EPCOT New Play Pavilion to replace Epcot's Wonders of Life

[tirian]

I get it too but many many many people aren’t like us who actually remember some things and research the rest. It’s not fair sometimes how those who are truly Epcot purists basically look down on the “unwashed” ... it’s not becoming and people need to remember we all view the parks differently

Those people should do some research.

 

[tirian]

Yep!!

Somehow, the company has forgotten that at this point, Epcot itself IS an IP. For that matter, so are BRMRR, Space, HM, and the Tiki Room.

 

[Notes from Neverland]

Those people should do some research.

Research doesn't exactly sell what old Epcot was to those who didn't experience it. Some of the ideas sound a bit cheesy (even boring to some) unless you got to experience them yourself. The awe and wonder some felt at old Epcot doesn't always translate in photos and videos.

 

[KingOfEpicocity]

Nah, we got the unsettling 360 degrees of him for that to thank for a "short" brief moment in O'Canada...

The making of me in circle vision 360?... yikes

 

[lazyboy97o]

Somehow, the company has forgotten that at this point, Epcot itself IS an IP. For that matter, so are BRMRR, Space, HM, and the Tiki Room.

They haven’t forgotten, which is why their new amusement park will be plastered with the imagery of EPCOT Center. Why have an idea when someone else created a strong, timeless, family-friendly, Disney brand?

 

[HauntedMansionFLA]

Just to make sure I’m remembering it all, this is what is coming to Epcot by 2022:

• Ratatouille ride
• New night show
• Mulan- based China 360 show
• Updated Canada 360 show
• Updated IDF
• Beauty and the Beast sing along
• GotG coaster
• WOL Play Pavilion
• Space Restaurant
• Mary Poppins flat ride
• New purpose for the Odyssey building
• Brazil pavilion
• Updated entrance

Is that all correct?

If so, I really am going to need to do 2 days in Epcot next trip (and nothing excites me more).

When is the BatB sing along coming??

 

[ilovetotravel1977]

Is the ride for Mary Poppins confirmed?

 

[tirian]

Don't forget to add WDW's '20K Leagues' Submarine Voyage to the list....

-

I hate to admit that the ride was too cheesy for modern Guests.

But I’d love to see the TDS version come to DAK!

 

[SirWillow]

Poppins flat ride is still the biggest rumour thought isn't it? The rest is all pretty much confirmed

Isn't Brazil still a rumor too or did I miss something?

Brazil is very much a rumor at this point. Finally was able to get together with my friends on this trip who have some access, and they're confident that there is a pavilion of some sort coming to World Showcase, but in their minds the jury was still out on which one. They said that a while back it was solid Spain, then Brazil did actually step in as a replacement for a while, but now it's swung back to Spain again. But they said don't put anything solid into that either.

They were of the mind and in agreement that there is likely one pavilion coming, they wouldn't commit as to what country it would be, and one even commented that the way the process is going right now there's even a chance of 2 small ones- one for each. But they didn't see that as likely. They also didn't think it likely that there would be an attraction in it other than a dining and shopping.

Really just going to have wait and see what the bean counters finally decide on and approve.

Edit- they also weren't convinced of a ride in UK- said there's proposals, but they weren't sure if there was actually anything in the works on that are not, or if it was still in the proposal/ see if something happens state. They said that, in their opinions, if some sort of attraction comes don't expect anything big, but things change.

And keep in mind this is all said off the record by them, so take it for what you will. I tend to nod, say it sounds cool, then wait and see, though they've been right far more often than they've been wrong.

 

[HauntedPirate]

Those people should do some research.

Nope. Can’t be bothered. Just give them the latest shiny bauble and they can’t open their wallets fast enough. They’ve been conditioned over the last 12-14 years to accept a lower and lower standard, and to pay more and more for it.

 

[Darth Snips]

Somehow, the company has forgotten that at this point, Epcot itself IS an IP. For that matter, so are BRMRR, Space, HM, and the Tiki Room.

This is what frustrates me the most about the way Disney handles the parks. I get the obsession with IPs; I don’t like it, but I get it. What I don’t get is how they refuse to acknowledge the massively profitable parks original IPs they’re just sitting on.

Figment, EPCOT Center, ToT, Haunted Mansion, CoP, BTMRR, Tiki Toom, Pirates (not Johnny Depp), Jungle Cruise, Country Bears, etc.
All of these brands are household names and make a killing in merchandise. Why don’t they do anything with these properties? They let JII rot, Epcot is filled with GotG and Frozen, ToT is closed in DL, Country Bears and Tiki Room are shortened, etc.

I guess I just wish that if you’re gonna flood the parks with IPs, you could at least use park original IPs.

 

[Notes from Neverland]

This is what frustrates me the most about the way Disney handles the parks. I get the obsession with IPs; I don’t like it, but I get it. What I don’t get is how they refuse to acknowledge the massively profitable parks original IPs they’re just sitting on.

Figment, EPCOT Center, ToT, Haunted Mansion, CoP, BTMRR, Tiki Toom, Pirates (not Johnny Depp), Jungle Cruise, Country Bears, etc.
All of these brands are household names and make a killing in merchandise. Why don’t they do anything with these properties? They let JII rot, Epcot is filled with GotG and Frozen, ToT is closed in DL, Country Bears and Tiki Room are shortened, etc.

I guess I just wish that if you’re gonna flood the parks with IPs, you could at least use park original IPs.

Hate to disagree, but feel I must add a comment from my personal experiences. A lot of those ride names are simply not household names. Many people think the Magic Kingdom = Disney World. Some even think it's called Disneyland. These people don't have any idea what Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is let alone what the Carousel of Progress is or what the Tiki Room is. I've even spoken with people who went to the parks who couldn't name even half of the rides they went on. It's crazy. I don't know how someone can go to Disney World on two different occasions and still calls the Magic Kingdom Disneyland, but alas, it happened.

Our group here, and those who are Disney fans, are hyper aware of what's going on at Walt Disney World. There's an entirely different group who don't have a clue. Nothing against those folks, but just adding that there's a large segment who doesn't research and doesn't know a thing about the four theme parks - or that there even are four theme parks.

I can't fault Disney for shifting in the direction that's more commonly known. It's by far the easier route. It may disappoint me some, but I can't say I fault them when I've seen the other side of the coin - the people who don't book FastPass+ reservations, don't do any advance planning and don't know the ride names.

 

[Darth Snips]

Hate to disagree, but feel I must add a comment from my personal experiences. A lot of those ride names are simply not household names. Many people think the Magic Kingdom = Disney World. Some even think it's called Disneyland. These people don't have any idea what Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is let alone what the Carousel of Progress is or what the Tiki Room is. I've even spoken with people who went to the parks who couldn't name even half of the rides they went on. It's crazy. I don't know how someone can go to Disney World on two different occasions and still calls the Magic Kingdom Disneyland, but alas, it happened.

Our group here, and those who are Disney fans, are hyper aware of what's going on at Walt Disney World. There's an entirely different group who don't have a clue. Nothing against those folks, but just adding that there's a large segment who doesn't research and doesn't know a thing about the four theme parks - or that there even are four theme parks.

I can't fault Disney for shifting in the direction that's more commonly known. It's by far the easier route. It may disappoint me some, but I can't say I fault them when I've seen the other side of the coin - the people who don't book FastPass+ reservations, don't do any advance planning and don't know the ride names.

You make a fair point. I’ve grown up going to these parks; my family used to go every year. So I tend to assume more casual visitors know the same stuff we do, when that’s not always the case. You’re right; Disney’s logic in aiming for those casual visitors makes sense, since they make up the vast majority of the market.

I guess I just can’t wrap my head around the fact that they will fill entire stores with merch for these characters, but refuse to update their rides. Heck, they have entire product lines devoted to attractions that have been gone for decades.

If they think that Figment has a large enough fan base to justify putting him on every hat, shirt, and coffee mug for the festivals, why have they not poured the same money into his attraction as they have Avatar, Ratatouille, or Tron?

 

[Donaldfan1934]

If only Horizons had lasted 20 years.

I’m still amazed to think how within a few years, Disney destroyed Horizons, Innoventions, Imagination, and Alien Encounter; plus they built DCA and released a ton of direct-to-video cheapquels. Forget the ‘70s; the late ‘90s–early 2000s were the true dark period of the WDC.

Somehow, we got Wishes and Illuminations:ROE too!

If only the Great Movie Ride had lasted 30 years.

I’m still amazed to think how within a few years, Disney destroyed the Great Movie Ride, Innoventions, Big Thunder Ranch, and Paradise Piet 2.0; plus they built misplaced IP attractions in their place and released a ton of live-action remakes. Forget the late ‘90s-early 2000s; the mid-to-late 2010’s were the true dark period of the WDC.

Somehow, we the Skyliner and a restored Epcot enterance too!

 

[Donaldfan1934]

Hate to disagree, but feel I must add a comment from my personal experiences. A lot of those ride names are simply not household names. Many people think the Magic Kingdom = Disney World. Some even think it's called Disneyland. These people don't have any idea what Big Thunder Mountain Railroad is let alone what the Carousel of Progress is or what the Tiki Room is. I've even spoken with people who went to the parks who couldn't name even half of the rides they went on. It's crazy. I don't know how someone can go to Disney World on two different occasions and still calls the Magic Kingdom Disneyland, but alas, it happened.

Our group here, and those who are Disney fans, are hyper aware of what's going on at Walt Disney World. There's an entirely different group who don't have a clue. Nothing against those folks, but just adding that there's a large segment who doesn't research and doesn't know a thing about the four theme parks - or that there even are four theme parks.

I can't fault Disney for shifting in the direction that's more commonly known. It's by far the easier route. It may disappoint me some, but I can't say I fault them when I've seen the other side of the coin - the people who don't book FastPass+ reservations, don't do any advance planning and don't know the ride names.

Can’t fault them? Appealing to the lowest common denominator is everything that is wrong with modern Disney. And let’s not pretend that stooping to their level is the only viable way for Disney to succeed as they did the opposite for decades and it never stopped their P&R division from growing. The real problem is that there are too many modern Disney execs that fail to see the commercial value the parks possess beyond promoting other divisions of the company. If only they understood that quality improves the overall reputation of the parks more than branding does even with those guests who don’t internalize everything.

 

[bUU]

This is what frustrates me the most about the way Disney handles the parks. I get the obsession with IPs; I don’t like it, but I get it. What I don’t get is how they refuse to acknowledge the massively profitable parks original IPs they’re just sitting on.

Disney has tried a few times to get guests as interested in some profitable park original IP offering but guests don't respond to it the same way we will respond to Guardians of the Galaxy or Ratatouille, probably for the same reason we don't have a million members logging into the forum every day. Just think how much those other guests are missing out on by not being part of one of these WDW online communities. What are they thinking? But of course they have different priorities from us. And that's why they don't latch onto the parks original IPs like we do. So it isn't Disney that refuses to acknowledge of the parks original IPs. It's those other guests. Again, what are they thinking? (I'm being factitious.)

Can’t fault them? Appealing to the lowest common denominator is everything that is wrong with modern Disney.

That's dangerous thinking. Just because they have different priorities from us doesn't mean their priorities are "low". There are a lot of pretentious people that view us Disney fans that way. They're wrong and they should respect our interests as much as they respect their own.

But so should we.

 

[eliza61nyc]

Research doesn't exactly sell what old Epcot was to those who didn't experience it. Some of the ideas sound a bit cheesy (even boring to some) unless you got to experience them yourself. The awe and wonder some felt at old Epcot doesn't always translate in photos and videos.

Well said.

 

[eliza61nyc]

Nope. Can’t be bothered. Just give them the latest shiny bauble and they can’t open their wallets fast enough. They’ve been conditioned over the last 12-14 years to accept a lower and lower standard, and to pay more and more for it.

I don't think that's true Haunted, really. when anyone here points me to a martin video, I look at it. I really do. and then I say "oh that's cute" but that's it. It looks exactly what it is, an old dull ride. Now whether or not I've been "conditioned"?? who knows but sorry it's extremely hard to get warm and fuzzy feelings over these old rides, primarily because I didn't ride them or even see them.

Do I want the shiny 'bauble"? well unless you've figured out a way to make a time traveling DMC delorean yes I'll take the shiny bauble over the stinky empty shell of buildings that we have now.
Now as far as Less and less, exactly what am I getting less of? what are the qualifiers? less enjoyment? less value? again what are you using as a basis for that? compared to what you had in 1978? well then sure I'll agree but then there isn't an area of my life where what I purchased in 78 is the same as paid for today. 2000? the same.

 

[LuvWDW2]

I agree with a lot that’s being said on both sides. My first visit was 1997. I never went as a child because I lived 1000 miles away and it was frankly too expensive for my family. I’ve now been over 20 times.

The idea that I’m one of the unwashed because I never experienced Epcot Center gives me a chuckle. But I’ve come to expect that kind of elitist attitude here on Magic. I realize that it is also said with some tongue in cheek by most, but not all.

Am I happy with every change corporate makes? Of course not. But I am glad that things do change (even if it’s sometimes years too late).

The parks are for everyone (both the washed and unwashed). We aren’t going to like everything equally, and I’m personally ok with that. I’ll just focus on what I do like and leave the longing for things that are gone and never coming back to others.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

I agree with a lot that’s being said on both sides. My first visit was 1997. I never went as a child because I lived 1000 miles away and it was frankly too expensive for my family. I’ve now been over 20 times.

The idea that I’m one of the unwashed because I never experienced Epcot Center gives me a chuckle. But I’ve come to expect that kind of elitist attitude here on Magic. I realize that it is also said with some tongue in cheek by most, but not all.

Am I happy with every change corporate makes? Of course not. But I am glad that things do change (even if it’s sometimes years too late).

The parks are for everyone (both the washed and unwashed). We aren’t going to like everything equally, and I’m personally ok with that. I’ll just focus on what I do like and leave the longing for things that are gone and never coming back to others.

This is way too reasonable and level-headed.