News Big changes coming to EPCOT's Future World?

[osian]

Agreed. He envisioned a city. Even the original EPCOT Center which most on this board long for is not what Walt wanted.

The Epcot that was built was nothing like what Walt Disney wanted.

I think we all know that, but the comment was "Epcot was his dream and in some ways, there’s a park with a little bit of his mental DNA in it.", in other words the park that was built had his ideas in it. Which it did. EPCOT, the city concept, was all about technology, industry, future ways of living, transport, and incorporated the visitor center (EPCOT Center) where these things were on show. The park fused that with the world's fair concept, which of course Disney had been involved in for a long time. Epcot as it stands today, or rather as it opened in 1982, is probably the most Walt thing they have ever achieved. Nothing could be more Disney than EPCOT. Unfortuantely, current management think that "more Disney" means more cartoon characters, which is completely tone-deaf to where EPCOT came from in the first place.

Having said that though, I'm not convinced the Walt statue is appropriate for the current park because no, it's not emphasising those aspects any more and it's moving away from that "mental DNA".

 

[James Alucobond]

Glad to see scaffolding up in front of the Journey of Water restroom building. Hopefully that means they'll finish the exterior in short order and remove the otherwise unnecessary walls along the path to The Land.

 

[Andrew C]

A look at the final touches underway for EPCOT's World Celebration Gardens and Dreamers Point​

A look at the final touches underway for EPCOT's World Celebration Gardens and Dreamers Point

A look at the final touches underway for EPCOT's World Celebration Gardens and Dreamers Point

www.wdwmagic.com

Looks really lovely IMO. Amount of time it took, well....it looks lovely. lol

 

[Disstevefan1]

Looks really lovely IMO. Amount of time it took, well....it looks lovely. lol

Everyone loves planters right? As Iger says, the EPCOT re imagination is a total success!

 

[Andrew C]

Everyone loves planters right? As Iger says, the EPCOT re imagination is a total success!

I like the trees and greenery. Whether I like the overall reimagination is another story...

 

[flyerjab]

Wondering if they will time the opening of Communicore Hall with the start of Festival of the Arts or F&G next year.

 

[Disstevefan1]

I like the trees and greenery. Whether I like the overall reimagination is another story...

Just my opinion, for what we seem to be getting, this took too long, walls up way too long, too much money spent for what is in my opinion, very little in return.

 

[Bocabear]

Everyone loves planters right? As Iger says, the EPCOT re imagination is a total success!

and the sad part is they could have done all of this without tearing down the buildings... Just additions and refurbishments, and planters.....never forget the planters.....

 

[TheCoasterNerd]

As Iger says, the EPCOT re imagination is a total success!

you're being sarcastic, but I really like it! Makes it feel less like a theme park and more like just a park, in the style of DAK

 

[JohnD]

and the sad part is they could have done all of this without tearing down the buildings... Just additions and refurbishments, and planters.....never forget the planters.....

A portion of Innoventions West anyway. They could have taken down the portion north of the original breezeway to make way for Moana. The remaining portion becomes the new festival center. I mean, that's what they're building in the exact same location, right?

 

[Disstevefan1]

and the sad part is they could have done all of this without tearing down the buildings... Just additions and refurbishments, and planters.....never forget the planters.....

Totally agree. This project wasted money that could have been better spent in WDW.

 

[Disstevefan1]

you're being sarcastic, but I really like it! Makes it feel less like a theme park and more like just a park, in the style of DAK

I am glad you like it. And I agree, it feels less like EPCOT and more like DAK, especially with the addition of Moana.

I must remember, the changes were not made for me specifically, they were made for others.

I am looking forward to the walls coming down.

 

[Incomudro]

Looks really lovely IMO. Amount of time it took, well....it looks lovely. lol

I like everything about it except for the lack of a fountain.
The amount of time it took, yes - that was horrendous.

 

[Disstevefan1]

A portion of Innoventions West anyway. They could have taken down the portion north of the original breezeway to make way for Moana. The remaining portion becomes the new festival center. I mean, that's what they're building in the exact same location, right?

Wow. Moana's water treatment plant is only slightly smaller than the (attraction?) its self.

 

[Bocabear]

you're being sarcastic, but I really like it! Makes it feel less like a theme park and more like just a park, in the style of DAK

and after all, we really want to spend over a hundred dollars to be in a park rather than a theme park....

 

[Disney Analyst]

and after all, we really want to spend over a hundred dollars to be in a park rather than a theme park....

Luscious park / garden vibes very much are what set a theme park apart.

The centre spine (that is being replaced, not the one many of us never experienced), was a boring, uninspired plaza.

This is now a lush garden, begging you to explore.

Putting aside timeline, and I know symmetry for many (I don’t really care about symmetry in this case), this new centre area is a massive improvement.

 

[Bocabear]

The added greenery is nice. With all of the necessary changes needed for this park including at least one new pavilion, added attractions etc, it is underwhelming... Especially knocking down a building that hosted character meet and greets and then building a new building to host meet and greets...
I am glad the construction is wrapping up... I really am, but I wish we had more to look forward to.

 

[tparris]

One thing to point out regarding the synchronized lighting effects: the back wall right where you order Starbucks inside Connections Cafe now syncs with the SSE shows. This is definitely new, I don’t remember it actually matching the same lighting patterns and colors before

 

[Epcot82Guy]

Leaving aside the timeline and the loss of the fountain, the redo of the central area in this garden-like setting is a nice change. It's just hard to look at this and not think what could have happened had they just left and redone the 4 main buildings with this as the central concept. Then used the funds saved on other projects.

 

[MisterPenguin]

Luscious park / garden vibes very much are what set a theme park apart.

Putting a *park* in a *park*... who ever heard of such a thing?!!?/!1