Disney Dining Serving up the latest Disney Eats, Treats, News, and More!
The Walt Disney Company does everything in its power to stay at the helm of innovation, utilizing technology to become an industry leader in theme park magic, entertainment, and immersion.
This is both to enhance guest experience and to stay true to Walt Disney’s legacy and his love of progress. This effort can be found all throughout Walt Disney World, but it’s most evident in Disney’s EPCOT theme park.
The Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow
Credit: Nathan Langer on Unsplash
RELATED: A Brand-New Attraction Is Coming to Walt Disney World’s EPCOT
The Disney park recently underwent a historical transformation, adding multiple attractions and experiences and rearranging the entire vacation destination, going from two theme park areas to four.
What used to be the World Showcase and Future World (a theme park area entirely dedicated to innovation) turned into the World Showcase, World Celebration, World Discovery, and World Nature.
Credit: Disney
RELATED: New Walt Disney World Addition Delayed Until Next Year, Progress Interrupted
While ‘Future World’ no longer exists, the spirit of progress and the race for a “Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow” remains in Walt Disney Imagineering’s revolutionary work.
Which is why it comes as no surprise to hear that the Disney park has just welcomed a brand new addition:
A new display outside the Mission: SPACE attraction at EPCOT replicates the tread marks left by the Perseverance rover on the surface of Mars. The tracks were created "using a borrowed prototype rover wheel," Disney said. pic.twitter.com/acSM3Z7Qkb
— Scott Gustin (@ScottGustin) October 4, 2023
RELATED: “Eyesore” Attractions Have Guests Asking Themselves, “Has Disney Given Up?”
At the entrance of EPCOT’s Mission: SPACE ride lies a brand new addition: the Perseverance Mars rover’s tread marks made using a “borrowed prototype rover wheel,” according to Disney.
The Perseverance rover (affectionately nicknamed ‘Percy’) is about the size of a car, and was sent to Mars to gather evidence of ancient life on the dry, desert planet. As of October 2023, the nifty rover has been stationed on Mars for nearly three years!
It makes perfect sense that these tread marks would be displayed outside the Mission: SPACE attraction, as the more intense mission famously takes guests on a shuttle to Mars.
More Info on EPCOT’s Theme Park Areas
Credit: Disney
RELATED: Walt Disney Company Intentionally Creating Flaws on Newer Attractions? Here’s What We Know.
EPCOT (the “Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow”) first opened in October 1982. Over 40 years later and Walt Disney World’s second theme park boasts dozens of attractions, 12 different country pavilions, multiple festivals a year, and more.
Guests visiting the World Showcase can visit the Mexico pavilion, Norway pavilion, China pavilion, Outpost, Germany pavilion, Italy pavilion, American Adventure pavilion Japan pavilion, Morocco pavilion, France pavilion, United Kingdom pavilion, and the Canada pavilion.
Credit: Disney
RELATED: Disney World Announces a Brand-New Restaurant Coming to EPCOT
Before visiting the World Showcase, guests can also visit World Celebration, World Discovery, and World Nature. These theme park areas each offer different attractions such as Spaceship Earth, Test Track, Soarin’ Around the World, Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, and more!
