News Big changes coming to EPCOT's Future World?

[AJDMB05]

Leaving aside the question of whether or not an IP attraction belongs in Epcot, I actually think Moana was one of the better Disney films of the decade. Certainly better than Frozen, even if it wasn't as successful.

For sure, and every movie has someone who thinks it's the best movie, I don't doubt that. It just feels like it should be a very high bar to get a theme park attraction based around a movie, and maybe in time Moana will be looked at as a classic, maybe the Guardians franchise will as well. It just feels like if not, then it's going to feel dated quickly. Maybe I'm overthinking it all since it's just "inspired by Moana".

I wondered about Coco the same way in the Mexico pav. Phenomenal movie, but would it make sense to overhaul the ride for it? Will it resonate with people 10 years from now?

 

[ptaylor]

The Epcot arrival experience is not a good one these days.

Security is backed up for the first few hours each day and you can easily be looking at a 20 min wait.

Once you get past security, you have another 10 to 15 minute wait to get through the touch points, because they are only operating about 6 lanes.

Then once you have passed all that, you are faced with the walls. The bypass walkways are crowded and take you a long way around.

I feel bad for first timers - it's rough out there. I think parking at Studios and taking the Skyliner to IG is the best option currently.

 

[Bocabear]

For sure, and every movie has someone who thinks it's the best movie, I don't doubt that. It just feels like it should be a very high bar to get a theme park attraction based around a movie, and maybe in time Moana will be looked at as a classic, maybe the Guardians franchise will as well. It just feels like if not, then it's going to feel dated quickly. Maybe I'm overthinking it all since it's just "inspired by Moana".

I wondered about Coco the same way in the Mexico pav. Phenomenal movie, but would it make sense to overhaul the ride for it? Will it resonate with people 10 years from now?

I think the answer is YES!@ Remember the current iteration of the Mexico Ride is based on Saludos Amigos from 1942 that had completely fallen into obscurity...People love rides specifically... If the Mexico featured the Characters from Coco not only would it be a nice fresh more Mexican change, but it would also boos DVD sales and character popularity... It is not the Characters that are making the rides popular, but the other way around... Maelstrom was popular long before the Arrendelle Princesses moved in...

 

[MisterPenguin]

I wondered about Coco the same way in the Mexico pav. Phenomenal movie, but would it make sense to overhaul the ride for it? Will it resonate with people 10 years from now?

Number one film in Mexico of all time. Made .8 billion dollars. Every year Disney increases the presence of Coco in their domestic parks. Almost had a Coco overlay of Gran Fiesta, but was cut for budget, but is still in the wings waiting its turn.

And to this thread in general:

Similarly, Moana made .64 billion dollars. Disney keeps increasing her presence in the parks (a featured element of HEA, e.g.).

And do I need to point out how popular GotG are?

If anyone doesn't like or care for these IPs, that's fine. If anyone thinks they don't belong in Epcot, that's fine. But to say they may not be that popular years from now? That's putting one's head in the sand and ignoring the large fan base these IPs have. Just because one may not be a fan themselves, doesn't mean that therefore, no one is. These are big IPs.

Also, the parks themselves keep IPs alive and kicking. Look at Figment. Look at Alice in Wonderland. Being featured by Disney in a Disney park means park-goers generally remain interested in them. That's the dreadful synergy that is bringing IPs into Epcot.

 

[MisterPenguin]

The Epcot arrival experience is not a good one these days.

The arrival experience is awful at all the parks except DHS, because their re-do of the gate is done (and it's pretty swanky, IMO).

That's what happens when you have construction. And all the parks are going through a re-do of their gates so that the arrival experience of the extra crowds expected for the 50th will go well and will be impressive.

Can't get around that construction projects diminish the walk-around experience and still have parks that grow and update themselves.

 

[ptaylor]

The arrival experience is awful at all the parks except DHS, because their re-do of the gate is done (and it's pretty swanky, IMO).

That's what happens when you have construction. And all the parks are going through a re-do of their gates so that the arrival experience of the extra crowds expected for the 50th will go well and will be impressive.

Can't get around that construction projects diminish the walk-around experience and still have parks that grow and update themselves.

Not to get too far off-topic, but staff shortages are a big factor. There is no reason that Epcot can't have more touch points open. It wasn't that many years ago where you walked up to empty turnstiles and went straight through, even in the mornings. Now you immediately hit the line, look to your left, and see 20 touch points not staffed.

 

[Mike S]

Number one film in Mexico of all time. Made .8 billion dollars. Every year Disney increases the presence of Coco in their domestic parks. Almost had a Coco overlay of Gran Fiesta, but was cut for budget, but is still in the wings waiting its turn.

And to this thread in general:

Similarly, Moana made .64 billion dollars. Disney keeps increasing her presence in the parks (a featured element of HEA, e.g.).

And do I need to point out how popular GotG are?

If anyone doesn't like or care for these IPs, that's fine. If anyone thinks they don't belong in Epcot, that's fine. But to say they may not be that popular years from now? That's putting one's head in the sand and ignoring the large fan base these IPs have. Just because one may not be a fan themselves, doesn't mean that therefore, no one is. These are big IPs.

Also, the parks themselves keep IPs alive and kicking. Look at Figment. Look at Alice in Wonderland. Being featured by Disney in a Disney park means park-goers generally remain interested in them. That's the dreadful synergy that is bringing IPs into Epcot.

Moana should’ve gotten something better in Adventureland imo. Maybe finally go back to their classic dark ride style with modern tech like they did for Peter Pan in Shanghai. I wouldn’t have minded Lilo & Stitch either.

 

[MisterPenguin]

Moana should’ve gotten something better in Adventureland imo. Maybe finally go back to their classic dark ride style with modern tech like they did for Peter Pan in Shanghai. I wouldn’t have minded Lilo & Stitch either.

There was a strong rumor of her appearing in the Tiki room in some form, but that seems to have been budgeted away.

 

[Mike S]

There was a strong rumor of her appearing in the Tiki room in some form, but that seems to have been budgeted away.

*sigh*

Why does it seem like the great middle ground attractions are completely disappearing outside of whenever they open a whole new park. Everything is either the huge complicated E Tickets, some lazy overlay, something with just a plain lazy concept, or something even smaller than that like a water play area.

 

[jt04]

*sigh*

Why does it seem like the great middle ground attractions are completely disappearing outside of whenever they open a whole new park. Everything is either the huge complicated E Tickets, some lazy overlay, something with just a plain lazy concept, or something even smaller than that like a water play area.

Because they wanted E+ tickets in each park for the 50th. IMO the decade after the anniversary celebration will see a lot more D tickets, plussing and reimaginings.

 

[KBLovedDisney]

Because they wanted E+ tickets in each park for the 50th. IMO the decade after the anniversary celebration will see a lot more D tickets, plussing and reimaginings.

So it's gotta be either completely epic or lame...

of course

 

[peter11435]

So it's gotta be either completely epic or lame...

of course

There is nothing lame about D tickets and plussings. A well rounded park needs it all.

 

[KBLovedDisney]

There is nothing lame about D tickets and plussings. A well rounded park needs it all.

I honestly didn't mean D tickets were lame. I was just merely stating a more or less tongue in cheek comparison

 

[Mike S]

There is nothing lame about D tickets and plussings. A well rounded park needs it all.

What I was getting at was that the D Tickets or smaller rides we do get these days sometimes just aren’t very good at all. Think Little Mermaid and all the issues it had and some that it still does.

 

[KBLovedDisney]

What I was getting at was that the D Tickets or smaller rides we do get these days sometimes just aren’t very good at all.

^What he said

 

[jt04]

So it's gotta be either completely epic or lame...

of course

Not necessarily. A lot of adds for the 50th might be particular to the celebration and will go away by 2023 or so. So a mix of epic and task specific. For example the castle overlay (beyond the new gold), parades, fireworks and Live entertainment. All also potentially epic in their own way.

 

[KBLovedDisney]

Not necessarily. A lot of adds for the 50th might be particular to the celebration and will go away by 2023 or so. So a mix of epic and task specific. For example the castle overlay (beyond the new gold), parades, fireworks and Live entertainment. All also potentially epic in their own way.

Ah

 

[jt04]

Yes, but I think they are going for an eclectic mix of architecture over being creatively constrained by symmetry. Each structure being unique gives Imagineers more "leeway". See what I did there?

PS- just an addendum. I have a hunch each half of what was Communicore east will end up looking very unique from each other. Every building will be unique in FW.

 

[SoFloMagic]

Not sure where we were discussing it, but the passholder newsletter confirms that the mystery construction between land and imagination is the flower and garden festival butterfly house.

 

[HauntedMansionFLA]

Not to get too far off-topic, but staff shortages are a big factor. There is no reason that Epcot can't have more touch points open. It wasn't that many years ago where you walked up to empty turnstiles and went straight through, even in the mornings. Now you immediately hit the line, look to your left, and see 20 touch points not staffed.

Hopefully more touch points will be available after they finish everything when you first enter the park.