One of the best loved, most popular and fastest rides in all of Walt Disney World is Test Track, found in Future World of Epcot. This unique experience puts guests in the “driver’s seat” of a test vehicle.
Originally opened on December 19, 1998, the attraction sponsored by General Motors replaced the previous World of Motion in the same basic structure. Many delays were experienced before the ride became operational owing to its complex nature and troubles encountered before it went live.
With one of the more elaborate queue lines in Disney, those waiting are given an indication of some of the testing that is done on vehicles and their parts before they are put in to use. Examples include electric windows, seat wear, tires, braking systems, drive-trains, etc. [click to continue…]
One of the more quirky but still entertaining attractions to be found in Walt Disney World is Journey Into Imagination With Figment, located in the Imagination Pavilion of Epcot.
“Journey” has actually been through three major incarnations since it first appeared in Epcot in 1983, just months after the theme park opened itself. The first version involved guests in an omnimover ride system which took them on a trip with an old man named Dreamfinder. Dreamfinder collected dreams and ideas and uses them to create new things. He did this along with the help of a “figment of his imagination” which resembles a winged dragon or alligator.
The original attraction was around for many years but closed in 1998 to allow for a major renovation which introduced the second version of “Journey.” Known as “Journey into YOUR Imagination”, the re-imagined attraction was based on the new 3-D film/show playing next door called Honey: I Shrunk the Audience. Accordingly, guests were now “touring” the Imagination Institute from the “Honey, I Shrunk…” world and served as test subjects for new inventions. [click to continue…]
Perhaps one of the most over-looked experiences in all of Walt Disney World is located in the Land Pavilion in Epcot. Known as “The Circle of Life”, this twenty-minute film uses an entertaining perspective to show the damage we can do to the environment.
In the film, we are treated to the main characters from Disney’s animated classic – The Lion King. Timon and Pumbaa are in the process of creating Hakuna Matata Lakeside Village when Simba steps in to explain the destructive nature of their ways.
To accomplish this, Simba refers to “a creature who sometimes forgets how everything is connected in the Great Circle of Life.” Humans! Immediately, Timon and Pumbaa express their disgust for humans and how they could never be like them. [click to continue…]
Perhaps one of the best loved rides in all of Walt Disney World is Soarin’. Located at the Land Pavilion in Epcot, this attraction simulates a hang glider experience over practically the entire state of California (all in five minutes).
Why California? Many ask that question since Walt Disney World is in Florida. The reason is because Soarin’ first opened in California at Disney’s California Adventure in 2001. The ride proved so wildly popular with guests that plans were drawn up to create another Soarin’ at Walt Disney World. The Florida version opened on May 5, 2005 and has proven to be just as popular there.
The simulated hang glider ride starts off with a long queue leading people from the Land Pavilion to the Soarin’ building. The queue used to be filled with pictures and references to some of the great natural wonders of the world but has been recently replaced with new technology allowing guests to participate in interactive games as they wait (and the wait can be quite long sometimes). [click to continue…]
Living with the Land, located in the Land pavilion on the western side of Future World in Epcot, can trace it roots back to the original opening of theme park back in 1982.
When it first debuted, the ride was known as Listen to the Land, but the basic premise for the attraction has remained consistent for nearly three decades. It takes riders on a trip which introduces them to how man has used (and can abuse) the land in an effort to create the food we use each and everyday. [click to continue…]
Just like the Seas pavilion itself, attractions inside the pavilion have been added or modified to reflect the wildly popular Pixar blockbuster movie Finding Nemo. One excellent example of this is the Turtle Talk With Crush attraction which opened at the Seas on November 16, 2004.
In fact, when the attraction first opened, it was so popular that plans were almost immediately drawn up for it to be moved to a larger section of the pavilion to allow for additional crowds. This switch occurred a couple of years later when the pavilion officially opened as the Seas with Nemo and Friends.
Guests to the attraction are usually amazed by the comedy and technology involved with the show. Upon entering, guests are seated in a movie theater style room with a large screen (pretending to be a window into the sea) in front of them. Children are asked to sit on the floor in front of the screen “so that they can see the show better.” [click to continue…]
The Seas with Nemo & Friends is a relatively new take on a pavilion that has been a part of Epcot’s Future World since 1986. It was updated to include the theming and characters of the Pixar blockbuster Finding Nemo.
When the original pavilion opened, it was known as The Living Seas. It invited guests to [...]
Providing an almost ever-changing experience, Innoventions of Epcot in Walt Disney World is an under-utilized retreat from the hustle and bustle of the typical Disney crowds.
Housed in Future World, but separated into East and West sections, Innoventions offers several different exhibits to pass the time as well as educate and amuse oneself. The main theme [...]
Few structures in Walt Disney World are more misunderstood or named incorrectly more often by park goers than Spaceship Earth located in Future World of Epcot. This is a strange phenomena, especially when you consider that Spaceship Earth is the icon for the entire park.
Many newcomers to Disney (and even a few veterans) do not [...]
Few Walt Disney World attractions are more under appreciated by the common Disney guest than Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress located in Tomorrowland of the Magic Kingdom. The Carousel not only provides a welcome air-conditioned respite from the hustle and bustle of the crowds, but also provides a glimpse into the mind of the man [...]