Five Years Later
Sunday, January 11, 2015 at 3:15AM 
At this Moment Five Years Ago, “The E82 Project” was begun with the lofty goal of revitalizing the original experiences, aesthetics & ideals of EPCOT Center in the hope that utilizing the philosophy of “Influence through Inspiration” it would be possible to bring forth the “Dawn of a New Era” for the Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow.
Since that day, The Epcot Legacy has been in a constant state of becoming with (what I hope are) insightful historical essays, dynamic philosophical dissertations, immersive listening experiences, and completely new artistic interpretations of classic EPCOT Center concepts. And yet, the journey is just beginning with many new and exciting things taking flight this year and the years to come! In many ways, "we've still just begun to dream! Therefore, it is only fitting that we begin the fifth year the way we started the project with the iconic sunrise over Spaceship Earth.
On this our 5th Anniversary,
Please Share What "The EPCOT Legacy" means to YOU!Not this site, but the Real Legacy of the City, the Center, & as a State of Mind.
Reader Comments (2)
EPCOT Center's legacy has had a lasting impression on me ever since I first went in 1986 when I was only a few months old. Sure, I don't remember a thing, but I look happy as all hell to be there. I've devoted my life to preserving it, either through digitizing pictures from books and magazines, my family photos, and collecting EPCOT Center souvenirs, since it is all we have left of it. We see it change dramatically every year, but for better or worse, I stand by it, and will defend it to the death. EPCOT Center is important to me. It's important to a lot of people. Not just because it was that one theme park from our childhood that we visited repeatedly when the Magic Kingdom was at capacity, or when my dad wanted to spend hours in the TransCenter to see the latest design from GM, but because of the message it broadcast: The Dawn Of The New Disney Era. It was a radical departure from anything we've seen, with ideas and technologies that were truly amazing. Light years ahead of its time, and belittled by many as "the boring (educational) theme park." We live in different times, where the sight of a space shuttle launch in 70mm doesn't inspire and wow us as it used to; rotating drums to simulate gravity so that we could grow crops in outer space, photovoltaic cells to power your traveling theater car, smellitzers that emitted orange scents and sulfurour odors, hydrolators, coloring Figment and Dreamfinder with an electronic stylus pen, innovative use of chroma-key and pushing the boundaries of the film medium, these were all things that we took for granted. So much thought, effort and care, not to mention detail, was put into this park, and very little comes through in the present day. EPCOT Center was the hub of the future of technologies, and somewhere along the way, it got lost in the shuffle, along with many other things. Thinking about its current state is wholly depressing, but the little touches that have not been altered since 1982, that's what makes EPCOT Center worth fighting for. So the next time you visit, just look at the signage in the front gate plaza, and you'll see the Prototype font still in use. Or take a stroll down a corridor where they have the EPCOT Center history timeline behind Ice Station Cool, where you can still feel the carpeted walls and the remnants of the old EPCOT Center. And if nothing else, just take in the smell of the over-chlorinated water on any boat ride, the "Disney Water."
I am a former Cast Member of Magic Kingdom & Disney-MGM Studios. I worked on the Mickey Mouse Club soundstage in the late 80's after it opened. I was there for the 100th episode of the new Mickey Mouse Club. My daughters back then were 1 & 5 and at least three nights a week, if not more, I'd go to Epcot with the 5 year old, Tori. Our routine was we'd get the park stroller (free for employees) , she'd hop in and off we'd go. First stop was always Spaceship Earth. Then we'd hit the World of Motion. Depending on the crowd, usually pretty light back then, we may go right back on a four or five times. Then we'd go into the World Showcase for the ride in Mexico. Again, many times the crowd was so light they'd let us stay on the boat. Our record was 6 times before we stepped off. Tori loved Figment so we'd go over to Journey/imagination. We'd hit that a few times and maybe go back to the other side for another ride or two. Then we'd go to Captain EO for the very last showing. That was our thing. Last showing, Tori & daddy!! Then, if they'd let us, we'd catch Spaceship Earth one last time before we headed out, park closing behind us. We'd drop off the stroller and by the time I carried Tori to the car, she was asleep. We did this for over 2 years and spending that time with my daughter, at Epcot to boot? Absolutely the best times of my life. Everytime I see something change there, a piece of me almost feels like dying. But then, I remember how many times we did share it and I know I'm luckier than most people. I have hundreds of memories of my little girl and me at Epcot. Talk about priceless!