I have nostalgia for many past EPCOT Center attractions(Horizons, original Imagination, WOM, and even Kitchen Cabernet, but I don’t get the love for Maelstrom… it was a weird disjointed ride… Frozen IMO is much better
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News Impressions de France only available for limited time in the mornings
- Thread starter ptaylor
- Start date
Jenny72
Well-Known Member
I am sort of an Epcot purist, and really hate the IP stuff and the singalong, but I admit that I am also a visitor that doesn't get excited about seeing films in theme parks anymore. Especially after being stuck home during Covid, conducting lots of meetings virtually, etc. I am staring at a screen in one form or the other so often that I want to do things that are more tangible or interactive.
What I wish they would do with some of the less popular film experiences is to turn them into an innovative, interactive experience or exhibit about the country. I'm no imagineer, but something with a few animatronics, a guide, even a group trivia game or something. I'm sure they can come up with creative ideas (or could, if they tried). My impression is that people are craving that sort of experience now, especially since we can often watch amazing cinematography at home. In my opinion, that would be a far better way to get more people interested in the pavillions than slapping some movie character on it.
What I wish they would do with some of the less popular film experiences is to turn them into an innovative, interactive experience or exhibit about the country. I'm no imagineer, but something with a few animatronics, a guide, even a group trivia game or something. I'm sure they can come up with creative ideas (or could, if they tried). My impression is that people are craving that sort of experience now, especially since we can often watch amazing cinematography at home. In my opinion, that would be a far better way to get more people interested in the pavillions than slapping some movie character on it.
JohnD
Well-Known Member
A more recent wedding couple. Bicyclists riding modern bicycles. Show Notre Dame in the midst of restoration.
MrPromey
Well-Known Member
Get Bob to stop wearing the sweaters and Josh to knock it off with the skinny jeans.
Maybe to keep things consistent, ToTBellHop should once again, register his complaint in French.
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doctornick
Well-Known Member
I think that’s valid WRT IDF but other films like the Circle Vision hold up better because of how the experience is different from what you can do at home or locally.
UNCgolf
Well-Known Member
I think a lot of it is just due to fit. Frozen is an IP ride with no relation to Norway (in the attraction itself), whereas Maelstrom was at least about Norway.
I personally don't have any special love for Maelstrom (it was mediocre), but fit aside, I still think it was a better attraction than FEA. FEA has some really nice AAs, but huge parts of that ride are empty/barren -- almost like they forgot to finish building it -- and it doesn't really make any sense.
MerlinTheGoat
Well-Known Member
Aside from the fact that it's actually appropriate for the location, Maelstrom had significantly higher quality set design and detailed artwork painting into the backgrounds. Far less barren, empty and flat than Frozen. The AA's didn't have those horrible facial projections either.
There were instances where Maelstrom's scenery had lapses as well (the plain blank wall and door transitioning into the three headed troll room, which Frozen also failed to address). But it was still a lot more consistent and far more beautifully designed than Frozen overall (like the entirety of the backwards portion and final drop). The layered painted details were exceptional and made great use of traditional and convincing forced perspective techniques. Making it appear as if sets were much larger than they really were and reaching far into the distance. Tirian has brought up before that modern imagineers lack skill in the art of forced perspective effects that their predecessors once had (another example being the New Fantasyland facades, particularly for Be Our Guest). Something I have also noticed to be accurate.
As a result of all of this, even Frozen's best scenes look very flat and empty. Even the rooms that are supposed to have outdoor scenery. It does a consistently poor job at conveying a natural looking environment.
The only problem with Maelstrom is that it was criminally short. Only about 4 minutes. Absolute bare minimum it should have been double that, ideally at least triple though. Another flaw Frozen also didn't address...
There were instances where Maelstrom's scenery had lapses as well (the plain blank wall and door transitioning into the three headed troll room, which Frozen also failed to address). But it was still a lot more consistent and far more beautifully designed than Frozen overall (like the entirety of the backwards portion and final drop). The layered painted details were exceptional and made great use of traditional and convincing forced perspective techniques. Making it appear as if sets were much larger than they really were and reaching far into the distance. Tirian has brought up before that modern imagineers lack skill in the art of forced perspective effects that their predecessors once had (another example being the New Fantasyland facades, particularly for Be Our Guest). Something I have also noticed to be accurate.
As a result of all of this, even Frozen's best scenes look very flat and empty. Even the rooms that are supposed to have outdoor scenery. It does a consistently poor job at conveying a natural looking environment.
The only problem with Maelstrom is that it was criminally short. Only about 4 minutes. Absolute bare minimum it should have been double that, ideally at least triple though. Another flaw Frozen also didn't address...
WondersOfLife
Blink, blink. Breathe, breathe. Day in, day out.
I wasn't saying that. But on a side note, he had PLENTY of IPs to use if he wanted to do so.
And I don't disagree.
But his creativity for new stories and characters in the parks would have continued to thrive.
Now, the last non-IP things we have gotten have been Space 220, Awesome Planet, and the O Canada reboot. Whoop Dee friggin doo.
Andrew25
Well-Known Member
I am not defending the sing along, it's atrocious. What I am referring to is that kids are bored out of their mind watching Impressions, but are at least engaged with the sing along.
Well that's a problem for those kids and their parents. I see no issuewith kids actually learning something, and seeing another country on a large format projection. Disney should not be catering to the lowest common denominator.
Andrew25
Well-Known Member
Not picking between either. I think both shows should rotate throughout the day. I am just mentioning what I observe.
My opinion is the sing-along should be on Disney+, not in a theme park.
Andrew25
Well-Known Member
I agree, but let's not pretend that kids aren't enjoying it more than Impressions.
RunForestRun
Active Member
Hopefully they don't ruin the World Showcase, by taking away the "World" from World Showcase.
EPCOT-O.G.
Well-Known Member
“The kids” probably enjoyed Mission: SPACE initially, and look what that got us
RunForestRun
Active Member
Tony the Tigger
Well-Known Member
I wouldn’t refer to children as the lowest common denominator because they’re age-appropriately bored with a boring travel pitch. (And I’ve referred to children as “dirty as pigeons.”)
Mine is Impressions should be on PBS, not in a theme park.
Running both seems to be the best solution for the moment!
UNCgolf
Well-Known Member
Not all children are bored with stuff like Impressions de France (it's certainly not a boring travel pitch).
I loved it as a kid, just like I loved basically all of EPCOT. It was a lot more fun than the Magic Kingdom (not that I disliked the Magic Kingdom).
JohnD
Well-Known Member
At least that one. I have to admit, I enjoy the Frozen sing along in HS. But that one has hilarious narrators so it's partly a live show. Except for Let It Go, they're out there grooving to the music also.
Impressions of France is in World Showcase. World Showcase was designed to give visitors a chance to see other parts of the world. So does the Canada and China 360 movies need to be taken out and put on PBS?