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What does the future hold for Epcot?
- Thread starter CentralFloridaRocks831
- Start date
copcarguyp71
Well-Known Member
My prediction is continuance of empty unused spaces and sponsorships ending with no prospective way to sustain pavilions without it. Oh, and DVC somewhere outside EPCOT main gate because what is better than an even fatter cash cow built on selling perceived dreams. Cynical...perhaps but it is only because I see no end to the demise of the wonder and awe I felt instilled in me by this park in the early 90's.
In all honesty....I hope I am wrong and have to eat my words.
In all honesty....I hope I am wrong and have to eat my words.
raven
Well-Known Member
Well, Epcot was never intended to be a "thrill park" so it's very difficult to make that comparison to the other parks. It is what it is. It's an educational Worlds Fair-type of park. For some adults it's a place to get away from children for a while, for others its the best place to grab a drink....or 4! In any case Disney just needs to fill the empty spaces and closed attractions with other things.
As for the attendence it's pretty high but can look rather low due to it's enormouse guest flow areas. I think articos said it best:
sjhym333
Well-Known Member
I also think the EPCOT is currently low on the "need to fix" list. I think Disney is focusing on the Studios and AK at the moment and in some ways they should. The Studios needs to rethink itself from the original vision of a working studio and the AK needs reasons for guests to stay into the evening. Besides the additional Soarin theater I am not sure we will see any major changes until the other parks finish their expansions. With the Food and Wine Festival and Flower and Garden Festival I think Disney is pretty happy with EPCOT attendance and the money those things bring in.
Clamman73
Well-Known Member
As people are saying, they just don't have their back against the wall at Epcot right now. They're just propping up the two rides in Future World, TT in the east and Soarin' in the west to just have a mass of people on both sides that filters over to the other rides which are meh at this point.
I don't think Future World gets back to seriously being "Future World" until we start getting towards the 50th in 2032. At that point, we as a society can start thinking about life in the 22nd Century.
I don't think Future World gets back to seriously being "Future World" until we start getting towards the 50th in 2032. At that point, we as a society can start thinking about life in the 22nd Century.
BoarderPhreak
Well-Known Member
The former "Wonders of Life" pavilion that later turned into the "Festival Center" and the two major shows, "Food and Wine" and "Flower and Garden" turned out to be such smashing successes, that the entire park is now considered to be one large festival backdrop. Wine, food and flowers will be featured year round now.
Oh wait, that's not the future! That's NOW.
Oh wait, that's not the future! That's NOW.
Redsoxfn79
Member
Higher prices
You know, Epcot is probably my 2nd favorite park...They can do so much to it though. Looking at Google Maps, there is room for at least 1 more country in the World Showcase, maybe 2...however I heard that they were looking to put Arendale in the WS, which I don't like, as it is not a true country. As for other things, I don't remember exact names, but I remember in the late 90's they had an area for kids to do things, ranging from learning about the body, and I remember a small batting cage set up, where you could do a movement from different sports, and then an athlete will show up on video telling you what you can do to help with your form...granted I know it wasn't a live video feed, but it was something that I did when I was in middle school and still remember to this day, even though it was something small like that. I think they should bring something back like that, make an interactive area for kids to learn (not like what is at the end of Figment's ride, but something even more).
EnergyKing
Well-Known Member
In my opinion, there's too much dumbing down for kids going on throughout Disney World. This ongoing Princess meet and greet situation is the worst offender. Do parents really want to shell out hundreds of dollars on admission to a theme park just to waste hours in line waiting to see the Disney equivalent of a mall Santa Claus? Just wait for the damn parade. Stop molding these kids into self-absorbed, superficial divas.
raven
Well-Known Member
As fast as technology changes, it's very diffucult to keep up with the "newest thing." Innoventions would be the best area for that but by the time the area is planned, sponsors have been contracted, and the area built, often the technology is already here.
What they really should do in other areas of FW is aim for a very FAR away time in the future and focus on that. It might not be real but it would be the 'future" for a very long time.
Disney pounds it into childrens heads. And it's all about corporate greed in the company now.
Redsoxfn79
Member
It needs more though. Besides test track and soring there's little to see and it's why the lines are so longgggg. Most other rides/ attractions has some nostalgia but way past due in future land. I was uncomfortable watching Michael Jackson knowing. Was not entertaining. Showcase is great for eating and walking and occasional shopping... No complaints there. Lol.
EnergyKing
Well-Known Member
They've also taken the timelessness out of certain attractions. UoE in its Ellen form is infinitely more dated than the original show, which was haunting, to say the least. Never mind the scientific data, I'm just going by presentation. When the dinosaur part hit in its original version, it was eerie, transcendent, beautiful...and then it became "oh cool, dinosaurs....hi Ellen!"
The Living Seas has so much potential. The Nemo ride is just another example of the "copy-and-paste, merely sum up the movie, assembly line" dark ride WDW continues to force out. How old is the Nemo movie? What land does it sit in? Future World? I rest my case.
Another oxymoronic attraction is Captain Eo. Unless they're redoing FW as a memorial park for once great entertainers who later went nuts, this has no business being in the park.
I could go on and on.
The Living Seas has so much potential. The Nemo ride is just another example of the "copy-and-paste, merely sum up the movie, assembly line" dark ride WDW continues to force out. How old is the Nemo movie? What land does it sit in? Future World? I rest my case.
Another oxymoronic attraction is Captain Eo. Unless they're redoing FW as a memorial park for once great entertainers who later went nuts, this has no business being in the park.
I could go on and on.
lazyboy97o
Well-Known Member
Focusing more on ideas than specific products would probably help a lot. There are exhibit designers who are used to turning around projects on shorter schedules but that means really working to constantly attract interested parties.
newsies
Member
^^Best thing I've read online today
HauntedMansionFLA
Well-Known Member
Will they start to put Star Wars coming attractions to the movies they are making where Captain EOhttps://disneyworld.disney.go.com/resorts/offer/rooms-discount/# https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/resorts/offer/rooms-discount/
THEMEPARKPIONEER
Well-Known Member
Dumbing down the parks for the kids doesn't bring prophit, those kids grow up and still want to go to Disney World but if it's to dimmed down maybe not. I was a kid in the 90's and keep going back because of the great times I had here back in the day. The park was to dumbed down back then and Epcot was suposed to be the park for people like me. That was the treat for the parents who had some long hard days of dealing with the kids and the other parks. It's also for people like me who want to go to a Disney park without having characters and franchise shoved in our faces. Not only that like I said... I loved it back then and only appreciate it even more as I got older.
You cannot go to WDW and skip Epcot!!
Dislike.
Sadly, I could easily see myself doing it. Especially after Arrendelle has been added. I suppose I could just view it as another great addition to World Showcase with the most recent being the little known country, "African Outpost". But, I can't.
The focusing on ideas is key. Back when UoE was updated if they had focused on keeping the show grand and presenting the most recent advances in energy (lots of work is done on energy, it is a very important topic, every 15 years or so you could really have an inspired update) instead of giving us a mildly comedic, celebrity oriented show I think the pavilion would be more popular than it is now. If you focus on ideas around FW and history and culture around WS you don't get Nemo in the Living Seas and Donald Duck in Mexico.
On a more basic level, it seems to me that the size and scope of EPCOT has allowed a certain laziness to creep in with regards to how the park is managed. Oh, there are other pavilions with multiple attractions so we can use this gigantic building to store flower bins and whatnot. This here gigantic fast food restaurant can sit abandoned and be used on occasion for festivals and big wig functions since we have so many other places to eat. Certainly we don't need to have a play area that big in Imagination. The movie we use for Soarin sure looks crappy but people still stand in line for it, so I guess it is fine. American Adventure is so well done, I don't think we ever have to add permanent attractions to WS. People still like the night time show so we never have to produce a new one. We can start the babyfication of the whole park and still make it appealing to adults by offering the chance to get a mild buzz by paying $36.50 for 3 ounces of alcohol. These lumberjacks sound like they would be a good addition, I'm tired of that band anyway. Did anyone like them? MJ died. We can honor him by bringing back Captain EO for a year or two. Has it been 5 already? I think the vaguely Christmas themed topiary we put up in front of the Land pavilion should do just fine for Christmas decorations, thank you very much. No one will notice that parades are now impossible due to the walkway being over run with drunkytown kiosks. The only way I can think of to get kids in the park is franchise tie ins. Otherwise, we might have to actually do something interesting. No one will notice that we don't have flamingos anymore so I think the flamingo rotisserie idea that Phil came up with is a fine idea.
StarWarsGirl
Well-Known Member
That's a good idea
Unfortunately Disney doesn't consult us for good ideas. The nerve of them not consulting us.
Seriously good idea though.
erasure fan1
Well-Known Member
I agree. The original attraction was great for the future world concept. How much of the ocean have we explored? 5% or so. Disney could have gone the way of taking the theme they had and update the props and tech because the ideas are still futuristic. But instead they went for the easy way out. And while Nemo is not what I would call the biggest problem with Epcot, it sure isn't part of the solution. An expansion on the sea base alpha theme could have been fantastic.