Epcot opened 30 years ago as the second park at Walt Disney World. To celebrate this impressive anniversary we’ll take a tour of Future World and look at how the different Lands have changed over the last 30 years. If you want to learn more about this innovative park read The Imagineering Field Guide to Epcot 
Once you walk past Spaceship Earth you have a decision to make – do you go right or left? There are pavilions in both directions, but you can’t see them because of a couple of low buildings. These two buildings are Innoventions East and West. Inside you’ll find rooms filled with interactive exhibits. These exhibits are sponsored by different companies and are updated occasionally to keep up with changes in technology.
There is lots to do in Innoventions. I like to play the computer games that show you what the future might be like. There are competitions for the kids and more advanced games for the older kids, i.e. adults. There is so much to do at Innoventions that it could take up a large chunk of your day. If it is hot and humid outside this might not be a bad thing. Happiness squared.
5 fun facts about Innoventions:
1) When Epcot opened Innoventions was called Communicore. Even though the name has changed along with the exhibits the idea of bringing cutting edge technology to the public has remained the same.
2) Innovation + Invention = Innoventions. Clever.
3) The exhibits display technology that you can use in your day-to-day world. There is lots of great technology being developed that will help us get to Mars, but you won’t see that at Innoventions. The exhibits here demonstrate new technology that you may soon see in your own home or car. Start making your wish list.
4) Innoventions brings Walt Disney’s concept of Epcot to life. If you read Friday’s post then you know that Walt Disney saw Epcot as an ever-changing experiment showing how technology can improve people’s lives. The exhibits in Innoventions are designed with that idea in mind.
5) At Innoventions you can ride a Segway. One of my great disappointments is that everyone doesn’t have a Segway in their garage. I think these are the coolest devices. I would have loved to have one as I raced from class to class in college. But alas, the Segway has not caught on. (Perhaps if gas prices get high enough…) If you are like me and would love to ride a Segway, then head over to Innoventions West. There you’ll find Segway Central, a small track where you can try out a Segway for yourself.
When I think of Epcot I think of the future. To explore the future today head over to Innoventions East and West. You’ll find the future is an innovative and inventive place.
Goofy Website: I guess it makes sense that an area dedicated to bringing Guests cutting edge technology would have a website, but most attractions don’t have an Internet presence. This site has lots of interactive games and information about the different exhibits. So if you can’t make it to Innoventions (or even if you can) take a look at this fun and innovative website, innoventions.disney.go.com/site/.