EPCOT Big changes coming to EPCOT's Future World?

[Epcot82Guy]

Light watch... Tower lights working and in sync tonight. Logo rings barely lighting at all. (Looked pretty bad.)

Luminous B Mode continues. It didn't seem that windy, but tough to know the threshold. There were some gusts.

(And I will say starting to find all the details and symbols in Luminous on my second live watch was very nice.)

 

[_caleb]

And before anyone suggests it, I'm not at all saying that Future World could have survived untouched from 1994 to today. But what it needed wasn't a wholesale reconception of the land and it's attractions (it has now recieved 2 such rethinks, each in phases, and neither has solved more problems than they've created). It needed considered program updating in the form of refreshed classics and additional new attractions, just as any park does as it ages. But the park's concept was a hit out of the gate. Expensive though it was to keep up, it was also earning its keep.

The successive reconceptions have wiped away the things that were working upfront in favor of new and confusing menus that don't coalesce as a distinct "thing" in the guests' minds. Test Track may be fun, and Journey of Water may be cute, and Spaceship Earth is . . . still there, thankfully, but what those things have to do with each other isn't readily apparent.

LOL as I was reading your previous post, I was literally thinking, "Is he saying that Future World could have survived untouched from 1994 to today?" I'm glad I kept reading before responding. Great post, followed by a great follow-up here.

 

[_caleb]

I may have missed this, but do we know if the ground would need to be torn up to replace whatever part of the light were affected by the water incursion?

 

[Cmdr_Crimson]

EPCOT is and will always... be in a state of BeComing!

Hey now..Epcot is the place for the "Magic of Possibilities." Meaning it's "Im-Possible" to get anything done on time..

 

[Cmdr_Crimson]

Light watch... Tower lights working and in sync tonight. Logo rings barely lighting at all. (Looked pretty bad.)

Dreamers Point..Circa 2 years from now...

 

[GhostHost1000]

Just my personal opinion -
The points of light on Space Ship Earth is great!
Both Innoventions buildings should have stayed.
Both gutted and I guess connections, creations, club cool are OK
The other Innoventions gets (maybe 2) cool omnimover rides in it.
Electric umbrella going away is OK.
Great to get rid of pin central and put it where it is now.
Add Walt's statue and a garden area.
KEEP the Fountain of Nations!!!! Update it with the latest fountain technology with a water screen; the fountain and SEE can do some cool shows together

you're hired

 

[Bocabear]

you're hired

Exactly...It needed re-landscaping and bringing back the original green heart of EPCOT...
Tearing down buildings and then rebuilding them was an epic mistake that cost us any new attractions and refurbs. Water under the bridge at this point sadly... Maybe they will tear out the central V Planter and put the
fountain-that-should-be-there in and repair the pavement lighting at the same time...

 

[Horizon1]

EPCOT's Ridership, Capacity, Guest Spending, and Guest Satisfaction were all higher in the late 80's/early 90's than they have been at any point since.

The issue wasn't that the park was losing guests' interest, it was that Disney tried to pull a fast one, didn't stick the landing, and never figured out how to recover

That is interesting but it does make sense. Hopefully at some point Epcot can find it’s roots so to speak.

 

[Bocabear]

Not under current leadership that is dragging it farther from it's roots and the park's identity...sadly.

 

[GhostHost1000]

Not under current leadership that is dragging it farther from it's roots and the park's identity...sadly.

I think they are trying to make future world an extension of the magic kingdom

 

[Andrew C]

I think they are trying to make future world an extension of the magic kingdom

How could they? There is no such thing as Future World. Not by name, not by identity....

 

[GhostHost1000]

How could they? There is no such thing as Future World. Not by name, not by identity....

Not anymore. The transition into new newer fantasyland has begun

 

[Chef idea Mickey`=]

If Disney had it's own community college/university campus you'd expect better from them but wouldn't be surprosed if you saw World Celebration!

 

[MisterPenguin]

If Disney had it's own community college/university campus you'd expect better from them but wouldn't be surprosed if you saw World Celebration!

Well, there's your 'education' in 'edutainment.'

 

[MisterPenguin]

Not anymore. The transition into new newer fantasyland has begun

Turning a ride about a dream with dinosaurs into a ride about contact with an alien civilization is a lateral move.

Mission:Space was upgraded without fantasy elements. Creations and Connections have no fantasy elements. The Land's environmental movie removed fantasy elements (Pumba and Timon). Test Track's upgrade has had no fantasy elements announced (that we know of). Space 220 resisted any addition of fantasy IP. The new Hub has Walt there and not Disney fantasy characters.

If you want what was once Future World to be devoid of Fantasy elements, then, by all means, lets get rid of Figment.

 

[Bocabear]

Turning a ride about a dream with dinosaurs into a ride about contact with an alien civilization is a lateral move.

Mission:Space was upgraded without fantasy elements. Creations and Connections have no fantasy elements. The Land's environmental movie removed fantasy elements (Pumba and Timon). Test Track's upgrade has had no fantasy elements announced (that we know of). Space 220 resisted any addition of fantasy IP. The new Hub has Walt there and not Disney fantasy characters.

If you want what was once Future World to be devoid of Fantasy elements, then, by all means, lets get rid of Figment.

Well...it was a ride about the creation of fossil fuels and energy honestly...the dream was the vehicle to tell the story and the dinosaurs were the illuistration of the time period... It was not as simple as a ride about a dream. So we go from a full edutainment attraction to a full fantasy space time transport ride not based on anything but a movie...Not really lateral.
I like the GOTG ride... but it does not really feel like it fits what the park was...What the park will be, seems like a hodgepodge at best. Their current lineup and division of areas feel nonsensical and confusing... SURELY the Imagineers could have come up with a cohesive plan working within the framework of the park...

 

[James Alucobond]

So, based on photographic evidence, it seems the bypass might actually be legitimately gone as of today?

 

[JustInTime]

Did the ever get the lights working in the ground?

 

[TheEPCOTHistorian]

Did the ever get the lights working in the ground?

The rings in the planter have gone back to pretty consistent operation, though they still have some issues. The 'starfield' near Dreamer's Point is experiencing regular issues still, as are the illuminated poles near the central planter.

 

[JustInTime]

The rings in the planter have gone back to pretty consistent operation, though they still have some issues. The 'starfield' near Dreamer's Point is experiencing regular issues still, as are the illuminated poles near the central planter.

Dang. Hopefully they fix it. Do the rings change color or stay one color?