EPCOT New Park Entrance coming to Epcot

[montyz81]

SSE is like a bug zapper to many of us - it’s so visually perfect that we can’t help but be drawn to it. I spend a ridiculous percentage of every Epcot trip staring at it. The Epcot ball is not like the Earful tower or the Castle. Those are (or were) great icons. The Epcot ball is an incredible work of art. Part of that art is the way all the pieces come together. They are changing the way all the pieces come together.

Ive been the first one to “let’s wait and see” for the lagoon and Moana and the Tron box (although I am admittedly less hopeful about the GOTG box). I could let give two @&;$) what color they paint the castle. But this? I can’t wrap my head around it.

It will I’m sure look incredible at night. But based on the pictures Disney themselves are providing, it’s a huge change in the day. And to me that’s like drilling holes in the ceiling of the Sistine chapel to put LEDs in to provide dramatic night lighting.

YMMV.

I couldn't have said it better myself. This icon has never needed enhancements, even those a size of a hockey puck. The light shining onto the sphere already creates a magnificent lighting effect. It will probably look stunning but does something that already looked stunning and has looked stunning since Oct 1, 1982, really need more? There are more significant problems elsewhere that need solving!

Not only that, but once you pass SSE, Epcot stops being Epcot. It becomes Disney Islands of Adventure with a bit of Disney Characters Around the World. It feels like a bit of bait and switch for the Epcot Center purists.

 

[SpectroMagician]

This confirms they need to protrude to light onto the surface of Spaceship Earth. Its multiple lights in one enclosure.

Even if they have a reasons it does not mean that it #1 does not look horrible and #2 was a bad decision to do it that way.

As we have seen with the ugly barges, there is a reason they are there - but it does not mean it was not a terrible decision to do it the way they did.

 

[SpectroMagician]

They said seamless. They’re not.

Did I miss something ?

You did not. They are going to look horrible during the day. Probably cool at night, but just like the barges it does not seem like Imagineering actually cares about making things look good during the day.

 

[Brenthodge]

Even if they have a reasons it does not mean that it #1 does not look horrible and #2 was a bad decision to do it that way.

As we have seen with the ugly barges, there is a reason they are there - but it does not mean it was not a terrible decision to do it the way they did.

Just wondering what would your method of lighting the individual panels as a matrix of light be? I'm not saying this was necessary, but I do think it may prove to be a fairly inventive solution to a problem they created for themselves that no one was really asking to be solved.

 

[britain]

I don’t care what any of you say… They are still better than the Mickey wand.

 

[World_Showcase_Lover007]

Not only that, but once you pass SSE, Epcot stops being Epcot.

You’re right...and based on those recent aerial photos of FW, everything past SSE looks like that Tom Hanks’ movie Money Pit

 

[montyz81]

It just dawned on me, now I know why they are putting these lights on SSE.

 

[JohnD]

You did not. They are going to look horrible during the day. Probably cool at night, but just like the barges it does not seem like Imagineering actually cares about making things look good during the day.

I’ll let others decide whether the fixtures themselves will look horrible during the day but wouldn’t they be reflecting the sun? You might have a day version of the effect they want to achieve at night. It could be distracting both in look and sunlight that could reflect in guests’ eyes? Or maybe it won’t do any of this. Just asking.

 

[Bocabear]

I think they will completely disappear...if you are looking for them, you will see them, but as small as they are, they will not be noticed... and the net gain will be worth it... I am actually surprised it was not done a decade ago...
Restoring the main entrance is great, this lighting will be beautiful...I am SURE of it...
Now the other changes are the ones we need to be more concerned about....

 

[Brenthodge]

I think they will completely disappear...if you are looking for them, you will see them, but as small as they are, they will not be noticed... and the net gain will be worth it... I am actually surprised it was not done a decade ago...
Restoring the main entrance is great, this lighting will be beautiful...I am SURE of it...
Now the other changes are the ones we need to be more concerned about....and.

That last statement echoed the point I was trying to make. People who get up in arms about every single little change start to minimize the weight of voices behind truly egregious decisions.

 

[SplashJacket]

I think they will completely disappear...if you are looking for them, you will see them, but as small as they are, they will not be noticed... and the net gain will be worth it... I am actually surprised it was not done a decade ago...
Restoring the main entrance is great, this lighting will be beautiful...I am SURE of it...
Now the other changes are the ones we need to be more concerned about....

From my understanding, is it'll give SSE a Tron-like lighting package which is a massive win! They will probably only be noticeable when walking underneath SSE, but it still should be a massive net improvement. At night, the area under SSE is very ugly, the shops bleed out a very unattractive white light. Seeing the area be lit up a soothing blue will be a massive improvement. I am very excited about this update.

And as @MisterPenguin said earlier, these devices should fix the lack of light on the top of SSE.

 

[hpyhnt 1000]

I think they will completely disappear...if you are looking for them, you will see them, but as small as they are, they will not be noticed... and the net gain will be worth it... I am actually surprised it was not done a decade ago...
Restoring the main entrance is great, this lighting will be beautiful...I am SURE of it...
Now the other changes are the ones we need to be more concerned about....

That last statement echoed the point I was trying to make. People who get up in arms about every single little change start to minimize the weight of voices behind truly egregious decisions.

There's definitely a balance to criticism, and I agree the new SSE lighting should be a net gain overall.

That said, I do think it's fair to analyze details like these lights because this is a company that still likes to tout its attention to detail. Things like non-period appropriate fixtures, poor paint and material choices, haphazard changes or additions, and improper scaling and siting can all add up to an area that just feels sloppily built and...off, for lack of a better word.

Unfortunately, we've seen many of these issues in recent builds, particularly the Rat expansion in World Showcase. From the poor scaling of the creperie to the completely out of place blue building, there are small but noticeable flaws throughout that really should not exist in a new build. Does that mean the Rat expansion is not a net gain? Or course not (debate about the IP-ification of EPCOT aside) but they do detract from the area, especially when looking from an artistic and design standpoint.

Calling out these kinds of issues is also important for something like the theater spotlights at DHS. Yes, it's great they are coming back, but they should never have disappeared in the first place. It's only because of Disney's own neglect that this became an issue that needed fixing. The company then touting it on social media as some remarkable piece of achievement and ingenuity only adds to the absurdity.

 

[montyz81]

It just dawned on me, now I know why they are putting these lights on SSE.

I'm surprised nobody picked up on my small and brief Sonny Eclipse quote.

 

[Goofyernmost]

I have a different take on a lot of this. For example I didn't mind the hand and the wand because it served a double purpose. Not only something different but also to finally ram into the empty heads of many people that did not think EPCOT was part of WDW and instead many thought it was a completely different destination. What I did take offense to was those heinously shiny things added to SSE around the wand to make a unsuccessful attempt to show magic coming off the wand. Why did it bother me? Because SSE's geodesic spear is, or at least was, a one of a kind in the world. The simplicity, creativity and beauty of the design was mind blowing and something that could not go unnoticed. A historic building if you will. Those sparkles made it look cheap and unsophisticated.

I don't believe that many will even notice the new lights being attached except at night, but it just made one of the most intricate and rare visions on earth, just another show prop. For that I cannot forgive them. I will reserve complete judgement until after I have had a chance to witness it, but I'm not feeling it to be a good attachment to SSE. There are so few things of beauty in the world anymore that I just hate to see it compromised.

 

[Prototype82]

Everyone is entitled to their opinion but the wand billboard was unforgivable, cartoonish and tacky. I honestly don't think SSE's look will be compromised during the day. We are talking about a vibrant blueprint of light celebrating the shape of this piece of architecture. I have no doubt it'll move a grown man to tears. Looking forward to pausing quite a bit in this space once we have the finished result.

 

[CastAStone]

I feel like the SSE nippling needs it’s own thread?

 

[Goofyernmost]

Everyone is entitled to their opinion but the wand billboard was unforgivable, cartoonish and tacky. I honestly don't think SSE's look will be compromised during the day. We are talking about a vibrant blueprint of light celebrating the shape of this piece of architecture. I have no doubt it'll move a grown man to tears. Looking forward to pausing quite a bit in this space once we have the finished result.

But then again.... It all started with a cartoon mouse. Seemed pretty appropriate to me.

 

[tirian]

Everyone is entitled to their opinion but the wand billboard was unforgivable, cartoonish and tacky. I honestly don't think SSE's look will be compromised during the day. We are talking about a vibrant blueprint of light celebrating the shape of this piece of architecture. I have no doubt it'll move a grown man to tears. Looking forward to pausing quite a bit in this space once we have the finished result.

I agree completely. The wand was tacky, garish, and out of place — to the extent that I think anyone who liked it probably has bad taste in general in all areas of life.

Even though these lights are more noticeable than I’d prefer, SSE is going to look gorgeous at night. This entrance is pretty much the only attractive part of the new Epcot. Everything else looks amateurish.

 

[Goofyernmost]

I agree completely. The wand was tacky, garish, and out of place — to the extent that I think anyone who liked it probably has bad taste in general in all areas of life.

Even though these lights are more noticeable than I’d prefer, SSE is going to look gorgeous at night. This entrance is pretty much the only attractive part of the new Epcot. Everything else looks amateurish.

Seriously????? You're probably right though because I also liked the Birthday cake castle. Why? Because I like my theme parks to be fun and surprising. I don't like trying to keep my dour everyday life active in a group of fantasy theme parks --to the extent that I think that anyone that can't find the fun in comical, fun spirited displays really shouldn't be in a theme park that is designed to be entertainingly light hearted and they probably must be a lot of fun at parties.

BTW, the absolute definition of garish would be to stick thousands of bright lights on a structural work of art and think that is gorgeous. It would be like putting Viagra advertisements on the walls of the Sistine Chapel. I'm sure it will be alright to see at night, but please don't imply that it is any less destructive to the image of SSE then the hand and wand was. All I can picture during the day is a round object with little pimples all over it. (some what resembling the depiction of the Corona Virus)

 

[JohnD]

I feel like the SSE nippling needs it’s own thread?

TMI