![]() However, World Showcase had room for nineteen. In fact, when EPCOT opened in 1982, World Showcase featured pavilions dedicated to nine nations: Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Japan, the United States, Italy, Germany, China, and Mexico. Meanwhile, the park’s southern half, World Showcase, was instead a cultural expo, with pavilions dedicated to sharing the cuisine, customs, and exports of world nations. ![]() The park’s northern half, Future World, was a corporate-funded showplace of innovation, ingenuity, and the power of enterprise, formed by gargantuan, monumental pavilions centered around topics of science and industry – a realm populated at its peak by beloved Lost Legends: Universe of Energy, Body Wars, Horizons, World of Motion, Journey into Imagination, Kitchen Kabaret, and The Living Seas. In fact, the two “realms” designed for EPCOT were intentional complements. But even if Orlando had never seen something quite like EPCOT, its foundation was actually that of a century-old tradition: a World’s Fair. A vast divergence from anything Disney had done before, Walt Disney World’s unprecedented second gate seemed like a total revolution. The story begins even before EPCOT Center’s 1982 opening. As always, we’re counting on you to add your memories and impressions to preserve Maelstrom for a new generation.Īnd before we head off, remember that you can unlock rare concept art and audio streams in this story, access over 100 Extra Features, and recieve an annual Membership card and postcard art set in the mail by supporting this clickbait-free, in-depth, ad-free theme park storytelling site for as little as $2 / month! Become a Park Lore Member to join the story! Until then, let’s start at the beginning… Meet the world That’s why you’ll see links to our fabled, in-depth Lost Legends entries across the site…īut in today’s entry to our Legend Library, we’ll dive headfirst into the swirling waters of EPCOT’s lost Norwegian adventure to recount its history, record the experience, and look ahead to the future. Young fans will have barely heard of it, and certainly won’t understand what the “big deal” was. So let’s remind them. And so, here we are once more: as new generations of Disney Parks fans appear, there will come a time (and sooner than you think) when Maelstrom is but a hazy memory. Image: Mark & Paul Luukkonen, Flickr ( license )Īs time marches on, beloved lost rides like Maelstrom disappear into Valhalla. ![]() Trolls, oil rigs, waterfalls, villages, polar bears… There’s no denying: Maelstrom was an oddity and a treasured remnant of Epcot’s earliest days.Īnd of course, it didn’t last. From its opening along with the park’s new Norway pavilion in 1988, Maelstrom was a rare addition to EPCOT Center: a thrill ride. It’s hard to say which is the most appropriate definition in recounting the tale of Epcot’s Maelstrom, the lost high seas adventure ride once at home in the park’s World Showcase.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |