News Big changes coming to EPCOT's Future World?

[brb1006]

Bring back the EPCOT Center of the 80's!

And bring back attraction theme songs to the park.

 

[brb1006]

I'm going to post a comment I left in a different thread. About another reason why Epcot of the 80's was special. Every attraction that existed all had their own theme songs.

Music at every attraction at old Epcot was another reason why the original Epcot Center was so unique and special. Even before you entered the park back in the 80's and 90's. The entrance music even had guests hearing medleys for it's attractions as a sneak preview before they entered the park.



Similarly was at the end of Spaceship Earth 86 where guests got a glimpse of what's to come at Future World complete with video screens.
(Skip to 55:24 of Martin's Spaceship Earth preview.


Journey Into Imagination (Even in it's bad state) along with American Adventure and O Canada are the only attractions left at Epcot that still uses it's own theme song.

 

[Christophero30]

I'm going to post I comment I left in a different thread. About another reason why Epcot of the 80's was special. Every attraction that existed all had their own theme songs.

There's a DVD of old closed down Disney and Epcot rides. I should buy it. That Epcot music clip was awesome.

 

[brb1006]

There's a DVD of old closed down Disney and Epcot rides. I should buy it. That Epcot music clip was awesome.

I'm more looking forward to @marni1971 (Martin) and his upcoming update Journey Into Imagination tribute video coming in September. Especially after his previous one was already good.

 

[Christophero30]

Yes. That video put a smile on my face on a Monday morning which is not easy to do.

 

[Gatorboy]

What if Futureworld as a theme was dumped.

I thought FutureWorld might be split up into two or three lands, Center Core and each side being separate

 

[Christophero30]

Watching the Epcot video now. That is amazing footage! Really glad I joined this forum. My friends aren't really into Disney.

 

[cjkeating]

whom no one has seen or heard anything from in how long now?

Has he ever been spotted in Epcot? He is seen in Paris every now and then.

 

[RoysCabin]

The problem is modern society doesn't like optimism, encouragement and call to action.

They'd much rather focus on celebrating stupidity, watching trainwrecks, and attacking everyone who doesn't fluff them up.

Unless EPCOT is about 'what are you going to do for me?' - Current society doesn't want to hear about the future.

I can't totally agree here, though I don't want to say you're completely wrong, either.

EPCOT Center was designed, built, and opened during a time when there was a Cold War going on that threatened nuclear annihilation; "stagflation"; an oil shortage and an ensuing fight over the importance of alternative energy and conservation; wages began to flatten for many as de-industrialization in America was speeding up; the list goes on. Popular culture included a lot of very popular "post apocalyptic" depictions of the future, from Blade Runner to Robocop to The Terminator. 1984 saw a spike in the sales of and interest in the book...1984. Heck, if we're talking about being self-obsessed, should we forget that much of the 80s included use of terms like "the ME generation"?

It's not like we were some inherently optimistic people back then and have only changed in modern times; these trends have always been with us, just some of the issues were looked at or approached differently. What IS different is how the 80s marked the completion of the shift of America into a consumer nation, a trend that basically began early in the 20th century and began hitting its maturity during the 80s and beyond. That was reflected in how the Eisner era parks started putting gift shops after every ride, or in the need to constantly promote the latest studio release or synergize every Disney owned property.

I'll make this clear: I adore original EPCOT Center and Future World. I still spend most of my WDW visits at EPCOT. I have show scripts memorized and bought the old Disney souvenir song book so I could play songs like the theme from Horizons on the piano. At the same time, though, I don't think we should forget where it comes from (e.g. A corporate-driven future vision thanks to a lot of the sponsorships, though WED handled that well in the 80s) that Eisner and company saw fit to change as consumer targeting got more and more sophisticated and sponsors started thinking thrill rides would sell more to Joe Schmo public. We as a people didn't get dumber or more craven (heck, today America, and the world, is notably less violent than it was 30-40 years ago), but large companies, Disney included, saw more dollar signs in selling us plush and whatnot because grand visions of the future cost money, unfortunately.

Today's culture still wants to be inspired, but sadly inspiration is something that's harder to put a price tag on, so they're not as likely to market it to us. But don't forget, this is, believe it or not, a more civically engaged young generation than the previous few, one that does care about large scale big picture issues...but again, those are tougher to package and sell the traditional "gift shop" way, so here we are.

 

[PorterRedkey]

I can't totally agree here, though I don't want to say you're completely wrong, either.

EPCOT Center was designed, built, and opened during a time when there was a Cold War going on that threatened nuclear annihilation; "stagflation"; an oil shortage and an ensuing fight over the importance of alternative energy and conservation; wages began to flatten for many as de-industrialization in America was speeding up; the list goes on. Popular culture included a lot of very popular "post apocalyptic" depictions of the future, from Blade Runner to Robocop to The Terminator. 1984 saw a spike in the sales of and interest in the book...1984. Heck, if we're talking about being self-obsessed, should we forget that much of the 80s included use of terms like "the ME generation"?

It's not like we were some inherently optimistic people back then and have only changed in modern times; these trends have always been with us, just some of the issues were looked at or approached differently. What IS different is how the 80s marked the completion of the shift of America into a consumer nation, a trend that basically began early in the 20th century and began hitting its maturity during the 80s and beyond. That was reflected in how the Eisner era parks started putting gift shops after every ride, or in the need to constantly promote the latest studio release or synergize every Disney owned property.

I'll make this clear: I adore original EPCOT Center and Future World. I still spend most of my WDW visits at EPCOT. I have show scripts memorized and bought the old Disney souvenir song book so I could play songs like the theme from Horizons on the piano. At the same time, though, I don't think we should forget where it comes from (e.g. A corporate-driven future vision thanks to a lot of the sponsorships, though WED handled that well in the 80s) that Eisner and company saw fit to change as consumer targeting got more and more sophisticated and sponsors started thinking thrill rides would sell more to Joe Schmo public. We as a people didn't get dumber or more craven (heck, today America, and the world, is notably less violent than it was 30-40 years ago), but large companies, Disney included, saw more dollar signs in selling us plush and whatnot because grand visions of the future cost money, unfortunately.

Today's culture still wants to be inspired, but sadly inspiration is something that's harder to put a price tag on, so they're not as likely to market it to us. But don't forget, this is, believe it or not, a more civically engaged young generation than the previous few, one that does care about large scale big picture issues...but again, those are tougher to package and sell the traditional "gift shop" way, so here we are.

I wish I would have known you played the themes of Horizons and other classic Epcot rides on the piano. I would have hired you for my wedding. My wife went down the aisle to "A Pirate's Life For Me".

 

[RoysCabin]

I wish I would have known you played the themes of Horizons and other classic Epcot rides on the piano. I would have hired you for my wedding. My wife went down the aisle to "A Pirate's Life For Me".

Ha, I actually am a musician (my second job) and do play my share of weddings, though whether they'd let me use some of those songs during the wedding might depend on the venue. That said, I've certainly managed to mix a bit of Horizons and Universe of Energy into backround music that I might play before or after a full song.

 

[marni1971]

The last time I experienced the Horizons attraction there was literally nobody in the queue..

Funny that. Last time I experienced it the rope switchback was set up outside.

Just goes to show you can't take one persons comments as a factual recollection. Unless we're talking facts.

 

[marni1971]

I'm more looking forward to @marni1971 (Martin) and his upcoming update Journy Into Imagination tribute video coming in march. Especially after his previous one was already good.

March? This September!!!

 

[jt04]

Funny that. Last time I experienced it the rope switchback was set up outside.

Just goes to show you can't take one persons comments as a factual recollection. Unless we're talking facts.

People always queue up when an attraction is closing. It is nostalgia although I do realize the ride had its avid fan base. You even have to admit Future World was bleeding guests with no end in sight.

Maybe someday Disney will open a new park of lost attractions. They could call it Yesterland. Could work.

 

[PorterRedkey]

The last time I experienced the Horizons attraction there was literally nobody in the queue. It felt like there was nobody else in the building. The only proof there was happened to be some people walking away from the building after exiting. However I couldn't tell if they had just left the attraction or had changed their minds and turned back.

I guess people may not want their future to be a house in space or living at the bottom of the ocean.

The last time I rode Horizons, it was rope queue in the morning but it was a walk-on after 8pm. Are you going to punish a ride that had such an awesome throughput, for having short lines?

Disney could build a ride that put 7,500 people through an hour and you would say it wasn't popular because you didn't have to wait.

Your logic is your own.

 

[Bocabear]

Funny that. Last time I experienced it the rope switchback was set up outside.

Just goes to show you can't take one persons comments as a factual recollection. Unless we're talking facts.

I remember lines too...thoug there were times during the day, just like Spaceship Earth, that it was quiet...but it also efficiently moved massive amounts of people....

 

[PorterRedkey]

March? This September!!!

Horizons is next right?

 

[RSoxNo1]

The problem is modern society doesn't like optimism, encouragement and call to action.

They'd much rather focus on celebrating stupidity, watching trainwrecks, and attacking everyone who doesn't fluff them up.

Unless EPCOT is about 'what are you going to do for me?' - Current society doesn't want to hear about the future.

Perhaps that's Epcot's fault? I mean when has this cultural change shifted? Could it be directly correlated to the decline of ambition from the EPCOT Center days?

 

[marni1971]

People always queue up when an attraction is closing

My recollection is from mid afternoon in the mid 90s. When's yours?

You even have to admit Future World was bleeding guests with no end in sight..

Guess what? Attendance has never hit the level the park had when it had Center in its name. Explain that.

 

[RSoxNo1]

So @marni1971, you've been cautious about what you're willing to reveal on Epcot's future. However it does sound like the concept of Future World is going away. Do you feel that there is truly a new direction for the park (not saying whether or not you like it, just asking if there's a direction) or will it be more of the same in the form of piecemeal additions/subtractions as it has been over the last 20 years?