Hidden Secrets in Epcot

Disney World has many hidden secrets scattered throughout all of the parks, resorts, and water parks. The attention to minuscule detail is part of what makes Disney resorts unique. One of the four parks in Disney World is Epcot, which stands for Experimental Prototype Community Of Tomorrow. Epcot opened on October 1st in 1982 and has since been very popular, though it has seen many changes. However, there are still lots of hidden secrets to see despite all the construction. Here are just a few secrets you should look out for.

1. Tower of Terror in Morocco

Everybody knows Tower of Terror, the signature ride of Hollywood Studios. But what most people don’t know is that if you stand between Mexico and Future World, you can see Tower of Terror over Morocco. It’s the building in the background, behind all the closer ones in Morocco. Fun fact: The Imagineers knew that Tower of Terror would be visible from Epcot, so they designed it to match Morocco’s architecture!

2. The Hidden Entrance

Did you know that Epcot has two entrances? It’s true! Most people only go through the one behind Spaceship Earth, but there’s actually another one between Great Britain and France. It’s called the International Gateway, and can be accessed by Epcot resort hotels or the Skyliner. Usually lines are much shorter here, but that may change with the Skyliner. Anyways, it’s still something many people never knew about. Fun Fact: Crossing the bridge near the International Gateway represents you crossing the English Channel, which stands between France and Great Britain in real life.

3. Rhine River Ride

The German pavilion in World Showcase is located between Italy and China. Germany has many cool things to see and lots of good restaurants but it lacks an attraction. But did you know Germany was originally supposed to have a ride? It was supposed to be called the Rhine River Ride and it was going to be a boat ride along the rivers of Germany. Unfortunately, Rhine River Ride was never built even though an area was already cleared out for it. You can still find where it was suppose to be though. If you walk into the Biergarten Restaurant you will see a mural. If you knock on it you will see that it’s hollow, because this is where the entrance for Rhine River Ride was supposed to be.

4. Flight #5505

Soarin’ can be found in The Land pavilion at Epcot. Soarin’ thrills guests as they are lifted off the ground on a hang glider while taking in breathtaking views of the world. In the queue for Soarin’, there is a hidden gem referencing an important date. In the queue you will be told you are about to embark on Flight #5505. It seems like a random number, right? It’s actually not! Soarin’ opened on May 5th, 2005, so Flight #5505 actually references the date of Soarin’s opening, 5/5/05.

5. Good Exercise!

One thing you may wonder when touring the World Showcase is, “How far am I walking?” Well, the approximate distance from Mexico to Canada is about 1.25 miles! This number may seem pretty large, but with stopping to go in shops, look at things, and ride attractions, it doesn’t seem that far at all (If you have little kids you may want to bring a stroller.)

Bonus fact: The government of Morocco is the sponsor of the Morocco pavilion, and workers from Morocco hand-crafted all the murals and the designed the architecture. Well, I hope you enjoyed learning about Epcot and its secrets. If you have any other favorite secrets please comment below. Anyways, thanks for reading and have a magical day!