Since the World began quandry..

[mousermerf]

Most of you are probably familiar with the book "Since the World Began" which chronicles the developement of WDW over it's first 25 years and even looks ahead to AK with concept art and such.

Well, I picked the book back up the other day, checking to see if it hand any good Wand-free photos of SSE, and right in the very front I found something that shocked me.

On the first giant photo og Epcot/SSE, you can see the much-discussed entry plaza fountain. What's noteable is not that the fountain is "retro-style" with smooth black cascade surface and blue adornment.. but rather that it IS that style but completely missing the monoliths.

Why is a photo of the fountain pre-wand, pre-legacy, pre-millenium, pre-rockwork, missing the acrylic monoliths?

What's the deal? Anyone know?

 

[Expo_Seeker40]

The crystal fountain was really, as I can see it, a small, literally, a small tribute to the original design for the Pillars of Prosperity that were supposed to be those tall sculptures and observation towers with water coming down them that was to serve as the entrance to the originally proposed EPCOT Theme Center that was to be just south of the Magic Kingdom's parkinglot. It basically came as a final design to give something to fountain. Notice its angles do not quite match up with the listing angles of SSE legs, rather it is slightly off, and then heads straight up the sculpture.

 

[met19]

does anyone have a picture of this?

 

[kcnole]

I've got that book, its a great one by the way, I'll have to pull it out and check it out tonight.

I really wish they'd update this book after Epcots 25th and bring us up to speed on where we are in the parks development now.

 

[Horizons1]

I've got the book too. Maybe the monoliths weren't installed yet, the photo could have been taken during a preview day for Imagineering and their families. Or perhaps the monoliths were just being refurbished at the time. Although, I don't recall them ever being removed from the confines of the fountain for such a thing, it's entirely possible.

 

[marni1971]

Either it was pre opening or they were removed shortly after for a specific reason; they were designed in April 1981 and certainly in place for October 1st 1982.