Fans will probably agree that EPCOT (and Disney in general) in the 1970s and 1980s possessed a special kind of magic, before the titans of industry started to change the Happiest Place on Earth. Opening in 1983, EPCOT was Walt Disney’s heartfelt homage to technology, world cultures, learning, and the sense of unity we can each experience when we realize how similar we all truly are. From immersive Dinosaur experiences to interactive technology exhibits that the entire family could enjoy, we’re spotlighting 12 things about EPCOT in the ’80s that couldn’t be more different than the EPCOT you can visit today.
#1: The Original Entrance Fountain
Before the Leave a Legacy exhibit was introduced, an impressive lucite fountain used to tower before Spaceship Earth. Its prismatic presence created the effect of glistening rainbows as water cascaded from its surface. The original entrance fountain was once such an iconic park emblem that Disney reinstated an updated fountain version in 2020.
