The Innovention evolution
The pavilion lived up to Epcot’s promise in another way by constantly changing its overall theme and the exhibits. In 1999, as the build to a new millennium began, Disney changed it to “the Road to Tomorrow,” with the robotic guide Tom Morrow 2.0 serving as “host” for some exhibits. That lasted until 2009, when another shift was made to feature different exhibits. Some sponsors would stick around all the way, like IBM, with their computer efforts and General Motors showing off Future Cars, which debuted technology now standard like GPS systems and the like.
Inspired by a rise in museum exhibits, Disney added interactive stuff such as the Test the Limits Lab where folks could slam around items. A major attraction was “The Sum of All Thrills” which gave guests the chance to design their own roller coaster then ride a simulation of it inside a huge rotating “arm” with 4-D tech that would later be used for rides like Flight of Passage. There was also a chance to ride Segeways.
An interesting story is Habit Heroes, originally meant to educate on health by presenting a movie where bad habits like lack of exercise and overeating sweets were presented as villains. That led to a legitimate backlash by health groups who complained this bordered on “body shaming” people. So Disney changed it to heroic figures helping guests find healthier ways to live.
Disney still made some educational exhibits such as StormStruck where Weather Channel reporter Jim Catrone showed how folks could survive deadly storms with simulations of them. There was also a “house” where guests were taught to recognize fire hazards and another on saving money.
As the exhibits came and went, what remained regular was Innoventions being just what folks wanted from Epcot: a place showing off some amazing future tech in a fun presentation and bringing you into a new world. It did imbue the park’s original spirit and even as the 2010s went on, Innoventions was a good place to spend time and enjoy the exhibits.