Epcot - 3 Points

Question 1

Spaceship Earth

Answer 1

o Opened October 1, 1982
o Ride time is about 16 minutes
o Weighs 16 million pounds, 165 feet in diameter, and 180 ft. tall
o There are 11,324 triangular panels making up the outside
o If it were a golf ball, the golfer would need to be 1 mile tall

Question 2

The Seas with Nemo & Friends

Answer 2

o Opened January 15, 1986 as “The Living Seas”
o Was rededicated as The Seas with Nemo & Friends on 1/24/07
o Aquarium is 27 feet deep and holds 5.7 million gallons of water
o It was the largest saltwater aquarium in the world until 2005
o Over 8,000 fish and marine mammals – 70 different varieties

Question 3

The Land

Answer 3

o Opened October 1, 1982
o The pavilion takes up six acres, making it the largest pavilion in Epcot and the same size as Tomorrowland in the Magic Kingdom
o The mosaic murals:
• Created by the same artists as Cinderella Castle murals
• 134 feet long & comprised of 150,000 individually shaped pieces of marble, slate, granite, glass & gold (M,S,G,G,G)
o The 5 large balloons represent the earth and the 4 seasons

Question 4

Living with the Land

Answer 4

o Opened on October 1, 1982 as “Listen to the Land”
o Ride time is 15 minutes in 20 passenger boats
o 30 tons of fruits and vegetables grown here per year and served in Walt Disney World restaurants
o 40 audio-animatronics in the attraction
o Since 2006, cast members no longer narrate the ride

Question 5

The Circle of Life: An Environmental Fable

Answer 5

o Opened January 21, 1995
o 15 minute show in a 428 seat theater
o Theater was previously occupied by Symbiosis

Question 6

Soarin’

Answer 6

o Opened May 5, 2005
o Show time is about 5 minutes, HR=40,” has a capacity of 87
o Flight #5505 refers to May 5, 2005 - the opening date
o The screen is a dome that is 80 feet in diameter
o Over a million pounds of steel make up the ride structure

Question 7

Imagination!

Answer 7

o Opened October 1, 1982

o It was originally planned to be an “Ecology” pavilion

Question 8

Journey into Imagination with Figment

Answer 8

• It is approximately 6 minutes long
• Previous Versions:
• Journey Into Imagination – March 5, 1983 to 1998
• Journey Into Your Imagination – 1999 to 2001
• Re-Opened on June 2, 2002 as the current version
• Brought “Figment” back into the attraction

Question 9

Captain EO

Answer 9

• Re-Opened July 2, 2010 (2nd run)
• It cost $24 million to make, which in 1986 was the most expensive film ever produced on a per minute basis
• The Magic Eye Theater holds 570 guests
• Previous shows in the Magic Eye Theater:
• Magic Journeys – O.D. to 1986 (Sherman Bros.)
• Captain Eo (first run) – 1986 to 1994
• Honey I Shrunk the Audience – 1994 to 2010

Question 10

Test Track

Answer 10

o Opened March 17, 1999
o Ride time is 4 minutes – HR=40”
o Cost approximately $100 million
o There are a total of 32 cars and the attraction takes up 3 acres
o Cars have top speed of 65 mph and travel 50,000 miles per year

Question 11

Mission Space

Answer 11

o Opened August 15, 2003
o Ride Duration=4:00, HR=44”, Building is 40,000 square feet
o Cost approximately $100 million & took 5 years to develop
o A lunar rover built by NASA (only one not on the moon) is hanging in the queue, and is on loan from the Smithsonian
o More cast members work at Mission Space than at any other attraction at WDW (21 – up to 32 on busy days)

Question 12

Universe of Energy

Answer 12

o Opened October 1, 1982
o The show is 45 minutes, and holds 586 guests
o Ellen’s Energy Adventure debuted on September 15, 1996
o 80,000 photovoltaic cells on the roof provide 15% of the power
o The roof itself is actually 2 acres

Question 13

Innoventions

Answer 13

o Opened September 29, 1994
o Previously called Communicore, which opened on 10/1/82
o Innoventions West: Where’s the Fire, Smarter Planet & Runtime, Disney Story Time, Great Piggy Bank Adventure, Segway Central, Playstation 3 Video Games, Club Cool
o Innoventions East: Storm Struck, Sum of All Thrills, Habit Heroes, Vision House, Limits Test Lab, Nanooze

Question 14

Mexico

Answer 14

o Opened on October 1, 1982
o The Gran Fiesta Tour boat ride takes 8 minutes
o El Rio Del Tiempo became Gran Fiesta Tour on April 6, 2007
• Includes the characters from the 1944 film The Three Caballeros, Donald Duck, Panchito, and Jose Carioca
• Panchito (the red rooster) is the leader of the trio and the only Mexican character; Jose is from Brazil
o The building is modeled after a 3rd century Aztec temple
o The control room for Illuminations is located atop Mexico

Question 15

Norway

Answer 15

o Opened May 6, 1988 – Maelstrom opened July 5, 1988
o Maelstrom ride takes 5 minutes – Movie is 6 minutes
o The main icon of the village is a detailed Stave Church
• St. Olaf brought Christianity to Norway in about 1050
• Of the 1,000 built in the Middle Ages, 28 survive today
o The pavilion is staffed by 150 Norwegian men and women
o Norway doesn’t light up during Illuminations
• Norway is directly across the lagoon from Morocco
• For religious reasons, Morocco can’t have any attached lighting, so to keep symmetrical, Norway doesn’t light up

Question 16

China

Answer 16

o Opened on October 1, 1982
o The Reflections of China movie is about 15 minutes
o Most of the pavilion is a replica of the Temple of Heaven which was constructed in Beijing in the 15th century
o The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvest is ½ scale
• 12 outer columns supporting the roof represent the months of the year and the 12 year cycle of the Chinese calendar
• The 4 columns close to the center represent the seasons
• These columns support a beam signifying Earth
• It is topped by a round beam signifying Heaven
o The “Hall” is acoustically perfect and if you stand in the center of the room and speak, you will “hear yourself talk”

Question 17

Germany

Answer 17

o Opened on October 1, 1982
o Designed after a 16th century German town, with architecture inspired by the buildings of Bavaria and the Rhine region
o Over 150 miles of bratwurst are served at Biergarten per year
o Over 2,000 slices of apple strudel are served here every day

Question 18

Italy

Answer 18

o Opened October 1, 1982
o Inspired by the city of Venice
• There are two columns as you enter St. Marks Square
• On the left one is a winged lion – symbol of St. Mark
• On the right one is St. Theodore – a military leader
o The main building is a replica of Doge’s Palace and the tower is St. Mark’s Campanile, which stands 83 feet tall
o The water for the pizza dough at Via Napoli is imported from Pennsylvania for the authentic Neopolitan taste

Question 19

American Adventure

Answer 19

o Opened October 1, 1982
o The show is 30 minutes and holds 1,024 guests
o Colonial style structure inspired by Independence Hall, Boston’s Old State House, Monticello, and Colonial Williamsburg
o The building is 108,000 square feet and is made of 110,000 bricks
o There are 10 huge sets that are stored under the theater seats and moved to the stage by a computer when needed

Question 20

Japan

Answer 20

o Opened October 1, 1982
o The five story pagoda is the main icon of the pavilion (83 feet tall)
• It is adapted from the 8th century Horyuji Temple in Nara
• Each story represents one of the 5 elements of the Buddhist universe – Earth, Water, Fire, Wind, and Sky
o The building on the right is a replica of the Shishinden, the
ceremonial hall at the Imperial Palace in Kyoto, built in 794
o The torii gate is based on the Itsukushima Shrine in Hiroshima Bay

Question 21

Morocco

Answer 21

o Opened September 7, 1984
o Only nation where the country’s government aided in the design and actually sponsored the pavilion
o The cities of Casablanca, Fez, and Marrakesh are represented
o The Islamic religion prohibits artistic depiction of live objects
• There are no plants, animals, or people in the Moroccan art
• The King of Morocco sent his royal craftsmen to lay all the tile work, carvings, and paintings in the pavilion

Question 22

France

Answer 22

o Opened October 1, 1982
o Impressions de France film is 18 minutes and holds 325 guests
o The area reflects France from 1890 to 1914
• Known as La Belle Epoque – “The Beautiful Time”
• Era characterized by optimism, peace, & new technology
o It is themed to look like a Paris neighborhood in the spring
o The Eiffel Tower
• It is a 1/10 scale replica of the Eiffel Tower at 103 feet tall
• Disney used Eiffel’s original blueprints to construct it

Question 23

United Kingdom

Answer 23

o Opened October 1, 1982
o Designed to look like a typical British village, with buildings based on different periods of British architecture – From 1500s to 1800s
o The Queen’s Table – 1600’s
• The crests of the 4 schools are in a 2nd floor window
• Bigger 2nd floor because taxes were based on 1st floor
o Rose and Crown Pub
• Entrance sign says “Otium cum Dignitate” which is Latin for “Leisure with Dignity”
• The exterior features four different styles of pubs

Question 24

Canada

Answer 24

o Opened October 1, 1982
o O’ Canada! is 15 minute show; theater holds 600 guests (standing)
o The main landmark is the Hotel du Canada,
• Modeled after the Chateau Laurier in Ottawa
• It is made to look six stories, although it is only three
o The Victoria Gardens, the largest of all of the pavilions, are inspired by the Butchart Gardens near Victoria, British Columbia
• Horticulturists plant white flowers in winter to depict snow
o The rock work depicts the Canadian Rocky Mountains