EPCOT Center: The Opening Celebration

comics101

comics101

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Hey,
I hope this is the right forum to put it in, but I just found this on YouTube and thought it was kind of cool to see. It was a special that came on around the time of the opening of Epcot, and I thought it was neat to see. It's divided into six parts, hosted by Danny Kaye, and has lots of 80's guest stars:lol: . Anyway, I thought some of you might enjoy it and figured It'd be nice show it to you guys...

Enjoy!!!:)

http://youtube.com/watch?v=Q6bnwnsDD70&mode=related&search=

(I thought this was the general discussion forum. Sorry, please move it if necsessary.)
 
cupanudles

cupanudles

Active Member
That is VERY interesting as it being vintage EPCOT Center and as seeing how many different types of EPCOT material is out there on the internet. Maybe this has something to do with the upcoming 25th anniversary!:sohappy::sohappy: :sohappy:
 
A

ann0d1

Member
I was there on opening day. Lots of excitement. But a lot of the rides kept going down. Luckily guests of the park were allowed in the day before, so we were on most of the rides before the grand opening!
 
joel_maxwell

joel_maxwell

Permanent Resident of EPCOT
ann0d1 said:
I was there on opening day. Lots of excitement. But a lot of the rides kept going down. Luckily guests of the park were allowed in the day before, so we were on most of the rides before the grand opening!
Click to expand...
i think that we made it by that spring..... and to my 6 year old self, it was life changing.
 
domndebs

domndebs

Member
I've just watched part 4 of the opening celebration and they show a model of an African pavilion. I've never heard anything of an African pavillion, what happened to it? The man Danny Kaye was interviewing said it would be opening a year later. Was it because of $$ it never happened or are there other reasons?
 
joel_maxwell

joel_maxwell

Permanent Resident of EPCOT
also, if anyone has any really hard questions... i know one EPCOT historian that can answer them. just post and im sure he will get the vibe Q's ore out there. lol
 
comics101

comics101

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
barkatozz said:
It's no longer on youtube now. I downloaded a torrent file of the show @ one of the Disney torrent sites.
Click to expand...

It's on Youtube, but my link won't work. Here's another one...

http://youtube.com/watch?v=Q6bNwnsDD70

And for the African Pavillion, here's an article from JHM by Jeff Lange. It sounds like it could have been really awesome! It's a shame it was never built.

http://jimhillmedia.com/blogs/jeff_lange/archive/2006/06/12/2979.aspx

hopefully this link works...
 
JWG

JWG

Well-Known Member
Oh the good old days...

Watching those really makes you hope they continue to invest into Epcot. The parks were really go for awhile and now there's so much to try and do with both MGM and Epcot.

Screamscape reported an unfortunate rumor that they're turning WOL into a permanent event area similar to Odyssey and the old Milleneum Village. So, if true, it looks like no refurb or replacement of the WOL space. With that and the vacant 2nd floor of Imagination it just feels like Future World has lost some great attraction space.

Hopefully after SSE, they go back to Imagination and fix that. Then maybe they can figure out what to do with the Universe of Energy to mildly update. As attendnace rises, fewer available attractions doesn't seem like the answer.
 
marni1971

marni1971

Park History nut
Premium Member
Joel - I was beaten to it :lol:

Bear in mind this video is the `opening` TV special, not the Ocotber 1st dedication.
 
Johnnyboy

Johnnyboy

New Member
domndebs said:
I've just watched part 4 of the opening celebration and they show a model of an African pavilion. I've never heard anything of an African pavillion, what happened to it? The man Danny Kaye was interviewing said it would be opening a year later. Was it because of $$ it never happened or are there other reasons?
Click to expand...

As I have heard it, EPCOT backed out of the African pavillion due to all the racial troubles in South Africa in the early 80's. It was a hot-button issue - too much for the ever-peaceful Mickey :animwink:

They later added Morocco as their representative of Africa. You can still see where Africa was to be, at the "Outpost" between Germany and China.

Also, Spain is another pavillion that was announced but never built. They even had signs in WS for it . . not sure what happened there.:veryconfu
 
JWG

JWG

Well-Known Member
I think I've seen all of these now, Intro and 1-6. 4 was not great, just a musical number for the most part.

Anyway, like mentioned, Morrocco took on Africa. They certainly could stand to add Spain or another Asian based country.

This was fun to watch though.
 
Jesùs_Carioca

Jesùs_Carioca

New Member
I'm proud to say...that the West Orange Highschool Warrior Marching Band got to be there for EPCOT's grand opening! If i ever go back to the bandroom before i leave off for college, i'll take a picture of the big photo my director has framed of it.


edit: Oh and

Johnnyboy said:
Also, Spain is another pavillion that was announced but never built. They even had signs in WS for it . . not sure what happened there.
Click to expand...


I remember there being signs and a Kiosk or two during one of the food and wine festivals about it...as to where it was going to be and everything (not to mention beautiful food, heh). That's all i ever remember seeeing though. *sigh*

498c3430.png


at one point, the thought even crossed their minds to up a Venezuela. Or...so the (my) rumor goes
 

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