Introduction
There are tons of post on here about ideas on how to improve EPCOT, whether "realistic or not." Most of these posts stress the same thing - the removal of most IPs and the reign of Figment and the Dreamfinder.
In this post, I would like to share my opinion on how I believe EPCOT should be fixed to accomplish its goals. The goals of EPCOT are stated its dedication plaque:
Entertain, Inform, Inspire.
Now despite EPCOT being a more “mature” park, children still attend and must be entertained, informed, and inspired just as the adults would be. A child should leave the MISSION: SPACE pavilion thinking, “Boy! I really want to be an astronaut!” and then later visit the Seas with Nemo and Friends and think, “No, I want to explore the sea.” Now, of course, children can’t be expected completely understand vast concepts like energy or reach the same level of understanding that adults can. However, they should leave with more knowledge and inspiration, just as the adults should.
Now, the biggest question that should be being asked is “Well how do we reach these children?” My answer is that some EPCOT rides should feature IPs (that make logical sense) and that there should be more impressive hands-on exhibits, rides, and shows. A very interesting book called The Tipping Point (by Malcolm Gladwell) had a very interesting section, proving that the engaging, hands-on approach is the best way to teach a child.
The stickiness factor from this book states that the things that make an idea “sticky” are (I am paraphrasing) connectability (how well one can relate the idea to their own life), uniqueness (as it cultivates attention), understandability (how well and easy it is for the message to be processed), and engagement (how well the audience is entertained, and if they feel like they are a part of the idea).
What I plan to do in this thread is talk about each pavilion, how I thought of it as a kid, how I (and others) think of it now, and thus how to redesign is to fit these goals. I will start in this thread with an overview of my opinions for the park.
When I was around 4-7, I LOVED Future World. I loved how creative and exciting the rides were. The land truly felt like it exhibited the future(even though the concept of pavilions versus lands really baffled me) . The World Showcase was fun too. I enjoyed walking around, and receiving the stamps from the various countries, as it felt like I was achieving something. (Though what really annoyed me was how much time my mom would spend browsing the pavilions.) Let’s face it - there isn’t much besides eat and the KidCot Stops for kids to do there. So one simple solution to this is culturally reflective street performances to watch.
When I was around 8-12, I really enjoyed the park. I loved “The Land,” “Spaceship Earth,” “Test Track,” and “Mission: Space.” I could go without “The Seas with Nemo and Friends,” “Imagination,” and “the Universe of Energy.” (No Innoventions - I’ll elaborate on that later.) I no longer found as much thrill in the Kidcot stops at the World Showcase.
Now(13-16), I am somewhat bored with the park (besides the food). ‘Nuff said.
I’ll elaborate on my opinions of each individual ride in later posts and then elaborate how to fix them. I invite everyone to comment on their opinions of the different rides from their earliest memories and now. I will be continuing with Spaceship Earth sometime soon.
There are tons of post on here about ideas on how to improve EPCOT, whether "realistic or not." Most of these posts stress the same thing - the removal of most IPs and the reign of Figment and the Dreamfinder.
In this post, I would like to share my opinion on how I believe EPCOT should be fixed to accomplish its goals. The goals of EPCOT are stated its dedication plaque:
“To all who come to this place of joy, hope and friendship, welcome.
Epcot Center is inspired by Walt Disney's creative genius. Here, human achievements are celebrated through imagination, the wonders of enterprise, and concepts of a future that promises new and exciting benefits for all.
May Epcot Center entertain, inform and inspire. And, above all, may it instill a new sense of belief and pride in man's ability to shape a world that offers hope to people everywhere.
— E. Cardon Walker, October 24, 1982”
Epcot Center is inspired by Walt Disney's creative genius. Here, human achievements are celebrated through imagination, the wonders of enterprise, and concepts of a future that promises new and exciting benefits for all.
May Epcot Center entertain, inform and inspire. And, above all, may it instill a new sense of belief and pride in man's ability to shape a world that offers hope to people everywhere.
— E. Cardon Walker, October 24, 1982”
Entertain, Inform, Inspire.
Now despite EPCOT being a more “mature” park, children still attend and must be entertained, informed, and inspired just as the adults would be. A child should leave the MISSION: SPACE pavilion thinking, “Boy! I really want to be an astronaut!” and then later visit the Seas with Nemo and Friends and think, “No, I want to explore the sea.” Now, of course, children can’t be expected completely understand vast concepts like energy or reach the same level of understanding that adults can. However, they should leave with more knowledge and inspiration, just as the adults should.
Now, the biggest question that should be being asked is “Well how do we reach these children?” My answer is that some EPCOT rides should feature IPs (that make logical sense) and that there should be more impressive hands-on exhibits, rides, and shows. A very interesting book called The Tipping Point (by Malcolm Gladwell) had a very interesting section, proving that the engaging, hands-on approach is the best way to teach a child.
The stickiness factor from this book states that the things that make an idea “sticky” are (I am paraphrasing) connectability (how well one can relate the idea to their own life), uniqueness (as it cultivates attention), understandability (how well and easy it is for the message to be processed), and engagement (how well the audience is entertained, and if they feel like they are a part of the idea).
What I plan to do in this thread is talk about each pavilion, how I thought of it as a kid, how I (and others) think of it now, and thus how to redesign is to fit these goals. I will start in this thread with an overview of my opinions for the park.
When I was around 4-7, I LOVED Future World. I loved how creative and exciting the rides were. The land truly felt like it exhibited the future(even though the concept of pavilions versus lands really baffled me) . The World Showcase was fun too. I enjoyed walking around, and receiving the stamps from the various countries, as it felt like I was achieving something. (Though what really annoyed me was how much time my mom would spend browsing the pavilions.) Let’s face it - there isn’t much besides eat and the KidCot Stops for kids to do there. So one simple solution to this is culturally reflective street performances to watch.
When I was around 8-12, I really enjoyed the park. I loved “The Land,” “Spaceship Earth,” “Test Track,” and “Mission: Space.” I could go without “The Seas with Nemo and Friends,” “Imagination,” and “the Universe of Energy.” (No Innoventions - I’ll elaborate on that later.) I no longer found as much thrill in the Kidcot stops at the World Showcase.
Now(13-16), I am somewhat bored with the park (besides the food). ‘Nuff said.
I’ll elaborate on my opinions of each individual ride in later posts and then elaborate how to fix them. I invite everyone to comment on their opinions of the different rides from their earliest memories and now. I will be continuing with Spaceship Earth sometime soon.
