Circle of Life

I recently visited Epcot in Orlando, and while I enjoyed my day there immensely, I couldn't help but especially enjoy a few attractions that made me think of how desperately communities like Bicycle City are needed. Circle of Life, a 20-minute film starring characters from The Lion King, was like BicycleCity.com brought to life. The film stressed the negative effects of transportation and sprawl and encouraged viewers to take an active interest in the environment and to understand and care about how their actions affect the world. The film opens with Timon and Pumbaa damming a river so that they can form a lake around which they plan to build a resort community. Simba then explains all of the reasons their plans aren't so great, including how a community impacts wildlife. They suggest that communities need to be built vertically, rather than horizontally, and that builders need to consider natural habitats as well as transportation. It moved me, perhaps because I was thinking of Bicycle City as I watched, but I hope that it moved everyone else in the room as well. If your future plans include Epcot, don't skip The Land or the Circle of Life, even if they aren't the most famous and glittery attractions in the park.