News Big changes coming to EPCOT's Future World?

[DC0703]

I am SHOCKED. Wasn't the removal of CommuniCore not the favorite route? Where are all of the secondary buildings (merch, food etc.)??? @marni1971 is this the proposal that you were dreading? I am cautiously optimistic, but it seems rather.......extreme.

This was my initial reaction as well - that they are tearing down communicore, the fountain, most of the spine and replacing it with empty green space a la the MK plaza. However, looking more closely at the fuzzy, vague art, it does look like there are a bunch of small buildings amidst the trees. Hopefully a higher res version of this will show up at some point for us to scrutinize more closely.

I am worried that this looks like a scenario where no new attractions/shows/exhibits will be added to the area formerly known as innoventions - that it will just be shops and food kiosks.The recent exhibits and Sum of all Thrills weren't the greatest, but they were better than nothing.

I do like the aesthetic of the FW revamp though.

 

[MerlinTheGoat]

Some things will change, but the end should resemble what is here, give or take some buildings and landscapes and paths and fountains. SSE may retain its ground floor, or it may not. One side of CommuniCore may stick around, or may not. For the most part, it should end up pretty close to this.

Do you know whether SSE (the ride) is safe? I fear they might gut it, IP overlay it or something similar. Especially with the sponsor gone...

The Future World concept art is actually pretty, new fountain looks nice. Though I would have preferred they actually do something with the buildings instead of getting rid of them outright. Though as they are currently, the biggest loss will be the nice air conditioning they provide while cutting through to get to The Land (hopefully LWTL is also safe).

 

[Tim Lohr]

Odyssey is still there on the edge of the art.

If that's the Odyssey the bridges to it are a bit different, that area though resembles this early Epcot model from the 70's though, which didn't include the Odyssey but had a lot more water features in Future World

 

[marni1971]

@marni1971, since you posted somewhere else that you are a tad more comfortable talking about some of these things now that they have been announced, can you decipher some of what is going on in this blue sky concept art photo of FW? It is so hard for me to interpret most of it - especially the side with The Land, The Living Seas and Imagination.

Again, I always understand if you can't. And thanks for all that you can share.

This isn't the version that made me optimistic. And I believe it's still a blue sky concept.

 

[articos]

If that's the Odyssey the bridges to it are a bit different, that area though resembles this early Epcot model from the 70's though, which didn't include the Odyssey but had a lot more water features in Future World

Looks like the artist took some inspiration from various incarnations of proposals for Epcot over the years and other projects.

I'll put one caveat in here. If they stick with this design concept it should end up mostly like this concept. There are a few concepts, but there's a reason they put this out to show. If budget or design choices change, elements of other concepts can be mixed in and things will look different. For now, if based on this art, this is what it should turn into, give or take. The final choices are still be worked on, as Bob indicated.

 

[articos]

Do you know whether SSE (the ride) is safe? I fear they might gut it, IP overlay it or something similar. Especially with the sponsor gone...

The Future World concept art is actually pretty, new fountain looks nice. Though I would have preferred they actually do something with the buildings instead of getting rid of them outright. Though as they are currently, the biggest loss will be the nice air conditioning they provide while cutting through to get to The Land (hopefully LWTL is also safe).

I don't know on SSE. If the load/unload building is removed, the ride will have to go down, but that's a part of the concept art I'm not sure will make it out of concept. It looks neat, but that's a lot of work. I'm doubtful. But who knows if they want to make a statement on a new Epcot, it's a good way to do so. We aren't at that point yet, though.

The fountains - all of them - I think will happen and should make it very, very pretty.

 

[articos]

Looking closer at the art, I think EarthStation/SSE load/unload is in the art, just abstract.

 

[marni1971]

@marni1971 Care to elaborate on why this makes you less optimistic than the other proposals? I understand if you cannot.

There was one proposal (my favourite) that took the CCore buildings and gutted them without removing them to reveal something sleek and futuristic. They were actually expanded too.

 

[NiarrNDisney]

There was one proposal (my favourite) that took the CCore buildings and gutted them without removing them to reveal something sleek and futuristic. They were actually expanded too.

Didn't you mention this a while back?

 

[marni1971]

Didn't you mention this a while back?

Yes.

 

[NiarrNDisney]

Yes.

Thought so I distinctly remember you going into further detail about this proposal for Communicore

 

[Captain Neo]

Heh in the concept art you can see that hedge maze (bottom left) from the Project Gemini sketch Jim Hill drew up many years ago. Seems someone at WDI doesn't want to let that idea go.

 

[danlb_2000]

I'm also amazed at the, apparent, removal of MouseGears. Unless it's moving into one of those donut shaped buildings

I would think certain things from those buildings would need to remain in this area in some form. I don't see them getting rid of MouseGears entirely, and I think there would still be a need to restroom and some form of quick service dining in this area.

 

[stuart]

@marni1971 Would you expect more information on re-design and new attractions to be given around the 35th as part of marking that occasion?

Obviously a lot of the new attractions and projects being announced are with the 50th and as part of a wider celebration, but do you expect (know if) there is to be anything held back to be pushed as for Epcots 40th?

 

[Horizonsfan]

Do we have any idea with this "goldilocks" option what the attraction/exhibit count would be like? All I see are restaurant and retail sized structures in a forrest.

Tangentially, do we have any idea what's going to happen to the BOH built underneath Communicore? Capped and covered with landscape? Demo'd and relocated?

 

[MCast]

This isn't the version that made me optimistic. And I believe it's still a blue sky concept.

Was there more than two versions? Not sure if you're neutral to this one or dissapprove.

Also, if it is considered blue sky concept art, do you think they could transition back to the version that made you optimistic?

 

[marni1971]

Was there more than two versions? Not sure if you're neutral to this one or dissapprove?

More than two? Yes. I don't like this personally, but not as much as the hotel version.

 

[jmuboy]

am I seeing things ...... Or is it Martian rock on one side and lush and green on the other. The art work is vague.

 

[jmuboy]

This was my initial reaction as well - that they are tearing down communicore, the fountain, most of the spine and replacing it with empty green space a la the MK plaza. However, looking more closely at the fuzzy, vague art, it does look like there are a bunch of small buildings amidst the trees. Hopefully a higher res version of this will show up at some point for us to scrutinize more closely.

I am worried that this looks like a scenario where no new attractions/shows/exhibits will be added to the area formerly known as innoventions - that it will just be shops and food kiosks.The recent exhibits and Sum of all Thrills weren't the greatest, but they were better than nothing.

I do like the aesthetic of the FW revamp though.

It looks like Earth Station /Project Tomorrow is gone. ???? May just be the Vague art.

 

[sedati]

I think Communicore was never a good design choice in terms of its effect on park layout and guest sightlines. Imagine getting to the end of Main Street and entering the hub only to have a pair of curving walls surrounding you. Future World is expansive, but was visually segmented. I could see this new layout being preferable visually, though Communicore/Innoventions was great for air conditioning and as a rain shelter.

What has me excited is some hints that they may be toying with some kinetic architecture. Do a search in youtube for "kinetic architecture" and you'll see something more future fun that a plaza surrounded by beige and glass.

As Martin said, this really looks like blue sky art- it hints more than gives specifics. What we get may be radically different.