With the highly anticipated release of Greta Gerwig’s Barbie in theaters this weekend, I thought it would be a perfect time to take a trip back to a weird summer in 1994. A summer when Barbie called EPCOT home…
(Photo: DisKingdom.com)
Long before the modern take of Margot Robbie as Barbie, the Mattel creation became EPCOT’s “Ambassador of Friendship” in 1994. In addition to the obvious merchandise tie-ins, Barbie really took over the park with The Magical World of Barbie – a 20 minute show featured at the America Gardens Theater. In fact, it was this show that gave the amphitheater its current covered stage and viewing area.
EPCOT fans will likely know 1994 to be a pivotal year in the park's first evolution from the “super-serious” 1980s. The arrival of Barbie in World Showcase was likely a big part of this, looking to draw in a much younger crowd to the typically adult-skewing park. The Magical World of Barbie featured multiple different Barbies, not too dissimilar to the new film, taking a trip around the world – appropriate for World Showcase.
Sadly, the show didn’t last too long, coming to an end in May 1995, and bringing this short era of Barbie and Disney to a close. However, the stage show wasn’t all that we got from the collaboration. Thanks to the preservation of fans on YouTube, we can still enjoy the wonderfully cheesy, 90s antics of Barbie Birthday Party at Walt Disney World – a 1994 VHS featuring two, somewhat obnoxious, young girls taking us on a tour of EPCOT with a Barbie flair, all in promotion of The Magical World of Barbie. If you can ignore the absolute 90s vibe of it, it does feature a fun look at the EPCOT of old.
Barbie has come a long way in 30 years, as the new film will likely show. But that’s all for now – I’m off to see Barbie!
no obligation quote from MouseFanTravel.com