December 1, 2001 - Epcot Center

Epcot (Experimental Prototype Center of Tomorrow) is said to have been Walt's favorite.  It doesn't work for me, or, today, for the rest of us. Dominated by a full geodesic dome of mammoth proportions, the theme park is divided into two sections: Future World and The World Showcase.  Future World contains pavilions devoted to such themes as energy, the human body, planet earth, the land, the sea.  The World Showcase contains a number of national pavilions with sales material and restaurants featuring the national foods of the sponsoring countries.  There is a Test Track ride sponsored by GM and a Honey I Shrunk the Audience 3D film sponsored by Kodak.  Otherwise, Epcot contains little to interest kids.  The entire campus of this theme park is reminiscent of the 1964 - 1965 New York World's Fair.  It's clean, has wonderful plantings, and, on this day, has a quiet and subdued atmosphere.  Of course maybe it's me that's subdued.  I'm tired and grumpy.

Our six-year old grandson Alex is currently enamored of NASCAR racing.  He has read about the Test Track and wants to ride it.  We walk across the park to reach it.  When he sees and hears the track, he decides it's not for him. We walk across the park to "Honey I Shrunk the Audience."  Once again, we walk into the attraction without waiting.  The 3D effects are even better here than in the Jim Henson movie at MGM.  In addition to the film, mice run across our feet, the room shakes, and we get sneezed on.  It works.  Outside the theater an innovative and creative fountain sends spurts of water from space to space along a series of cement pads.  The kids enjoy trying to catch the water as it jumps train like to the next hole.

We stop to feed and water the kids then walk back to the Test Track, which Alex has decided he wants to ride after all.  The wait is now two hours, the longest wait we've seen in three days at Disney World.  Even the time to come back for Fast Pass is three hours away.  We head for the "Universe of Energy" pavilion.  This endless ride through the creation of the world and its energy resources stars Ellen DeGeneres, Bill Nye the Science Guy, Alex Trebek, and Jamie Lee Curtis in a mindless game of Jeopardy, which takes us back to the beginning of time.  It takes almost as long as all eternity to get back to the street.  At this point we split up for the first time. Rick, Suzie and the kids decide to take the monorail to the Magic Kingdom. We stay for one more pavilion and head back to Fort Wilderness.  The most interesting and entertaining part of Epcot, for me, is the marvelous fountain used as a water organ in the middle of the park.  I can sit for hours listening the music and watching the water dance.  It's even better at night.  We go back to the trailer for a few hours of quiet and together time.  The family troops back in after having ridden rides, seen parades, and watched fireworks.  What could be better?