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10 Stunning Facts About Epcot At Walt Disney World

Epcot is one of the most popular theme parks in Walt Disney World as it has two separate areas which combine to form a unified whole. Future World unites technology and nature and World Showcase features eleven different countries from around the world. In one day guests can explore space, design their own car, and travel the world. One of the things that makes Epcot so great is that each area of the park has amazing attention to detail. With so many things to see, there are plenty of facts and details that are often overlooked by guests. Here are ten stunning facts about Epcot that guests might not know!

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10. Triangles Galore 

Spaceship Earth is one of the most recognizable structures and attractions in Walt Disney World and it is the icon of Epcot. While the attraction inside shows guests how communication has evolved from the beginning of time to modern day, the exterior is covered in futuristic looking panels. The panels, called tetrahedrons, are triangular in shape and guests might be surprised to learn that there are 11,324 covering the structure!

9. Drainage

Guests who have been caught in a Florida afternoon thunderstorm in Epcot might have noticed that they can remain dry by standing underneath Spaceship Earth. Instead of water running down the sides of the structure, each of the triangular panels covering it are equipped with a drainage system that collects the rainwater. The water is then funneled into World Showcase Lagoon in the center of the park.

8. The Seas’ Size

The Seas with Nemo and Friends features a massive aquarium which is home to manatees, dolphins, sharks, sting rays, turtles, and fish. Since the aquarium has several different viewing areas with windows, guests might not realize how large it actually is. The tank is over two hundred feet in diameter, which is big enough for Spaceship Earth to fit inside of!

7. Familiar Faces

Spaceship Earth features dozens of audio animatronic figures to help tell the story of communication through time. Since so many figures were needed during the creation of the attraction, Disney utilized molds which had already been created for other attractions like the Hall of Presidents. Guests who are enjoying Spaceship Earth might not realize that they are looking at some of the presidents in disguise! Guests can spot Teddy Roosevelt as a Roman, William Taft as an Egyptian, James Buchanan as Gutenberg, and John Adams as a monk.

6. Crowded Space

Mission:SPACE is one of the most intense attractions in Walt Disney World and it takes guests into the International Space Training Center (ISTC) to train the for a mission to space. Featuring two different intensity levels to choose from (the more intense Orange Team or the less intense Green Team), Mission:SPACE is a massive building with many different areas. It is no surprise then that this attraction has the most working Cast Members at any given time due to its size.

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5. True Craft

All eleven of the countries in World Showcase are rich in detail and make guests feel as though they are really somewhere else in the world. Of the eleven countries, Morocco feels as though it has many more small details and a more authentic theme and feel. This is because during construction of the pavilion, King Hassan II sent his own craftsman to help create the details and make it as authentic as possible.

4. Germany’s Saint

The Germany Pavilion in World Showcase features a large courtyard compete with beer stand and nearby caramel store. Guests can enjoy the sights of the charming courtyard including a tall pillar featuring an interesting statue. Atop the pillar is a statue of a man on a horse fighting off a dragon. The figure is supposed to represent Saint George who legend says saved a princess from a dragon. Many small villages in Germany carry on the tradition of featuring a statue of Saint George for protection.

3. Prince Min

One of the most beautifully decorated roofs in World Showcase is that of the Nine Dragons Restaurant in China. One corner of the roof features a series of gold figures which actually have a historical and symbolic background. The gold figure of a man is supposed to represent Prince Min who ruled during the third century and was hung for his cruelty. Chinese traditional calls for symbols of Prince Min as a warning against cruelty and he is often surrounded by animals who prevent him from escaping.

2. Lettuce Art 

Living with the Land takes guests on a serene boat tour through the greenhouses of The Land where food is grown continuously and served in many restaurants across Walt Disney World. Many guests notice at one point that they are passing between two large tables of hydroponically growing lettuce, but they might not realize that the vegetables form some pretty recognizable symbols! Guests should be on the lookout for Hidden Mickeys and the logo of Epcot.

1. Mini Eiffel

While wandering through the France Pavilion, it is easy for guests to forget that they are in Epcot and think that they are strolling along the quaint streets of Paris with the Eiffel Tower in the distance. Epcot’s Eiffel Tower looks so realistic because the original blueprints by Gustave Eiffel were used, just at one tenth the scale!

About Caitlin Kane

Caitlin Kane first started visiting Walt Disney World when she was two years old, and despite spending most of that trip quarantined with the chicken pox she managed to fall in love with the place. Visiting WDW every year since, she especially loves learning all about the history and small details of the parks and eating/drinking her way through the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival each fall. When she's not in Disney, Caitlin lives in New York and spends her time counting down the days to her next trip.