#80 Mar 2015 Disney's Epcot Park

I have always wondered what Epcot stands for and why that theme park is different from the other entertainment parks in Disney World.

In the early 1960s Walt Disney, who had many grandchildren, began to worry about the future of the world they would inhabit.

Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow (EPCOT) was his dream of a planned community. Its purpose was to be a “community of the future” designed to stimulate American corporations to come up with new ideas for urban living.

After Walt Disney died in 1966, most of his ideas for the planned city were abandoned. Utilizing some of his concepts, Walt Disney World Resort opened in 1971 with only the Magic Kingdom and a few hotels. The Epcot theme park at the Walt Disney World Resort opened in 1982 to reveal the world around us in a World Expo fashion.

Epcot was the last park we visited as a family. The huge shiny ball at the entrance to Epcot has always been a Walt Disney World icon.

There are several interactive exhibits and rides that provide opportunities to pilot a spacecraft, create a virtual concept vehicle and even design your own thrill ride.

Our family had very different interests for this park. We went separate ways as everyone was tired and wanted to maximize their energy.

Ralph and I particularly wanted to explore Living with the Land and the World Showcase. We had one more day on our tickets so went back to Disney World the next week to finish Epcot. The following is a combination of those two days.

LIVING WITH THE LAND is a ride through greenhouses that showcase innovative methods of food production. The ride piqued our interest with unusual ways to garden for the world or at home.

We took the “Behind the Seeds” tour. In the greenhouses at least part of every plant is edible and production is carefully controlled. The results are scientifically monitored and applicable to effectively feeding the world.

There is Disney showmanship in the Mouse Ears cucumber shape.

Fish excrement provides fertilizer for the edible flowers.

Cucumbers dangle from support beams. They have lots of room to grow but have a small footprint.

Marigold roots grow in enhanced water. No soil needed.

Tomato vines are wound around and around poles.

Winter melons grow and grow.

The peanut butter tree sign says the fruit is edible!

This “planter” rotates to provide even light for the lettuce.

WORLD SHOWCASE consists of international pavilions and eateries organized around a lake promenade.

We explored Norway (Ralph’s heritage) and found lefse, our favorite Norwegian treat.

The Canadian pavilion showcases a reproduction of Butchart Gardens in Victoria. It is very well done.

The Chinese pavilion features a miniature replica of a portion of the Terra Cotta Warriors. It provides a sense of the immensity of the original 7,000 life sized cavalry troops, chariots and horses created for the afterlife of Emperor Qin Shi Huang in 210 B.C.

We watched an incredible drumming presentation at the Japanese pavilion.

I was thrilled to explore the Epcot International Flower Garden Festival.

The topiaries are stunning.

The evening "IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth" offers a global perspective of Epcot.

Altogether, a spectacular finale to our Walt Disney World experience.