The EPCOT Theme Show 

In 1976, and as work began to expedite on the creation of the EPCOT Theme Centers, attention was given to how guests would perceive the bevy of satellite parks that the Vacation Kingdom would soon play host to. Long before visions of geospheres and geodomes for Spaceship Earth came dancing into the Imagineer’s heads, an “introductory show” was planned for the EPCOT Future World Theme Center, that would preface an visit to the exhibits and pavilions and help to further the overall message and purpose of the park. Essentially, a thematic thesis statement was planned for the first series of EPCOTs. 

Much like earlier shows dedicated to showcasing forward thinking topics that were based in futurism and fact, the EPCOT Theme Show was to be a CircleVision 360 film, set in the middle of CommuniCore, at the entry way to Future World. This exhibit would have explained and detailed the purpose of EPCOT, and showcased it’s subjects and themes. Energy, Transportation, Space, and Land were all to have a major part, and as you can see in the rendering above, ancillary attractions. This was described as a welcoming look into “Man and His World of Tomorrow”. 

While I don’t like to dabble in conjecture, it seems as though this is very much akin to the final CommuniCore product. Not to mention the 1964 Carousel of Progress when considering the supplemental attractions. In the end, though, all of these ideas would be dropped in favor of building Spaceship Earth, a much more grand and inspiring thesis statement for the park: the perfect blend of world culture and futuristic topic. 

As for the form and function revealed in the art seen here, this building is, perhaps, housed in the “Pylon Bridge” that Herbert Ryman inserted into his paintings of the EPCOT Center.