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

[marni1971]

Huh - ok. Truthfully -- and I say this as someone who hates the movie Avatar -- I prefer FoP to Forbidden Journey. Same for my husband and my kids.

That’s okay.

 

[SteamboatJoe]

Even back in the golden age, when Disney was riding the science and technology theme hard, people still found it to be "the boring one".

The average person on vacation doesn't want to think...

As much as we disagree and hate to admit, this is accurate and wasn't/isn't necessarily a sentiment solely held by those who are...umm....not so academically inclined.

 

[SteamboatJoe]

What they did in there for the Potter Franchise makes me wonder how cool the acreage across I-4 will be!!

Seems like WDW has forgotten (sort of) how to theme their lands and Uni is figuring it out..

I wouldn't say that. I think it's more of a matter of: A) sheer will; B) what is available in the repertoire that makes good, long-term financial and marketing sense.

Building an IP exclusive land makes sense for a franchise, not so much a single film. That was/is my concern with Avatar. If that planned franchise flops or not come to fruition, will anyone care about that IP in 10 years or will that entire section of the park seem, while beautiful, stale?

 

[MisterPenguin]

If that planned franchise flops, will anyone care about that IP in 10 years or will that entire section of the park seem, while beautiful, stale?

If you believed people on the Internet, no one cared about Avatar anymore anyway. It's a dead and forgotten movie. And yet, the land is very successful. So, if the sequels flop, nothing changes.

Unless all those people who declared Avatar as now irrelevant were somehow wrong...

 

[SteamboatJoe]

If you believed people on the Internet, no one cared about Avatar anymore anyway. It's a dead and forgotten movie. And yet, the land is very successful. So, if the sequels flop, nothing changes.

Unless all those people who declared Avatar as now irrelevant were somehow wrong...

It would be interesting if the land successfully outlives its inspiration. It certainly is possible given its quality. Then again, the next films could be great and render my original concern moot.

 

[Thelazer]

Forbidden Journey, though thankfully Orlando never got the 3D upgrade.

I would just be happy IF THEY WOULD LOWER THE AMBIENT LIGHT LEVELS and properly ALIGN the damn video.

The "Flu" scene as you take off, is like looking at 3 projectors, aligned by someone who is blind, and you can see half the building supports thru the dark forest scene these days...

 

[EJ96]

I think it's not so much the popularity of the IP but how well the specific IP translates into an immersive experience in the parks. Potter is still popular, and extremely well done. Avatar is not really popular anymore, but Pandora is also well done. Both of these IPs have an immense amount of worldbuilding in their source material that translates well to theming in the parks as an experience that's a must-see. SW:GE will be the same.

However, I do wonder how popular GotG or Wreck-It Ralph will be in 15 years.

 

[eliza61nyc]

Even back in the golden age, when Disney was riding the science and technology theme hard, people still found it to be "the boring one".

The average person on vacation doesn't want to think...

and that's not necessarily a bad thing. I love beach vacations for exactly that reason. I can veg out. some movies I go to make me think, some I go to because the guy from Asgard and his buddy who opens the bifrost are eye candy so I don't have to think at all. One should not need to know the history of epcot, walt's life story and theme park planning to enjoy a theme park.

 

[tirian]

Huh - ok. Truthfully -- and I say this as someone who hates the movie Avatar -- I prefer FoP to Forbidden Journey. Same for my husband and my kids.

Same here, and I love the Harry Potter lands at Uni. FoP blows me away every single time.

 

[tirian]

If you believed people on the Internet, no one cared about Avatar anymore anyway. It's a dead and forgotten movie. And yet, the land is very successful. So, if the sequels flop, nothing changes.

Unless all those people who declared Avatar as now irrelevant were somehow wrong...

Don’t confuse a movie’s popularity with a quality attraction. Look at Splash Mt.

Also, Pandora’s merch sales are very low by Disney standards because the movie isn’t popular anymore.

Nevertheless, I love FoP and think it’s better than HP’s Forbidden Journey. IMHO

 

[kthomas105]

I’m sure it’s beautiful. I’m just saying it’s not going to transport me anywhere because I don’t care to be.

I also think Disney did a great job with Pandora. But it also doesn’t transport me (unless I’m sitting on FoP, of course).

People will only be immersed if they want to be, details or not.

I will say that I never read the HP novels or watched the movies prior to going to Uni and experiencing HP world and I was so impressed that I went home and watched the movies in order over the next several weekends. It is a truely impressive and immersive set of lands.

 

[WDWLover#1]

I will say that I never read the HP novels or watched the movies prior to going to Uni and experiencing HP world and I was so impressed that I went home and watched the movies in order over the next several weekends. It is a truely impressive and immersive set of lands.

If you like the films, I'd really recommend the books - there's so much more!

 

[EPCOTCenterLover]

Even back in the golden age, when Disney was riding the science and technology theme hard, people still found it to be "the boring one".

The average person on vacation doesn't want to think...

As parents (and as people), we always approached it as "discovery". And it made for a very enjoyable and entertaining 2 days when EPCOT Center was at its best.

 

[_caleb]

I do hope they build guest experiences into all the available spaces in the WOL building– including the theater, the BW show area, the old MetLife Retreat area. Seems like there's so much potential for fun things there.

 

[ChrisFL]

so....about this Play pavilion...

 

[Pam Hates Penguins]

First thing I thought when I saw the "Play" Pavillion was, "OH! They're building a Ralph Breaks the Internet land!"

But in all seriousness, this pavilion looks like it could really succeed, or really fail.

 

[dennis-in-ct]

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.

Well - if most Disney guests do not know the attractions, then I wonder why Disney has soooo much continual attraction specific merchandise such as PINS and more pins, cups, mugs, t-shirts and so on …..

 

[MisterPenguin]

First thing I thought when I saw the "Play" Pavillion was, "OH! They're building a Ralph Breaks the Internet land!"

But in all seriousness, this pavilion looks like it could really succeed, or really fail.

I'm gonna guess that it will indeed be a RBtI Land. You'll be in the Internet. And you'll be interacting with Disney apps.

 

[xdan0920]

and that's not necessarily a bad thing. I love beach vacations for exactly that reason. I can veg out. some movies I go to make me think, some I go to because the guy from Asgard and his buddy who opens the bifrost are eye candy so I don't have to think at all. One should not need to know the history of epcot, walt's life story and theme park planning to enjoy a theme park.

 

[GSP Guy]

The Potter additions changed the game...you have to experience them to get it. It is so much more fleshed out than any of the Disney theming.. Pandora is nice, but the Potter settings feel lived in, and magical.. There can always be debate about the actual rides which were groundbraking at their opening, but you can't argue the level of detail exceeding anything Disney has built to date... We will have to see where things go with Star Wars...

Just did a little trip on the 9th through the 12th. Immersive doesn't even begin to describe the Potter areas. It was pretty amazing. My wife and daughter are both into Potter so they were bringing me up to speed as we went. The thing that did get my attention more than anything else was the incredible number of guests that dressed the part. In fact while I was waiting for the other members of my party to wander the candy store I picked up some jellybeans and a man in full Potter attire began to tell me all about them. He then proceeded to tell me about numerous other items. After about ten minutes I stated it was pretty cool that he was so dedicated to his job to which he responded "Oh, I don't work here!"