Hello & welcome back to A Look at Disney World. Today, I continue my look at Disney World on TV as I take a look at EPCOT Center: The Opening Celebration. Now, this is the first time, I'd ever seen this. My thoughts, most of the stuff they showed in this special isn't there anymore. Well okay, other then that, it was really good. Today, we are headed back to 1982 for the opening celebration of EPCOT: Center. This special in the Disney World fan community is often cited as the best opening celebration and after watching this, it's not hard to see why. Like yesterday, this review will be broken down into Host, Highlights, Signs of The Time and My Final Thoughts. With that out of the way, let's begin. Okay, you may have noticed one slight change. Well unlike yesterday, there was so much stuff in the special that A. it's hard to keep track of and B. I don't want to spoil it for you guys, if you choose to watch it. Which you can do as it's up on YouTube in it's entirety.
Host
Danny Kaye
You know, it's interesting but I remember hearing in an interview on WDW News Today, with one of the directors that Danny Kaye was a pain to work with. Well, if that's the case, it didn't come through. Danny Kaye was very energetic and fun, the entire time on screen and never let up. Unlike yesterday's special, where Drew just introduced segments and then handed them off, Danny Kaye was there during every minute of the special. This special did not give you time to breathe. It was packed to the brim and it never let up. Which, I liked because it kept me entertained all the way through. Oh and one more thing, Danny Kaye knew the proper way to do a send off. What do I mean? Well in the Animal Kingdom special, Drew Carey just ended it by saying goodnight and walking off. Not here, Danny Kaye actually thanked you, the audience for joining him on his journey through EPCOT Center. And you made feel as though you were a part of something. The send off for a special is one of the most crucial elements because when done, it can leave you feeling excited about what you watched. Whereas just ending with goodnight, leaves you with a feeling of that was good but asking "that's the end?"
Highlights
Danny Kaye & Drew Barrymore
The first celebrity that really stood out to me was a young Drew Barrymore and her interaction with Danny Kaye was just precious. Oh, one thing I forgot to mention is that Danny does a lot and I mean a lot of singing in this special. To the point, I nicknamed it EPCOT: The Musical. But all of the songs are rather good such as the one, he sings to Drew, "Grow Up To Be A Kid". Now, the true highlight of their time together for me was Dreamfinder and Figment. Forget any of the celebrities. this is when I had my fanboy moment. Getting to see Dreamfinder. THAT WAS AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The only thing that made me go "aw man, that's a bummer" was that Figment didn't talk. Oh well, I got to have my EPCOT fanboy moment.
SMRT-1 Explaining to Siegel how he controls the Audio-Animatronics
Remember, how I said Danny Kaye was in every part of the special. That's not true as there was one part, where we saw a robot from the earlier Danny Kaye and Drew Barrymore segment, Siegel. And he found another robot, SMRT-1 in CommuiCore (which was gone from the park by the first time, I went to EPCOT) and SMRT-1 explained to him, what he does and then it goes into a montage of the various Audio-Animantronics at EPCOT. Here's what SMRT-1 looks like. By the way, I'm so glad I know his name now because when I was at EPCOT, last time I bought a box of 30th Anniversary Mystery Pins and one came with him on it. And this is one Disney character, I'd never seen before. So, in that sense I was relieved to finally learn his name.
Alex Haley Describing The Africa Pavilion to Danny Kaye
This is another one that stood out to me but according to this special, Roots author, Alex Haley was a consultant for World Showcase and in the special, he showed Danny and the audience a model of what the Africa pavilion in World Showcase would look like. The funny thing is though, we never got that. And that's not the only one mentioned that we never got as there was also mention of an Israel pavilion as well. Funny this is though, Africa would eventually find a home in Animal Kingdom. Keep in mind, however that this is from 1982.
Danny Picking Up The Workers for World Showcase
Okay, this was just so funny. There was a segment, where Danny Kaye went to the airport to pick up the young men and women that'd be working at World Showcase. It actually showed him on the runway. Can't do that nowadays. He was there to greet him but everyone thought that he was a porter handed him their bags.
Tribute To Walt
At the end, someone was brought to talk about Walt. Sorry, can't remember the name. There were so many people in this. But he actually part of his eulogy that he read when Walt passed. And I cried, hearing these. Because it just made me appreciate being a Disney fan, all the more.
Signs of The Time
Perhaps, the biggest sign of the time in this special was that as I stated so many of the attractions featured in this special are no longer in EPCOT. Such as Kitchen Kabaret, which was a concert put on by produce. It has a lot of fans from what I've heard. I guess you had to be there. Still, it was neat to see these attractions from years gone by and see what EPCOT looked like, when it first opened.
My Final Thoughts
I adore this special. It is so easy to see why this special is held in such a high regard. It is just that good. You guys, really need to track this one down and give it a watch. You will not be disappointed. This is bar none of the best things, I've had the pleasure of viewing.
Host
Danny Kaye
You know, it's interesting but I remember hearing in an interview on WDW News Today, with one of the directors that Danny Kaye was a pain to work with. Well, if that's the case, it didn't come through. Danny Kaye was very energetic and fun, the entire time on screen and never let up. Unlike yesterday's special, where Drew just introduced segments and then handed them off, Danny Kaye was there during every minute of the special. This special did not give you time to breathe. It was packed to the brim and it never let up. Which, I liked because it kept me entertained all the way through. Oh and one more thing, Danny Kaye knew the proper way to do a send off. What do I mean? Well in the Animal Kingdom special, Drew Carey just ended it by saying goodnight and walking off. Not here, Danny Kaye actually thanked you, the audience for joining him on his journey through EPCOT Center. And you made feel as though you were a part of something. The send off for a special is one of the most crucial elements because when done, it can leave you feeling excited about what you watched. Whereas just ending with goodnight, leaves you with a feeling of that was good but asking "that's the end?"
Highlights
Danny Kaye & Drew Barrymore
The first celebrity that really stood out to me was a young Drew Barrymore and her interaction with Danny Kaye was just precious. Oh, one thing I forgot to mention is that Danny does a lot and I mean a lot of singing in this special. To the point, I nicknamed it EPCOT: The Musical. But all of the songs are rather good such as the one, he sings to Drew, "Grow Up To Be A Kid". Now, the true highlight of their time together for me was Dreamfinder and Figment. Forget any of the celebrities. this is when I had my fanboy moment. Getting to see Dreamfinder. THAT WAS AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The only thing that made me go "aw man, that's a bummer" was that Figment didn't talk. Oh well, I got to have my EPCOT fanboy moment.
SMRT-1 Explaining to Siegel how he controls the Audio-Animatronics
Remember, how I said Danny Kaye was in every part of the special. That's not true as there was one part, where we saw a robot from the earlier Danny Kaye and Drew Barrymore segment, Siegel. And he found another robot, SMRT-1 in CommuiCore (which was gone from the park by the first time, I went to EPCOT) and SMRT-1 explained to him, what he does and then it goes into a montage of the various Audio-Animantronics at EPCOT. Here's what SMRT-1 looks like. By the way, I'm so glad I know his name now because when I was at EPCOT, last time I bought a box of 30th Anniversary Mystery Pins and one came with him on it. And this is one Disney character, I'd never seen before. So, in that sense I was relieved to finally learn his name.
Alex Haley Describing The Africa Pavilion to Danny Kaye
This is another one that stood out to me but according to this special, Roots author, Alex Haley was a consultant for World Showcase and in the special, he showed Danny and the audience a model of what the Africa pavilion in World Showcase would look like. The funny thing is though, we never got that. And that's not the only one mentioned that we never got as there was also mention of an Israel pavilion as well. Funny this is though, Africa would eventually find a home in Animal Kingdom. Keep in mind, however that this is from 1982.
Danny Picking Up The Workers for World Showcase
Okay, this was just so funny. There was a segment, where Danny Kaye went to the airport to pick up the young men and women that'd be working at World Showcase. It actually showed him on the runway. Can't do that nowadays. He was there to greet him but everyone thought that he was a porter handed him their bags.
Tribute To Walt
At the end, someone was brought to talk about Walt. Sorry, can't remember the name. There were so many people in this. But he actually part of his eulogy that he read when Walt passed. And I cried, hearing these. Because it just made me appreciate being a Disney fan, all the more.
Signs of The Time
Perhaps, the biggest sign of the time in this special was that as I stated so many of the attractions featured in this special are no longer in EPCOT. Such as Kitchen Kabaret, which was a concert put on by produce. It has a lot of fans from what I've heard. I guess you had to be there. Still, it was neat to see these attractions from years gone by and see what EPCOT looked like, when it first opened.
My Final Thoughts
I adore this special. It is so easy to see why this special is held in such a high regard. It is just that good. You guys, really need to track this one down and give it a watch. You will not be disappointed. This is bar none of the best things, I've had the pleasure of viewing.
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