News Character Spot, Innoventions and more to close in September

AVAC Juice

Active Member
I'd argue it started with Honey I Shrunk the Audience in 1994 followed by Ellen's Energy Adventure in 1996 - which were the first "IP" intrusions into the park, even if on theme.
That's right.

EPCOT Center suddenly became Epcot 94, Epcot 95 and finally Epcot.

I think that having to constantly update everything with a Epcot logo year after year quickly caught up to the narrow vision of a trendy idea.
 

KevinPage

Well-Known Member
Maybe I’m missing something but I’m failing to see why this is causing everyone so much butthurt?

1. Removing the monoliths and opening the space up = GOOD

2. Fountain in front of SSE going to be modeled after original = GOOD

3. Removal of Fountain of Nations = BAD (but this hasn’t been 100% confirmed, correct?)

4. New waterway path (with or without Moana) to connect to Seas area = GOOD (only bad if you utterly despise the idea of an IP)

5. Festival Center and beer garden = NEUTRAL (assuming this isn’t the main cause for the removal of FoN). EPCOT is a festival park these days, so makes sense to have a dedicated space for this and not some slapped together location that varies year to year.

6. Removal of Pin Station = GREAT. Less pin slop is always a good thing 😜

7. Club Cool is coming back. I only cared about free soda, the rest of the shop was a waste, so as long as there’s free drink = NEUTRAL/POSTIVE

8. Electric Umbrella. Let’s face facts, this is nothing special, so whatever they do to it will be an upgrade. So = GOOD

9. Removal of Innoventions. While I liked the idea of Innoventions, it always felt half baked to me and filled with tons of boring stuff. We always skipped most of it in favor of actual legit attractions. It was a glorified A/C break. I’ll go with BAD, since I’m probably on the minority opinion on this.

10. Moving character meet and greets to various locations around the park. This might be only a temporary thing, but if not, I like this better as it’s a hunt and not just a “one stop shop”, which makes it feel far less special. So for me = GOOD

So that’s 6 good, 2 bad and 2 neutral. Am I missing something?

Fountain of Nations is kinda a big deal (probably the biggest). If that was saved, I’ll blink not an eye about Innoventions. 😎
 
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mikejs78

Premium Member
Maybe I’m missing something but I’m failing to see why this is causing everyone so much butthurt?

1. Removing the monoliths and opening the space up = GOOD

2. Fountain in front of SSE going to be modeled after original = GOOD

3. Removal of Fountain of Nations = BAD (but this hasn’t been 100% confirmed, correct?)

4. New waterway path (with or without Moana) to connect to Seas area = GOOD (only bad if you utterly despise the idea of an IP)

5. Festival Center and beer garden = NEUTRAL (assuming this isn’t the main cause for the removal of FoN). EPCOT is a festival park these days, so makes sense to have a dedicated space for this and not some slapped together location that varies year to year.

6. Removal of Pin Station = GREAT. Less pin slip is always a good thing 😜

7. Club Cool is coming back. I only cared about free soda, the rest of the shop was a waste, so as long as theres free drink = NEUTRAL/POSTIVE

8. Electric Umbrella. Let’s face facts, this is nothing special, so whatever they do to it will be an upgrade. So = GOOD

9. Removal of Innoventions. While I liked the idea of Innoventions, it always felt half baked to me and filled with tons of boring stuff. We always skipped most of in favor of actual legit attractions. It was a glorified A/C break. I’ll go with BAD, since I’m probably on the minority opinion on this.

10. Moving character meet and greets to various locations around the park. This might be only a temporary thing, but if not, I like this better as it’s a hunt and not just a “one stop shop”, which makes it feel far less special. So for me = GOOD

So that’s 6 good, 2 bad and 2 neutral. Am I missing something?

Fountain of Nations is kinda a big deal (probably the biggest). If that was saved, I’ll blink not an eye about Innoventions. 😎
It's fountain of Nations and the Innoventions buildings. I agree with what Innoventions has become but many of us were hoping for a reimagining of that concept - Innoventions was good in its heyday, and before Innoventions, Communicore was far superior.
 

jt04

Well-Known Member
I have a hunch the FoN has to go for the realization of the complete spine Reimagining. For it to stay would be like leaving a few cars from lights motors action in galaxy's edge.
 

RSoxNo1

Well-Known Member
When were the Three Cabelleros added to the Mexico ride?

I tend to agree with you though. People may prefer the original pavilions to the replacements, but things like Test Track, M:S, and Soarin' seemed like they were different ways to try to tie into the core Epcot ideals (I'd also add Sum of All Thrills as a small, but underrated gem attached to the original premise of the park). And while they may have been "inferior" to their predecessors, I think they largely did bring some much needed diversity to the FW experience while still trying to be aspirational.

The Imagination redos I can't explain though.

Nemo as the jump the shark moment is a good argument.
Three Caballeros opened April 6, 2007

To the commentary on Honey I Shrunk the Audience I'm ok with relevant "science" based IP in Future World and culturally relevant IP to World Showcase. I wouldn't count Ellen's Energy Adventure as IP driven, but it did deal with known entities/celebrities as well as Jeopardy, but it also did so in a way that didn't feel out of place for me (just one man's opinion).

The things that feel out of place for me in current Epcot are as follows:
  • The Seas with Nemo and Friends
  • Gran Fiesta Tour
  • Frozen Ever After
  • Pixar Short film Festival
Things that are coming that I think will likely feel out of place.
  • Beauty and the Beast Sing-A-Long
Things that are coming that I'm taking a wait and see approach about for fit
  • Remy's Ratatouille Adventure - I think this is going to be a bit like Splash Mountain for me, by that I mean I know it's a stretch thematically but the attraction quality overrides it
  • Guardians - We simply don't know the story here. There are a multitude of stories that work for Guardians in Epcot, hopefully we get a bit more insight at D23
  • Epcot 2020 Show - I can see this pairing the live action remakes with animated classics as a story telling technique. It's possible that works, but I'm not overly optimistic.
 

mikejs78

Premium Member
Three Caballeros opened April 6, 2007

To the commentary on Honey I Shrunk the Audience I'm ok with relevant "science" based IP in Future World and culturally relevant IP to World Showcase. I wouldn't count Ellen's Energy Adventure as IP driven, but it did deal with known entities/celebrities as well as Jeopardy, but it also did so in a way that didn't feel out of place for me (just one man's opinion).

The things that feel out of place for me in current Epcot are as follows:
  • The Seas with Nemo and Friends
  • Gran Fiesta Tour
  • Frozen Ever After
  • Pixar Short film Festival
Things that are coming that I think will likely feel out of place.
  • Beauty and the Beast Sing-A-Long
Things that are coming that I'm taking a wait and see approach about for fit
  • Remy's Ratatouille Adventure - I think this is going to be a bit like Splash Mountain for me, by that I mean I know it's a stretch thematically but the attraction quality overrides it
  • Guardians - We simply don't know the story here. There are a multitude of stories that work for Guardians in Epcot, hopefully we get a bit more insight at D23
  • Epcot 2020 Show - I can see this pairing the live action remakes with animated classics as a story telling technique. It's possible that works, but I'm not overly optimistic.
The funny thing is, with the exception of Pixar Short Films, the rest of your out of place list could be redone in a way that does fit thematically.

  • Nemo being more about Marine Life (maybe a tour of the Marine Life Institute with the characters)
  • Three Calabreros - this could be more about Panchito showing Donald and Jose around Mexico - though a Coco ride would have been better.
  • Frozenstrom: this one is a stretch, but it could have been about Anna and Elsa being invited to nearby Norway to learn about it's culture.
Story matters.
 

RSoxNo1

Well-Known Member
The funny thing is, with the exception of Pixar Short Films, the rest of your out of place list could be redone in a way that does fit thematically.

  • Nemo being more about Marine Life (maybe a tour of the Marine Life Institute with the characters)
  • Three Calabreros - this could be more about Panchito showing Donald and Jose around Mexico - though a Coco ride would have been better.
  • Frozenstrom: this one is a stretch, but it could have been about Anna and Elsa being invited to nearby Norway to learn about it's culture.
Story matters.
To your point, I have zero issue with the story treatment of the Royal Sommerhus.
 

KevinPage

Well-Known Member
Maybe I’m missing something but I’m failing to see why this is causing everyone so much butthurt?

1. Removing the monoliths and opening the space up = GOOD

2. Fountain in front of SSE going to be modeled after original = GOOD

3. Removal of Fountain of Nations = BAD (but this hasn’t been 100% confirmed, correct?)

4. New waterway path (with or without Moana) to connect to Seas area = GOOD (only bad if you utterly despise the idea of an IP)

5. Festival Center and beer garden = NEUTRAL (assuming this isn’t the main cause for the removal of FoN). EPCOT is a festival park these days, so makes sense to have a dedicated space for this and not some slapped together location that varies year to year.

6. Removal of Pin Station = GREAT. Less pin slop is always a good thing 😜

7. Club Cool is coming back. I only cared about free soda, the rest of the shop was a waste, so as long as there’s free drink = NEUTRAL/POSTIVE

8. Electric Umbrella. Let’s face facts, this is nothing special, so whatever they do to it will be an upgrade. So = GOOD

9. Removal of Innoventions. While I liked the idea of Innoventions, it always felt half baked to me and filled with tons of boring stuff. We always skipped most of it in favor of actual legit attractions. It was a glorified A/C break. I’ll go with BAD, since I’m probably on the minority opinion on this.

10. Moving character meet and greets to various locations around the park. This might be only a temporary thing, but if not, I like this better as it’s a hunt and not just a “one stop shop”, which makes it feel far less special. So for me = GOOD

So that’s 6 good, 2 bad and 2 neutral. Am I missing something?

Fountain of Nations is kinda a big deal (probably the biggest). If that was saved, I’ll blink not an eye about Innoventions. 😎

I know most people here realize this, but it’s always a good reminder (as we are in a bubble), so I posted my above thoughts in a large FB group that has 120K WDW AP’s, and asked for people’s thoughts:

9 out of 10 didn’t care about the charges as long as they could still get beer/alcohol/churros/go on rides. 1 out of 10 were upset over FoN or Innoventions.

So even as people who frequent the parks much more than the typical guest, even they don’t have any real affinity for the past or edutainment.

Just goes to show you how much a tiny minority we are on things like this (unfortunately).

I was slightly surprised by those results 😎
 

jt04

Well-Known Member
I know most people here realize this, but it’s always a good reminder (as we are in a bubble), so I posted my above thoughts in a large FB group that has 120K WDW AP’s, and asked for people’s thoughts:

9 out of 10 didn’t care about the charges as long as they could still get beer/alcohol/churros/go on rides. 1 out of 10 were upset over FoN or Innoventions.

So even as people who frequent the parks much more than the typical guest, even they don’t have any real affinity for the past or edutainment.

Just goes to show you how much a tiny minority we are on things like this (unfortunately).

I was slightly surprised by those results 😎

The percentages are probably another magnitude lower if you could survey guests who don't discuss Disney on social media but have or will visit WDW.

These forums represent about 1% of 1%. IMO.

Great survey though. Very interesting.
 

mikejs78

Premium Member
I know most people here realize this, but it’s always a good reminder (as we are in a bubble), so I posted my above thoughts in a large FB group that has 120K WDW AP’s, and asked for people’s thoughts:

9 out of 10 didn’t care about the charges as long as they could still get beer/alcohol/churros/go on rides. 1 out of 10 were upset over FoN or Innoventions.

So even as people who frequent the parks much more than the typical guest, even they don’t have any real affinity for the past or edutainment.

Just goes to show you how much a tiny minority we are on things like this (unfortunately).

I was slightly surprised by those results 😎
The percentages are probably another magnitude lower if you could survey guests who don't discuss Disney on social media but have or will visit WDW.

These forums represent about 1% of 1%. IMO.

Great survey though. Very interesting.
A scientific poll it is not. But that's hardly the point. Disney became Disney not because they gave people what they wanted, but because they gave people what they didn't know they wanted. Make a cohesive park with modern experiences that were true to the original vision, and I bet the park would become super popular again. As it is Epcot is losing market share year after year.
 

DinoInstitute

Well-Known Member
The funny thing is, with the exception of Pixar Short Films, the rest of your out of place list could be redone in a way that does fit thematically.

  • Nemo being more about Marine Life (maybe a tour of the Marine Life Institute with the characters)
  • Three Calabreros - this could be more about Panchito showing Donald and Jose around Mexico - though a Coco ride would have been better.
  • Frozenstrom: this one is a stretch, but it could have been about Anna and Elsa being invited to nearby Norway to learn about it's culture.
Story matters.
Even the concept of a Short Film Festival could be a pretty solid fit if done right. Right now it’s about as lazy an attraction as possible being no more than simply a presentation of short films, but I could envision a couple different ways to modify it to make it worthwhile. Either A) Give the show an element that delves into the creative storytelling processes used to bring the film ideas to life, and it would make sense at an Imagination pavilion, or B) Go through the history of short films at Disney/Pixar and the technological advancements made in the animation industry, and it would be a good attraction for an Innoventions type area perhaps.

Like you said, story matters. Most general attraction concepts can have a lot of potential, it’s just how it’s approached.
 

Clamman73

Well-Known Member
The funny thing is, with the exception of Pixar Short Films, the rest of your out of place list could be redone in a way that does fit thematically.

  • Nemo being more about Marine Life (maybe a tour of the Marine Life Institute with the characters)
  • Three Calabreros - this could be more about Panchito showing Donald and Jose around Mexico - though a Coco ride would have been better.
  • Frozenstrom: this one is a stretch, but it could have been about Anna and Elsa being invited to nearby Norway to learn about it's culture.
Story matters.
The last scene in the ride with Anna Elsa and Olaf seems like a waste as is...would be a good spot to mention something about visiting their beautiful homeland.
 

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