Am I the only one who thinks this?

[THEMEPARKPIONEER]

They want to make Epcot a kid friendly place by adding nemo to the Living Seas and adding screens to Spaceship Earth and the Judi Dench narration and a cheesy character spot. At the same time they close Down Wonders of life and the original Image Works. They dont seem to have a problem keeping Universe of Energy open. From my experience as a kid that ride was like a trip to the doctors without the toys in the waiting room and a lollypop at the end.

 

[zweltar]

 

[CaptainJackNO]

:lol::lol::lol:
I love the Seas with Nemo. However, I wish they would reopen wonders of life. Also, Universe of Energy has really been improved in the area of interest from its original form. I like it. And, I would like to see it stay. And now, with Ellen's extra burst in popularity, I think it is just a relevant.
You think Universe of Energy is boring? Now? Do you remember it Pre-Ellen??? I, as a kid, loved the Dinosaur portion, but the rest was like going to the dentist. So, i guess I would agree if UoE was still the same. But, I like the new take with Ellen.

Ellen "The piggy bank?"
Bill Bye "The big bang"
Ellen "The Ding Dang?"
Bill Bye "No,The BIG BANG."
:lol:

 

[Master Yoda]

Wonders of life closed mainly due to the lack of a sponsor and low guest counts.

Image works closed because Kodak no longer sponsors it.

Horizons closed due to a sponsor pulling out and low guest counts.

WOM changed to TT primarily because the sponsor wanted a change due to low guest counts.

(See the trend here?)

TLS lost their sponsor and began rapidly going down hill the big difference is it had one of the largest aquariums in the world. The place could simply not be leveled, redone or repurposed with out major expense. Nemo was the quick and easy solution with almost an 100% guarantee of success and little to no chance of the theme becoming outdated.

 

[wm49rs]

Wonders of life closed mainly due to the lack of a sponsor and low guest counts.

Image works closed because Kodak no longer sponsors it.

Horizons closed due to a sponsor pulling out and low guest counts.

WOM changed to TT primarily because the sponsor wanted a change due to low guest counts.

(See the trend here?)

TLS lost their sponsor and began rapidly going down hill the big difference is it had one of the largest aquariums in the world. The place could simply not be leveled, redone or repurposed with out major expense. Nemo was the quick and easy solution with almost an 100% guarantee of success and little to no chance of the theme becoming outdated.

You mean it wasn't some mass conspiracy by TDO? Well, back to the closet with the tinfoil hat then......

 

[Master Yoda]

You mean it wasn't some mass conspiracy by TDO? Well, back to the closet with the tinfoil hat then......

It was a mass conspiracy. A conspiracy to make money.

 

[Tigger1988]

Did you just say adding the Judi Dench narration was in attempts to appeal to children?

 

[Phonedave]

Did you just say adding the Judi Dench narration was in attempts to appeal to children?

Yeah, that left me wondering as well.


Oh mother, can we please have the soothing voice of Dame Judi Dench read us a bed time story? Perhaps a reading from "Tea with Mussolini" Please please please


-dave

 

[Master Yoda]

Did you just say adding the Judi Dench narration was in attempts to appeal to children?

Yeah, that left me wondering as well.


Oh mother, can we please have the soothing voice of Dame Judi Dench read us a bed time story? Perhaps a reading from "Tea with Mussolini" Please please please


-dave

About the only thing I could think of that would somewhat fit that description would be the ABC/Phonetician line.

 

[DisneyMusician2]

About the only thing I could think of that would somewhat fit that description would be the ABC/Phonetician line.

Yeah, and even that is just bad writing, certainly not an appeal to children. Dench didn't turn SSE from informative to 'It's a Small World'.

 

[THEMEPARKPIONEER]

Did you just say adding the Judi Dench narration was in attempts to appeal to children?

Thats what I heard so I am agreeing for this thread LOL, I kind of like it, theres a more positive feel and her naration is good for an attention span like mine. I found the old vershion to be great but depresing at times.

Wonders of life closed mainly due to the lack of a sponsor and low guest counts.

Image works closed because Kodak no longer sponsors it.

Horizons closed due to a sponsor pulling out and low guest counts.

WOM changed to TT primarily because the sponsor wanted a change due to low guest counts.

(See the trend here?)

TLS lost their sponsor and began rapidly going down hill the big difference is it had one of the largest aquariums in the world. The place could simply not be leveled, redone or repurposed with out major expense. Nemo was the quick and easy solution with almost an 100% guarantee of success and little to no chance of the theme becoming outdated.

The Living Seas was getting stale and the inside is still good but the outside on the other hand :fork:.

Really... I think that Image Works and Wonders of life should have been priority. Ellen and billnye make a good ride but I cant wait till it ends after the first few minutes. I wish it was more like imagination, sit in the omnimover, meet the characters and make it a good 10 minutes. I think they need to tend to the ages 10-16 and make some themed thrill rides in the World Showcase. That would make some money altho the roller coaster sounds could ruin the atmosphere.

 

[Master Yoda]

Yeah, and even that is just bad writing, certainly not an appeal to children. Dench didn't turn SSE from informative to 'It's a Small World'.

True and it is such a shame. The development of a common alphabet was a monumental achievement and it was really cheapened with an attempt to be cute/funny.

The Living Seas was getting stale and the inside is still good but the outside on the other hand :fork:.

Really... I think that Image Works and Wonders of life should have been priority. Ellen and billnye make a good ride but I cant wait till it ends after the first few minutes. I wish it was more like imagination, sit in the omnimover, meet the characters and make it a good 10 minutes. I think they need to tend to the ages 10-16 and make some themed thrill rides in the World Showcase. That would make some money altho the roller coaster sounds could ruin the atmosphere.

Again it comes down to a sponsor. If a company is there paying the bills the attraction will remain regardless of guest numbers. Once the checks stop coming in Disney will act and unfortunately sometimes that action is to shutter the place. UOE has been without a sponsor for a good while now and it is rapidly reaching the point where Disney will have to make a change if the guest numbers are not there.

 

[Crush Dude!]

Shame that a Park that is Quite possibly my favourite in The World is being dragged down by lack of sponshership in Future World!! Thank God for The Amazing World Showcase:sohappy:

 

[THEMEPARKPIONEER]

Shame that a Park that is Quite possibly my favorite in The World is being dragged down by lack of sponshership in Future World!! Thank God for The Amazing World Showcase:sohappy:

Im scared LOL, To be honest I am not so impressed with Future World. I mean Living with the Land is good, The Seas, Test Track, and Spaceship Earth thank god hasn't been eaten away to bad. I watch the Fountain of Nations almost every time I see it going off. I dont see what the deal was with Changing Journey into your Imagination. It has sponsors and good attendance but they ruined that one LOL. The World Showcase is a whole day experience thank god. I did find Future World more impressive back then but if they left it as is it would get stale and fail miserably.

 

[Walt Disney1955]

Yeah Epcot is one of those parks that they shouldn't really change and make it more "kid friendly". I went when I was 14. I was neither here nor there about it. I went when I was 29 and liked it better. Remember that video spoofing Hitler talking about how they are going to ruin Epcot by putting "mickey mouse ears on Spaceship Earth?" Well there is some truth to that. For the people that complain that Disney is "only for kids" (I know none of us do here obviously) they can't complain about Epcot that way. It is truly a park you need to appreciate

 

[MAGICFLOP]

Ok,

I was waiting for an appropriate thread to bring this up...

EPCOT truly needs to have at least one counter service place that sells

MILK SHAKES

 

[MarkTwain]

Ok,

I was waiting for an appropriate thread to bring this up...

EPCOT truly needs to have at least one counter service place that sells

MILK SHAKES

YEAH!!!

:lol:

 

[rkelly42]

YEAH!!!

:lol:

That looks more like a guiness than a milkshake.

 

[wolf359]

Then how 'bout a GUINESS MILKSHAKE!?!



Yeah, okay, maybe not...

 

[wolf359]

As for the original question though, EPCOT has always struggled with being attractive to all guests.

Right from the very beginning Disney took a very hard line approach with EPCOT that was about as un-kid friendly as they possibly could. In a park with no characters and dry attractions, they really challenged park guests who came to Walt Disney World expecting the same kind of entertainment as had been portrayed in the media since the 50s. EPCOT was something different, and the differences were keeping people away.

So they brought characters into the park. Journey Into Imagination brought some much needed whimsy to the attraction line-up. Spaceship Earth got a new, warmer narration and a theme song.

Even in those first few years, Disney was already trying to make changes to attract more guests, primarily through being attractive to younger guests.