Epcot.. aint what she used to be?

[KeeKee]

You have made wonderfully valid points, but they are only a part of answer. If you all remember, there was a time when Epcot Center didn't have any Disney characters in the park. It was forward thinking and futuristic, but there was no real reason to come back more than once or twice and nothing for the kids to do at all. Do we really want to go all the way back to that kind of atmosphere? Somewhere between an all-out "Disney" theme park with only a hint of the original concept and a virtual museum there has to be a happy medium.

Yes, the pavillions could all be freshened up some and brought up-to-date, but I disagree that Epcot has lost its magic entirely.

 

[Expo_Seeker40]

hyphnt..excellent points I compeltely agree!

KeeKee (love the name) I see where you're coming from.

I think Disney characters should be in Disney parks, and that there should be a blend of rides/shows/and attractions that appeal to all people.

The magic of Epcot/EPCOT Center isn't gone per-say, but its focus and direction are IMO.

Epcot...really should be a revised EPCOT Center...no not a place with history AA rides and no disney characters but a 2.0 if you will...The Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow serving as the Center for technological and cultural understanding and achievement.

If they had a sign outside the entrance explaining this...than kudos to them!

Future World and World Showcase both need dedication plauqes.

EPCOT Center 2.0 entertains, informs, inspires. Future World is a world for all of us broken down into elemental themes indentified by their NEW respective logos. I would name each pavilion "World of.."

Spaceship Earth, Project Tomorrow, and the Seimens Lounge all make up "The World of Communication Pavilion" then broken down into the indivdual ride names...but thats all just a dream.

Future World is to question and understand and explore the possibilities of a better tomorrow from where we are today.

World Showcase is to discover other peoples, cultures, and ideas and learn how we can work together to shape a better tomorrow.

Future World isn't really a museum. Spaceship Earth is in that 3/4 of it shows us how far we have come. Project Tomorrow is about the Future.

Innoventions is about the future using the abilities of today.

SeaBase alpha is about the future, but the entire seas has been dumbed down for elementary schoolers.

The Land's movie theatre...harvest theatre I believe...could be updated showing us new land conservation. Living with the Land remains relevant, and Soarin' is a timeless celebration of the land itself.

Imagination has potential for being a timeless attraction...like the original version was...but using modern technology for the show.

Test Track is very todayish. Misison: Space is futuristic. WoL is dead, but energy should knock our socks off...we are in an impeding energy crisis...why can't we have a serious ride in future world again? Everything else has become mild for all ages.

Oh...and remove the clutter from Innoventions Plaza :lol:

 

[Mark Felton]

I am amazed there are people that still suffer from the illusion WDW is geared for folks that visit 3-4 times a month as opposed to those that visit 3-4 times their entire life

I agree with this, it's obviously a destination resort.

 

[EpcotServo]

Not that I don't agree with some of things said here...but isn't it just a tad funny that everybody had no problems at ALL with Epcot until SSE opened?

I just think that there is some major overacting goin' on here...
:lol:

 

[hpyhnt 1000]

Not that I don't agree with some of things said here...but isn't it just a tad funny that everybody had no problems at ALL with Epcot until SSE opened?

I just think that there is some major overacting goin' on here...
:lol:

No, I've had the reservations I listed about Epcot for a couple years now, ever since I began to find out what EPCOT Center originally stood for. These reservations were heightened with the refurbs of The Living Seas and El Rio del Tiempo. I guess with Spaceship Earth, I thought there might be a return to some of the original themes of EPCOT Center. Now I'm wondering if that's the case. That is all, no more, no less.

To address KeeKee's concerns, I have a generally favorable view about characters in Epcot, to a point. Having greeting areas in Future World and their respective countries in World Showcase-good! Integrating them into attractions like they did with Gran Fiesta Tour-bad! What does Donald and company have to do with the culture of Mexico? With regards to The Seas, adding Nemo to The Living Seas was a no brainer, I just feel the execution was poor. Still, characters should NOT be everywhere in Epcot. Here and there, yes, but I don't want a majority of Epcot's attractions to have Disney characters in them.

 

[EpcotServo]

No, I've had the reservations I listed about Epcot for a couple years now, ever since I began to find out what EPCOT Center originally stood for. These reservations were heightened with the refurbs of The Living Seas and El Rio del Tiempo. I guess with Spaceship Earth, I thought there might be a return to some of the original themes of EPCOT Center. Now I'm wondering if that's the case. That is all, no more, no less.

I wasn't taking about just you. (I agree on UOE and Living Seas. I believe that the old themes and topics from EPCOT Center are still very important.)

 

[KeeKee]

To address KeeKee's concerns, What does Donald and company have to do with the culture of Mexico?

The original Three Caballeros, featuring the characters in the new ride, was a film that Walt Disney developed with several South American countries to promote tourism. If you've ever wondered why the film didn't make much sense, that's why. Out of context and with a long-lost connection, not many people know why the Three Caballeros are in Mexico, other than the Amazon Parrot (Jose Carioca) and the rooster (Panchito). So, there is actually a 60-year history with that area of the world.

 

[Dragonrider1227]

I think the quell on Epcot's optimism in the future is more just a natural state of human thought. Same reason COP has lost it's audience. Not because Disney doesn't care about the subject matter, but because no else does. In between Global Warming, terrorism, war, and cell phone ring tones, what's there to be optimistic about? :shrug:

 

[KeeKee]

In between Global Warming, terrorism, war, and cell phone ring tones, what's there to be optimistic about? :shrug:

That's a very serious question with a very serious answer, especially at this time of year...

 

[imagineer boy]

Please note: The following reply is long, as I've practically shared everything I believe about Epcot below. Please bear with me.

I'm not going to quote the whole post, but that was well written and you had some great ideas there! My only few differences are:

I like HISTA ( please don't hurt me! ). And every time I go, the crowd always seems to be having a great time. I would just simply redo the CGI effects to make them more convincing and clean up the film so it looks newer. As for the Imagination ride, I think the idea of having the Imagination Institute combined with Figment is such a great idea, but it was executed so poorly in the attraction. I'd redo it and bring back DreamFinder, and bring back the wonder that the old ride had.

I think Test Track will be staying for a long time, and I really do love the ride. I do agree that the post show should be a showcase for rides of the future rather than a big GM commercial.

I don't like Nemo in the living seas. Period. I loved the whole concept of a futuristic sea base under the ocean depths, and I think it really could've worked wonders if they'd updated it rather than get rid of it entirely and jam Nemo in there as a quick fix to get people to visit it more.

 

[Dragonrider1227]

I gotta say though, I see all these shows on technology showcases on G4TV (cable channel for Tech and geeks) and I always think to myself (Epcot could be doing this)

 

[wedway71]

I too miss the origional message of Epcot-I was there in 82 when it opened(was at Magic Kingdom in 71---yes im an old fart).

One thing I miss is the cool Epcotish merchandise that was mostly found in the store now called "Mouse Gears"-It seemed to showcase not only typical Disney wears but space age futuristic type of games and toys like "Erector Sets and Legos on Steriods.

 

[CrashNet]

I think the change in perspective makes it difficult to create something new and exciting. Each person has a vision of what Epcot is based, for the most part, on what it was like the first time they visited the park. As things change, new rides coming in, old going away, and existing rides being changed, we have come to compare the new to what we remember Epcot being from our own first experience. We walked in without expectations on day one. Country culture is hard to modernize and make fresh while telling its accurate history.

Times continue to change, and Epcot continues to evolve, as does the imagineering team and their vision.

 

[hpyhnt 1000]

I'm not going to quote the whole post, but that was well written and you had some great ideas there!

Thanks!:wave:

 

[disney4life2008]

Horrible Epcot!

I used to LOVE Epcot years ago. Spaceship Earth was my puller as I enjoyed every dimension of it. However, we visited Epcot last Tuesday and I was severely dissapointed.

1. Soarin is TERRIBLE!!!! The ability to fly over California is NOT fun when it is a simulator. Furthermore, the wait time for 90 MINUTES!!! I was totally dissapointed and it wasted my time. We walked into the Land Pavillion at 3pm and did not get out until 6pm.

2) Speaking of Pavillons.. why put so much in one location. Each pavillon takes about 2 to 3 hours to do. The Land is TERRIBLE!!! Living with the Seas is JUST OK- Nemo is the pull but nothing spectacular. Ellens Universe of Energy has got to go! We rode at 6pm and 5 minutes into the show- all you heard was snoring.

3) Future World is now a BORE!!

4) World Showcase used to be fun but I wish they would get new countries. Morocco is not Africa! How about Kenya, South Africa?

5) The workers in the France pastry shop were VERY RUDE!!!

6) Holiday Illuminations was very nice though!!! However, looking at the globe move on water for 20 minutes was boring.

 

[Fun2BFree]

2) Speaking of Pavillons.. why put so much in one location. Each pavillon takes about 2 to 3 hours to do. The Land is TERRIBLE!!! Living with the Seas is JUST OK- Nemo is the pull but nothing spectacular. Ellens Universe of Energy has got to go! We rode at 6pm and 5 minutes into the show- all you heard was snoring.

I view that as the Land's primary strength rather than its weakness. The ability to spend an entire morning without leaving the pavilion, including breakfast, is one of my favourite things about Epcot. I only hope that when WoL is replaced, they use a pavilion with several attractions and a small restaurant. To see another 'huge ride and a gift-shop' pavilion would be horrid.

 

[Rufus T Firefly]

5) The workers in the France pastry shop were VERY RUDE!!!

Very authentic themeing.

 

[sbkline]

I1. Soarin is TERRIBLE!!!! The ability to fly over California is NOT fun when it is a simulator. Furthermore, the wait time for 90 MINUTES!!! I was totally dissapointed and it wasted my time. We walked into the Land Pavillion at 3pm and did not get out until 6pm.

How can it take three hours to do The Land? I guess if there is a huge wait for Soarin and you have supper at the Garden Grill, I can see a possibility of being in there that long. But if you Fastpass Soarin, that's 20 or 30 minutes. Maybe another 15 minutes for "Living With the Land" and 30 minutes for "Circle of Life". So, unless you plan to eat there, I can't see spending more than an hour and a half, tops. Maybe I'm just always in too much of a hurry when we go. Heck, I guess I must be, because I didn't even know about "Circle of Life" until the last trip. It's tucked away in the corner and I never really saw it.

4) World Showcase used to be fun but I wish they would get new countries. Morocco is not Africa! How about Kenya, South Africa?

I'm not sure what you mean by that statement. Africa is a continent and Morocco is a country. But Morocco is IN the continent of Africa, so Africa IS represented in WS.

 

[Figments Friend]

Mr. Merf I completly agree with you. The way Epcot was supposed to be has been all but obliterated.

A place of Education and a look at the wondrous things yet to come, now we have cartoon fishies and a fast car ride. But alas, the world has changed and people have become ignorant.
They no longer want something to inspire and teach them, they want to hear fart jokes and see some big explosion. Wonder is a rare thing these days, ignorance brought on by society's want to be PC and complacent have taken man's ability to think and explore.

Consider this, all who doubt me, what kind of vision of the future do we have? Coming up with a blank? We as a general whole have always had a vision of the future, not just one like Star Wars but one that is believable and tangible, not matter how ridiculous it looks now. Look at the SSE descent videos, it doesn't show us our vision of the future, it shows one of the past, it does not give us the ability to dream and wonder what it will be like in this wondrous time ahead of us. EPCOT Center inspired us to look to future with a view of the past, and the present and gave America a new vision of the future.
It covered everything from the living land, the depths of our wondrous sea, the mind and it's realm of fantastic imagination, the world in it's motion, the body which is our vehicle to the future, the way the world would be powered in the bold new age, the past and it's ways it taught us to communicate and see the world, and finally all came together to give us a marvelous new horizon to wonder and hope for.
They dared to dream, and now they are awake with no new dreams to show us, only the dreams of the past and cartoons.

Where is our future?

Just felt moved to say that the above is perhaps the finest post i have ever read on this site. These words speak volumes, and i can only pray someone, somewhere with some influence in EPCOT's future will read this.

Well done, and i applaud you!

:sohappy:

 

[Kman101]

Honestly, I agree with Merf.

I went in August to Epcot, spent the day there. Rode everything except Ellen's Energy Adventure (just had no desire, honestly, even though I love Ellen), and as much as I do like Soarin, Test Track and Mission:Space, I can't see myself really rushing to do them again like I do with the other theme parks. I would love to do them once or twice more but other than that, meh ... Nemo is okay, but nothing that makes me truly desire to do it again. Maybe do a special just for Epcot Nemo, or something somewhat educational.

Figment is a shadow of his former self. I was appalled in August when I rode it for the first time since I was a kid. I was bored to tears and couldn't wait for it to be over.

Honey I Shrunk the Audience, meh. I had no desire to see it.

Maelstrom is a good ride but honestly, forgettable. I can't remember a darn thing about it except going backwards or something along those lines.

Gran Fiesta is ok.

So my point? I went in August and on my couple day's trip this past week, I had ZERO guilt about skipping Epcot. I only went at the last minute to tour the Showcase and get some pictures of it, as I felt mine were lacking from August (I love photo taking). I did ride Spaceship Earth and sadly, it's the only ride I ever have a desire to keep riding. I do love Test Track but it's not a major disappointment if I miss any ride in Epcot.

Just my opinion.