Rumor Brazil is the frontrunner for a new World Showcase Pavilion

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smile

Well-Known Member
Ah ok, I agree with you on that. I don’t want to see big steel coasters in any of the 4 parks.

it's what the point is for... and others, but mainly the point
:p

however, like all tech, 'coasters' can be used to great effect...
can think of indoor and outdoor examples in orlando, even.

one is in the bubble - the other, and imo the better one, is not.
;)
 

marni1971

Park History nut
Premium Member
Ellen had ran its course. Always was a weird quiz show overlay to begin with.

The closure of Ellen/Energy for Guardians is an act of barbary, for the worse. The replacement by a new overlay, a Big Bang story, would've been for the better.

UoE into Ellen was for the worse, Ellen into GotG is worse yet.
As many friends told me, the Energy pavilion actually died in 1996.
 

The Empress Lilly

Well-Known Member
As many friends told me, the Energy pavilion actually died in 1996.
I would've agreed in 96 (wow, sounds so long ago now!).

But then when I think about what was left even six months ago: the architecture (next to WoM perhaps the best architectural expression of its pavilion's subject matter), the ride system, the dinosaur show scene, the preshow area and two theaters.
The Radok blocks, lasers, mirrors were gone, but a 21st century show could be installed in their place. Energy Exchange was gone too, but the CC structure was still right there, including an entrance directly across.

Energy could've been saved, in 2017. If we would be an era where Disney does not define itself by its franchises but by quality theme park design then a great Energy update was still possible.


Although new updates always woud've left the pavilion slightly less off. The architecture expresses 1982 forms (the beginning of the CAD era and it shows, a deliberate contrast to the square blocks of the age as a statement, etc), the Radok blocks are 82 technology, with 82 aesthetics, the dinos are represented in an 82 setting (a dark and mysterious world...smelling of volcanos and lava...sluggish reptilian dinosaurs leading a life of brutal primeval drama...), all in an 82 intellectual environment of space age modernism, of people marching towards a great future. There is an overwhelming unity of form, music, content, purpose. You can update a few elements, but the downside is always a decrease of unity.
 

Rowlet

Active Member
I always loved UoE, even before Ellen. Epcot had always been my favorite park growing up even when kids in school would call me lame for liking the "boring" and "nerdy" park. I believe that the Ellen overlay taught us that "edutainment" could be (for the average theme park guest) fun, pop-culture relevant, and overall tolerable by those who sometimes claim Disney is not where they want to go for a lecture. Thus, the Ellen overlay served, in my mind, as a bridge to those who perhaps found the original format too dense. I had no problem with pre-Ellen UoE - but I think the average theme park guest did, or at least Disney was made to believe.

I was there during its last day (got my shirt) and it made me happy to see the pavilion filled with guests - actually had to wait in line. I think it was time for it to close just based on how different all the celebrities looked like today - celebrities that are still very active in their careers. The Jeopardy set looked so odd too. Nonetheless, I don't think Guardians represents the heart of Epcot (does it have a heart left?). I'll be curious to see if there will be any UoE references in the ride. I'm hopeful that the remaining original FW pavilions are continued to be maintained and updated instead of just being given up on.
 

Lirael

Well-Known Member
If the restaurant ends up being a brazilian churrascaria, I wonder how expensive it will be; those are expensive in Brazil. If an all you can eat buffet is around 40-50 dollars on property, an "all you can eat prime steaks without having to leave your table" is going to be really high priced.
 

mikejs78

Premium Member
Nothing in EPCOT will ever be more thrilling than Energy's Shuttle take-off, the screens rising, the floor rumbling, the rider being propelled into space and the future and the universe, to the tune of 'Feel the flow...Here we go...Through the Universe of Energy...'

Meh.. Honestly UoE never spoke to me the way SSE, Horizons, Comminicore, WoM, The Land, and JII did. That, along with TLS were the two weak attractions of original Future World, at least in my own memories. I always liked the dinosaurs but thought the rest of the attraction was rather bland. Of course I was between 10-14 the times I saw it, so maybe it just didn't appeal to me as a kid -although the rest of Epcot Center did.
 

Sirwalterraleigh

Premium Member
I would've agreed in 96 (wow, sounds so long ago now!).

But then when I think about what was left even six months ago: the architecture (next to WoM perhaps the best architectural expression of its pavilion's subject matter), the ride system, the dinosaur show scene, the preshow area and two theaters.
The Radok blocks, lasers, mirrors were gone, but a 21st century show could be installed in their place. Energy Exchange was gone too, but the CC structure was still right there, including an entrance directly across.

Energy could've been saved, in 2017. If we would be an era where Disney does not define itself by its franchises but by quality theme park design then a great Energy update was still possible.


Although new updates always woud've left the pavilion slightly less off. The architecture expresses 1982 forms (the beginning of the CAD era and it shows, a deliberate contrast to the square blocks of the age as a statement, etc), the Radok blocks are 82 technology, with 82 aesthetics, the dinos are represented in an 82 setting (a dark and mysterious world...smelling of volcanos and lava...sluggish reptilian dinosaurs leading a life of brutal primeval drama...), all in an 82 intellectual environment of space age modernism, of people marching towards a great future. There is an overwhelming unity of form, music, content, purpose. You can update a few elements, but the downside is always a decrease of unity.
Boom...I think?
 

marni1971

Park History nut
Premium Member
I would've agreed in 96 (wow, sounds so long ago now!).

But then when I think about what was left even six months ago: the architecture (next to WoM perhaps the best architectural expression of its pavilion's subject matter), the ride system, the dinosaur show scene, the preshow area and two theaters.
The Radok blocks, lasers, mirrors were gone, but a 21st century show could be installed in their place. Energy Exchange was gone too, but the CC structure was still right there, including an entrance directly across.

Energy could've been saved, in 2017. If we would be an era where Disney does not define itself by its franchises but by quality theme park design then a great Energy update was still possible.


Although new updates always woud've left the pavilion slightly less off. The architecture expresses 1982 forms (the beginning of the CAD era and it shows, a deliberate contrast to the square blocks of the age as a statement, etc), the Radok blocks are 82 technology, with 82 aesthetics, the dinos are represented in an 82 setting (a dark and mysterious world...smelling of volcanos and lava...sluggish reptilian dinosaurs leading a life of brutal primeval drama...), all in an 82 intellectual environment of space age modernism, of people marching towards a great future. There is an overwhelming unity of form, music, content, purpose. You can update a few elements, but the downside is always a decrease of unity.
I think what swung it for me was riding around four years ago. I actually came off and said it was painful. If I never saw it again I wouldn’t miss it like that. So much was broken, so much was wasted. I wanted to remember it for how it was in 1990 not 2014.

Of course woeful neglect, running the pavilion into the ground with the bare minimum of upkeep and zero updates for 21 years aren’t forgotten. Had the pavilion been looked after as you’d expect in a park charging $100 to get in it could have been a different story.
 

Sirwalterraleigh

Premium Member
Had the pavilion been looked after as you’d expect in a park charging $100 to get in it could have been a different story.

...boy, if I had a nickel...

The problem is that iger is so in love with his receipts from the IP store...

They need new management...but bobs living the dream.

He keeps getting "begged" to stay by his puppet board. That's his chip on his shoulder from Eisner. Mickey was thrown out and referred to iger as an empty suit...kinda a twit...
Bob is having his own victory through the streets of Rome.

I'm not sure that either method works.
 

smile

Well-Known Member
As many friends told me, the Energy pavilion actually died in 1996.

greatly lessened, but, thankfully, unlike her siblings, she was able to survive the culling in some form - just barely ;)

ya know something's rotten in denmark when the answer to any question is an animatronic ellen, but i digress
:p
 

ToTBellHop

Well-Known Member
greatly lessened, but, thankfully, unlike her siblings, she was able to survive the culling in some form - just barely ;)

ya know something's rotten in denmark when the answer to any question is an animatronic ellen, but i digress
:p
I don’t have any particular problem with Ellen. She’s quite likeable and I don’t see a problem with making a topic more approachable by attaching a pop icon. I do think they were unnecessarily heavy-handed with the game show story, though. They should have dialed it back by 20% to provide a bit more focus on the science.

Similarly, I think the Nemo ride is a bit obnoxious but have absolutely no problem with the Nemo overlay to the actual Seabase. It was a clever way to engage kids and it’s a technique used by most modern zoos and aquaria. The placement of the Nemo characters into the aquarium at the ride’s finale is a genuinely cool effect. More effective than in Disneyland. But just like Ellen, they went a bit heavy-handed on the overlay elsewhere. At least the core of the Seas is still there.
 

mikejs78

Premium Member
I don’t have any particular problem with Ellen. She’s quite likeable and I don’t see a problem with making a topic more approachable by attaching a pop icon. I do think they were unnecessarily heavy-handed with the game show story, though. They should have dialed it back by 20% to provide a bit more focus on the science.

Similarly, I think the Nemo ride is a bit obnoxious but have absolutely no problem with the Nemo overlay to the actual Seabase. It was a clever way to engage kids and it’s a technique used by most modern zoos and aquaria. The placement of the Nemo characters into the aquarium at the ride’s finale is a genuinely cool effect. More effective than in Disneyland. But just like Ellen, they went a bit heavy-handed on the overlay elsewhere. At least the core of the Seas is still there.
If they made the Nemo ride less silly and more educational, it could work and I'd be fine with it.
 

P_Radden

Well-Known Member
If they made the Nemo ride less silly and more educational, it could work and I'd be fine with it.
This. New, more educational, story for the ride and uncover more windows. Also, the Sea Base Alpha area could really use a fresh paint job accenting the architectural features highlighting the "sea base" design. Also could use some maintenance painting/ TLC in areas of the tank visible to guests. Some areas in there are looking pretty rough/aged.
 

marni1971

Park History nut
Premium Member
At least the core of the Seas is still there.
Which is a thematic blessing and a curse. Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad it is, but now you have a very long queue of nothing, wonder why you pass by another line of people (are they queue jumping?!) and then get in a ride. You see some projections, seem to be looking for a fish, then wind up in a Seabase that you don’t know, don’t recognise and isn’t connected to the IP nor is it explained.

And then you can walk through glass doors back into Orlando.
 

ABQ

Well-Known Member
Which is a thematic blessing and a curse. Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad it is, but now you have a very long queue of nothing, wonder why you pass by another line of people (are they queue jumping?!) and then get in a ride. You see some projections, seem to be looking for a fish, then wind up in a Seabase that you don’t know, don’t recognise and isn’t connected to the IP nor is it explained.

And then you can walk through glass doors back into Orlando.
Between that one and the Little Mermaid in NFL, boy did they over estimate the queue required for those two attractions.
 

FullSailDan

Well-Known Member
Between that one and the Little Mermaid in NFL, boy did they over estimate the queue required for those two attractions.

Little Mermaid fills up all the time. I've waited through the entire thing before. It moves pretty quick, but I'd say the whole thing is needed or there would be crowds out in the street. Plus, when it rains people love to camp out in there.
 
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