My impression of the layout of Future World and the visual impact of Communicore was greatly altered by my recent visit.
First I'll state that even after a long absence, I could navigate Epcot blindfolded. But I was genuinely surprised at how this park seemed to baffle my companions- all of whom had been clocking in annual visits for years. I was constantly turning them around or giving directions as no one seemed to know where any of these giant pavilions were. The Communicore buildings are a wall. Unless properly aligned, there are no weinies to draw you outward. Signage and logos were better in the past, but still, this is not a great way to direct the masses. I'll note that we didn't have these problems in the other parks- it was exclusive to Future World. This made me rethink the new color scheme (while jarring at first, not as bad in person IMHO.) I think this was done to break up the monotone design and create color zones to help differentiate not only East/West, but the specific areas inside. "Find the end done in browns, that's where Club Cool is," was a note I had to give several times.
In an odd and extreme example, I was shocked to find that someone had been to Epcot several times and never even knew about World Showcase. They had done the East/West stuff and simply never wandered to the back. I asked if they had noticed American Adventure which is fairly visible from the fountain area and they said that they thought it was a hotel or something- that it seemed too far away to think it was part of the park. It blew my mind, but I could see how it was possible. I also concluded that everyone I travel with should actually pick up and look at a map once in a while.
