EPCOT

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EPCOT Festival Guides

Latest EPCOT News

EPCOT opened October 1, 1982 and it is the second theme park to open at Walt Disney World Resort, following Magic Kingdom, which opened more than a decade earlier. EPCOT was initially conceived by Walt Disney as a futuristic city, but it evolved into a theme park focused on technological innovation, international culture, and human achievement. EPCOT, an acronym for Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow, is divided into four “neighborhoods”: World Celebration, World Nature, World Discovery, and World Showcase.

World Celebration
World Celebration is in the front center of the theme park, and it will be the area that most guests encounter first. World Celebration is anchored by the iconic Spaceship Earth attraction. Other offerings in World Celebration include the CommuniCore Hall flex space, dining, and shopping areas. Technically, the Journey into Imagination attraction is also found in World Celebration.

  • Spaceship Earth: The park’s iconic geodesic sphere houses this ride, which takes guests on a journey through the history of human communication, from prehistoric times to the digital age.
  • CommuniCore Hall: An exhibition space used by Disney during its seasonal festivals
  • Connections Cafe & Eatery: This is the main dining area in World Celebration, and it’s also where you can find Starbucks coffee
  • Creations Shop: This is EPCOT’s flagship gift shop, with a variety of merchandise

World Nature
The neighborhood to the West is World Nature. This is where the wonders of the natural world are celebrated.

  • The Land Pavilion: Home to “Soarin’ Around the World,” a flight simulator that offers a bird’s-eye view of various landscapes, and “Living with the Land,” a boat ride exploring sustainable agriculture
  • The Seas with Nemo & Friends: An aquarium and ride that explores marine life, featuring characters from “Finding Nemo”
  • Journey of Water, Inspired by Moana: A self-guided walking tour that features interactive water experiences celebrating the natural water cycle

World Discovery
This area focuses on space exploration, technology, and thrill attractions. 

  • Mission: SPACE: A motion simulator that replicates the sensation of space travel
  • Test Track: A high-speed attraction where guests design and test their own virtual vehicles
  • Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind: A recently opened indoor roller coaster that offers a unique rotating ride system with immersive storytelling

World Showcase
This area is a cultural showcase featuring 11 pavilions representing different countries: Mexico, Norway, China, Germany, Italy, the United States, Japan, Morocco, France, the United Kingdom, and Canada. Each pavilion highlights the nation’s architecture, cuisine, and cultural traditions, along with attractions such as:

  • Frozen Ever After: A boat ride in the Norway pavilion based on “Frozen”
  • Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure: A 4D dark ride in the France pavilion inspired by the movie “Ratatouille”

EPCOT is also known for its annual festivals, including the Festival of the Arts, Flower & Garden Festival, Food & Wine Festival, and Festival of the Holidays.