News Big changes coming to EPCOT's Future World?

[BrianLo]

Delete that comment right how mister! I hate that you just made me see an image of a sexy anime Walt Disney. Hope there isn't a drawing based on this. *shivers*

The Universe heard your plea and said, too bad.



Walt is next.

 

[DreamfinderGuy]

If we're talking about fantasy EPCOT statues now, I would like to say something along the lines of the Prologue and the Promise family looking towards Spaceship Earth from World Showcase Promenade (or right behind where the Fountain of Nations was to keep it in Future World) would be neat. Gives you that sense of optimism and inspiration the park is lacking now (As did the mural itself when it was still there).

 

[UNCgolf]

If we're talking about fantasy EPCOT statues now, I would like to say something along the lines of the Prologue and the Promise family looking towards Spaceship Earth from World Showcase Promenade (or right behind where the Fountain of Nations was to keep it in Future World) would be neat. Gives you that sense of optimism and inspiration the park is lacking now (As did the mural itself when it was still there).
View attachment 517716

I love that mural so much.

 

[RSoxNo1]

I'd prefer EPCOT Center. Nothing would be more fitting and more tribute to the original name and concept of the park. They totally missed the mark on that one in my opinion. I also wish they could've just went with Discovery World for the name. Timeless, subtle, classy and nonspecific.

I prefer Discovery Expo, but I hear you.

 

[MisterPenguin]

So what is the new plan? Everything moving forward except for the Festival Center (as originally planned) and the Spaceship Earth exit is scaled back?

Here:

The only thing that was totally scrapped was the Festival building (and many grumbled against it). The Festival building construction would have left the hub surrounded by walls for over two years.

Mary Poppins story time is indefinitely delayed (and many had grumbled it wasn't a ride, or even an E-Ticket).

The Wishing Tree's status is unknown (and I don't think anyone was excited for it).

PLAY! may be delayed (and some have grumbled against it... but Wonders of Life wasn't really being utilized anyway).

The Spaceship Earth uptheming is indefinitely delayed (and few were excited about that).

And... that's it.

Everything else that was mentioned pre-COVID is still coming.

• Harmonius
• Cosmic Rewind
• Ratatouille
• Creperie
• Journey of Water
• New Entrance and New Entrance Fountain
• Hub "storytelling" fountain
• Space 220
• Dreamer's Point
• Festival "area"
• New Mouse Gears
• New Electric Umbrella
• New Club Cool
• New Starbucks
• Wondrous China
• Bonus Gelato Stand

This is all in addition to what was already done: the three new movies and Regal Eagle.

The only difference is that with the new festival building become the new festival *area*, the rumor is that the Coffee Table Toadstool 3 Tiered original festival building may be back in the mix once the money starts pouring back in again in a few years.

 

[HauntedPirate]

Here:


The only difference is that with the new festival building become the new festival *area*, the rumor is that the Coffee Table Toadstool 3 Tiered original festival building may be back in the mix once the money starts pouring back in again in a few years.

Wait... Does that mean Disney is going to add even more places to purchase liquor at Epcot soon? Because the 72 places I can now just isn’t enough, they need to at least double that. They could even add a Walt quote to justify it: “Epcot won’t be complete until every adult guest is inebriated for the majority of their time in the park.”

 

[DisneyGentlemanV2.0]

I can’t express how much I hate the idea of a Walt Disney statue in EPCOT.

I'm more concerned that the central spine has developed scoliosis...

 

[griffin ferrari]

From the site the shall not be named.

 

[DreamfinderGuy]

From the site the shall not be named.View attachment 518041View attachment 518042View attachment 518040

How tragic.

 

[griffin ferrari]

Does anyone remember how long the structure demo for the other 1/2 took? a month?

 

[Haymarket2008]

Does anyone remember how long the structure demo for the other 1/2 took? a month?

It was a solid 2 months I think. Weirdly.

 

[Horizons1]

Well, there goes that.

 

[DisneyNittany]

Simple answer - money. But the model of corporations paying was dying. Futureworld in particular was designed, and needed, to be updated every decade. They did it once in the mid to late 90s but even by then companies were pulling out and Disney didn’t have the appetite to do it theirselves.

It also needed a will not to go cheap and not to go for the easiest route. And to walk the fine balance between boring and interesting.

The third problem ironically was technical progress. You can now pull a piece of glass out of your pocket and see all about fossil fuels or learn about the latest hardware. Innoventions tried to adjust in its latter years by swerving more to experiences that couldn’t be seen on a phone or at home but it was possibly too little too late.

The forth is society in general. Attention spans have shrunk. People in general want more stuff and want it now, and then immediately move onto the next time. In a way we’re conditioned to a faster pace of life and in experiencing any given thing. All in my humble opinion of course.

Thank you, Martin. I appreciate the response!

So, maybe my reading comprehension is just off or maybe I didn't necessarily ask that the correct way.

I understand that this is a tough ask, but my question was more geared towards is there are any sources where EPCOT Center die-hards have shown realistic/feasible action that TWDC/WDI could have taken along the many years to keep the essence and meaning of EPCOT, while also progressing with the times?

I just see a lot of people who grew up with EPCOT Center are upset with what has happened to the park, and I don't necessarily blame them, but I'd love to be able to read from good sources on what they COULD have done differently.

Does that make sense?

 

[marni1971]

Thank you, Martin. I appreciate the response!

So, maybe my reading comprehension is just off or maybe I didn't necessarily ask that the correct way.

I understand that this is a tough ask, but my question was more geared towards is there are any sources where EPCOT Center die-hards have shown realistic/feasible action that TWDC/WDI could have taken along the many years to keep the essence and meaning of EPCOT, while also progressing with the times?

I just see a lot of people who grew up with EPCOT Center are upset with what has happened to the park, and I don't necessarily blame them, but I'd love to be able to read from good sources on what they COULD have done differently.

Does that make sense?

Short answer is not turn it into a MK2.0 that’s as reliant on food and booze as it is on attractions.

1982 EPCOT Center was full of cutting edge E tickets, in unique buildings, using state of the art technology you couldn’t find anywhere else, featuring topics and themes you wouldn’t expect to find in another park.

 

[J4546]

I think epcot is still great, but i havent been in years, ill prob head back once GotG is finished. I understand why some people arent a fan of some of the things that are being built there, but I still like the park.

I think Remy is a pretty great attraction to France Pavilion and fits well. Pus the added creperie is cool
I think GotG is gonna be a great attraction and although it doesnt fit that great, its not too bad. And I get why they did it. Epcot needed a major attraction, and this the biggest and most expensive ride disney has ever built so it should def drive people into the park. It sucks that because of prior contracts and such, Disney cant use major avengers characters east of the mississippi, so that means no avengers campus area in Fla. So they gotta use what they got, where they can. They coulda put it in disney studios, but they didnt and now this makes it easier imo to make a new coaster using the GotG tech, but with a star wars theme. I say easier because I dont think theyd put 2 giant indoor coasters in 1 park.
Play pavilion doesnt look like its opening soon, but Im sure will be a great thing for kids when its done.
Space 220 is awesome imo. Im really looking forward to that more than anything else
Moana interactive water stuff looks cool to me, not a major attraction obviously, but Id really love to get some greenery in the epcot spine/front area because when I went last time it was just a concrete slab.
Harmonius Im sure will be great at night, Im waiting to see how it looks as a fountain during the day though
And the new entrance fountain and center spine is gonna be great

 

[trainplane3]

Thank you, Martin. I appreciate the response!

So, maybe my reading comprehension is just off or maybe I didn't necessarily ask that the correct way.

I understand that this is a tough ask, but my question was more geared towards is there are any sources where EPCOT Center die-hards have shown realistic/feasible action that TWDC/WDI could have taken along the many years to keep the essence and meaning of EPCOT, while also progressing with the times?

I just see a lot of people who grew up with EPCOT Center are upset with what has happened to the park, and I don't necessarily blame them, but I'd love to be able to read from good sources on what they COULD have done differently.

Does that make sense?

Heck, I got there in 97/98 when I was 5. Right when it started to "fall apart". The park felt like I was discovering something new everywhere. I was able to do so many things without needing to wait in line. I proved my parents wrong on my first ever WDW trip. MK, Epcot, MGM, MK was the plan. Went to Epcot and later that night they decided to let me have my way (which they were happy about) and do MK, Epcot, MGM, Epcot instead. Make the park exciting but don't focus it on 4 E Tickets.

They need to take risks, do something only Disney can do. The park was unique. More then some characters stuck in awkward spots.

Play is a playground. Congrats guys. I have a Wii. It'll surely blow your mind (WDI's) with what it can do.
Moana is a walkthrough water exhibit and playground.
Guardians is big rollercoaster with cars that can rotate.
Space 220 is a total Epcot Center idea that fits perfectly.
The wonder table is a festival building that'll be undersized with a year after opening and a glorified upcharge for fireworks.
Harmonious will be a technical marvel but it's HEA on water. I guess each park having its own identity doesn't matter so generic Pixar/DAS shows everywhere. Yay.

Space 220 and the entrance are the best things to happen to the park. But one of those is a reversal of a mistake made 20+ years ago. The other things aren't special and better things can be found elsewhere.

 

[J4546]

Heck, I got there in 97/98 when I was 5. Right when it started to "fall apart". The park felt like I was discovering something new everywhere. I was able to do so many things without needing to wait in line. I proved my parents wrong on my first ever WDW trip. MK, Epcot, MGM, MK was the plan. Went to Epcot and later that night they decided to let me have my way (which they were happy about) and do MK, Epcot, MGM, Epcot instead. Make the park exciting but don't focus it on 4 E Tickets.

They need to take risks, do something only Disney can do. The park was unique. More then some characters stuck in awkward spots.

Play is a playground. Congrats guys. I have a Wii. It'll surely blow your mind with what it can do.
Moana is a walkthrough water exhibit and playground.
Guardians is big rollercoaster with cars that can rotate.
Space 220 is a total Epcot Center idea that fits perfectly.
The wonder table is a festival building that'll be undersized with a year after opening and a glorified upcharge for fireworks.
Harmonious will be a technical marvel but it's HEA on water. I guess each park having its own identity doesn't matter so generic Pixar/DAS shows everywhere. Yay.

Space 220 and the entrance are the best things to happen to the park. But one of those is a reversal of a mistake made 20+ years ago. The other things aren't special and better things can be found elsewhere.

i agree with ya about space 220 and entrance but to say the other things arent special and better can be found elsewhere....I dunno. A reverse launching, largest interior rollercoaster in the world using 360 degree rotational ride cars in an immersive story telling enviroment...The GotG looks pretty special to me and I think it will be an absolute hit when it opens.

 

[trainplane3]

i agree with ya about space 220 and entrance but to say the other things arent special and better can be found elsewhere....I dunno. A reverse launching, largest interior rollercoaster in the world using 360 degree rotational ride cars in an immersive story telling enviroment...The GotG looks pretty special to me and I think it will be an absolute hit when it opens.

Oh no doubt it'll be a hit. It's the fact this thing is over half a billion to build. There's no sane reason a coaster is ballooning the budget that hard (with building and show scenes). This thing better have the most perfect show scenes on a rollercoaster anyone has ever seen. Massive coasters run about $30-50m as a point of reference.

Play and Moana are exactly what they seem. Moana will at least be pretty-ish I guess.

I do think most of my issues come from their constant game of replacing instead of adding to the parks. DHS has the same amount of attractions as it did 5+ years ago. At least Rat (which is also expanding France nicely) and Tron are actually adding to their parks finally.

 

[Omnispace]

I'll also venture the unpopular opinion that I don't find the architecture of Future World as beautiful or timeless as a lot of people seem to. I agree they have only made it look worse over the years through modifications and paving over the original landscaping. I'm also not entirely sold on the new plans, including destroying the symmetry of the Communicore buildings. Apart from Spaceship Earth, however, the above looks like a pleasantly landscaped 1980s office park or expo to me and corporate architecture from that period hasn't aged well, IMO. Again, it's all in the eye of the beholder, but I am not as bowled over by the immense beauty of the above scene as a lot of people on here seem to be.

It's been a long time since I've read The Architecture of Reassurance, but my memory was that even that book struck a slightly critical note about the architecture of the Future World pavilions as being remote and monolithic rather than part of a cohesive whole. I could be misremembering that, but in general I struggle to think of Future World being cited as an example of great architecture beyond fan forums in the way that other Disney parks and resorts have received praise.

A lot of us agree the model has changed. The appeal of a public showcase with corporations footing the bill for displays has long gone.

What we don’t agree with is spending ridiculous amounts of money to remove perfectly good buildings for a bar and a splash pad waterfall. Innoventions West (the building) could easily have been repurposed for everything the cubicle dwellers think the park needs - plus more - with plenty of space left for the waterfall walk through by Seas. It could have even been better between Seas and Land.

The money saved could have gone towards other areas of the park still crying out for help. Corporate would still get its requisite additions. And the parks fabric would have been retained. It could even have been the best it’s been since 1993.

The “remoteness” of the Future World Pavilions is exactly why the CommuniCore is so important, it anchors and organizes the pavilions as objects in space. The new spine completely removes that underlying spatial organization. Before you could look at an unlabeled map of the park and see that Future World was distinct from World Showcase because it is laid out differently, radially around the CommuniCore. The new plan removes that organization. It makes the pavilions on the west side even more remote and an unmarked plan has no clear organizational delineation between the new neighborhoods.

That’s what’s so bad about the spine project. Even if you’re not a fan of what was there before what is coming does not do anything better and generally does things worse. Pavilions are now more remote. An ugly CommiCore building is still sitting there. The new festival building is smaller and less functional than the CommuniCore building it is replacing. It might look cooler from some angles but others will have big boxes prominently featured in and behind it.

I decided to group these posts together because they bring up very important points about the design of Future World and the original intent of the Epcot experience. I'm not going to say that the original orginazation of Future World was perfect but it did have a logical order to it. Spaceship Earth was the introduction, that directed you into Earth Station where you could learn more about the park, then filter through Communicore to the pavilions beyond. From what I have read, the landscaped spaces between the pavilions were intentionally designed to be a respite from the "intensity of the attractions within. The monumental scale of the park and its pavilions was to reflect the importance and scale of the themes presented within the attractions.

Since a lot has been changed over the years it's very difficult to see that progression now. It may have not even worked that well since it was built on the experience of a first visit rather than repeat guests. I have good friends who have visited Epcot since the beginning and always looked at Communicore as being a barrier to the rest of the park. It can also be argued that he circular nature of Communicore buildings made it difficult to adequately relate the different amenities located there, and there was no true "weenie" to draw one into the rest of the park and mark its center. I think that's why the event center structure was proposed as an attempt to create some sort of focal point.

But, all this doesn't mean that the buildings necessarily had to be torn down or the plan of the Spine diluted with tangential ideas. It just means that it would have required a more creative approach to solve all the issues. I like Marni's thoughts that smaller dark rides and attractions could have been introduced into the center of the park. I'd offer that the buildings could have been opened up more again - made more permeable and welcoming with a fresh and lighter design utilizing the existing structure. I'll let the rest of the ideas in these posts speak for themselves. I'm just saying that it's not always necessary to completely obliterate what is there to come up with a good solution, and in many ways the outcome may be much more feasible and interesting. The symmentry and monumantality of the old Communicore buildings was the park's strength in many ways and simply disregarding that was a true mistake.

 

[bcoachable]

It seems they had it right the first time with Communicore. Interactive exhibits, presentations, games, etc. I think they're on the right track with the upcoming Play! pavilion. Just the wrong location. That should've gone in the currently-being-demolished West structure. Bring back Sum of All Thrills, add a VR experience (let the VOID run it), and set up a big video game/simulation section. Then connect the WOL building to M:S as the destination -- a domed Mars/lunar base after completing the mission(s). Restore the landscaping around the central spine with some modern updates. Add the water feature. Seems like all this could be done without breaking the bank and staying true to the original design for the park.

Let’s Go!!!! Well done Glad to be hear!
I can’t wait till we ALL feel like dreaming again! Thanks for this burst of creativity in a world that seems so Blah right now!!