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The Epcot Explorer's Encyclopedia: A Guide to Walt Disney World's Greatest Theme Park
This newly revised edition of the Epcot Explorer's Encyclopedia serves as a loving tell-all look into the most magnificent theme park in existence. From the minutiae of Future World to the farthest reaches of World Showcase this guide covers it all in intimate detail. No stone is left unturned, and no legacy tile left unmocked. With a little bit of wit and a whole lot of heart you'll be led through the splendorific sprawl of the most endearing monument to humanity that has ever been created. Highlights include: A history of each pavilion and the forces that shaped its existence - or the end thereof. Insight into the inner-workings of the park. What makes it tick and why things happen the way they do. A scene-by-scene analysis of Horizons, quite possibly the most beloved attraction in the company's history and all of the World Disney World resort.
- GenresTravelNonfiction
270 pages, Paperback
First published April 1, 2011
11 people are currently reading
226 people want to read
About the author
R.A. Pedersen
1 book9 followersR. A. Pedersen is a theatrical designer, playwright, and freelance writer hailing from the heart of the theme park industry in central Florida. He began writing about the Walt Disney World resort professionally while working as a researcher for the Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World. His continued love of the attractions has now blossomed into the first in a series books offerings in-depth analysis of the parks.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
July 19, 2015
This book is basically exactly what you'd expect given the title: it's an exhaustive examination of nearly every aspect of Epcot. Like, there's multiple paragraphs about the parking lot. I'm not even kidding. If something that in depth, like pretty much to the exclusion of sanity, doesn't sound at least vaguely interesting to you, do yourself a favor and skip this one. Then again, if you aren't the sort of person who'd be at least vaguely interested, you'd never read an entire book about a single Disney theme park. If you're the sort of person who would actually delight in reading incredibly detailed recaps of extinct rides, then this is probably right up you're alley. And guess who is that sort of person? Me. Moving on.
I'm always happy when I can read a Disney World book and learn something new, and I learned a lot from this book. And it's definitely written for people who already have pretty extensive knowledge of the park. Like, there are a lot of things that aren't really described because they don't need to be for the target audience of the book. And since I am in that target audience, I don't mind at all when Pedersen, for example, doesn't explain exactly why the Beverly soda at Club Cool deserves to be singled out. (Try it, it's amazing. Trust me.) But again, why would you even read this if you didn't have that much background knowledge? You probably wouldn't.
It seemed to me that Pedersen focused a lot more intention on Future World than World Showcase. There's nothing inherently wrong with that. Future World really has had more changes than World Showcase (it's really kind of amazing how little has changed at most of the country pavilions) and it was really nice to revisit Horizons and World of Motion. But a lot of the pavilions barely get glanced over. And as someone who prefers World Showcase to Future World, I was kind of disappointed by that.
Unfortunately, there are a lot of errors that a decent editor could have taken care of. In most cases, they're simply annoying, but there are a few that made figuring out what Pedersen meant to say irritatingly difficult. I don't like having to read a sentence over twice to try and figure out what word an author actually meant to use.
I'm always happy when I can read a Disney World book and learn something new, and I learned a lot from this book. And it's definitely written for people who already have pretty extensive knowledge of the park. Like, there are a lot of things that aren't really described because they don't need to be for the target audience of the book. And since I am in that target audience, I don't mind at all when Pedersen, for example, doesn't explain exactly why the Beverly soda at Club Cool deserves to be singled out. (Try it, it's amazing. Trust me.) But again, why would you even read this if you didn't have that much background knowledge? You probably wouldn't.
It seemed to me that Pedersen focused a lot more intention on Future World than World Showcase. There's nothing inherently wrong with that. Future World really has had more changes than World Showcase (it's really kind of amazing how little has changed at most of the country pavilions) and it was really nice to revisit Horizons and World of Motion. But a lot of the pavilions barely get glanced over. And as someone who prefers World Showcase to Future World, I was kind of disappointed by that.
Unfortunately, there are a lot of errors that a decent editor could have taken care of. In most cases, they're simply annoying, but there are a few that made figuring out what Pedersen meant to say irritatingly difficult. I don't like having to read a sentence over twice to try and figure out what word an author actually meant to use.
June 21, 2011
I'm a big Epcot fan. Overall, I really enjoyed reading this book. The (very) detailed information about each pavilion was truly fascinating, and if I were to rate on that alone this would get 5 stars. I am very impressed with the amount of research that must have gone into this. However, there were a couple of things that irked me about the book:
1. The typos (tons of them) and (lack of) editing/proofreading. Hopefully this will be corrected in the next edition, because it was majorly distracting.
2. The book has "encyclopedia" in the title, but it's far from a neutral accounting. There were strong opinions expressed in certain sections (the finales of Spaceship Earth and Universe of Energy, for example), which felt inappropriate for this kind of book, even when I agreed with the sentiment (Free Dreamfinder!)
3. No pictures. I'm assuming this was a matter of copyright/royalties, but it is odd to have a book like this without even a drawing let alone a photo. As a fan, I could mentally picture just about everything discussed, but it would be very hard for someone less familiar to follow along.
4. This one is very minor.... no mention of the Coral Reef restaurant? Every other eatery in the park, even the carts, got at least a name-drop. The omission stood out, especially since it's such a fun restaurant.
5. Also relatively minor: the "Pepper's ghost effect" was mentioned about four times, but never explained. I know what it is, but most people (even Disney people) probably don't.
So that reads as a laundry list of complaints, but I do want to say again how impressed I was with the actual factual content of the book. I did learn lots of new trivia, and overall I'm glad I read it.
1. The typos (tons of them) and (lack of) editing/proofreading. Hopefully this will be corrected in the next edition, because it was majorly distracting.
2. The book has "encyclopedia" in the title, but it's far from a neutral accounting. There were strong opinions expressed in certain sections (the finales of Spaceship Earth and Universe of Energy, for example), which felt inappropriate for this kind of book, even when I agreed with the sentiment (Free Dreamfinder!)
3. No pictures. I'm assuming this was a matter of copyright/royalties, but it is odd to have a book like this without even a drawing let alone a photo. As a fan, I could mentally picture just about everything discussed, but it would be very hard for someone less familiar to follow along.
4. This one is very minor.... no mention of the Coral Reef restaurant? Every other eatery in the park, even the carts, got at least a name-drop. The omission stood out, especially since it's such a fun restaurant.
5. Also relatively minor: the "Pepper's ghost effect" was mentioned about four times, but never explained. I know what it is, but most people (even Disney people) probably don't.
So that reads as a laundry list of complaints, but I do want to say again how impressed I was with the actual factual content of the book. I did learn lots of new trivia, and overall I'm glad I read it.
April 25, 2011
These past few months we've been seeing more and more self-published books by fans and Cast Members about the creation of all things Disney. From in-depth looks at the creation of Walt Disney World to memoirs about years spent working for the Mouse, there is a Disney book for everyone nowadays.
One such recent release is The Epcot Explorer's Encyclopedia by R. A. Pedersen. I've been following the book's progress on Pedersen's Twitter account for the past few months, and now here it is, a book unlike any other, probably the most in-depth guide to Epcot that you will ever find.
One of its main selling points is right in the title: it's an encyclopedia, and that is the best way to describe this book. Actually, that's not entirely true. The author coined the phrase 'epcyclopedia' to refer to his book, and I want to kick myself for not coming up with that clever moniker first.
Jeff Explains...
The Epcyclopedia is is not a book to help guide you through EPCOT; it's an intense history lesson about everything in that park, divided into chapters, one for each attraction and pavilion. The first two-thirds of the book covers Future World, past and present, while the final third is about the World Showcase.
Each section on Future World deals with its various subjects quite well. Pedersen provides a fairly in-depth history about each pavilion, including a scene-by-scene breakdown of almost all of the attractions. Based on intense research and various blueprints and construction plans for each ride, Pedersen takes us through each attraction as a sort of written ride-through, commenting on each scene and offering historical facts and trivia.
Where applicable, multiple ride descriptions are provided for the various updates and upgrades done over the years. This proves true also for such famous 'lost attractions' such as Horizons and World of Motion. There is a heavy dose of nostalgia in the book, and the author has a clear love for the EPCOT of yesteryear, which is not a surprise considering the amount of time and detail he spends on the various attractions.
The sections on the World Showcase are very similar to those of Future World, though truncated. I would have liked to have seen a little more details in the World Showcase chapters, as it is my favorite part of the park. These chapters, unfortunately, are significantly shorter than the Future World chapters, and some are only two or three pages long, not really long enough to provide more than an overview of the pavilion.
I'm not sure if the information just wasn't readily available or not as heavily researched as the sections on Future World. However, Pederson does his best to give a bit of history for each pavilion, including a recount of the trials and tribulations of their creation.
Jeff Cautions...
I mentioned that calling itself an encyclopedia was a good selling point, but it can also be a bit of a downer. At certain points, the book reads like an encyclopedia. Some of the information presented is a bit heavy, and may only appeal to hardcore EPCOT historians.
Unlike other books on the history of the parks, this is not presented as a story, but more as a fact book. Casual Disney fans looking for a breezy read may be a bit put off, but Disney aficionados will appreciate the attention to detail.
A major nitpick I had is not with the information presented, but is one that applies to a lot of self published books. There were quite a few spelling and grammatical errors, some of which made me have to go back and re-read sentences before I understood what was being said. The book would have benefited greatly from having a second set of eyes, or an editor, give it a once over. When the information being presented is this fact-heavy, spelling and grammatical errors make it harder to read and understand. It shouldn't put you off from reading it, though, as the information it contains is worth the effort.
Jeff Concludes...
Overall, I definitely recommend the book. Though it's not without its flaws, it is still a good read for those looking to learn more about what EPCOT used to be and currently is. Again, while it may not be the best for the casual fan, if you're reading this website, chances are you will enjoy the book and the information presented.
Review originally posted at http://www.disneydispatch.com/content...
One such recent release is The Epcot Explorer's Encyclopedia by R. A. Pedersen. I've been following the book's progress on Pedersen's Twitter account for the past few months, and now here it is, a book unlike any other, probably the most in-depth guide to Epcot that you will ever find.
One of its main selling points is right in the title: it's an encyclopedia, and that is the best way to describe this book. Actually, that's not entirely true. The author coined the phrase 'epcyclopedia' to refer to his book, and I want to kick myself for not coming up with that clever moniker first.
Jeff Explains...
The Epcyclopedia is is not a book to help guide you through EPCOT; it's an intense history lesson about everything in that park, divided into chapters, one for each attraction and pavilion. The first two-thirds of the book covers Future World, past and present, while the final third is about the World Showcase.
Each section on Future World deals with its various subjects quite well. Pedersen provides a fairly in-depth history about each pavilion, including a scene-by-scene breakdown of almost all of the attractions. Based on intense research and various blueprints and construction plans for each ride, Pedersen takes us through each attraction as a sort of written ride-through, commenting on each scene and offering historical facts and trivia.
Where applicable, multiple ride descriptions are provided for the various updates and upgrades done over the years. This proves true also for such famous 'lost attractions' such as Horizons and World of Motion. There is a heavy dose of nostalgia in the book, and the author has a clear love for the EPCOT of yesteryear, which is not a surprise considering the amount of time and detail he spends on the various attractions.
The sections on the World Showcase are very similar to those of Future World, though truncated. I would have liked to have seen a little more details in the World Showcase chapters, as it is my favorite part of the park. These chapters, unfortunately, are significantly shorter than the Future World chapters, and some are only two or three pages long, not really long enough to provide more than an overview of the pavilion.
I'm not sure if the information just wasn't readily available or not as heavily researched as the sections on Future World. However, Pederson does his best to give a bit of history for each pavilion, including a recount of the trials and tribulations of their creation.
Jeff Cautions...
I mentioned that calling itself an encyclopedia was a good selling point, but it can also be a bit of a downer. At certain points, the book reads like an encyclopedia. Some of the information presented is a bit heavy, and may only appeal to hardcore EPCOT historians.
Unlike other books on the history of the parks, this is not presented as a story, but more as a fact book. Casual Disney fans looking for a breezy read may be a bit put off, but Disney aficionados will appreciate the attention to detail.
A major nitpick I had is not with the information presented, but is one that applies to a lot of self published books. There were quite a few spelling and grammatical errors, some of which made me have to go back and re-read sentences before I understood what was being said. The book would have benefited greatly from having a second set of eyes, or an editor, give it a once over. When the information being presented is this fact-heavy, spelling and grammatical errors make it harder to read and understand. It shouldn't put you off from reading it, though, as the information it contains is worth the effort.
Jeff Concludes...
Overall, I definitely recommend the book. Though it's not without its flaws, it is still a good read for those looking to learn more about what EPCOT used to be and currently is. Again, while it may not be the best for the casual fan, if you're reading this website, chances are you will enjoy the book and the information presented.
Review originally posted at http://www.disneydispatch.com/content...
October 6, 2011
A good and informative look at Epcot. If you're a fan of Disney World and Epcot, you will likely enjoy this. It reveals lots of details and information about the park and its attractions that many visitors (even frequent visitors) are probably not aware of.
The author's bias shows prominently in some chapters. For example, his chapter on "Horizons" goes into extensive (almost excruciating) detail about the attraction, while other attractions get a quick cursory description. That may be due to the amount of information that's available about the attractions, but it seemed to me that it was more to do with the author's personal tastes. (Note that there's absolutely nothing wrong about this, but it does result in a somewhat uneven picture of the park).
I would have liked to have seen an overview of each major portion of the park (Future World and World Showcase) that explained the original design intent of each and how the development of each either held up or abandoned that intent over time (and I think the author would definitely have an opinion on this). The book would have benefited from some additional editorial work, as there are several odd (or grammatically incorrect) sentences throughout the book, and slight changes in the organization of the content would probably help the book flow better.
These comments aside, I enjoyed this book, and would like to eventually add a physical copy of this to my collection of Disney books.
The author's bias shows prominently in some chapters. For example, his chapter on "Horizons" goes into extensive (almost excruciating) detail about the attraction, while other attractions get a quick cursory description. That may be due to the amount of information that's available about the attractions, but it seemed to me that it was more to do with the author's personal tastes. (Note that there's absolutely nothing wrong about this, but it does result in a somewhat uneven picture of the park).
I would have liked to have seen an overview of each major portion of the park (Future World and World Showcase) that explained the original design intent of each and how the development of each either held up or abandoned that intent over time (and I think the author would definitely have an opinion on this). The book would have benefited from some additional editorial work, as there are several odd (or grammatically incorrect) sentences throughout the book, and slight changes in the organization of the content would probably help the book flow better.
These comments aside, I enjoyed this book, and would like to eventually add a physical copy of this to my collection of Disney books.
December 27, 2012
An enjoyable trip down memory lane, especially for those of us who had the opportunity to see Epcot during its glory days. But this book is perhaps better suited for readers newer to the park, wondering how things have gotten to be the way they are. I very much appreciated the conversational tone of Pederson's writing. Reading felt a bit like reminiscing with a friend about the good old days. It was that quality that was was lacking from Walt and the Promise of Progress City.
However, as other reviewers have pointed out, there is an abundance of typos in this book - enough to make one question if there was even a proof reader. Also, I would have preferred the book include less description of the park in its past and current configurations, and more commentary, behind-the-scenes info, etc. While the descriptions are good for jogging one's memory about how things used to be, I was really hoping for some insight into what made Epcot so special when it opened and why it has faltered in the past decade.
For those with nostalgia for Epcot's early days, I highly recommend you check out Martin's tribute videos on some of its extinct attractions. Also, for a Horizon's fans, Mesa Verde Times is an absolute must.
However, as other reviewers have pointed out, there is an abundance of typos in this book - enough to make one question if there was even a proof reader. Also, I would have preferred the book include less description of the park in its past and current configurations, and more commentary, behind-the-scenes info, etc. While the descriptions are good for jogging one's memory about how things used to be, I was really hoping for some insight into what made Epcot so special when it opened and why it has faltered in the past decade.
For those with nostalgia for Epcot's early days, I highly recommend you check out Martin's tribute videos on some of its extinct attractions. Also, for a Horizon's fans, Mesa Verde Times is an absolute must.
March 30, 2014
Watch out for the copious amounts of grammar errors in this one! This is what happens when you self-publish a book with little outside help. Pederson got particularly lazy towards the end. That said, I need to quit reading things with "Encyclopedia" in the title and thinking that they will be interesting. This book spells out every... little... detail... of Epcot. Which is great, but it's not really the juicy factoids you are hoping for. It's more how each ride works at Epcot, and each past and present incarnation of each ride (and pavilion of World Showcase). Come to think of it, I was going to write a Disney-related book, and you're not supposed to give away the trade secrets of how the rides work (even if it is an old incarnation of the ride, I would presume). Anyway, that's on Pederson. This book took me longer than I would have hoped to get through, so I am happy to be done. Epcot is actually my least favorite park, but in my overzealous excitement at heading to Disney I scooped up every Disney-related book I could find. I'm happy to move on to more interesting things. Suffice it to say: If you reallyyyyy love Epcot, you will surely find something to like about this book. Otherwise it will read like a rather clinical examination of Walt's greatest dream. The imagination ain't found here.
February 7, 2017
Solid 4 stars
Great history of Epcot and the rides and attractions of the past. Well edited and presented, will read again before my next journey to Epcot. I will also look for any other WDW books from the author.
The reason it's not a five-star book is that it really needs diagrams, photos, and illustrations. I couldn't quite follow in some areas where the author was referring to (and I've been to Epcot yearly for the past four years, plus 3 trips between 1986-2000). At least give a general overview of the entire park with the names (past and present) on it so the reader can visualize where the past attractions were.
If the author updates the book, I will certainly check it out.
Great history of Epcot and the rides and attractions of the past. Well edited and presented, will read again before my next journey to Epcot. I will also look for any other WDW books from the author.
The reason it's not a five-star book is that it really needs diagrams, photos, and illustrations. I couldn't quite follow in some areas where the author was referring to (and I've been to Epcot yearly for the past four years, plus 3 trips between 1986-2000). At least give a general overview of the entire park with the names (past and present) on it so the reader can visualize where the past attractions were.
If the author updates the book, I will certainly check it out.
February 1, 2015
As a huge fan of EPCOT I was really looking forward to reading this book. I was a little worried it would read more like a text book but instead it was fun and fast moving and very interesting. I already knew a lot of the information but I did learn a lot, especially on how EPCOT was "supposed" to be when it was designed and first built and how things ended up and changed over the years. The chapter on Horizons was the best part, that ride was always a favorite of mine. I highly recommend for anyone who is a Disney fan! s
One thing I felt was missing was some of the entertainment over the years such as the Tapestry of Nations/Tapestry of Dreams Parade. Also I remember as a child seeing daytime entertainment on the water in World Showcase, I would have liked to hear more about that.
One thing I felt was missing was some of the entertainment over the years such as the Tapestry of Nations/Tapestry of Dreams Parade. Also I remember as a child seeing daytime entertainment on the water in World Showcase, I would have liked to hear more about that.
March 10, 2016
Very informative and exactly what I was looking for! I did learn a lot of things that I didn't know about my favorite place on earth. I've seen some complaints about this read being dry, but it's marketed as a fact book and that's what it is. I wish the writer had a few more details. Yes, it was detail laden, but there were several instances where he simply passed things by saying, "no one knows." Obviously wouldn't read again (once you've read it, you pretty much know what's there), but I wish there were more out there like it.
October 26, 2012
I love Disney, and in particular I love Disney reference books. This book goes into detail about each EPCOT Pavillion, and tells what was originally there and what came after. My complaint is that the World Showcase was glossed over, and in addition, I felt like there wasn't enough emphasis on dining, which is such an integral part of EPCOT. I do know there is a new edition of this, which I have not purchased, so hopefully that was corrected. Still, a great read for Disney fans!
June 19, 2013
A little more trivia book than actual exploration, Pedersen's brief guide is heavy on minutiae (you'll find out how many feet of track each ride is) and light on the process, inside history and context for the world's most ambitious theme park. Still, if you're a fan of EPCOT, you'll enjoy the trip.
February 12, 2014
Amazing and well-written book about what has become my favorite Disney park...Epcot...
Exhaustive and well-researched, this book provides incredible levels of insight into a park where there is certainly more to know than meets the eye.
My favorite chapter is easily the one on the long-gone but never-forgotten Horizons.
This book is a must for any Disney parks afficianado.
Exhaustive and well-researched, this book provides incredible levels of insight into a park where there is certainly more to know than meets the eye.
My favorite chapter is easily the one on the long-gone but never-forgotten Horizons.
This book is a must for any Disney parks afficianado.
June 30, 2014
To say I'm obsessed with this book would be an understatement. An incredible history of my favorite Walt Disney World theme park, complete with some tongue in cheek humor. However, I would say you have to be really, really hardcore to enjoy reading the statistics about acreage and the like... which I am.
January 15, 2015
I'm an EPCOT Center addict.
It's offical.
Decent books, included something's I didn't know about. Some major grammar errors scattered about. Also it literally ends at one point. I kept trying to continue to the next page and was greatest by the Kindle-eating screen before I realized that it was over.
If I had paid more than 3 bucks I would have been more bothered by it.
It's offical.
Decent books, included something's I didn't know about. Some major grammar errors scattered about. Also it literally ends at one point. I kept trying to continue to the next page and was greatest by the Kindle-eating screen before I realized that it was over.
If I had paid more than 3 bucks I would have been more bothered by it.
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December 8, 2014
EPCOT is my all-time favorite park in Walt Disney World, so of course I loved this book. Some great information, including what the rides used to be like before renovations (I really miss Food Rocks! sigh..).
It would have been a five star book, but it needs a bit more editing - especially near the end. Grammar mistakes and misspellings occur throughout the book.
It would have been a five star book, but it needs a bit more editing - especially near the end. Grammar mistakes and misspellings occur throughout the book.
May 26, 2014
Top notch
this was a very neat look at Epcot. I've been a disney fan for years and still found things I didn't know. the attraction scripts could be long for some but for me it was great to see the
again and reminisce.
this was a very neat look at Epcot. I've been a disney fan for years and still found things I didn't know. the attraction scripts could be long for some but for me it was great to see the
again and reminisce.
September 5, 2011
I am a Disney Geek, so I really enjoyed the in-depth look at each pavilion. I have read a lot of books about the parks, I actually learned quite a few things that I have never read or knew before.
April 30, 2012
A great book for any EPCOT Center fan.
July 30, 2012
Great, fast read for nerds like me.
August 18, 2012
Well done, but it needed more about the world showcase. He gave A LOT of info on the other pavilions and Future World, and then ran out of things to say!
April 16, 2013
A very interesting book. I felt there was something lacking while reading it. Perhaps it was that the judgements often seemed harsh or overly negative. But it was close to being a 5 star
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews