SorcererMickey
November 29th, 2004, 20:46
Russian park dating to '30s evokes Epcot
Published November 29, 2004
The recent headline caught my eye instantly: "Disney did not steal Epcot idea, court says."
And the story beneath it explained that an Orlando federal judge had dismissed a two-year-old case claiming that the Disney park concept was taken from a Hawaiian artist in the 1960s.
Presumably, the judge had good reason to rule that the plans were not "strikingly similar" to Disney's Epcot, which opened in 1982 as a prototype of tomorrow.
However, it is similar -- one might be tempted to say almost identical -- to another theme park halfway around the world.
That park is also a series of grand pavilions, 80 in all, and built around a lake to showcase the world of tomorrow. In addition to new inventions, technology and science, it offers cultural exhibits and features food from exotic parts of the world.
It is ringed with gaudy, high-rise hotels to handle the flood of tourists it has generated.
Only this park, Moscow's Exhibition of the People's Economic Achievements, opened in 1938.
But few in this country have heard about it. Until a decade or so ago, this massive Russian theme park on the northern end of Moscow was largely off-limits to most Americans.
I spent an afternoon at the park a couple of years ago and was amazed at the similarities to Disney's Epcot. If it hadn't been built first, I would have sworn it was a copycat theme park.
There is a large silvery lake and an imposing fountain in the center. Surrounding it all are huge trade pavilions representing the individual republics that make up the old USSR -- the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics -- as well as the regions of Mother Russia.
Places such as Ukraine, Tatarstan, Kazakhstan, Georgia and Uzbekistan erected gaudy centerpieces to show off their cultural and scientific feats.
It was where much of the world first went to be awed by such innovations as frost-free refrigerators, automatic washing machines and televisions.
Of course, those fancy consumer goods would remain unobtainable for most Soviet families. But, like Epcot, the park fired the imagination.
A wonderland that ranged from exotic fur to leather goods to the Space Obelisk, the Moscow exhibit was everything Epcot is in this country.
There are still carnival rides adjacent to the lavish exhibition, a Ferris wheel that provides dramatic views overlooking Moscow and a miniature train to ride around the park grounds.
With the breakup of the Soviet Union, however, the Stalinist showpiece has fallen onto hard times. Some of the pavilions are empty, and others have been turned into tawdry showrooms for ordinary consumer goods.
It still draws Russian crowds, largely on its reputation and history.
I went into one grand pavilion that now is sadly divided into smaller sections, one of which advertises itself as a cat museum. It contained a dozen or so felines living in small cages placed on cardboard tables.
As dreary as the park looks, you can easily see what it once was.
And in another 50 years Disney's Epcot may be just as removed from its glory days.
I can accept the judge's ruling that the Hawaiian theme park was not the model for Epcot. And even though Joseph Stalin's grandiose design is uncannily similar to Epcot, Disney officials shouldn't have to worry. Stalin's heirs are not likely to take them to court.
Source: http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/lake/orl-lklmud29a112904nov29,1,2534184.column
Published November 29, 2004
The recent headline caught my eye instantly: "Disney did not steal Epcot idea, court says."
And the story beneath it explained that an Orlando federal judge had dismissed a two-year-old case claiming that the Disney park concept was taken from a Hawaiian artist in the 1960s.
Presumably, the judge had good reason to rule that the plans were not "strikingly similar" to Disney's Epcot, which opened in 1982 as a prototype of tomorrow.
However, it is similar -- one might be tempted to say almost identical -- to another theme park halfway around the world.
That park is also a series of grand pavilions, 80 in all, and built around a lake to showcase the world of tomorrow. In addition to new inventions, technology and science, it offers cultural exhibits and features food from exotic parts of the world.
It is ringed with gaudy, high-rise hotels to handle the flood of tourists it has generated.
Only this park, Moscow's Exhibition of the People's Economic Achievements, opened in 1938.
But few in this country have heard about it. Until a decade or so ago, this massive Russian theme park on the northern end of Moscow was largely off-limits to most Americans.
I spent an afternoon at the park a couple of years ago and was amazed at the similarities to Disney's Epcot. If it hadn't been built first, I would have sworn it was a copycat theme park.
There is a large silvery lake and an imposing fountain in the center. Surrounding it all are huge trade pavilions representing the individual republics that make up the old USSR -- the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics -- as well as the regions of Mother Russia.
Places such as Ukraine, Tatarstan, Kazakhstan, Georgia and Uzbekistan erected gaudy centerpieces to show off their cultural and scientific feats.
It was where much of the world first went to be awed by such innovations as frost-free refrigerators, automatic washing machines and televisions.
Of course, those fancy consumer goods would remain unobtainable for most Soviet families. But, like Epcot, the park fired the imagination.
A wonderland that ranged from exotic fur to leather goods to the Space Obelisk, the Moscow exhibit was everything Epcot is in this country.
There are still carnival rides adjacent to the lavish exhibition, a Ferris wheel that provides dramatic views overlooking Moscow and a miniature train to ride around the park grounds.
With the breakup of the Soviet Union, however, the Stalinist showpiece has fallen onto hard times. Some of the pavilions are empty, and others have been turned into tawdry showrooms for ordinary consumer goods.
It still draws Russian crowds, largely on its reputation and history.
I went into one grand pavilion that now is sadly divided into smaller sections, one of which advertises itself as a cat museum. It contained a dozen or so felines living in small cages placed on cardboard tables.
As dreary as the park looks, you can easily see what it once was.
And in another 50 years Disney's Epcot may be just as removed from its glory days.
I can accept the judge's ruling that the Hawaiian theme park was not the model for Epcot. And even though Joseph Stalin's grandiose design is uncannily similar to Epcot, Disney officials shouldn't have to worry. Stalin's heirs are not likely to take them to court.
Source: http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/lake/orl-lklmud29a112904nov29,1,2534184.column