EPCOT Visit to Wol.

[wserratore1963]

I am sure most of what I report here is probably old news for most of you on this site; and I assume has been covered in more detail before. In any case...

I Just returned from an unplanned EPCOT visit this weekend. I am happy to report that the place looked really good. Lot's of international visitors; and the food and wine festival was jumping!

I went into the Wol pavillion which i have not seen the inside of in many years.
The place was beautiful; but no attractions at all ( except for a a makshift attraction on wines in Napa valley) it also looked like all of the old attractions were either removed or hidden from site. There was the stage from goofey about health; retooled for a culinary display. No Body wars, no carnium command, no making of me. The ceiling fans, windmills and chimes all looked as I remember them. I will post the phots from my iphone as soon as i can figure out how.

The rest of the Park was clean and orderly. One complaint I overherd repeatedly walking around was there was not any beer from many the nations represented for sale. Given the tempurature was in the 90's during the day it seemed logical that people were looking for beer over wine.

I did sample nearly every pavillion ( except the sushi) I ate & ate and ate. I was having my own Man VS Food episode. The foods were just terrific and unlike my last visit in Aug. I was not upset about my ADR time or the inability to eat at Le' celier! I even had the cheese soup at the canada pavillion.

All in all it was a lot fun for a very fast unplanned day visit.:sohappy:

 

[Figment632]

Yea it is sad and there is no excuse for WOL to be in this state.

 

[Master Yoda]

I did the exact same thing on Saturday. We left Jacksonville about 8:30 Saturday morning after dropping our youngest daughter off for her first girl scout camping trip. We made to Epcot around 11. We did a few things in Future world, namely LWTL, and than began our eating tour of the world. The one thing I did notice was that the pavilions seemed to be a little light in the desert category. We hit probably about a dozen kiosks and had a great belly stuffing time. I tried to con my way into the CM preview of the sum of all thrills attraction with no luck and then headed to MK. We ended the evening Spectromagic and a trip to the relativity new Fudrucker's at the Cross Roads. We made it back to J-ville about 1 AM.

I was quite a good day.

 

[wdwmagic]

Unfortunately WoL is now operated by the Events group and is used for private events and Epcot special events. It's never going to reopen as WoL.

 

[jt04]

Yea it is sad and there is no excuse for WOL to be in this state.

Wonders of Life is gone and not returning. It is an events building. All the attractions in the former WoL attraction are gone and not coming back.

Personally I always thought WoL was a bit of a miss as far as EPCOT Center quality went and I don't miss it at all. I'm hoping for something much more out of this world if you catch my meaning. :king:

Again, it is not Wonders of Life anymore. That pavillion no longer exists. The building is an events center and a very very nice one. But it should be a Mars outpost. IMO.

 

[Figment632]

Wonders of Life is gone and not returning. It is an events building. All the attractions in the former WoL attraction are gone and not coming back.

Personally I always thought WoL was a bit of a miss as far as EPCOT Center quality went and I don't miss it at all. I'm hoping for something much more out of this world if you catch my meaning. :king:

Again, it is not Wonders of Life anymore. That pavillion no longer exists. The building is an events center and a very very nice one. But it should be a Mars outpost. IMO.

I understand that but is shouldn't have closed because Metlife dropped out. There are a lot of attraction in WDW that run without a corprate sponsor. Thats the only problem that I have :shrug:

 

[jt04]

I understand that but is shouldn't have closed because Metlife dropped out. There are a lot of attraction in WDW that run without a corprate sponsor. Thats the only problem that I have :shrug:

I was just trying to clarify for the casual readers of wdwmagic. You made it sound like WoL still existed but is in bad shape and of course as all of us regulars know, that is nowhere near the case. :wave:

 

[EPCOTPluto]

While I do severely miss WoL, I just wish that it could be re-imagined, if you will, to a new themed pavilion.

Or at least a more modern take on WoL. :lookaroun

 

[EpcoTim]

The Wonders of Life pavillion is still one of the cooler ones as far as architecture goes.

 

[donvincenzo]

a trip to the relativity new Fudrucker's at the Cross Roads.

With all the food you ate, you just couldn't resist a burger from Fuddruckers, could you? :lol:

 

[Jasonflz]

Honestly, who goes to Disney to buy a $100 bottle of wine. I visited once and while I see what they are trying to do, I am far from impressed. It's usually empty now anyway.

Am I the only one who feels these exhibits would have worked better at WS or even The Land?

 

[Disneyfanatic!!]

Unfortunately WoL is now operated by the Events group and is used for private events and Epcot special events. It's never going to reopen as WoL.

I just had the worst idea ever.

What if they rename it the Celebrate! Pavillion?!
:brick::hurl:

 

[Master Yoda]

With all the food you ate, you just couldn't resist a burger from Fuddruckers, could you? :lol:

No way. I had not had a Fudrucker's burger for about 8 years. We also had about 5 hours and only one dole float between F&W and Fudrucker's so I was plenty hungry enough for it by almost 10 PM.

 

[EPCOTPluto]

I just had the worst idea ever.

What if they rename it the Celebrate! Pavillion?!
:brick::hurl:

No! :fork::lol:

Seriously, that would be such a low point for Disney! :lookaroun

 

[wm49rs]

Unfortunately WoL is now operated by the Events group and is used for private events and Epcot special events. It's never going to reopen as WoL.

Until they find something (anything?) to put in the old WoL pavillion, I think I'm ok with the Events group handling the place. It allows for the special events such as F&W to place their larger displays and groupings somewhere that's not an impediment or inconvenience to the overall park.

But I'd still like to see an actual attraction in there though....

 

[wdwmagic]

Until they find something (anything?) to put in the old WoL pavillion, I think I'm ok with the Events group handling the place. It allows for the special events such as F&W to place their larger displays and groupings somewhere that's not an impediment or inconvenience to the overall park.

But I'd still like to see an actual attraction in there though....

Its a problem that quite a few areas of Epcot vanish into the Events black hole. The Odyssey, the World Showplace, and WoL have all gone that way.

 

[JWG]

Its a problem that quite a few areas of Epcot vanish into the Events black hole. The Odyssey, the World Showplace, and WoL have all gone that way.

Is World Showplace still utilized much? I've not heard much about it in the past few years. Wasn't it a glorified tent? A shrunk wrapped skeleton with temperature control? I would think it has a lifespan that's coming due.

I do agree, it's unfortunate in the age of rising attendance (less 2009 possibly) that guest space is being reduced.

 

[Figment632]

Until they find something (anything?) to put in the old WoL pavillion, I think I'm ok with the Events group handling the place. It allows for the special events such as F&W to place their larger displays and groupings somewhere that's not an impediment or inconvenience to the overall park.

But I'd still like to see an actual attraction in there though....

Why can't it be both? An active Epcot pavi (return of WOL or something new) then when its time for FWF they can still set up in there. The two attractions in WOL aren't in the dome anyway, they are in attaching buildings, I think?

 

[Zummi Gummi]

So, quick question. If the attractions are gone (as it seems they are), where did they end up? The scrap heap?

 

[b94ronman]

was there until last night -took some photos of the WoL building - all ride signs were down - I remember last year the "Body Wars" signs still on the walls behind the curtains, but this year all that stuff was gone. I will post pics this week.