Introduced in 1999 as part of EPCOT’s Millennium Celebration, Leave a Legacy was a collaboration between Disney and Kodak, designed to give guests a chance to leave a permanent mark on the park. Located just inside the entrance plaza, the installation featured granite monoliths etched with metal tiles bearing guest photos and messages—forming a sprawling visual archive of over 500,000 individual memories.
Guests could purchase tiles in three sizes, with options for single or dual portraits, and select from a variety of background styles. Each tile was engraved using laser etching technology, and was guaranteed to remain on display for at least 10 years. The monoliths, designed by Imagineer John Hench, were intended to evoke a futuristic sculpture garden—though some fans affectionately (or not-so-affectionately) referred to them as “tombstones.”
In 2019, Disney announced a major renovation of EPCOT’s entrance plaza, aiming to restore the area to its original open design and reintroduce the prism fountain. As part of this transformation:
- The Leave a Legacy monoliths were dismantled in phases, beginning in June 2019
- The final tiles were relocated to a new display area just outside the park entrance, along the walkway near the monorail station
The new display features:
- Colorful, modern panels with a vibrant EPCOT-inspired palette
- A QR code guests can scan to locate their tile
- An online tool at epcottilefinder.com
- Assistance available at Guest Relations for those needing help finding their tile
While the original granite monoliths were not preserved—some weighing over 50,000 pounds—Disney honored its commitment to participants by ensuring every tile was relocated and displayed in a more accessible, organized format.
June 2024
My wife and I were at Epcot on 7/2/2024, as we exited I saw the Legacy walls outside the exit. We had bought the Legacy tile in 6/2000, I found our tile at 013-14-11 it was the picture of our children and if you look close you can see the headrest of our son’s wheelchairin the background. It was emotional for my wife and I to see him again, we lost him in 2015.
Please never remove these walls, they are truely a “Legacy” for everone that participated, I feel we are a part of the Disney history and I would never want to hear that the walls were removed.
If I were Management I would re-open the program for this generation, I am sure you would get many participants. Thank You Gregory Petrusko