#worldkey

(from the Big EPCOT Center book)

Rendering of Earth Station and WorldKey Information kiosks

Earth Station & WorldKey Information

WorldKey was a groundbreaking touchscreen digital information system created for EPCOT Center in 1982 by Bell Laboratories and Western Electric. WorldKey stations were featured at Spaceship Earth's Earth Station post-show area and at kiosks throughout the park. Video content highlighting the various pavilions was streamed over fiber optic cable from centrally located videodisc players, and guests could also connect via a live closed-circuit video system to Guest Relations hosts in order to make dining reservations or ask questions. The simple, touch-screen interface seemed sleek and futuristic, and was the first time that most EPCOT Center guests had probably experienced this now-commonplace technology. WorldKey utilized a high-tech combination of laserdisc technology, touchscreen monitors and computers. When making a selection, the laserdisc would 'jump' to another place on the disc, like skipping songs on a vinyl record or CD. The version presented here is the laserdisc played in a complete start-to-finish run (a method which guests would never see) and thus may seem to be a bit disorganized when presented in this manner. Because WorldKey utilized laserdisc technology, it became more difficult to update as EPCOT Center changed and expanded. Eventually, WorldKey's primary home at Earth Station would be removed for the AT&T Global Neighborhood in 1994 and the rest of the system was soon removed with it. Today, WorldKey is fondly remembered by those who experienced EPCOT Center's legendary first decades as an amazing hands-on, look at the technology of the future that is now commonplace in the reality of today.

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