For anyone interested there was an article on Epcot called "20 Secrets of Epcot" in the Chicago Tribune. I found it interesting and I will have to look for some of the items mentioned next time I go. 
http://www.chicagotribune.com/travel/chi-0303090488mar09,1,1363224.story?coll=chi-travel-hed
Edited:
Didn't realize that it would make people log in. :brick: Here is the text of the article so you don't have to log-in
ORLANDO -- Nobody conjures up magic better than Walt Disney World. Where else could you find a 189-foot-tall castle transformed into a candied and frosted cake for a 25th anniversary, the world's first geodesic sphere topped with a glittering "2000" to honor a millennium celebration, and a 122-foot-tall fiber-optically illuminated sorcerer's hat to celebrate the 100th birthday of its founder.
It's no secret that when you're in Walt Disney World, the magic is all around you. What is secret is just how much magic surrounds you. Swirling around--beneath the surface--secrets abound, helping to preserve creative entertainment elements, maintain operating efficiency, and ensure safety while blasting you with the imagination and innovation you expect from Disney.
Here's another secret. Walt Disney World is so big, anniversaries now have a tendency to overlap.
The recently concluded blockbuster 17-month long 100 Years of Magic celebration, honoring Walt's 100th birthday, kicked off on Oct. 1, 2001, a day that also marked the lesser-emphasized 30th anniversary of the Vacation Kingdom.
The 100 Years of Magic celebration continued through Walt's 101st birthday (on Dec. 5), and Walt Disney World celebrated another Oct. 1 milestone in 2002--the 20th anniversary of Epcot.
That's right, for 20 years, Epcot, the "Discover Park," has been presenting its unique amalgam of future living and current cultures from around the world to guests from many nations. Epcot, originally conceived as the "Experimental Prototype Community Of Tomorrow," has come into its own as a place where breaking technologies and diverse cultures co-mingle to entertain and enlighten.
Of course, Epcot is not without its share of secrets. In honor of that 20th anniversary, here are "20 Secrets of Epcot," exploring some behind-the-scenes magic for which Disney is renowned.
1. Let's start with, perhaps, the most frequently asked question about Epcot: Is there a system of tunnels under Epcot similar to the "utilidors" (utility corridors) snaking under the Magic Ki? The answer: Yes and no.
Yes, there is a tunnel under Epcot. In Future World, a U-shaped tunnel stretches 700 feet. It starts at the north end of Innoventions East, curves under Spaceship Earth and ends at the north end of Innoventions West. The tunnel is used for deliveries to Future World shops and restaurants.
But, no, it is not part of an elaborate system of tunnels like those in the Magic Kingdom which connect almost all of the themed lands underground. Those are used as behind-the-scenes service passages allowing workers, food, props and characters to be shuttled from land-to-land unseen by guests.
2. Why, during a thunderous downpour, don't the throngs of people standing beneath Spaceship Earth get drenched from rainwater running off the geosphere?
Because hidden behind the 11,324 silver triangular-shaped tiles lies a unique drainage system--two gutters that surround the geosphere, one at the sphere's equator and another below that. The surface tiles are spaced an inch apart, permitting rainwater to flow through and into the submerged gutters. Both gutters collect the rainwater and channel it through Spaceship Earth's support legs down below Future World, where it flows out and replenishes World Showcase Lagoon.
3. Ever notice how many torches outline the shore of World Showcase Lagoon?
The torches were installed as part of the IllumiNations 2000: Reflections of Earth fireworks show celebrating the coming of the new millennium. Nineteen torches were erected around the lagoon representing the first 19 centuries of the last two millenniums. The torch representing the 20th Century rises up out of the globe during the IllumiNations finale.
And the torch representing the 21st Century? Well, it's not really a torch. It's the blinding juggernaut of white fireworks showering the sky all across the surface of World Showcase Lagoon, heralding the arrival of the new century and the third millennium.
4. Grab a satisfying sip from one of three Future World water fountains--and listen to the fountains talk to you.
Well, they don't really hold conversations, but when the water starts flowing, you hear comical recordings embellished with sound effects coming right out of the fountain. You might hear the clanging of pipes deep inside as workers lament, "Hey, don't you know we've got a plumbers convention going on down here?" Or gurgling water followed by a sarcastic man whining, "Hey, whatta ya trying to do, drown me?" Or a droll woman pining, "No doubt about it--I've gotta move to a drier climate."
The fountains are located on the west side of Innoventions West, just across from The Land pavilion, outside the main entrance of MouseGear beside the Fountain of Nations in Innoventions Plaza, and on the walkway between Future World and World Showcase alongside the kiddie fountain.
5. Take a good look at the exterior of the American Adventure. Why does this Georgian-style brick building rise so large on the shores of World Showcase Lagoon when it's only two stories tall?
It's another example of Disney's use of forced perspective where the scaling of buildings decreases the higher up you go, which creates the illusion that buildings are taller than they actually are. The American Adventure portrays a Colonial building, which in those days stood no taller than two stories. An actual reproduction of a building from that time period would be too small to be seen from across World Showcase Lagoon. So Imagineers used inverted forced perspective to make a five-stories-tall building look like a two-story structure, thereby making it visually impressive from all around the lagoon.
6. What exactly is that gold, pink and teal structure twisting its way into the sky in front of the Wonders of Life pavilion?
The 75-foot-tall sculpture, called the Tower of Life, is a huge replica of a DNA molecule, the building block of life. The molecule is five and a half billion times its actual size; a human being possessing DNA of this size would stand six million miles tall.
7. Just how big is the aquarium in The Living Seas pavilion? If Spaceship Earth could be dropped into the aquarium, it would surely rend the glass walls, right?
Not so! Spaceship Earth is 165 feet in diameter, while the circular aquarium measures 203 feet across. That means Spaceship Earth could be fully immersed into the tank without ever touching its walls! The aquarium, the largest saltwater tank in the world, holds 5.7 million gallons all of which is filtered in just 2 hours and 40 minutes. The fresh water used to fill the tank was converted into real seawater by adding 27 truckloads of non-iodized salt, 400 tons of magnesium chloride and 300 tons of magnesium sulfate, plus other materials.
8. Watch out for the rock formations on the shores of the Canada pavilion during IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth.
For the fireworks show, one of these boulders "breaks open," rising up into the air, a contoured piece of rock topping a pole equipped with lights and speakers for the show. Once IllumiNations ends, the pole silently retracts back into the boulder, its rocky top preserving the appearance of the Canada shoreline.
It's all part of Disney's attempt to preserve show elements--outside of showtime, you'd never know it wasn't a real rock. A similar pole rises out of the rocks at the Japan pavilion, and two light poles are cleverly concealed in the Italy pavilion.
9. If you think water fountains are the only inanimate objects in Epcot that talk to you, think again.
Try tossing trash in the garbage can alongside the condiments station inside the Electric Umbrella restaurant. Each time you push in the swiveling lid, the can generates comical expressions and sound effects in the same vein as the water fountains. You might hear a cacophony of voices arguing over who gets the trash you just tossed in ("It's mine!" "It's mine!" "It's mine!"), or a sarcastic teen remarking "Hey dude, like your trash is totally awesome! Not!"
10. Sometimes, plans just don't go as planned.
Take that huge building alongside World Showcase that's been sitting empty ever since Epcot opened in 1982. The stone "castle" building, located in the Germany pavilion alongside the Biergarten Restaurant, was to have been the home of a Rhine River cruise attraction taking guests on a boat ride through the German countryside. But the attraction was never built. The main entrance to the ride would have been located at the back of the Sommerfest Outdoor Cafe
11. The walkway into The Land pavilion in Future World is straddled by two tile mosaics. It took three months to install the 150,000 individually cut and shaped pieces of marble, granite, slate, Venetian glass, 14-karat gold, ceramic and pebble in 131 colors that make up the 3,000-square-foot display.
What’s amazing is that the two designers who shared all the work in creating the murals are a father-in-law/daughter-in-law team. Monica Scharff selected all of the materials and colors for use in the murals, and her father-in-law, Hanns Scharff, designed the shapes of the individual pieces.
Even more amazing, the Scharffs were also the designers of the renowned mosaic murals lining the passageway in Cinderella Castle in the Magic Kingdom.
12. Sure Epcot looks big to the naked eye. But just how big is it? While the Magic Kingdom clocks in at 107 acres in area, Epcot is close to triple that size at almost 300 acres. The Land pavilion (including its attraction hub, its greenhouses and laboratories where agricultural techniques are studied) is the largest pavilion in all of Epcot, covering 6 acres. This one pavilion is as big as all of Tomorrowland in the Magic Kingdom. World Showcase Lagoon—we’re talking just the water—covers 40 acres. Add the lagoon promenade and all the pavilions, and World Showcase comes in at 180 acres.
13. Did you know that when you’re riding the time vehicles inside Spaceship Earth, you’re not seeing the inside of the silver-faceted geosphere that’s become a world renowned landmark?
Spaceship Earth is actually composed of two separate spheres, one inside the other. The facade of the outer sphere is positioned two feet away from the inner sphere by 467 four-inch-diameter aluminum hubs. The outer sphere is covered with 11,324 silver facets on 954 triangular panels, the inner sphere houses the time vehicle tracks and the actual attraction.
14. In the mid ’90s, the attraction inside the Universe of Energy was updated to bring guests “Ellen’s Energy Adventure.” One very noticeable change was the new dramatic coloring of the “to-scale” dinosaurs inside the attraction whose coloring changed from drab, subdued hues to brightly colored exterior markings.
No, it wasn’t simply a cosmetic change. During the re-Imagineering of the attraction, dinosaur experts were brought in who directed the color alteration to make the dinosaurs look more like what scientists now believe they actually looked like ages ago.
15. Since Epcot opened, guests have marveled at the way the shooting jets of water are synchronized to music in the Fountain of Nations in Innoventions Plaza.
What they don’t know is that the Fountain of Nations can shoot water 150 feet into the air—just 30 feet shy of the top of Spaceship Earth. When all of the shooters are fired at once, there are 2,000 gallons of water in the air at one time. The fountain pumps 30,000 gallons of water per minute, holds a total of 115,000 gallons, and is an enclosed system—meaning it uses the same water over and over again.
16. During IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth, the pavilions on the shores of World Showcase Lagoon are brightly illuminated by hundreds of sparkling white lights. But have you ever wondered just how many lights create the impressive display? More than 26,000 feet of lights are used to outline the pavilions—that’s around five miles in length. A strand of lights that long would stretch from Epcot to the Magic Kingdom and back again.
17. Anyone who has visited Venice and then stopped in at the Italy pavilion in Epcot will notice a fascinating discrepancy.
World Showcase’s re-creation of Venice is actually a reflection of the real St. Mark’s Square. The placement of Doge’s Palace and the Campanile of St. Mark in the Italy pavilion are reversed from their real counterparts. No, it’s not an architectural gaffe—it was never the intention of the Imagineers to make the Italy pavilion an exact replica of Venice, for other buildings in the pavilion are composites of architecture found in other areas of Italy, including Rome and Florence. However, the Campanile and Doge’s Palace are exact, one-quarter scale replicas of the originals.
18. Disney has loaded Epcot with meticulous design details. For example, in Spaceship Earth, the hieroglyphics seen on the walls in the ancient Egyptian scene are authentic re-creations of actual hieroglyphics; and the words being dictated by the Pharaoh are taken from an actual letter by an Egyptian pharaoh. The page of the Bible being examined by Johann Gutenberg is an exact replica of a page of the Gutenberg Bible.
The pavilions of World Showcase abound with exact reproductions of their national landmarks, such as the Temple of Heaven in the China pavilion—a one-half size re-creation of the Beijing original. And the one-tenth size replica of the Eiffel Tower in the France pavilion was constructed using Gustave Eiffel’s original blueprints.
19. Test Track is the longest, fastest ride in all of Walt Disney World. The cars log almost a mile, reach a top speed of 65 miles per hour and hit a high-bank curve at an angle of 50 degrees. But what exactly lies under the hood of these amazing vehicles?
Each is designed to last one million miles (enough miles to make two round trips from the Earth to the moon). Each vehicle comes equipped with no less than six braking systems. And while there are four visible wheels on each car, they actually carry a total of 22 wheels. Each vehicle is controlled by three onboard computers, which together have more processing power than the entire Space Shuttle.
20. Ever wonder why, when entering the attraction at the American Adventure, you take escalators and stairs through the Hall of Flags to the second-floor entrance of the theater, only to come back down again once inside the auditorium? Why isn’t everything simply located on one level?
Because the Audio-Animatronic figures used in the show are on a huge scene changer, an automated steel framework as long and twice as wide as a railroad car and weighing in at 175 tons, hidden underneath the audience. Controlled by computers, the changer horizontally glides out into place from under the seats carrying 10 elaborate sets, each of which, on cue, is vertically lifted into audience view by hydraulic lifts. So when you’re climbing up through the Hall of Flags, you’re actually walking over the performers in the show.
Here’s an additional secret that won’t be secret very long. That impressive, wavy-shaped building in Future World with the three planets looming up in front will be Epcot’s newest attraction, Mission: Space. The ride, set to open in late 2003, will offer guests a one-of-a-kind “astronaut-like” space adventure, giving the illusion of real space travel—from lifting off, to the sensation of traveling through outer space, to visiting another planet. Set several decades into the future, guests will arrive at the International Space Training Center where they will encounter simulated challenges faced by real astronauts.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/travel/chi-0303090488mar09,1,1363224.story?coll=chi-travel-hed
Edited:
Didn't realize that it would make people log in. :brick: Here is the text of the article so you don't have to log-in
ORLANDO -- Nobody conjures up magic better than Walt Disney World. Where else could you find a 189-foot-tall castle transformed into a candied and frosted cake for a 25th anniversary, the world's first geodesic sphere topped with a glittering "2000" to honor a millennium celebration, and a 122-foot-tall fiber-optically illuminated sorcerer's hat to celebrate the 100th birthday of its founder.
It's no secret that when you're in Walt Disney World, the magic is all around you. What is secret is just how much magic surrounds you. Swirling around--beneath the surface--secrets abound, helping to preserve creative entertainment elements, maintain operating efficiency, and ensure safety while blasting you with the imagination and innovation you expect from Disney.
Here's another secret. Walt Disney World is so big, anniversaries now have a tendency to overlap.
The recently concluded blockbuster 17-month long 100 Years of Magic celebration, honoring Walt's 100th birthday, kicked off on Oct. 1, 2001, a day that also marked the lesser-emphasized 30th anniversary of the Vacation Kingdom.
The 100 Years of Magic celebration continued through Walt's 101st birthday (on Dec. 5), and Walt Disney World celebrated another Oct. 1 milestone in 2002--the 20th anniversary of Epcot.
That's right, for 20 years, Epcot, the "Discover Park," has been presenting its unique amalgam of future living and current cultures from around the world to guests from many nations. Epcot, originally conceived as the "Experimental Prototype Community Of Tomorrow," has come into its own as a place where breaking technologies and diverse cultures co-mingle to entertain and enlighten.
Of course, Epcot is not without its share of secrets. In honor of that 20th anniversary, here are "20 Secrets of Epcot," exploring some behind-the-scenes magic for which Disney is renowned.
1. Let's start with, perhaps, the most frequently asked question about Epcot: Is there a system of tunnels under Epcot similar to the "utilidors" (utility corridors) snaking under the Magic Ki? The answer: Yes and no.
Yes, there is a tunnel under Epcot. In Future World, a U-shaped tunnel stretches 700 feet. It starts at the north end of Innoventions East, curves under Spaceship Earth and ends at the north end of Innoventions West. The tunnel is used for deliveries to Future World shops and restaurants.
But, no, it is not part of an elaborate system of tunnels like those in the Magic Kingdom which connect almost all of the themed lands underground. Those are used as behind-the-scenes service passages allowing workers, food, props and characters to be shuttled from land-to-land unseen by guests.
2. Why, during a thunderous downpour, don't the throngs of people standing beneath Spaceship Earth get drenched from rainwater running off the geosphere?
Because hidden behind the 11,324 silver triangular-shaped tiles lies a unique drainage system--two gutters that surround the geosphere, one at the sphere's equator and another below that. The surface tiles are spaced an inch apart, permitting rainwater to flow through and into the submerged gutters. Both gutters collect the rainwater and channel it through Spaceship Earth's support legs down below Future World, where it flows out and replenishes World Showcase Lagoon.
3. Ever notice how many torches outline the shore of World Showcase Lagoon?
The torches were installed as part of the IllumiNations 2000: Reflections of Earth fireworks show celebrating the coming of the new millennium. Nineteen torches were erected around the lagoon representing the first 19 centuries of the last two millenniums. The torch representing the 20th Century rises up out of the globe during the IllumiNations finale.
And the torch representing the 21st Century? Well, it's not really a torch. It's the blinding juggernaut of white fireworks showering the sky all across the surface of World Showcase Lagoon, heralding the arrival of the new century and the third millennium.
4. Grab a satisfying sip from one of three Future World water fountains--and listen to the fountains talk to you.
Well, they don't really hold conversations, but when the water starts flowing, you hear comical recordings embellished with sound effects coming right out of the fountain. You might hear the clanging of pipes deep inside as workers lament, "Hey, don't you know we've got a plumbers convention going on down here?" Or gurgling water followed by a sarcastic man whining, "Hey, whatta ya trying to do, drown me?" Or a droll woman pining, "No doubt about it--I've gotta move to a drier climate."
The fountains are located on the west side of Innoventions West, just across from The Land pavilion, outside the main entrance of MouseGear beside the Fountain of Nations in Innoventions Plaza, and on the walkway between Future World and World Showcase alongside the kiddie fountain.
5. Take a good look at the exterior of the American Adventure. Why does this Georgian-style brick building rise so large on the shores of World Showcase Lagoon when it's only two stories tall?
It's another example of Disney's use of forced perspective where the scaling of buildings decreases the higher up you go, which creates the illusion that buildings are taller than they actually are. The American Adventure portrays a Colonial building, which in those days stood no taller than two stories. An actual reproduction of a building from that time period would be too small to be seen from across World Showcase Lagoon. So Imagineers used inverted forced perspective to make a five-stories-tall building look like a two-story structure, thereby making it visually impressive from all around the lagoon.
6. What exactly is that gold, pink and teal structure twisting its way into the sky in front of the Wonders of Life pavilion?
The 75-foot-tall sculpture, called the Tower of Life, is a huge replica of a DNA molecule, the building block of life. The molecule is five and a half billion times its actual size; a human being possessing DNA of this size would stand six million miles tall.
7. Just how big is the aquarium in The Living Seas pavilion? If Spaceship Earth could be dropped into the aquarium, it would surely rend the glass walls, right?
Not so! Spaceship Earth is 165 feet in diameter, while the circular aquarium measures 203 feet across. That means Spaceship Earth could be fully immersed into the tank without ever touching its walls! The aquarium, the largest saltwater tank in the world, holds 5.7 million gallons all of which is filtered in just 2 hours and 40 minutes. The fresh water used to fill the tank was converted into real seawater by adding 27 truckloads of non-iodized salt, 400 tons of magnesium chloride and 300 tons of magnesium sulfate, plus other materials.
8. Watch out for the rock formations on the shores of the Canada pavilion during IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth.
For the fireworks show, one of these boulders "breaks open," rising up into the air, a contoured piece of rock topping a pole equipped with lights and speakers for the show. Once IllumiNations ends, the pole silently retracts back into the boulder, its rocky top preserving the appearance of the Canada shoreline.
It's all part of Disney's attempt to preserve show elements--outside of showtime, you'd never know it wasn't a real rock. A similar pole rises out of the rocks at the Japan pavilion, and two light poles are cleverly concealed in the Italy pavilion.
9. If you think water fountains are the only inanimate objects in Epcot that talk to you, think again.
Try tossing trash in the garbage can alongside the condiments station inside the Electric Umbrella restaurant. Each time you push in the swiveling lid, the can generates comical expressions and sound effects in the same vein as the water fountains. You might hear a cacophony of voices arguing over who gets the trash you just tossed in ("It's mine!" "It's mine!" "It's mine!"), or a sarcastic teen remarking "Hey dude, like your trash is totally awesome! Not!"
10. Sometimes, plans just don't go as planned.
Take that huge building alongside World Showcase that's been sitting empty ever since Epcot opened in 1982. The stone "castle" building, located in the Germany pavilion alongside the Biergarten Restaurant, was to have been the home of a Rhine River cruise attraction taking guests on a boat ride through the German countryside. But the attraction was never built. The main entrance to the ride would have been located at the back of the Sommerfest Outdoor Cafe
11. The walkway into The Land pavilion in Future World is straddled by two tile mosaics. It took three months to install the 150,000 individually cut and shaped pieces of marble, granite, slate, Venetian glass, 14-karat gold, ceramic and pebble in 131 colors that make up the 3,000-square-foot display.
What’s amazing is that the two designers who shared all the work in creating the murals are a father-in-law/daughter-in-law team. Monica Scharff selected all of the materials and colors for use in the murals, and her father-in-law, Hanns Scharff, designed the shapes of the individual pieces.
Even more amazing, the Scharffs were also the designers of the renowned mosaic murals lining the passageway in Cinderella Castle in the Magic Kingdom.
12. Sure Epcot looks big to the naked eye. But just how big is it? While the Magic Kingdom clocks in at 107 acres in area, Epcot is close to triple that size at almost 300 acres. The Land pavilion (including its attraction hub, its greenhouses and laboratories where agricultural techniques are studied) is the largest pavilion in all of Epcot, covering 6 acres. This one pavilion is as big as all of Tomorrowland in the Magic Kingdom. World Showcase Lagoon—we’re talking just the water—covers 40 acres. Add the lagoon promenade and all the pavilions, and World Showcase comes in at 180 acres.
13. Did you know that when you’re riding the time vehicles inside Spaceship Earth, you’re not seeing the inside of the silver-faceted geosphere that’s become a world renowned landmark?
Spaceship Earth is actually composed of two separate spheres, one inside the other. The facade of the outer sphere is positioned two feet away from the inner sphere by 467 four-inch-diameter aluminum hubs. The outer sphere is covered with 11,324 silver facets on 954 triangular panels, the inner sphere houses the time vehicle tracks and the actual attraction.
14. In the mid ’90s, the attraction inside the Universe of Energy was updated to bring guests “Ellen’s Energy Adventure.” One very noticeable change was the new dramatic coloring of the “to-scale” dinosaurs inside the attraction whose coloring changed from drab, subdued hues to brightly colored exterior markings.
No, it wasn’t simply a cosmetic change. During the re-Imagineering of the attraction, dinosaur experts were brought in who directed the color alteration to make the dinosaurs look more like what scientists now believe they actually looked like ages ago.
15. Since Epcot opened, guests have marveled at the way the shooting jets of water are synchronized to music in the Fountain of Nations in Innoventions Plaza.
What they don’t know is that the Fountain of Nations can shoot water 150 feet into the air—just 30 feet shy of the top of Spaceship Earth. When all of the shooters are fired at once, there are 2,000 gallons of water in the air at one time. The fountain pumps 30,000 gallons of water per minute, holds a total of 115,000 gallons, and is an enclosed system—meaning it uses the same water over and over again.
16. During IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth, the pavilions on the shores of World Showcase Lagoon are brightly illuminated by hundreds of sparkling white lights. But have you ever wondered just how many lights create the impressive display? More than 26,000 feet of lights are used to outline the pavilions—that’s around five miles in length. A strand of lights that long would stretch from Epcot to the Magic Kingdom and back again.
17. Anyone who has visited Venice and then stopped in at the Italy pavilion in Epcot will notice a fascinating discrepancy.
World Showcase’s re-creation of Venice is actually a reflection of the real St. Mark’s Square. The placement of Doge’s Palace and the Campanile of St. Mark in the Italy pavilion are reversed from their real counterparts. No, it’s not an architectural gaffe—it was never the intention of the Imagineers to make the Italy pavilion an exact replica of Venice, for other buildings in the pavilion are composites of architecture found in other areas of Italy, including Rome and Florence. However, the Campanile and Doge’s Palace are exact, one-quarter scale replicas of the originals.
18. Disney has loaded Epcot with meticulous design details. For example, in Spaceship Earth, the hieroglyphics seen on the walls in the ancient Egyptian scene are authentic re-creations of actual hieroglyphics; and the words being dictated by the Pharaoh are taken from an actual letter by an Egyptian pharaoh. The page of the Bible being examined by Johann Gutenberg is an exact replica of a page of the Gutenberg Bible.
The pavilions of World Showcase abound with exact reproductions of their national landmarks, such as the Temple of Heaven in the China pavilion—a one-half size re-creation of the Beijing original. And the one-tenth size replica of the Eiffel Tower in the France pavilion was constructed using Gustave Eiffel’s original blueprints.
19. Test Track is the longest, fastest ride in all of Walt Disney World. The cars log almost a mile, reach a top speed of 65 miles per hour and hit a high-bank curve at an angle of 50 degrees. But what exactly lies under the hood of these amazing vehicles?
Each is designed to last one million miles (enough miles to make two round trips from the Earth to the moon). Each vehicle comes equipped with no less than six braking systems. And while there are four visible wheels on each car, they actually carry a total of 22 wheels. Each vehicle is controlled by three onboard computers, which together have more processing power than the entire Space Shuttle.
20. Ever wonder why, when entering the attraction at the American Adventure, you take escalators and stairs through the Hall of Flags to the second-floor entrance of the theater, only to come back down again once inside the auditorium? Why isn’t everything simply located on one level?
Because the Audio-Animatronic figures used in the show are on a huge scene changer, an automated steel framework as long and twice as wide as a railroad car and weighing in at 175 tons, hidden underneath the audience. Controlled by computers, the changer horizontally glides out into place from under the seats carrying 10 elaborate sets, each of which, on cue, is vertically lifted into audience view by hydraulic lifts. So when you’re climbing up through the Hall of Flags, you’re actually walking over the performers in the show.
Here’s an additional secret that won’t be secret very long. That impressive, wavy-shaped building in Future World with the three planets looming up in front will be Epcot’s newest attraction, Mission: Space. The ride, set to open in late 2003, will offer guests a one-of-a-kind “astronaut-like” space adventure, giving the illusion of real space travel—from lifting off, to the sensation of traveling through outer space, to visiting another planet. Set several decades into the future, guests will arrive at the International Space Training Center where they will encounter simulated challenges faced by real astronauts.
