days. These videos are so well out together, I've been sending them to friends. I've been having trouble articulating what is so different about the current era of the Disney parks, and you hit the nail on the head in your videos. Thanks for the great content!

If Epcot had the right management who knew how to invest in it properly it would be one of the greatest parks in the world. It's incredibly frustrating.

Wow, what a beautiful video of yours ! I can agree once again to 100 % with your opinion. Original Epcot was just perfect as a park and it is mind blowing what happens to it and happening right now… Especially losing World of Motion, the original Journey into Imagination and Horizons hurts, even if I only know them all from videos.

My first reaction to your new video: Yey, my evening is saved! My second reaction reading the first part of the title: AHHH .... what has Chapek done now? And now that I have watched it my pulse is back to normal and I have been educated and entertained yet again. Thanks so much. As I probably will never visit EPCOT or WDW in general again I so much enjoy watching videos of it and learning about the history apart from just watching onridevideos. Not that they are great, too. And it really got me thinking what makes the classic attractions like Pirates and the Haunted Mansion so unique that they will probably be around for the next fourty years and can the same be said for IP rides like Frozen?

I’m so glad you make these kinds of videos. It may not always seem like it but I get a lot of joy out of learning about my favorite places!

This definitely was a nostalgic moment for me. Which reminded me how Epcot was so special.

A main benefit of Disney World's size is that Disney can plan ahead and grow/improve the parks without destroying what already works. Choosing to demolish beloved attractions instead of just adding more unique ones shows how poor their planning is. It's like if they tore down Haunted Mansion to add Galaxies Edge...oh wait, they did a similar thing at MGM with the Backlot and Streets of America...where they should have had plenty of room to avoid that. It's shameful and idiotic to completely write off their own imagineer's previous (high quality and iconic) work. They can easily update what's there in thoughtful ways. Disney doesn't realize how risky it is to rely on IP, often integrated with cheap off the shelf rides or projection only. The fact that Disney felt confident opening Mickey's Runaway Railway after seeing Pooh's Hunny Hunt in Tokyo (20yrs earlier), or TDL's Beuaty and the Beast ride (that imagineers were building simultaniously!) shows how little they care, and how shortsighted they are. I stronly believe that Disney should rebuild these classic Epcot/MGM attractions with updates to very minor elements that were outdated. As others have said, it's totally fine to add thrill attractions, but NOT as replacements for high quality, park defining rides.

My sister and I were deciding on what amusement park to go to she didn't even try to convince me to do Disney like she always would. She's probably the biggest Disney fan I know, but with all the cost cutting and lack luster new experiences, it's just completely turned her off ever wanting to go back.

1973, 1976, 1979, 1982.....every three years my family drove to Disney from Buffalo, NY. My favorite "year" was 1982, as Epcot was open only three months when we visited. This video was a real blast from my own past...so many fond memories of such a new and novel pleasure ground.

Such a thoughtful exploration of the topic. Well done. Thank you🏆

So sad ! The classic Epcot could have been updated slightly it was not outdated...BTW .. so angry that they got rid of the Viking ride.. it was a short but exciting ride.. I have no idea why they got rid of it it was great because while you were visiting the different countries.. perhaps having something to eat in a different countries that you can head over to the Viking ride and experience some quick ride entertainment..... The only other ride nearby is in Mexico..

Oh wow Horizons looked so magical! Not outdated but all they had to do is give it lift!

Thank you for taking the effort to share your thoughts. These videos are incredibly validating to watch, especially as someone who was hyped yet quickly underwhelmed the first time I rode journey with figment. I'm honestly surprised Disney isn't more embarrassed at just the animation quality of 3d figment alone... I'd be curious to see your video thoughts on how it seems Disney presents rides/shows. Where before it seemed like the technology was in service of the story, it seems now it's very easy to see where the budget was spent, aka Navi river journey, spiderman stuntronic, etc.. The experiences now seem so centered around showcasing the new tech instead of focusing on making the guest forget about the tech and be immersed.

My daughter is a huge frozen fan. Even she didn’t like having Frozen ride shoved into Epcot. ‘’This doesn’t make sense dad’’ it’s clear to a 5 year old

I always thought rides like Back To The Future, Forbidden Journey, and Spiderman were some of the most innovative rides of all time but no, Horizons did all of it first and more. Giant Omnimax screens encompassing your vision? Transitioning between screen and practical effects seemlessly? Horizons did it all, on top of having alternate endings. I didn't even exist when Horizons closed, but God I'd kill for it to come back just to experience it.

So glad you made this video. Made me remember going to epcot when I was a kid. I kinda forgot about those original rides but as the video played it brought back great memories! Going back to Disney this Christmas. Skipping Epcot because the kids said they didn't want to go to that park. Which to me speaks volumes about its current state. Keep up the good work!

I really appreciate the incredible amount of work that went into this video!

I’m a Floridian, lived in Orlando for many years. Loved the original Epcot. E Ticket rides! Used to go to breakfast at The Land. while you ate, you got to rotate and see part of the land. Loved the carousel of progress and horizon pavilion, imagination pavilion (the original FIGMENT).Energy had great dinosaurs. Even the slow moving wedway people mover was a pleasant rest from walking so much. We attended the park so many times. Loved the food and wine festival, tasting foods from all the countries around the lagoon. It was a really a great day. So very sad to see the destruction of such a wonderful park. Excellent presentation. Thanks for posting this. ❤️

World of motions looked fantastic!!!! Why did they get rid of it??? How did world of energy stay and not world of motion?

It’s so nice to see footage of the parks from the 90s 2007 was the last time the Disney parks felt like Disney to me, you could just go and explore without looking at your phone and everything seemed to be genuine across all the parks Epcot was my favorite, now I walk around and hear the new “modern” music and see the new stores and I feel like im walking around some mall outlets with some generic Disney stores in it Thanks for the videos, would love to see Disney go back in this direction instead of commercializing every aspect

Amazing video my friend. I teared up several times thinking of all the beautiful memories I had growing up with these rides. I truly regret my daughter will never know these amazing rides, especially the original Journey into Imagination.

So glad I got to enjoy the Disney parks from the early to late 90s, it was a golden age I had no idea I was in till I watch informative videos like these, as my last Disney vacation as a young adult was in the early mid 2010s sometime. I would give anything to goto a park that had Horizons and World of Motion and others that were and are as you said , totally what I envision when I think of Disney parks not some short term IP move that becomes outdated even faster. Wonderful content

Man, I really wish I could've experienced the original EPCOT.

I had a hard time watching this video, with misty eyes. You did a wonderful job putting together in what I like to call this time the "GOLDEN YEARS" of EPCOT. When I see what the new park offers I am saddened, people have no idea what they have missed out on. It's a shell of a park now so dumbed down it's awful. The inttelect, the wit, the imagination, the fun are gone, replaced with trite. My kids when they were little loved Epcot it sparked their creative juices without being preachie. A time gone to greed and avarice.

I grew up in Orlando and have nothing but great memories of the older attractions - Kitchen Kabaret, Horizons, Cranium Command, etc.

I also love getting these long looks at the places the way I was introduced to them as a kid. I miss them being like this so much.