EPCOT Big changes coming to EPCOT's Future World?

[MisterPenguin]

I enjoyed EPCOT more in my past visit in December than in my whole life.

I look forward in a few weeks to EPCOT unwalled.

 

[WDWhopper]

It’s fine. It’s replacing a sewer smelling empty building, so the bar is low. It will be nice to have an air-conditioned spot to cool down during the summer and the music/shows will be constantly changing, adding some energy to that area. They’re going to have to do some work on the current performance, though. Felt like a Welcome Aboard show on a Carnival Cruise.

 

[Epcot82Guy]

I can appreciate that perspective. Again, I think the issue is not that it is better than it was. As everyone keeps saying about TBA... judge this on its own. The current implementation of the park, had it been built from the ground up, would feel disjointed and "cheap" in several areas. It's only fair to judge this version of Epcot against a better version had the money been spent differently (arguably more wisely) and with overarching vision... Not against the park that was 15 years ago. There have been HUGE missteps and missed opportunities with this redo, and the company should be held to task on that.

 

[mysto]

It’s fine. It’s replacing a sewer smelling empty building, so the bar is low. It will be nice to have an air-conditioned spot to cool down during the summer and the music/shows will be constantly changing, adding some energy to that area. They’re going to have to do some work on the current performance, though. Felt like a Welcome Aboard show on a Carnival Cruise.

There a lot of good things about what they've done. the sewer was a must. They were having shows in front of the fountain which was in the way, so this is better.

I don't feel that JOW adequately replaces the fountain, it's more of an attraction than the bonus atmosphere the fountain was.

I also with they had built the raised platform as originally proposed. It would have created some new 'rail space' for the shows and shaded the center.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

And that’s beyond us going from the cheap, outdated and abandoned mess off a 90s concrete jungle that were both of the CommuniCore buildings and the central plaza.

It’s hard to take you seriously when you drop false cliches like this from the interdom.

 

[HauntedPirate]

I actually generally like the finished product, but yeah, opening it without an exhibition of some kind really pulls out the rug from under it.

I totally agree—it’s not even close for me.

My very early memories of EPCOT are a park without even Mission: Space and Soarin’.

That was a rough period for the park. It wasn’t that long ago that Ellen’s Energy Adventure closed too, and despite it being my absolute favorite ride growing up—alongside Maelstrom—replacing it with Cosmic Rewind has made such a colossal difference for the park.

I don’t know if it was the dinosaurs, or the outstanding soundtrack, or how charismatic Bill Nye and Ellen DeGeneres were in it, but It single-handedly sparked my interest in science, so I really hope at least a few rides keep an edutainment aspect despite me feeling that EPCOT suffered from a lack of diversity in its line-up. It was, for a lack of a better term, very monotonous, which was even worse when pretty much every ride was a slow moving omnimover.

It feels totally different now. If I’m in Orlando for a weekend, my two parks that I hit are generally EPCOT and IOA, sidestepping the others. I definitely would want to at least hop over to HWS before Guardians, but now it stands on its own a lot better.

Though despite my nostalgia for Ellen (and to a lesser extent Spaceship Earth ‘94), I’ll even admit that the park literally lacked a ride line-up worth anything.

And of course, Ratatouille actually fits France unlike FEA in Norway and added a lot of additional capacity while also being a good ride.

And that’s beyond us going from the cheap, outdated and abandoned mess off a 90s concrete jungle that were both of the CommuniCore buildings and the central plaza.

You presented one original thought - Your love for EEA - and then regurgitated every other sentiment that others here regurgitate regularly when defending the crapfest that the Bob's, Josh, and THEZach foisted onto the park-going guest.

"90's concrete jungle" - Check
Unoriginal/boring rides - Check
Cosmic Rewind is fantastical - Check
Rat is great - Check
Limited history with the park - Check

You're usually better than that.

 

[rd805]

Am i underwhelmed? 10000% BUT everyone on Twitter praising Epic Universe for "putting the PARK back in theme park" and saying this is garbage is kind of wild because this is the most "park"like addition to WDW in years.

It's because we see the 10 Million things that they cut out of EPCOT that they were supposed to be creating/adding...and moreso, because it took YEARS. YEARSSSSSSSS!

These aren't comparible gripes.

 

[Chef idea Mickey`=]

I genuinely don’t understand why they did absolutely nothing about this incredibly ugly blank side of the building (photo from the article by @wdwmagic)View attachment 789863

I'm very shocked by this... are they going to cover it up...that makes it even more box..

 

[Chef idea Mickey`=]

Because people complained it smelled like a sewer there..Not sure if it improved much tho..

Connections Shop smells like sewer over there by the entrances and they didn't tear it down to or close to fix the situation.. Proof in the pudding after realizing it in person.

 

[Chef idea Mickey`=]

Am i underwhelmed? 10000% BUT everyone on Twitter praising Epic Universe for "putting the PARK back in theme park" and saying this is garbage is kind of wild because this is the most "park"like addition to WDW in years.

Parks have fountains. Just wait until you see the Celestrial Park with park centric kinetic energy not around but throughout!

 

[Skibum1970]

So, this isn't really a Future World question and is more World Showcase. On Google maps, there is a cleared area between Germany and the canal next to China. Was that just a staging area or was that something that has since been cancelled? I know people talk about a Brazilian pavilion but that would also have been a great place for a Germany ride. I'm not suggesting that they are building a ride but just wondered about that cleared area.

 

[Chef idea Mickey`=]

View attachment 791166
View attachment 791171

You knew you was at Epcot, and it's the only place in the world that looked like this. It had kinetic energy. Why on earth would I want to pay a hundred dollars for a space that looks like my community college where I could just go there and it's free and that's a compliment to my campus because it use to be a navy space and had no fountains and is dull itself.

To me is like Epic Universe is doing the World Celebration that Epcot was supposed to upgrade (concept art 2017 hence) become but didn't except far far superior!*

 

[James Alucobond]

You knew you was at Epcot, and it's the only place in the world that looked like this. It had kinetic energy.

Plenty of places looked like this in the 90s. Just because they took 30 years to change anything doesn't make it especially unique. Electric Umbrella looked like a 90s theater vestibule. Mouse Gear looked like an Imaginarium store from a 90s mall. Innoventions looked like a series of exhibits from a 90s children's museum or a state fair. This is not a defense of what we got; it's just a reality check on what was there before.

 

[wdwmagic]

I don't know about anyone else, but I also adore the pavement changes at EPCOT.

It makes it feel so much more premium.
View attachment 791173View attachment 791172

Yes the pavement upgrades throughout have been a big plus. However, there is a large section that has been untouched on the bridge to World Showcase from World Celebration - and it really looks rough.

 

[Chef idea Mickey`=]

Does the stage face towards the new hub or towards Imagination? Seems awkward if it's the latter (in terms of adding life to the central hub).

You face the stage toward the hub, however I read heard it was built in that matter for if it's too sunny in view they could switch the show the other direction and the audience would have a covering. I'm not sure if that is actually true or not. You mean adding life to you means the stage performances at you when in your standing in the center?

 

[James Alucobond]

Yes the pavement upgrades throughout have been a big plus. However, there is a large section that has been untouched on the bridge to World Showcase from World Celebration - and it really looks rough.

The bridge, parts of World Nature, Imagination, and the rhomboid checkerboard at the front of World Discovery still need help. And if they get to the bridge, they should mirror the planters on the east side over on the west side where the secondary splash pad used to be.

 

[wdwmagic]

Do you know if they intend to replace that area? I was thinking that last time I was there they’d probably address it at some point, but if not that’s unfortunate.

No word on that yet. I was hoping/expecting it to be done with CommuniCore Plaza.

 

[Chef idea Mickey`=]

Plenty of places looked like this in the 90s. Just because they took 30 years to change anything doesn't make it especially unique. Electric Umbrella looked like a 90s theater vestibule. Mouse Gear looked like an Imaginarium store from a 90s mall. Innoventions looked like a series of exhibits from a 90s children's museum or a state fair. This is not a defense of what we got; it's just a reality check on what was there before.

My defense is only off what has become with the exterior. Had they upgraded everything on the insides makes sense. It was supposed to be updated a park within a theme park, not a college campus park. Ouch I wonder if Epic Universe bringing a park back into a park is a let's show you how it's suppose to be done!

 

[mightynine]

Who wore it better?

 

[UNCgolf]

I don't think it's hard to understand why people are excited about/happy with the current EPCOT -- it's certainly better than what's been there for most of this century, and that's all many people ever experienced.

I think it's still significantly worse essentially across the board than the EPCOT that existed at its best (the attraction lineup today is much weaker and probably has less capacity too, for one), but EPCOT at its height was the best theme park I've ever seen. That's a high bar to clear, and no other park (Disney or non-Disney) has done it -- plus it's been gone for nearly 30 years.