Difference between revisions of "Innoventions"
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Revision as of 19:30, 3 April 2016
Innoventions is a pavilion located in Epcot. The pavilion is divided into Innoventions East and Innoventions West.
Contents
Pavilion History
Innoventions opened in 1994, replacing the CommuniCore pavilions. Like its predecessor, Innoventions was divided into East and West buildings, with a total area of 100,000 square feet [1]. Although the basic idea of Innoventions was essentially the same as CommuniCore, their intents were different. Whereas CommuniCore showcased various scientific exhibits, Innovention's goal was to showcase things that would soon be affecting guests in their home or office on a daily basis [2]. Furthermore, as opposed to the laid back and bright look of CommuniCore, Innoventions was dark and loud in an attempt to gain guest's attention [2]. In this same vein, a new metallic blue color scheme was given to the buildings to further "modernize" them [2]. Other aesthetic changes included the fact that the exterior reflecting pools were filled in to improve guest flow [3], the large windows that made up the walls of the building were covered[3], and the West building was expanded towards the Living Seas [2]. Finally, new entryways were constructed and the pavilion's multilevel interior was changed so that all the exhibits were now on a singular level[3].
When commenting on the creation of Innoventions, Disney CEO Michael Eisner had said in the early 1990's that:
"People need a place to experience the near future, a permanent World’s Fair where they can test and try the products that are changing their world" [4]
Due to the massive nature of the project, Disney decided that Innovention's would open in two phases [2]. The first phase in 1993-1994 and the second in 1998-1999[2]. In order to accommodate the new Innovention's exhibits, CommuniCore's exhibits had slowly been phased out throughout the early 1990s [3].
When it opened, Innoventions featured exhibits by IBM, Sega, and General Motors (among others) [3]. Since Innoventions was at least partially inspired by a consumer electronics show, the pavilion was less organized then CommuniCore had been, and large advertisements were occasionally present [2]. Besides the exhibits, Innovention's also held three stores, the Centorium, the Art of Disney and Field Trips, as well as the new Ice Station Cool Store, which had free Coca Cola samples from around the world [3]. Innoventions was also home to the Pasta Piazza Ristorante, the Electric Umbrella, and the Fountainview Espresso & Bakery [3].
The first major change to Innoventions came in 1997, when Innoventions West was refurbished [1]. Although most of the exhibits changed when it reopened, some were updated and retained [1]. In 1999, in preparation for the upcoming Millennium Celebration, all of Innoventions (both East and West) was closed for refurbishment. Besides just renovating the exhibits, the 1999 refurbishment also gave the pavilion more order. All but two of the entrances and exits were closed off, and a path was created for guests to follow [1]. Following the refurbishment, Innoventions was given the subtitle "Road to Tomorrow" and Tom Morrow 2.0 became the pavilion’s host[1]. Finally, the Centorium store (which had been open since the pavilion was known as CommuniCore), was expanded and renamed Mouse Gears[1]. Futhermore, at this time Field Trips was closed and replaced by the Art of Disney store [1].
Between 2000 and 2007, Innoventions only underwent minor changes. In 2001, the Pasta Piazza Ristorante closed [5], and a kiosk named Discover the Stories Behind the Magic opened [3]. The new interactive exhibit was built as a tie in with the 100 Years of Magic Celebration, and thus it was removed in 2002[3]. The other entrances and exits to Innoventions were also reopened during this time. In 2005, the Ice Station Cool closed, before later reopening as Club Cool. Club Cool was still sponsored by Coca Cola; however the exterior of the building was changed. Also at this time, the Character Connection opened to guests. Originally planned as a temporary exhibit, the Character Connection was a meet and greet location that allowed guests to meet Mickey and his friends [3]. The meet and greet location would later be renamed Epcot Character Spot [3].
The next major renovation came to Innoventions in 2007. During the renovation the pavilion was updated the subtitle "Road to Tomorrow" was dropped [3]. The color scheme of the pavilion was also returned to a powder blue (similar to that of CommuniCore). Following the renovation, Tom Morrow 2.0 was removed and a kiosk celebrating Epcot's 25th anniversary opened, although it would close a year later [3]. In 2009, The Sum of All Thrills opened in Innoventions East [6]. The exhibit allows guests to design their own thrill ride, and then enter a motion simulator and ride it. The Sum of All Thrill is the first "ride" ever located within Innoventions [7].
In March of 2015, Disney announced that Innoventions West would be closed on April 30, and that the exhibits housed within the pavilion would be removed [8]. This closure coincided with the end of the exhibitors' (Liberty Mutual, IBM and T. Rowe Price) sponsorship agreements [9]. On June 31, 2015 a rest and relaxation are called a D-Zone opened in Innoventions West [10]. Besides housing seating for guests and device chargers, a small snack and beverage stand also opened at this time [10].
Exhibits History
AUTHORS NOTE: Current exhibits are in bold.
Innoventions East (1994-1999)
Name | Opened | Closed | Sponsor | Notes |
General Electric | 1994 | 1999 | Expanded in 1996 | |
Apple Computers | 1994 | 1998 | ||
Magic House Show | 1994 | 1995 | Masco | |
General Motors | 1994 | 1999 | New Exhibit in 1996 | |
Hammacher Schlemmer | 1994 | 1997 | ||
Comfortville | 1994 | 1996 | Honeywell | |
Information Highway | 1994 | 1996 | Oracle | Enlarged in 1996 |
Magic House Tour | 1994 | 1995 | Masco | |
House of Innoventions | 1995 | 1999 | Honeywell | Replaced Masco's Magic House Tour |
Mr. MIDI | June 1995 | September 1995 | ||
Communications Dream Forum | 1995 | 2003 | Motorola | Replaced Mr. MIDI |
Disney Interactive | 1996 | 1997 | ||
Family PC | 1995 | 1999 | Family PC Magazine | Moved and expanded in 1997 (replaced Disney Interactive) moved back in 1998. |
Epcot Discovery Center | 1996 | 1997 | Moved from Innoventions West | |
Bill Nye the Science Guy | 1998 | 1999 | Moved from Innoventions West | |
Disney.com Interactive Zone | 1998 | 1999 | Gateway |
Innoventions East: The Road to Tomorrow (2000-Present)
Name | Opened | Closed | Sponsor | Notes |
Forests for Our Future | 1999 | 2004 | TAPPI | Renovated 2001. |
Disney.com's Internet Zone | 1999 | 2007 | Compaq (2000-?) | |
Communications Dream Forum | 1999 | 2003 | Motorola | |
The House of Innoventions | 1999 | 2009 | Panja (1999-2000) Whirhpool (2002) |
|
Web Site Construction Zone | 1999 | 2001 | Go.com | |
Mission: SPACE Launch Center | 2001 | 2003 | Preview of Mission: Space | |
Future Cars | 1999 | 2001 | General Motors | |
Look into the Future | 1999 | 2001 | Moved to Innoventions West. | |
Discover the Stories Behind the Magic | 2001 | 2002 | Kiosk for the 100 Years of Magic Celebration. | |
Opportunity City | 2004 | 2008 | Kauffman Foundation | Also sponsored by Disney.com. |
Fantastic Plastics Works | 2004 | 2008 | The Society of the Plastics Industry | |
Don't Waste It | 2008 | 2011 | Waste Management Corporation | |
Kidcot | 2004/2005 | 2006 | Play area for kids. | |
Kim Possible World Showcase Adventure | 2009 | 2012 | ||
StormStruck | 2008 | N/A | FLASH | |
Take a Nanooze Break | 2010 | N/A | Cornell University | |
Environmentality Corner | 2005/2006 | 2012 | ||
Test the Limits Lab | 2003 | January 6, 2015 | Underwriters Laboratory | Renovated 2009 |
Habit Heroes | 2012 | N/A | Blue Cross Blue Shield | Habit Heroes closed on February 26, 2012 following a wave of criticism regarding its plot line. The exhibit reopened with a new plot in January 2013. |
Sum of All Thrills | 2009 | N/A | Raytheon | |
Vision House | April 22, 2012 | April 22, 2015 | Green Builder Media | |
Colortopia | November 13, 2015 | N/A | Glidden | Replaced Vision House |
Innoventions West (1994-1999)
Name | Opened | Closed | Sponsor | Notes |
Epcot Discovery Center | 1994 | 1996 | Moved to Innoventions East. | |
Lego DACTA | 1994 | 1995 | Autodesk Inc. / LEGO | |
Videonics | 1994 | 1997 | Home video editing | |
Bill Nye the Science Guy | 1994 | 1997 | Moved to Innoventions East. | |
AT&T | 1994 | 1999 | Closed with rest of pavilion in 1997 but later reopened. | |
Discovery Magazine | 1994 | 1997 | Updated Annually. | |
Eclectronics | 1994 | 1998 | Hosted by Alec Tronic. Moved across way in 1995 | |
IBM | 1994 | 1997 | IBM | |
IBM: Solutions for a Small Planet | 1998 | 1999 | IBM | New IBM exhibit following 1997 refurbishment. |
Sega | 1994 | 1999 | Sega | Closed with rest of pavilion in 1997 but later reopened. |
Walt Disney Imagineering Labs | 1994 | 1995 | ||
Silicon Graphics | 1995 | 1997 | Refurbished in 1996. | |
Inspired By Vision | 1998 | 1999 | Replaced Silicon Graphics | |
Enel / Infobyte VR Presentation | 1996 | 1997 | VR = virtual reality | |
Aladdin's Magic Carpet VR Adventure | 1996 | 1997 | VR = virtual reality | |
Innoventions Pre-Show | 1998 | 1999 | ||
Ultimate Home Theater Experience | June 1999 | August 1999 | Lutron |
Innoventions West: The Road to Tomorrow (2000-Present)
Name | Opened | Closed | Sponsor | Notes |
Networked Living | 1999 | 2002 | IBM | Renovated 2001. |
ThinkPlace | 2002 | 2009 | IBM | Replaced Networked Living |
Smarter Planet By IBM | 2010 | 2012 | IBM | Replaced ThinkPlace |
IBM THINK | 2013 | April 29, 2015 | IBM | Replaced Smarter Planet |
Ultimate Home Theater Experience | 1999 | 2006 | Lutron | |
Beautiful Science | 1999 | 2007 | Monsanto | |
Video Games of Tomorrow | 1999 | 2001 | Sega | |
Medicine's New Vision | 1999 | 2002 | RSNA | Radiological Society of America |
Broadcast Connection | 1999 | 2001 | AT&T | |
Knowledge Vortex | 1999 | 2002 | Xerox | |
Look Into the Future | 2001 | 2007 | Moved from Innoventions East | |
Tom Morrow's Playground | 2001 | 2006 | ||
Video Game Playground | 2005/2006 | April 29,2015 | Disney Interactive | |
Segway Central | 2006 | 2013 | Segway | |
Rockin' Robots | 2005 | 2010 | KUKA Industrial Robots | |
Great American Farm | 2005 | 2008 | American Farm Bureau | |
Too Small to See | 2006 | 2008 | Cornell University | |
Epcot 25th Anniversary Gallery | 2007 | 2008 | ||
Slap Stick Studios / What's Your Problem | 2008 | 2011 | Velcro | |
Where's the Fire | 2004 | April 29, 2012 | Liberty Mutual | |
Great Piggy Bank Adventure | 2009 | April 29, 2012 | T. Rowe Price |
Current Attractions
Innoventions East
Habit Heroes- This exhibit is an interactive show sponsored by Florida Blue Cross and Blue Shield. In Habit Heroes, guests learn healthy eating habits.
Sum of All Thrills- The only "ride" in Innoventions, the Sum of All Thrills is sponsored by Raytheon. On the Sum of All Thrills guests design their own thrill ride, and then board a motion simulator to ride it. Guests must be 48 inches to ride, and 54 inches if their ride includes an inversion.
Storm Struck- A Tale of Two Homes- In this exhibit, guests can feel what it's like to be in the middle of a hurricane. Guests also take an interactive quiz, to learn how to prepare for a hurricane. Storm Struck is sponsored by FLASH (Federal Alliance for Safe Homes).
Take a Nanooze Break- This exhibit allows guests to see the molecules that make up everyday items. The exhibit is presented by Cornell University and National Science Foundation.
Colortopia- This exhibit begins with a 30 minute presentation "Power of Color Theater", where guests explore the psychology of color. Next, guests go to the color lab where they can play Color Mix 'n Match and Spinning Spectrums. Finally, guests go to Color Our World where they are given a magical paint brush to help them paint a white circular room. This exhibit is presented by Glidden.
Innoventions West
As of 2015 the interactive exhibits in Innoventions West are closed.
Restaurants
Electric Umbrella- A counter service restaurant located in Innoventions East, the Electric Umbrella specializes in cheeseburgers and chicken. The restaurant usually opens at 11 am.
Club Cool- Located near Innoventions West, Club Cool offers guests free samples of Coca Cola from around the world.
Fountain View-Located near Innoventions West, the Fountain View serves Starbucks coffee as well as other snacks and pastries.
Former Restaurants
Pasta Piazza Ristorante- Located near Innoventions West, Pasta Piazza Ristorante was a counter service restaurant that specialized in Italian food (including a Mickey Mouse shaped pizza). Pasta Piazza Ristorante opened in 1994 and closed in 2001.
Fountain View Ice Cream-Located near Innoventions West, the Fountain View Ice Cream allowed guests to get a hand dipped ice cream cone and watch the Innoventions Fountain.
Shopping
Mouse Gears- The largest store in Walt Disney World, Mouse Gears sells all kinds of Epcot and Disney World merchandise. Mouse Gears is located in Innoventions East.
Art of Disney- Located in Innoventions West, the Art of Disney store sells art from the Disney theme parks and movies.
(The Innoventions Fountains) Fun Facts and Trivia
- Every 15 minutes, the Innoventions Fountain "performs" to classical music. The fountain was designed by Imagineer Mark Fuller.
- In the wintertime, holiday music plays instead.
- The Innoventions Fountain can shoot water up to 150 feet in the air.
- The Fountain send 30,000 gallons of water up into the air per minute.
- On Epcot's opening day, representatives from 22 countries each poured a gallon of water from their homeland into the Innoventions Fountain.
Music
The music for the Innoventions Fountain is rotated every 15 minutes in no particular order. The seven musical selections that can be heard are:
- "Standing in Motion" by Yanni
- "Day One" by John Tesh
- A selection from Disney's Iron Will (a live action movie)
- A selection from Disney's The Rocketeer (a live action movie)
- A selection from The Rescuers Down Under
- A selection from "Around the World with Mickey Mouse" (a proposed, but never used Epcot show)
- An instrumental from the "Air Battle Sequence" from the Surprise in the Skies show (Surprise in the Skies was once a lagoon show at Epcot)
References
http://www.extinctdisney.com/EPCOT/innoe.htm
http://wdwpast.tripod.com/epcot/epcot.htm
http://www.fb.org/index.php?action=newsroom.news&year=2006&file=nr0109b.html
http://www.pressoffice.cornell.edu/releases/release.cfm?r=15639&y=2006&m=11
http://blog.touringplans.com/2006/05/04/epcot-segway-central-now-open/
http://allears.net/tp/ep/fount.htm- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 http://www.intercot.com/edc/Innoventions/index.html
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 http://www.martinsvids.net/?s=Innoventions
- ↑ 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 3.12 Pedersen, R.A. The EPCOT Explorer's Encyclopedia:. United States: Epcyclopedia, 2011. Print
- ↑ http://www.libertymutualgroup.com/omapps/BlobServer?blobheadername3=Content-Disposition&blobheadername2=MDT-Type&blobheadername1=Cache-Control&blobtable=Document&blobheadervalue3=inline%3B+filename%3DPMIWheresFireInnoventionsInfo.pdf&blobheadervalue2=abinary%3B+charset%3DUTF-8&blobheadervalue1=private&blobheader=application%2Fpdf&blobwhere=1078438962651&blobnocache=true&blobcol=urlfile&blobkey=id
- ↑ http://allears.net/din/rest_closed.htm
- ↑ http://land.allears.net/blogs/jackspence/2009/10/sum_of_all_thrills.html
- ↑ http://wdwnews.com/releases/2010/03/04/it-all-adds-up-raytheon/
- ↑ http://www.wdwmagic.com/attractions/innoventions/news/21mar2015-innoventions-west-to-close-in-april-along-with-vision-house-at-inventions-east.htm
- ↑ http://www.orlandosentinel.com/travel/attractions/theme-park-rangers-blog/os-disney-epcot-innoventions-west-closing-20150320-post.html
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 http://www.wdwmagic.com/attractions/epcot/news/26jun2015-new-d-zone-relaxation-area-coming-to-epcot-next-week.htm