The last pavilion to receive one of the iconic logos was the Wonders of Life pavilion.
Wonders of Life
Opening in 1989, this pavilion was the last pavilion to open that would not be replacing an existing pavilion. Its main focuses were life, health, and the human body.
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| Theme Park Tourist |
Looking Back
The gold dome that sits empty for most of the year between Universe of Energy and Mission: SPACE once housed several attractions that informed and entertained guests about the human body. Body Wars was a motion simulator in which guests joined Dr. Cynthia Lair in her exploration of the human body via a body probe ship called Bravo 229. Guests followed Dr. Lair as she observed how the body reacted to a splinter. Body Wars was also the first attraction at Epcot to have a height requirement.
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| Yesterland |
Cranium Command was a show which featured Cranium Commando recruit Buzzy, voiced by Corey Burton. The show was hosted in a tiered theater and was made to look like the inside of a mechanical brain as Buzzy tried to navigate a 12-year-old boy through a typical day. According to Lost Epcot, many of the voice actors for the show were cast members of Saturday Night Live: Jon Lovitz as the right brain, Charles Grodin as the left brain, Dana Carvey as the heart's right ventricle, Kevin Nealson as the heart's left ventricle, George Wendt as the stomach, and Bobcat Goldthwait as the adrenal gland.
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| Yesterland |
The Fitness Fairgrounds section of the Wonders of Life pavilion featured several different attractions in tent-style theatres. There was Goofy About Health, in which various Goofy shorts were played featuring Goofy eating healthy and exercising. The Making of Me was a film about conception and childbirth that was hosted by Martin Short. Other attractions included AnaComical Players, Wondercycles, Coach’s Corner, Met Lifestyle Review, Frontiers in Medicine, and the Sensory Funhouse.
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| Yesterland |
The Wonders of Life pavilion also featured it’s own gift shop and quick service restaurant. Well & Goods, Limited sold Disney-themed sports memorabilia as well as sports hats and shirts. Pure & Simple featured a low-fat menu.
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| Matthew Cooper Photography |
Looking Forward
Wonders of Life was closed in 2004 and over the next three years, the entire place was gutted and any evidence of the original pavilion was gone. Now, Wonders of Life serves as a gift shop and food stand for both the Epcot International Food and Wine Festival and the Epcot Flower and Garden Festival.
I would like to see some major TLC come to the Wonders of Life pavilion. Having worked in the building during the 2013 Food and Wine Festival, I saw it’s unused potential and saw what it could be again. It would be a perfect place for a new attraction or theater that could bring back the original ideas and themes of EPCOT Center. I can only hope they don’t tear this pavilion down.
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| Oh My Disney |
It's time to bring life back to the Wonders of Life pavilion.
Robyn Fleenor is a contributing writer for The Mouse Knows Best Podcast. She is an avid Disney fanatic and would rather be at Walt Disney World eating glazed almonds than anything else. When she isn't working to pay for her next Disney vacation, she likes to binge watch TV shows and fall in love with fictional characters. She can be found tweeting at @rahrah6263.
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