‘EPCOTist Manifesto’ October 25, 2008
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In his book, Walt Disney: The Triumph of the American Imagination, author Neal Gabler notes that: “The appeal of Disney World to Walt — its only real appeal to him — was that he would finally have a chance to build a utopian city adjacent to the theme park as a place where employees of the park might live.” When Walt Disney originally envisioned EPCOT, he pictured a model community housing 20,000 residents (by 1980) living on the cutting edge of technology, as opposed to the popular theme park. This never happened, for various reasons. Given the major, arguably unforeseeable technological advances since Disney’s death, this plan would not only have worked — it would have flourished. And should be resurrected.
Originally called ‘Progress City,’ Disney’s wish was to “create an entire urban environment from scratch: a perfect city.” (Gabler, 608) Disney himself wasn’t particularly fond of cities, once commentating that he “couldn’t understand why people lived in cities when they could live in open spaces.” (Ibid.) Disney had no intention of creating another theme park. He envisioned an experimental community whose inhabitants “could be a constant source of testing out materials and ideas and philosophies.” (Gabler, 609) Though dubbed an ‘experiment,’ EPCOT was to be, at the same time, a real community; or, as Walt Disney put it, a “living, breathing community.” (Ibid.)
One reason EPCOT would work beautifully is that the idea of a city created from scratch conjures up images of a clean slate. Perfection. Utopia. Who wouldn’t be jazzed about that? Disney’s idea to combine experiment with a small town sense of community is the perfect marriage of old and new. “The Jetsons” meet Mayberry, if you will… Residents would surely jump at the chance to be test subjects. In short, they’d get all the cool stuff first! Developers in today’s world would certainly blanket EPCOT in WiFi, giving residents the chance to test out everything from new cell phones to game systems to computers to PDAs.
If EPCOT were built today it would stand to benefit from implementing a system similar to the hotel TWELVE in Atlanta. TWELVE (all-caps — like EPCOT!) is a boutique style all-suite hotel with the coziness of home combined with slick ultra-modernity. Everything from wake-up calls to extra toothpaste are requested via the internet. Every suite has its own computer. Guests can choose from at least five types of pillows depending on softness preference and allergies to certain types of feathers. Both the bedroom and living room areas have flatscreen televisions and DVD players. Floor-to-ceiling windows give guests panoramic views of the cityscape. This type of system would be excellent in EPCOT. It would undoubtedly be the sort of city whose residents’ homes would be chock-full of monitors — yet still be very cozy at the same time.
EPCOT was originally an acronym (Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow); but the name of the theme park was recently changed to the sentence-case Epcot (Note: Mentions of the theme park will be the sentence-case Epcot as well, to avoid confusion of the two). The community was to be laid out in a circle, with a business center (literally) surrounded by community buildings such as libraries, hospitals, rec centers, teen centers, senior centers, houses of worship, ball fields, playgrounds, schools, etc.; encircled by homes on the edge. Streets would be pedestrian only. Cars would only be permitted underground. People would commute to work and school via an above ground monorail system of small trains. (Gabler, 611)
The monorail system is another reason why Disney’s vision ought to be seen through. For one thing, the elimination of automobiles would do a world of good. It would mean less pollution, less vehicular accidents, fewer incidents of lateness due to traffic, and much less stress. Imagine a world where there is no fighting over parking spots or paying a small fortune to pay a parking garage. Imagine if gas prices didn’t pose a threat to you, your friends or your family. In terms of the environment and the state of the economy today, people would forego the idea of even owning a car at all. No cars would also mean less crime. Residents would never have to worry about vehicle theft, carjacking, or hit-and-run, as they would be non-existent.
Walt Disney envisioned “a five-thousand-acre city arranged in a wheel three miles in diameter.” Disney saw the circle as a “shape of comfort.” (Gabler, 610) EPCOT’s houses were to be entirely self-sufficient — with individual power plants. There would be no garbage collection; rather, trash was to be whisked out of homes via a pipe system. Master builder Robert Moses predicted EPCOT would be the “first accident free, noise free, pollution free city center in America.”
Self-sufficient homes (which are referred to today as “Earthship” houses) are another reason why EPCOT would fare extremely well today. Today’s self-sufficient homes might be different from what Disney imagined, but would be perfect. As explained by Kris De Decker in Low-tech Magazine, they are ecologically friendly and inexpensive to build. They are disconnected from any kind of electricity grid, waterworks, sewage system or gas line. Earthship homes have natural temperature regulation and filter their own drinking water. And what better place to generate solar power than the Sunshine State?
At the city’s center was to be a fifty-acre downtown area. Entirely enclosed within an air-conditioned bubble, the commercial hub would be complete with the aforementioned shops, grocers, theaters, community centers and a giant hotel.
As Sebastien Barthe notes in his website, Walt Disney’s Original EPCOT Project, the Contemporary Resort at Walt Disney World (below) is an interpretation of that would-be hotel.
Walt Disney World's Contemporary Resort
Concentric circles would form around the hub, decreasing in density toward EPCOT’s outermost circle/edge. High-rise apartment complexes would lie closer to the commercial hub, while single-family homes would stand further out. An underground expressway would route garbage and automobile traffic. (Gabler, 611)
How great would it be to — for the most part — not have to deal with garbage? And to not have to see the trash of others? Lack of garbage would definitely add to the city’s cleanliness. Cleanliness generally makes people happier. Case in point: ”In an effort to ‘protect’ the Disney World ‘guests’ from the sight not only of overflowing trash cans, but also of the removal of such trash through the park, an innovative Swedish pneumatic trash collection system was installed in the ‘utilidors’ beneath the park. Called AVAC (Automatic Vacuum Collecting System), this novel system whisks trash at speeds of up to 60 mph to a central collection point ‘backstage,’ where it is removed by truck to an incinerator.” (Barthe)
Of course in today’s EPCOT, it would stand to reason that while recycling was not prevalent in Disney’s day — recycling would be second nature in today’s EPCOT. The homes themselves would perhaps have a system that would make it virtually impossible not to recycle. In the meantime, while an air-conditioned bubble may not be the most ecologically friendly idea, it would certainly do wonders for local businesses, particularly on very hot days. Hot days in Orlando? Puh-shaw!
Another positive asset to EPCOT’s resurrection would be the likelihood of citizens living arguably healthier existences than they would in other cities. Lack of vehicles would mean less smog to breathe in, perhaps leading to fewer cases of lung-related illnesses such as asthma. Speaking of lungs — Disney, who was a smoker, may not have agreed with this suggestion, but if EPCOT were ever to come to be, smoking should be banned in the entire town. This is not to suggest that people should be monitored in their own homes; privacy is and should always be a right.
Additionally, even today with the job market so shaky, unemployment would never be a problem in EPCOT. For one thing, a majority of residents would work in the Disney theme parks themselves. The five parks are open 365 days a year and employ massive staffs at all levels. EPCOT itself would necessitate a hefty staff to be able to run. In fact, Walt Disney explicitly stated: “There will be no retirees. Everyone must be employed. One of our requirements is that people who live in EPCOT must keep it alive.” (Barthe)
Interestingly enough, the author quotes a journalist as saying: “As for government… Walt would never have surrendered his ultimate authority.” Apparently Disney had “contemplated a bifurcated system in which the [Walt Disney] company controlled all the planning and building while other issues were determined by a democratic process.” Disney at one point even suggested that EPCOT residents be rotated on “sabbaticals” so that no one could have permanent voter rights. (Gabler, 609)
Disney’s plans for EPCOT’s government represent a reason people might worry that EPCOT would not succeed. With the state of the country and the world as a whole as uncertain as it is today, it’s simply not feasible to deny citizens their right to vote, even on the smaller local issues. It is equally unfathomable to suggest that inhabitants “rotate” residence. It’s hard to feel at home when you know you’re essentially going to be ousted at some point. Clearly amendments would need to be made in respect to Disney’s original vision.
Another reason people might be hesitant about EPCOT is that if not marketed correctly, the city could get an undeserved reputation for being rather Stepford Wives-esque. Minus the robots. Or maybe not… Initially people might be concerned about moving to a city with considerably more rules and regulations than most. But then again, the people who might be attracted to a place like EPCOT are the same kind of people likely to embrace rules and regulations, particularly those for the better of the community as a whole. You don’t see people painting the exteriors of their condos magenta just to give the condo board a proverbial f-you. And you know how certain neighborhoods have rules about holiday decoration displays? People love that stuff.
Shortly before his death, Walt Disney remarked that if he could survive at least another fifteen years, EPCOT would surely surpass all of his accomplishments. He feared EPCOT would never come to be if he were to pass away. (Gabler, 631) He worried about the fate of his legacy, lamenting: ”Fancy being remembered around the world for the invention of a mouse!” (Ibid.)
According to Gabler: “His life would become an ongoing effort to devise whet psychologists call a ‘parocosm,’ an invented universe, that he could control as he could not control reality. From Mickey Mouse through Snow White and the seven Dwarfs through Disneyland through EPCOT, he kept attempting to remake the world in the image of his own imagination, to certify his place as a force in that world and keep reality from encroaching upon it, to recapture a sense of childhood power that he either had never felt or had lost long ago.”
According to Rona Gindin’s The Little Black Book of Walt Disney World, In 1994, 28 years after Walt Disney’s death, the town of Celebration, Florida was founded upon several of EPCOT’s original principles. For example, even though vehicles are permitted on streets, residents often utilize the availability of Neighborhood Electric Vehicles. While many would certainly agree that Celebration is quite lovely, and well-known for its quaint New England style appeal, the town simply doesn’t do the original EPCOT vision justice.
A Celebration, FL home
Without a doubt, the most famous thing about EPCOT is what it became; or, rather, that is is today: Epcot — a truly one-of-a-kind theme park. Debuting in 1982 as EPCOT Center (all-caps at first!), the park was, and remains, a combination of an ode to futuristic innovation and a permanent World’s Fair of sorts. According to Jody Revenson’s The Imagineering Field Guide to Epcot at Walt Disney World: “It was not known immediately how the public would react to a Disney park not based purely on fantastical stories and nostalgic visions.” The 260-acre park “puts forth the notion that the future is a positive place, where the wonders of science and technology will continue to improve the quality of life for people throughout the world.” (Revenson, 17) The two major divisions of Epcot, Future World and World Showcase, are designed to work in tandem to radiate that underlying theme. From the iconic Spaceship Earth to the gorgeous scenery and architecture of ‘Norway,’ Epcot is magical and awe-inspiring. However, it is hardly similar to what Disney envisioned.
Courtesy Aaron Van
In conclusion, The dream of EPCOT should be realized before it is too late. With the world in such a fragile state, we need a community with core values whose citizens think globally and act locally — with a hint of whimsy tossed in for good measure… and some pixie dust. Always pixie dust!
Works Cited
1) Gabler, Neal; Walt Disney: The Triumph of the American Imagination; 2006, Alfred A. Knopf, New York, New York (pgs. xvi, 608, 609, 610, 611 and 631)
2) Gindin, Rona; The Little Black Book of Walt Disney World: The Essential Guide to All the Magic; 2008, Peter Pauper Press, Inc., White Plains, New York (pg. 60)
3) De Decker, Kris; Heat your house with car tyres and earth; December 29, 2007, Low-tech Magazine
4) Barthe, Sebastien; Walt Disney’s Original EPCOT Project; 2008
http://www.the-original-epcot.com/
5) Revenson, Jody, ed.; The Imagineering Field Guide to Epcot at Walt Disney World; 2006, Disney Enterprises, Inc.; Disney Editions, New York, New York (pgs. 16 & 17)
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