Innoventions

Innoventions Plaza is located behind Spaceship Earth and is home to two pavilions, Innoventions East and Innoventions West. Each center features unique exhibits focusing on scientific and technological innovations. By using imaginative displays that encourage interaction, there's something for all ages to enjoy.

Get a fun lesson in fire safety as you compete against other Guests through the "most dangerous house in America." Meet your personal investment guide (PIG), who will lead you to your financial goal. Push the limits of everyday products as you test their safety (yes, some slamming, smashing and bashing is involved) or create and experience your very own thrill ride. Around here, a little imagination goes a long way! Where will yours take you?

Exibits

Innoventions is a 2-building pavilion and interactive play space for kids of all ages where you can imagine, invent, inquire and be inspired while exploring amazing innovations that make our lives better.

Innoventions East

Sum of all Thrills Test your imagination by designing a thrill ride using an interactive touch screen that lets you determine height and speed while adding features such as dips and corkscrew turns. Once "built," climb aboard your very own design in the 4-D robotic simulator that uses sight, sound and movement to give you a realistic experience. Guests must meet a minimum height requirement of 48 inches to ride and 54 inches to invert on the ride.

StormStruck Experience what it feels like to be in the perfect storm and discover important ways to protect your home and family in case of severe weather.

Test the Limits Lab Treat yourself to a safety test where you are invited to shatter, drop and impact some of the products you use at home every day. Enjoy a short film hosted by Timon and Pumbaa and learn how to be "safety smart."

Environmentality Corner Learn important information on how you can protect and preserve our environment - learn about papermaking and even make a sample to take home.

Innoventions West

The Great Piggy Bank Adventure Take an exciting learning challenge that incorporates physical and virtual elements to teach everyone in the family the importance of sound financial planning.

Smarter Planet Get a glimpse at how new advances in computer design can significantly reduce our energy use and how technology is utilized to help solve some of the world's most complex problems. Create your own avatar then experience a video game starring - YOU.

Videogame Playground Experience the latest in videogame technology as you compete against your favorite sports teams, challenge a villain to a duel or embark on a one-of-a-kind adventure with some of your favorite Disney Characters.

Where's the Fire? Get your picture taken at the 30-foot pumper truck, become a Fire Chief by answering the most questions at the Burning Questions kiosks, and explore the Play it Safe Maze in this fun exhibit promoting fire safety.

Touring Tips

• Innoventions is one of those overlooked treasures where you can get a break from the Florida heat and crowds. Kids can work off some energy and learn while playing. There are tons of hands-on activities that they'll love to experience. Give it a chance, you'll be glad that you did. It does get busy on occasion, but that's rare.
• Kids will enjoy the interactive computer aspects of Innoventions.
• Innoventions is VERY loud. There are so many interactive areas and there is lots of stimulation!
• Innoventions is a popular place for teens and some in that age group feel its their favorite part of Epcot. Recently some new exhibits are geared more towards families, like "Where the Fire?".
• Innoventions is a good place to head if it starts raining or is very hot. Of course, others will have the same idea but there is so much to look at and interact with that there is enough room for everyone.
• In the evening, be sure to look down at your feet! There are fiber optics in the concrete that light up at night in the immediate area of Innoventions.
• Club Cool is often crowded (especially in hot weather) and navigating in a wheelchair may be difficult.
• In the area behind Club Cool is a hallway featuring large photographs of various inventions by Walt Disney and the Disney Company. Hanging from the ceiling in this hallway are large banners featuring the words "Creation", "Collaboration", "Perspiration", and "Inspiration", values Walt held close in his business ventures. Back in the Communicore days, this area was an exhibit called Expo Robotics, which was later used as Imagineering Labs.

Facts

• Epcot's Innoventions' mascot for 2000-2007 was a small Audio-Animatronic character named Tom Morrow 2.0, the former host of Disney Channel's "Imagineer That!" shorts. He was removed in the 2007-2008 renovation.
• The area music played at Epcot is about 20 minutes long and begins with a musical piece by David Arkenstone entitled "Papillon (On The Wings Of The Butterfly)" from his album In the Wake of the Wind. The rest of the music was composed by Russell Brower for Walt Disney Imagineering and is not commercially available. Brower would then compose the music for the World of Warcraft games.
• Innoventions opened in 1994 in the area formerly known as Communicore. Communicore was the home of Epcot Computer Central and the World Key Information System.
• The Disney Imagineers are masters at taking a few simple elements, such as light, water and sound, and creating beautiful "attractions." Their expertise is obvious in the Innovention Fountain located in Innoventions Plaza in Epcot's Future World. The elaborate display, designed by imagineer Mark Fuller, is based on a 180' x 120' oval. Computer-controlled pumps send 29,000 gallons of water per minute cascading down its tiered walls. More than 108,000 gallons of water swirl throughout the fountain.
• Innoventions received a major update in 1999 in anticipation of the Millennium Celebration. The exhibits continue to change as new vendors come onboard.
• The magical Innovention Courtyard fountain has been part of Epcot since opening day. As part of the opening ceremony for Epcot Center in 1982, various countries from around the world were invited to bring water from their homelands to pour into the fountain as a symbol of peace and community.

Dining

Club Cool is the place to go to cool down and sip a free beverage or two. Sponsored by Coca-Cola, this "exhibit" situated near Innoventions West, offers free samples of soft drinks from around the world, as well as Coca-Cola merchandise.

The Electric Umbrella, located in Innoventions East, serves lunch and dinner. Menu items include burgers, chicken, and salads. Be sure to check out the tables on the second level for a peaceful break away from the crowds.

Fountain View, located in the Innovations West area, is an Edy's Ice Cream Shop serving shakes, floats, scoops and sundaes! There is one flavor of No-Sugar Added Ice Cream. Sit outside to enjoy the Fountain show.

History

Innoventions first opened in 1994 which prominently displayed Sega Genesis, Sega Game Gear, Sega CD, and Sega Pico games in an arcade style. There were some "virtual reality" displays (which was basically more advanced video games at the time). Innoventions in Epcot replaced the original tenant of its two semi-circular buildings, CommuniCore. Epcot's version is divided into two buildings known as Innoventions East and Innoventions West. In 1999, Innoventions had a major renovation for the park's Millennium Celebration, and added the subtitle "The Road to Tomorrow". In 2007-2008 Innoventions underwent another major renovation, dropped the subtitle "Road to Tomorrow,".

Hidden Mickeys

• During the construction of the new Millennium Central I was given the opportunity to create the graphics for the tipboard. The first graphic that was approved was the EPCOT logo with the spinning earth in space.
• At the new infomation center there is a screen that displays times for attractions. The LEDs that make up the big picture. If you look closely they form three circles in the order of a Mickey.