EPCOT Center...
What is it?
Now, all that may seem silly (note the themed Disney characters, so while included, they were themed to the local culture in dress and other ways in WS)...
Now, let me explain what EPCOT (not Epcot) meant to me as a child growing up with it.
It's not just a collection of rides, it was the most well thought out large story experience ever...one that management forgot.
Lets start with Futureworld.
Your first experience is to see Spaceship Earth, the world's largest Geodesic Dome, and home to a story of how communication helped shape history, from ancient times to modern times.
It's been...crapped on. Now it's a somewhat loose story (sorry Dench lovers, but the ride isn't nearly as good as it was during the Cronkite or even the Irons era...though I don't remember the Dobkin ride well enough to comment). And the finale after ride (which, uniquely, doesn't dump you into a gift shop) doesn't focus on "communication", it focuses on Siemens. Not that the pavilion ending was always great, but at least when it was AT&T, we could see that, as that was their primary business...Siemans is not a great sponsor, but they have the right ideas. The experience doesn't hold the message it once did, but it still holds up.
So, you move on, into a "city of the future"...unlike Tomorrowland which is the "future that could, but will never be" and focuses more on the unrealistic and fantasy, Futureworld focuses on what is achievable within our lifetimes.
We start with the Communicores, West and East (and yes, they are Communicores, NOT Inneventions)...
Why?
Well, you just did this great ride that talked about how communication was so key to the development of civilization and human kind, and now, well, EVERY city is a "core of Communication"...
But, now it's nothing but a massive video game wall with systems and games that kids can play at home (boo), poorly done exhibits (yes I'm looking at you IBM, your exhibit is awful), social messages (I like the T Rowe Piggies, but what do they have to do with the "future"...unless we are Ferengi? And the "Fire prevention" experience, while fun, again, is lackluster for the message.
It's a far cry from what was there in the 80s and early 90s. Cutting edge animetronics, computers with touchscreens you could actually use, cutting edge simulators, and even a tour of the backdrop computer systems that powered the whole theme park.
Toss in there an Ice Cream Parlor that has long since given up being "futeristic" and a massive meet and greet walkthrough attraction, and of course the "Electric Umbrella"...a pretty bad QS offering.
Yeah, they aren't what they used to be, and they certainly aren't "futeristic".
So, then you go left, into the "technology" section of the park. And yes, the park is divided into two halves. The right is "Life Sciences" and follows a few design considerations (for example, the walkways are not straight), and the left is the "physical sciences" (all the walkways are straight, as long as you skip the water play places that have been added, and the coffee stands that have cropped up).
So, we go left.
First, you have Universe of Energy. Which, at one point, was an inspriational "educatainment" (I'll use that word again and again) ride that was fun, had great visuals, but also taught you something. And then, because ride statistics were low, I suppose, they thought it would be a good idea to revamp it, cut out the more unique visuals (yep, the rotating movie wall at the beginning) and include Ellen, because she'll be relevant for years!
But, the pavilion served an important purpose. All social and economic messages aside, Energy is important for civilization, and important for the future, and our exploration, conservation and understanding of it, how to create it and control it, and how to use it, is important. This pavilion taught an important lesson...until it was cartoonified.
<sigh>
So, they screwed that one up.
Then there's Wonders of Life. Which, is a neat Pavilion...doesn't really belong over here, and never did, but was well done when it was new. It is shuttered now, and is only used for various events like Food and Wine. What a waste.
And then there is Mission: Space, which is a such a cheaply done replacement for the epic Horizons that it is barely worth admitting. It's not a great thrill ride, it's not a great story, and it's not a great experience. The one thing it DOES have going for it is that the external design is really nice. But, as a ride, it belongs in HS, not in EPCOT, as it teaches you pretty much nothing, and focuses on the thrills alone.
I'll come back to Horizons, because this was the crown jewel of the park...at least for Tomorrowland, even though Spaceship Earth held the key slot (rightfully so, because without communication NONE of this other stuff would exist). But, skipping forward.
Then you have World of Motion, which has now been gutted into a cheap thrill ride.
Odyssey is pretty much falling along the same lines as Wonders of Life...forgettable and rarely used.
So, lets skip over to the other side of the park (right brain, left brain).
We start with the Seas, which used to have an immersive story that could inspire people to actually study marine biology, but now sits as an homage to a Pixar movie. It's not that I mind the inclusion of Nemo characters here, and the queue and experience at Turtle Talk is fantastic, as is what they did with the Shark Room. It engages people to LEARN. Classic Edutainment, and done quite well.
But, the Nemo ride itself is so bad. The queue is amazing, but the ride...disappointing.
In addition, the condition the pavilion is currently in, considering it's the THIRD LARGEST saltwater aquarium in the world is deplorable. They need to take a trip to ATL to see how it's done.
But, back in the day, it made you think, as a Guest...how cool would this be, living in the Seas? None of that exists today, and it's just a broken shell of what was once a great story, and great experience.
And, then you have the Land. Which has mostly devolved into a food court, a restaurant, a preachy movie (that, btw, makes fun of Theme Park development in a snarky way) and a queue for Sourin', which they cared so much about that they didn't even make a special movie for the EPCOT version, rather just cloned the DCA version...
Now we come to Imagination, which is the most screwed up of all the Pavilions.
This Pavilion, when it opened, was meant to inspire. You connected with these characters (Dreamfinder and Figgy). It told us that the new can be created from the old (like, having a kid), but the new can also find inspiration from the old, and that the old can likewise find inspiration from the new. Then you were invited into a wonderful playground of the senses.
I could rant about what they've done here for paragraphs, so I'll just leave it to say, they screwed this up so bad, and it was such a key to the overall story.
What IS that overall story?
"If we can dream it, then we can do it, yes we can."
Which brings us back to Horizons. Using technology, a respect for nature, communication, and transportation, we can make a better and brighter future for everyone.
And THAT was the message of Horizons.
As a child, seeing all this subconsciously impacted me.
Ok, I've prattled on enough about Futureworld...lets get into World Showcase, but first I need to take a break.
