Character meet and greets at Epcot?!

[Now Is The Time]

Yes, I must admit I am a bit of an Epcot purist - but not to the point of insanity. I realize Walt wanted all his theme parks to "never be completed" and that they should always be changing. However, I just stand back in awe sometimes at how much Epcot has changed primarily with not only the allowance of characters over the years (back in the day you had to go to MK if you wanted to see characters or you might have the lucky opportunity to see Mickey or Pluto in one of those nifty space suits in Future World) but by the deliberate plugging of them into the park. I'm not going to revisit the dead horse debate about Nemo taking over the Living Seas but now in the center of Future World is an indoor section where you can meet and greet Mickey, Goofy, Minnie.. you name it. I'm sure many parents and kids are delighted by this but to me it is again yet another detraction from what Epcot was supposed to be. Fantasyland continues to take over Epcot. In all honesty, I don't have a tremendous problem with it but it does sadden me that enough parents complained and enough Disney officials caved to let all this happen. "I went to Epcot with my 3 year old daughter and couldn't find Mickey Mouse anywhere.. blah blah..." Well, you weren't supposed to find him necessarily. That's not what Epcot was all about.

 

[DisneyGigi]

I personally don't see why so many people have a problem with the characters at EPCOT. If you don't want to see them, don't get in line. Is it such a detraction if you don't visit it? I don't like Mayo on my burger but I don't have to order it with the Mayo just because they offer it. :ROFLOL: and It did all start with a Mouse afterall.... (including EPCOT) :shrug:

 

[Now Is The Time]

I personally don't see why so many people have a problem with the characters at EPCOT. If you don't want to see them, don't get in line. Is it such a detraction if you don't visit it? I don't like Mayo on my burger but I don't have to order it with the Mayo just because they offer it. :ROFLOL: and It did all start with a Mouse afterall.... (including EPCOT) :shrug:

I understand what you're saying but that's not the point. Epcot wasn't originally intended to house characters. That's all I was saying. In other words, Epcot was so grand and so original that it didn't "need" characters there for any reason. Obviously there's a feeling that Epcot as a whole isn't enough which is why we're seeing more characters and more animation.

In addition, here's another example. If I want to take a trip into the movies, I'll go to the Disney Studios. I wouldn't be in favor of a Nemo ride at Epcot because it doesn't belong... oh shoot.. it's already there. Nevermind. :lol:

 

[DisneyGigi]

I understand what you're saying but that's not the point. Epcot wasn't originally intended to house characters. That's all I was saying. In other words, Epcot was so grand and so original that it didn't "need" characters there for any reason. Obviously there's a feeling that Epcot as a whole isn't enough which is why we're seeing more characters and more animation.

In addition, here's another example. If I want to take a trip into the movies, I'll go to the Disney Studios. I wouldn't be in favor of a Nemo ride at Epcot because it doesn't belong... oh shoot.. it's already there. Nevermind. :lol:

Granted... I don't care for the Nemo ride either but all I am trying to say is EPCOT is still Disney... Disney is EPCOT, there are characters at every park, none of this would be here at all if not for Mickey Mouse.. right? Everyone had to see the wand... but you have the choice to see the characters or not and does Mouse Gears a fave store at EPCOT belong there then or any of the character merchandise if it is not okay for them to be there for Meet & greets?

 

[Now Is The Time]

Granted... I don't care for the Nemo ride either but all I am trying to say is EPCOT is still Disney... Disney is EPCOT, there are characters at every park, none of this would be here at all if not for Mickey Mouse.. right? Everyone had to see the wand... but you have the choice to see the characters or not and does Mouse Gears a fave store at EPCOT belong there then or any of the character merchandise if it is not okay for them to be there for Meet & greets?

Still hear what you're saying but you're still missing my point. :wave:

 

[mouselvrmom]

I feel your pain, nowisthetime. I understand what you are saying about keeping epcot well epcot.

But I love the characters, so I'm not complaining. :lol:

 

[Nemo14]

I think you have to had experienced Epcot in its former days to understand the difference. I remember the first time I saw that character bus in WS and thinking how out of place it seemed.

 

[Now Is The Time]

I think you have to had experienced Epcot in its former days to understand the difference. I remember the first time I saw that character bus in WS and thinking how out of place it seemed.

Exactly. That's all I was saying. And you're right - it's pretty relative to whether you experienced Epcot back in the day...

 

[Nemo14]

Between all the characters now and the Pixarization, it's just not the same park that it used to be.

 

[DisneyGigi]

Exactly. That's all I was saying. And you're right - it's pretty relative to whether you experienced Epcot back in the day...

And maybe I am not relaying my point as well as I mean to. To me Walt Disney is WDW, including EPCOT. (I am probably too young to have experienced it without characters.) I love the entire experience from all the parks. I also know that there was a Mickey Mouse before there was an EPCOT and I cannot see Walt not wanting all of his parks to have somewhat of an influence of what he wanted us to remember started it all.:wave:IMHO

 

[LivingtheDream]

you all have great points but you have to you can't base today's parks on when they first opened .... things do change over time and, as stated, if there is something you don't like at the park, you don't have to participate in it .... remember that Disney has to cater to all it's guests .... having the characters in the World Showcase makes sense because it puts them in their natural element (ie: Mulan in China, Belle in France and so on ) .... remember one thing, Walt's purpose for opening the parks was to entertain and inform .... MK entertains you with all of it's rides, characters, and scenery .... MK also informs you by showing todays generation how life in America was back in his day (Main Street) and of days gone by ( Frontierland ) .... yes, characters may seem out of place for some, but remember that a day at WDW is supposed to be enjoyable to everyone

 

[ThinkTink721]

I really enjoyed the character meet & greets in the WS.
We saw Snow White in Germany, Belle in Italy, Jasmine in Morocco & Aurora in France (all one after the other).
I thought that was pretty neat.

 

[Now Is The Time]

(I am probably too young to have experienced it without characters.)

Probably so. :lol: It was an incredible time.. Horizons, World Of Motion, Communicore, The Living Seas, Journey Into Imagination.. sigh.. I could go on and on.

I love the entire experience from all the parks. I also know that there was a Mickey Mouse before there was an EPCOT and I cannot see Walt not wanting all of his parks to have somewhat of an influence of what he wanted us to remember started it all.:wave:IMHO

Yes but that doesn't really apply here. Remember that before it became a theme park, Epcot Center was really supposed to be a community of tomorrow for people to live in, which has nothing to do with Mickey - no disrespect of course. I know that the younger folks and those that weren't able to visit Epcot until the last 10 or 15 years think that a lot of us are crazy - but I must say I feel really sorry for those who didn't get the chance to visit Epcot Center in all it's glory. You don't know what you missed and sadly, there's nothing we can really do to show you. Old movies on youtube only do so much...

 

[DisneyGigi]

Probably so. :lol: It was an incredible time.. Horizons, World Of Motion, Communicore, The Living Seas, Journey Into Imagination.. sigh.. I could go on and on.



Yes but that doesn't really apply here. Remember that before it became a theme park, Epcot Center was really supposed to be a community of tomorrow for people to live in, which has nothing to do with Mickey - no disrespect of course. I know that the younger folks and those that weren't able to visit Epcot until the last 10 or 15 years think that a lot of us are crazy - but I must say I feel really sorry for those who didn't get the chance to visit Epcot Center in all it's glory. You don't know what you missed and sadly, there's nothing we can really do to show you. Old movies on youtube only do so much...

I totally respect your opinion and having read many books about the life & work of Walt.. I appreciate it too. (I know what he wanted for EPCOT and wish that it could come true the way that he saw it.) It is just that we see things a little differently. I tend to look at the emotional side/ little girl in me side that's all. :wave:

 

[k.hunter30]

I love seeing the characters in World Showcase. Bumping into Mulan in China, Snow White in Germany, Mary Poppins in the United Kingdom, etc is neat.

 

[Now Is The Time]

I totally respect your opinion and having read many books about the life & work of Walt.. I appreciate it too. (I know what he wanted for EPCOT and wish that it could come true the way that he saw it.) It is just that we see things a little differently. I tend to look at the emotional side/ little girl in me side that's all. :wave:

Understood. I'm totally with you. :ROFLOL:

 

[DisneyNut2007]

Characters or no characters, Epcot is still Epcot.

End of story.

 

[Mecha Figment]

I still don't understand where people get this notion that Characters were never to be a part of epcot. I have never seen any kind of mission statement that said that this was the intention. The fact is Characters have always been and always will be a part of epcot. They have always had a presence there. some times small some times great. Mickey opened up the park! and for years the characters appeared around the world in different country garments Donald in mexico and minnie in Japan to name a few. Goofy and Mickey were featured for years in a free comic book for the universe of energy. In fact some characters were designed specifically for the park, Dreamfinder and Figment as well as the Children of the World characters to name a few.

 

[DDuckFan130]

I experienced Epcot back in the day...still don't care.

I am just fine with the changes in Epcot and even more fine with seeing the characters at Epcot

 

[Now Is The Time]

I still don't understand where people get this notion that Characters were never to be a part of epcot. I have never seen any kind of mission statement that said that this was the intention. The fact is Characters have always been and always will be a part of epcot. They have always had a presence there.

I'll give you that but their presence has never been as heavy as it is now.

and for years the characters appeared around the world in different country garments Donald in mexico and minnie in Japan to name a few. Goofy and Mickey were featured for years in a free comic book for the universe of energy.

Ok if you wanna get technical, that's my beef here. :lol: At least in your example they wore garments that made them a part of the park.

In fact some characters were designed specifically for the park, Dreamfinder and Figment as well as the Children of the World characters to name a few.

Agreed but this is different because they were new characters created in Epcot.

Look personally I don't hate the characters being in Epcot. I was just making a statement that having them so plugged into the park now was not what Epcot was created for. That's all.