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Walt Disney World 1983, 2011, and 2025 Former Future World at EPCOT, Part 2 
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Last week, I published Part 1 of a two-part photo essay comparing the former Future World at EPCOT in 1983, 2011, and 2025. This included Spaceship Earth and World of Motion (which became Test Track). Here’s the conclusion, with a look at three other pavilions that were around in January 1983: The Land, Journey Into Imagination, and Universe of Energy. In case you’re wondering why the other Future World pavilions are missing, it’s because they where missing from EPCOT Center in January 1983. Horizons (replaced by Mission: SPACE) was still under construction. The Living Seas (now The Seas with Nemo and Friends) and Wonders of Life (still there, but now shuttered) were years away.
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Photo by Werner Weiss or Dennis Derr, 1983 The Land pavilion, presented by Kraft Foods (1983) |
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Photo by Werner Weiss, 2011 The Land pavilion, hidden behind trees (2011) |
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Photo by Werner Weiss, 2025 The Land pavilion, still hidden behind trees (2025) |
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When The Land pavilion opened in 1982, the attractions were Listen to The Land, Symbiosis, and Kitchen Kaberet. Kraft Foods sponsored The Land from 1982 to 1992. Nestlé USA stepped into that role from 1993 to 2009. During Nestlé’s major update to the pavilion (2004-2005), The Landscaping in front of The Land changed from palms to a forest. By 2011, this forest largely obscured the pavilion. The attractions were Living with the Land, Circle of Life: an Environmental Fable, and Soarin’ (California film). The Land pavilion no longer has a sponsor. The attractions are now Living with the Land, Awesome Planet, and Soarin’ (World film). |
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Photo by Werner Weiss or Dennis Derr, 1983 Inside The Land pavilion, presented by Kraft Foods (1983) |
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Photo by Werner Weiss, 2011 Inside The Land pavilion (2011) |
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Photo by Werner Weiss, 2025 Inside The Land pavilion (2025) |
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The difference in the interior of The Land pavilion between 1983 and 2011 is dramatic, but 2025 looks much like 2011 (except for how the dining tables are arranged). Look at how the upper walls and ceiling were originally painted. With the removal of the fountain, there’s far more seating capacity for the food court. |
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Photo by Werner Weiss or Dennis Derr, 1983 Journey Into Imagination, presented by Kodak (1983) |
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Photo by Werner Weiss, 2011 Imagination!, hidden behind trees (2011) |
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Photo by Werner Weiss, 2025 Imagination!, no longer quite as hidden behind trees (2025) |
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Journey Into Imagination, as both the pavilion and its main attraction were called, opened in 1982. The attractions were Journey Into Imagination, Magic Journeys in the Magic Eye Theater, and The Image Works. The sponsor was Kodak. The pavilion lost its longtime sponsor in 2010. Simply called Imagination!, the pavilion’s attractions in 2011 were Journey Into Imagination With Figment, a return engagement of Captain EO starring Michael Jackson, and a less impressive version of The Image Works called ImageWorks. In 2025, the theater that previously featured Captain EO is home to Disney & Pixar Short Film Festival, a collection of three 3D shorts originally made to accompany features in movie theaters. |
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Photo by Werner Weiss or Dennis Derr, 1983 Imagination sculpture fountain and Mark IV Monorail (1983) |
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Photo by Werner Weiss, 2011 Imagination sculpture fountain and Mark VI Monorail (2011) |
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Photo by Werner Weiss, 2025 Imagination sculpture fountain and Mark VI Monorail (2025) |
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The Journey Into Imagination pavilion originally had a rather spectacular abstract sculpture as part of its fountain. By 2011, the complex structure had been replaced by simple structure of triangles, and that’s still how it is in 2025. |
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Photo by Werner Weiss or Dennis Derr, 1983 Jumping fountains at in front of Magic Journeys (1983) |
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Photo by Werner Weiss, 2011 Jumping fountains in front of Captain EO (2011) |
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Photo by Werner Weiss, 2025 Jumping fountains in front of Disney & Pixar Short Film Festival (2025) |
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The jumping fountains at Imagination have delighted guests of all ages (and caused water damage to the cameras of unsuspecting guests) for more than 42 years. The benches in the 1983 photo are missing in the two later photos. The planters containing the “landing pads” for the laminar water snakes originally had plants, not rocks. And the colors changed. |
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Photo by Werner Weiss or Dennis Derr, 1983 Universe of Energy, presented by Exxon (1983) |
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Photo by Werner Weiss, 2011 Universe of Energy (2011) |
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Photo by Werner Weiss, 2025 Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind (2025) |
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The Universe of Energy pavilion housed a single attraction — a large-scale, 45-minute extravaganza. In 2011, the exterior looked much as it did 28 years earlier, except for the sign and landscaping. Even the colorful stripes on both sides of the building had been restored to their original appearance after a period when they had been dark gray. Inside the pavilion, it was a different story. In 1996, the original, rather ernest attraction received a makeover to add humor and a more cohesive story starring Ellen DeGeneres. The result was Ellen’s Energy Adventure, which closed permanently in 2017. The 2025 photo shows a new attraction. In 2022, the former Universe of Energy pavilion became Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind. It’s still recognizably the same building, but with a large addition tacked on to hold an indoor roller coaster. |
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Photo by Werner Weiss or Dennis Derr, 1983 Planter and sign at Universe of Energy, presented by Exxon (1983) |
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Photo by Werner Weiss, 2011 Planter and sign at Universe of Energy (2011) |
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Photo by Werner Weiss, 2025 DAS and rider swap for Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind (2025) |
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The original sponsor of the Universe of Energy was Exxon. After Exxon and Mobil merged in 1999, the sponsor became ExxonMobil. That lasted until 2004, when ExxonMobil exited from Epcot. The attraction operated without a sponsor for the rest of its run. The 2011 photo shows a newer sign without a sponsor. Although 2025 EPCOT maps identify the pavilion as Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, Disney promoted it as the Wonders of Xandar pavilion before it opened. Just as World Showcase has pavilions from various countries on planet Earth, World Discovery would have a pavilion from planet Zandar as home to the ride and to the Treasures of Xandar shop. Apparently, the Zanadrian architect preferred boring dark gray surfaces over cheerful mirror tiles. (More likely, Walt Disney Imagineering just wanted the reused building to look different.)
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© 2025 Werner Weiss — Disclaimers, Copyright, and Trademarks Updated March 7, 2025 |
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, Curator of Yesterland, March 7, 2025
