Repainting of Epcot Central Plaza?

Monoblanco13

Monoblanco13

Well-Known Member
Otterhead said:
If you compare videos of the fountains 20 yrs ago with now, of course you'll see missing effects and jets, etc. But here's the thing: the fountains still work, they still put on a good show, and they're still running regularly. I was just there a month ago, and they still draw crowds of people ooh-ing and ahh-ing. It's not like people are walking by and shaking their heads sadly at them saying "what a shame, what a disaster, the park is in ruins". Ridiculous.
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This is true I saw it last month with my partner and we both were pleased with it. I am sad to read it was much more at one point and hope it returns one day.
 
marni1971

marni1971

Park History nut
Premium Member
Monoblanco13 said:
How does one seem to gather all this info? Insider information or just being observant?
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Bit of both.

Spending the past 25 years researching and learning how the parks are designed, built and operated. And in doing so making many great friends both in and outside of the company.

And then hopefully giving something back with my little hobby.
 
hpyhnt 1000

hpyhnt 1000

Well-Known Member
Prefacing this post by noting that the Fountain of Nations underwent a significant refurbishment in 2009 where it was completely drained and walled off. Keep that in mind for the rest of this post.

Photos of the '09 refurb: http://www.wdwmagic.com/attractions...jan2009-fountain-of-nations-refurbishment.htm

To add on to the compilations from @Bing Bong, below is a direct comparison: then and now. Fountain of Nations dancing to the Lights of Winter music (remember those lovely lights that were deemed "obsolete" and never replaced?). But anyway, top video is 1995, middle is 2009, bottom is 2010 (skips a bit, primarily because so much was broken there were large sections with nothing to see!).

Even less than a year after a significant refurbishment, the fountain still wasn't as good as in 1995. And it just gets worse by 2010. If anyone has footage from 2014 I would love to see it to compare. Hopefully it was better than 2010.

1995:


2009 (start at 7:19 to synch with '95 video):


2010 (start at 1:40 to synch with '95):
 
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CaptainAmerica

CaptainAmerica

Well-Known Member
Sage of Time said:
If 98% of the audio animatronics in Pirates of the Caribbean are working and the Auctioneer and Captain Jack are down and slumped over, it's not a good show. The same principle applies, here.
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No, the same principle does not apply. It's the difference between graffiti on the face of Spaceship Earth and graffiti in a backstage cast bathroom stall. If you can't tell a thing is broken without elaborate online research about how it's "supposed to be" or how it "used to be," then, for purposes of the show, it is not broken. Your online research is not part of the show.
 
Sage of Time

Sage of Time

Well-Known Member
CaptainAmerica said:
No, the same principle does not apply. It's the difference between graffiti on the face of Spaceship Earth and graffiti in a backstage cast bathroom stall. If you can't tell a thing is broken without elaborate online research about how it's "supposed to be" or how it "used to be," then, for purposes of the show, it is not broken. Your online research is not part of the show.
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It's a pretty big jump in logic to tie "knowing" if something is supposed to be working to an example of a visible discrepancy in a show scene. Seeing an AA down is a visible problem and has nothing to do with online research. Nice try?
 
CaptainAmerica

CaptainAmerica

Well-Known Member
Sage of Time said:
It's a pretty big jump in logic to tie "knowing" if something is supposed to be working to an example of a visible discrepancy in a show scene. Seeing an AA down is a visible problem and has nothing to do with online research. Nice try?
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That's exactly the point. A down AA would be a huge problem (the graffiti on Spaceship Earth in my analogy). But that's not what we're talking about. We're talking about theoretically broken fountains than guests CAN'T see.
 
Kman101

Kman101

Well-Known Member
So? It doesn't make it right they're broken and not fixed. Because you don't know something is broken on your car that the mechanic didn't fix, does that make it right?
 
CaptainAmerica

CaptainAmerica

Well-Known Member
marni1971 said:
It is not.
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I guess that's a matter of opinion but I really think you only feel that way because you know it's broken. People watching the show who haven't read this thread and aren't actively comparing it side-by-side with old YouTube videos will still see an impressive and beautiful fountain show with no apparent defects.
 
lazyboy97o

lazyboy97o

Well-Known Member
CaptainAmerica said:
I guess that's a matter of opinion but I really think you only feel that way because you know it's broken. People watching the show who haven't read this thread and aren't actively comparing it side-by-side with old YouTube videos will still see an impressive and beautiful fountain show with no apparent defects.
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You can't deliver great products and service if you just always assume the customer is too ignorant to care.
 
CaptainAmerica

CaptainAmerica

Well-Known Member
marni1971 said:
That doesn't make it okay. That never used to be the Disney way.

Read Marty Sklars quote in my signature.
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Hypothetical: What if the show was originally designed to be exactly as it is today? You don't seem to be objecting to the quality of the show in and of itself, but rather to the quality of the show with respect to how it was originally designed.

Similar: What if the yeti was never supposed to move? Would Everest be up to Disney standards?
 

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