|
American
Adventure pavilion
Home to the American Adventure show & the America
Gardens Theatre, that features live entertainment.
From the late 1790s to around 1830, American public
architecture was designed from a mixture of styles, including English
Georgian -- developed during the reign of King George III --which
captured the spirit of the American Revolution. The American Adventure
combines Georgian-style classic buildings in what is intended as
a people’s mansion and includes examples from Williamsburg, Independence
Hall, the Old State House in Boston and Thomas Jefferson’s home,
Monticello.
As the host country, The American Adventure pavilion is constructed
on higher ground and located in the center of World Showcase. This
pavilion is by far the most formal, with its soldier-like rows of
magnolias, boxed hedges and precisely planted annuals.
Designed after the old colonial-style architecture and landscapes,
this pavilion features a predominant color scheme of red, white
and blue flowers. The sycamore trees in the America Gardens Theatre
are pleached -- that is, their branches interlace, creating a living
ceiling over the area. Two large oak trees in front of the building
have an interesting history. They were originally planted on Hotel
Plaza Boulevard near Downtown Disney in the late 1960s, but later
were relocated here to grace The American Adventure when Epcot opened
in 1982.
Dining
Serving the only American food in World Showcase, the Liberty Inn's
bill of fare represents cooking at its simplest -- hamburgers, hot
dogs, chicken strips, french fries and, of course, Coca-Cola.
The American Adventure
The American Adventure, the flagship pavilion of Epcot
World Showcase, celebrates the spirit of America's history and diversity.
The pavilion is home to the American Adventure show, housed inside
a 108,000-square-foot Georgian-style mansion.
In the dramatic 29-minute presentation, one of the most elaborate
ever created using Audio-Animatronics® figures, hosts Benjamin
Franklin and Mark Twain take guests on a journey into the birth
of a new nation and the resulting spirit of its creation.
Through the magic of Audio-Animatronics and an innovative combination
of film and special effects, the show features such "performers"
as Thomas Jefferson, Frederick Douglass, Susan B. Anthony, Alexander
Graham Bell, Teddy Roosevelt, Charles Lindbergh, John F. Kennedy
and Martin Luther King Jr.
Disney "stage directors" have drawn reactions and movements
from the Audio-Animatronics actors never before accomplished. "With
live acting, the essence of a message may be caught in a moment;
two actors making eye contact, or a subtle move of the body,"
said figure animator Dave Feiten. "In the Valley Forge scene,
for instance, two Audio-Animatronics figures are hunched over against
a chilling wind. As they converse, one of the soldiers takes just
a split second to raise his head and look at his fellow compatriot.
These are things that aren't in the script but they give the figure
that extra feeling of life."
Research for the American Adventure show began almost three years
prior to its 1982 premiere. Careful attention was given to ensure
that the presentation is historically accurate, according to researcher
Melissa Rhone.
For instance, in a scene depicting the Great Depression, pages
of quotes from Will Rogers were gathered by Walt Disney Imagineers
to incorporate into the scene. In order to duplicate the advertisements
of the Depression era, architectural magazines were scanned. Music
logs were searched to find an appropriate song for the banjo player
on the porch -- "Brother Can You Spare a Dime?" In addition
to obtaining Franklin D. Roosevelt's 1933 inaugural speech, Imagineers
wrote to the Library of Congress for a copy of his unusual presidential
seal to duplicate for his podium.
The show is held in a 1,024-seat theater complete with rich, Corinthian-style
details: chandeliers, archways, columns, elegant fabrics and paneling.
The theater includes the Spirits of America, twelve "marble"
statues lining both sides of the theater, representing such American
qualities as heritage, innovation, knowledge, pioneering, discovery
and freedom.
In 1993, the show was updated to include a new generation of Audio-Animatronics
figures, re-recorded audio tracks and a dramatic new ending sequence.
The new "Golden Dreams" ending sequence encompasses events
from 1945 through the present. Notable new additions include Ryan
White, the young hemophiliac who succumbed to AIDS after a courageous
battle with the disease, Muppet creator Jim Henson and basketball
star Earvin "Magic" Johnson.
Other American Adventure pavilion entertainment highlights: The
Voices of Liberty a cappella singers; and America Gardens Theatre,
a 1,800-seat outdoor theater used as a venue for special shows,
guest performances and music series.
Type - show
When to go - go anytime
Duration - 30 mins
Restrictions
Guests may remain in wheelchairs or ECVs to experience the attraction.
Facts/History
The Colonial-style mansion is an example of forced perspective in
reverse. The high windows and oversize doors make the five-story
building appear as though it's only three stories tall. The idea
is to make it look more dramatic from a distance.
The audio-animatronic characters in the show have wigs made from
real hair.
More Behind the Scenes facts
Hidden Mickeys
In the lobby, go to the painting of the wagon train heading west,
and look closely above the front leg of the foremost oxen.
Rating - 4
Lyrics
Golden Dream
What do you think about this attraction? Do you
have any tips or comments? Fill in the attraction
review form.
|
