Epcot theme park, one of 4 Theme Parks at Walt Disney World Resort, sprawls across 300 acres-twice the size of Magic Kingdom theme park-and is divided into Future World and World Showcase.
EPCOT is an acronym of Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow, which was the name originally given by Walt Disney to a conceptual Utopian city of the future that he had wanted to build on the site that is now Walt Disney World. Disney's original vision of EPCOT was for a model community, home to twenty thousand residents, which would be a test bed for city planning and organization. Disney's vision was not realized as funding and permission to start work on his Florida property would not be granted until he agreed to build the Magic Kingdom first. Disney died before the Magic Kingdom opened and the Walt Disney Company decided that it did not want to be in the business of running a city.
The park consists of two sections-Future World and World Showcase-laid out in an hourglass shape. Both sections are patterned after the types of exhibits found at world expositions. Epcot is often referred to as a "permanent World's Fair."
Future World
Future World is full of sensational attractions-including one of the fastest attractions in all Disney Parks-as well as inspiring entertainment and shows, all of which focus on technological advancements, innovation and wonder. In Future World, ideas become reality. The Epcot theme park icon, Spaceship Earth, looking like a giant golf ball rising high above the horizon, welcomes you as you walk through the Park's main entrance.
World Showcase
Beyond Future World, if entering from the main gate at Epcot theme park, is the World Showcase area. World Showcase is a collective of Pavilions that wrap around the World Showcase Lagoon. Inside the Pavilions, find shops, attractions and restaurants that represent the culture and cuisine of these 11 countries:
- Mexico
- Norway
- China
- Germany
- Italy
- United States
- Japan
- Morocco
- France
- United Kingdom
- Canada
The World Showcase usually opens two hours after park opening and remains open later than the Future World section of the park; however, most major attractions in Future World including Test Track, Soarin', Mission Space, The Seas with Nemo and Friends, and Spaceship Earth remain open until park close. Unlike the Magic Kingdom, which does not serve alcohol, many stores and restaurants in the World Showcase do serve or sell alcoholic beverages from their respective countries, and beer is sold at refreshment stands throughout the park.
There is an entrance to the park between the France and United Kingdom Pavilions known as the International Gateway. Guests staying in a number of the Epcot Resorts and guests coming from Disney's Hollywood Studios can access this gate by walkway or boat.
While walking between Pavilions, be amused by live performers-some may even invite you to participate in the show! There's also plenty of kid-centric entertainment, too, like Disney Character meet and greet locations and Kidcot fun stops. At Kidcot stations, kids can create one-of-a-kind souvenirs.