You’ve heard the story about Walt Disney outlining his vision for Disney World and EPCOT Center from his hospital bed while older brother Roy stood vigilant and took notes, right?
Well, after Walt’s passing in 1966, Roy moved forward with his brother’s plans for an Orlando resort theme park while Walt’s vision for EPCOT Center languished. Roy’s strength was always on the financial side and he left the creative focus to his little brother. Roy ultimately pushed for a theme park similar to Disneyland; he wanted to create a successful park that would draw visitors and create a sound financial basis for anything that would happen after opening day in 1971.
After the passings of Walt and Roy, running Walt Disney Productions weighed on Chairman Donn Tatum and CEO Card Walker. They knew that the world expected the company to bring forward Walt’s vision; critics wondered if Walt’s utopian city would ever happen. Lots of people asked about EPCOT Center as Disney had dangled EPCOT Center in front of the Florida State Legislature as a carrot to gain unprecedented control over the Florida property.
The press, the guests and cast members wondered where EPCOT Center was. Tatum and Walker spoke about how all of Walt Disney World was EPCOT Center, but this didn’t satiate the questions. Disney announced several plans, almost to no avail.
EPCOT Center Master Plan 5
It wasn’t until the 1977 Walt Disney Productions Annual Report that we first see an EPCOT Center that looks like the park that opened in 1982. We know this plan as EPCOT Center Master Plan 5.
EPCOT Center Master Plan 5 Video
Check out my video to see the 1977 version of EPCOT Center.
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