EPCOT Big changes coming to EPCOT's Future World?

[DreamfinderGuy]

I don't see EPCOT ever going back to what it was, at least not fully. Like Martin said, it's too late for Energy, but it's not too late for essentially the rest of the park. We can see some outliers (Rat, Guardians, even potentially Wonders if it doesn't evolve from what's announced), but that doesn't mean the rest of the park needs to die too. The central core in it's current state can be salvaged. The rest of the park, while in not great shape, can stand to stay the way it is for a little while longer. They just need to shift gears from "Overhaul" to "Evolution".

But that's a pipe dream.

 

[Horizons1]

I don't see EPCOT ever going back to what it was, at least not fully. Like Martin said, it's too late for Energy, but it's not too late for essentially the rest of the park. We can see some outliers (Rat, Guardians, even potentially Wonders if it doesn't evolve from what's announced), but that doesn't mean the rest of the park needs to die too. The central core in it's current state can be salvaged. The rest of the park, while in not great shape, can stand to stay the way it is for a little while longer. They just need to shift gears from "Overhaul" to "Evolution".

But that's a pipe dream.

It’s not about evolving a thoughtful and enlightening park into a space and place of inspiration and idealism...it’s about pushing that IP to get that $$$.

 

[MisterPenguin]

It’s not about evolving a thoughtful and enlightening park into a space and place of inspiration and idealism...it’s about pushing that IP to get that $$$.

While the IP push isn't going to abate, keep in mind there were/are some non-IP elements of 'new EPCOT'...

• Entrance re-do
• Beer park of the sky
• Space 220 (just a few winky cameos, AFAIK)
• the dream tree, whatever that was
• it's unknown AFAIK if the new merch store and/or restaurant will have an overarching IP theme
• the new film in The Land (a stunning reversal in *removing* IP)
• the new film in Canada
• is the Walt statue in dreamer's point considered IP?
• the new Spaceship Earth probably featured Disney storytelling in the history of storytelling, but it wasn't going to become an IP-ride

 

[Rich Brownn]

And there were signs for the Israel and Russia pavilions at one point, I believe. Not to mention the MK theater that just recently was canned after construction barriers had begun to be put up.

My favorite was seeing the signs for Israel and Lebanon about 2 spaces apart. My friend saw that and remarked "So, are they going to shell each other every night for the fireworks display?"

 

[EPCOTCenterLover]

My favorite was seeing the signs for Israel and Lebanon about 2 spaces apart. My friend saw that and remarked "So, are they going to shell each other every night for the fireworks display?"

I've never heard about a pavilion for Lebanon. By chance did you get a photo?

 

[rle4lunch]

The 1982 version wouldn’t work today. But that doesn’t mean we should accept another Magic Kingdom and/or a bar on legs.

What it could be again is an amazing place full of cutting edge with attractions that couldn’t or wouldn’t be found in any other park. The current plan is as misguided, messy and unconnected as the park has been for the last 20 years.

But for me the current (as of 3 months ago) direction of the park is a lost cause and a missed chance. I’d rather spend a day at Seaworld. Apart from friends I’d like to see.

Well I will say that the "peoplewatching" at SeaWorld is definitely more entertaining. Talk about wild life...

 

[tparris]

What is this new concept?

One that tries to keep the basics of the original, while also staying fresh and appealing to today’s audience which, keep in mind, is nothing like the 80s. Simply saying “IP bad” or “the park is ruined because they replaced a decrepit building with a much more modern and aesthetically pleasing one but it has alcohol so it’s bad” is not a very good argument in my eyes. Of course I never experienced the original park, but that also means I’m not blinded by nostalgia.

 

[tparris]

So you’re going to tell me a version of the park you never set foot inside isn’t going to work today? On what basis do you make this statement because it isn’t personal experience.

I don’t need personal experience to have a practical and realistic mindset. With everything we have in today’s world, it would be much too difficult and impractical (not to mention expensive) to try and have the types of pavilions like the original park had. The kind of money and amount of times they would have to update them is just nonsensical from a business perspective. Argue all you want, but it just wouldn’t work.

 

[marni1971]

Well I will say that the "peoplewatching" at SeaWorld is definitely more entertaining. Talk about wild life...

Two of our best days last time we were in Orlando were Seaworld.

 

[lazyboy97o]

One that tries to keep the basics of the original, while also staying fresh and appealing to today’s audience which, keep in mind, is nothing like the 80s. Simply saying “IP bad” or “the park is ruined because they replaced a decrepit building with a much more modern and aesthetically pleasing one but it has alcohol so it’s bad” is not a very good argument in my eyes. Of course I never experienced the original park, but that also means I’m not blinded by nostalgia.

That’s not really an answer. What ideas are being retained? What is being discarded? What is new or unique?

In a themed environment the buildings are more than just their base aesthetic. They shape and define space in a relationship with one another. How does the “Egg” relate to and define a spatial and thematic relationship with the Imagination Pavilion, CommuniCore East and Spaceship Earth?

 

[adimond]

Symmetry is one of the fundamental considerations of aesthetics. I seem to recall Epcot's spine was inspired by the embracing "arms" of the Vatican in St. Peter's Square. Why not compromise and build an all-glass building with the see-through Apple store look and a rooftop bar or whatever, but keep it in that same curved footprint?

 

[marni1971]

they replaced a decrepit building with a much more modern and aesthetically pleasing one but it has alcohol so it’s bad” is not a very good argument in my eyes.

It goes much deeper than that.

West was decrepit because of the fault of the company.

The entire building could be beautiful again with some relatively cheap and sensible design and execution

The entire building could be put to good use again, and that’s not saying put museum pieces in it.

Ripping it out destroys the symmetry of the front of the park

The bar on legs isn’t needed given the choice in the rest of the park.

The bar on legs budget could be spent far better elsewhere in the park in areas that really need it.


None of that is nostalgia. In a nutshell.

 

[lazyboy97o]

The bar on legs budget could be spent far better elsewhere in the park.

You don’t think it’s wise to pay expensive starchitects to design a smaller, more difficult to use, less adaptable building? What could be more contemporary Disney than unwisely spending huge sums of money?

 

[marni1971]

You don’t think it’s wise to pay expensive starchitects to design a smaller, more difficult to use, less adaptable building? What could be more contemporary Disney than unwisely spending huge sums of money?

Touché.

 

[trainplane3]

Two of our best days last time we were in Orlando were Seaworld.

Your Ignite video really sold me on Seaworld actually. I wasn't planning on it this year but because the April trip was nuked and if I end up going later when Electric Ocean is still going on, I may try to make a day there.

 

[Horizons1]

While the IP push isn't going to abate, keep in mind there were/are some non-IP elements of 'new EPCOT'...

• Entrance re-do
• Beer park of the sky
• Space 220 (just a few winky cameos, AFAIK)
• the dream tree, whatever that was
• it's unknown AFAIK if the new merch store and/or restaurant will have an overarching IP theme
• the new film in The Land (a stunning reversal in *removing* IP)
• the new film in Canada
• is the Walt statue in dreamer's point considered IP?
• the new Spaceship Earth probably featured Disney storytelling in the history of storytelling, but it wasn't going to become an IP-ride

Entrance re-do will be filled with character topiaries all year round, not just for FG.

Beer park of the sky may not have IP but it has no purpose either. It’s just...there. It kills the aesthetic of the area. No I’m sorry. It murders the area.

Space 220 is a nice touch. This works.

Why a dream tree? Why are we pushing “magic” in the discovery park?

Like you said the new store it TBD, but I wouldn’t be surprised.

My jaw hit the floor when that happened. But you are correct about the new film in The Land. Someone high up must really love that pavilion because it’s pretty much IP free... and it is wonderful.

New film in Canada is great. Let’s keep that trend.

The Walt statue...why? I love the story behind EPCOT with its origins as a city and WDW exists because of it, but I don’t get the point of this one. At least not in the form Disney has shown in concept art. Maybe something else that highlights Walt designing EPCOT, that I wouldn’t be opposed to.

Disney was going to murder Spaceship Earth with its “storytelling light”. I really don’t have faith in Disney to do a true EPCOT update to Spaceship Earth.

 

[sedati]

Bar on legs sounds somewhat better than a pair of croissants dropped on the ground.

Anyway, I noticed this on Biorecontruct's page:

I thought it was weird how much the old concept for the Seas Pavilion ended up looking like Mission Space.

 

[Horizons1]

I don’t need personal experience to have a practical and realistic mindset. With everything we have in today’s world, it would be much too difficult and impractical (not to mention expensive) to try and have the types of pavilions like the original park had. The kind of money and amount of times they would have to update them is just nonsensical from a business perspective. Argue all you want, but it just wouldn’t work.

Oh, I will. It’s a mindset like that which creates a toxic environment for the existence of a park like EPCOT. A park like this would require real commitment to uphold its mission. It’s easy to say it wouldn’t work because it would too expensive. I disagree. With the technology we have today we could make a bigger, better, and broader EPCOT. One that builds upon the already solid foundation of what was there before. Pavilions could offer more, be updated more, be broader in scope and topic, have more options for entertainment and interactivity. Today’s technology could propel EPCOT into the future leaving a solid impression on both the young and old. So yes, I will argue with you on this all day long. I’m also sorry you never got to experience the park first-hand. It was, and still could be, amazing.

 

[marni1971]

Beer park of the sky may not have IP but it has no purpose either. It’s just...there. It kills the aesthetic of the area. No I’m sorry. It murders the area..

So true it’s worth repeating.

 

[Rteetz]