Future World

History of EPCOT Center’s World of Motion – Up the Waterfall Episode 31

10 July 2020 by Suzannah Otis Leave a Comment

We have now polished off 30 episodes of our passion project – Up the Waterfall podcast! To mark this milestone, we decided it was time to bring in a guest to share some further insight and commentary. After covering our personal memories and EPCOT Center’s history back on episodes 5 thru 9 (be sure to check them out if you haven’t already watched or listened), we thought it was time for our first “deep dive” into one of the original EPCOT Center attractions: the World of Motion. Who better to help us navigate the history of this great attraction, than EPCOT Center fan, historian, and generally great guy, Michael Crawford.

For those unaware, Michael has been sharing his love and historical facts regarding the original Walt Disney World Resort, EPCOT Center, and more, on his Progress City, U.S.A. blog for years. He also has had a great presence on the original “Disney twitter” where is how I personally came to know him. We shared fond and obscure memories of our time in the parks when we were just tiny fans.

Additionally, Michael has presented at D23 events such as the EPCOT 30th Anniversary Celebration and written the Progress City Primer, all about the creation of the Walt Disney World Resort. We are very grateful to have Michael join our modest podcast, and the timing is great, because he’s just recently started up his own Progress City Radio Hour podcast after a short 10-year break in between episodes 3 and 4. We urge you to check it out for more great discussions with Michael and his brother Jeff Crawford.

In this episode, we take a quick rundown of our favorite bits and pieces of the iconic World of Motion. We then take a deep dive into this original EPCOT Center attraction; including its storied history reaching back to the 1964 World’s Fair in New York. We then go over each section from boarding the ride vehicle to exiting the Trans Center. Michael shares some fun facts along the way so you may learn a thing or two as well.

Do you have memories of the World of Motion? We’d love to hear them below! Did you love the music, the sets, the animatronics? Or just checking out the new cars at the end of the ride? If you haven’t ever been on the ride, be sure to check out Martin Smith’s Ultimate Tribute video, which is the next best thing. We hope you enjoy this week’s episode! You can watch it below:

As always, we thank you for watching and listening! If you enjoyed, please share with a friend so more folks can learn about our growing podcast! Thank you!

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Head to our Up the Waterfall YouTube Playlist – where you can see our opening sequence and see some unique images during some episodes.

Epcot’s 20th Flower & Garden Festival in Full, Delicious Bloom!

12 March 2013 by Suzannah Otis 1 Comment

This year marks the 20th annual Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival, held in both Future World and World Showcase around Epcot, and known for its larger-than-life topiaries of our favorite Disney characters and scenes. This year is a little different, however, because the creators of the festival have added a big bonus this year, in the form of 12 booths featuring Spring-inspired culinary dishes and fruit-infused beers, wines and other adult beverages, as well as some non-alcoholic options. As a fan of the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival, I think this is a wonderful addition. With 12 booths, it’s not overwhelming to World Showcase, and the offerings are completely unique and new to the Flower & Garden Festival. This addition of food and wine was 5 years in the making, and I think worth every minute of planning. The items offered are focused on fresh, light flavors, or those reminiscent of the coming summer – as found in the Smokehouse area of the American pavilion. I haven’t had a chance to try all the options yet, but so far my favorite was the “Frushi” or fruit sushi – fresh fruit rolled inside coconut rice. It’s not too sweet, it’s just perfect!

As far as the drink options, the biggest buzz is for the Dole Whip with a shot of Siesta Key spiced rum. I gave this a try – for research purposes of course – and it was a very unique experience. Unless you are a huge fan of rum by itself, I recommend mixing it all up so it’s like a frozen drink vs. trying to drink the rum alone. My favorite adult offering of the festival is the sparkling brut with elderflower syrup, found in the German booth. It was so yummy! I’ll let you discover your own favorites as you stroll around the World Showcase promenade – but don’t forget to visit the Festival Center where the Intermissions Cafe has its own set of drinks and snacks to try.

With the addition of the food and wine selections, the Flower & Garden Festival also borrows the passport which is so popular during the Food & Wine Festival. Guests can pick up a Garden Passport at the Festival Center (make sure to get your first stamp there!) and then get a stamp at each garden location and food booth around the festival. It’s a fun activity for adults and kids alike!

Speaking of kids, my 4 year-old tested out all of the kids play areas and gave his thumbs up for the Radiator Springs garden and the Oz garden, both featuring some really fun playground equipment to climb, jump, and explore, as well as comfy seating for parents to supervise. The Tinker Bell and Friends Butterfly House is a perfect theme for the butterfly gardens, and a great learning opportunity with chrysalis collections and new butterflies emerging daily.

Also be sure to check out the Festival Center over in the former Wonders of Life pavilion, for some great hands-on demonstrations and seminars from the festival sponsor, HGTV. I got to see a sneak peek of some of the seminars from HGTV stars, and guests were learning about some great planting tips and even getting to plant their own little garden starter. The Festival Center also features the fun new Epcot Flower and Garden merchandise for the 2013 – including the Vera Bradley and Disney handbag preview.

Later today I’ll be featuring some of the amazing nighttime gardens, which are another plus this year at the festival and gives some areas an entirely different look than in the day. Until then, because of the sheer number of topiaries, food, play areas, and more at the Epcot Flower and Garden Festival, I made a flickr set to share all the photos I took. I didn’t include photos of everything…you’ll need to get over to Epcot and check out all the delicious fun in person! Right now there over 200 photos in the see. Enjoy!

Monsters University topiary — Here’s a sneak peek at the topiaries at night!

And don’t forget the Flower Power concert series, featuring some classic acts which are the perfect accompaniment to the flowers and food found around Epcot. I got a chance to meet Micky Dolenz of The Monkees, and he was thrilled to be a part of the concert series, and hopes to return each year. I hope to see you around the World Showcase lagoon and all of Epcot, enjoying all there is to see at the 20th International Flower and Garden Festival!

Inside the Siemens VIP Lounge in Epcot’s Spaceship Earth

21 September 2012 by Suzannah Otis 11 Comments

As an EPCOT Center child, once I discovered that Future World lounges existed, it was on my bucket list to see them all. For the most part, it’s been happy accidents that I’ve seen them, just being with the right people or at the right event, and today was another example of that. I can now cross the Spaceship Earth lounge off my list thanks to an event put on by the Disney Interactive Media Group promoting the upcoming Epic Mickey: Power of Illusion game for the Nintendo 3-DS. I’ll have a post on that event soon, but for now, let’s head into the lounge!

Siemens VIP Lounge Spaceship Earth Epcot — Comfy chairs and couches, with LED color-changing lamps

Warren Spector discusses how Epic Mickey Power of Illusion was born

Pretty cool, right? I love how the various parts of the lounge can change color at a whim. Very Future World! Prior to the redesign in 2007 with Siemens, the lounge was run by AT&T and Bell System before that. Siemens employees can check in here and take advantage of the lounge during their stay at Walt Disney World.

The other lounges within Future World are the GM lounge (currently under reconstruction with Test Track’s refurbishment), the HP lounge at Mission: Space. The former United Technologies lounge at The Seas, The Wonders of Life lounge and one above The Land are sometimes available for special events. The former Kodak lounge at Journey into Imagination and the Universe of Energy lounge are no longer used. There are World Showcase lounges above the American Adventure and the Norway pavilion which are also used for special events.

in the Siemens VIP lounge — I was happy to be experiencing the Spaceship Earth VIP lounge with my friends Amanda Tinney and Nicole Siscaretti! A fun night for all.

Have you been in an EPCOT corporate lounge?

STAY COOL WEEK: Top 5 Ways to Stay Cool in Epcot

9 July 2012 by Suzannah Otis 1 Comment

This week on Zannaland we’re going to tackle the best ways to keep cool in the sweltering Florida heat and humidity. There are of course lots of air conditioned havens throughout the parks, but I thought it would be fun to list some ways to keep cool in-between those attractions, restaurants and shops. Let’s start off our tour with Epcot!

1. Club Cool – everyone’s favorite spot to grab a free soda sample and try some new soft drinks from around the world! Club Cool is the perfect halfway point between Future World and World Showcase and a great place to pause for a quick drink if you need a little more buzz than plain water. Of course it’s also a great place to snap some fun photos or video of unsuspecting first-timers as they try “Beverly” the famous Italian apéritif isn’t the sweet soda most people are expecting. For those wanting more than a sample, Club Cool also offers full-sized sodas and drinks as well as frozen slushies.

2. Innoventions – There are some fun activities to do for any age inside both Innoventions East and West. My family loves playing the Great Piggy Bank Adventure and asks to go back again and again. There’s also “Where’s the Fire” fire safety game and video game testing on the west side. Over on the east side you can test out your own virtual coaster at the Sum of All Thrills, prepare for hurricanes in Storm Struck, play around in some home safety testing areas, or the newest exhibit – Vision House, a 25-minute escorted tour inside a smart home of the future. There’s also plenty of seating in each side of Innoventions, for families that want to let older kids play while the parents rest for a bit in the cool.

3. World Showcase museums – We’ve all been to the countries around World Showcase; restaurants, shops, even some outdoor shows or movies to experience. However many countries also have some sort of cultural exhibit or museum which may be overlooked by guests rushing to the next attraction. Morocco has a beautiful Gallery of Arts and History, which I admit I’d never visited until last summer during a scavenger hunt! Japan has an ever-changing museum of cultural exhibits at the Bijutsu-kan Gallery, which has featured spirit animals in Japanese art and culture for the last couple of years. It’s often overlooked and a really fun way to see other cultures and how they affect us all. Norway has the Stave church, which, while tiny, is a nice respite from the heat and has interesting representations of early Vikings, all inside a beautifully carved wooden structure. China has an amazing display of the Terracotta Army found near Xi’an, China, along with some other cultural artifacts. Also, even if you aren’t going to the American Adventure (but why wouldn’t you go?!) you can check out the National Treasures exhibit inside the American pavilion and learn something new while you beat the heat.

4. Water play areas – Made for kids to cool off? Sure. But adults can run through and cool down too! There’s the little splash area between Future World and World Showcase that’s always fun to run through and see if you can stay dry (but if you don’t, you get cool!). My favorite, the jumping fountains, can be found over by Journey into Imagination. I cannot tell you the number of days and nights I would stand there as a child and get completely soaked as I intercepted one of the leaping sprays of water. There was many a time I rode Horizons dripping wet and I didn’t care a single bit. Of course, that part is not possible now, but my point is, it’s hot enough that you won’t stay wet long and you’re on vacation, what’s the harm in a little water if it keeps you cool?! If you’d rather stay dry, there are always places to sit while you watch the little ones get drenched.

5. Snacks to keep cool – I have a confession to make: I’m really not a fan of Mickey Bars in the summer. Maybe it’s the mom in me but all I see is a messy, melting, chocolatey mess in the Florida sun. So that’s not my choice for frozen treat in the parks. My favorite go-to snack to cool down in Epcot is the kaki gori in Japan. These snow cones are unrivaled in terms of yumminess and the only thing that actually cools me down without making a huge mess at the same time. There are also frozen slushie places scattered around the park, and frozen alcoholic drinks for those looking for an extra kick.

Of course, remember to stay hydrated with water (TIP: you can usually get a free ice water in any counter service location), covered in sunscreen, and stop to rest and cool off every now and then. During this extreme heat, it’s a great time to discover some hidden treasures that may just become your family’s favorites.

Do you favorite place to keep cool in Epcot?

Stay tuned tomorrow for more ways to keep cool at Walt Disney World!

Kingdom Keepers “Mary Poppins Lounge” at Disney Revealed-The Carousel Room

26 July 2011 by Suzannah Otis 10 Comments

Last year at this time, I was able to visit the VIP lounge at the former Wonders of Life pavilion in Epcot’s Future World. The pavilion has been closed for quite some time now but functions as a special event space for things like the International Flower and Garden Festival and International Food & Wine Festival, along with wedding receptions held in the VIP lounge. The Tables in Wonderland program has held a preview for the Food & Wine Festival for the last two years and I was lucky enough to attend both events for the Disney Food Blog. (As always, click to enlarge photos)

Wonders Lounge red doors — What lies beyond the red doors???

While I shared photos of the Wonders Lounge and circus-themed restroom here on the blog, I wondered all night long what lay behind the two red doors in the main lounge area. The original lounge was entirely circus themed, but the main area has since been repainted in more muted tones, with the exception of some bold color choices like the bright red doors. In speaking to cast member friends, I was informed that there definitely was something behind those doors…but never told what. I put it from my mind, thinking I’d probably never get the chance to solve this mystery first-hand. Then suddenly, it was July again and the Tables in Wonderland preview gave me hope that maybe I’d get to find out.

I tweeted that I was so excited to be in the Wonders Lounge again since it was my favorite of the VIP lounges I’d seen so far. A back and forth on twitter brought up the question of whether I liked it even more than the lounge at the Seas and I said that yes, while the Seas was a very close second, I just loved the (clown-free) circus theme up here. It was then that I discovered that the space behind the red doors was actually called the Carousel Room. I wondered if I could try to sneak a peek but thought I’d probably chicken out (I am shy in-person after all!). I was encouraged to just ask a cast member, since I was up there I had to see it. I agreed that it was silly to sit by and not try to get in to see it. So we asked, and a very nice cast member said yes. She said the couches and chairs that were usually out in the lounge area were stuffed in the room, so if we waited till the event had cleared out a bit, they would move them out so we could get around.

By now, my head was swimming with possibilities. I pictured this giant ballroom with a full-sized carousel inside, or at the very least, carousel horses filling the room. I had been told by my helpful twitter friend to prepare myself, so I knew it must be something breathtaking.

At the end of the event, we patiently stood by the door and waited for our kind cast member to give us the okay. In the meantime two guests from the event strolled by the doors and said casually, “Oh, I wonder what’s in this room here…” and then just opened the doors and went in! I did hear them gasp before the doors closed behind them so the anticipation was killing me, but I wanted to do things right and not cause problems for anyone by just storming in myself. My husband went over to ask the cast member again but she was deep in conversation with the event hosts and the two other people had come out by the time he got the okay to go in. As it turns out, this room was mentioned in the third book in the popular Kingdom Keepers series: Disney in Shadow and was referred to as the Mary Poppins Lounge. The two people that went into the room said they had booked the Tables in Wonderland dinner just because it was in this lounge and they wanted to see this because of the Ridley Pearson series. Now there was a bit of buzz around the door and when we were given the official all clear, two other couples went in with us too.

To say I was shocked is an understatement. It isn’t so much that what’s in there is scary or unbelievable…it’s more that the space itself is very small – it’s actually a meeting room, not the grand ballroom I was envisioning. There is a huge oval-shaped table which takes up all of the room, with purple chairs that definitely looked like they arrived in the late 80’s. The few couches and chairs from the lounge were still stacked in there, but it didn’t detract too much from the main focus of the room, which was, in a word, overwhelming. Without further ado:

The walls of the room are painted – in amazing detail – as if you are in the very center of a beautiful carousel. The colorful and lifelike horses surround you as does the painted wooden floor of the carousel and the landscape beyond the horses. As in a real carousel, each horse is uniquely themed. The ceiling continues the painted theme with stripes, so that you feel like you are inside a tent. Another surprising feature of the room was the amazing acoustics. I was speaking at one end of the room in a normal voice and another guest on the other side said it sounded like I was right next to her. Perfect for business meetings where everyone needs to be heard clearly. The main wall ahead of you as you walk in slides apart and there is a white board behind it, again, perfect for brainstorming about the wonders…of life! Here’s a slideshow with more Carousel Room goodness:

[portfolio_slideshow exclude=”6242,6253,6263,6262,6248″]

Another curious detail is that one of the horses has what appears to be a marble or small ball in its teeth. I tried doing some research on what this could signify, but came up blank. I’m pretty sure, given what I do know about Walt Disney Imagineers that each horse depicted has specific meanings or nods to something either artist or Disney-related. Even if I’m wrong and they are just historically-accurate carousel horses, I would love to know more and truly be able to solve this mystery.

Carousel Room — What’s in that horse’s mouth?

Wonders Lounge elevator — My husband and I being dorks on the elevator. It’s really cool but kind of impossible to capture on a camera!

While I never got to experience the GE or Kodak VIP lounges while they existed, and I still have not seen the lounges of Spaceship Earth, The Land, Universe of Energy or Test Track, I stand by the Wonders Lounge as being my favorite. It is definitely the most unique so far. Although the HP lounge has all sorts of cool technology inside and the Seas lounge is just fun to sit in and look at the water views, the level of theming in the original design is, well, a wonder. I still continue to hope I’ll see the remaining Future World lounges (and any others hiding in the World too!). If anyone has any insight to the design stories behind the Carousel Room, please feel free to share.

Please do not use any of the photos here without permission, all photos are copyright Suzannah DiMarzio. Thank you!

Inside the VIP Lounge at The Living Seas

2 November 2010 by Suzannah Otis 6 Comments

Last month, most of the Walt Disney World Moms Panel joined together for an informal reunion, just because we love an excuse to get together and what better place to do that than the Walt Disney World Resort, right? Our Pink Princess was kind enough to have a luncheon put together for us by the allied partners responsible for the Innoventions attractions. We were lucky enough to be treated to that lunch inside the second story of the Seas pavilion, in the former VIP Lounge area from back when United Technologies sponsored The Living Seas.

Unfortunately, I did not have my real camera and my cell phone pics are not the best, but I wanted to share the inside with you just the same. Hopefully I’ll get another chance to visit. I know the D23 Sip and Stroll attendees were able to experience both this lounge and the one for Spaceship Earth, so who knows what future events may take place here.

living seas vip lounge — This sign as you enter was enough to make my visit worthwhile.

Postcards From Space: Mission: Space’s VIP Video Postcard Room

6 October 2010 by Suzannah Otis 2 Comments

Mission:Space HP Lounge — HP Lounge inside Mission:Space

This weekend I was serendipitously treated to not one but two Epcot VIP Lounge experiences. A few months back my husband and I were able to enjoy the Wonders of Life VIP Lounge thanks to previewing the 15th Annual Epcot Food & Wine Festival for the DisneyFoodBlog through Tables in Wonderland, which was an amazing time.

Last Saturday my fellow Walt Disney World Moms panelists and I had lunch in the Living Seas VIP lounge (post forthcoming!). Then finally on Monday, as fate would have it, I met up with friend and fellow Disney blogger Amanda Tinney and our friend (and HP employee) Lynne Ronemous who was visiting for the weekend. Since Lynne works for HP, her handy dandy HP id card grants her access to the HP lounge situated on the second floor of Epcot’s Mission: Space ride building.

Now I’d never even stepped foot on Mission: Space’s grounds – a combination of being too chicken to ride and staging a silent protest in honor of Horizons 😉 so this was all new to me. I was quite impressed with all the lounge has to offer! You can check out Amanda Tinney’s post with detailed photos and information on the lounge, but I thought I’d share something fun too…

At the post-show area of Mission: Space, you are able to send a “Postcard from Space” via email. It’s a fun little animated postcard with different scenes to choose from inserting you into an animated outer space background. Within the HP lounge is a private little room complete with greenscreen background to send a postcard or two while you enjoy the lounge’s facilities. Of course Amanda, Lynne and I could not pass up such an opportunity, so click here find our postcard from space for your amusement. Enjoy!

HP Lounge Mission:Space — Postcards from Space room in HP Lounge

Now if any GM employees would like to let me tour the Test Track lounge, I’d be ever so grateful! 😉

The Greatest Bathroom and Lounge On Earth!

9 July 2010 by Suzannah Otis 24 Comments

Disney certainly is no stranger to circus themes, what with the whole Dumbo/Casey Jr. connection. However you may be surprised to hear there is actually a circus-themed lounge and bathroom within a now long-extinct attraction inside Epcot. A little bit of “The Greatest Show on Earth without the scary clowns.

Wonders of Life pavilion — The Wonders of Life today…

I know it’s no secret that Wonders of Life has been used for festival events both during the Epcot Flower and Garden and Food & Wine Festivals, but I actually had not been inside the building since around 2003. I recently attended a preview event held in the pavilion and as sad as it was to see no Cranium Command marquee, Wonder Cycles with video screens, or Body Wars, my sadness was quelled by a trip upstairs to the VIP lounge. I wish I’d taken pictures of the elevator because it really was beautiful; dark wood, mirrors on all sides, you could watch yourself watching yourself watching yourself riding the elevator.

Once upstairs, you are greeted with an instant circus theme. I know in the past for Food & Wine Festival dinners, the reception area had a full-on red and white striped tent treatment going on. I was able to find some pictures on a Disney fan message board of how the space is used for wedding receptions: