Grand and Miraculous

There are some views that never get old, such making that turn around Epcot to see Spaceship Earth and then approaching it from the parking lot. The words “grand” and “miraculous” aren’t just a portion of the attraction script in those moments; it is as if they were tailor made to describe the feeling of seeing Spaceship Earth. It is a feeling that never seems to get old and, no matter how many times you may visit Epcot as a visitor or a local, one that never seems to get any less intense.

There are a variety of ways with which we see Spaceship Earth, from walking up, to touring around it on a monorail, from across World Showcase Lagoon, and even as the backdrop for a water show in Innoventions Plaza. As is the case with today’s photo, however, there are some views of Spaceship Earth that we can no longer get.

I’ll be the first to admit that this view originally stumped me. I was certain it was Future World West, pre-The Living Seas, but I couldn’t for the life of me figure out why I couldn’t see the monorail beam in the photograph. Rather than go with my gut, I tried looking at all other possibilities first. It was only when I pulled out my 1982 EPCOT Center map and compared it to an aerial photograph that my original hunch was confirmed.

Prior to construction beginning on The Living Seas, this watery section of EPCOT Center, complete with curved planters, was easier to recognize as there was less development in the area. Also, the hill used to create a boundary between the park and the bus depot, group sales, and package pick-up on the outside of the park would later be removed as The Living Seas was constructed. This area also fell in between the monorail path and Spaceship Earth, which may feel like they’re right next to one another in this area, but there is a surprising amount of space there.

While this view itself may have changed dramatically over the years, and it was a stellar view judging by this photograph, there are thankfully a ton of vantage points throughout and outside of the park of Spaceship Earth. The landscape and vistas of Walt Disney World are constantly changing, but it’s nice to be able to look back and see what once was, while still being able to enjoy what we currently have.