Epcot Needs HELP

[disneyflush]

The speed of technological innovation has evolved over the last 30-35 years at a pace that far exceeds the speed with which Disney is able to construct rides and/or attractions that are supposed to represent it in a 10-15 year 'future world' window. The vision for EPCOT needs to be extended towards what might the future in 2075 - 2100 be like. I hope Disney has Imagineers with enough courage and creativity to do so. This is the park that I want to feel possibilities and awe instead of the nostalgia I get on a lot of the experiences.

 

[danyoung56]

I don't really disagree with most of the above. Epcot could sure use some love - there are some really dead areas there (Wonders of Life, Journey Into Your Imagination, Innoventions, etc.). But I still enjoy the place - in fact, it's my favorite of the Disney parks. But most of my enjoyment comes out of just being there, not necessarily riding rides. I always find something to do, whether it's hitting attractions or seeing acts like the incredible Voices of Liberty or eating and drinking. And IllumiNations continues to be my favorite WDW nighttime show, 2nd only to DL's Fantasmic! It won't bother me in the least if Disney gave Epcot a little love. But I still manage to have a great time there.

 

[michmousefan]

It won't bother me in the least if Disney gave Epcot a little love. But I still manage to have a great time there.

Agreed; seems like Epcot will be, in Disney's mind, the first and last to get attention. 2016 will bring a new Soarin movie, looks like a new Circle of Life replacement or perhaps just a digital upgrade, plus the Frozen overlay. After that, I can't see much happening for a good five years while they focus resources on DAK and DHS. But that energy attraction is really, really showing its age. If I had funds to spend, that's where they would go.

 

[Schneewittchen]

Perhaps Joe Rohde should be tasked with dealing with Epcot once Avatarland is done.......

 

[Schneewittchen]

Perhaps I should think about this more clearly. Bob Weis was promoted to the top job at Imagineering less than a month ago. Perhaps this points to executive level acknowledgement of problems. Anyway, in my experience, if they are looking for culture change, etc. it's a five year roadmap to get to wear you want to be.

 

[yedliW]

I like the idea of using Innovations to host a national science fair, on scale with the cheerleading competitions they host over at ESPN. They could rotate the themes (chem.. physics.. engineering.. conservation.. etc.. ) This could help drive interest in the STEM classes for kids and could foster the next generation of thinkers.

I also second the addition of 1-3 new countries in the WS, and have rides of some sort in most of them. They don't have to be E ticket type rides.. even if they were a Malestrom type slow/dark ride through a country's culture and/or history.

 

[the-reason14]

Yes, I think one of the bigger issues is world showcase and the pavilions not having rides. It hasn't been an issue in the past and still really isn't, but it would be nice if each pavilion had some sort of dark ride or something. As a whole, WS is fine compared to FW. FW needs the most help.

 

[kad1121]

The state of Epcot is saddening.

Like the OP, I see SO SO SO SO SO MUCH potential in the park. But Disney has chosen to ignore it for years.

If I were CEO of WDW, here's what I would do:

•Take out 'Leave a Legacy' and make a more inviting entrance.
•Scrap the future theming. That requires constant updating. I'd turn FW into Science World. Every inch of FW gets a serious overhaul.
•Figment will get returned back to the original version.
•Horizons comes back, showing us today's visions of the future.
•No more corny ending in Spaceship Earth.
•Mission: Space is a terrible ride. I can't ride it (Orange or Green) due to my severe claustrophobia, but I understand you are locked in a tiny capsule while watching a video about space and feeling painful G-forces. NO THANK YOU. There's a reason it never has a line. I'd take down that dreadful ride.

•Test Track will keep its thrilling finale, but the indoor scenes will become the ones from World of Motion. With that awesome theme song too!

•Anything abandoned in FW will get brought back to life.

•Rides in World Showcase! Gondola ride in Italy, Ratatouille 4D trackless ride in France, river cruise in Germany, etc. I know it's impossible, but Frozen crap would get ditched. That awful (my opinion) movie has NO place in Norway, or even in Epcot. Bring back Maelstrom.

 

[epcot2016]

This is baloney.

Epcot is much better now than it was in the 80's and 90's.

 

[epcot2016]

The state of Epcot is saddening.

Like the OP, I see SO SO SO SO SO MUCH potential in the park. But Disney has chosen to ignore it for years.

If I were CEO of WDW, here's what I would do:

•Take out 'Leave a Legacy' and make a more inviting entrance.
•Scrap the future theming. That requires constant updating. I'd turn FW into Science World. Every inch of FW gets a serious overhaul.
•Figment will get returned back to the original version.
•Horizons comes back, showing us today's visions of the future.
•No more corny ending in Spaceship Earth.
•Mission: Space is a terrible ride. I can't ride it (Orange or Green) due to my severe claustrophobia, but I understand you are locked in a tiny capsule while watching a video about space and feeling painful G-forces. NO THANK YOU. There's a reason it never has a line. I'd take down that dreadful ride.

•Test Track will keep its thrilling finale, but the indoor scenes will become the ones from World of Motion. With that awesome theme song too!

•Anything abandoned in FW will get brought back to life.

•Rides in World Showcase! Gondola ride in Italy, Ratatouille 4D trackless ride in France, river cruise in Germany, etc. I know it's impossible, but Frozen crap would get ditched. That awful (my opinion) movie has NO place in Norway, or even in Epcot. Bring back Maelstrom.

BALONEY!

-Leave a Legacy is a nice, unique entrance.

-Future World is JUST FINE. I don't care if it's outdated.

-The current Journey Into Imagination is FAR better than the 1980's version.

-Horizons didn't interest me AT ALL. I'll take Mission: Space any day (it's my favorite ride).

-Test Track stays its current theming.

-Abandoned things are cool though!

-NO RIDES IN THE WORLD SHOWCASE. Rides don't make a theme park. One reason why I love Epcot is that it doesn't need rides. I love Gran Fiesta Tour and I'm excited for Frozen Ever After (I didn't care for Maelstrom), but no more rides!

This is the most baloney comment I've seen on WDWmagic.com

 

[Susan Savia]

I loved the 1980s EPCOT. We are here in WDW right now and out of our 14 days, we are in EPCOT at least 5 or 6 days. Adding another country would be nice and replace Space with something else. I would love to see Innoventions chock full of fun and educational type of hands on exhibits similar to how it WAS. There doesn't have to be a ride on every turn.

 

[Lucky]

BALONEY!


This is the most baloney comment I've seen on WDWmagic.com

In your entire day here as a member?

 

[epcot2016]

In your entire day here as a member?

Yep.

 

[Miss Heinous]

Things are happening but it's at the slowest pace possible. Like by 2045 we should see Epcot start to get fixed.

 

[Malrora73]

So I love Epcof though that's probably because my degrees are in International Affairs and Political Science. I agree that Future World desperately needs to be updated. For new ideas I would suggest that the Imagineers read Physics of the future by Michio Kaku and do some wheeling and dealing with some of those inventors. I love the idea of Innoventions being used to science fairs especially on an international level. I would also like to see a building that replicates the Hague and see international mock UN meetings be held there. I would like to see more pavilions but I was thinking more along the lines of expanding Italy into a Mediterranean area. They could add Greece and Turkey. By France or Germany they could do a Benelux area representing Belguim, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg. Africa could be an Egyptian pavilion. I would also love to see a Russian, Brazilian, Patagonian, and Indian pavilions. If they are going to do something it will probably be announced by next year because the 50 th anniversary of Walt Disney World is in 2021. That's in 5 years. If you think about it all their current plans that have been announced will be finished by then. So since they are expanding everywhere else, and huge expansions not minor ones, at least for the theme parks, it stands to reason that Epcot is next. As far as expanding the world showcase goes they have to negotiate with the countries they want to put there. It's not cheap to build the pavilions. Which means that particular part of the park requires a lot more negotiations and compromises than any other part. So it stands to reason Epcot would be last when it comes to expansion. However I am sure Epcot will get one.

 

[PhotoDave219]

The majority of WDW fans agree that Epcot has declined. I see SO much potential in the park, and Epcot is getting outdated and ignored.
Back in the 80's and early 90's, Epcot (then EPCOT Center) was amazing. It had a World's Fair feel to it. Horizons, the original Figment, World of Motion (I prefer Test Track though), just every attraction was so engaging and creative.
We all need to take action. Start a petition and contact Disney about the state of the park. Epcot needs to be what it used to be: an amazing park that celebrated innovation and world culture.

You can say the same thing for all the parks.

 

[copcarguyp71]

BALONEY!

-Leave a Legacy is a nice, unique entrance.

-Future World is JUST FINE. I don't care if it's outdated.

-The current Journey Into Imagination is FAR better than the 1980's version.

-Horizons didn't interest me AT ALL. I'll take Mission: Space any day (it's my favorite ride).

-Test Track stays its current theming.

-Abandoned things are cool though!

-NO RIDES IN THE WORLD SHOWCASE. Rides don't make a theme park. One reason why I love Epcot is that it doesn't need rides. I love Gran Fiesta Tour and I'm excited for Frozen Ever After (I didn't care for Maelstrom), but no more rides!

This is the most baloney comment I've seen on WDWmagic.com

Joins the forum today and is already throwing insults around...welcome TDO employee....may the odds be ever in your favor!

 

[Sans Souci]

BALONEY!

-Leave a Legacy is a nice, unique entrance.

-Future World is JUST FINE. I don't care if it's outdated.

-The current Journey Into Imagination is FAR better than the 1980's version.

-Horizons didn't interest me AT ALL. I'll take Mission: Space any day (it's my favorite ride).

-Test Track stays its current theming.

-Abandoned things are cool though!

-NO RIDES IN THE WORLD SHOWCASE. Rides don't make a theme park. One reason why I love Epcot is that it doesn't need rides. I love Gran Fiesta Tour and I'm excited for Frozen Ever After (I didn't care for Maelstrom), but no more rides!

This is the most baloney comment I've seen on WDWmagic.com

 

[JenniferS]

BALONEY!

-Leave a Legacy is a nice, unique entrance.

-Future World is JUST FINE. I don't care if it's outdated.

-The current Journey Into Imagination is FAR better than the 1980's version.

-Horizons didn't interest me AT ALL. I'll take Mission: Space any day (it's my favorite ride).

-Test Track stays its current theming.

-Abandoned things are cool though!

-NO RIDES IN THE WORLD SHOWCASE. Rides don't make a theme park. One reason why I love Epcot is that it doesn't need rides. I love Gran Fiesta Tour and I'm excited for Frozen Ever After (I didn't care for Maelstrom), but no more rides!

This is the most baloney comment I've seen on WDWmagic.com

I quit reading after the first comment.

Leave a Legacy is a nice unique entry? To what? A cemetery? Pass.

 

[Chef Mickey]

i just think they should add a pavilion. i know it's debated all the time on these boards about which one (i vote Australia) but regardless, just do it, i can't imagine it wouldn't be worth adding a new one to the lineup.

EPCOT doesn't need another country. World Showcase is still the best part of EPCOT...

Future World on the other hand...