WOL Demo coming ..

[HMF]

Would love a Rapunzel ride at WDW, but being a classic fairy tale it's a perfect fit for Fantasyland (just like Frozen)

While Luca, like Ratatouille and Coco, is set in modern times and is very much a celebration of its country's culture, making it as good a fit for a World Showcase ride as an IP can be

Just my preference though, keep castles at MK

It really is frustrating that World Showcase has now devolved into IP showcase to such an extent that we are actually suggesting numerous IP attractions for each pavilion.

 

[Andrew C]

It really is frustrating that World Showcase has now devolved into IP showcase to such an extent that we are actually suggesting numerous IP attractions for each pavilion.

Tipping point has been reached...unfortunate.

 

[HMF]

Tipping point has been reached...unfortunate.

I know and it is extremely disheartening. Then again they have already lost me as a customer so I guess they can do whatever they want.

 

[jah4955]

It really is frustrating that World Showcase has now devolved into IP showcase to such an extent that we are actually suggesting numerous IP attractions for each pavilion.

Gooooood catch! I even got caught being jaded by the IP direction in the conversation . Although WS never came close to its initial vision (on different levels, Disney wasn't as fortunate with sponsors as initially with FW), I'd still prefer, trillions of times over, World Showcase 1.0 with ZERO IP (& I'm the biggest Donald Duck &&&&& 3C fan ever (the 1944/45 film, not the Disney+ show!), no large groups intentionally trying to get plastered, no cartoon characters in sight, & a very small handful of attractions....AND enough space for an omnibus! "No contest."

 

[ChrisFL]

It seems Disney has pivoted, especially when it comes to EPCOT, where it was either Sponsored pavilions that meet a certain vision, unrelated to IP, to now no longer getting Sponsors, so for Synergy reasons they are going with IP.

There is honestly good and bad with this. Some IP CAN work fine. I don't really have an issue with Ratatouille in the France pavilion as other than some talking rodents, the rest of it is pretty realistic. I just wish they'd get rid of the BATB singalong and update the France film (BUT keep the music!)

 

[HMF]

It seems Disney has pivoted, especially when it comes to EPCOT, where it was either Sponsored pavilions that meet a certain vision, unrelated to IP, to now no longer getting Sponsors, so for Synergy reasons they are going with IP.

There is honestly good and bad with this. Some IP CAN work fine. I don't really have an issue with Ratatouille in the France pavilion as other than some talking rodents, the rest of it is pretty realistic. I just wish they'd get rid of the BATB singalong and update the France film (BUT keep the music!)

Yes, Having been to France I can indeed confirm that it is VERY famous for it's talking rodents.

 

[Ayla]

Yes, Having been to France I can indeed confirm that it is VERY famous for it's talking rodents.

Same.

 

[jah4955]

It seems Disney has pivoted, especially when it comes to EPCOT, where it was either Sponsored pavilions that meet a certain vision, unrelated to IP, to now no longer getting Sponsors, so for Synergy reasons they are going with IP.

There is honestly good and bad with this. Some IP CAN work fine. I don't really have an issue with Ratatouille in the France pavilion as other than some talking rodents, the rest of it is pretty realistic. I just wish they'd get rid of the BATB singalong and update the France film (BUT keep the music!)

I've always seen the France film as flawless, but in recent years an additional reason why I love (if not now the greatest reason) IS because it's an absolutely unchanged attraction (at least when BATB not running---is anyone actually even signing along?!?!?), and the ONLY unchanged EPCOT attraction. An additional simultaneous level of enjoyment is imagining that I'm still in the pre-b*sterdized EPCOT. Although I'd be very unhappy, I wouldn't be surprised if they've been working on a new France film (like they just surprised us all with the new Soarin' film), as they've updated China once and Canada twice (but grateful they at least still kept both the mountie footage and the song...I can live with that...but the rest of the film looks as boring as dirt (haven't seen in-person yet)!).

 

[Moth]

I would be good with Imagination 4, SSE 5 and a major redo of the central spine - in other words, tear out Communicore Hall and the Garden and start from scratch, with the addition of a grand fountain being non-negotiable.

If Daddy Josh gets picked to be the new CEO and wants to really get in with the legacy EPCOT crowd, he would do well to make certain that any new version of Imagination included a return of the Dreamfinder. Just from a merchandising opportunity alone it would be a win. They could make a popcorn bucket of him holding his own small Figment popcorn bucket! And to get really nuts with outlandish ideas, why not add the UK expansion, but with a Poppins dark ride that actually does justice to the significance of the original movie.

One other question I have is with regard to M:S. Due to the unique ride system, I’m assuming it would be tough to do an overlay of that ride. I would guess that if a change was ever proposed, it would have to be a full on replacement, no? But then what would happen with Space 220? That is a popular venue, and that restaurant and ride mesh well with one another. I almost feel that the addition of that restaurant has made it harder to replace that attraction. And I would think they would love to replace it as it doesn’t draw in the crowds like CR and TT do.

Well that's easy, they have some space/space-adjacent IP they can put in there! Didn't they just have a film about an alien break over one billion dollars this summer?

 

[James Alucobond]

Tipping point has been reached...unfortunate.

There wasn’t really a tipping point with World Showcase because it never reached attraction critical mass to begin with. It was basically just left completely underdeveloped for years with two middling rides. While I don’t think the direction is the best ever, it’s the first time where I think the necessary expansion is actually possible. It’s mostly been undelivered promises and sketches that never came to fruition in the past.

 

[DreamfinderGuy]

One other question I have is with regard to M:S. Due to the unique ride system, I’m assuming it would be tough to do an overlay of that ride. I would guess that if a change was ever proposed, it would have to be a full on replacement, no? But then what would happen with Space 220? That is a popular venue, and that restaurant and ride mesh well with one another. I almost feel that the addition of that restaurant has made it harder to replace that attraction. And I would think they would love to replace it as it doesn’t draw in the crowds like CR and TT do.

One nice thing about Space 220, and I think it was intentionally designed this way, is that it's barely connected to Mission: Space structurally. 220 took over a previously abandoned half constructed VIP Lounge to use as its lobby, which was canned and never finished when the Compaq/HP merger went through. That is the only thing connecting the restaurant to Mission: Space and is itself a tiny building that could easily be cut off and/or rebuilt should they decide to tear down Mission: Space. All 220 being there really does is require anything new on that plot be Space themed, or that they relocate the entrance closer to Test Track to cut it off from whatever takes over the M:S plot. They've covered all their bases there, 220 can't really be a hindrance and would just become its own thing in the "worst case scenario".

Also food for thought, assuming Wonders is torn down and they leave that land empty, that opens the door for a potential massive shake up when Mission: Space hits its expiration date and suddenly they have a huge amount of open land between Guardians and Space 220. At that point you could really run wild and do just about anything. I wouldn't be completely opposed to a giant proper Space pavilion reusing that whole chunk of land, and would actually feel a lot better about it than I would seeing Wonders annexed into Mission: Space like people have endlessly proposed over the years.

 

[ChrisFL]

One nice thing about Space 220, and I think it was intentionally designed this way, is that it's barely connected to Mission: Space structurally. 220 took over a previously abandoned half constructed VIP Lounge to use as its lobby, which was canned and never finished when the Compaq/HP merger went through. That is the only thing connecting the restaurant to Mission: Space and is itself a tiny building that could easily be cut off and/or rebuilt should they decide to tear down Mission: Space. All 220 being there really does is require anything new on that plot be Space themed, or that they relocate the entrance closer to Test Track to cut it off from whatever takes over the M:S plot. They've covered all their bases there, 220 can't really be a hindrance and would just become its own thing in the "worst case scenario".

Also food for thought, assuming Wonders is torn down and they leave that land empty, that opens the door for a potential massive shake up when Mission: Space hits its expiration date and suddenly they have a huge amount of open land between Guardians and Space 220. At that point you could really run wild and do just about anything. I wouldn't be completely opposed to a giant proper Space pavilion reusing that whole chunk of land, and would actually feel a lot better about it than I would seeing Wonders annexed into Mission: Space like people have endlessly proposed over the years.

I was thinking the same thing but didn't really know how disconnected Space220 was.

A mega-pavilion between both plots of land could be interesting.

 

[jah4955]

One nice thing about Space 220, and I think it was intentionally designed this way, is that it's barely connected to Mission: Space structurally. 220 took over a previously abandoned half constructed VIP Lounge to use as its lobby, which was canned and never finished when the Compaq/HP merger went through. That is the only thing connecting the restaurant to Mission: Space and is itself a tiny building that could easily be cut off and/or rebuilt should they decide to tear down Mission: Space. All 220 being there really does is require anything new on that plot be Space themed, or that they relocate the entrance closer to Test Track to cut it off from whatever takes over the M:S plot. They've covered all their bases there, 220 can't really be a hindrance and would just become its own thing in the "worst case scenario".

Also food for thought, assuming Wonders is torn down and they leave that land empty, that opens the door for a potential massive shake up when Mission: Space hits its expiration date and suddenly they have a huge amount of open land between Guardians and Space 220. At that point you could really run wild and do just about anything. I wouldn't be completely opposed to a giant proper Space pavilion reusing that whole chunk of land, and would actually feel a lot better about it than I would seeing Wonders annexed into Mission: Space like people have endlessly proposed over the years.

I would mourn neither the loss of either the Space attraction nor the (main) Space building....especially for a (decent!) mega-attraction over two plots....

 

[ChrisFL]

Horizons 2.0, TWICE the size of the original pavilion

 

[doctornick]

The goal I heard is to have Imagination 4, SSE 5, POTENTIALLY another World Showcase ride and WoL replacement by EPCOT50.

All these seem like potentially good thing ((though I’d be nervous about any SSE changes). I really think more rides in WS is an important thing especially if would do it somewhere like Germany/Italy/Japan where it would split the difference between existing rides

 

[wdwfan4ver]

All these seem like potentially good thing ((though I’d be nervous about any SSE changes). I really think more rides in WS is an important thing especially if would do it somewhere like Germany/Italy/Japan where it would split the difference between existing rides

I see Disney doing UK first due to there were plans of doing a ride in that pavilion before it got canceled due to covid.

The other thing I could see is Disney could do something with Morocco since Disney owns the Pavilion now although I got bad feeling it be something like shoehorn Aladdin IP.

 

[Jrb1979]

I would mourn neither the loss of either the Space attraction nor the (main) Space building....especially for a (decent!) mega-attraction over two plots....

I would if it's another IP attraction that pretends to be a future world pavilion.

 

[Bocabear]

I see Disney doing UK first due to there were plans of doing a ride in that pavilion before it got canceled due to covid.

The other thing I could see is Disney could do something with Morocco since Disney owns the Pavilion now although I got bad feeling it be something like shoehorn Aladdin IP.

Did it get cancelled due to covid? Bob could write a check from his bonus to put that attraction they were planning in the pavilion... I think the plans were underwelming and everything fell apart... They can afford to build an indoor carousel....even with some projection mapping and a nice queue....

 

[James Alucobond]

Did it get cancelled due to covid?

That was the officially stated reason it and other projects were put on indefinite pause. You can believe otherwise if you want to, but there's really no reason to do so. The desire to memory hole what plainly happened in 2020/2021 is weird to me.

 

[bmr1591]

IP in WS doesn’t have to be bad, as long as it showcases those countries’ cultures. The problem is Disney hasn’t done that.