Millennium Village | |
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![]() The front entrance to the attraction | |
Epcot | |
Area | World Showcase |
Coordinates | 28°22′16″N81°33′07″W / 28.37111°N 81.55194°W Coordinates: 28°22′16″N81°33′07″W / 28.37111°N 81.55194°W |
Status | Closed |
Opening date | October 1, 1999 |
Closing date | January 1, 2001 |
General statistics | |
Attraction type | Themed Pavilion |
Site area | 60,000 sq ft (5,600 m2) |
The Millennium Village was located in Epcot and was the centerpiece of Disney's Millennium Celebration. [1] The 60,000-square-foot (5,600 m2) pavilion opened up its doors to the public on October 1, 1999, and was closed down on January 1, 2001. It is, however, used on occasion. Along with the Odyssey Restaurant, the Millennium Village (now named World Showplace) is utilized during the Epcot Food and Wine Festival.
The preshow area had a presentation which would run throughout the day. The presentation would give the guests an introduction to the countries represented in the preshow area. At the beginning of each presentation the following announcement would be given:
Then a cast member from each of the countries would present themselves in the following order:
The show would end with the following announcement:
Brazil's display would allow guests a view into the Amazon Rain Forest where guests could experience the native sounds of a rain forest. Guests could also play a game that showed why Brazilians view soccer as their national sport. It also gave guests an overview of Carnaval, one of the largest and colorful celebrations. [2]
The Chile display gave guests an overview of harvesting fog through a system of nets that convert it into drinking water and for crops. Guests were also given an overview of the country's crops, vineyards, ranchlands and forests. The ambassadors for Chile dressed as huasos (Chilean cowboys) and would wear a sombrero de huaso. [3]
A small Easter Island exhibit was called the Moai of Peace which allowed guests a close-up look at the re-creations of the massive stone carvings on Easter Island. It was part of the Chilean display. [4]
At the Eritrea display, guests would be involved in the historic and traditional coffee ceremony that was done in the Horn of Africa nation. Eritrea is a premium coffee grower and has a rich history in coffee. [5]
The Expo 2000 Projects was a display of eight exhibits from the World's Fair 2000 in Hannover, Germany. The project showed how the eight nations help each other improve the quality of life for their population. Ethiopia, Indonesia, Israel, Kenya, Namibia, New Zealand, India and South Africa were involved. [6]
The entrance to the Israel display was paved with real stones from the streets of Jerusalem. Also at the display, guests could take a virtual trip through 3,000 years of Jerusalem's history. Guests could also send a message to the Western Wall by computer. Guests could also see a demonstration of a pen that could translate Hebrew into English. It also included a simulator ride known as the "Time Elevator" that simulated a historic ride throughout Israel and Jerusalem [7]
Saudi Arabia's display would take guests on a virtual reality tour of the country and its population. The ambassadors would also tell stories about how the kingdom is both modern and traditional. Guests could also play interactive games that gave them a fun way to learn about the country. [8]
Scotland's display allowed guests to play a round of miniature golf where they would also learn about Scottish inventions as they played. Guests would learn about Scottish inventions like anesthesia to breakthroughs in lasers. Guests could also take a virtual tour of Scotland voiced by Robert Burns, a Scottish poet. Tartans that the ambassadors would wear were designed for the decommissioned Royal Yacht Britannia which is now in Scotland. [9]
At the Swedish display, there were four 27-foot (8.2 m) eggs that represented each of the four seasons in Sweden. The final egg which represented winter had an actual snowman in it. Around the eggs were interactive displays about modern Sweden and Swedish inventions such as the computer mouse and pacemaker. This display was also at the 1998 World's Fair in Lisbon. [10]
The Village Green allowed guests to follow plants from seeds, growth, harvest, use, mulching and fertilization. The display would allow guests to understand renewability. [11]
The World Showplace Theater was a 250-seat theater located in Millennium Village. Entertainers from around the world performed in the World Showplace throughout the 15-month celebration.
At the world Showplace the Danish Puppeteers were doing puppet shows everyday written by Hans Christian Andersen
The Millennium Village cafe, called The Gift of Cuisine featured culinary creations from all the continents of the earth. Eight regional kitchens were represented, featuring special recipes and dishes typical of many countries of the world, from the subtle tastes of the Orient to spicy Africa, from favorites of Latin America to Europe's continental cuisine and the bold and color tastes representing the Caribbean.
The Food Court contributed to the main purpose of the Village by sharing one's culture through "the breaking of bread".
An Artisan marketplace is found by entering a replica yurt brought from the Kyrgyz Republic. Artisans created their masterpieces while guests watched, sharing stories about their homelands and offering their work for sale.
The World Culture Game was a quiz show, hosted by castmembers representing the U.N. The Game consisted of the following teams:
Each team had a globe with six buttons on it. The object of the game was to match pictures shown on the main screen, with the answer to the question. The contestant would then press the corresponding button accordingly. The game lasted 3 rounds plus a bonus round. For a correct answer you would get 50 points in the 1st round, 100 points in the 2nd round and finally 250 points in the 3rd round. Finally the bonus round was worth 500 points. Furthermore, there was an added bonus for answering first, which meant that you would score double points.
In addition to the game, the main screen would also display a 5-minute presentation presented by the World Bank. The presentation told the story of three projects which showcased the World Banks mission to promote opportunities for all people to prosper and improve their lives.
Hogmanay is the Scots word for the last day of the old year and is synonymous with the celebration of the New Year in the Scottish manner. It is normally followed by further celebration on the morning of New Year's Day or in some cases, 2 January—a Scottish bank holiday.
The Walt Disney World Resort, also called Walt Disney World or Disney World, is an entertainment resort complex in Bay Lake and Lake Buena Vista, Florida, United States, near the cities of Orlando and Kissimmee. Opened on October 1, 1971, the resort is owned and operated by Disney Parks, Experiences and Products, a division of The Walt Disney Company. The property covers nearly 25,000 acres, of which half has been used. The resort comprises four theme parks, two water parks, 31 themed resort hotels, nine non-Disney hotels, several golf courses, a camping resort, and other entertainment venues, including the outdoor shopping center Disney Springs.
Epcot is a theme park at the Walt Disney World Resort in Bay Lake, Florida. It is owned and operated by The Walt Disney Company through its Parks, Experiences and Products division. Inspired by an unrealized concept developed by Walt Disney, the park opened on October 1, 1982, as EPCOT Center, and was the second of four theme parks built at Walt Disney World, after Magic Kingdom Park. Spanning 305 acres (1.23 km2), more than twice the size of Magic Kingdom Park, Epcot is dedicated to the celebration of human achievement, namely technological innovation and international culture, and is often referred to as a "permanent world's fair".
The Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow, or EPCOT, was an unfinished concept for a planned community developed by Walt Disney and designed by WED Enterprises in the 1960s. Its purpose was to be a "real city that would 'never cease to be a living blueprint of the future'", drawing on the latest technology and innovation from American industry. The community was intended to be a major component of Disney's "Florida Project", a massive property of undeveloped land located near Orlando, Florida during the 1960s.
A potlatch is a gift-giving feast practiced by Indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast of Canada and the United States, among whom it is traditionally the primary governmental institution, legislative body, and economic system. This includes the Heiltsuk, Haida, Nuxalk, Tlingit, Makah, Tsimshian, Nuu-chah-nulth, Kwakwaka'wakw, and Coast Salish cultures. Potlatches are also a common feature of the peoples of the Interior and of the Subarctic adjoining the Northwest Coast, although mostly without the elaborate ritual and gift-giving economy of the coastal peoples.
Spaceship Earth is a dark ride attraction at the Epcot theme park at the Walt Disney World Resort in Bay Lake, Florida. The geodesic sphere in which the attraction is housed has served as the symbolic structure of Epcot since the park opened in 1982.
Disney's America was a planned theme park that was to have been built by The Walt Disney Company in the early 1990s. The park was planned to be built near Haymarket, Virginia, about five miles (8.0 km) from the site of the Manassas National Battlefield Park. Disney's America would have consisted of nine distinctly themed areas within a 125–185-acre (51–75 ha) theme park, as well as thousands of hotel rooms and housing, a golf course, and nearly 2,000,000 square feet (190,000 m2) for retail and commercial development. It would have been easily accessible via Interstate 66, some 35 miles (56 km) west of Washington, D.C..
The Land is a pavilion that sits on the western side of Future World at Epcot, a theme park at the Walt Disney World Resort in Bay Lake, Florida. The pavilion is dedicated to human interaction with the Earth, focusing on agriculture and travel. It opened on October 1, 1982, as part of the Phase I features for the grand opening of what was then known as EPCOT Center. "The Land" dedicated to human interaction with the land itself. It explores how humans can both use the land for their benefit, and how they can also destroy it. Future Technology in better preserving the land is also explored in the pavilion, along with a focus on the celebration of the land itself.
IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth was a nighttime show performed nightly at Epcot at the Walt Disney World Resort in Bay Lake, Florida. The show utilized fireworks, pyrotechnics, water fountains, fire effects, lasers, searchlights, and a large rotating globe with curved LED screens to create a visual production on the park's World Showcase Lagoon.
The Walt Disney World Millennium Celebration was an event at the Walt Disney World Resort as part of millennium celebrations held around the world. Running from October 1, 1999 to January 1, 2001, the celebration was primarily based at Epcot, with its emphasis on human potential and the possibilities of the future.
IllumiNations was a series of nightly fireworks shows at Epcot before IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth was created in 1999 for the Walt Disney World Millennium Celebration.
Innoventions was an ever-changing collection of exhibits at the Epcot theme park in Walt Disney World, Florida. It focused on technological advancements and their practical applications in everyday life. Innoventions is a portmanteau of the words "innovation" and "invention".
Art of Disney Animation is an attraction at the Disney's California Adventure in Disneyland Resort and Hong Kong Disneyland in Hong Kong Disneyland Resort. In Walt Disney Studios Park, the attraction opened on March 16, 2002 in the Toon Studios Area, but was closed on January 7, 2019. It was reopened on November 17, 2019.
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The millennium celebrations were a worldwide, coordinated series of events celebrating the end of 1999 and the start of the year 2000 in the Gregorian calendar. The celebrations were held as marking the end of the 2nd millennium and the 20th century, and the start of the 3rd millennium and the 21st century. Countries around the globe held official festivities in the weeks and months leading up to the date, such as those organised in the United States by the White House Millennium Council, and most major cities produced firework displays at midnight. Equally, many private venues, cultural and religious centres held events and a diverse range of memorabilia was created – such as souvenir postage stamps.
Epcot Forever was a fireworks show that premiered on October 1, 2019, at Epcot. Epcot Forever served as an interim replacement for IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth until its long-term replacement, Harmonious, premiered in 2021. It took the form of a celebration of Epcot's musical history. The show celebrated the park's 37-year history, featuring fireworks, music, lighting, lasers, and special effects kites set to new arrangements of music originating from some of the park's classic attractions, such as Journey Into Imagination, Spaceship Earth, Soarin', Tapestry of Nations and Universe of Energy. The show was also made to celebrate the past, present, and future of Epcot.
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