Epcot Horizons VS Worlds Fair Futurama

[ChrisFL]

You wanna see something really neat? Check this out:
http://www.google.com/maps?f=q&sour...714,127.385455&spn=0.005511,0.009645&t=h&z=17

It's Expo Park in Daejeon, South Korea -- site of Expo '93. What's cool is that, unlike other temporary World's Fairs, a lot of the exhibits still exist today, or at least the buildings for them do.

I recently had the opportunity to purchase some concept art and couldn't resist b/c it was so damn EPCOT-y! (The first one is actually an original, second one is a print.)

Wow, now I want to book a flight to South Korea! if I'm allowed in to look at the (empty) buildings...geeky or what?

 

[vintageepcot]

You wanna see something really neat? Check this out:
http://www.google.com/maps?f=q&sour...714,127.385455&spn=0.005511,0.009645&t=h&z=17

It's Expo Park in Daejeon, South Korea -- site of Expo '93. What's cool is that, unlike other temporary World's Fairs, a lot of the exhibits still exist today, or at least the buildings for them do.

I recently had the opportunity to purchase some concept art and couldn't resist b/c it was so damn EPCOT-y! (The first one is actually an original, second one is a print.)

That kind of looks like the Expo Center I have been designing. Of course it will never come to life. I got pix on my profile. I am having trouble posting.

 

[brkgnews]

[thread-drift]

Dear Venture Brothers TV Show... I call NYWF64 Futurama II SHENANIGANS upon your building.

1964...

You...

Signed,
The Internetz


[/thread-drift]

 

[One Lil Spark]

No WF thread is complete until Jackie shows up!

 

[EPCOT Explorer]

"Highways and Horizons" was the name of the entire GM complex at the 39NYWF. It included...
- "Futurama"
- "Previews of Progress" (Yarns made of Milk! Glass that bends! The Frig-O-Therm that cooks and freezes at the same time! The Talking Flashlight transmitting speech over a light beam! [cheezy descriptions lifted straight from the exhibit's guidebook. :lol.
- "Casino of Science" (lectures on science. Wa-frickin'-hoo).
- Multiple displays from about two dozen GM affiliates and divisions, displayed in an "apartment house" in the big-scale city of the future (1960)
- Automobile Display Salon
- 110-foot animated map of the future of the US Highway System

Hooooooolly shnit.:lookaroun:lol:


Why don't we have stuff like this anymore?

/know the answer.

No WF thread is complete until Jackie shows up!

EPIC Avvie.

 

[dweezil78]

Wow, now I want to book a flight to South Korea! if I'm allowed in to look at the (empty) buildings...geeky or what?

A lot of the buildings are actually still open and have exhibits in them. The more space-y looking pic I posted is for an attraction called StarQuest which was a motion simulator ride and I think that's even still open, though possibly not part of the overall park anymore. The soundtrack for it was posted on Mousebits a while back and is almost Disney-like in quality!

Here are the websites for the park if you're interested in learning more:
http://www.expopark.co.kr/eng/eng.html (English)
http://www.expopark.co.kr/ (Korean - but WAY more content and images)

 

[brkgnews]

No WF thread is complete until Jackie shows up!

:king: :wave:

 

[brkgnews]

Hooooooolly shnit.:lookaroun:lol:


Why don't we have stuff like this anymore?

/know the answer.

EPIC Avvie.

The *real* reason we don't see stuff like this anymore is that it's not really necessary anymore.

It's the same basic idea as why the Disney Visitors Center on I-75 in Ocala shut down. The reasoning given was that people were getting their info elsewhere, long before they got to Florida. With the world's fairs, there's not as much of a need to exhibit stuff to an in-person audience with a huge display, because it could be spread online and on TV in a much-more cost-effective manner.

 

[ChrisFL]

The *real* reason we don't see stuff like this anymore is that it's not really necessary anymore.

It's the same basic idea as why the Disney Visitors Center on I-75 in Ocala shut down. The reasoning given was that people were getting their info elsewhere, long before they got to Florida. With the world's fairs, there's not as much of a need to exhibit stuff to an in-person audience with a huge display, because it could be spread online and on TV in a much-more cost-effective manner.

Exactly, and it is also why I think we saw changes at Epcot, like El Rio del Tiempo. Back when it opened, people didn't have an easy way to get to "see" Mexico, but now they can watch all of the travel shows and go online and see pictures in an instant.

Trying to get people to travel for such exhibits in a massive world-wide economy isn't worth as much as being able to broadcast new ideas everywhere with new technology.

 

[dweezil78]

I totally disagree. Look at how well county fairs continue to do -- and the best you'll see at those typically are some old, scary carnie rides, bad food, bands way past their prime, a smelly petting zoo, and an expo hall full of crap offerings from local businesses. And trust me, these things are not cheap anymore!

If people are willing to come out in hordes to see that kind of junk, imagine what kind of turnout you'd get at something with some real thought and innovation put behind it.

 

[EPCOT Explorer]

The *real* reason we don't see stuff like this anymore is that it's not really necessary anymore.

It's the same basic idea as why the Disney Visitors Center on I-75 in Ocala shut down. The reasoning given was that people were getting their info elsewhere, long before they got to Florida. With the world's fairs, there's not as much of a need to exhibit stuff to an in-person audience with a huge display, because it could be spread online and on TV in a much-more cost-effective manner.

So, that's totally not the same thing as seeing it LIVE....


I mean, people still go to WDW...:shrug::lol:

 

[ChrisFL]

I totally disagree. Look at how well county fairs continue to do -- and the best you'll see at those typically are some old, scary carnie rides, bad food, bands way past their prime, a smelly petting zoo, and an expo hall full of crap offerings from local businesses. And trust me, these things are not cheap anymore!

If people are willing to come out in hordes to see that kind of junk, imagine what kind of turnout you'd get at something with some real thought and innovation put behind it.

Well, there has been plenty of world expos that have happened in the past few decades, but they're rarely considered major hits from what I've seen