Five Fun Facts in Epcot — Amanda Boardwine

Hello, hello! We have yet another trivia video for you today. This time though, Anthony and I are setting out to complete a series on trivia within each of the four parks at Walt Disney World. Today’s focuses specifically on some of the unique stories and gems within Epcot that you may have never known before now. So, let’s jump right into it!

1. The Underside of Spaceship Earth Stays Dry Even When It’s Raining

Maybe reading this you are thinking, “Well, of course it stays dry.” Big building. You’re under it. How could you get wet? Well, think about it. Spaceship Earth is a massive sphere. If there is water falling on top, it would naturally slide down the sides of the sphere and drop right on top of those standing underneath it. So, why doesn’t it?

Well, the imagineers thought way ahead of everyone. They engineered the structure to catch the water in those triangular grooves and send it down the legs of Spaceship Earth. That water would eventually make it to the lagoon, keeping guests dry the entire time. So cool.

2. The Tomato Tree

Yes, you read that right. Epcot is known for having full greenhouses that provide much of the food fresh to the restaurants. You can view part of these areas in the Living with the Land attraction. Well, in one of the greenhouses grows a tree that produces approximately 32,000 tomatoes every year! Crazy, right? This tree is the only one of its kind in the United States, making it truly a stunning aspect of these greenhouses.

3. The Hotel du Canada Actually is Three Stories

If you walk outside of the Hotel du Canada in…the Canada Pavillion…you’ll notice that there are five stories of windows lining the exterior of the building. However, this is all a trick on the eyes. The building is actually using forced perspective to make you think it is five stories when rather it is technically only three. Again, the imagineers strike again.

4. Test Track Is the Longest, Fastest, Same-Vehicle Ride

While many jump to other rides when thinking of the fastest, those rides never actually top this Epcot attraction. Additionally, it still remains the longest ride in which you stay in the same vehicle for the during of the ride. So, this one kills two birds with one stone and makes the top of the charts in doing so.

5. The Fun EPCOT Acronyms

So, you may or may not know that Epcot once stood for multiple words. Originally, the word was an acronym that stood for “Experimental Prototype City of Tomorrow.” That’s why many times you’ll see Epcot displayed as E.P.C.O.T. or EPCOT. It has only been in recent years that the word has become predominantly lowercased.

That brings us to the real fun of this bit of trivia. When this word was an acronym, many cast members developed their own acronyms as somewhat of a joke. We got a really good kick out of these and think you will enjoy them. Take a look.