Epcot Center had its name shortened to Epcot in 1994. Opened in 1982, Epcot is one of four theme parks that comprise the Walt Disney World Resort. Epcot covers 300 acres. That's twice as large as the Magic Kingdom. Epcot, as it stands today, was inspired by Walt Disney's original vision, and is divided into two distinct sections--Future World and World Showcase. Epcot is generally open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. You can visit Epcot by itself or as part of a park-hopping experience.
"Epcot" stands for Experimental Prototype Community Of Tomorrow. The original concept, designed by Walt Disney himself, was for a Utopian city. Sometimes the word "city" is substituted for "community."
Future World is a staple of Epcot. It is filled with a variety of attractions, and contains one of the fastest rides in all of Disney's parks, Mission: Space. Mission: Space is a motion simulator that lets guests experience a trip to Mars. The icon of Future World is Spaceship Earth. Spaceship Earth looks like a giant golf ball. Guests can enter Spaceship Earth and take a ride through time and space, plotting the course of a Ray Bradbury story penned exclusively for the ride.
In the spirit of Epcot, the other main section of the park is known as World Showcase. World Showcase is a chance to experience a vast array of different cultures, all at once. This area of the park offers food, shopping and attractions based on the distinct cultures of 11 different countries. The countries are Mexico, Norway, China, Germany, Italy, the United States, Japan, Morocco, France, the United Kingdom, and Canada.
Epcot offers numerous attractions for a wide age range. The newest attraction, Disney's Kim Possible World Showcase Adventure, allows children to become secret agents and go on a park-wide scavenger hunt. The park also features Soarin', which simulates a hang-gliding flight over California; Mission: Space, which allows riders to experience a trip to Mars; and Test Track, which puts riders in the position of being crash test dummies. Other attractions include The Seas With Nemo and Friends, Maelstrom and Ellen's Energy Adventure.
Epcot, like all of Disney World, offers a variety of special events throughout the year. During the holiday season, visit Holidays Around the World. Holidays Around the World converts World Showcase into a display of how each country celebrates that time of year. For adults, Epcot hosts the Epcot International Food and Wine Festival. During the summer, Epcot brings together a variety of tribute bands for the concert series, Sounds Like Summer. In the spring, Epcot offers the Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival.
