Today, we return to Epcot for a quick jaunt around World Showcase.
Of all the elements of modern-day Epcot, the roots of World Showcase probably go the deepest in Disney history. Way back in the 1950s, an International Street was planned as an expansion of Main Street, U.S.A. at Disneyland. The idea never materialized there, but popped up later as part of the central urban complex in Walt Disney's vision of EPCOT the city.
After Walt was gone, the leaders of the Company at the time didn't feel they could pull off EPCOT without him. Instead, they started looking for ways to bring parts of the EPCOT concept to fruition. The first thing they hit upon was an expanded version of International Street, dubbed The World Showcase. This stand-alone attraction would have been built near the Transportation and Ticket Center, with each participating nation occupying a wedge in one of two modern, semicircular structures.
One thing led to another, and The World Showcase (without the "The") was ultimately combined with Future World, an outgrowth of an early idea for an Industrial Complex, to form EPCOT Center as it was in 1982. Through the process of development, Imagineering artists Herb Ryman and Dorothea Redmond created concept paintings which brought the iconic architecture of each country to the forefront, demonstrating how diverse styles could live side by side in harmony.
Ultimately, building World Showcase in this way helped reinforce the overall theme and story of Epcot, that the various people and cultures of the world come together to help create the future for us all.
Of course, keeping the original design intent for World Showcase in mind also helps to dispel any concerns some might have over purported visual intrusions on the pavilions. Sure, the Swan and Dolphin hotels and the Soarin' show building are visible from parts of World Showcase, but so are Spaceship Earth and the pyramids of Imagination... not to mention the other international pavilions. And that's okay.
The World Showcase pavilions are not intended to be completely immersive environments. Instead, each pavilion is meant to be a dimensional picture-postcard that works on its own as well as part of the whole. Individually, each one offers a selection of the host country's unique architecture, culture, food and shopping experiences. Collectively, they form a "Tapestry of Nations" wherein we can admire our differences yet be bound together by commonalities in the spirit of international fellowship.
Once again, very well written. I applaud you.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree that some purists get too bent out-of-shape regarding things that they percieve as eye-sores like the Swan and Dolphin hotels and should knock it off.
While you're writing about World Showcase, I think that articles about recent updates like the revised version of "O Canada" and the current Mexico boat ride "Gran Fiesta Tour". Some purists/fans also bash those unnecessarily quite a bit and I think that articles explaining how they truly do fit into World Showcase and why they should be respected are in order.