A really great post on the state of Epcot

[DznyGrlSD]

That's one of my favorite lines of the article, but this one won for me:

"Indeed, every single detail was nothing short of pants-****tingly cool, down even to the icons that adorned each pavilion."
I want EPCOT to be pants-****tingly cool. I want to be blown away by their ideas, and the execution. I want to dream, imagine, discover, and be awed. It still has some of that, but sigh.

pants-****tingly cool became my phrase of the day yesterday

 

[sshindel]

Visit a college campus these days and you will not wonder why this is the case

I'm so confused. I'll admit it's been a while since I've been at a college campus, I'd just be that creepy dude, but I can't figure it out at all. Are you saying that college campuses are so overly protective about anything that might be implied as stereotyping that the kinds of things that go on in the ride would cause a riot?

I'll be near Northwestern's campus tonight. Maybe I'll start singing a few bars of It's a Small World and see if I'm driven off with pitchforks.

 

[hpyhnt 1000]

When I'm there, now, I'm grasping for the remnants of that. They are there to be found, but
not in the same way.
[...]
That said, I would like to see them try. It could be glorious.

Remnants is a good way of putting it. Living with the Land, American Adventure, the France film, SSE (somewhat)...a few elegant reminders of a more civilized theme park age.

I think what is most upsetting about Epcot today is that Disney isn't even trying. And I don't mean trying in terms of attractions that fit with EPCOT's old themes and ideas. I just mean trying in general.

I can't think of anything they've done to Epcot in the past 15+ years that really felt like they gave it their all, that they were ambitious, that they shot for the moon. Consider:

• Spaceship Earth - refurbished in 2007 with a lousy script, JibJab-esque finale and (still) unfinished chicken wire descent (post show is good though)
• Universe of Energy - unchanged since 1996 (apart from disappearing AAs and broken effects)
• Wonders of Life - closed mid 2000s
• Mission: Space - opened 2003, a glorified hurl a whirl with a video game post show
• Test Track - refurbished in 2012 with glow in the dark paint and a wonky "design your own car" concept (admittedly not terrible but not amazing either)
• Imagination - Pixar short films, skunk smell, decaying post show...honestly, just close it and put it out of it's misery already
• The Land - refurbished in 2005 and arguably Epcot's best pavilion currently. Soarin' clone was a nice addition but, again, nothing groundbreaking.
• The Seas - refurbished in 2007 with Nemo dark ride more befitting Fantasyland and a half-hearted repainting of Seabase Alpha
• Innoventions - (sort of) refurbished in 2008 but has slowly been walled off and is now basically a big meet and greet area
• World Showcase - updated films in China (good) and Canada (lousy). Three Caballeros takeover of Mexico (lousy) and Frozen invasion of Norway (terrible). Changes to live entertainment, some good (British Revolution) some bad (Lumberjacks). New restaurants in Mexico, Italy, and Morocco to increase $$$. IllumiNations is basically unchanged since 1999.

Now tell me, is there anything on that list that's ambitious? Groundbreaking? Pants-####tingly cool? The park hasn't seen an actual new ride addition since...I don't even know when! (Seriously, what was the last ADDITION that wasn't a restaurant?) Anything "new" has just been a re-theme of an old attraction, usually done as quickly and cheaply as possible. When more effort is spent on theming the food and wine festival booths than on the actual attractions, you know the park has a problem.

 

[ford91exploder]

I'm so confused. I'll admit it's been a while since I've been at a college campus, I'd just be that creepy dude, but I can't figure it out at all. Are you saying that college campuses are so overly protective about anything that might be implied as stereotyping that the kinds of things that go on in the ride would cause a riot?

I'll be near Northwestern's campus tonight. Maybe I'll start singing a few bars of It's a Small World and see if I'm driven off with pitchforks.

They are indeed - since I was a admin dean at one time when I visit college campuses I'm in the administration buildings dressed like all the other deans. but -wow- is the special snowflake mentality rampant

 

[sshindel]

I'll just keep this short and move along, because I've written it before, way too many times to count.
Modern day Epcot is broken. It's a bar/food-court. What once made it special has become something less than a joke. It was never about the rides, though they were great, or the pavilions, though they were fun and educational, or the countries, though they once felt exotic and alive.
It was about inspiring people, children and adults, to drive towards a better future together.
The education is gone. The inspiration is gone. The wide-eyed wonder is gone. A park that was created to be something more than just a theme park, has turned into a below-average theme park, a place where people love to go to eat and drink sure, but why are we paying theme-park ticket prices and theme park inflated food/drink prices, when better food can be found cheaper nearly everywhere in America now?
I've lost hope in the park that used to be an unending source of hope. I'm fairly apologetic towards Disney on things that most people get upset about, because in most cases, the parks in question are just theme parks. Epcot Center was more, it was where we could dream and aspire to a better world. To see that brought low to the alter of commercialism is beyond depressing to me.

 

[Cmdr_Crimson]

This Sums it ALL Up!

 

[Soarin' Over Pgh]

It was very pretty and park-like, with a peaceful atmosphere - there was a gentle roar of the fountain waters and the atmospheric music, unless there was a show going on on the fountain stage or in the air. CommuniCore was (is) mostly glass, so you were surrounded by a stately, majestic, open-feeling piece of architecture with gentle sweeping curves, reminding you of a university or a graceful modern public building that felt very futuristic but not stark or cold. Everywhere you looked were modern touches - futuristic signage, silent sliding glass doors, custom lighting, hidden speakers. The concrete was spotless and felt continuous, instead of broken up, making the plaza feel large and spacious. The benches, drinking fountains and planters were molded to emulate the shapes of the buildings. The uniforms were reminiscent of Star Trek or a futuristic tv show. There was a lot more open space, planting and water back then, but the planting did not block CommuniCore or look overgrown. Very different from today.

...As if this above post wasn't depressing enough (yet very well written)...

Remnants is a good way of putting it. Living with the Land, American Adventure, the France film, SSE (somewhat)...a few elegant reminders of a more civilized theme park age.

I think what is most upsetting about Epcot today is that Disney isn't even trying. And I don't mean trying in terms of attractions that fit with EPCOT's old themes and ideas. I just mean trying in general.

I can't think of anything they've done to Epcot in the past 15+ years that really felt like they gave it their all, that they were ambitious, that they shot for the moon. Consider:

• Spaceship Earth - refurbished in 2007 with a lousy script, JibJab-esque finale and (still) unfinished chicken wire descent (post show is good though)
  
• Universe of Energy - unchanged since 1996 (apart from disappearing AAs and broken effects)
  
• Wonders of Life - closed mid 2000s
  
• Mission: Space - opened 2003, a glorified hurl a whirl with a video game post show
  
• Test Track - refurbished in 2012 with glow in the dark paint and a wonky "design your own car" concept (admittedly not terrible but not amazing either)
  
• Imagination - Pixar short films, skunk smell, decaying post show...honestly, just close it and put it out of it's misery already
  
• The Land - refurbished in 2005 and arguably Epcot's best pavilion currently. Soarin' clone was a nice addition but, again, nothing groundbreaking.
  
• The Seas - refurbished in 2007 with Nemo dark ride more befitting Fantasyland and a half-hearted repainting of Seabase Alpha
  
• Innoventions - (sort of) refurbished in 2008 but has slowly been walled off and is now basically a big meet and greet area
  
• World Showcase - updated films in China (good) and Canada (lousy). Three Caballeros takeover of Mexico (lousy) and Frozen invasion of Norway (terrible). Changes to live entertainment, some good (British Revolution) some bad (Lumberjacks). New restaurants in Mexico, Italy, and Morocco to increase $$$. IllumiNations is basically unchanged since 1999.

Now tell me, is there anything on that list that's ambitious? Groundbreaking? Pants-####tingly cool? The park hasn't seen an actual new ride addition since...I don't even know when! (Seriously, what was the last ADDITION that wasn't a restaurant?) Anything "new" has just been a re-theme of an old attraction, usually done as quickly and cheaply as possible. When more effort is spent on theming the food and wine festival booths than on the actual attractions, you know the park has a problem.

If THAT post doesn't make you mad, sad, and disgruntled all at once, nothing will.

I'll be forwarding my therapist's bill shortly.

 

[Cmdr_Crimson]

Let's just hope they never go the Project X route in trying to "Fix" a Park that celebrated the 21st century 16 Years ago...

 

[Smiddimizer]

Let's just hope they never go the Project X route in trying to "Fix" a Park that celebrated the 21st century 16 Years ago...

They might as well bite the bullet and call Innoventions "Cool Stuff".

 

[bhg469]

One thing that differs so much to me now between the way it was and the way it is now is the pace of experiencing the attractions. In Future World, every pavilion had not just a ride, but really neat things to see and do throughout the building. We always planned for at least a full day at Future World and the same for World Showcase, and even then we'd feel reluctant to leave at the end of the night. It saddens me so much to see it now as just a race from one fast pass to the next.

This, sums up exactly how I feel. When I do go on occasion, it just feels like I'm going through paces instead of enjoying what it should be.

 

[Cmdr_Crimson]

They are indeed - since I was a admin dean at one time when I visit college campuses I'm in the administration buildings dressed like all the other deans. but -wow- is the special snowflake mentality rampant

Just look at how georgeous this is...I would be sitting in there for hours on how nice this looks....

 

[Coaster Lover]

I don't think it has lost confidence so much so as they want a guaranteed home run every time they come to bat when it comes to the parks.

When I went to Hong Kong Disneyland, there was no shortage of lines for Mystic Manor or Big Grizzly Mountain (neither of which were based on existing IPs)... then again, maybe it's a cultural issue that we Americans are more willing to flock to something we already know (hence why so many of our movies are squeals, prequels, spin offs, reboots, or based on a pre-existing work).

 

[FigmentForver96]

The only amazing thing that was somewhat close to the original mission of EPCOT Center of was Mission: Space. The ride was an innovative and new experince that felt like it would belong in Epcot, but sadly the current ride only feels like a small piece of a much larger puzzle.

 

[Brad Bishop]

I'll just keep this short and move along, because I've written it before, way too many times to count.
Modern day Epcot is broken. It's a bar/food-court. What once made it special has become something less than a joke. It was never about the rides, though they were great, or the pavilions, though they were fun and educational, or the countries, though they once felt exotic and alive.
It was about inspiring people, children and adults, to drive towards a better future together.
The education is gone. The inspiration is gone. The wide-eyed wonder is gone. A park that was created to be something more than just a theme park, has turned into a below-average theme park, a place where people love to go to eat and drink sure, but why are we paying theme-park ticket prices and theme park inflated food/drink prices, when better food can be found cheaper nearly everywhere in America now?
I've lost hope in the park that used to be an unending source of hope. I'm fairly apologetic towards Disney on things that most people get upset about, because in most cases, the parks in question are just theme parks. Epcot Center was more, it was where we could dream and aspire to a better world. To see that brought low to the alter of commercialism is beyond depressing to me.

I'd change to: It's a bar/food-court with a $100+ cover charge.

The lack of the educational aspect is disappointing. Mission: Space isn't educational, nor is Test Track, nor Nemo, nor Imagination. It was cool back when there was history and stories presented. Most of it was based around the notion of, "This is where we've been... This is where we're going.."

 

[jt04]

They are indeed - since I was a admin dean at one time when I visit college campuses I'm in the administration buildings dressed like all the other deans. but -wow- is the special snowflake mentality rampant

I think you mean "an" admin Dean.

 

[AEfx]

I don't think it has lost confidence so much so as they want a guaranteed home run every time they come to bat when it comes to the parks.

Not to mention the demand from consumers. People were beating the drums rather heavily for a Frozen attraction even 'round these parts and highly criticized Disney for not having an attraction at the ready, because they didn't have enough "confidence" in the film.

 

[AEfx]

And they ruin it for people who truly are interested in bettering the world. You can tell which ones are genuinely speaking out to make a difference and which ones are doing it for attention, just like you said.

Be careful, you don't want to be accused of committing a "micro-aggression"...

 

[durhay]

Be careful, you don't want to be accused of committing a "micro-aggression"...

Stop it please, you're triggering me

You both are encroaching on my safe space.

 

[durhay]

The information age killed Future World. I get my "wow! that's cool!" from the Internet every day, instead of annually at EPCOT like I did in the 80s. And based on the feed you cobble together, you can get that "if we can dream, we can do it!" feeling that Horizons used to evoke.

 

[Brad Bishop]

The information age killed Future World. I get my "wow! that's cool!" from the Internet every day, instead of annually at EPCOT like I did in the 80s. And based on the feed you cobble together, you can get that "if we can dream, we can do it!" feeling that Horizons used to evoke.

The internet also killed World's Fairs for the same reason.