Here is a picture of the back side of Spaceship Earth from 1984. The Fountain of Nations can be seen in the foreground. The bank of windows seen on the back side of Spaceship Earth is where the sponsor VIP Lounge is located. In 1984, AT&T would have been the pavilion sponsor. The VIP Lounge is often referred to as Base 21.
Here is some more information on Base 21 from a few years back:
So … what is Base21? Well, Base21 is a VIP lounge located at Epcot,
presently under the control and operation of the Siemens Corporation. As
many of us known, when Epcot was built, Disney worked in partnership
with certain corporations to fund the costs of building the pavilions
(along with providing the maintenance and upkeep). The Spaceship Earth
pavilion has been sponsored by three different entities; Bell System
(1982-1984), AT&T (1984-2004), and Siemens (2005-Present). During
the 2007-2008 Spaceship Earth renovations, Siemens provided the funding
to create the new ending of Spaceship Earth, and they also decided to
completely transform the old VIP lounge into its current incarnation. The lounge’s main purpose is to play host to employees of
the Siemens Corporation; however, the lounge also works in conjunction
with certain charities. It is by far the most elaborate and probably the
most expensive of the VIP lounges currently at Epcot. The technology is extremely
interactive (and - pure speculation - perhaps a precursor to the
interactive queues that Disney is developing for some of its
attractions).
The Siemens’s website states: “Base21, is the Siemens VIP Center at
Epcot for the exclusive use of Siemens employees, partners and
customers. The state-of-the-art facility serves as a hospitality and
executive briefing center showcasing the company’s story of innovation
and technology.”
The name Base21 is derived from its location and theme. The VIP lounge
is located at the base of Spaceship Earth and Spaceship Earth is
themed upon man‘s voyage into the 21st century. It is possible to see
Base21 from the exterior of Spaceship Earth since its windows look out
toward World Showcase. Simply walk to the main electronic times guide
(by the pin trading kiosk) and turn around. The panel of windows one’s
sees on the Spaceship Earth building is Base21.
Wednesday, July 27, 2016
1984 Epcot Center Italy Pavilion Teatro di Bologna
In the 1980s World Showcase provided a lot of great entertainment for guests. This image is from 1984 and shows a member of the group Teatro di Bologna which was an interactive entertainment offering found in the Italy Pavilion. During the ruffly 15 minute show entitled "The Great Impasta," guests would be selected to play various parts in this improvised comedy show.
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