Attending a screening of 'Iron Man 2' on opening weekend, my inner Epcot fanchild could not have been more pleased. The film makes multiple references to my favorite Disney World park.
Tony Stark uncovers footage his father Howard left behind to help him unlock the secrets of his inventions. In this vintage footage, Howard speaks about the City of Tomorrow and stands in a suit and tie in front of the model of his futuristic city. He bears a striking resemblance to Walt Disney himself discussing his blueprint of his vision of the "Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow" (EPCOT). They even bear a similar mustache.
If you look at the actual model of the fictional city in the film, it bears an extreme resemblance to the actual early models built for Epcot right down to the placement and specific buildings, namely of Future World. As you can see in the film, Howard Stark's future city is ultimately built, as seen below Iron Man as he flies through the sky, including a flight between a metal globe that bears a similarity to the globe that travels through the middle of World Showcase Lagoon for the IllumiNations fireworks extravaganza.
Once Tony Stark uncovers the key to Howard Stark's vision, his electronic blueprints expand in mid-air into a perfect geodesic sphere that is Spaceship Earth, the iconic centerpiece of Epcot.
Clearly, Disney's $4 billion Marvel Comics investment has its perks.
