Epcot - Information On Epcot Lake Buena Vista, Florida

The original EPCOT was intended to be an Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow, sort of a model city of the future that Walt Disney planned back in 1966.

The original city would have been the home to twenty thousand people. The plan featured a circular layout with businesses in the center and schools and recreational areas around the center. The residential areas would be along the outer perimeter of the circle. Vehicle traffic would all be kept under the city and transportation in the city would all be done via monorails and people movers (like the Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover). You can still see the original model for EPCOT on the Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover when the ride enters a tunnel.

That EPCOT never happened for a variety of reasons, the biggest being Walt's death. Once Walt was gone the EPCOT vision would never happen and, instead, another theme park was born.

This new theme park, now titled Epcot (lower case) and no longer an acronym, is really the combination of two entirely different park ideas. One park idea was to create a sort of world's fair that would showcase various countries and their cultures from around the world. The other was a showcase of future technology, rides, and fun. The two park ideas came together to form the Epcot you see today.

When you enter Epcot you'll be entering the Future World section first and this is where the bulk of the rides will be. Head towards World Showcase Lagoon and you'll be entering World Showcase which features country based pavilions that showcase the best that each of the represented countries has to offer.

Epcot is a big park and takes a long time to cover it all so pace yourself and plan to spend a few days here if possible. Kids tends to prefer the Future World side while older folks tend to prefer World Showcase but there is plenty for everyone in both sections of the park.

All of the Disney hotels will provide transportation directly to Epcot. You can also take the monorail from the Ticket And Transportation Center, or a Friendship Boat from a nearby Epcot area resort. If you're staying at Disney's Yacht Club Resort or Disney's Beach Club Resort then you can walk to Epcot and enter via International Gateway, Epcot's back door.