Epcot restoration nice, did they go to far?

[THEMEPARKPIONEER]

Epcot in its previous form was the worlds 4th most visited theme park. The least amount of character attractions and hanging on a thread from being an educational park it was doing good. Now there defacing the park and making it a place that no one has set foot in yet could this direction hurt Epcot? Would Epcot have had a more successful future if they improved what they had and added to it?

 

[Goofyernmost]

In my opinion, no... the place required a whole new mission and feel while keeping some of the things that people remembered. It died on the vine with the educational aspect and things changed so rapidly, especially in electronics, that they couldn't build anything that wouldn't be obsolete by they time they had the grand opening. Whatever they do has to be able to freely float without having new innovations knock them to their knees.

 

[marni1971]

People will visit no matter what.

 

[larryz]

Would Epcot have had a more successful future if they improved what they had and added to it?

They're just making it more Disney, more family, more timeless and more relevant.

 

[yeti]

I think in another world where they properly updated Horizons, World of Motion, Universe of Energy, and Journey into Imagination, EPCOT would still be a success.

 

[THEMEPARKPIONEER]

People will visit no matter what.

Than why bother doing anything lol, this is Disney, they love to hold onto money. All they needed was new projection in UOE, fix walkways and the entrance, make an ending for Spaceship Earth with updated narration and update Journey into Imagination if you want to go large and they could have turned innoventions to the play pavilion.

 

[NickMaio]

I think in another world where they properly updated Horizons, World of Motion, Universe of Energy, and Journey into Imagination, EPCOT would still be a success.

Honestly.....I agree
Epcot presented something different that the other parks did not.
I miss old Epcot.
It was meant to inspire curiosity and interest in things, not just entertain and retell a familiar Dis story or movie.

 

[networkpro]

Epcot in its previous form was the worlds 4th most visited theme park. The least amount of character attractions and hanging on a thread from being an educational park it was doing good. Now there defacing the park and making it a place that no one has set foot in yet could this direction hurt Epcot? Would Epcot have had a more successful future if they improved what they had and added to it?

I disagree as I always have to this topic each time it surfaces. Edutainment has failed as an attractor of guests due to the advancement of technology and subsequently the availability of information from multiple viewpoints. This in turn made innovations passe as the development and deployment cycle could not keep up with the pace of advancement. Thank goodness for World Showcase, Festivals, Nightly spectaculars, and the peripheral pavillions.

 

[Sbk1234]

Classic Epcot was inspiring and optimistic. It made me excited for the future. I think its problems really started when the mindset set in with TPTB that it would either be informative OR fun. They didn't see that it could be both at once. The idea was that people wouldn't really recognize that they were being taught something, because the attractions were so much fun. I don't particularly go to a theme park to go to school, but the way such attractions as Horizons, Spaceship Earth, World of Motion, Journey into Imagination, Listen to the Land, and Body Wars and Cranium Command presented things snuck in the education so perfectly that I didn't realize until later that I had learned something.
I also think the mindset that EVERYTHING had to include IPs also limited Imagineers' ability to create truly new and dynamic attractions. A balance is needed, not all one or the other. (The same goes for the other parks, but that's a different discussion.)

 

[JIMINYCR]

Why do guests go to any theme park? To have fun, to be entertained and to get some thrills that lets them escape their work or school or dreary ordinary day to day lives. EP education piece failed miserably because no matter how you dress it up and try fooling kids into learning, they know its still being fed to them, and lacks the fun factor. Adults though willing to accept some education, take it in but even to them its too blaah, lets move on. The WS drawing in guests looking to take part in the cultural based food booths, festivals and good time atmosphere along with a few good attractions saved EP. Building up EP, making it fresh and giving it some relevant direction will only increase guests desires to walk through the turnstiles. It needed more than a simple fix, and yet still whether the rebuild will cause enough excitement and desire is yet to be discovered. Its a big monetary gamble that Disney is taking with hopes its a win.

 

[NickMaio]

I disagree as I always have to this topic each time it surfaces. Edutainment has failed as an attractor of guests due to the advancement of technology and subsequently the availability of information from multiple viewpoints. This in turn made innovations passe as the development and deployment cycle could not keep up with the pace of advancement. Thank goodness for World Showcase, Festivals, Nightly spectaculars, and the peripheral pavillions.

To each is own.
I think if Epcot stayed true to its roots that it would have been just as big in the 80's. It offered something more to people. The idea that learning can be easy and fun.
Honestly.....everyone here can tell you who invented the common alphabet...just thank the....
As a parent who values education and inspiration for curiosity, I can honestly say there must be millions like me who would take their families to Epcot to have fun and learn on the side.
Epcot was one of the biggest reasons why I became a teacher and am constantly trying to teach myself new things.
Look at the internet now, full of vapid people following strangers daily lives. Not engaging or stimulating at all. A time will come when people will want more.
Bring back old Epcot WDW please, people need and want more than just thrill rides and IP regurgitation.
Perhaps a second enlightenment.

 

[Chef Mickey]

They're just making it more Disney, more family, more timeless and more relevant.

Timeless? Frozen is not timeless.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

If the original education based rides don’t work, why is there always a line at living with the land and at spaceship earth?

 

[NickMaio]

If the original education based rides don’t work, why is there always a line at living with the land and at spaceship earth?

Deep down, people crave true mental engagement. Our daily lives and the internet do not provide this.
My nieces who are 6 and 10 absolutley loved Epcot last year. The favorite rides were the educational classics.
We need Epcot back now, more than ever.

 

[WondersOfLife]

Old Epcot was set up for failure. The only people fawning over old school Epcot are just the theme park nut jobs. (Let it be known, don’t get me wrong, but I’m one of you nut jobs).

We live in a new age, new society, ect. Ect. Ect. A world of social media and mindless entertainment. Disney has to adapt to what is relevant these days. We can bicker and pout over what was lost, but it won’t change anything. And the worst part about it is accepting that if old school Epcot really WAS that genius, it and it’s concept would actually still be here today, and Disney wouldn’t think that putting more Disney in the parks was a good idea.

I love old Epcot as much as anyone else. But over the times of taking countless first timers, I can easily see that the average people didn’t give a hoot about travelogue films, living with the land, universe of energy, or anything that wasn’t slightly thrilling or Disney. That’s just how people are. The average guest wants Disney. So Disney is what they’ll get I guess

 

[Cmdr_Crimson]

Old Epcot was set up for failure. The only people fawning over old school Epcot are just the theme park nut jobs. (Let it be known, don’t get me wrong, but I’m one of you nut jobs).

 

[networkpro]

If the original education based rides don’t work, why is there always a line at living with the land and at spaceship earth?

Because kids want rides and others want AC.

 

[THEMEPARKPIONEER]

Old Epcot was set up for failure. The only people fawning over old school Epcot are just the theme park nut jobs. (Let it be known, don’t get me wrong, but I’m one of you nut jobs).

We live in a new age, new society, ect. Ect. Ect. A world of social media and mindless entertainment. Disney has to adapt to what is relevant these days. We can bicker and pout over what was lost, but it won’t change anything. And the worst part about it is accepting that if old school Epcot really WAS that genius, it and it’s concept would actually still be here today, and Disney wouldn’t think that putting more Disney in the parks was a good idea.

I love old Epcot as much as anyone else. But over the times of taking countless first timers, I can easily see that the average people didn’t give a hoot about travelogue films, living with the land, universe of energy, or anything that wasn’t slightly thrilling or Disney. That’s just how people are. The average guest wants Disney. So Disney is what they’ll get I guess

I’m moderate, I don’t care for a 1982 Epcot Center but post Epcot 94 for me is my happy place. I would be happy going back to that era with Reflections of Earth and the Disney Ip as long as it doesn’t plow down an existing attractions. What I don’t get is that they unlike the Magic Kingdom they have the same number of rides they did in 1984. When something new comes an original closes when they should be increasing the number of attractions. I think they should gut 75% of Spaceship Earth and make it about progress, no story telling. If Magic Kingdom can have carousel of progress I think Spaceship Earth should cover earths story starting with Dinosaurs, civilization, travel, And make it a great ride thru of carousel of progress narrated by John and Sara, Put Imagination back together and they can do what ever the hell they want to the rest of Epcot.

 

[Disstevefan1]

EPCOT has become a year round food festival. But it works; it makes money...

 

[GraysonsDad]

I don't think they've gone too far...the aspects of Epcot that most people enjoy (in the last 10 years or so) are still there- Soarin', Test Track, Spaceship Earth, the monorail running through the park, World Showcase, and yes even Frozen, etc. We can all bicker and disagree about certain parts of Epcot (mostly things from the 80's-90's), but the fact is that people are still coming. Disney is simply building on why people come- look at the new Guardians coaster among other new attractions and restaurants. Many may not like it, but that's the way it is today.