300,000,000 Dollar Rehab for EPCOT

[cymbaldiva]

Or put the tasty eats back in SSF? Sorry...I have a problem w/ decisions! I liked all the choices! With all of the things they used to offer, I at least got to stay in the same building...

 

[thedisneyfan]

$300 MILLION IS A LOT! In going to the parks on a fairly regular basis for the past three years a lot of the country pavillions have already had a full rehab/facelift. I think that another country pavillion is probably going to be one of the additions! Russia, Greece, ??? Plus the rehab of Living Seas (if they make the ride portion a walkthrough---which I believe that they will do) and who knows what else? I think giving future world its future magic back would be great. Maybe they could dump Innoventions and put Communicores back. I used to love Communicore, along with Horizons, World of Motion, etc. Test Track is very neat and I think that Mission Space will be fantastic, but they should have been additions NOT REPLACEMENTS to the great rides that were there before which really gave you a future feeling. All I really have to say is that they better go no where near touching Spaceship Earth!:fork: :fork: :fork:

 

[arstogas]

>>>. If true, I wonder if that includes the budget for Mission Space. <<<

The money does not include MISSION SPACE at all.

>>>Considering that Mission Space was 100% funded by Compaq, I'd say no.<<<

Actually, it's a cash equivalent worth probably even more. Compaq is not putting up ANY cash for MISSION SPACE, but they are, however, updating ALL computer systems for the Walt Disney Company over the next couple of years.

$300 million can buy quite a bit if you know where to designate it, and there is a pretty aggressive agenda now to wake the park up. I think we're all going to be pretty happy.

 

[gjpjtj]

Hmmm 300 million dollars...Dr. Evil would be proud!:drevil: :drevil:

 

[Cliff]

300 million?

I'd like to see some of that money go into Spaceship Earth. I'd like some very "carefull" changes like:

Latest model Audio Animatronocs...( i.e. like Whicked Witch at Great Movie ride)

More dynamics and motion in existing scenes.

Updated sound system in car seats ( Sounds too much like a cheap AM radio)

Better finale and better Earth/ Space at the top of the ride. ( More high tech projection and effects...maybee a nice hologram of Earth instead.)

Quiter cars and track. ( No squeeking and scraping sounds)

Keep the existing music but re-record it so that it has more track and a surround sound effect...like it sounds as though it is comming from all around you.

Better animatrinics sound effects.

CT ; - )

 

[durhay]

$300 million seems like a lot of money to remove the Wand, remove Leave a Legacy, and bring back the fountain. :animwink:

 

[tenchu]

I'd like them to put some padding on the head rests in spaceship earth.

 

[james4023464]

$300 million

Lets see, I'd like to see a Weather Pavilion, Rehab of Living Seas, rehab of Wonders of Life, and bring EPCOT back to its glory.

 

[Atticus]

I would like to clarify whoever said "Mission Space is being paid 100% by Compaq". Actually that's where Disney is having a problem! Ever since Compaq combined with HP they don't know exactly how much money if any they will be getting.

Mike

 

[Sherm00]

Originally posted by WigglyWiggins
Id be interested to find out how disney would work this alternate gate thing if it ever became more than just a rumour. i just dont think disney would like non paying guests to see the fireworks....

not true, you can see the fireworks very clearly from the board walk or yact club, and a second Dinner entrance that would just get you to world showcase makes sense. especially if you wanted to go in just for the food. I know a few nights I would have done this if it didn't eat up a day on my hopper pass. especially the night it was after 9 and spoodles was closed for a convention and most of the resturants we liked in the swan and dolphin were closed or closeing. we ended up going off property.

 

[Sherm00]

Originally posted by 10021982
Ahh yes.

"EPCOT Center" of the 80's. I used really love the "feel" that the park had back then.

Back then EPCOT Center had enough music at all it's pavillions that it could fill an entire album. ( I'm looking at it right now on my shelf....The Official Album Of EPCOT Center. Circa 1983. Still has price tag- $5.98)

But then what happened? Somebody decided the place had too much "magic". They decided to take away all the music. Sombody thought it was BAD that guests walk out of a pavillion with these terrible "jingles" in their head:

Tommorrows Child....It's fun to be free...Horrizons....Universe of Energy....Imagination.

Journy Into Imagination- Tearing down that magical ride and giving us an absolutly WORTHLESS waste of three minutes that they built for 10's of Millions...No Figment...Not music....NO MAGIC!!

The way they handled this one ride TOTATLY sums up how they have sterilized all of Epcot in the past 10 years!!!!

Think about it! It's true!

300 million for a rehab? Bring back that atmosphere. Bring back the wonderment. Bring back the music!!

More importantly.....MOST OF ALL.....Bring back that old fasioned Walt Disney Imagineering MAGIC!

CT

I think thats what eisner said since rideing JIYI. then after sept. 11 I think he really got kicked in the but. I noticed when I was down there last week that things started to seem better, the attitude of employees, the clenliness of the park, the new paint jobs, the parks almost seem new again. so with this rehab I think things are starting to look up.

 

[Sherm00]

Originally posted by stale32441
Maybe with all that cash they could acutally crate a new parade, instead of a recycled version of an old parade. Also. I think that Epcot needs more entertainment(I know, thats not what Epcots about, but...) And does Epcot really need THREE gates when all the other parks only have one? Maybe they'll use some of that money to put the ride that they originally planned to put in Japan in. Or , they could just give all Epcot cast a raise...

You know , whatever

The E-P-C-O-T, yes thats the park for me

I'm thinking it will still have 2 the main entrance and world showcase entrance and another gate between future world and world showcase so the people who bought the pass just for world showcase wouldn't be able to get into future world. and I was wondering if they would have the reverse of that just a pass to get into futureworld, then of course your hopper passes.

 

[Sherm00]

Originally posted by gjpjtj
Hmmm 300 million dollars...Dr. Evil would be proud!:drevil: :drevil:

howdy neighbor. I lost what site I saw you on last and I just wanted to say hi.

 

[Al]

300million...........wow!

 

[Married@WDW]

Well, I must say there's a lot of "facelifting" going on. Italy is still having work done, to the tower right now. Canada is being worked on, as is Norway. They are doing new cement pavers in various areas of Future World. The dinosaurs in Universe of Energy have been painted since the last time we did the ride (probably three years ago -- not something on do on every trip and I forgot how really funny it was). The new JIYI, while not the original, was definitely a HUGE improvement over the last concept. Spaceship Earth has had some minor changes.

I have to admit, I'd like to see more little things that capture the imagination in different ways than the traditional "attraction". I've always loved the big fountain timed to the music in the center of Future World. I love that little Coke softdrink taste testing area. I didn't get to see Blast last year, but Shockwave was great! There were three acrobats doing weird things with there bodies (that's the best way I can think of to describe it) in Future World last week while we were there and they were awesome -- very Cirque du Soleil-ish. I'd like to see more stuff like that.

 

[JLW11Hi]

Originally posted by Married@WDW

I have to admit, I'd like to see more little things that capture the imagination in different ways than the traditional "attraction". I've always loved the big fountain timed to the music in the center of Future World. I love that little Coke softdrink taste testing area. I didn't get to see Blast last year, but Shockwave was great! There were three acrobats doing weird things with there bodies (that's the best way I can think of to describe it) in Future World last week while we were there and they were awesome -- very Cirque du Soleil-ish. I'd like to see more stuff like that.

Thats a good idea for World Showcase. I remember seeing acrobats in China, doing a show for everyone, but I think it is the plain laziness of the people, or mabey the fact that they just want to sit somewhere airconditioned, that it would work better indoors on a stage. Mabey if they had a stage in the center of the audience, like at wrestling matches (ala Festival of the Lion King), they could have an acrobatics type show there like they do outside.

 

[Katherine]

I really can't wait to see what they're going to do!! SOme of the rides definately needed this and the park it's self was getting a little old. I have a few ideas with things they could do with the money:

Make a new Body Wars video(maybe?)

A new country DEFINANTLT!! Weren't they talking about this awhile ago? I thik they should do soomething that could have an awesome ride like Norway!

Put some new little things inside the Body Pavillion( I think that's what it's called?). Maybe some new routes for the bikes? Or liven up the Goofy movie?

Living Seas also NEEDS a renovation! it's a great concept it's just gotten old over the year. I love it though but people seem to be less interested in it.

 

[stale32441]

Originally when the WS was built, Japan was supposed to have a ride. If you have ever been backstage behind it, and then inside, you can realize how big the building is. I dont know what happened , as to why it wasnt built but thats a big building for just an exibit on baseball.

Plus, if you add a gate between FW and WS, it will just be hassle for park guests and people who just want to eat at the restaurants, equally. I dont see how it would work...

And where were they could put another country...unless the take down World Showplace, which works very well for convetions.

 

[sconti]

Orlando Sentinel Article

I'm having a hard time finding the article about Epcot's rehab on OrlandoSentinel.com. Does anyone have a copy of it that they could post? Thanks!

 

[arstogas]

>>>I would like to clarify whoever said "Mission Space is being paid 100% by Compaq". Actually that's where Disney is having a problem! Ever since Compaq combined with HP they don't know exactly how much money if any they will be getting. <<<

No, that's been settled, and both sides are happy. The merged company is providing computers to the entire Disney company, replacing all computers in Disney's various divisions over the next couple of years, and providing customer service, etc, in cash equivalent to the cost of MISSION:Space.