Bob Chapek Confirms Disney Will Overhaul Epcot

[Tavernacle12]

To me this is the biggest offence. I just don't understand how anyone in a position of power within the Company watched IllumiNations and thought "my god this show is utter garbage. There is nothing inspiring about celebrating the beauty and diversity of human kind. What we need is something less inspiring, less iconic, and more generic. We need some more magical." This really feels like a nightmare. And yes I know I am severely overreacting by equating the end of a theme park show to a nightmare, but to me its like losing someone I love. IllumiNations has been a source of peace and solitude in my life for over ten years. I can tolerate the IP invasion had the nighttime show still been "abstract" but now I can't support anything. Its incomprehensible.

IllumiNations is my favorite thing on Disney property anywhere. IDF is one of my top ten. In a year or so I’ll likely have lost both, and once SSE closes for refurb I’ll have lost my three favorite things at Epcot all in quick succession. It’d be like if Haunted Mansion, Jungle Cruise, and the Peoplemover all closed at once and got replaced by a dance party.

Ratatouie can’t save Epcot on its own, Guardians makes it worse. HS is going to be inaccessible for years. I like MK and AK but it’s hardcto justify spending the money just to visit them.

 

[Cmdr_Crimson]

Fine...Fine..Very well....If they are just going to take World Fantasyland Showcase to strange levels....Then let's just throw in the Home On The Range Hoedown show in front of the American Adventure with Randy Quaid & Rosanne...

 

[Tavernacle12]

Fine...Fine..Very well....If they are just going to take World Fantasyland Showcase to strange levels....Then let's just throw in the Home On The Range Hoedown show in front of the American Adventure with Randy Quaid & Rosanne...

Dumbo takes place in America. I will give this thing a chance if their budget goes to recreating Pink Elephants On Parade with drones.

 

[jaklgreen]

It's popular for old school fans I get that, but kids in my family find Epcot boring. Things like Ratatooie which will help them learn about France while always having fun with a ride is only a good thing in my view

My kids have always enjoyed Epcot, even when they were young. But we did not stick their faces in a screen from the moment of birth. They actually played with real toys and used their imagination. We always spent several days at Epcot during our trips.

 

[aliceismad]

My kids have always enjoyed Epcot, even when they were young. But we did not stick their faces in a screen from the moment of birth. They actually played with real toys and used their imagination. We always spent several days at Epcot during our trips.

Oh good gosh. This is the same tired nonsense people said when radio was invented. And then when tv was invented. Kids who have screentime don’t necessarily lack imagination. I’d argue that kids who have no screen time at home are behind their peers by the time they get to school.

If not for screens, the Disney brand and WDW wouldn’t exist.

Just because some people find Epcot boring does not mean that they’re screenslaves or poor parents or anything else. It’s a difference in preference and opinion. Insinuating otherwise is rude.

 

[aliceismad]

I tend to see anyone who thinks what Epcot strives to achieve is dull as intellectually inferior. Its a shame the Bob Chapek Company doesn't feel the same

That’s says far more about you than it does about them. There are plenty of people who would judge you for traveling to Disney instead of “real” travel. Is that fair of them?

Everyone is entitled to their own preferences. They have nothing to do with intellect.

 

[marni1971]

Maybe I'm missing something but I didn't hear much yesterday that made me think Epcot is gone..

It was the final nail. No surprises but laid out publically.

 

[aliceismad]

I think all it shows is that I appreciate things that don't cater to a 5 year old. But I know many guests today would rather enjoy something that doesn't require intellectual stimulation. That's why Disney is turning Epcot into the new Magic Kingdom.

Have a magical day then

 

[jaklgreen]

Oh good gosh. This is the same tired nonsense people said when radio was invented. And then when tv was invented. Kids who have screentime don’t necessarily lack imagination. I’d argue that kids who have no screen time at home are behind their peers by the time they get to school.

If not for screens, the Disney brand and WDW wouldn’t exist.

Just because some people find Epcot boring does not mean that they’re screenslaves or poor parents or anything else. It’s a difference in preference and opinion. Insinuating otherwise is rude.

Kids do not get behind in school if they don't have access to a computer when young. More likely it is the opposite, since the kids are learning how to problem solve without having instant access to the answers by Google-ing it. My kids are both honor students taking AP classes and my junior is taking college classes in HS. And they did not have access to a computer until junior high. They got their first phone in 8th grade to call us in an emergency. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/...04/what-screen-time-can-really-do-kids-brains. You don't have to like Epcot, but it is far from boring for those who have an imagination and find the little things entertaining. There is actually so much information and interesting facts in the countries around World Showcase that most people have never taken the time to see. A lot of people just want to hit the thrill rides and don't see anything else. To only go on rides with high stimulation and not take the time to see the other stuff there, is a lack of imagination.

 

[phillip9698]

My kids have always enjoyed Epcot, even when they were young. But we did not stick their faces in a screen from the moment of birth. They actually played with real toys and used their imagination. We always spent several days at Epcot during our trips.

So condescending. I didn't grow up with miniature screens I could take everywhere but that's more a product of them not being available. When I was young Transformers and He-Man were all the rage and all of my friends had them. If my parents didn't buy them for me then I could easily play with them with friends.

The point being older parents love to brag that they were so much better because their kids played with actual toys and not screens. Sorry you didn't do much, it was the times that determined that. You sound like one of those parents that blames videogames on any and every Ill of society. Games like Minecraft and Fortnite require tons of imagination, I'd say a lot more than Mr. Potato Head or Furby.

Epcot and Illuminations isn't boring to children because kids have screens it's boring because it's a park that was dedicated to the future of mankind and as time goes on those attractions need major updates or they stop being impressive. You step on SSE and the first thing you are greeted with is a screen with face capture technology that is worse than the free phone any cell provider threw at you just for setting foot in the store 10 years ago. Has O'Canada been updated? It's a blurry mess that many kids can't even see unless they are lifted up. For what Figment is supposed to represent, it's outright embarrassing. Living With The Land is a natural bore for kids and they even took away the live host so there is even less to keep someones attention.

How do you even preface Epcot to a kid now? I mean it's easy to tell a kid that Tomorrowland is a vision of the future from the 70s. When visiting Epcot do you tell them it's a park about where mankind is heading in the future except the watch on your wrist is leaps and bounds more advance than anything you will see here so just pretend this stuff is impressive.

 

[aliceismad]

Kids do not get behind in school if they don't have access to a computer when young. More likely it is the opposite, since the kids are learning how to problem solve without having instant access to the answers by Google-ing it. My kids are both honor students taking AP classes and my junior is taking college classes in HS. And they did not have access to a computer until junior high. They got their first phone in 8th grade to call us in an emergency. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/...04/what-screen-time-can-really-do-kids-brains. You don't have to like Epcot, but it is far from boring for those who have an imagination and find the little things entertaining. There is actually so much information and interesting facts in the countries around World Showcase that most people have never taken the time to see. A lot of people just want to hit the thrill rides and don't see anything else. To only go on rides with high stimulation and not take the time to see the other stuff there, is a lack of imagination.

I don’t doubt that an over abundance of screentime is bad for ANYone’s brain, especially kids who are just developing. But there is such a thing as moderation. If a kid doesn’t know how use a basic tablet by the time they’re in first grade, they are behind. Screens can be a great tool for kids’ learning, especially when used in collaboration with parents.

I don’t disagree with you regarding Epcot, but I also don’t think anyone is wrong or unimaginative for thinking Epcot is boring. Nor do I think it implies that they need to be stimulated every second of the day.

 

[trainplane3]

Honestly, with the new movie poster...No one looks interested or impressed in the Box Office Failure of a film...

Not gonna lie, when I first saw that poster I thought "Why is Dumbo in front of Japans flag"?

 

[Chomama]

So condescending. I didn't grow up with miniature screens I could take everywhere but that's more a product of them not being available. When I was young Transformers and He-Man were all the rage and all of my friends had them. If my parents didn't buy them for me then I could easily play with them with friends.

The point being older parents love to brag that they were so much better because their kids played with actual toys and not screens. Sorry you didn't do much, it was the times that determined that. You sound like one of those parents that blames videogames on any and every Ill of society. Games like Minecraft and Fortnite require tons of imagination, I'd say a lot more than Mr. Potato Head or Furby.

Epcot and Illuminations isn't boring to children because kids have screens it's boring because it's a park that was dedicated to the future of mankind and as time goes on those attractions need major updates or they stop being impressive. You step on SSE and the first thing you are greeted with is a screen with face capture technology that is worse than the free phone any cell provider threw at you just for setting foot in the store 10 years ago. Has O'Canada been updated? It's a blurry mess that many kids can't even see unless they are lifted up. For what Figment is supposed to represent, it's outright embarrassing. Living With The Land is a natural bore for kids and they even took away the live host so there is even less to keep someones attention.

How do you even preface Epcot to a kid now? I mean it's easy to tell a kid that Tomorrowland is a vision of the future from the 70s. When visiting Epcot do you tell them it's a park about where mankind is heading in the future except the watch on your wrist is leaps and bounds more advance than anything you will see here so just pretend this stuff is impressive.

Eek. My kids are little and they love Journey, land, seas tanks, and spaceship earth. Epcot is 2 of my 4 favorite park. They love the performers and films and food. I am not saying that means my kids are superior to any others but to lambast these attractions as boring and dated, and therefore not interesting to kids, is a mistake.

I don’t think my 12,9,7 and 2 year olds love Epcot because they don’t watch TV. That’s ridiculous. But I will also say that we severely limit screen time by choice, not because of the “times”. More and more parents are intentionally choosing to avoid video games and excessive tv watching because the recent research continues to demonstrate how harmful this stuff actually is to their development. It cannot be compared to the invention of the radio. Technology is changing everything in society and the current generation of kids will be the guinea pigs for the long term effects. Some of us want our kids in the control group

All of that to say Epcot has been a treasure to our family and we are disappointed with the changes. We love thrill rides and IP. We are Disney afficianados and I am a pretty die-hard fan. There is room for all of these things at WDW and to lose a park as unique as Epcot to the current trends is a shame.

 

[CinematicFusion]

I tend to see anyone who thinks what Epcot strives to achieve is dull as intellectually inferior. Its a shame the Bob Chapek Company doesn't feel the same

If I’m being honest...EPCOT future land is a time machine back to 1983 minus the magic. I don’t like future world anymore...still love spaceship earth...everything else could disappear and it wouldn’t bother me. Imagination and horizons are long gone. However...I still really enjoy World Showcase, there is still magic there.
I’m all up for a change and a new take. I think the new direction will work.
At the end of the day...it’s about the magic you share with friends and family and I think Disney is doing a great job recently of building worlds and creating spaces to share memories in.

 

[montyz81]

While we're talking about them tearing stuff apart, there's a new video out there of the Imageworks demo. It even includes a look down what was once the central access hatch for the turntable. I'd post it but doesn't it go against the rules on here?

Where is this video

 

[CinematicFusion]

Jennifer Fickley-Baker, is that you??

No...just a Disney Dad with twin girls enjoying the moment and booking a trip in February.

 

[twilight mitsuk]

Host of the new movie.

Li Bai gets the boot

 

[Rodan75]

It was the final nail. No surprises but laid out publically.

The commentary about Epcot and SSE in the NYT piece this week felt like the public turning point.

 

[doctornick]

Canada’s better than the other option.

What, they didn't want to drag out a character from Brother Bear?

 

[jaklgreen]

So condescending. I didn't grow up with miniature screens I could take everywhere but that's more a product of them not being available. When I was young Transformers and He-Man were all the rage and all of my friends had them. If my parents didn't buy them for me then I could easily play with them with friends.

The point being older parents love to brag that they were so much better because their kids played with actual toys and not screens. Sorry you didn't do much, it was the times that determined that. You sound like one of those parents that blames videogames on any and every Ill of society. Games like Minecraft and Fortnite require tons of imagination, I'd say a lot more than Mr. Potato Head or Furby.

Epcot and Illuminations isn't boring to children because kids have screens it's boring because it's a park that was dedicated to the future of mankind and as time goes on those attractions need major updates or they stop being impressive. You step on SSE and the first thing you are greeted with is a screen with face capture technology that is worse than the free phone any cell provider threw at you just for setting foot in the store 10 years ago. Has O'Canada been updated? It's a blurry mess that many kids can't even see unless they are lifted up. For what Figment is supposed to represent, it's outright embarrassing. Living With The Land is a natural bore for kids and they even took away the live host so there is even less to keep someones attention.

How do you even preface Epcot to a kid now? I mean it's easy to tell a kid that Tomorrowland is a vision of the future from the 70s. When visiting Epcot do you tell them it's a park about where mankind is heading in the future except the watch on your wrist is leaps and bounds more advance than anything you will see here so just pretend this stuff is impressive.

Thinking Epcot is boring is a lack of imagination. It means you have not taken the time to LOOK at anything other then the rides. And we all know that the trend now is to have the new, state of the art technology rides because anything else is too "kiddie" or boring and not entertaining enough. Look at how much flack the alien swirling saucer ride got in Toy Story land. I never said that Epcot did not need some updating, it definitely does. But I don't think the concept is so boring and bad that they need to overhaul the whole park. We love World Showcase, not because of any thrill ride, but because we can step into a small part of those Countries. We talk to the cast members from other Countries and it is fascinating. I have to disagree with you about Living with the Land also, it has always been one of our favorites and my kids were very fascinated by it when they were little. I have to tell you, I am of the generation that grew up without the technology but it was around for my kids. I personally love the technology now and I play video games. But I have also seen how they do affect a child. Their personality changes and they become detached from reality. This is what I have personally witnessed with kids from our friends and family. There is a fine line between using the technology and allowing your kids to become addicted to it. And I don't know why you think you have to "preface" Epcot or explain anything. Who goes around saying to their kid "well Jimmy, the concept of this park is supposed to..." Just go to the parks and enjoy them. You need to take time to enjoy the little things instead of just the thrill rides. You might be surprised in what you discover and enjoy.