8 of the “Best Kept” Secrets at Epcot in Walt Disney World

Guests who visit Walt Disney World love spending time in Epcot where they can enjoy both the future and the countries of the world without ever leaving the gates. Guests who spend time in Epcot can enjoy Future World where they can dive into the seas, blast off into outer space, hang glide over beautiful sights, and design their own cars as well as World Showcase where guests can tour eleven different countries of the world an enjoy architecture, cuisine, culture, and history. With so many amazing things to experience in Epcot, it is no wonder that guests love to spend plenty of time there. After exploring all that Epcot has to offer, guests might think that they know everything about the park but might actually be missing hidden details and secrets! These secrets can be hard to spot or hidden in plain sight and guests love finding them on Walt Disney World vacations. Here are eight of the best kept secrets at Disney’s Epcot.

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8. Familiar Faces

Guests who enter into Epcot are greeted with the classic attraction Spaceship Earth which brings them from the beginning of time to present day to celebrate the history and development of communication. Guests pass by scenes depicting the Renaissance, man landing on the moon, and Rome burning and each scene is full of audio-animatronics. Since so many figures were needed for Spaceship Earth, Imagineers used preexisting molds from the Hall of Presidents in the Magic Kingdom. Thus, guests who enjoy Spaceship Earth can spot Franklin Pierce as a scholar, Teddy Roosevelt as a Roman, William Taft as an Egyptian, and James Buchanan as Gutenberg.

7. Dreamfinder’s Tribute

Guests love experiencing Journey Into Imagination with Figment where they can travel through the sensory labs in the Imagination Institute for a hilarious tour. The original version of the attraction used to also feature a character named DreamFinder who traveled around the world collecting imagination with Figment. When the attraction was refurbished, DreamFinder was removed but guests can still spot a tribute to him today. While moving through the attraction guests should look for an office door labeled Dean Finder which is a clever tribute to a missing friend.

6. Soarin’s Flight

One of the most popular attractions in Epcot can be found on the lower level of The Land Pavilion across from Sunshine Seasons and Living with the Land. Soarin’ invites guests to take to the skies on a thrilling hang gliding experience over the beautiful sights all around the world! Guests might notice that Soarin’ flight number is 5505, but might not realize that the number pays tribute to an important date in the attraction’s history. 5505 stands for May 5, 2005 which was the official opening of Soarin’ in Epcot.

5. A Hidden Attraction

Guests who wander through World Showcase can enjoy wonderful experiences in eleven different countries from around the world including Mexico, China, Norway, Japan, and France. Guests who stand at just the right location near The Odyssey can look across World Showcase Lagoon towards Morocco and notice a tall building looming in the distance behind the skyline. While the building looks as though it blends in with Morocco, it is actually located in an entirely different park! The attraction is The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror in nearby Disney’s Hollywood Studios and was crafted to blend in with the Moroccan skyline after Imagineers realized that it could be seen from Epcot.

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4. Prince Min

The China Pavilion in World Showcase is one of the most beautifully decorated as it is filled with amazing architecture and intricate details throughout. Guests who take the time to wander through the pavilion can pass by the Nine Dragons Restaurant and notice a small figure of a man sitting on one corner of the roof. The man is a representation of Prince Min, an ancient ruler who was hanged for his cruelty and crimes. Chinese tradition calls for a representation of Prince Min to be surrounded by guarding animals as a warning to all other evil rulers.

3. A Special Microphone

Guests who enjoy Spaceship Earth especially love one scene that brings them through the early 1900s complete with movie theaters playing news reels, man landing on the moon, and radio talk shows. Guests who look closely at the microphone being used to record the radio show will notice that it has the initials WDI which stand for Walt Disney Imagineering.

2. A Familiar Place

The America Pavilion in World Showcase is home to the epic American Adventure which invites guests on a journey to celebrate the history of the American people through time. One scene of the attraction takes place during the Civil War and features a song telling the story of two brothers who fought in opposing armies. Unfortunately, one of the brothers dies in the war and is shown being brought home in his coffin. The shot was taken in Disneyland at the New Orleans Square Train Station and can be identified by a sign reading Mullers Landing.

1. A Hidden Logo

Guests who are brave enough to blast off on a mission to the red planet will love experiencing Mission: SPACE. The attraction invites guests into the International Space Training Center to prep for a mission to space. Before entering into the preshow of the attraction, guests move through a room of the queue filled with larger than life props for space travel. Along one wall of the room is a huge rotating wheel which features the logo from an extinct attraction in the center. Before Mission: SPACE was constructed, the site used to be home to Horizons and the logo from the attraction can be seen in the center of the large wheel today.