News Big changes coming to EPCOT's Future World?

DreamfinderGuy

DreamfinderGuy

Well-Known Member
realBobChapek said:
I know this will never happen but I would love to see Horizons brought back on the SW plot. Probably a different type of building but similar ride experience.
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As someone who would give an arm and a leg to be able to ride Horizons, I have to say I hate that idea. I can't think of a single way that would work in that plot.
 
Rich Brownn

Rich Brownn

Well-Known Member
mandstaft said:
I've never heard about a pavilion for Lebanon. By chance did you get a photo?
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Alas, no. But it was in the future listings (complete with logo) in the old annual reports too. Someone stole all of mine though. One of the ones Disney is probably glad never got started (like the Iran pavilion)
 
Rich Brownn

Rich Brownn

Well-Known Member
The problem with the current redo of EPCOT isn't that it's not a 1982 version. Its the mindset. In 1982 the company went all-out, almost insane in design/building. Things never tried before. Ride systems that were unique. Pavilllions with high concepts. Rides that were lengths rarely found outside of Pirates of the Caribbean (DL version). Everywhere you turned was stuff that was unique and couldn't be found anywhere else, even in a Disney park. As someone pointed out, we're basically getting Magic Kingdom 2.0 now.
 
CaptainTeo

CaptainTeo

Member
tparris said:
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.
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I tried to get on board with the IP thing, but the problem is that they're sticking in IP at the expense of the educational aspect. Maelstrom was about the culture and folklore of Norway, whereas Frozen is just a random collection of scenes from the film (I finally got to see it for myself in January, and... I don't think that I'll bother again). The Living Seas (while I admit that the ride itself wasn't quite the main attraction of The Seas and could have done more to be interesting) was about seeing live sea life and how they're conserved and cared for in captivity, whereas Nemo & Friends actively hides that to show you popular scenes from the film. El Rio del Tiempo had a somewhat better fate, but Grand Fiesta Tour still downplays the aspect of showing off Mexico's culture more than I'd have liked (and suffers even more from being made during Disney's weird peekaboo "where is [titular character]?" phase).

My point is that all of these attractions that have been replaced by IP attractions definitely did need some updates and probably some reimagining in general, and, while the things that they got replaced with aren't amazing, I would have been alright with them if they weren't in EPCOT. None of the replacements actually addressed the problems that the rides were showing in the first place, and it's left EPCOT without any kind of theme whatsoever, particularly not the one that it started with that was educational while still being fun and hopeful for the future.

It also shows a broader problem across the Disney World parks - what I loved about it was that every park offered a vastly different experience, and gave me a specific reason to go to each one. Magic Kingdom had popcorn-length and very Disney-esque rides about fantastical things, EPCOT had a series of long dark rides made to educate you about a particular subject, MGM Studios had a bunch of tours and rides showing off the history of film and how it was currently made, and Animal Kingdom had actual live animal exhibits and areas realistically themed around different parts of the world. Now I feel like I can just go to Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom and get the full experience.

I do understand that the entire concept of EPCOT was very risky in general, and the sponsored pavilions model probably won't hold up, today, but I feel very strongly that there are ways to still keep to that theme today, and that giving up on it and defaulting to a cynical parade of "look at how great Disney is" isn't the answer. I won't get too much into it, but, to me, it just highlights a depressing problem with the shift in cultural attitudes over the last few decades.

(and I will entirely admit that I just really love dark rides and have always been a massive nerd, so there was never a more perfect park for me than EPCOT. There's nothing else in the world like it.)

I do apologise if I come across as depressing and cynical so much. This is just a subject that I feel very strongly about, and it's been eating at me, recently.
 
Homemade Imagineering

Homemade Imagineering

Well-Known Member
CaptainTeo said:
I tried to get on board with the IP thing, but the problem is that they're sticking in IP at the expense of the educational aspect. Maelstrom was about the culture and folklore of Norway, whereas Frozen is just a random collection of scenes from the film (I finally got to see it for myself in January, and... I don't think that I'll bother again). The Living Seas (while I admit that the ride itself wasn't quite the main attraction of The Seas and could have done more to be interesting) was about seeing live sea life and how they're conserved and cared for in captivity, whereas Nemo & Friends actively hides that to show you popular scenes from the film. El Rio del Tiempo had a somewhat better fate, but Grand Fiesta Tour still downplays the aspect of showing off Mexico's culture more than I'd have liked (and suffers even more from being made during Disney's weird peekaboo "where is [titular character]?" phase).

My point is that all of these attractions that have been replaced by IP attractions definitely did need some updates and probably some reimagining in general, and, while the things that they got replaced with aren't amazing, I would have been alright with them if they weren't in EPCOT. None of the replacements actually addressed the problems that the rides were showing in the first place, and it's left EPCOT without any kind of theme whatsoever, particularly not the one that it started with that was educational while still being fun and hopeful for the future.

It also shows a broader problem across the Disney World parks - what I loved about it was that every park offered a vastly different experience, and gave me a specific reason to go to each one. Magic Kingdom had popcorn-length and very Disney-esque rides about fantastical things, EPCOT had a series of long dark rides made to educate you about a particular subject, MGM Studios had a bunch of tours and rides showing off the history of film and how it was currently made, and Animal Kingdom had actual live animal exhibits and areas realistically themed around different parts of the world. Now I feel like I can just go to Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom and get the full experience.

I do understand that the entire concept of EPCOT was very risky in general, and the sponsored pavilions model probably won't hold up, today, but I feel very strongly that there are ways to still keep to that theme today, and that giving up on it and defaulting to a cynical parade of "look at how great Disney is" isn't the answer. I won't get too much into it, but, to me, it just highlights a depressing problem with the shift in cultural attitudes over the last few decades.

(and I will entirely admit that I just really love dark rides and have always been a massive nerd, so there was never a more perfect park for me than EPCOT. There's nothing else in the world like it.)

I do apologise if I come across as depressing and cynical so much. This is just a subject that I feel very strongly about, and it's been eating at me, recently.
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I completely agree with everything you said. I agree that Epcot should’ve at least maintained the aspect of edutainment, since that was essentially the most important aspect of the park originally. Now, there were things at Epcot that would’ve become dated, most of it coming from future world. There were things that could’ve been easily updated by investing in new animatronics and effects. That’s something that applies to maelstrom, El Rio Del Tiempo, etc... Maybe not so much to horizons or energy though, since despite them being amazing attractions, unfortunately dated themselves, although it would’ve been nicer to see something better than the previous attraction go in the place of those two. I’m sure gotg will be impressive in terms of effects, but it should’ve gone into hollywood studios. Anyways back to the point, things in the world showcase could’ve become timeless attractions with updated effects over the years, same thing with imagination V1. Epcot without the edutainment aspect, and instead unoriginal lazy concepts, isn’t Epcot. It’s just MK next door...
 
CastAStone

CastAStone

5th gate? Just build a new resort Bob.
rwinger24 said:
The EPCOT overhaul will just end up half-baked and awful.
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Earnings call today Chapek more or less said everything is still on. He said (paraphrasing) if it was a good idea before it’s still a good idea after COVID.

Now y’all may disagree as to the goodness of the idea, but I’m pretty sure that Chapek thinks it’s a great idea.
 
WillWrambles

WillWrambles

Well-Known Member
In the Parks
No
My main worry is that WDI will try to push on with a slashed budget, and EPCOT will end up worse. It would be better to can it for now, add some green space, maybe reuse the not yet torn down part of the west section as the temp festival center, and think of something new when the time comes. Everything that is under heavy construction, beyond site clearing, SHOULD be finished, however. Doesn’t make sense to leave them ever so slightly unfinshed.
 
Little Green Men

Little Green Men

Well-Known Member
rwinger24 said:
Disney always takes the cheap way. The Epcot overhaul will be awful. It will suck. Probably it will take forever for Epcot to get the overhaul it deserves. They announced it as one of the biggest transformations since the D23 Expo.

I expect a good quality product. In the words of Shigeru Miyamoto. “A delayed game is eventually good, but a rushed game is forever bad.” If Universal is gonna delay Epic Universe for one year, Epcot should delay/continue construction but with an extended time frame.
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Wow don’t be so optimistic
 
MisterPenguin

MisterPenguin

President of Animal Kingdom
Premium Member
The company renowned for overspending is cheap!

And yes, they can be cheap in some instances. But one can't pretend in all the other instances - when they were not only not cheap, but extravagant -- doesn't exist.

And yes, their overspending in some areas forces them to cut budgets and be cheap in other areas. But, you know, spending $4 Billion a year in capital expenditures is hard!!
 
Brer Oswald

Brer Oswald

Well-Known Member
rwinger24 said:
Disney always takes the cheap way. The Epcot overhaul will be awful. It will suck. Probably it will take forever for Epcot to get the overhaul it deserves. They announced it as one of the biggest transformations since the D23 Expo.

I expect a good quality product. In the words of Shigeru Miyamoto. “A delayed game is eventually good, but a rushed game is forever bad.” If Universal is gonna delay Epic Universe for one year, Epcot should delay/continue construction but with an extended time frame.
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Classic Shiggy. Delaying Sticker Star totally worked out for the better, right?
 
DreamfinderGuy

DreamfinderGuy

Well-Known Member
newepcot.png
 
WillWrambles

WillWrambles

Well-Known Member
In the Parks
No
Brer Oswald said:
Classic Shiggy. Delaying Sticker Star totally worked out for the better, right?
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what did you say? We can bash Chapek all we want, BUT THERE IS TO BE NO MIYAMOTO BASHING UNLESS IT’S IN A SPECIFIC THREAD.

And in an slightly more related note, I see Disney doing exactly what DreamFinderGuy just posted. Except with some water feature, reuse the water lines and all.
 

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