The EPCOT Field Guide

A lot has certainly changed in the past fifteen years.

I purchased a copy of the EPCOT Field Guide back in the early 1990s. It was made available at EPCOT Outreach, located in what was then Communicore West. EPCOT Outreach moved to a new location and became the Epcot Discovery Center when the first incarnation of Innoventions opened in July 1994. It closed permanently in October of 1996. There is currently no outreach or resource service available at Epcot.

I am particularly impressed with the introduction to the EPCOT Field Guide. It is a very succinct summation of what was the park’s original theme and mission, a message that was still being communicated well into its second decade of operation:

Epcot was originally envisioned as a "living blueprint of the future," a place where families could come to learn about the world around them and discover the challenges of tomorrow. With this vision as our guide, we have worked to create a fun, dynamic, interactive theme park where science, culture, and education instill promise for our future. The park is comprised of two main areas: Future World and World Showcase.

Since its inception, Epcot has become more than a showplace for technology; it has become a classroom for thousands of students from around the world. Through such programs as the WALT DISNEY WORLD College Program, Science and Technology Internships, and the World Showcase Fellowship Program, students have the opportunity to study and research concepts ranging from cultural interaction to communication with marine mammals. Epcot is, in effect, a living laboratory.

The educational benefits of Epcot are not confined solely to the classroom. Our goal is to provide educational experiences for every Guest who visits the theme park.

With that in mind, we have created the Epcot Field Guide, a booklet full of fun facts, topical information, and background on the pavilions in the theme park. We hope that it will increase your enjoyment of the Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow, and that your visit will spark new interests that will return home with you.

As a part of our celebration of EPCOT's 25th Anniversary, I will be reprinting the attraction pages from the guide in future posts. Stay tuned.