EPCOT Big changes coming to EPCOT's Future World?

[Haymarket2008]

The original plan was to retheme and move it within the existing building to face Energy.

That was before there was a risk of loosing the existing building.

TBH, I'd much rather lose the space than have them theme it to Guardians, as has been mentioned in the past. That's just ridiculous. If it was something that actually fits into Future World, then go right ahead and keep it.

 

[marni1971]

If it was something that actually fits into Future World, then go right ahead and keep it.

I think that went out the window when Guardians was added to the park.

 

[HauntedPirate]

Maybe they'll correct a long-standing mistake and re-open the passageways past SSE to UoE and the Seas.

 

[marni1971]

Maybe they'll correct a long-standing mistake and re-open the passageways past SSE to UoE and the Seas.

Which ones?

 

[HauntedPirate]

Which ones?

On the east and west sides of the paths past SSE:

I know the one to UoE was open at one time, maybe the one by TLS was never open? Can't recall if it was or not. It would allow crowds to spread out more easily within Future World.

 

[marni1971]

On the east and west sides of the paths past SSE:

View attachment 254375

I know the one to UoE was open at one time, maybe the one by TLS was never open? Can't recall if it was or not. It would allow crowds to spread out more easily within Future World.

Nope. There’s never been guest pathways in those areas.

There was one in West that was removed in 1994 when Communicore was extended for Innoventions. It came out from Futurecom and ended between the entrance for Coral Reef and the main Seas entrance. This would though be below your left hand red circle.

 

[The Empress Lilly]

Nope. You will wander under a 10-story hotel, emerge in a small graveyard courtyard with "Premium Tower" and "Premium Golf Ball" views (but no actual sun) where you then wander into an open plaza of astroturf and concrete. See, they fixed the valid design problem you noted! Let's get a latte at the Epcot Springs Starbucks to celebrate!

So sad but so true.

Brilliant satire, it says more about modern WDW design than a lengthy essay.

 

[The Empress Lilly]

Maybe they'll correct a long-standing mistake and re-open the passageways past SSE to UoE and the Seas.

I see where you're coming from, but disregarding if these paths have been there, when Communicore is seen as two bulky buildings in the way of guest flow, the logical conclusion is to demolish them indeed.

But they are not. Ease of passage isn't the one and certainly not main goal of themed design.* The main goal is storytelling. The guest should follow a sequence of intended effects. Communicore is not a place that should be avoided to get to FW west, east and WS, but the place where all pathways to these areas go through. The previous design of inviting openness with large internal pathways supported this. Whereas current design prevents it or makes that impossible or at least unappealing. The same sad story all over again: WDW misdesigns an area during revamps, the area then loses its meaning, function and attractiveness, and then management decides - correctly - that closure is the better option. It's how we lost entire pavilions, and even now the entire FW.

* which ties this conversation in with Epcot82guys brilliant satire. If you give in to immediate guest needs and ease of passage, you do end up with large bulky towers towering over your theme parks and resorts ('It's so close! The guests want ease of access!'), and with paved over parks and waterways (which has now turned the central hub of both the MK and EPCOT into barren wastelands one instinctively wishes to avoid rather than slowly saunter in).

 

[HauntedMansionFLA]

How many new IP’s are going into the park? Rumored count? Poppins, Rat, Coco, GotG......
what else? Inside / Out, Big Hero? Any clarification?

 

[MisterPenguin]

How many new IP’s are going into the park? Rumored count? Poppins, Rat, Coco, GotG......
what else? Inside / Out, Big Hero? Any clarification?

Martin has said there is a long range plan... very iffy at this point... for even more GotG in WoL. But that's blue sky now amidst other competing plans.

Other than that, no other specific ones on the rumor list, though one of the two competing Illuminations overhauls includes unknown IPs.

In fact, an IP is leaving... The Lion King won't be in Epcot anymore as represented by the Circle of Life film in The Land.

 

[HauntedMansionFLA]

Martin has said there is a long range plan... very iffy at this point... for even more GotG in WoL. But that's blue sky now amidst other competing plans.

Other than that, no other specific ones on the rumor list, though one of the two competing Illuminations overhauls includes unknown IPs.

In fact, an IP is leaving... The Lion King won't be in Epcot anymore as represented by the Circle of Life film in The Land.

Hopefully something is done with WoL. It’s s nice, peaceful area to get away from the crowds but has a lit of potential.

 

[JeffH]

Nope. There’s never been guest pathways in those areas.

There was one in West that was removed in 1994 when Communicore was extended for Innoventions. It came out from Futurecom and ended between the entrance for Coral Reef and the main Seas entrance. This would though be below your left hand red circle.

I don't remember any of these guest pathways ever existing. The Seas didn't even exist when the park first opened, it opened in 1986 four years after EPCOT opened in 1982. There is an unused pathway on the east side of Innovations which was closed off for some reason... you can see that path on the pic. However, I agree that pathways should be open on both the east and west sides to shorten walking in a park that already requires too much walking. New pathways would also aid crowd flow when the park closes. It would also be helpful if they opened up a path at Disney's Hollywood studios between the animation courtyard and Sunset Blvd by the restaurants.

 

[sedati]

I remember when Seas was new and the first thing to do that morning. It was an oddly long journey to reach something that I could see the backside of from the entrance gates.

 

[HauntedPirate]

Nope. There’s never been guest pathways in those areas.

There was one in West that was removed in 1994 when Communicore was extended for Innoventions. It came out from Futurecom and ended between the entrance for Coral Reef and the main Seas entrance. This would though be below your left hand red circle.

I could have sworn there was a passage to UoE, but I did some digging and I stand corrected. Thank you, good sir!

[Mental note: Never doubt Martin ]

 

[MisterPenguin]

Hopefully something is done with WoL. It’s s nice, peaceful area to get away from the crowds but has a lit of potential.

Are you suggesting the Under New Management ""solution""?

 

[DznyRktekt]

Are you suggesting the Under New Management ""solution""?

 

[marni1971]

I don't remember any of these guest pathways ever existing. The Seas didn't even exist when the park first opened, it opened in 1986 four years after EPCOT opened in 1982. There is an unused pathway on the east side of Innovations which was closed off for some reason... you can see that path on the pic. However, I agree that pathways should be open on both the east and west sides to shorten walking in a park that already requires too much walking. New pathways would also aid crowd flow when the park closes. It would also be helpful if they opened up a path at Disney's Hollywood studios between the animation courtyard and Sunset Blvd by the restaurants.

If people can’t walk a few hundred yards they shouldn’t be outside.

But anyway, Communicore had logical pathways that reduced the amount of walking that was needed from any point to any point. Innoventions messed these up big time (and the first version of Innoventions was even worse)

Here’s the pathway that was removed in 1994; top left of the diagram coming out of Communicore West:

And for comparison the internal traffic flow (minus the Centorium rotunda)

 

[larryz]

View attachment 254474

Does anyone else think the center circle looks like it's holding two kidneys and a bladder?

 

[HauntedMansionFLA]

Are you suggesting the Under New Management ""solution""?

No, more Star Wars!!

 

[Epcot82Guy]

Does anyone else think the center circle looks like it's holding two kidneys and a bladder?

Nope. Screaming ghost mask... which causes one to utilize said kidneys and bladder... Much like the current Epcot changes we're hearing about (and maybe the esophogus in that case)...