You may have noticed that a few months back, we transitioned to an all-caps “EPCOT” whenever referring to the park throughout our coverage, be it in photo reports, construction updates, or reviews.
When the new logo was revealed during last year’s D23 Expo, it was prominently featured in all of the park’s new merchandise lines, and subsequently across the construction walls that took over the park’s landscape as part of its ongoing transformation. Now, Disney has confirmed that this logo is more than just typeface––it’s the new name of the park.
Moving forward, the park formerly known as Epcot will be known as “EPCOT”, in all uppercase letters. Many would see this as a return to form for the park, as it was originally known as EPCOT Center when it first opened on October 1, 1982.
The name stood for the acronym Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow, inspired by Walt’s vision for a utopian city of the future. Other park name changes took place in the mid-’90s when the park became Epcot ’94, followed by Epcot ’95, and ultimately just… Epcot.
Currently, the Walt Disney World website still features the old Epcot stylization, but we expect it to transition to the new name over the following months.
Here are some other recent examples of the established new park name in action:
The new logo and park name were featured in this Expression Section postcard for the 2020 Festival of the Arts.
Even as guests enter the park, they’re welcomed by construction walls with the new logo and name.
Over at Walt Disney Imagineering presents the EPCOT Experience, guests can peer into the future of the park (and maybe have a snack to tide them over.)
What do you think of the EPCOT name change? Let us know in the comments.
Featured Image: (C) Matthew Cooper Photography – www.thetimethespace.com
MUST BE A SLOW NEWS DAY
This was the most-read story of the week lol
The lower case makes it look like a word instead of an acronym. I like the uppercase. On 1/19/2020 my daughter and I hit all 4 parks in one day with a sign and I made sure the logo was recent.
I puked in my mouth when Disney promoted the tag-line, “Epcot, the Discovery Park”. That was a sad day as was the mutilation they did to Spaceship Earth with adding the 2000 Sorcerer’s wand. Then that evolved into just Epcot being emblazoned over Spaceship Earth like a cheap t-shirt and that was even worse.
I will always have a fondness for the name EPCOT Center; but I am pleased we’re back to the word EPCOT in caps again. And the fact that they seem to be reverting to the nearly original font and iconography is just icing on the cake. While I don’t agree with all of the changes that are happening at EPCOT, I can support these decisions. It’s just unfortunate that Disney never kept the park’s original expansion vision in place, e.g. a second ring of World Showcase countries and Future World pavilions that truly evolved with the times.
It seems like everything old is new again… the Magic Kingdom’s Tomorrowland seems to be reverting back to the 70’s optimistic future look and EPCOT’s entrance seems to be a carbon copy of the original entrance. Gee, did John Hench and the other original Imagineer’s seem to know what they were doing all along…I guess the proof is in the pudding.
I LOVE EPCOT SO MUCH❤❤❤❤❤❤
I never even knew they went lowercase. It’s always been EPCOT to me. :)
Wis they would go back to calling it EPCOT Center
Epcot Center sounds like a shopping plaza
I’m assuming EPCOT will be spelled out in construction walls, given the current park theming.
I never stopped using all caps. LOL
This is an ok change, unlike the announced catastrophe of ruining Cinderella castle, which I hope will never happen.
I still like to call it EPCOT Center.
A beautiful thing.
They’re not going with ConstructionCOT? Too on the nose?
NO BIG DEAL!
I can see using upper case letters for EPCOT, since Walt said it stood for “Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow”. But the mostly lower case design shown near the top of this article is much more creative looking than the new upper case design.
I’m glad they went back to the all caps.
I personally think the name change makes a lot of sense. EPCOT is my favorite Disney park for the events and festivals that takes place, along with the themeing and the idea of a better tommorow with improving our life styles from technology. Some even like to call it IPCOT to poke fun at how Guardians of the Galaxy and other films takes over the land as EPCOT had original attractions that weren’t based off of the movies by Disney, but honestly as long as the core of EPCOT continues to be in the park for celebrating the cultures of different parts of the world, and the importance of building a better community of tomorrow, I don’t mind if they dress their messages through the use of Star Lord or CoCo.
So this is what you consider a “name change”? Must be a slow news day.
This is now the most read post of the week lol
I wonder what it cost to make all the sign changes? Maybe if they had not spent money on a font change, park pass prices did not need to be raised.
Was always EPCOT to me 😁 Never Should have changed it… glad we are getting it back even without the Center !!!
I always wrote EPCOT anyway
Was just there last week and it looked and felt like EPCOT was the evil step child of Walt Disney World parks. It was like the “hood” of Disney; dirty, no clean sidewalks or bathrooms and the rides that were open needed updating! The countries were lovely, but the rest of the park was a major disappointment.
I honestly never knew it wasn’t an all-caps acronym.
Hmmm…do you think they will change the name of The Magic Kingdom to The Magic Kingdom?
They actually changed it from The Magic Kingdom to Magic Kingdom, seriously
I want that person’s job. :)
Ha! I never stopped capitalizing it. Everything old is new again.
? This is new? It’s an acronym so I’ve always typed it as EPCOT. Guess I’m ahead of the curve then!
To be honest I did not know it changed. I always thought it was EPCOT. I think it is a way to honor Walt because it is what he wanted that park to be.
When we visited EPCOT for the first time in June 1983, we were told by one of the customer relations personnel that Walt’s plans encased the park under a dome where the weather could be controlled year round. As a result, the park was named EPCOT for Environmental Prototype Community of Tomorrow. After Walt’s death, that part of the plans was scrapped due to what it would cost and the acronym was changed to Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow, which really doesn’t make sense. Experimental Prototype of what???
It’s not a name change. Nothing will be different. It’s just Epcot. Absolutely nobody will ever type it all caps besides you guys, and seriously, you shouldn’t either. Just because DISNEY is getting whacked out doesn’t you show follow.
Force the executives to remake it in Walt Disney’s dream…not a theme park
It was a theme park from the first day it opened. I suggest you find a different hobby if you don’t agree with it.
It’s not A NAME change, but ok…
Now we have to yell EPCOT to pronounce it right! lol