News Big changes coming to EPCOT's Future World?

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Ralphlaw

Well-Known Member
People specifically complained about the Webcams at the end of SE, and some already complain about how hokey the touch screen stuff is on SE. True discussions about the founding pavilions have often pointed out how out of date they eventually became. I have also heard many observations about Innoventions and how new tech became either boring or out of date fairly quickly. Sorry, I don't have a lot of personal examples because I didn't start going to WDW until the 21st century, so I never saw Horizons, World of Motion, Wonders of Life or the "show" at the Living Seas, all of which were the subject of such complaints on these boards.

A fun, but frustrating, brainstorming activity would be to think about what could be done with brand new specific attractions in FW that would truly be forward-looking AND fun for guests AND are not in danger of quickly becoming out of date. It's close to impossible. Mission Space works, but is not overwhelmingly popular. Universe of Energy worked at one time, but it doesn't draw in crowds like it used to. The after-show exhibits at Imagination and SE are great, but they're basically time-fillers between bigger attractions. They're also easy to update should the need arise.

Think it all through, and the inevitable conclusion is that adaptable attractions like Star Tours and Soarin' are the future. The bricks and mortar and heavy machinery stay the same, but the ride changes through relatively inexpensive new software and electronic updates. Honestly, I'm waiting for a random generating upgrade to Mission Space wherein you don't know where you're going to go until it starts: Mars? Jupiter? Saturn? It worked at Star Tours, and it could work there.
 
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RobidaFlats

RobidaFlats

Well-Known Member
Ralphlaw said:
People specifically complained about the Webcams at the end of SE, and some already complain about how hokey the touch screen stuff in on SE. True discussions about the founding pavilions have often pointed out how out of date they eventually became. I have also heard many observations about Innoventions and how new tech became either boring or out of date fairly quickly. Sorry, I don't have a lot of personal examples because I didn't start going to WDW until the 21st century, so I never saw Horizons, World of Motion, Wonders of Life or the "show" at the Living Seas, all of which were the subject of such complaints on these boards.

A fun, but frustrating, brainstorming activity would be think about what could be done with brand new specific attractions in FW that would truly be forward-looking AND fun for guests AND are not in danger of quickly becoming out of date. It's close to impossible. Mission Space works, but is not overwhelmingly popular. Universe of Energy worked at one time, but it doesn't draw in crowds like it used to. The after-show exhibits at Imagination and SE are great, but they're basically time-fillers between bigger attractions. They're also easy to update should the need arise.

Think it all through, and the inevitable conclusion is that adaptable attractions like Star Tours and Soarin' are the future. The bricks and mortar and heavy machinery stay the same, but the ride changes through relatively inexpensive new software and electronic updates. Honestly, I'm waiting for a random generating upgrade to Mission Space wherein you don't know where you're going to go until it starts: Mars? Jupiter? Saturn? It worked at Star Tours, and it could work there.
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I can't say I'm sure what is meant about the webcams at the end of SE, but I definitely get the complaints about the touch screen stuff. However, that is in no way out of date. Lame, sure, but not antiquated. We still use touch screens everyday. The supposed "future" stuff is supposed to be the content of the video, not the medium itself. Some of the Innoventions stuff could be considered dated, sure, but other things: just because something is boring doesn't mean it is dated. Conversely, one could take the most cutting edge tech and making it beyond boring. Presentation is everything.

I'm not trying to be overly argumentative, but I am constantly seeing this idea universally accepted that the pavilions were doomed to fail because of the speed of technological advancement. I started a thread to specifically discuss this, but no one seemed interested, so I figured I'd directly address the assertion when it was made in an effort to drill-down the rationale for this thinking. I am genuinely curious as to how so many people have reached this conclusion.
 
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Ralphlaw

Well-Known Member
Good points, all. I still suggest that brainstorming for FW can be fun, but truly making something cutting-edge enough to justify tens of millions of dollars with a hoped for positive return on investment is hard. One idea, a black hole attraction. You go to the black hole, and time passes you by. You came back to WDW, and years have passed. Somehow, you get back to the present, maybe through a wormhole. Maybe a Dr. Who or 'Meet the Robinsons' tie-in could be done with a Tardis or Time Machine. I hope that could become a classic FW attraction that could also have random generation and/or easy updates. Yeah, similar in some ways to the old Timekeeper, and also smacks of Bill & Ted (heck, get the rights and bring them along), but still potentially an awesome and literally timeless attraction. Slap that over by Imagination or Wonders of Life, and perhaps "Future" World would be an apt description again.
 
WildcatDen

WildcatDen

Well-Known Member
montyz81 said:
Which nobody anticipates happening. Sorry Disney, Avatar does not a Harry Potter equal! You missed the boat the first time around.
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Agreed and that is basically what I said. My reply was to the suggested time line.

But, and this is like a small Timone butt, if the new Avatar movies once again set records, I would not be surprised to see 'additions'
 
Mike S

Mike S

Well-Known Member
Ralphlaw said:
I love edutainment. Every one of our vacations has an educational component to it, whether Disney or Europe or anywhere else. The problem is the pace of tech change is so fast that the "future" as portrayed in the Future World is either behind us or wrong before the attraction is a couple years old. It's much safer to come up with a Soarin', that has nothing to do with the future, (but does fit in kind of with World Showcase).

I also think Spaceship Earth is safe because it primarily focuses on the past. The "future" part is basically touch screens and software, which would be relatively easy to update. Also, Spaceship Earth is one of the most ridden attractions on property from what I hear. More people per day ride SE than just about anything else. I love it. It's relaxing, educational, interesting, and fun. For three years now I have taken my kids on European vacations, and every time it's mentioned that there's some connection to SE, whether it's Michelangelo, Rome, Monasteries, the Berlin Olympics, Islamic Scholars, Gothic architecture, etc . . . It is a wonderful tie-in to our other trips, and is a testament to Disney's ability to enrich and not just entertain.
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Ralphlaw said:
People specifically complained about the Webcams at the end of SE, and some already complain about how hokey the touch screen stuff is on SE. True discussions about the founding pavilions have often pointed out how out of date they eventually became. I have also heard many observations about Innoventions and how new tech became either boring or out of date fairly quickly. Sorry, I don't have a lot of personal examples because I didn't start going to WDW until the 21st century, so I never saw Horizons, World of Motion, Wonders of Life or the "show" at the Living Seas, all of which were the subject of such complaints on these boards.

A fun, but frustrating, brainstorming activity would be to think about what could be done with brand new specific attractions in FW that would truly be forward-looking AND fun for guests AND are not in danger of quickly becoming out of date. It's close to impossible. Mission Space works, but is not overwhelmingly popular. Universe of Energy worked at one time, but it doesn't draw in crowds like it used to. The after-show exhibits at Imagination and SE are great, but they're basically time-fillers between bigger attractions. They're also easy to update should the need arise.

Think it all through, and the inevitable conclusion is that adaptable attractions like Star Tours and Soarin' are the future. The bricks and mortar and heavy machinery stay the same, but the ride changes through relatively inexpensive new software and electronic updates. Honestly, I'm waiting for a random generating upgrade to Mission Space wherein you don't know where you're going to go until it starts: Mars? Jupiter? Saturn? It worked at Star Tours, and it could work there.
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The only Future World attraction that dealt heavily in predicting the future was Horizons and none of it has happened yet. World of Motion was like Spaceship Earth where it showed more of the past than the future. Concerning Wonders of Life and more specifically Body Wars we still don't have shrinking ships that explore the human body. Future World wasn't as outdated as some think. Communicore/Innoventions may be the only real case of being truly outdated at some point. Perhaps Energy as well.
 
V

Variable

Well-Known Member
Ralphlaw said:
Good points, all. I still suggest that brainstorming for FW can be fun,.
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Sure, but it doesn't belong in a News and Rumor forum.
And overall the discussion shouldn't largely consist of referring and rehashing past exhibits, perceived mistakes etc. Ignore all that was and is right now and LOOK FORWARD... otherwise its the same stuff different title on the thread
 
P_Radden

P_Radden

Well-Known Member
Mike S said:
The only Future World attraction that dealt heavily in predicting the future was Horizons and none of it has happened yet. World of Motion was like Spaceship Earth where it showed more of the past than the future. Concerning Wonders of Life and more specifically Body Wars we still don't have shrinking ships that explore the human body. Future World wasn't as outdated as some think. Communicore/Innoventions may be the only real case of being truly outdated at some point. Perhaps Energy as well.
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And we still don't have underwater sea bases with hydrolaters.
 
Progress.City

Progress.City

Well-Known Member
danlb_2000 said:
I know no one will believe me, but bookmark this post for future reference so you can all see that I was correct..... Disney will raise prices.
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That might also happen, but Martin's insight is more about what WDI is up to. So, this could actually be the Guardians project for EPCOT as well, or a total shocker such as an Indiana Jones Land coming to DHS. He wouldn't hype something up only to crush all expectations with bad news. Now, would you, Martin?
 
montyz81

montyz81

Well-Known Member
Mike S said:
The only Future World attraction that dealt heavily in predicting the future was Horizons and none of it has happened yet. World of Motion was like Spaceship Earth where it showed more of the past than the future. Concerning Wonders of Life and more specifically Body Wars we still don't have shrinking ships that explore the human body. Future World wasn't as outdated as some think. Communicore/Innoventions may be the only real case of being truly outdated at some point. Perhaps Energy as well.
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It wasn't out dated, but the presentation of it was. As technology changed the dreams of the future and what is possible changes. Each of the pavilion's concepts were the right ones, they just needed to update the technology and how the future was presented as technology itself advances. Make it all about what our dreams are of the future in 2016, not 1982. When I think of or need to advance research on energy I think that that old 1997 show is still somewhat accurate. We are still trying to come up with new ways of lessining our reliance on fossil fuels. Tesla would be a great sponsor there (but I'm sure GM would have something to say about that). Tesla has a new plan to use more efficient photovataics(sp?) to regenerate batteries. Are we going to learn any of that from GoTG?
 
danlb_2000

danlb_2000

Premium Member
Progress.City said:
That might also happen, but Martin's insight is more about what WDI is up to. So, this could actually be the Guardians project for EPCOT as well, or a total shocker such as an Indiana Jones Land coming to DHS. He wouldn't hype something up only to crush all expectations with bad news. Now, would you, Martin?
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My post wasn't meant to be a dig against Martin, it was a dig against JT's claim that he is some sort of Disney prophet.
 

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