Photo by Erin Heaton

It’s easy to take a sad view of what we’ve lost at Epcot, but this is not that kind of article! I want to celebrate the fact that so many incredible attractions were part of Disney’s second Florida park. This list isn’t designed to mourn for lost attractions. They still live within each of us. I love that so many fans still talk about what resonated with them about EPCOT Center. In particular, the Future World pavilions struck a chord and inspired us to think about a larger world.

My goal with ranking the early Future World pavilions is to showcase why I enjoyed all of them. There are no bad options! You could make an argument for any to land at the top. I could easily convince myself that my choices are incorrect, but that is part of the fun! This post is just a way for me to start a conversation about what we enjoyed about EPCOT Center. I’ve chosen pavilions that appeared in the park’s first incarnation. To get your bearings, you can think of this list as covering the park up to around 1991.

My first visit to EPCOT Center happened in 1984 when I was eight. Long before the days of the Internet, I entered the gates with no idea of what I was about to experience. The entire park was a mysterious place with something new around every corner. I mention this background to help explain what drew me to the park. Future World was the perfect spot for a kid excited by sci-fi films and computer games. There’s a reason so many adults near my age today are EPCOT Center fans. So much depends on where you were in life when you visited the park.

Photo by Dan Heaton

9. Wonders of Life

My first pick immediately shows the challenges of putting together this list. There is so much to like about Wonders of Life! First of all, Cranium Command is a great attraction with a clever approach to presenting the human body. There are a lot of laughs thanks to comedians like Dana Carvey, George Wendt, Jon Lovitz, and more that were big in the late ’80s. I is the type of attraction that could work today with some updates to specific characters.

The headliner for Wonders of Life was Body Wars, which brought thrills to Epcot through the Star Tours ride system. It may have been the subject matter, but this ride always made me queasier than Star Tours. Body Wars drew long lines initially and was fun as part of the larger pavilion. If that wasn’t enough, you could also learn how babies were made with Martin Short! Bruce Broughton wrote a warm score for The Making of Me, which worked better than you might expect.

What I appreciate about Wonders of Life is how much Disney packed into the pavilion. In today’s world of four-minute attractions, a place with multiple headliners is refreshing. It also included Goofy on Health, exercise bikes with video screens, and more. You could easily spend hours doing everything. The mix of education and thrills was a strong part of EPCOT Center’s second group of attractions. I placed this pavilion here due to how much it resonates with me compared to others. If I had the chance to bring back a pavilion, this would be my final choice. It’s entertaining and has variety, but it falls short of the next few picks.

© Disney

8. Communicore

In a similar vein to Wonders of Life, CommuniCore packed so many cool exhibits into a massive space. I never felt like we had enough time to explore these spaces as a kid! My parents didn’t want to spend hours watching me touch every button. We did enjoy designing rollercoasters, talking with SMRT-1, and previewing travel destinations. Everything felt like it was on the cutting edge, particularly when I was younger.

As I learn more about places we didn’t explore closely in the ’80s, I’m more impressed by how much was inside CommuniCore. The Age of Information exhibit (and catchy theme song) deserves an entire blog post on its own. The guys at the Retro Disney World Podcast did an excellent job chronicling the highlights of CommuniCore in multiple episodes. After hearing those shows, I realized that even my experiences were limited.

So much of CommuniCore connected to what was great about EPCOT Center. It offered exhibits you might see at your local science museum today, but that wasn’t the case in 1982. I’m also intrigued by plans that didn’t happen like the People Mover being a part of this space. Those ideas were even more ambitious than what we received. CommuniCore had a lot to offer, and it only slots here because it lacked a ride. Despite the fun, these were small exhibits. Regardless, I’m amazed at how much you could do within a space that’s now gone.

Photo by Dan Heaton

When many of us look back fondly on the Universe of Energy, we think of Ellen, Jeopardy, and Bill Nye the Science Guy. That version opened in 1996 and remained in place until a few years ago. What I’m focusing on here is solely the original, which took a serious and ambitious look at energy. I took a close look at the opening day pavilion for a tribute blog in 2017, and I was surprised by how much it offered. There’s a lot more than just dinosaurs and Exxon promotions.

This attraction was actually 45 minutes! I love how many chances Disney took; its boring reputation is overstated. The Kinetic Mosaic pre-show created by Emil Radok remains stunning even in a YouTube video. The “Radok blocks” created a screen of mind-bending images that introduced the main concept. Resembling an art institution, this eight-minute film is worth seeing and includes the warm Robert Moline song “Energy (You Make the World Go Round)”. Our next step is a brief history of fossil fuels, which sets the stage for visiting the primeval world.

The dinosaurs scene was the highlight, with massive animatronics surprisingly close to our moving theater. The inventive ride system brings momentum to what is largely a theater show. Re-watching the main film, it’s clear that Exxon shaped the messaging. On the other hand, there’s still a lot to enjoy. Any dip in energy slips away once the amazing theme song appears for the upbeat finale. I loved this moment as a kid, and we always left the show feeling jazzed. If you’ve dismissed the Universe of Energy as a corporate-driven relic, it deserves a much closer look. Disney took big chances and delivered a surprising and unique attraction.

Photo by Dan Heaton

6. The Land

This was the trickiest pavilion to rank, especially when I consider my lukewarm feelings about much of it as a kid. The Land was arguably my least favorite pavilion when I was younger, though I enjoyed Kitchen Kabaret. From my perspective today, I realize how ambitious the project was in the early ‘80s. Even now, the chance to take a boat ride through a massive greenhouse is remarkable. When you add in a charming animatronics show about nutrition and a striking film about conservation, The Land delivered on multiple levels.

One of my 2020 projects is to take a close look at Symbiosis, the epic 70 mm film directed by Paul Gerber. My expectation is there’s more to it than I anticipate. Its replacement, Circle of Life, shoehorned characters from The Lion King into its environmental theme. I appreciate the message of both, despite the different approaches. This focus on preserving nature also exists in Listen to the Land, which has many similarities to the current version. The big difference was the live narrator, with quality varying drastically in each ride. A positive side of this version is Bob Moline’s theme song, which is a catchy way to sell the message.

I miss weird and nerdy Walt Disney World, and Kitchen Kabaret is a perfect example. The fact that it existed still amazes me, and I love it. Unlike its sequel Food Rocks, the “artists” don’t just copy popular songs. There’s so much creativity here, which works for adults and kids. When you combine Kitchen Kabaret with the massive greenhouse, a rotating restaurant, and Symbiosis, The Land was a sleeper hit. With Living with the Land still operating, this pavilion is one of the best examples today of a connection to EPCOT Center.

Photo by Dan Heaton

5. The Living Seas

Here’s the last entry in the middle tier of slots 5-7 where differences are slim. I ranked The Living Seas higher because of how ambitious it was. Putting the largest saltwater tank in the world at the time inside a theme park was bold. I also love how the storytelling moved you through each step. The Living Seas was quite popular during its early years, especially when I visited as a kid in 1986. We waited in the queue before the first pre-show room, which is surprising now but allowed the design to shine.

The second pre-show room housed The Sea film, which did more than just startle us with loud thunder and endless rain. We can try to imagine how this efficient film led perfectly into the Hydrolators and our journey to Sea Base Alpha. As a kid, I totally bought the effect of movement in the Hydrolators. Tim Delaney explained its creation to me on the podcast last fall, and that made me appreciate it even more. This extra touch sold the idea that we were actually traveling under the sea. There was a cool, futuristic vibe to this journey that I always enjoyed.

The Sea Cabs offer a straightforward ride, but there’s little need when you have such amazing views of the aquarium. It kills me to see many of those windows blocked off in the current Nemo attraction! This brief trip does the job to set the stage for fun at Sea Base Alpha. You lose the impact today with an easy walk through the gift shop. I’m not trying to complain; instead, those changes spotlight the success of The Living Seas. Even the entrance with the wave hitting the rocks sold the theme. It was brilliant!

Photo by Dan Heaton

I could easily make the case for any of these four pavilions grabbing the top spot. World of Motion has lost a little cache because it closed 24 years ago and was replaced by a popular attraction. We may forget all the strengths of this complicated attraction. It was the closest that EPCOT Center came to delivering a classic on par with Pirates of the Caribbean or The Haunted Mansion. In my tribute blog from 2016, I described World of Motion as an “audio-animatronic extravaganza”. Designed by Ward Kimball, the 15-minute experience included crowds of animatronics within intricate sets to present the history of transportation.

A big difference between World of Motion and other pavilions is its offbeat take. Narrator Gary Owens speaks grandly about every achievement, but the show undercuts him with sight gags. When he talks about foot power, we see a caveman nursing a sore foot. The upbeat tune “It’s Fun to Be Free” plays throughout the attraction, and its tone connects perfectly to Owens’ words. With lyrics by X Atencio and music from Buddy Baker, the song is a gem. Marc Davis also contributed to World of Motion, and his skill for sight gags is everywhere.

One of the highlights is the grand CenterCore finale, which includes an exciting futuristic city. A Pepper’s Ghost effect presented us inside a futuristic car, which I really enjoyed as a kid. If this fun attraction wasn’t enough, the TransCenter post-show included a lot more to do. This pavilion did more than just provide a great ride; it was just the first part of the experience. Disney packed so much into this building, and the result was one of EPCOT Center’s top attractions.

Photo by Erin Heaton

3. Journey Into Imagination

The weirdest situation of this group exists today with the Imagination pavilion, which retains some of its original structure. We still have a ride with Figment, a theater, and the Image Works. It’s just a shell of its former self, and that speaks to the glory of the original. The 11-minute attraction showcased the best of Imagineering with its turntable opening and inventive use of space. The song “One Little Spark” from the Sherman Brothers remains a classic and drove so much of the original narrative. Dreamfinder and Figment are popular with guests today, and it’s been more than 20 years since the first version closed.

I have even more appreciation for the ride layout after talking with Tom K. Morris and Steve Alcorn on the podcast about its creation. It was easy to take Journey Into Imagination for granted because everything felt so effortless. From the gorgeous exterior to the remarkable views of EPCOT Center inside the upstairs Image Works, there was much more than a ride. We enjoyed spending lots of time inside the play area, which encapsulated the theme well.

The Magic Eye Theater was also prominent, especially when Michael Jackson took over for Captain EO. The original film Magic Journeys was a creepy, surrealistic production with another strong tune from the Sherman Brothers. Both offered another reason to visit the Imagination pavilion. When you add in the gorgeous fountain outside and the playful jumping fountains near the building, it delivered a good time. There’s a reason so many guests look back fondly on their experiences at Journey Into Imagination.

Photo by Erin Heaton

I’ve written so much about Spaceship Earth in the past year, and there is more to cover. That depth across the attraction’s four versions helps to explain why it’s so high on my list. This slow-moving journey through the history of communications (and more recently, innovation) remains the signature attraction at Epcot. Despite a few unfortunate changes, mostly the descent, Spaceship Earth maintains a similar feeling to its original theme. The way that the Omnimover ride system fits within the geodesic sphere is an engineering marvel.

When I spoke to show producer Peggie Fariss on the podcast, she confirmed just how much research and attention to detail went into Spaceship Earth at the start. Disney worked with experts on various historical eras to ensure the presentation was authentic. Even when we don’t know the specifics as guests, we can sense that level of care. Spaceship Earth never feels like a dry history lesson. The scenes come to life and offer us glimpses as key achievements from humanity’s past.

Each version of Spaceship Earth has developed its own style. The first two incarnations are the focus here, with Lawrence Dobkin’s more serious narration in 1982 matching the eloquent script. The tone was a little more down to Earth with Walter Cronkite four years later, but the attraction retained its overall spirit. The addition of “Tomorrow’s Child” helped deliver an inspiring conclusion that connected with us on a new level. I’d argue that this song could expand to cover all of EPCOT Center, which looked to build a world to inspire future generations.

© Disney

It feels predictable to praise Horizons once again, but there was no doubt it would be my top pick. My appreciation for this remarkable attraction just keeps growing with each passing year. I want to live in the future we see in this pavilion. The technology also stayed realistic and matched what was considered possible even back in 1983. There is an excitement about the potential for improvements in our quality of life that resonates with me. Horizons is an entertaining theme park attraction that transcends its format through both its message and inventive design.

Budget cuts required John Hench and George McGinnis to get creative with the ride layout. In particular, the Omnisphere felt massive despite a reduction in screens and the track. Tom Fitzgerald’s work on the script delivered a show that had depth but never felt ponderous. Having GE as a sponsor helped connect Horizons to the Carousel of Progress through its story of the family. The personal focus within the technology ensured that guests felt like they were part of the future, not just observers.

Another brilliant part of Horizons was the effective transitions between scenes. Certain portions were just basic hallways, yet those had magic thanks to music and lighting. You always felt like something remarkable was just around the corner, and the attraction never disappointed. The song “New Horizons” from George Wilkins played in the queue and created the perfect atmosphere. Its simple yet convincing message still inspires many of us today. Horizons embodied the best of EPCOT Center. It just worked.

What did you think of my rankings? Leave your thoughts and your personal lists in the comments section!

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