7 Reasons I Love Epcot

Epcot, Walt Disney World's second theme park, opened in 1982. Disney billed the opening of Epcot as the "Dawn on a new Disney Era." Designed to inspire and entertain, Epcot has done just that since the then Disney CEO Card Walker opened Epcot Center (as it was then called) by saying "May EPCOT Center entertain, inform and inspire and above all, may it instill a new sense of belief and pride in man's ability to shape a world that offers hope to people everywhere in the world."

Indeed, since my first visit in the early 1980's, Epcot has been my favorite Walt Disney World theme park. And although the Magic Kingdom, Disney's Hollywood Studios and Disney's Animal Kingdom are all great in there own right, Epcot is still my favorite and here are seven reasons why:

Epcot inspires me
I remember visiting Epcot while in middle school and being fascinated with The Living Seas attraction; It made me what to become a marine scientist. And the Norway pavilion made me want to hop on a plane and explore this fascinating country. I didn't become a marine scientist and I've still yet to visit Norway, but that the attractions at Epcot did, and still do, inspire me in addition to being just plain fun and that's something unique.

World Showcase's Restaurants
World Showcase is a fantastic way to sample food from around the world. Each of World Showcase's countries feature authentic food of the country represented. The Rose and Crown pub in the UK pavilion and the bakery in France are among my favorites.

Epcot's size
Epcot is a large park. In fact, it's twice as large as the Magic Kingdom. Because of that, even on a busy day, Epcot does not seem as crowded as the other Disney parks.

The International Food and Wine Festival
Each year in September, Epcot hosts The International Food and Wine festival. The festival includes lectures, exhibits, a concert series, and of course, food! All around World Showcase, booths are set up offering small plates (at a nominal charge) representing foods of many countries that are not normally represented at Epcot.

Holidays Around the World
Each December Epcot hosts Holidays Around the World, a celebration of not only Christmas but of other seasonal celebrations from other cultures. From the story telling delivered by the Monkey King in China to Pere Noel's visits to France, it's a great way to learn how others celebrate around the world. And each evening, the spectacular Candlelight Processional is a must see. This telling of the story of Christmas, as told by a celebrity narrator with the help of 50 piece orchestra and a mass choir, always puts me in the holiday spirit.

Japanese Candy and treats
I love candy and at Epcot's Japan pavilion, inside the Mitsukoshi Department Store, there's a fantastic selection of Japanese candy and sweets. At the back of the store you'll find everything from Hello Kitty candy, wasabi peas, and Japanese sodas to candies that I'm not exactly sure what they are because the packaging is in Japanese but they are all delicious.

Captain EO
I saw this Michael Jackson 3D spectacular many times during its run at the Journey into Imagination pavilion from 1986 to 1994. I was sad to see it go so you can imagine how thrilled I am that it's back at Epcot (in addition to Disneyland, Tokyo Disneyland, and Disneyland Paris) for a limited engagement. This 17 minute films features Michael Jackson in a musical adventure to deliver a "gift" to the Supreme Leader of a word that's in trouble.