The American Adventure

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This article is about the Disney theme park pavilion/attraction. For the album by indie rock band The Electric Soft Parade, see The American Adventure (album). For the former English Midlands attraction, see The American Adventure Theme Park.
The American Adventure
The outer facade of the show building
Epcot
Land World Showcase
Designer WED Enterprises
Attraction type Theater Show
Theme Colonial American town
Opening date 1982-10-01
Hosted by Benjamin Franklin and Mark Twain (animatronic figures)
Music Golden Dream
Ride duration 28:30 minutes
Audio-animatronics 35
Seating Capacity 1024
Handicapped/disabled access Wheelchair accessible
Assistive listening available
Inside The American Adventure preshow area
Inside The American Adventure preshow area

The American Adventure is the host pavilion of the World Showcase within Epcot at the Walt Disney World Resort. It is also the name of the pavilion's main attraction, an Audio-Animatronics stage show of American history.

Contents

[edit] Layout

The pavilion is a single largue building designed in the Colonial style. It contains the American Adventure show and the Hall of Flags exhibit, a display of the different flags throughout U.S. history. It also contains the Liberty Inn restaurant which serves American fare, such as cheeseburgers and hot dogs. There is a small gift shop, Heritage Manor Gifts, selling American items.

[edit] Attractions and services

[edit] Attractions

The American Adventure takes guests on a trip through America's rich 200-plus year history. It is narrated by figures of Benjamin Franklin and Mark Twain. The show is presented in a theater-like auditorium, with sets and characters rising out from the stage floor to represent scenes from different historical periods. The characters provide insight into American life of the past through conversations in which they discuss the current events of their time. Periods include the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, the Centennial International Exhibition of 1876 (representing American industrialization), and the Great Depression. The presentation culminates with a musical film montage representing famous moments and people in American history from post-World War II to the present.

[edit] Changes

In 1993, the attraction was updated with all new animatronics and a new version of the theme song. In mid-2007, about 45 seconds of footage was added to the end of the Golden Dreams montage, the first updating of the montage since the 1993 renovation.

[edit] Soundtrack

[edit] Theme song
 Audio samples:
  • "Golden Dreams"
    A section of the history montage transitioning into the Golden Dreams theme song for the attraction.
  • Problems playing the files? See media help.

The theme song for The American Adventure is "Golden Dream", it was written by Bob Moline in 1980. After the rehab in 1993, the song's vocals were sung by a different man and woman, the chorus after the quotes is longer, and the ending is different.

The original song can be found on these releases:

The updated song can be found on these releases:

[edit] America Gardens Theater

Across from the pavilion is the America Gardens Theatre, an outdoor amphitheater. The America Gardens Theatre hosts concerts, singers, and bands from around the world. Many entertainment acts from around the world perform on this stage.

The America Gardens Theatre has hosted numerous amount of shows since it was built. Over the years some of the more famous shows include Blast! and Barrage. During the park's two major festivals—the International Flower and Garden Festival in the spring, and the International Food and Wine Festival in the fall—musical groups from the 1960's and 1970's perform as part of each festival's concert series ("Flower Power" in the spring, and "Eat to the Beat" in the fall).

In 1999, a revised version of Michael Flatley's Lord of the Dance performed in the theater over the summer. Even though Flatley himself did not perform in the show, its popularity encouraged Epcot to bring the show back in 2000 for another summer run. Originally designed as an open-air theater, partial cover and backstage dressing and show equipment areas were added during a refurbishment that was completed before the inception of the "Magical World of Barbie" stage show.

Characters from recent Disney films such as Pocahontas, Lilo and Stitch, and Toy Story 2 drop by to greet guests.

[edit] Candlelight Processional

During the holiday season, the theater hosts the Candlelight Processional. This show follows in the footsteps of the show first performed in Disneyland in 1958, and which was duplicated at the Magic Kingdom in 1971. The show relocated to the America Gardens Theater in Epcot in 1994. The show includes an orchestra and massed choir that perform traditional holiday songs while a guest celebrity retells the biblical story of Christmas. Some of the celebrities who have taken part in the Processional over the years include John Stamos, Marlee Matlin, Corbin Bleu, Haley Joel Osment and Jim Caviezel. The Candlelight Processional is a major part of Epcot's Holidays Around the World celebration, running from the Friday after Thanksgiving until December 30 each year.

[edit] References

  1. ^ ASCAP ACE database

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

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Epcot attractions
Future World
World Showcase
Mexico • Norway • China • Germany • Italy • The American Adventure • Japan • Morocco • France • United Kingdom • Canada
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