EPCOT - Every Person Comes Out Tired
Author: Mike
I was there on opening day in 1982. It was an amazing experience to explore this brand new world. Amazingly, most all of the attractions were in full operation. The most frequent breakdown was The Universe of Energy. We were treated to seeing that outstanding pre-show a couple of time before getting into the main attraction. Of course since the whole concept of a “pre-show” was new, it was welcome entertainment that blunted any delays. Very few complained about problems. There seemed to be an understanding of the complexity of what had been created.
It was a tiring day. In addition to the sheer size of EPCOT compared to the Magic Kingdom, the one complaint that was heard more and more as the day wore on was that there was no place to sit down! We realized that there simply were no benches anywhere. We sat on curbs, restaurants, floors, steps, everywhere when we weren’t in a queue. By the end of the day we were exhausted. It was that night when we sat on the tram riding out to our car that someone said that EPCOT really stood for “Every Person Comes Out Tired”. There was a big laugh. The next time we visited, the Tram attendant repeated the line. It lived on for a long time and every now and the I’ll overhear it being said.
The futuristic benches appeared a short time later. They were stationed for years all along the promenades. In addition to the graceful lines, I always liked the innovative use of PVC pipe secured inside the legs for a sacrificial foot that wouldn’t damage the walkways. Most of these benches have now been replaced with a variety of other styles. I noticed a few around the Odyssey restaurant and at Guest Relations. They are classic 80’s EPCOT style that was a welcome respite for millions of visitors who still came out tired.
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