Feature Article: Undiscovered Future World - A Backstage Tour at Walt Disney World - PassPorter - A Community of Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and General Travel Forums
As of January 1, 2019, we have closed our forums. This is a decision we did not come to lightly, but it is necessary. The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk. The server software itself must be updated, and it cannot be without removing the forums.
So it is with a heavy heart that we say goodbye to our long-running forums. They came online in 2000 and brought together so many wonderful Disney fans. We had friendships form, careers launch, couples marry, children born ... all because of this amazing community.
Thank you to each of you who were a part of this community. You made it possible.
And a very special thank you to our Guides (moderators), past and present, who kept our forums a happy place to be. You are the glue that held everything together, and we are forever grateful to you. Thank you aliceinwdw, Caldercup, MrsM, WillCAD, Fortissimo, GingerJ, HiddenMickey, CRCrazy, Eeyoresmom, disneyknut, disneydani, Cam22, chezp, WDWfan, Luvsun, KMB733, rescuesk, OhToodles!, Colexis Mom, lfredsbo, HiddenMickey, DrDolphin, DopeyGirl, duck addict, Disneybine, PixieMichele, Sandra Bostwick, Eeyore Tattoo, DyanKJ130, Suzy Q'Disney, LilMarcieMouse, AllisonG, Belle*, Chrissi, Brant, DawnDenise, Crystalloubear, Disneymom9092, FanOfMickey, Goofy4Goofy, GoofyMom, Home4us123, iamgrumpy, ilovedisney247, Jennifer2003, Jenny Pooh, KrisLuvsDisney, Ladyt, Laughaholic88, LauraBelle Hime, Lilianna, LizardCop, Loobyoxlip, lukeandbrooksmom, marisag, michnash, MickeyMAC, OffKilter_Lynn, PamelaK, Poor_Eeyore, ripkensnana, RobDVC, SHEANA1226, Shell of the South, snoozin, Statelady01, Tara O'Hara, tigger22, Tink and Co., Tinkerbelz, WDWJAMBA, wdwlovers, Wendyismyname, whoSEZ, WildforWD, and WvuGrrrl. You made the magic.
We want to personally thank Sara Varney, who coordinated our community for many years (among so many other things she did for us), and Cheryl Pendry, our Message Board Manager who helped train our Guides, and Ginger Jabour, who helped us with the PassPorter-specific forums and Live! Guides. Thank you for your time, energy, and enthusiasm. You made it all happen.
There are other changes as well.
Why? Well, the world has changed. And change with it, we must. The lyrics to "We Go On" for IllumiNations say it best:
We go on to the joy and through the tears
We go on to discover new frontiers
Moving on with the current of the years.
We go on
Moving forward now as one
Moving on with a spirit born to run
Ever on with each rising sun.
To a new day, we go on.
It's time to move on and move forward.
PassPorter is a small business, and for many years it supported our family. But the world changed, print books took a backseat to the Internet, and for a long time now it has been unable to make ends meet. We've had to find new ways to support our family, which means new careers and less and less time available to devote to our first baby, PassPorter.
But eventually, we must move on and move forward. It is the right thing to do.
So we are retiring this newsletter, as we simply cannot keep up with it. Many thanks to Mouse Fan Travel who supported it all these years, to All Ears and MousePlanet who helped us with news, to our many article contributors, and -- most importantly -- to Sara Varney who edited our newsletter so wonderfully for years and years.
And we are no longer charging for the Live Guides. If you have a subscription, it's yours to keep for the lifetime of the Live Guides at no additional cost. The Live Guides will stay online, barring server issues and technical problems, for all of 2019.
That said, PassPorter is not going away. Most of the resources will remain online for as long as we can support them, and after that we will find ways to make whatever we can available. PassPorter means a great deal to us, and to many of you, and we will do our best to keep it alive in whatever way we can. Our server costs are high, and they'll need to come out of our pockets, so in the future you can expect some changes so we can bring those costs down.
Thank you, thank you, thank you for your amazing support over the years. Without you, there's no way us little guys could have made something like this happen and given the "big guys" a run for their money. PassPorter was consistently the #3 guidebook after the Unofficial and Official guides, which was really unheard of for such a small company to do. We ROCKED it thanks to you and your support and love!
If you miss us, you can still find some of us online. Sara started a new blog at DisneyParkPrincess.com -- I strongly urge you to visit and get on her mailing list. She IS the Disney park princess and knows Disney backward and forward. And I am blogging as well at JenniferMaker.com, which is a little craft blog I started a couple of years ago to make ends meet. You can see and hear me in my craft show at https://www.youtube.com/c/jennifermaker . Many PassPorter readers and fans are on Facebook, in groups they formed like the PassPorter Trip Reports and PassPorter Crafting Challenge (if you join, just let them know you read about it in the newsletter). And some of our most devoted community members started a forum of their own at Pixie Dust Lane and all are invited over.
So we encourage you to stay in touch with us and your fellow community members wherever works best for you!
Welcome! We're happy you've found the PassPorter Community -- the friendliest place to plan your vacation to Walt Disney World, Disney Cruise Line, Disneyland, and the world in general! You are now viewing the PassPorter Message Board Community as a guest, which gives you limited access. As our guest, feel free to browse our messages by selecting the forum you want to visit from the list below.
To post messages and ask questions, join our FREE community today and you'll get access to tools and resources not available to guests, such as our vacation countown timers, "living" avatars, private messaging system, database searches, downloads, and a special PassPorter discount code. Registration is fast, simple, and completely free. Just click the Join Our Community link.
If you think you've already joined, log in below now. If you don't remember your member name or password, please visit our Member Name and Password Recovery page. You are also welcome to contact us.
Feature Article: Undiscovered Future World - A Backstage Tour at Walt Disney World
Undiscovered Future World - A Backstage Tour at Walt Disney World by Bernie Edwards
Are you interested in learning more about Epcot? Want to see some of the backstage area? If so, then I suggest taking the Undiscovered Future World Tour, which takes you behind the scenes at Epcot’s Future World. The tour is a little over four hours long and I enjoyed every minute of it! My tour last year started in the morning outside Epcot Guest Relations in Future World. The Cast Member leading the tour talked about Walt Disney's original vision for Epcot and how it was originally going to be a city with people living and working there - an Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow. Obviously the Epcot of today does not fulfill the original vision. Our tour guide discussed how the vision morphed over time; he also stated that during a Cast Member "meet and greet" with Walt Disney Imagineering legend (and a true "Disney Legend") Marty Sklar during the 25th anniversary of the park, the original vision of Epcot came up, and Marty stated that, "Only Walt Disney had the leadership and connections in industry and state and local governments to make such a dream come true." Our tour guide then provided a quick history of the Walt Disney Company in general. Afterwards, we walked over to the Fountain of Nations where our guide described the ceremony that occurred there on Epcot's opening day and the rededication that occurred there for Epcot’s 25th anniversary.
We then walked a few feet to Spaceship Earth, where our tour guide told us some of the secrets behind its construction. He also passed around a sample of the material that makes up the tiles so that we could examine it closely. From Spaceship Earth, we went over to Innoventions. There our guide talked about the original Tomorrowland in Disneyland focusing on the “House of Tomorrow.” He then provided a short history of Epcot, trying to show a connection between Future World and the original Disneyland attraction.
Afterwards we went to the Seas with Nemo and Friends; there we were led to a private entrance near the Coral Reef restaurant and taken to the private VIP lounge inside the pavilion. The lounge was very nicely decorated and had large windows looking into the huge fish tank at the pavilion. There was also a piano with transparent sides and several dining tables there; the whole lounge is on top of the Coral Reef restaurant. Today the lounge is used for such things as weddings and private parties. Our next stop was the Land Pavilion. Our guide explained the murals on the outside of the pavilion and then gave us a 15 minute break inside. Afterwards we were led onto Soarin' and then went backstage. I was hoping we would see more of Soarin’ from backstage, but we were simply led over to the backstage area of Journey into Imagination inside the Imagination Pavilion. There we saw the maintenance area for the attraction, a few ride vehicles undergoing maintenance, and a machine that washes all of the 3-D glasses in use throughout Walt Disney World.
We were then led to the Universe of Energy of Pavilion. Outside the pavilion, our guide talked about the ride vehicles and explained how they work. He also explained how the landscape of the east and west sides of Future World mimic the left and right division of the brain. Energy, Mission Space, and Test Track sit on one side where there are a lot of straight-lined walkways and paths; i.e. the logical side of the brain. The Seas with Nemo and Friends, the Land, and the Imagination Pavilion sit on the other side where there a lot of meandering walkways and paths and water; i.e. the creative side of the brain.
Our final stop on stage was Mission Space. Our tour stopped at Planetary Plaza next to the FASTPASS machines. There our guide talked about the “Man in Space” Disney TV show and about the various space-related attractions at both Disneyland and Walt Disney World. We then visited the control room for the attraction. The Mission Control area that you can see from the queue does actually control the attraction. There are consoles on the far side that guests can not see from the queue. After this we went backstage and continued through the Test Track backstage area.
We then went to the Cast Services Building where we saw the costume checkout area and learned how Cast Members pick up new costumes and drop off costumes for cleaning. We also visited a break area, a learning center, and a library. I really enjoyed visiting what some Cast Members refer to as “Pride Hall,” which is a hallway with large murals painted by different teams at Epcot. I especially enjoyed the mural created by a maintenance team that had a lot of “magic,” in the form of electronics, embedded in it, and the murals painted by various international Cast Members. Afterwards, we went into a trailer outside the Cast Services Building where we were given a bottle of water and popcorn. There we had the opportunity to talk to a Cast Member from France who was part of the International Program. This particular Cast Member worked with Guest Relations at Disneyland Paris and at Disneyland in Anaheim before coming to Epcot; it was fascinating hearing his stories of how Disney customer service, while still excellent, is slightly different in his opinion at the various parks.
Afterwards we went further backstage and saw the maintenance area for the "Friendship" boats and where the "Earth-ball" that is used in IllumiNations is kept. We could get very close to the ball and, as an engineer, I was fascinated with its construction. Our guide talked about IllumiNations for some time, explaining how the show is divided into 3 acts: "Chaos" showcases the creation of Earth, "Order" shows bringing the planet under control and the development of civilization, and "Celebration" showcases human diversity and the unified spirit of mankind.
Our tour ended at the China Pavilion in World Showcase. Our guide told us that we could get 20% off for lunch at Nine Dragons and that no ADR was needed; we simply needed to show our name tag from the tour. Everybody on the tour was also invited to watch IllumiNations that night from a roped-off area by the water in front of the Italian Pavilion. Overall, I learned a lot on the tour and had a great time. If you are interested in this or any other tour at Walt Disney World, then I suggest making a reservation as far in advance as you can (up to 180 days); reservations can be made at 407-WDW-TOUR. When you call, be sure to ask about discounts. Generally, there are discounts available for Annual Passholders, Disney Vacation Club members, American Automobile Association members, and Disney Visa Cardholders. All guests for this particular tour have to be at least 16 years old, and Epcot theme park admission is required and not included in the price of the tour.
What do you think? Please add your own comments, experiences, or news related to this article in this thread! Reader feedback is welcomed and encouraged.
PassPorter's Free-Book to Walt Disney World It’s hard to believe anything is free at Walt Disney World; but there are actually a number of things you can get or do for little to no cost. This e-book documents over 200 free or cheap tips to do before you go and after you arrive. You could save a considerable amount of money following these tips. Perhaps more importantly; you can discover overlooked attractions and little-known details most people whiz by on their way to spend money. Click here to see free sample pages from the e-book! Get this popular e-book free of extra charges when you join the PassPorter's Club for as little as $4.95. A club pass includes access to all our other e-books; e-worksheets; super-size photos; and more! This e-book is also available for separate purchase in the PassPorter Online Store for just $5.95.
My husband and I took this tour in July of 2004. While aspects of the tour have changed due to the changes in the park, much of what you described we also experienced. I think the VIP viewing of Illuminations was a wonderful way to end our day in Epcot. I would highly recommend this tour as well.
Thanks for sharing your experience on this tour Bernie. I took this a couple of years ago and really enjoyed it. It's pretty much the same as mine. For Soarin' we went to the front of the line and were seated in the front row. We also visited the VIP lounge in Mission Space. Great view of the ride and queue from here. I highly recommend this tour and others at WDW.
I especially enjoyed the VIP viewing area just outside of Italy for Illuminations. It really makes a difference.
__________________
October 6, 2017-Enjoying an amazing dinner at Victoria & Albert's with PP's Dot and Drew
My TR from my most recent trip is now underway. Includes: Universal Studios Florida, Disney World and Sea World Orlando Trifecta TR -Updated December 10th! TR is now COMPLETED!
Hardcore Galleries with hot Hardcore photos http://french.porn-gabihot-04.tiktok...com/?post-nora
porn with out credit cards gene simmons porn tape free free porn zero downloads hot free animated porn clips porn kids photos
Young Heaven - Naked Teens & Young Porn Pictures http://android.sexual.orientation.ju...om/?post-ashly
christmas in summer porn combat zone adult porn all tube websites with porn big brothers krystal porn cg porn forum
Registered Message Board Members save 30% off PassPorter guidebooks! When you register you'll have access to a discount coupon good for 30% off the list price of PassPorter books in our online store.
My new hot project|enjoy new website http://christopher-plummer.gay.tikto...post-esmeralda
severely beaten torture young porn galleries movies porn wives caught cheating porn 100 xxx hardcore animal porn best way to find porn
New project started to be available today, check it out http://selfie-mirror-precio.tiktok-p...m/?post-tierra
porn tube mature lesbian ebony squirt porn free naked black girl porn videos porn yoou never saw slutload drugged sex porn
Registered Message Board Members Get Our Free Newsletter! When you register you'll have the option to sign up for our weekly PassPorter Newsletter. It's chock-full of feature articles; news; tips; contests; photos; and special offers in our online store.
Sexy photo galleries, daily updated pics http://danville.zip-codes-ca.celebri...post-angelique
start porn website freeporn on porn hub tall women porn japanese long porn videos of rachel starr porn actress with hiv 2009 name
New project started to be available today, check it out
Sexy photo galleries, daily updated collections http://bdsm.sexjanet.com/?post-alexandria
free black porn celebritys red bones fat german granny porn porn with no asking for age porn nappy diapers adult babies gay girls having organisms porn
About This Page: 
Like
Thank
Pixie Dust
Excellent Tour
Linear Mode
