News Big changes coming to EPCOT's Future World?

MerlinTheGoat

Well-Known Member
I'd really need to see more detailed ground level concept art of some of Project Gemini to decide whether it would have made Future World look better or worse. Not that it matters now of course, but we really didn't have any real idea how it would have changed the park from a ground level perspective. It obviously added a lot of trees and greenery, but a black and white overhead blueprint just isn't enough to make a judgement call on how it would have looked from the guest perspective.

I don't need to know (nor do I want to know) any details about Time Racers to hate it. Losing Spaceship Earth to a roller coaster would be a horror story, and to know there are those at Disney who entertained such a concept terrifies me. Removing SSE would snuff out what little quality remained of Future World and EPCOT would be almost 100% dead to me (with only American Adventure and Living with the Land remaining). I'd complain about Mermaid in the Seas, but we ended up with Nemo as well so we hardly dodged the bullet.

I don't know how I would have felt about the Rainforest coaster. Part of me is willing to consider it an interesting and potentially cool idea. But I cannot shake the feeling that it would have negatively impacted this area aesthetically. Kind of like Rip Ride Rockit at Universal (IMHO).
 

Wikkler

Well-Known Member
I don't know how I would have felt about the Rainforest coaster. Though I have a gut feeling that it would have negatively impacted this area aesthetically.
I think the Rainforest coaster was a reaction to The Incredible Hulk and Dueling Dragons, which makes me concerned about things like lift hills/drops, volume of the coaster track, and thrill level. Those things could negatively impact Future World. But Project Gemini isn't happening so we shouldn't worry about it.
 

Progress.City

Well-Known Member
gemini.jpg

You can see some differences in this plan besides just the trees. Spaceship Earth is replaced with a roller coaster in one of the dumbest ideas they ever thought of, which is topped by the "Little Mermaid" pavilion next door. But at least Innoventions is broken up into small buildings. That idea was nice, but the contents in them were dated even when the plan was made, and "Cool Stuff" is the worst name for anything ever. The Rainforest Rollercoaster is a cool idea, but I'd like it inside, please. Soarin' still shows up on this plan, but on the other side of The Land, which makes me wonder if they keep Food Rocks. The Hedge Maze sounds uninspired. Finally, they were to add a Junior Autopia which would probably kill all the trees on that side of the park with its pollution.

If you couldn't tell, I don't like this plan.
How do we know that maybe that was just a rough outline of what they were thinking? With the details to be worked out as they go?
 

Thanks phoenicians

Well-Known Member
If the touch SSE I wouldn't be able to forgive them. The coaster that was planned as part of the Gemini project basically looks like an upgraded Europa park. When was the Gemini project proposed?
 

MerlinTheGoat

Well-Known Member
I guess discussing Gemini is a bit pointless. Unless they've revived any of those concepts for this new project.

I do WANT to be excited for this potential new project being teased. And I definitely respect and trust Martin, cautious optimism is far better hope than we've been able to afford for so long with Epcot now.

But i'm still worried. Modern Disney doesn't like anything not tied to IP's or franchises. Worse is their predilection of poor overlays for existing rides, a fear that is being reinforced with Frostrom (or the Guardians of the Tower idea which is hopefully dead). If Martin has any hope at all, then I at least assume we aren't looking at something like Frozen. But I don't really want anything like Tron or Guardians of the Galaxy either...

The only original rides recently have been at Hong Kong Disneyland, and it is said that the Chinese pressured Disney into originality. I have to wonder if Disney would even consider creating something both original and more realistic/serious like SSE or Horizons ever again.

You can't just randomly dump cartoons and magic everywhere with no logic whatsoever. You can do fantasy and silliness at EPCOT, but it requires VERY careful planning and done in moderation. Imagination 1.0 for instance used fantasy elements (sparks of imagination) to explore the brain's raw abstract creativity, but goes further with how we process and combine these abstract sparks into more structured forms of creativity (art, literature, stage performance and scientific discovery). With this, one could very well consider Imagination 1.0 the "soul" of the park and all it stands for. World of Motion used comedic gags to playfully poke fun at our struggles and mistakes, fantasy elements were also used to poke fun at our superstitions (sea dragons when we thought the world was flat and had monsters at the edges, or flying carpets). To put it mildly, far better thought out than the Living Seas being represented by a clownfish (accompanied by his forgetful one-liner-spouting friend) looking for his son.
 

LuvtheGoof

DVC Guru
Premium Member
There's a lot planned. Remember a few years ago I said there's big plans for Epcot but I didn't know if or when they'd happen? I can't see it all happening, hence "some".

There just seems too much. But I can't elaborate yet.

Edit. It's not just this park. Which makes it all the more.... curious.
Why curious? You're still thinking of the Disney from a decade ago that wasn't adding much to the parks. It seems like they are more willing to spend the money nowadays.
 

marni1971

Park History nut
Premium Member
Does this mean a change from every new addition being toon/IP based or am I reading way too much into this?
Possibly reading a bit too much between the lines.

I'll say it. EPCOT Center is dead. It was the most fantastic, amazing, awe inspiring park. Epcot killed it.

Give it five years or so. Epcot v3 could sit somewhere between the two.
 

FigmentForver96

Well-Known Member
Possibly reading a bit too much between the lines.

I'll say it. EPCOT Center is dead. It was the most fantastic, amazing, awe inspiring park. Epcot killed it.

Give it five years or so. Epcot v3 could sit somewhere between the two.
Honestly I guess it is time to accept that time is over. Doesn't mean I won't complain when they do stupid stuff like Frozen in Norway but I'm willing to see what they can do for Future World as long as they do it right.
 

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