News Big changes coming to EPCOT's Future World?

[marni1971]

I haven't seen your CommuniCore ultimate tribute in a while. Cant remember if you have the floor plans for CC vs Innoventions in there.

The complete ultimate goes into detail about the original layout. In my Communicore to Innoventions two parter I did the side by side comparisons.

 

[Horizons1]

A retained heart of the park, updated to modern standards and expectations. With a clear, clean, open and light interior that was easy to navigate. Like it was originally.

But beer.

Think you mean beer = $$$

 

[marni1971]

Think you mean beer = $$$

Exactly.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Think you mean beer = $$$

Beer in cheaper facility = $$$$$

 

[Horizons1]

Beer in cheaper facility = $$$$$

Like the buy one get one at your local grocer.

 

[WDWtraveler]

Photo update as of Wednesday, December 11, 2019. A better view of the demolition from the monorail. The colored panels still remaining are over the original entrance on the backside.

A wider view of the front of the building, which was just behind the Fountain View coffee shop (now gone). The breezeway pass through is to the right in the below photo.

 

[SaveDinosaur]

@marni1971 since we are talking about a second pavilion to be demolished at Epcot, why did Horizons get demolished?
If there wasn´t a sinkhole, why was it the only one to be torn down? Didn´t Mark Sklar say that there was a sinkhole, in his biography?

 

[marni1971]

@marni1971 since we are talking about a second pavilion to be demolished at Epcot, why did Horizons get demolished?
If there wasn´t a sinkhole, why was it the only one to be torn down? Didn´t Mark Sklar say that there was a sinkhole, in his biography?

No sinkhole.

In a nutshell Horizons needed a lot of money to update it - something it had never gotten unlike the rest of Futureworld. Along comes Compaq and offers to spend money on a sure fire hit thrill ride through space, to pay for a new building for it - and to remove the older building that was in the way. A win win for Disney on paper.

 

[Mike S]

No sinkhole.

In a nutshell Horizons needed a lot of money to update it - something it had never gotten unlike the rest of Futureworld. Along comes Compaq and offers to spend money on a sure fire hit thrill ride through space, to pay for a new building for it - and to remove the older building that was in the way. A win win for Disney on paper.

Oh the irony...

 

[SaveDinosaur]

No sinkhole.

In a nutshell Horizons needed a lot of money to update it - something it had never gotten unlike the rest of Futureworld. Along comes Compaq and offers to spend money on a sure fire hit thrill ride through space, to pay for a new building for it - and to remove the older building that was in the way. A win win for Disney on paper.

Thanks for responding. Can you imagine if that budget went to Horizons? Wouldn´t make much more sense for Compaq to sponsor a ride that shows how technology can improve our lives and help create a better tomorrow, instead of a mission to Mars?

 

[Animaniac93-98]

For every step forward, there are two steps backward.

That about sums up EPCOT and Disney World at large.

 

[Animaniac93-98]

Wouldn´t make much more sense for Compaq to sponsor a ride that shows how technology can improve our lives and help create a better tomorrow, instead of a mission to Mars?

But the new space ride goes zoom zoom, fast fast! That's what the teenagers (who can't afford WDW trips) like, right?

 

[MisterPenguin]

Isn't there still an unused expansion pad between The Seas and The Land?

Theoretically, Mission Space could have gone there, with the Horizons demolition portion of the budget going into the Space ride itself. Then Disney could have held out a little longer for a new Horizons sponsor.

Yes. Depending how much they want to work around or move Seas' infrastructure, you can squeeze in a tidy 2.4 acres of space, or, create walkways or extensions like Energy's new gravity building. If the latter, you have about 50 acres to work with (the whole area that might have been or will be new resorts).

 

[Timothy_Q]

Isn't there still an unused expansion pad between The Seas and The Land?

Theoretically, Mission Space could have gone there, with the Horizons demolition portion of the budget going into the Space ride itself. Then Disney could have held out a little longer for a new Horizons sponsor.

They could’ve also put Mickey in an expansion pad at DHS and saved GMR, yet here we are

 

[jt04]

Yes. Depending how much they want to work around or move Seas' infrastructure, you can a tidy 2.4 acres of space, or, create walkways or extensions like Energy's new gravity building. If the latter, you have about 50 acres to work with (the whole area that might have been or will be new resorts).

Yes, tremendous amounts of land on the west side of FW. And even more to the north if they ever add Disneyland resort style parking garages in a few decades.

 

[The Empress Lilly]

And all that could have been...

View attachment 431493

- and lost for a bar on legs.

What is heartbreaking about the current destruction of EPCOT is how close we came to a restored EPCOT.

In the halls of imagination there is a love for vintage EPCOT not very different from the one found on fan fora. But all the expression we get of it is in minor works: the entrance plaza, the return of logos, a new font. Three great movies in Canada, China and Land.

But we missed out on a restored central plaza. On a new Illuminations. On a Big Bang Energy overhaul. On a great SSE overhaul instead of the Disney Light one. And I'm sure there are more. If these had succeeded, everything of the past twenty years would've been forgiven (except Horizons). It would've restored EPCOT.

We came so tantalisingly close.

 

[BrianLo]

But the new space ride goes zoom zoom, fast fast! That's what the teenagers (who can't afford WDW trips) like, right?

In its defense, I'm sure the pitch for it actually sounded pretty enticing and appropriate for the park (Horizon removal aside). Heck, if we didn't know better and I heard the pitch for it at this D23, I'd still think it sounds great and an organic fit.

Not so much the finished product.

 

[marni1971]

Isn't there still an unused expansion pad between The Seas and The Land?.

Yes. It’s now the last of the three.

 

[The Empress Lilly]

In its defense, I'm sure the pitch for it actually sounded pretty enticing and appropriate for the park (Horizon removal aside). Heck, if we didn't know better and I heard the pitch for it at this D23, I'd still think it sounds great and an organic fit.

Not so much the finished product.

Personally I do think M:S a great attraction.

Thrill rides are not a good direction for EPCOT, and the presentation and story are lacking. But at its core lies a unique attraction with a real kick to it. That launch!

 

[tparris]

Personally I do think M:S a great attraction.

Thrill rides are not a good direction for EPCOT, and the presentation and story are lacking. But at its core lies a unique attraction with a real kick to it. That launch!

Yes, I agree M:S is a fairly solid attraction. Of course it doesn’t measure up to what it replaced, but it at least attempts to adhere to EPCOT’s vision, with it teaching guests about how space programs and astronaut training works and all.