EPCOT Turns 40

[John]

Had a few moments to reflect post hurricane... and here's what I came up with. I'd be interested in your thoughts as well...

Opening Day was October 1, 1982, and while we weren't there for the ceremonies, we did manage to visit for the first time that opening year and vividly recall reading page for page about the new park and its attractions in Birnbaum's Guide to Walt Disney World. Seriously, I read it cover to cover and knew more about the park prior to stepping foot in it than any other park before or since.

It goes without saying, that this park (once it added Horizons later) would never be topped. The scale and ambition of it all, combined with the forward-looking eye to the future set the bar for us and many Disney fans. As a kid, I loved the future and not a dystopian vision as we often see - but a shining example of how we could be the best version of ourselves.

Now 40 years later, we look with careful eye to the redevelopment of EPCOT and hope some of the magic that once made the park special returns - and as a community we can recapture the feeling we all had back in '82

Happy 40th Birthday EPCOT!