Inspired by an unrealized concept developed by Walt Disney, the park opened on October 1, 1982,and is the second of four theme parks built at Walt Disney World, after Magic Kingdom. Spanning 300 acres (120 ha), more than twice the size of the 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 park is divided into two sections: Future World; made up eight pavilions and World Showcase, themed to eleven world nations.
In 2015, the park hosted approximately 11.98 million guests, ranking it the third most visited theme park in North America and the sixth most visited theme park in the world. The park is represented by Spaceship Earth, a geodesic sphere that also serves as an attraction. Epcot was known as EPCOT Center until 1994, when it was later renamed Epcot '94, then Epcot '95, now commonly known simply as Epcot.
Epcot hosts a number of special events during the year:
The Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival, inaugurated in 1994, uses specially-themed floral displays throughout the park, including topiary sculptures of Disney characters. Guests can meet gardening experts and learn new ideas they can use in their own home gardens. The 18th annual event was scheduled for March 2 – May 15. Each event takes more than a full year to plan and more than 20,000 cast member hours.The Epcot International Food & Wine Festival, inaugurated in 1995, draws amateur and professional gourmets to sample delicacies from all around the world, including nations that do not have a permanent presence in World Showcase.
Celebrity chefs are often on-hand to host the events. In 2008, the festival featured the Bocuse d'Or USA, the American semifinal of the biennial Bocuse d'Or cooking competition.Holidays Around the World is Epcot's annual holiday celebration. The World Showcase pavilions feature storytellers describing their nation's holiday traditions, and three nightly performances of the "Candlelight Processional" featuring an auditioned mass choir and a celebrity guest narrating the story of Christmas. During "Holidays Around the World", Illuminations: Reflections of Earth features a special extended ending.On New Year's Eve, the park offers a variety of additional entertainment including live DJ dance areas throughout the park and a special New Year's Eve countdown edition of IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth.
According to wikipedia
