Epcot and Hollywood Studios are two of the four theme parks at Walt Disney World, Florida. Epcot was built after the initial theme park Magic Kingdom, in 1982. This was followed by Hollywood Studios, which was opened in1989. Epcot is dedicated to technological innovation and international culture whereas Hollywood Studios, as its name suggests, is dedicated to Hollywood and show business. This is the key difference between Epcot and Hollywood Studios.
CONTENTS
1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Epcot
3. What is Hollywood Studios
4. Side by Side Comparison – Epcot vs Hollywood Studios in Tabular Form
5. Summary
What is Epcot?
Epcot (Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow), opened in 1982, was the second theme park to be built to in the Walt Disney World. This park spans an area of 120ha and is twice the size of Magic Kingdom. Themed after technological innovation and international culture, Epcot is a celebration of human achievements. This theme park is represented by Spaceship Earth (a geodesic dome).
Figure 01: Spaceship Earth
Epcot is basically divided into two sections: Future World and World Showcase. World Showcase contains eleven pavilions representing eleven countries: Mexico, Norway, China, Germany, Italy, United States of America, Japan, Morocco, France, United Kingdom and Canada. Each of these pavilions features food, entertainment and shopping unique to their cultures. World Showcase is centered around a beautiful lagoon, and each evening, there is a special show called IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth.
Attractions in World Showcase
- An American Adventure
- Gran Fiesta Tour Starring the Three Caballeros
- Frozen Ever After
- Reflections of China (China)
- Disney Phineas and Ferb: Agent P’s World Showcase Adventure
- Impressions de France
- Canada!
- Kidcot Fun Stops
Future World, dedicated to communication, energy, environment (land and sea) imagination, transportation, and space exploration, contains eight pavilions.
Attractions in Future World
- Soarin’
- Living with the Land
- The Seas with Nemo & Friends
- Turtle Talk with Crush
- The Circle of Life
- Journey Into Imagination with Figment
- Disney & Pixar Short Film Festival
Figure 01: Turtle Talk with Crush
For many years Epcot was considered as a park for adults, mainly due to its dedication to comparatively serious themes. However, with the introduction of kid-friendly attractions such as KidCot, The Seas with Nemo & Friends, and Frozen Ever After, Epcot began to be popular as a park that provides education and entertainment.
What is Hollywood Studios?
Hollywood Studios was the third addition to the four theme parks at Walt Disney World Resort, Florida. This was opened in 1989, seven years after the opening of Epcot, and spans a land area of 55 ha. Originally named, Disney-MGM Studios Theme Park, this park is built around the theme of show business and Hollywood, especially inspired by 1930s and 1940s eras of Hollywood.
Hollywood Studios is also divided into several themed sections. These include Hollywood Boulevard, Echo Lake, Pixar Place, Animation Courtyard and Sunset Boulevard. Each section includes rides, character meets, live events, performances, and other Hollywood inspired attractions. Some of these attractions are as follows.
Attractions
Rides
- Tower of Terror
- Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster
- Toy Story Midway Mania
- Star Tours: The Adventures Continue
Live Events
- Beauty and the Beast – Live on Stage
- Disney Junior – Live on Stage!
- Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular!
- Voyage of the Little Mermaid
- Frozen Sing-Along Celebration
- Jim Henson’s Muppet Vision 3-D
- Fantasmic
Hollywood Studios also feature famous Disney characters such as Olaf, Buzz Lightyear, and Woody. Some of the restaurants in this park include The Hollywood Brown Derby, Mama Melrose’s Ristorante, 50’s Prime Time Café, Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater, Hollywood and Vine, and Hollywood Waffles of Fame.
Figure 03: Sci Fi Drive In Diner
Two more sections named Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge and Toy Story Land will be added to the park in the coming year.
What is the Difference Between Epcot and Hollywood Studios?
Epcot vs Hollywood Studios |
|
| Epcot is dedicated to technological innovation and international culture. | Hollywood Studios is dedicated to Hollywood and show business. |
| History | |
| Epcot was opened in 1982. | Hollywood Studios was opened in 1989. |
| Size | |
| Epcot spans a land area of 120 ha. | Hollywood Studios spans a land area of 55 ha. |
| Sections | |
| Epcot is divided into two main sections: Future World and World Showcase. | Hollywood Studios is sectioned into Hollywood Boulevard, Echo Lake, Pixar Place, Animation Courtyard and Sunset Boulevard. |
| Education Value | |
| Epcot is considered to be more educational than the other three theme parks. | Visitors can gain knowledge about Hollywood related subjects such as movie making, stunts, etc. |
| Dining | |
| Epcot has restaurants offering food belonging to various cultures. | The restaurants in Hollywood Studios are not culturally diverse as in Epcot. |
Summary – Epcot vs Hollywood Studios
The basic difference between Epcot and Hollywood Studios is their theme; Epcot is themed around technological innovations while Hollywood Studios is themed around Hollywood. Therefore, attractions in these parks are also based on these themes. Epcot is generally considered to be more educational than the other three theme parks.
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Image Courtesy:
1. “1 epcot spaceship earth 2010a” By chensiyuan – chensiyuan (GFDL) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “Turtle Talk with Crush – EPCOT” by Josh Hallett (CC BY-SA 2.0) via Flickr
3. “Sci Fi Drive In Diner – Disney’s Hollywood Studios” by Josh Hallett (CC BY-SA 2.0) via Flickr