The Heartbeat of Epcot

Under the leadership of Imagineer Zach Riddley, World Celebration is quickly becoming the focus of Epcot. A brand new Starbucks and the Connections Cafe will soon be buzzing with excitement as guests crowd that section of the park while waiting for Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind.  The less than impressive drink choices at Club Cool mean the lines may be shorter, but the Coca-Cola items in the shop are unique and well done! If you don't want cola inspired souvenirs, you can always go to the main location to shop in this part of the park, the Creations Shop. All said, the hub of what once was Future World will once again be a place where visitors stop instead of just managing construction wall after construction wall.

But Epcot wasn't always a mess.

Communicore was once the heartbeat of EPCOT Center, offering guests a wide variety of smaller attractions, exhibits, and places to shop and dine. Surrounding Spaceship Earth, these large circular buildings were very inviting with their glass walls and their contemporary design and color schemes. They truly were attractions unto themselves. Perhaps the most beloved exhibit was SMRT-1, a small blue robot with a childlike voice and welcoming presence. Challenging guests with a variety of trivia, it was easy for our young family to spend more than a few minutes playing games with this little guy.

On the more serious side, Exxon's Energy Exchange was informative, educational, and yes, fun, even if it was a bit of self promotion for the huge oil company. We loved the "edutainment" aspect of the park, but then, our kids were always fascinated by the world around them. Another interesting exhibit was the FutureChoice Theater. Not only was it a filmed presentation, it was also a chance for guests to give Disney feedback on important events of the day. Real issues and not marketing gimmicks.

There was just so much more to be found here, making Communicore a two hour part of our first Epcot day. Imagine that! The main pavilions around it held a large number of attractions that were imaginative, informative, well executed, and lasted longer than a three minute thrill ride. Even Future World alone could easily fill a day. But that was then.

Once completed, will this centerpiece of the park hum with activity or will it be just another pass through area? Time will tell. Anything new will have an initial fan base, but the long term impact of Epcot 3.0 will be felt 5-10 years from now. Will the suits of the Walt Disney Company continue to invest in my once favorite Florida park or will they let it rot due to neglect? I can only imagine.

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)