FIGMENTS OF MY
IMAGINEERING :
World Showcase Potential
BY BRIAN COLLINS
One of the things I enjoyed
about working for Disney was the diversity found among our Cast Members . During the time that I was there , and into the present , the theme parks have always tried to offer a crossrepresentation of different cultures .
As time progresses , some of these portrayals have no doubt become dated due to changing cultural perceptions , but as Imagineers telling a story , we have always tried to do our best to represent a variety of cultures and respect those being represented within the accepted context of the times .
Back in the late ’ 80s and early ’ 90s , there were some serious discussions about adding a Soviet Union ( USSR ) showcase to EPCOT . It would have featured beautiful architecture and an attraction based on an old Russian fable , Ivan and the Magic Carp . Upon entering one of the main buildings in the showcase , guests would be greeted by a large mural featuring several of the Soviet Union ’ s notable leaders throughout history : Peter the Great , Lenin , Stalin , etc .
Taking a prominent spot in the collage would have been the current leader of the Republic , but alas , during the time that the Showcase was being conceptualized , the USSR was undergoing its transformation and breaking apart into separate states . As this was happening , the leadership was constantly changing too — so the Imagineers designing the mural had to constantly rework the image , painting in … or out … the likes of Brezhnev , Andropov , Chernenko , and Gorbachev , all of whom rose to power but were then subsequently replaced within the span of a few short years . Ultimately , the USSR did collapse — and that was the end of that showcase .
NEXT PAGE : Promotional poster for EPCOT circa 1980 . PHOTO BY ERNIE CARR