EPCOT Center 35th Anniversary Events?

[the.dreamfinder]

Disney makes available 'The Dream Called EPCOT' film

EPCOT Center: We Need It Now More Than Ever

 

[The Empress Lilly]

Disney makes available 'The Dream Called EPCOT' film

This is what I fell in love with, in the preview center in the MK. My first true encounter with EPCOT beyond half-understood remarks in passing. EPCOT was love at first sight for me, and if truth be told, a bit earlier than that.


Other than this, I will have nothing to do with any celebration when they have just destroyed a classic pavilion yet again, for a superhero thrill ride.

 

[The Empress Lilly]

There's a sing song on the fountain stage at 10am.

Tomorrow's Child and We've Just Begun to Dream probably not included.

Let it Go?

 

[lentesta]

Disney makes available 'The Dream Called EPCOT' film

Man, this film is great. Those early demo recordings of classic Epcot songs!

 

[JohnD]

Man, this film is great. Those early demo recordings of classic Epcot songs!

However, I'm glad that "We're Getting Ready" song didn't make it past this video. It's cringe inducing.

 

[Kamikaze]

Disney makes available 'The Dream Called EPCOT' film

Can someone please check on @marni1971 ? He might have been overcome with joy.

He probably had a copy of this already, though.

 

[jpeden]

The irony of releasing this video for the 35th anniversary of the park that they're destroying is not lost on me.

Also, totally off topic - but I always thought it would have been interesting for the entrance of EPCOT to basically be Spaceship Earth. Like, basically requiring you to ride that to set the scene for the rest of the park, sort of how Main Street USA sets the scene for the rest of the Magic Kingdom.


But, I guess that really isn't practical.

 

[marni1971]

Some of the merchandise has been released already in the park so if you're in the area, and want to avoid the madness on Sunday, stop on by

The main 35th stuff - and the "I was there" items - are still held until Sunday. Mouse Gear has some 35th merch.

 

[Skooterkid]

Wow, it is easy to forget just how innovative Epcot once was. Imagineers just wanted to blow peoples minds, there were so many world records and world firsts. I first visited Epcot in the late 90s when the technology was already becoming a little dated, so I can only imagine how exciting it all was when everything was sparkly and new.

 

[FigmentJedi]

However, I'm glad that "We're Getting Ready" song didn't make it past this video. It's cringe inducing.

The whole point of We're Getting Ready was just to be a construction hype song to end the video.

Personally, I feel like its a missed opportunity to not make altered versions of it into a traditional "Build hype for a new theme park" song.

 

[DavidS1234]

Watching this film just confirms something I've always thought. The original EPCOT was a cool concept... but not really a sustainable one. The future is always changing... it's a moving target. To maintain a current real-life vision of the future requires constant updates to match expectations. The cost of those yearly updates would likely be more than the profit the park generates...which is why the focus has shifted from "the future", to "the world".

 

[marni1971]

Watching this film just confirms something I've always thought. The original EPCOT was a cool concept... but not really a sustainable one. The future is always changing... it's a moving target. To maintain a current real-life vision of the future requires constant updates to match expectations. The cost of those yearly updates would likely be more than the profit the park generates...which is why the focus has shifted from "the future", to "the world".

The intention was to overhaul future world every ten years or so.

They pretty much gave up after the first overhaul.

 

[jpeden]

The intention was to overhaul future world every ten years or so.

They pretty much gave up after the first overhaul.

Did they give up because it just wasn't feasible? Could they not find new corporate sponsors? Or were they just too cheap after seeing what the first re-do cost?

 

[MerlinTheGoat]

Watching this film just confirms something I've always thought. The original EPCOT was a cool concept... but not really a sustainable one. The future is always changing... it's a moving target. To maintain a current real-life vision of the future requires constant updates to match expectations. The cost of those yearly updates would likely be more than the profit the park generates...which is why the focus has shifted from "the future", to "the world".

An infinitely less wealthy Disney built EPCOT Center, and went in intending to keep its original concept fresh. This was before the park opened to massive success, and it was responsible for keeping Disney profitable during the years in which their animation was performing poorly. And they were happy to follow this resolve for the first 10-12 years of its life.

Also worth reminding is something has been mentioned far too many times here. 1982's original EPCOT Center is STILL far ahead of the times in 2017. Most of the technologies and futures its attractions were talking about have still yet to become a reality.

Take Horizons as probably the most "bold" in future prediction in the entire park for example. We have yet to build underwater cities or make good on really developing desert agriculture. We're nowhere closer to legit flying cars than we were in the 80s. And we definitely don't have space colonies as a viable living space, even for trained astronauts, let alone as an option for the general public. The core future predictions of the ride are pretty much as out there and fun to look forward to today as they were in the 80s.

Many of the other rides weren't even focused on predicting the future beyond perhaps some of the scenes at the end. Most are a look back into the past at our accomplishments. Only Spaceship Earth's descent sequence (which costs very little to keep updated every 5-10 years) has ever delved into the future, the rest of the ride is past history. World of Motion had a video at the end and a futuristic city model, both of which would have been peanuts to update every few years (and the post-ride car showroom is still present and they continue to update it today). The rest of Motion was a comical tour of the past. Universe of Energy used a number of prehistoric scenes, and the original video didn't really have anything that "dated" it either (lots of abstract imagery).

Imagination was a ride about applying inspiration and abstract thought into various forms of creativity (including literature, performance arts or science). The ride would require pretty much no updates in a conceptual sense (just various plussing to projections, animatronics and other minor effects, same as all other rides eventually get).

Living with the Land's greenhouse had some futuristic ideas, but i'd say many of these ideas are still under-utilized in the real world and just as applicable today. It also remains one of the more refreshing scenes due to continually swapping in and out different plant exhibits throughout the year. The prior interior scenes were never futuristic.

Communicore was one of the few attractions that required frequent updates. But its exhibits were also probably less expensive to keep updated than spending hundreds of millions to gut and replace a ride.

 

[trainplane3]

An infinitely less wealthy Disney built EPCOT Center, and went in intending to keep its original concept fresh. This was before the park opened to massive success, and it was responsible for keeping Disney profitable during the years in which their animation was performing poorly. And they were happy to follow this resolve for the first 10-12 years of its life.

Also worth reminding is something has been mentioned far too many times here. 1982's original EPCOT Center is STILL far ahead of the times in 2017. Most of the technologies and futures its attractions were talking about have still yet to become a reality.

Take Horizons as probably the most "bold" in future prediction in the entire park for example. We have yet to build underwater cities or make good on really developing desert agriculture. We're nowhere closer to legit flying cars than we were in the 80s. And we definitely don't have space colonies as a viable living space, even for trained astronauts, let alone as an option for the general public. The core future predictions of the ride are pretty much as out there and fun to look forward to today as they were in the 80s.

Many of the other rides weren't even focused on predicting the future beyond perhaps some of the scenes at the end. Most are a look back into the past at our accomplishments. Only Spaceship Earth's descent sequence (which costs very little to keep updated every 5-10 years) has ever delved into the future, the rest of the ride is past history. World of Motion had a video at the end and a futuristic city model, both of which would have been peanuts to update every few years (and the post-ride car showroom is still present and they continue to update it today). The rest of Motion was a comical tour of the past. Universe of Energy used a number of prehistoric scenes, and the original video didn't really have anything that "dated" it either (lots of abstract imagery).

Imagination was a ride about applying inspiration and abstract thought into various forms of creativity (including literature, performance arts or science). The ride would require pretty much no updates in a conceptual sense (just various plussing to projections, animatronics and other minor effects, same as all other rides eventually get).

Living with the Land's greenhouse had some futuristic ideas, but i'd say many of these ideas are still under-utilized in the real world and just as applicable today. It also remains one of the more refreshing scenes due to continually swapping in and out different plant exhibits throughout the year. The prior interior scenes were never futuristic.

Communicore was one of the few attractions that required frequent updates. But its exhibits were also probably less expensive to keep updated than spending hundreds of millions to gut and replace a ride.

I largely agree with this. I think Communicore was the one thing that would need updated every 5-10 years. But the key word is update and not gut, rebuild, and replace. Update the exhibits, change some colors around, play with the lighting, done. Going from CC to Innoventions didn't seem worth it. Especially since the dark and neon-ish 90's have passed VERY quickly, the open and airy CC would be a perfect fit. Oh and ditch the nets, you don't catch fish in the sky you silly mouse. This is one of the few moments that I'd be okay with Apple coming in and taking something over. I think they'd nail it and bring a massive amount of attention to CC in many positive ways. And aren't Apple and Disney like best pals or something? Look at Apples new HQ and even Steve Jobs Theater. It's literally the definition of open.
Theater:

HQ:

I get they wanted thrills in Epcot during the Eisner days and that's fine. In my opinion:
- Horizons should've stayed (CoP is still around!). M:S could've been build elsewhere, considering how small its building is when compared to the other pavilions.
- The Land is doing better then ever thanks to Soarin'.
- The Seas would need something since I remember it being kind of...grimy and run down feeling (?) in its later years pre-Nemo.
- WoM...I'm not sure. Maybe should've kept it longer and went straight to TT 2.0? TT 1.0 would still fit but TT 2.0 is much better in terms of the future transportation idea instead of "car factory warehouse". Oh and burn the scaffolding and banners out front. Please.
- UoE, that proposed "big bang" pitch seemed really neat and would've been a great move going from Ellen.
- WoL needed something to draw people in. I remember it being mostly empty every time I was there.
- Imagination needed better tech to get the turntable to work. If they could've straightened it out 100%, it would probably still be with us but with basic plussings.
- SSE is fine (ditch the stupid screens and current ending...but it was fun hitting a random language with a friend and hearing it completely different). Minor changes sure, but still the same opening day attraction. Can't complain when compared to the rest of the park now.
- Entrance...I think everyone knows my opinions on this. Nuke the tombstones from orbit get and place the plaques along side the entrance, under the overhangs that "wrap" the entrance-way. Rebuild the original planters and put some shiny crystals on top of the entrance fountain/water feature(?).
- I'm not sure if it's possible, but maybe push FW out a little further and build thrill rides behind/next to the current pavilions. But that might look cluttered. Weather pavilion between the Land and Seas? I think it could be pulled off with enough $$ and thought invested.
- The original pavilion logos would work incredibly well today. They should return in some form as the main identifiers of the pavilions.

 

[The Empress Lilly]

An infinitely less wealthy Disney built EPCOT Center, and went in intending to keep its original concept fresh. This was before the park opened to massive success, and it was responsible for keeping Disney profitable during the years in which their animation was performing poorly. And they were happy to follow this resolve for the first 10-12 years of its life.

Also worth reminding is something has been mentioned far too many times here. 1982's original EPCOT Center is STILL far ahead of the times in 2017. Most of the technologies and futures its attractions were talking about have still yet to become a reality.

Take Horizons as probably the most "bold" in future prediction in the entire park for example. We have yet to build underwater cities or make good on really developing desert agriculture. We're nowhere closer to legit flying cars than we were in the 80s. And we definitely don't have space colonies as a viable living space, even for trained astronauts, let alone as an option for the general public. The core future predictions of the ride are pretty much as out there and fun to look forward to today as they were in the 80s.

Many of the other rides weren't even focused on predicting the future beyond perhaps some of the scenes at the end. Most are a look back into the past at our accomplishments. Only Spaceship Earth's descent sequence (which costs very little to keep updated every 5-10 years) has ever delved into the future, the rest of the ride is past history. World of Motion had a video at the end and a futuristic city model, both of which would have been peanuts to update every few years (and the post-ride car showroom is still present and they continue to update it today). The rest of Motion was a comical tour of the past. Universe of Energy used a number of prehistoric scenes, and the original video didn't really have anything that "dated" it either (lots of abstract imagery).

Imagination was a ride about applying inspiration and abstract thought into various forms of creativity (including literature, performance arts or science). The ride would require pretty much no updates in a conceptual sense (just various plussing to projections, animatronics and other minor effects, same as all other rides eventually get).

Living with the Land's greenhouse had some futuristic ideas, but i'd say many of these ideas are still under-utilized in the real world and just as applicable today. It also remains one of the more refreshing scenes due to continually swapping in and out different plant exhibits throughout the year. The prior interior scenes were never futuristic.

Communicore was one of the few attractions that required frequent updates. But its exhibits were also probably less expensive to keep updated than spending hundreds of millions to gut and replace a ride.

Yes. Also, the rides are an exposition of their concept. Contemporary and fleeting developments are then further explored in an ever changing exhibition about these concepts, individually and hands on. Energy, Motion, Communication and the Seas follow this pattern. Imagination in its own way too. The Land has a separate movie that serves a bit the same purpose, and the second half of the boat ride changes by its very nature and is constantly refreshed. Horizons is the general ride that connects everything so doesn't need a specific easily changeable exhibit.

A beautiful system. Then again, EPCOT Center is the greatest, most daring, most mesmerisingly beautiful theme park ever build. ^_^

 

[marni1971]

@marni1971 Sorry to bother you but do you know if they will play the original Future World BGM as well as the original Rope Drop spiel on the 35th? And also were these used on the 25th and 30th?

BGM maybe. Spiels I doubt it, and no and no.

 

[OG Runner]

It is too bad that many of the "attractions" are so attached to sponsorship. If Disney
really wanted EPCOT to be, what they made it, (Not Walt's vision), they could have
made it easier for companies to be part of it. I went to EPCOT in the mid-80s and
going through Communicore East & West was fun and interesting. Now it is more of
a ghost town, opportunity to get out of the sun.

 

[JohnD]

The whole point of We're Getting Ready was just to be a construction hype song to end the video.

Personally, I feel like its a missed opportunity to not make altered versions of it into a traditional "Build hype for a new theme park" song.

I'm sure it was groovy in the 70s. This particular song doesn't stand the test of time, unlike Imagination, Golden Dreams, and even the original Universe of Energy.

 

[Haymarket2008]

So.....NO announcements expected? Not even any more bones to throw us?