Happy 25th Anniversary Epcot

[BigPigletFan]

Happy 25th Anniversary Epcot!

PHOTOS: jimmybop

From EPCOT Center to Epcot things have really changed in the past 25 years of Walt Disney World's second gate. Epcot offers such a unique theme park experience from the Future World to the World Showcase guests experience all sorts of thrills, entertainment, dining, and more from all over the world. Not to mention, guests might even learn someting too!

So in honor of Epoct's 25th I ask you all to share your favorite Epcot memory - whether it be your first experience on a certain attraction, a festival, or just a great experience with family and friends we all have some great memories.

[BigPigletFan]

On my first visit to Epcot I remember waiting outside the turnstyles before park opening. I was about 7-years-old and I remember just looking up at Spaceship Earth in a gaze. I had seen it on television (probably due to Barbie,) but seeing it in person was just - wow.

But it was only two years ago that I really began to learn and love this wonder called Epcot.

Last fall I loved dining around the World Showcase during Food & Wine before relaxing in France for hours waiting for Illuminations.

I loved getting to see Davy Jones during my first Flower & Garden festival this past spring.

This past August I watched with joy as I got to see the wand base, stars, and crane come down and disappear with each day ... and I was able to gaze up to Spaceship Earth once again to see how wonderful it really is.

[almandot]

My first time at EPCOT was in 1999 and I was still at that age where the park seemed extremely boring to me. World Showcase at any rate. To make it worse I apparently picked a time at which Horizons had been demolished and the entire section of the park past Test Track was walled off for construction. While I loved Test Track it had too long of a line(pre fastpass, only single rider), and my entire future world consisted of that, spaceship earth, innoventions where I played dreamcast for the first time before it was released, and Honey I shrunk the audience which I passed on. Other attractions were not open and it left me with not a lot to love.

But a few days later it was 4th of july and we'd decided to spend it at Epcot anyways. I was there with my mom and we ate at the Italian restaurant. We spent a long time there talking with some of the cast members from Italy and enjoying or meal as it grew dark outside. I had only seen basic fireworks shows, and Disneyland was still in its pre-Believe days. So we went around to the International Gateway to watch and let me say I've never been more blown away by a fireworks show. It was by far the coolest experience I'd had up until that point. The heavy blasts and explosions, the projections out of nowhere of the american flag twirling around and lasers going off. Wow. And with that the park left me with a good memory shared with my mom.

Last year I made my 2nd trip to WDW and Epcot just before the 4th of july weekend this time. I knew my first experience had been jaded by a lack of almost anything. And despite that after my 2nd experience there I'd have to say it's my favorite Disney park and I wish we had it here to go to for our nights out. I got to go on what had been closed before like the universe of energy and journey into imagination, I got to go on what they'd been building with Mission Space, I got to totally reexperience the World Showcase and I got to watch Reflections of Earth for the first time. The trip made me love the park and it made me upset I'd missed out on so much before with the older rides and older versions of things and the atmosphere that gave the park its place in so many local WDW visitor's hearts. Even the fact that I missed seeing Tapestry of Nations bugs me because I love the themed atmosphere at night they created for the millennium.

Happy 25th Epcot. I wish I was there. I turn 25 on the 25th of October myself, and am still hoping to be drinking around the world on that day =D

And speaking of Illuminations, here's my video of it available for download on visionsfantastic and mousebits
http://www.google.com/videoplay\?doc...19075762640130

[Melonballer]

Happy Birthday Epcot! I first visited in September of 1999. The wand and the year 2000 sign was going up on top of Spaceship Earth. Here is a picture.

[nbodyhome]

There are too many memories after 25 years, but seeing the wand come down pretty much takes the top spot right now!





I'm just getting ready to head out to the 25th.

[flynnibus]

Happy Birthday EPCOT!

Here's hoping to more inspired attractions - better focus - and less 'quick fixes'!

[Risa]

Happy Birthday EPCOT!!!

My late stepdad loved this park. He thought the idea of educating about the world and its sciences while in a theme park was a great trick to get kids to learn something!

Let's keep Walt's ideals alive!

I can't wait to sip and nibble my way around the world in a few weeks!

[Jerren]

Wow, I have been to Epcot so many times over the years and have so many great memories, my first ride on a Segway around the world showcase, drinking my way around the world with friends, my honeymoon with my wife where the cast of the rose and crown brought out a cake, champagne and sang to us... Its almost impossible to decide but I'd have to go with my first visit back in the summer of 1993. I was working as a project manager for an environmental firm and was saying in Orlando for a few weeks, on the weekend I decided to go see WDW as I had only been once before when I was in 2nd grade. Epcot Center blew me away, it was a great time to go, it was before the "thrill rides" invaded and I got to see such anamatronic wonders as Horizons and Universe of Motion, There was no Bill and Ellen in the UOE, and Dreamfinder and Figment captured my imagination. The whole theme of future world made me excited and wonder at what the future might hold, very positive, very forward thinking.

The world Showcase was equally as exciting, I made new friends at the rose and crown at lunch, we drank our way to Germany where one of them became... incapacitated. But the atmosphere and the Cast members where just a joy to be around, we took the time to chat with them and find out all about their homes and how they liked working at Disney. In all it was a magical time the park was just so relaxing and balanced and yet so incredibly fun.

[kcnole]

Happy Birthday to one of my best friends in life, EPCOT Center. EPCOT is truly responsible for the career path I chose with my life. I remember my first trip, watching the display in communicore about how the computers ran the park and realizing that I wanted to work on those one day. Now as a college instructor teaching students about those very machines I often look back fondly to that first introduction to those machines.

Thank You Epcot for all the joy you have brought into my life over the years. For teaching me to hope in a great big beautiful tomorrow, to realize that with human ingenuity anything is possible, and giving me the hope that one day with a little communication and understanding of our cultural differences that the world can be united in peace.

You have long held the ideals that I have attempted to hold onto in my life as well. May you have another 25 years of inspiration and more to many more children and adults alike.

[TheDisneyInquisitor]

Epcot........ have a very HAPPY 25TH BIRTHDAY! Here is to another great 25 years!

[StrongStyle]

are there any news stations giving a live or prerecorded feed of the re-dedication cermony??

[TheDisneyInquisitor]

are there any news stations giving a live or prerecorded feed of the re-dedication cermony??

Don't know about "live", but pictures on other websites have shown that "The Press" is there. What press... I don't know (though I'd imagine the Sentinel will have video later).

[aimster]

My first EPCOT visit was in 1987. I was 12 and absolutely loved the place. I remember being so impressed with Journey Into Imagination (I wanted a Figment of my very own) and World of Motion. I loved pretty much all the rides in Future World back then. To this day, EPCOT is still my favorite Disney park.

[sir clinksalot]

My first visit to EPCOT (and WDW) wasn't until last October, so I don't remember EPCOT from the past.

But my first impressions of the park are it's HUGENESS. I mean, you hear about how big EPCOT is, you hear the sayings like EPCOT = Every Person Comes Out Tired, etc. But until you actually experience if for yourself you have no clue.

Coming from Disneyland, where on a non-busy day you can walk from Splash Mtn to Space Mtn in about 5 minutes (or at least I can) it's definately different.

But surprisingly, we didn't get tired exploring this park. It's just so awesome you don't realize how much walking your really doing. Take your time, enjoy the park.

Other things that really kind of surprised me were how much the kids actually enjoyed the park including World Showcase. I had heard how bored they might be, but they absolutely loved it.

Special Memories:

Having dinner with Dusty and Fishbulb at Rose and Crown. This is really where our close knit friendships really started.

Our first ride on Figment and how fun it was.

Trying all the different food and wines.

Squeezing 3 grown adults in a Clam-mobile.

Watching Illuminations with my Honey in the rain.

Drinking around the world (or at least attempting to) with 5 of the craziest/funnest people ever.

Our first and last dinner at Alfredo.

Fishbulb and the Troll.

Naps in American Adventure. (need to see this one again)

Realizing that Universe of Energy REALLY IS 39 minutes long.



So here's to more memories to be made VERY soon (I'm raising my water bottle ... really).

[sneakerspray]

Happy Birthday Epcot!

I first saw Epcot on the Disney channel at a friends house in the early 80's, probably right around when it opened. I remember seeing SSE, and the monorail in one shot and that image stuck with me for years. Living in California, and not having alot of $$, my family never made a trip out there. The best I got was a book at the .99 cent store years later showing pictures of the rides which made my longing even worse!

Then in Sept of 2004, my wife and I celebrated our anniversary with a trip to WDW and I finally got to see SSE in person. I felt like a kid again. My jaw dropped and all I could do was gaze at SSE. Happy Birthday Epcot!