Bob Chapek Confirms Disney Will Overhaul Epcot

[lazyboy97o]

Isn't Melissa Valiquette doing a great job so far?

Valiquette is not part of Walt Disney Imagineering.

Welcome to the discussion!

And now... the knives come out!!!

While the Contemporary 'fits' with the theming of Tommorowland, the fact is... it can be seen. Which is what people complain about the Swan and Dolphin. The architecture of the Swolphin is as nicely architectured as the Eiffel Tower or the Japanese Pagoda. It really shouldn't be an issue, but for some, it is.

But then some say that the Swolphin really doesn't 'fit' (in their opinion). And that is why I brought up Bay Tower and Test Track. They are just two big ol' hunks of building with nothing aesthetically pleasing about them, and they both 'mar' the sightlines of the Magic Kingdom and the World Showcase way more than the Swolphin ever would. And yet, where is the complaint from these World Showcase Sightline Purists about them?

Hating on the Swolphin is a long time bugaboo of the haters. That hate is completely irrational if it doesn't include Bay Tower and Test Track, which for some strange reason, they're blinded to.

It seems you're just not paying attention so that you can put together a flimsy argument that lacks any sort of understanding.

 

[AnthHoggard]

Whilst i think discussions are always welcome - these sorts tend to dip their toes into the realms of fantasy.

I've been going to Orlando for nearly 10 years now, and seen very little investment by Disney into their parks. So when we finally have something substantial with Avatar, and the long drawn out Star Wars Land - to think they are going to be throwing dollars at other projects is quite simply not keeping with the way have handled the parks for decades now.

If they wanted to invest heavily, you'd think they'd speed up the Star Wars Land project - but it's deliberatley going at a slow rate to spread the costs over the years.

So whilst it's cool reading these topics - people should be aware they are total fantasy. If anything i think a 'fantasy board' would be welcome.

 

[Kman101]

As it stands Japan expansion is on hold.

Of course it is

 

[peter11435]

Isn't Melissa Valiquette doing a great job so far?

She's awful. Epcot needs a VP who cares about the park and understands operations.

 

[Goofyernmost]

Whilst i think discussions are always welcome - these sorts tend to dip their toes into the realms of fantasy.

I've been going to Orlando for nearly 10 years now, and seen very little investment by Disney into their parks. So when we finally have something substantial with Avatar, and the long drawn out Star Wars Land - to think they are going to be throwing dollars at other projects is quite simply not keeping with the way have handled the parks for decades now.

If they wanted to invest heavily, you'd think they'd speed up the Star Wars Land project - but it's deliberatley going at a slow rate to spread the costs over the years.

So whilst it's cool reading these topics - people should be aware they are total fantasy. If anything i think a 'fantasy board' would be welcome.

I'm not sure if they are going slowly or not. I know that it would be to their advantage to stagger openings over time to insure return business. As far as spreading the cost over years, that is automatically done with capital investments that are amortized over a determined number of years to recover the costs... as expense/depreciation. It is, of course a cash outflow, and spreading it out, might even be more costly then doing it quickly. Things don't tend to get cheaper over time. Any cash spent now basically affects nothing. It goes from one column (cash on hand) to another (physical assets or improvements). Nothing is gained or lost until the attraction becomes part of the income column, then the amortization usually kicks in, which reduces the gross income, for reporting profit/loss and tax purposes.

They are, of course, way behind in that investment that should have been happening regularly over that decade. But, it is happening now and baring another deep economic downturn, it should continue. What's past is past, that cannot be changed.

 

[Tony the Tigger]

As it stands Japan expansion is on hold.

Well, that's better than it being Frozen.

 

[MisterPenguin]

Valiquette is not part of Walt Disney Imagineering.


It seems you're just not paying attention so that you can put together a flimsy argument that lacks any sort of understanding.

You're welcome!

 

[MisterPenguin]

This seems a bit more like just trying to pick at annoyances and draw a response than it is to engage in a really straightforward discussion of an interesting bit of theming minutiae, to be honest.

Hey, I was just responding to the one who first brought up the minutiae of annoyances when they said...

knowingly hurting sight lines with the clearly postmodern Swan/Dolphin,

 

[WDWTank]

Why don't the imagineers manage the parks?

 

[HauntedMansionFLA]

Valiquette is not part of Walt Disney Imagineering.


It seems you're just not paying attention so that you can put together a flimsy argument that lacks any sort of understanding.

Valiquette is the VP of EPCOT - calling the shots

 

[Tony the Tigger]

Why don't the imagineers manage the parks?

Creatives who are also good managers don't come around very often in the same body.

 

[HauntedMansionFLA]

Why don't the imagineers manage the parks?

They aren't business people. look at all of their projects that are way over budget.

 

[montyz81]

She's awful. Epcot needs a VP who cares about the park and understands operations.

and more importantly internalizes the words posted at the front of the park and delivered by Card on opening day.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Why don't the imagineers manage the parks?

Because operations are their own important business that requires its own set of skills and full time attention. Neither design nor operations is a part time job.

Valiquette is the VP of EPCOT - calling the shots

She is an operator. Her influence is far more on managing the day-to-day operations. That role is never going to be about outlining a vision for the park and this is doubly so with how Disney plays musical chairs.

 

[Earl Sweatpants]

Why don't the imagineers manage the parks?

Many many reasons. And if they did, you'd probably see either a dip in ride quality, or an overall lack of park maintenance while they're busy off creating a new attraction. Best to separate the two entities, but I get your sentiment.

 

[FigmentJedi]

I'm definitely in support of outsider IPs in World Showcase (especially Godzilla). If you have to force IP into World Showcase, it's better to show off a nation's contributions to pop culture then just a Disney character. But guess who's currently got the Godzilla theme park rights...

Part of USJ's Universal The Cool program of rotating 4D attractions and experiences based on popular Japanese IP.

Commercial for the attraction. Again, The Cool's a rotating seasonal thing, but considering how Attack on Titan, Evangelion, and Monster Hunter keep coming back year after year for it, Godzilla will probably be a continuing staple of the program. Especially considering we're getting a Godzilla anime film in 2017.

 

[RSoxNo1]

She's awful. Epcot needs a VP who cares about the park and understands operations.

I'm available.

 

[RSoxNo1]

I wrote an editorial that came out Christmas Eve on Fixing Epcot.

Steve, I apologize in advance if you deem this inappropriate for the main board, but I do think it's relevant to this discussion.

http://micechat.com/148461-fixing-epcot/

 

[Kman101]

I wrote an editorial that came out Christmas Eve on Fixing Epcot.

Steve, I apologize in advance if you deem this inappropriate for the main board, but I do think it's relevant to this discussion.

http://micechat.com/148461-fixing-epcot/

A few things I disagree on, nothing major (just personal taste/likes and dislikes), but overall I think this was pretty spot on. I encourage everyone to give it a read through.

 

[Earl Sweatpants]

I wrote an editorial that came out Christmas Eve on Fixing Epcot.

Steve, I apologize in advance if you deem this inappropriate for the main board, but I do think it's relevant to this discussion.

http://micechat.com/148461-fixing-epcot/

Sign me up for Discoveryland. I also think you hit the nail on the head when you said, "So often the source of this problem is that the retrofitting is suggested by executives, not creatives. When non creative people drive creative decisions it’s increasingly more difficult to avoid diluting the original theme."

Disney has not had true creatives at the helm for a long time, and the financial interests drives everything happening now at the risk of creating less and less original content. What I'd like to see is them use IP's in a creative way and not a "cliff notes movie attraction". If they truly need familiarity to sell an attraction, then use a character, but tell a new story with them. Use them to further the theme of discovery and take everyone on a new adventure.