The tagline for Epcot Center before it opened was, “The 21st Century Begins October 1, 1982.” Indeed, Epcot was one of the most unique and ambitious parks that the Walt Disney Company has ever developed. The level of sophistication and use of new technology employed at the park is a testament to the aspiration of those who designed and built it. Yet, the park looks very different today compared to when it opened in the Fall of 1982. Futureport ’82, a virtual recreation of the park, aims to accurately represent that opening day in 1982, while also simultaneously offering concepts of what might have been. Let’s take a closer look.
Futureport ’82 is a simulator where you can explore Epcot from the first-person point of view. Built inside Unreal Engine (which powers popular games like Fortnite), Futureport ’82 lovingly recreates Epcot’s opening day Future World (World Showcase will be added to the simulation at a later date)
This simulation has two versions. The original park from 1982 and a version called “FP82,” which has special additions.
What Was: Future World ’82
Like many who arrive at Epcot, we begin our journey with a trip around Future World on the monorail. As soon as you disembark you’re free to move around the park. Future World has been lovingly recreated as it looked in 1982… so, for those of us who visited later in its lifespan, the park may feel a bit otherworldly.
That’s why I invited my dad to watch. He worked for MAPO (the manufacturing arm of WED/Imagineering) in the early 80s and during his time working in Orlando completed projects in just about every EPCOT pavilion. This jogged his memory of what it was like. It allowed him to reminisce over fond memories as someone who got to experience Future World in 1982 while being an educational opportunity for those like myself who didn’t get the chance (I wasn’t even born yet).
The post-show of Spaceship Earth’s “Earth Station” (now Project Tomorrow) is a great place to start; it was intended to educate guests on Epcot’s concept with several touch screen kiosks.
The WorldKey kiosks in Futureport operate the same as they did in the park, giving you context and previews of the attractions.
Many things didn’t last those early years. For example, when I first started working at Walt Disney World, my dad would ask me if I had seen the “Sperry Show.” I had no idea what that meant, as Epcot Computer Central’s exhibit and even the sponsor, Sperry, don’t exist anymore. However, I imagine all the original mainframe computer functions can probably be done on a smartphone nowadays.
Walking into Communicore East, I found the “Astuter Computer Revue,” the show my dad remembered. The room is here, but you’d have to find the show on YouTube to actually watch this one. Needless to say, I bet seeing a little man jumping from mainframe to mainframe was probably pretty astounding in 1982, but not by today’s standards.
When Epcot opened, there were only three fully completed Future World pavilions plus Communicore. Universe of Energy, World of Motion, and The Land expanded the minds of early Epcot visitors, while Horizons and Journey into Imagination would open the following year.
All the attractions are available to hop onto. When one begins, a video of the attraction plays.
There is something to be said about the quality of the recreations. This is version 1.0, and it’s still a work in progress. Some areas can look rougher than others, but some love and care have definitely gone into quality and accuracy. Just look at the murals in the Imagination and Land pavilions.
What Could Have Been
The “FP82 Edition” of Futureport ’82 is where things start getting into the imaginative spirit of Epcot. This mode adds interactive kiosks, concepts, and other enhancements. One of the coolest ones is based on a never-built Peoplemover.
Strategically placed around the park, “FutureChoice” kiosks allow you to “choose your future,” whether it’s a fantasy one like the “Smithway Peoplemover” or ones that did exist, like Horizons.
The Smithway Peoplemover takes a full loop around Future World, going right through both Communicores. It also includes its own narration, so it’s a good way to learn about the exhibits.
Education is a good portion of what makes the FP82 version so special. Scattered throughout the park, there are tons of WorldKey kiosks which will tell you all about the park.
It was interesting to walk into the Futureport Model Shop, which at the real Epcot sat mostly empty until 1988. It was to be the location of the TRON Arcade; my dad reflected on some of the machines he helped build that were never used. Building a concept of the never-built arcade to switch in via a “FutureChoice” kiosk could be neat.
Visit the 21st Century
There are two ways to experience Futureport ’82. The best way is to run the application straight on a Windows PC. You can download that at:
As you might expect, this thing requires a little bit of processing power to run. There’s a clever solution if you don’t have a powerful enough PC. Hundreds of 360° screenshots were rendered so you can navigate the park in a sort of Google Street View. This version can run on just about any device, even in VR. You can check that out here:
Finally, the creator, Sean Holland, is very active on both the Futureport Facebook group and Twitter. If you’re interested in updates on this project or have reference photos/videos that you can share, definitely go give him a follow.
Imagine my delight when my WDW coworker, Spencer, started posting about this cool Epcot project he was contributing to (he’s working on modeling The Living Seas right now). With the wider availability of tools, more and more people are looking to preserve and educate about the Disney that once was. MiceChat has previously taken a look at VR recreations of Adventure Through Inner Space and The Tower of the Four Winds. We say, if you can dream it, you can do it!
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Let’s Hear From You
Do you have early memories of Epcot? Have you given other Disney simulations a spin that you’d recommend? What things have changed since opening day that you miss? Let us know in the comments below.