Innoventions opened in Epcot in 1994. It replaced Communicore East and Communicore West in the two buildings leading to each side of Future World behind Spaceship Earth. The purpose of Innoventions was to showcase technology and items for everyday living.
When Innoventions opened it displayed several Sega systems in the West building ( Sega Genesis, Sega Game Gear, Sega 32X, Sega CD, and Sega Pico) arcade style, so guests could try them out. This lasted from 1994-1999.
(image from reddit)
Throughout the years there were several exhibits in both sides. It had two renovations, one in 1999 for the Millennium Celebration, where they added the subtitle “The Road to Tomorrow, and again in 2007-2008, where they dropped the subtitle and made a companion website innoventions.disney.com. Innoventions West closed in 2015 to make space for the Epcot Character Spot expansion.
Here is a look at some of the exhibits over the years.
Innoventions East
Innoventions East is still open today, but only a couple exhibits are running. Here are a list of the exhibits that have taken place over the last 23 years.
Apple Computer (Fall 1994 – January 1998)
Bill Nye – The Science Guy (April 1998 – June 1999)
House of Innoventions, sponsored by Panja and Whirlpool (1999 – October 2009)
This was a guided tour taking guests though a house (open plan sets) with some of the newest gadgets and household devices displayed. The house is broken up into four parts- a kitchen / dining room, a living room/ den, and a boys room / girls room. The final area outside the home was a backyard and garage area.
This area was replaced with the VISION HOUSE, presented by Green Builder Media from (2010-2015)
The new Vision house focused on “living green” and reducing energy consumption. This display wasn’t separated with barricades and allowed families to explore a bit more.
Communications Dream Forum, sponsored by Motorola (October 1995 – May 1, 2003)
The Communications Dream Forum had an animatronic robot greeter named “Starnac.” Later on guests could take part in the “Reality Lab.” Here guests could see new communication products and give their opinions for the Motorola design and engineering groups. There was also an interactive kiosk that allowed guests to design their own communication device and email themselves a copy.
Discover the Stories Behind the Magic (Fall 2001 – Late 2002)
Disney Interactive (Spring 1996 – Late Summer 1997)
Disney’s Internet Zone, sponsored by Disney.com and Compaq (1999 – July 2007)
This area offered computer games. Kids could explore at Mouse House Jr. using terminals around tables. Older people could play a game of virtual tag as a Disney character.
Environmentality Corner (2005-2012)
This area had a focus on environmental preservation with the slogan “Make everyday Earth Day. Guests made paper from recycled items and then they could keep it as a souvenir.
Don’t Waste It!, presented by Waste Management, Inc. (2008 – June 12, 2011)
EPCOT Discovery Center (Fall 1996 – October 3, 1998)
Back when this was Communicore there was a Teacher Resources Center and an area called EPCOT Outreach. These were combined into what was the Epcot Discovery Center.
Family PC (Fall 1995 – June 1999)
Fantastic Plastics Works, sponsored by Society of the Plastics Industry (August 2004 – March 2008)
Learn about different types of plastics and how they are made.
Forests For Our Future, sponsored by TAPPI (1999-2004)
General Electric (July 1994 – June 1999)
General Motors (July 1994 – June 1999)
Hammacher Schlemmer (July 1994 – September 1997)
Habit Heroes, presented by Blue Cross Blue Shield (February 2012 – January 2016)
A Health and wellness exhibit focused on changing bad habits.
Comfortville, presented by Honeywell (July 1, 1994 – Fall 1996)
Look Into the Future (October 1, 1999 – February 19, 2001)
Kidcot (2004-2006)
One of the Kidcot stops was in Innoventions for two years.
Kim Possible World Showcase Adventure (2009-2012)
Magic House Show (July 1994 – Winter 1994)
Masco’s Magic House Tour (July 1994 – Spring 1995)
Mission: SPACE Launch Center, sponsored by Compaq/HP (May 2001 – 2003)
Mr. MIDI (June 1995 – September 1995)
Oracle Corporation’s Information Highway (October 1995 – September 1997)
Web Site Construction Zone, sponsored by GO.com (October 1999 – February 2001)
Opportunity City, sponsored by Disney Online and the Kauffman Foundation (2004 – November 1, 2006)
StormStruck, presented by FLASH (August 2008 – September , 2016)
This was a 3D movie that took guests into a home during a hurricane.
The Sum Of All Thrills, presented by Raytheon (October 14, 2009 – September 14, 2016)
This attraction allowed guest to design their own roller coaster and then take a simulated ride of it.
So many people liked this ride. There was some excitement when people noticed that the sign had been lit up again recently. There is a rumor that this will re-open. Maybe they will since the Universe of Energy is down, but nothing has been confirmed.
Test the Limits Lab, presented by Underwriters Laboratories Inc. (2003-January 6, 2015)
Currently running at Innoventions East are these two attraction. Both have sponsorship until next year, but who knows what will happen after that.
Colortopia, presented by Glidden (November 2015 – 2018)
Colortopia has three zones.
- The Power of Color Theater– explores the psychology of color.
- The Color Lab– Teaches about mixing color with “Color Mix-N Match” and discerning color with “Spinning Spectrums”
- Color Our World – Use a color palette and digital paint brush to “paint.”
Take a Nanooze Break, sponsored by Cornell University and the National Science Foundation (2010-2018)
Here guest can explore the “nanoworld.” Try out some interactive science of nanotechnology displays.
Innoventions West
There are currently no exhibits open in Innoventions West. They took a lot of the area and turned it into the Epcot Character Spot.
- Rockin’ Robots’ sponsored by KUKA Industrial Robots (2005-2010)
This show featured robots creating music and “dancing.”
- The Great Piggy Bank Adventure, sponsored by T. Rowe Price (May 19, 2009 – May 19, 2015)
My kids loved this one so much. This was a fun interactive event where guests could choose their goal and then “earn” money to try and reach their goal. It taught about how money works and ways it can work for you.
- AT&T (1994-1999)
- Aladdin’s Magic Carpet VR Adventure (1996-1997)
- Alec Tronic (1994-1998)
This robot mimicked guests and sand a rap about the American presidents.
- Beautiful Science, sponsored by Monsanto Company (1999-2004)
- Bill Nye – The Science Guy (1994-1997)
- The Broadband Connection, sponsored by AT&T (1999-2001)
- Discover Magazine (1994-1997)
- Eclectronics (1994-1998)
- Enel/Infobyte VR Presentation (1996-1997)
- Inspired by Vision (1998-1999)
- The Great American Farm, sponsored by American Farm Bureau (2005-2008)
This was an interactive exhibit examining farming and food. Crawl through the bug tunnel to see how ants build their underground homes or command a tv dog to sit, beg or speak, using voice commands. Guests could also play the Great American Pizza Game.
(photos from All Ears)
- Knowledge Vortex, sponsored by Xerox (1999-2002)
- Innoventions Pre-Show (1998-1999)
- LEGO Dacta sponsored by Autodesk, inc. (1994-1995)
This was a prototype Lego computer building program. Guest used computer controls to build.
- Look Into the Future (2001-2007)
- IBM (1994-1997)
- IBM: Solutions for a Small Planet (1998-1999)
- IBM Thinkplace (2002-2009)
- Medicine’s New Vision, sponsored by The Radiological Community (1999-2002)
- Sega Genesis, Sega CD, Sega Game Gear, Sega 32X, Sega Pico, Sega Saturn, Dreamcast, sponsored by Sega (1994-1999)
Sega had an arcade-like set up of all their “new” gaming systems.
- Segway Central (2006-2013)
There was a small Segway course where guests could try them out. You had to be 16 or older and weigh less than 250 pounds to give it a try.
- Slap Stick Studios, sponsored by Velcro (2008-2011)
- Silicon Graphics (1995-1997)
- Smarter Planet, presented by IBM (2010-2012)
- Time Warner
- Too Small to See, sponsored by Cornell University (2006-2008)
- Videonics (1994-1997)
- Video Games of Tomorrow, sponsored by Disney Interactive (1999-2001)
- Video Game Playground, sponsored by Disney Interactive (2005 – Summer 2015)
This was basically a wall of gaming system with the current Disney games available to play.
- Walt Disney Imagineering Labs (1994-1995)
- Where’s The Fire?, Presented by Liberty Mutual Insurance (October 2004 – October 2014)
This exhibit was about fire safety. Finding hazards in the home and how to escape in a fire. There was a Play it Safe fire escape maze and a fire truck nearby where guests could get their photo taken and learn about how firetrucks work.
- The Ultimate Home Theater Experience, sponsored by Lutron (June 1999 – August 1999)
- Tom Morrow 2.0’s Playground (2001-2007)
Tom Morrow 2.0 was Innoventions “mascot” from 2000-2007. He would sing and talk about the different exhibits in Innoventions.
- Epcot 25th Anniversary Gallery (2007-2008)
- THINK, presented by IBM (February 20, 2013 – January 1, 2015
What was your favorite Innoventions exhibit? Do you wish they would bring more exhibits back or would you like to see them do something else? Comment and let us know!
Sources: Guide to Disney, Inside the Magic, Appliance Design, Disney Parks, Wikipedia
Image Sources: itec, Mouse Planet, Doctor Disney, Ezra Magazine, All Ears, Terry Dobson, neogaf, reddit, Passporter, Touring Plans, Disney Parks Blog
