Epcot, Walt Disney World’s second theme park, opened in Bay Lake, Florida, on October 1, 1982 as EPCOT Center. Inspired by Walt Disney’s unrealized Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow, it transformed his planned city concept into a public showcase of innovation and international culture. Anchored by Spaceship Earth, the park began with Future World and World Showcase, combining exhibits on technology and industry with national pavilions around a lagoon. Built on 305 acres at a cost of about $1.5 billion, it evolved over decades through changing attractions, major redesigns, and popular festivals, becoming one of the world’s most visited theme parks by 2024.