Grand opening agenda

Last week, we touched upon a single segment of the grand opening celebration of Walt Disney World and the Magic Kingdom. This week, how about a glimpse into the entire spectacle that was the Grand Opening Weekend of EPCOT Center? Okay, so this isn’t going to be a thorough rundown of everything associated with those three days, but it will give you an idea of the hustle and bustle that were October 22 – 24, 1982. How, you might ask? Well, we’ll keep up the same way the Cast Members did!

Prior to the dedications, ceremonies, and other festivities, Cast Members were given fact cards breaking down the whens, wheres, and whats of the weekend. Along with the weekend’s schedule the collapsible cards also listed important numbers for resorts, publicity offices, transportation, foreign language assistance, restaurant offices, base operations, temporary staffing, and VIP lounges. Additionally, the cards listed the operating hours for both EPCOT Center and the Magic Kingdom, the schedule for the 1982 Walt Disney World Golf Classic (to be held October 28 – 31, and won by Hal Sutton), and a listing of individual pavilion dedications.

So, how did the weekend go? I left out the phone numbers and other miscellaneous information, but you can check out the schedule and dedication calendar portions of the fact cards below.