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| You are here: INTERCOT > EDC Gateway > Millennium Celebration > Millennium Village | ||||||
2000
Epcot 2000 Millennium Village IllumiNations 2000: Reflections of Earth Millennium Celebration Construction |
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| You are here: INTERCOT > EDC Gateway > Millennium Celebration > Millennium Village | ||||||
2000
Epcot 2000 Millennium Village IllumiNations 2000: Reflections of Earth Millennium Celebration Construction |
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Ascending
the stairs or elevator, we see the top of the three-sided
column that welcomed us to Sweden moments before.
The words and phrases "spring," "the
first warmth of the sun," "mud and slush,"
"the thaw," and "picnic" are printed
in varying sizes across the three panels of the column.
A monitor displays more moving images of the season.
The exterior of spring's egg is cast in a glow of
green light. Inside, rain drips from the green ceiling.
A transparent umbrella sits upside down atop a column
in the center of the room. The rain from the ceiling
collects in the pool formed by the umbrella while
a fountain of water sprays from the handle of the
umbrella. The sides of the egg are adorned with relief
sculptures of trees, leaves, flowers, and roots. A
bird rests in its nest high up on the left side of
the egg while butterflies are attached to the wall
a few feet lower. Four large upside down opaque umbrellas
and two smaller ones hang from the ceiling forming
planters. Spilling over the sides are flowers and
vines from real plants. The sounds of birds chirping,
thunder, and a dog barking are heard. The ground is
made up of squishy rubber bark mulch. The temperature
inside Spring is slightly warmer than the room temperature
of Millennium Village.
Entering the greenhouse
egg of Summer, a sign greets us hanging from the door
and another posted on the large planter in the middle
of the room. Both signs identify the greenhouse as
that of Carl von Linne, a Swedish native who is credited
as the father of taxonomy. To both sides of the entrance,
sitting atop the small shelves formed by the sides
of the greenhouse are hand drawn images of butterflies,
frogs, insects, and owls as well as some tools such
as pots, baskets, a glove, a glass bottle, a candle
holder, and pail.. One of the images is that of a
Swedish plant named for Carl von Linne. Potted plants
including ferns are located along the second half
of both sides of the greenhouse. The center of the
egg is full of plants, flowers, and small trees all
surrounded by a red wooden fence. Above this, a series
of wooden beams holds pots of plants that seem to
fill the entire top of the greenhouse.
Exiting
the greenhouse onto the catwalk and looking through
the windows on the right give a glimpse of the show
going on in the World ShowPlace. A column to the left
of the catwalk alerts us that we are entering Autumn.
The column has pictures of leaves creating the background
with the words "autumn," "rain,"
"mud," "wind," "sauna,"
"damp moss," "dark mornings,"
"pine needles," "falling leaves,"
"gloves and scarf," "hunters,"
and "berry picking" written on it. This
egg is turned on its side so that we walk through
the longest part of it. Transparent orangey/yellow
plastic creates the sides of the egg and looks kind
of like a beehive. The shapes of leaves are projected
by lights onto the plastic and continually swirl around.
The catwalk is totally enclosed with a fencing that
allows 5 fans to blow air up through the base of the
catwalk on us and through our hair as we walk through.
Leaves attached to the outside of the fencing blow
in the wind. The only sounds heard in here are those
of the wind.
Following
the catwalk around to the right, a column reads "winter,"
"advent," "snow," "shorter
days," "candles," "icicle,"
"cross-country skis," "christmas tree,"
"reindeer," "snow covered trees,"
and "skiing." This white egg glistens in
the bask of the blue lighting cast upon it. Snowflakes
are projected onto the egg and twirl around. Entering
winter requires slipping through clear plastic curtain-like
dividers that have a pattern of blue and purple wind
swirls. These keep the cold winter air inside the
egg. In the center of the egg is a melting iced snow
man complete with a top hat on his head. His black
button eyes, carrot nose, scarf, and wooden branch
arms have fallen off and are attached to the base
on which the snow man sits. A green garland surrounds
where the snow man meets the base. Guests can touch
the icy snow man getting their hands cold and moist.
Exiting
through more plastic dividers, we can get a view of
The Gift of Cuisine food area to the right and Inspired
by Israel and the Gifts from the World shop in front
of us. Taking a left down the stairs, we reach the
end of the gray wall of pictures of Swedish people.
Underneath all of the eggs is a swirling bench with
56 comfortable seatbacks and cushions made by Swedish
designers. Between and below Summer and Autumn is
a rocking chair and table. A lamp sits atop the table
with a little sign next to it listing the high and
low temperatures for that day in Stockholm. Also on
the table are a family of dolls dressed in traditional
Swedish clothing, the Swedish flag, and "A Scent
of Sweden" book. A large map behind the table
and chair shows the country, the location of a few
cities, and is labeled "Four Seasons of Sweden."
Surrounding the country are illustrations of a girl
playing tennis, a boy playing hockey, a girl skiing,
and a boy playing soccer.
