World of Motion at EPCOT Center took guests on a journey through the history of transportation, from foot power to futuristic travel. Housed in a striking circular pavilion, it combined humor, elaborate sets, and Audio-Animatronics to tell its story.

The Contemporary Resort’s construction was unlike anything seen before at Walt Disney World. Its steel A-frame was built first, with prefabricated guest rooms then slid into place, creating one of the resort’s most iconic landmarks.

Rare color image of the Walt Disney Studios in Burbank featuring the backlot of the studio where Zorro and other features were filmed over the years. Note the original silver look of the water tower as well as the original Animation Building near the top of the image.

Publicity photo for the Studio Backlot Tour at Disney-MGM Studios What I love about this photo is that the Backlot Tour teams were not up and running yet so they brought in some parking lot trams from either the Magic Kingdom or Epcot for the photo.

Citizens of Hollywood street performers as seen on Sunset Boulevard at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

Entrance to EPCOT Center during the 25th Anniversary of the Walt Disney World Resort in 1996.

Lights, Motors, Action!: Extreme Stunt Show as seen at Disney’s Hollywood Studios from 2005-2016

Construction in the original entrance and marquee to the Wonders of Life pavilion at EPCOT Center.

Concept art for the now cancelled Festival Pavilion building as part of World Celebration at EPCOT Center. This multi-story pavilion was to be the host for the various events and festivals featured at EPCOT throughout the year and would have featured the best fireworks views.

Rhine River Cruise attraction concept art for the Germany Pavilion in World Showcase. What is interesting about this failed project is that you can still see the proposed entrance to the attraction today which is hidden behind the large mural within the Germany Pavilion

Meet the World grand opening at Tokyo Disneyland in 1983. This attraction explored the history of Japan in a rotating theater similar to the Carousel of Progress and operated until 2002. A version of the attraction was slated to come to EPCOT Center but was ultimately cut.

Cinderella Castle at the Magic Kingdom decorated as part of the Happiest Celebration on Earth as part of Disneyland’s 50th Anniversary.

The Mickey Mouse Revue opened with the Magic Kingdom, featuring dozens of Audio Animatronic characters in a musical stage show hosted by Mickey Mouse. After delighting guests for nearly a decade, it closed and was later relocated to Tokyo Disneyland where it ran until 2009.

The Fantasyland Skyway station sat near It’s a Small World, designed like a Swiss chalet to match the area’s alpine theme. Part of the Skyway that linked Fantasyland and Tomorrowland, it closed in 1999, with the chalet removed years later to make way for the Tangled restrooms.

Mickey, Minnie, Donald, and Goofy in their rainbow outfits at EPCOT Center. Did you ever get the chance to see these characters in their iconic costumes? If not, do you think they should bring them back?!

Construction of Splash Mountain in the Magic Kingdom of the Walt Disney World Resort It blended a classic log flume with Audio Animatronics from Song of the South. Featuring a five story drop, it became a guest favorite before closing to make way for Tiana’s Bayou Adventure.

Warden Wilson Matua of Kilimanjaro Safaris at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. (1998-2020)

The Universe of Energy opened at EPCOT Center with massive traveling theater cars and a dramatic dinosaur diorama. Mixing film and animatronics, it explored fossil fuels and renewable power. It later became Ellen’s Energy Adventure before closing for Guardians of the Galaxy.

River Country opened as Disney’s first water park in 1976, themed as an old-fashioned swimming hole. Beloved for its rustic charm, it eventually closed in 2001, leaving behind a nostalgic legacy.

An Imagineer working on the Load/Unload model for the Great Movie Ride for Disney-MGM Studios

Rocket Jets and the PeopleMover as seen in Tomorrowland at Disneyland from 1967-1997

Imagineers working on a model for the attraction El Rio del Tiempo located in the Mexico pavilion at EPCOT Center.

A sea serpent surprising explorer Christopher Columbus on the classic EPCOT Center attraction, World of Motion

Luigi’s Flying Tires as seen at Cars Land in Disney’s California Adventure. This short lived attraction was based off of Disneyland’s Flying Saucers attraction of the 1960s and was replaced by Luigi's Rollickin' Roadsters

Primeval Whirl opened in DinoLand U.S.A. as a wild mouse coaster with spinning cars, themed as a time-traveling carnival ride. Despite its colorful setting, the attraction closed permanently, leaving any empty spot in Chester & Hester’s Dino-Rama.

Queue for Adventures Thru Inner Space in Tomorrowland at Disneyland. To the left you can see guests in ride vehicles entering the Mighty Microscope as well as PeopleMover cars in the top right of the photo.

Stitch’s Great Escape opened in Tomorrowland, reusing much of the Alien Encounter attraction. The attraction placed guests in a Galactic Federation prison as Stitch caused chaos. Despite heavy marketing, it struggled with popularity and eventually closed after 14 years of operation.

The Living Seas opened at EPCOT Center with Seabase Alpha, a futuristic research station where guests explored the world’s oceans. Featuring one of the largest saltwater tanks ever built, the pavilion combined film, exhibits, and SeaCabs to immerse guests in marine discovery.

Pirates of the Caribbean opened at Disneyland as one of the last attractions personally overseen by Walt Disney. Originally planned as a walk through, it became a groundbreaking boat ride, bringing guests through elaborate pirate scenes that set a new standard for themed design.

The Wonders of Life pavilion opened at EPCOT Center as the “golden dome” dedicated to health and the human body. Featuring Body Wars, Cranium Command, and The Making of Me, it operated until the mid 2000s before becoming a festival space and ultimately closing.

Elephants in Future World?! Daredevil Circus Spectacular, Epcot Center (October 1987 - March 1988) “A cosmic thrill show, like no circus in the universe” Also, not the original dedication plaque in acrylic in the foreground of the photo.

At the 1964–65 New York World’s Fair, it’s a small world debuted with the Pepsi-Cola pavilion. Designed by WED Enterprises and featuring dolls representing children around the globe, the attraction later moved to Disneyland, where it became a permanent classic.

Unbuilt Walt Disney World: The Persian Resort would have sat on the shores of Bay Lake just to the north of the Contemporary Resort. The focus of the resort would have been a 24-foot dome at the center. This project was canceled due to the 1973 oil strike and Iranian Revolution.

Everybody remembers the Birthday Cake Castle, but do you remember when the Castle was wrapped in toilet paper?! This act of “vandalism” was done to commemorate the grand opening of Stitch’s Great Escape in 2004.

Walt Disney and John Hench review an early map of Disneyland over a cup of coffee This version of Disneyland differs quite a bit from what opened in 1955 and was briefly discussed in the recent book “The Happiest Place on Earth: The Incredible Story of Walt Disney’s Disneyland”.

Before boarding vehicles at The Great Movie Ride (1989-2017), guests stepped into a replica grand movie palace, where a massive screen played classic Hollywood trailers. From Singin’ in the Rain to Footlight Parade, the preshow set the stage for the cinematic journey ahead.

Before the Magic Kingdom opened, the Haunted Mansion interior props and set dressings stood completed in a warehouse waiting for the new park. Built at the same time as Disneyland’s version, Imagineers blended charm with a seaside estate to create a spookier East Coast mansion.

The Barker Bird under the original signage outside of Pirates of the Caribbean at the Magic Kingdom. He was removed in 2006 when Jack Sparrow was added to the attraction and you might be able to see him in the new Beak and Barrel lounge opening soon at the Magic Kingdom! 😉

The Adventurers Club at Pleasure Island invited guests into a 1930s explorers’ society filled with eccentric characters, improvised comedy, and interactive adventures. Its unique blend of themed entertainment and storytelling made it a cult favorite in Disney history.

From 1971 to 1993, Tomorrowland at Magic Kingdom envisioned a sleek, optimistic future. With attractions like If You Had Wings, Mission to Mars, and the PeopleMover, it reflected space-age dreams before its transformation into a retro-futuristic city of tomorrow in 1994.

Entrance to Epcot Center as seen during the 15th anniversary of the Walt Disney World Resort. Also, does anybody else miss the blue tile fountain like I do? I am so glad that they brought back the pylons! ❤️

A look at the Magic Kingdom as viewed from the top of the Contemporary Resort with a Mark IV Monorail in the foreground. Take a close look at Tomorrowland in this picture as it is pre-1994 reimagining. Most importantly, check out the Tomorrowland Spires and the Star Jets.

Disneyland-Alweg Monorail, Matterhorn Bobsleds and Submarine Voyage as seen at Disneyland in 1959.

The original ImageWorks at EPCOT Center was located in the glass pyramids above Journey Into Imagination. Guests explored hands on exhibits like the Rainbow Corridor and Dreamfinder’s School of Drama. Blending technology, play, and creativity in a way only EPCOT could.

Behind the scenes look at filming Boy Meets World at the Walt Disney World Resort. The episode titled “The Happiest Show on Earth” aired during the third season of the series in 1996.

Before its 2015 transformation, the lobby of Disney’s Polynesian Resort featured a lush indoor rainforest with a towering centerpiece. The original design reflected the resort’s early vision of tropical immersion, offering guests a dramatic, sensory-filled arrival.

From the early 1990s to mid 2000s, The Land pavilion at EPCOT Center was marked by its original facade, food court balloons, and iconic attractions like Food Rocks and Living with the Land, with a live narrator. It was a vibrant blend of edutainment before major updates arrived.

The Haunted Mansion as seen shortly after opening in 1971. Notice the lack of the awning in front of the queue and the unobstructed view of the Mansion with all of the vegetation being fairly young.

Load / Unload for Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride in the Magic Kingdom at the Walt Disney World Resort. One major difference between the Magic Kingdom attraction versus the Disneyland attraction is that the Magic Kingdom version had 2 mirrored tracks of one-another!

Original Test Track 1.0 entrance and marquee as seen at Epcot Center. Which version of Test Track is your favorite?