The Buffalo knew they were lucky. They were created for another attraction, thrown into storage, but brought out when they could be of use again in another, different attraction. An attraction they had been in for forty years now.
Since October 1st 1982, the Buffalo had been in that attraction. Pretending to graze for hours at a time.
The buffalo in the front further in the grass than the buffalo in the back. With the baby buffalo facing the opposite direction. The same positions they had been in for forty years.
They'd seen many changes in their time - the name switch from Listen to the Land to Living With the Land. The removal of the ride's beloved theme song. And forty years of guests coming and going.
But if the alternative was to rot in storage, they were more than happy to graze with the prairie dogs all day long.
So EPCOT turned 40 on the 1st! Same day as the Magic Kingdom, and the resort as a whole, turned 51!
Disney aren't doing much to celebrate, because they're still in the 50th Anniversary celebration for the Magic Kingdom. They usually celebrate the 5 year anniversary increments at EPCOT for that reason. That said, they did release new merch. And I got a sweet new Figment from the UK Disney Store.