There’s a lot to like in what you wrote here. Something did have to be done about Epcot. Mostly because it hasn’t been living up to EPCOT or EPCOT Center. There’s lots of valid debate and discussion to be had about what form it should have / should / is taking. But those who say EPCOT Center was a failure or boring a) never saw the place in its prime and waited in its lines or b) never bothered to look. The 1982 park was far from perfect. I adored the place but can assure you the original Universe of Energy, SSE and Astuter Computer Revue in particular needed work. Astuter was first, SSE a few years later. Energy waited too long, but when Ellen opened the idea of it was fantastic (even if some of the facility was — let’s call it underutilized). But the park was still valid. And profitable.
Problem is: that sponsorship money wasn’t supposed to be a slush fund. It was supposed to advocate for its brands by plussing the product. SSE mostly did that over the years, as did parts of The Land. The rest was meant to be an evolving showcase that Disney in the Eisner era didn’t want to pay to update. Horizons deserved the updates that were planned. WOM could have mostly survived when evolving to Test Track.
The idea of Flower & Garden, Food & Wine and Holidays Around the World did not contradict the park’s goals. When they became the cake instead of the frosting was when it went wrong.
