Since opening on October 1, 1982, Epcot (opened as EPCOT Center but changed names in the late 1990’s) several attractions have come and gone, while others were changed and updated.Here is my list for the best attractions of all time, regardless if they still exist or not, for Epcot presented in no particular order.
The Living Seas (the originals and not the current The Seas with Nimo and Friends). The Living Seas used to begin with movie about the seas and how they were created followed by a trip to Sea Base Alpha aboard a hydralator. Once at the bottom of the ocean, you would board a Sea cab for the final part of your journal to the center of Sea Base Alpha. When I was younger, I always found this attraction to be inspiring and made me want to learn more about the ocean.
Horizons “If we can dream it, then we can do it” was the motto for this EPCOT Center favorite. Riders would board their vehicle for a look at how we used to depict the future in the past to what the future might look like years from now. I remember riding this in the 1980’s and some of what was shown was not too far off. I remember seeing the redhead girl “talking” to her boyfriend via video conferencing!
The American Adventure This is one of the few original opening day attractions that remains relatively the same as it did on October 1, 1982, although the film at the end has been updated to include more current events. This grand show depicts the story of America, from the Pilgrims landing to the dawn of the 21st century.
Spaceship Earth As the symbol of Epcot, Spaceship Earth was designed to be a grand attraction, showing how humans communicated through the centuries and giving us a glimpse into the future of communication. The ride has gone through several small and large refurbishments and the narrators have included Walter Cronkite, Jeremy Lions, and the current Dame Judy Dench, yet this attraction, to me, has always been great. Sure, some of the small changes have been hit or miss (like taking away the great ending song, “Tomorrow’s Child”), but overall Spaceship Earth always gets me excited about my day at Epcot.
Test Track The first venture at Epcot to create a thrill ride (unless you count Maelstrom), Test Track took the place of the World of Motion attraction. While Test Track is no roller coaster, it is fast enough and just a bit scary to count as a tame thrill ride. I love when the car goes through the anti-lock break test for the first time… without the anti-lock breaks!
O’ Canada (the original version) This attraction, which is a CircleVision film was updated in 2007. The updated film is “cute” it isn’t nearly as good as the original film. That said, it was time for an update. Viewers who saw the original film, which premiered in 1982, today would have wondered why Canadians still dressed like they were in the ‘70s!
Soarin’ This is one of the newest attractions at Epcot and taken from the popular ride at Disney’s California Adventure, “Soarin’ over California.” Soarin’ takes riders on a hang glider ride over California and allows you to smell the fresh orange groves as you fly over them (reminds me of the orange smell from Horizons desert farming scene).
World of Motion Now closed and replaced with Test Track, World of Motion was a tribute to transportation evoking the phrase “it’s fun to be free” in its theme song. Like most original Future World attractions, the ride would begin showing the beginnings (in this case, transportation) and end with what the future will be like. Unfortunately, for World of Motion, the future looked like an Epcot with this wonder attraction.
El Rio De Tiempo Before it got a makeover in 2007 to feature Donald Duck as “Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros” this lazy boat ride through the history of Mexico (which was appropriate as this ride was in the Mexico pavilion in the World Showcase) was always a favorite on hot or crowed days at Epcot. I could always get on this ride with no waiting and the market girl chasing my boat to buy handmade Mexican souvenirs never got old.
Tapestry of Nations This pageant of performers, oversized imaginative costumes, still walkers, and more was presented nightly during Epcot’s Millennium Celebration. The Time Keeper would call on all nations to wish for hope and peace in the new millennium while the World Showcase would come alive with music, light, sounds, and color in the one of a kind parade.
