Pylons

I think EPCOT is so close to so many of our hearts in part because it was so close to Walt’s heart. As he explained when he started talking publicly about his plans for an Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow in 1966, just months before he passed away, "I happen to be a kind of inquisitive guy and when I see things I don't like, I start thinking why do they have to be like this and how can I improve them."

When Walt died later that year, many people thought that the Florida Project, and his vision to create EPCOT, would die with him. Luckily for the rest of us, he’d built a team around him that didn’t let that happen. Walt Disney World opened in 1971, and even then the marketing materials were talking about plans for Walt’s reimagined city. 

Over the years of its development, EPCOT became something new–a sort of permanent World’s Fair celebrating technological achievement and international culture. When it came time to create its logo, countless ideas were tacked to the walls. But it was designer Norm Inouye who would come up with the five rings, representing information, technology, environment, education, and entertainment, that are still with us today. Marty Sklar worked with him to refine the concept, and the resulting flower logo is still in use more than 40 years later.

In Marty Sklar’s own words: “The Epcot Center logo symbolizes unity, fellowship, and harmony around the world. Five outer rings are linked to form the shape of a flower–a celebration of life. The heart of the logo is the Earth, embraced by a star symbolizing hope–the hope that with imagination, commitment, and dedication, we can create a better tomorrow.”

Cheers to that, Marty.

When the park first opened its gates in October 1982, guests were greeted by a trio of lucite pylons in front of Spaceship Earth, each bearing the new logo design. As a part of the 50th Anniversary Celebration, new pylons–reminiscent of those originals but 16 feet tall and reaching for the sky–were installed to celebrate EPCOT’s past, present, and exciting new future.

Here we turn to a view of them against a clear sky instead of their usual Spaceship Earth backdrop. Viewed this way, stripped of distractions and even color, we’re left with just these sweeping structures that manage somehow both to draw our eyes to the sky and to ground us in our past.

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Canvas (various sizes)

Canvas frames are made of FSC® certified wood or, when not available, PEFC or equivalent.

• 1.6 inch (4 cm) thick frame
• Shipped in protective packaging and strong boxes to ensure no damage during transportation.
• Mounting kit included.

Estimated domestic delivery 5-8 business days.

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Collectible Aluminum Prints (8"x12")

• Crafted from two white aluminum layers and a black polyethylene compound core in between. Highly saturated colors.
• Print is matte and glare-free, with a classic, subtle look.
• Thickness: Approximately 3mm/0.12"
• Hanging kit included.

Estimated domestic delivery 6-9 business days.

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Premium Semi-Gloss Posters (unframed, various sizes)

Heavy-weight (200 gsm/80 lb), premium semi-gloss paper for vibrant images.

• Paper is FSC-certified or has equivalent certifications depending on regional availability—better for the people and the planet.
• Paper sizes may vary slightly by region.
• The 5x7" size is borderless. All other poster print sizes include a white border along the edges of the print.

Estimated domestic delivery 4-7 business days.

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Image cropping may vary a bit due to dimension differences among products.