All EPCOT Center, All the Time- Part II

[ttalovebug]

Yes Germany and Japan especially just baffle me. By now there really should be something more to those two but, as always no one wants to pay for anything, which is why there is not a brand new country by now I guess and why SE remains unfinished.
Everytime Im in Japan I always hear someone say isnt there a ride back here?[/quote]



Question: I was looking at some Google earth images (man, you can really kill some time doing that!) and I noticed that the Japan building looks a lot bigger than the others. Were there ever any plans that almost came to be, got cancelled, but the space is still there? This is what happened in Germany, correct?

 

[DarthGrady]

You would, had it not been built in 1982. If no one will pay to update the film you don`t think a new ride would be built do you?

Odyssey, as said elsewhere, isn`t going anywhere due to its construction technique. There again, it could be reopened as it used to be. Radical, I know.

There is still so much under utilised and unused space - Energy, Life, Odyssey, Imagination, Germany, Japan.... this park could offer so much more for the smallest outlay. Again, as said elsewhere.

Martin, that leads me to a question I wanted to ask you.

When we did the Undiscovered Future World tour, our guide told us that the reason behind the upper floors of Imagination and Communicore being closed was poor traffic flow. He basically said that folks were just not making the trip upstairs in high enough numbers, so the attractions were moved downstairs. (this was in response to my prodding him as to why the REAL Imageworks are not used anymore )

This didn't seem right to me. I might buy that about CC, but I recall the Imageworks being fairly busy most of the time. Is this just PR drivel, or is there truth to it?

 

[EPCOT Explorer]

Martin, that leads me to a question I wanted to ask you.

When we did the Undiscovered Future World tour, our guide told us that the reason behind the upper floors of Imagination and Communicore being closed was poor traffic flow. He basically said that folks were just not making the trip upstairs in high enough numbers, so the attractions were moved downstairs. (this was in response to my prodding him as to why the REAL Imageworks are not used anymore )

This didn't seem right to me. I might buy that about CC, but I recall the Imageworks being fairly busy most of the time. Is this just PR drivel, or is there truth to it?

Where else were there a upstairs spot besides the Centorium? I know it was meant to have TTA tracks, though...

 

[DarthGrady]

Where else were there a upstairs spot besides the Centorium? I know it was meant to have TTA tracks, though...

I suppose thats what he was talking about. Thats the only upstairs that I could remember in there. I do vaguely recall being up there as a kid, but I don't remember much else. Robert (the guide) said that they briefly put a character encounter up there, but they had the same problem.

 

[EPCOT Explorer]

I suppose thats what he was talking about. Thats the only upstairs that I could remember in there. I do vaguely recall being up there as a kid, but I don't remember much else. Robert (the guide) said that they briefly put a character encounter up there, but they had the same problem.

Doesn't West have one too? Where the restaurants were/are?

My EPCOT Explorer sense is tingling...:lol::lookaroun

 

[aladdin2007]

Yes Germany and Japan especially just baffle me. By now there really should be something more to those two but, as always no one wants to pay for anything, which is why there is not a brand new country by now I guess and why SE remains unfinished.
Everytime Im in Japan I always hear someone say isnt there a ride back here?[/quote]



Question: I was looking at some Google earth images (man, you can really kill some time doing that!) and I noticed that the Japan building looks a lot bigger than the others. Were there ever any plans that almost came to be, got cancelled, but the space is still there? This is what happened in Germany, correct?

Yes, Japan is a huge showbuilding that was orginally built for a copy of the Meet the World show that also played in Tokyo Disneyland for many years. It never came to be sadly and then they tossed around the idea of a bullet train simulator ride and also of course the old mt fuji concept back there. But that building itself was originally built for Meet the World specifically. That space still awaits its day, will believe it when I see it.

Germany's kinda same thing, the Rhine River Cruise was to have been there and it too got canceled. Love google earth really shows how big some of these unused areas are.

 

[DarthGrady]

Doesn't West have one too? Where the restaurants were/are?

My EPCOT Explorer sense is tingling...:lol::lookaroun

I just got done watching Martins tribute to the '86 SSE. Hes got a huge CC part at the end. I didnt see a second level West. There is a shot of the area that was the restaurant, now the character encounter.

I forgot how bright, open and multi-level it used to be in there! There were little stairs, platforms and lower areas everywhere. It seemed so much more like,,,,,well,,,, a pavillion! Now its just a dark, windowless, depressing mess.

 

[EPCOT Explorer]

I just got done watching Martins tribute to the '86 SSE. Hes got a huge CC part at the end. I didnt see a second level West. There is a shot of the area that was the restaurant, now the character encounter.

I forgot how bright, open and multi-level it used to be in there! There were little stairs, platforms and lower areas everywhere. It seemed so much more like,,,,,well,,,, a pavillion! Now its just a dark, windowless, depressing mess.

Seriously. I was in Inno for the fist time in many years last year for the C25 Gallery...SO sad. Loud, dark, busy...The exhibits don't even look that great.

Ironically the C25 Gallery is in the only portion of Innoventions (North West with AWESOME views of JII) that is open, airy, and still lit by it's naturally lighted windows. I geeked out in that hall.

 

[DarthGrady]

Seriously. I was in Inno for the fist time in many years last year for the C25 Gallery...SO sad. Loud, dark, busy...The exhibits don't even look that great.

Ironically the C25 Gallery is in the only portion of Innoventions (North West with AWESOME views of JII) that is open, airy, and still lit by it's naturally lighted windows. I geeked out in that hall.

You weren't alone, I did the same thing. I also dragged some friends in there who couldn't have cared less. They were totally making fun of me for being a fan boy nerd. Did I care? Not one bit.

 

[CaptainMichael]

The EPCOT Gallery should have remained open permanently. Really no reason to close it.

 

[DarthGrady]

The EPCOT Gallery should have remained open permanently. Really no reason to close it.

Sure there was! Too many new guests were figuring out that EPCOT was much better prior to 1994! :lol:

 

[_Scar]

So, can anyone fill me in on why there is now a pretty large area on Innoventions dedicated to fab 5 character greets? I just realized that the ECS was in Innoventions this past trip :lol:

 

[marni1971]

`morning all

Firstly, remember what was built for Germanys Rhine River was just the load area structure. Another much larger building would have gone behind this (search for my composites if you missed them)

When we did the Undiscovered Future World tour, our guide told us that the reason behind the upper floors of Imagination and Communicore being closed was poor traffic flow.
This didn't seem right to me. I might buy that about CC, but I recall the Imageworks being fairly busy most of the time. Is this just PR drivel, or is there truth to it?

Dear oh dear... firstly, the upper level to Electric Umbrella was actually ADDED in 1994 and is still in use today. The only upper guest level in CCore was in Centorium, and this was easy to get to and very visible both in position and means of access. When you bear in mind Centorium was split level and that you had to descend steps to get to the main shop floor that excuse just dosn`t wash.

Regarding Imageworks, it was closed due to evacuation concerns for assisted guests and to save money; a whole floor backstage dosn`t need insurance, tax, cleaning and the like. Plus there was a massive store space downstairs now when they ripped out the ride that had a gap between the shorter ride track and the store that needed filling. Remember JII 1983 had a very small store area. It obviously wasn`t making enough money.

The original pavilion guest flow was brilliant. You couldn`t miss the upstairs, nor the signs (both in ride and in the foyer) nor the means of access. The 1998 gutting of the pavilion ruined all that. The upper level wouldn`t have worked nearly as well with the shorter ride ending 500 miles away.

 

[hpyhnt 1000]

`morning all

Firstly, remember what was built for Germanys Rhine River was just the load area structure. Another much larger building would have gone behind this (search for my composites if you missed them)

Dear oh dear... firstly, the upper level to Electric Umbrella was actually ADDED in 1994 and is still in use today. The only upper guest level in CCore was in Centorium, and this was easy to get to and very visible both in position and means of access. When you bear in mind Centorium was split level and that you had to descend steps to get to the main shop floor that excuse just dosn`t wash.

Regarding Imageworks, it was closed due to evacuation concerns for assisted guests and to save money; a whole floor backstage dosn`t need insurance, tax, cleaning and the like. Plus there was a massive store space downstairs now when they ripped out the ride that had a gap between the shorter ride track and the store that needed filling. Remember JII 1983 had a very small store area. It obviously wasn`t making enough money.

The original pavilion guest flow was brilliant. You couldn`t miss the upstairs, nor the signs (both in ride and in the foyer) nor the means of access. The 1998 gutting of the pavilion ruined all that. The upper level wouldn`t have worked nearly as well with the shorter ride ending 500 miles away.

Ah yes, thats true about Electric Umbrella. Always forget about that second level...

And such a shame about the Imageworks. Gosh, that pavilion is so screwed up at this point. :dazzle:

And good morning, Martin. :lol: :wave:

 

[EPCOT Explorer]

You weren't alone, I did the same thing. I also dragged some friends in there who couldn't have cared less. They were totally making fun of me for being a fan boy nerd. Did I care? Not one bit.

Yep, same. I LOVED that thing...

The EPCOT Gallery should have remained open permanently. Really no reason to close it.

Agreed. The closing of it made me furious. A room, some lights and BGM. Disney can't keep that open? BS. If the collections were private collections, they could easily swap out the exhibits.

`morning all

Firstly, remember what was built for Germanys Rhine River was just the load area structure. Another much larger building would have gone behind this (search for my composites if you missed them)

Dear oh dear... firstly, the upper level to Electric Umbrella was actually ADDED in 1994 and is still in use today. The only upper guest level in CCore was in Centorium, and this was easy to get to and very visible both in position and means of access. When you bear in mind Centorium was split level and that you had to descend steps to get to the main shop floor that excuse just dosn`t wash.

Regarding Imageworks, it was closed due to evacuation concerns for assisted guests and to save money; a whole floor backstage dosn`t need insurance, tax, cleaning and the like. Plus there was a massive store space downstairs now when they ripped out the ride that had a gap between the shorter ride track and the store that needed filling. Remember JII 1983 had a very small store area. It obviously wasn`t making enough money.

The original pavilion guest flow was brilliant. You couldn`t miss the upstairs, nor the signs (both in ride and in the foyer) nor the means of access. The 1998 gutting of the pavilion ruined all that. The upper level wouldn`t have worked nearly as well with the shorter ride ending 500 miles away.

AHA!:sohappy::lol: I KNEW there was another level in a restaurant, somewhere...


JII makes me sad...

 

[mcjaco]

Ironically the C25 Gallery is in the only portion of Innoventions (North West with AWESOME views of JII) that is open, airy, and still lit by it's naturally lighted windows. I geeked out in that hall.

To be fair, the Gallery was in an internal room. The hallway leading to it, was still lit by the huge windows.

And such a shame about the Imageworks. Gosh, that pavilion is so screwed up at this point. :dazzle:

I actually think the traffic flow is better now, than way back when. The ride was way off to the side, and you always had people wandering around the lower level not completely understanding that there was more upstairs.

The ride and the pavilion stink, but the traffic flow is better. Stupid people in, stupid people out. Sadly that seems to be the way it is now.

 

[EPCOT Explorer]

To be fair, the Gallery was in an internal room. The hallway leading to it, was still lit by the huge windows.



I actually think the traffic flow is better now, than way back when. The ride was way off to the side, and you always had people wandering around the lower level not completely understanding that there was more upstairs.

The ride and the pavilion stink, but the traffic flow is better. Stupid people in, stupid people out. Sadly that seems to be the way it is now.

Right, that's what I meant....


As for JII. I guess you could say that. But the original was more intricate. Ride-Imageworks-movie. Less choice, but that might or might not be a good thing.:lol:

 

[EPCOTPluto]

Ah yes, that's true about Electric Umbrella. Always forget about that second level...

Actually, while on topic...

Wasn't there a plan for a Test Track Cafe in the second level of the Electric Umbrella restaurant? :shrug:

 

[EPCOT Explorer]

Actually, while on topic...

Wasn't there a plan for a Test Track Cafe in the second level of the Electric Umbrella restaurant? :shrug:

I had never, ever heard of that.:lol:

The only eatery I know of associated with TT is that Coke thing.:dazzle:

 

[EPCOTPluto]

I had never, ever heard of that.:lol:

The only eatery I know of associated with TT is that Coke thing.:dazzle:

Well, it came from something I read among a WDW secrets website...

Here's the paragraph:

Back in June 1999 (it was such a LONG time ago), my family and I went to Disney for a week and while we were visiting Epcot, my younger brother and I went to the Electric Umbrella to get something to eat. Anyways, after we were done, we got up and right before we exited into the breezeway, my bro noticed a flight of stairs in the restaurant going up. So, we looked around and quickly ran upstairs (we had to play it cool because there was a cast member underneath the landing we were standing on changing out garbage bags). Anyways, when we got there, we noticed a closed curtain. We opened the curtain and noticed one of the Test Track cars on display with a sign that said "Coming Soon: Test Track Cafe" -- can anyone confirm this? Or, were we seeing things? I know this was a couple of years ago -- so if anyone who was working at Epcot back then -- let me know what you know about Test Track Cafe and why it never came to be?

It's #3 on the page... Note the Dec. 2001 date...

http://www.hiddenmickeys.org/WDW/Epcot/Secrets/ElectricUmbrella.html