EPCOT: Walt Disney’s City of the Future – Dreams of Future Past, Episode 1

Welcome to Dreams of Future Past, a walking tour of “the future of the past.”

Throughout history, people have imagined what the future might look like — sometimes in bold visions, sometimes in whimsical predictions. Dreams of a Future Past is a podcast that explores how humanity has dreamed of the future through movies, technology, philosophy, and design.

With an upbeat, conversational tone, the show will dive into iconic retro-futurist moments — from concept cars and world’s fairs, to sci-fi films and technology — and ask: what came true, what never did, and why? Along the way, listeners will discover the stories of inventors, businesspeople, and dreamers who helped shape our imagination of tomorrow.

Join McKay, Greg and Ian as they geek out over the future. What once was thought possible, and getting inspired by what might still be to come...

Episode 1: EPCOT – Walt Disney’s City of the Future

What if Disney had built not a theme park, but an actual city? That was Walt’s original plan for EPCOT—the Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow. Far more than rides and pavilions, it was a bold vision for a utopian city where futuristic transportation, corporate partnerships, and cutting-edge design would shape daily life.

In this episode, we paint a picture of Walt’s vision, place it in the larger “cities of the future” movement, and explore what it got right, what it missed, and why people are still trying to build EPCOT-style communities today.

What It Got Right

• Transit Innovation: Monorails, PeopleMovers, and underground service tunnels—Walt’s plan eliminated cars in the city core.
• Influence on Design: Elements of EPCOT’s blueprint shaped Disney’s theme parks and even inspired planned communities like Celebration, Florida.
• Global Echoes: Today’s mega-projects like Dubai’s Palm Jumeirah or Saudi Arabia’s “The Line” echo Disney’s vision of master-planned futures.

What It Missed

• The Utopian Dream: Perfectly planned lives under benevolent corporate guidance proved unrealistic.
• Funding & Leadership: Without Walt, investors weren’t willing to bet on such an experimental city.
• Design Complexities: Radial layouts and underground transport made the plan too difficult to execute at scale.

Lasting Impact

• EPCOT Center repurposed the name into a permanent world’s fair-style park.
• Walt’s vision still inspires architects, futurists, and tech giants who dream of building new cities from scratch.
• The legacy shows up every time someone promises a “city of the future”—whether for progress or profit.

Was Walt’s EPCOT a dead-end fantasy—or a destined reality just waiting to happen? Listen in and we’ll rate it, and invite you to decide.

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