We shall now see the most educational pavilion (and the most Epcot-like one), the Communications Pavilion.
18 - Communications Pavilion: Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress
C-Ticket
Any Height
Located at the foot of the Towers of the Earth, this classic rotating show makes an appearance here at the Communications Pavilion. Although mostly a clone of the Magic Kingdom show, this has some edits to its final scene as well as a different exterior that evokes a futuristic moving theater. When seeing all of the technological advancements throughout the early 20th Century, guests will soon see that there really is a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow.
QUEUE:
When entering the main area, guests will see a futuristic-looking building with gears making the title sign. They will go behind them and up a ramp. They will wait outside the doors, which are carved into moving walls with drawings of technological achievements throughout time, such as discovering electricity, the invention of the automobile, and the introduction of the telegram. There are television screens hanging from the ceiling, which show Walt Disney and the Sherman brothers talking about the attraction as well as singing its theme song, “There’s a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow.”
When their turn comes, guests will be loaded into the theater. This is a darkened, 1960s-style theater with a bunch of chairs facing a curtain. There are six theaters like this that move around the six stages throughout the show. Once guests are all seated, the show will begin.
RIDE EXPERIENCE:
The curtains raise to show a sign for the ride, and as it does, a voice from overhead talks about the history of the show. Walt always had a passion for progress, and when the idea of showing progress in a show came, he couldn’t resist it. The attraction first debuted at the 1964-65 New York World’s Fair, and it was a smash hit. It was later moved to Disneyland in 1966, and then to the Magic Kingdom in 1975, where it became the longest-running stage show in theme park history. Guests are now invited to see the educational attraction here at Neo World (this would not be where the Magic Kingdom version is relocated, but a second incarnation of it.) The theme song then plays and transitions to the next scene, the theater moving to see the second stage.
The first act is set on Valentine’s Day around the turn of the century (early 1900s). The father of a family, John, is sitting on a wooden rocking chair and his dog, Rover, is lying on the floor. He brings up multiple things going on, such as moving pictures, the Wright Brothers (whom he doubts will be successful with their flying machine), the creation of automobiles and the Transcontinental Railroad, and a bunch of new appliances, like a telephone, icebox, and a cast iron stove. He then calls to his wife, Sarah, who is ironing in the room to his left. They discuss how Thomas Edison is working on electric lights to replace gas lamps, which Sarah is optimistic about. She talks about her new washing machine, which shortens her usual two-day laundry job to just five hours. She is reminded by this to get the laundry before it starts raining, and although John denies that it is going to rain, he is immediately proven wrong. Shortly after, his son, James, begins to talk, and he is caught watching Little Egypt dance the “Hoochie-Coochie” with his father’s stereoscope. Initially, John is upset, but then he lets James get away with it as long as he makes sure his mother doesn’t find it. John then brings up the new talking machines, showing his mother in the room on his left, fast asleep while listening to a phonograph. John’s attention is taken back to the room on the right, where his daughter, Patricia, is getting ready to go to a dance. He tells everyone how she will be taking a horseless trolley and then tells her to be back by nine o’clock. At the end of the act, John says how he’ll be going to the city on one of the said trolleys to get a root beer, which he says is just a sasparilla with a new name.
The song comes and the theater rotates into the third stage, where the second act is. This time, it is the Fourth of July amidst the Roaring Twenties. John (perhaps an older version of James as the family would’ve had to have aged within the last twenty years) is sitting in a small chair with Rover (a different one than the one in the previous act but still the same breed) on the side, lying sleepily on the floor. John points out wires and electric machines all over the room, and admits how a lot has changed over the last twenty years. He brings up numerous events from the era, including the flight of Charles Lindenberg over the Atlantic, the construction of sports stadiums (during which he admits that Babe Ruth is the country’s best baseball player), and the advertisement for a new movie where Al Jolston will talk and sing (which is actually the first “talkie,” 1927’s The Jazz Singer.) Aside from this, he brings up how electric starters are replacing cranks in automobiles and how travel from New York to California has been shortened to three days with the invention of passenger planes. John reveals how Thomas Edison was successful in bringing electricity to their home, after which all of the electric appliances turn on. This causes a fuse that takes power out of the whole neighborhood. John tells his son, Jimmy, to fix the fuse and then power is restored. In the right room, Sarah is sitting with a sewing machine, making a George Washington costume for John to wear in the Independence Day Parade, as her Ladies Club is in charge of the festivities. John reveals that the whole family will be in the parade and how he and his wife will be going as George and Martha Washington. Sarah is happy that electric lights are on the porch, and then she says how Jimmy has been assigned to pick the music for the parade. In the room on the left, Jimmy is seen with his grandfather (who must be the John from the first act) and they are listening to a radio playing patriotic music. John says how they can get music and news from all over the country and that radio makes this possible. The radios announce that crowds are getting ready for the parade, which makes John rush his daughter, who is also named Patricia, to get ready. Patricia appears in the room on the right wearing a Statue of Liberty costume, worrying that her boyfriend would be scared off if he saw her dressed like that. John tells her that things will be okay and then switches topics to how plumbing has made it better for everyone on cold days, especially Uncle Orville, who is shown in the bathtub on the room to the left. He is there while a fan blows cold air from a block of ice nearby, which John is revealed to have set up.
With the song, the theaters rotate to the fourth stage, where the third act takes place. Set during post-WWII 1940s on Halloween, John (supposedly an adult Jimmy) is seen sitting at a booth table while a third dog named Rover, still the same breed as the previous Rovers, is lying on the floor. John goes on to explain new technology, such as a refrigerator and an automatic dishwasher. He also introduces television, when it works at least, that gives them the news every night. In the room on the right, the grandparents are asleep while watching television. The grandmother wakes up and changes the channel to wrestling. In the room on the left, John’s son Jim, a teenage boy with a jack-o-lantern, asks his father’s opinion, which John replies by saying how it’s scary. Jim claims to have used his sister Patty as an example, and then in the room on the right, there is Patty, using an old exercise machine from the 20s while on the phone, talking about a date for that night. Afterwards, John tells the audience how they’ve been caught in the “Do-it-yourself” craze and how they are remodeling their basement into a rumpus room. In the left room, Sarah is seen using a paint mixer that John made out of a food mixer that Sarah is less than thrilled using. While putting up wallpaper, the paint mixer goes berserk and shoots paint everywhere. John then seeks to cheer her up with their song, thus transitioning to the next scene.
The final act takes place on the fifth stage, where it is Christmas day around the year 2000 (do note that this is not how the year 2000 really looked like, but how it was seen in the 1970s-1990s by some.) The family is gathered in a living room and kitchen to celebrate the holiday, showing off new technologies. John is working on dinner while Sarah is typing on her computer. Meanwhile, an adult child (also named Jim) and his grandmother play a virtual reality game while Trish, the daughter of the current John, is sitting by the Christmas tree with her grandfather, who is supposedly the John in the previous act. Sarah and John show off some voice-automated technology, including Christmas lights and their new conventional oven. John cooks their turkey in the oven at Sarah’s suggestion, having no problem getting it to his temperature. Grandma reaches a score of 550 points on the video game, making John say it out loud in awe. The oven mistakes this and turns the heat up, but nobody notices this. Trish and her grandfather discuss the new technology that day, such as high-def TVs, laser discs, car phones, as well as automated plumbing. Grandma reaches 975 in the video game, making John say it out loud once more. The oven takes this in and blares warning signs, making John rush to the oven. Unfortunately, the turkey has been overcooked and is blackened. John hopes that in the next century, ovens will learn to read minds.
With the song coming one more time, the theater rotates into the final scene, which shows a picture of EPCOT on a billboard as well as a picture of Walt Disney with it. The voice explains how Walt’s fascination with progress led him to design a city based off of it, one known as the Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow. The voice also admits how his vision was never fully realized and his dream was never built, but a theme park inspired by this concept, Epcot Center, opened in 1982, nearly two decades after Walt conceived the idea. The voice hoped that one day, people will come together and make EPCOT a reality, creating the utopian world that Walt hoped for. After this, the lights come on and guests exit the theater.
19 - Communications Pavilion: Spaceship Earth
E-Ticket
Any Height
By greatness, this popular Epcot attraction is here at Neo World. Located at the back of the park, this version of the ride is slightly larger in size and has a different approach. Instead of focusing on the history of communication, it underlines fourteen great time periods and the evolutions that came through them, as well as a possible view of the future.
Guests walk into the ride through the back leg of the geosphere, which shows a mural of evolution. On the top are Space Age astronauts while on the bottom are Stone Age cavemen. Guests will soon go behind the mural and into a silver room designed to look like a spaceship. Guests will go around the bowels of the ship and then board their omnimover vehicle, a time machine, which is designed with a camera, a screen, and a lap bar that comes down.
RIDE EXPERIENCE:
The time machines begin to rise through a glittering outer space scene. As they do, adventurous music plays all around and the voice of your host (Jeffrey Wright) greets the guests.
Wright: “Greetings, time travelers, and welcome to Spaceship Earth. Together, we’ll embark on an adventure through human history, discovering amazing events that forever changed the face of mankind. We shall view the progress of humanity through the ages, seeing how they grew, and together, we shall see how the future can be built. You shall now have a photo taken of you that will be used later.”
Guests look at the camera, which has a screen to show their reflection in. The camera counts down from five, giving them the chance to prepare, and then it shoots the photo of their faces.
Wright: “Good. Now it is time to tell us about yourself so we can further see your future.”
Guests will then type some information into their touchscreens, including their hometown and their language.
Wright: “Now that we have that out of the way, we shall begin our voyage through time. We shall start our story millions of years ago, where our ancestors were a long way from where we are now.”
The time machines turn and pass through a screen, going through the first era, the Stone Age. This shows a bunch of early humans during the Ice Age, trying to hunt a wooly mammoth.
Wright: “A long time ago, we were in darkness. Our communication was limited, our resources were few. We fought to survive, but it wasn’t enough. We had to put up with coldness, wild animals, starvation, and the unforgiving world of the uncivilized. But some simple inventions would spark a light in this darkness.”
The time machines pass through a cave, where the early humans, a man and a woman, are seen telling stories in prehistoric languages with others watching. The cave art moves with life as they speak. While one man crafts a spear out of wood, another pets a wolf. Although no English is used here, Wright narrates what is going on.
Wright: “Communication flourishes as a way to survive, allowing the people to share emotions, thoughts, and information. The early humans draw on the walls, showing their feelings and inventing their storytelling. With this, they invent weapons out of resources for the hunt, preserve their legacy in the cavern walls, and make a ferocious predator man’s best friend.”
The time machines continue forward, going into the second era. The music becomes ancient music as they go through Mesopotamia. People are seen trading in a marketplace, a woman and her children say goodbye to a fatherly figure, there is a farmer selling wheat at the stand, and a ziggurat is seen being built in the background.
Wright: “Many years later in the valley of Ur, civilization flourishes. Here in Mesopotamia, towns and governments are created. With it comes many things, such as trade, family roles, farming, and religion.”
Later on, the time machines pass into an Egyptian setting, the third era. Here, there are soldiers training in the desert as well as statues of the god Anubis, which guards the entrance to a temple. In the distance, the Pyramids of Giza are being built.
Wright: “Later on in the age of the Ancient Egyptians, humanity progresses. They train in warfare and build structures to astonish, fit for the kings.”
The time machines pass through the temple and see many things. Writings are on the wall, all in hieroglyphics. Nearby, a sarcophagus is resting on a stand with jars nearby it.
Wright: “Within this, they develop papyrus. These things could be transported while the cave paintings could not, thus being able to share ideas and information with the world. As well as inventing this, the Egyptians also honored their kings by giving them the power of gods, removing all of their human organs and mummifying them. The pyramids are pointed to the sky so that their spirit may dwell with the gods.”
The time machine then goes into the fourth era, the Ancient Greek era. In the first scene, the first Olympics are being held. In a scene depicting philosophy, Plato is seen expressing ideas to young men. In another scene depicting Athens, men are seen placing rocks in bowls.
Wright: “Up north, the Greeks strive with greatness. They invent competitions in honor of their gods. They help spread wisdom in an age of knowledge. They create democracy, a government governed by a people rather than a single ruler. With all of this, humanity is making lots of progress.”
The scene then transitions to a fifth era, Ancient Rome. The city is designed with ancient architecture. A soldier in a chariot delivers news, and as he does, there is trading and music all around. Some gladiators are seen in the area, sharpening their swords with a blacksmith.
Wright: “As time goes on, empires grow. One such empire was the Roman Empire, a mighty empire who was connected by a million roads, all leading to Rome. During the height of their power, Rome is a center of trade, culture, and power.”
The scene suddenly takes a dark turn when fires are in the place. Barbarians are running around while the buildings are in ruin.
Wright: “But with power comes enemies. Rome is sacked by barbarians, and with it, Europe plunges into a dark age.”
The time machines progress into the sixth era, which shows a dark and murky European village in the Middle Ages. The music suddenly becomes recorder music while people are out on the streets, while monks are chanting in the distance.
Wright: “Indeed, a dark time for Europe. The people are suffering, hungry, poor, and ignorant. It is a difficult time to live in, but not all nations have darkness upon them.”
The time machines proceed into an Arabian marketplace, the seventh era. Here, middle eastern music plays as scholars are holding scrolls in texts. In another place, traders are giving away exotic goods.
Wright: “During this dark age of Europe, other nations are growing rich in knowledge. One such people were the Arabs, flourished by the religion of Islam. They share knowledge, educate young men, and trade exotic goods.”
Following this is the eighth era, which shows a Chinese marketplace. Inside the house is the Red Turban Rebellion, a group of Chinese individuals hoping to overthrow the Mongol rule in China. Nearby, Islamic and European traders are seen.
Wright: “In the east, things flourish as well. New ideas, new systems, and new hopes. The ancient Silk Road is revived, bringing things from Europe all the way to China. Within the Chinese homeland, a rebellion sparks, one that will bring down their Mongol overlords and restore order to the land. So with all of the good things coming to the Arabs and the Asians, why not the Europeans? It seemed like the dark ages would never end, but even in the darkest of times, there is light.”
The time machines move forward into the ninth era. This depicts the European Renaissance, where the Dark Ages ended. While passing through a room, Gutenberg is working on the printing press while in another room, Italian speakers are discussing knowledge, handing out money, and painting pictures.
Wright: “The Dark Ages ended with the Renaissance, a great and mighty booming of knowledge and communications. Here, inventions were created, universities were born, economies were created, and art was greatly expressed.”
In a continuation of the scene, a chorus is being conducted while Leonardo is painting the Mona Lisa with images of machines in the workplace as well.
Wright: “Many great philosophers lived in this time. One of them was Leonardo da Vinci, a visionary, artist, and inventor whose works would go on to inspire many. It was like he knew the world he lived in, but beyond the seas was another world that was crumbling under the new.”
In the tenth era (which overlaps with the ninth), the time machines enter an Aztec city, where children are playing, musicians are blowing through their flutes, and statues are being carved.
Wright: “Across the seas in another land, there are a great people. There, they are in order under the mighty Aztec Empire. These peoples in the Americas were unknown about until the discovery by vikings about five hundred years earlier, but it would be the Europeans that would spell their doom.”
In a nighttime scene, the Aztec city is set aflame. On a horse is Hernan Cortez. Spanish Conquistadors are seen, looting the city of its gold.
Wright: “Indeed, not all great things last forever. When Europeans arrived, they took the New World for themselves. Over the next centuries, the Europeans would begin to flourish and grow in power, but with power comes conflicts.”
The time machines go into the eleventh era, the Age of Revolution. They pass through a room where the Declaration of Independence is being signed.
Wright: “In early America, there is outrage over taxes and oppression, leading the people to take charge. A group of brave individuals led a revolution against the British government and successfully became a free nation, and that would inspire more revolutions to come, some which were more violent than others.”
The time machines view two more revolutions going on. The first is the Storming of the Bastille, representing the French Revolution. The second is a jungle raid by freed slaves, representing the Hatian Revolution.
Wright: “In Europe, the Kingdom of France is destroyed by its people, and after many years of turmoil and government change, it becomes a free land. In Haiti, meanwhile, the enslaved people take the island back from their oppressors, aided by the Africans who were brought there.”
The time machines then head into the twelfth era, which is the United States after the Civil War. A young boy is on the streets, holding newspapers announcing the end of the war. The machines pass by protestors ordering better working conditions. Later, they pass by Thomas Edison experimenting with machinery, a small cinema displaying one of the first films, and later, a field scene where the Wright Brothers are about to fly their airplane.
Wright: “Aside from political revolutions, there was also an age of social and industrial revolutions as well. There were racial revolutions that freed slaves from bondage, social revolutions that took away strict labor laws, and industrial revolutions that saw the creations of great machines, from motion pictures to lights and even great vehicles.”
The time machines then go into the thirteenth era, which is the late twentieth century. Going through a city, there are newspapers announcing the decolonization of many countries, while on the streets are the Civil Rights Movement. At the Lincoln Memorial, Martin Luther King, Jr. gives his “I Have a Dream” speech. The machines then go past a television, which shows the Moon Landing as well as Neil Armstrong with his famous line: “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.”
Wright: “More great achievements would come. Following two great wars, empires would dissolve and freedom would be given to the peoples of colonized areas. Racial discrimination would be removed from the law by those who stood for a better world. Humanity, also, would take the leap to go beyond their planet and to the final frontier.”
The final era is the modern age. Time machines go through a garage where a man is working on a computer. In the living room, cell phones are plugged into the wall as well as an echo dot. Outside, it is nighttime.
Wright: “And now here we are in our world today, where technology is rapidly advancing. We’ve gone a long way from hunters on a field. We’ve traveled very far, indeed, on our spaceship.”
The time machines then exit through a wormhole and go into space. There, they can see the entire earth.
Wright: “It is our spaceship, our Spaceship Earth. For many years, we have built our future. Now, it is time to decide what kind of future you will have.”
The time machines begin to descend downward through a field of stars. As they do, guests answer questions about their futures (they only get ten seconds to answer each question to make sure that everyone gets it, and if they fail to answer, the machine will randomly choose something for them). At the end, it plays a video showing their futures (using their facial pictures taken from earlier) and how they will live. After this, they will return to the spaceship from earlier.
Wright: “And so there is your future. This brings our story to a close, and here is where we depart. I hope you have enjoyed this journey through space and time and encourage you to seek out your future, and remember, you’ve come a long way from where you started.”
POST-RIDE
Guests will exit into the Project: Tomorrow exhibits, where they can further explore how their future can be,
20 - Communications Pavilion: Project Tomorrow
B-Ticket
Any Height
After their time-traveling adventure on Spaceship Earth, guests will come to a center where innovations and ideas are shared. They can further build their future by rewatching their videos from the ride, designing new technologies, playing educational games, and even seeing historical exhibits based on what was seen on the ride, for the past can help inspire the future.
Tomorrow, we shall continue our tour of the Communications Pavilion by seeing the park's icon, the Towers of the Earth.
