Epcot is kind of a hot mess right now....

FettFan

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Here at the World while attending a series of professional development seminars for teachers, so naturally I'm using my post-seminar time to hit the parks. Today, I was Epcot... and hoo boy.

- The pre-entry area (security checkpoint and ticket purchase) is largely behind construction walls. Was kind of like a labyrinth getting from the parking lot to entrance, and looked to me like everyone had to go through bag check, which is currently under a couple of pop-up canopies.
- The main area of Imagination was closed. I don't know why, just that there were two cast members out front with the entrance courtyard roped off. The Pixar Shorts show was still open.
- All of the buildings are in need of a good pressure washing. From World Showcase, Imagination looks like the glass pyramids have dark streaks around each pane. Test Track looks like a hubcap covered with road film (oddly, in its state it looks more like a garage than it did when it was an actual garage with Test Track v1.0). Spaceship Earth also looked a bit dingy (side note: they did back SSE's purple and orange evening lights. That's nice) Speaking of SSE....
- It's in desperate need of new projectors. The opening scene of the mammoth hunters that was stunning when it first premiered was so dim you could barely make it out.
- Currently the walkways from Imagination to World Showcase are blocked off. Looks like some landscaping work being done. If you want to walk from Future World to WS on the west side, you have to go through the Innoventions West breezeway.
- Living With the Land.....wow. It's always been one of my favorites, but it's declined badly. They now have pairs of boats tethered together with a metal bar. I don't know why they did this, but the effect is that if you're in the front boat and turn a corner, once the back boat turns, it kind of jerks the front. Maybe it's not noticeable for guests sitting in the front rows, but I was sitting on the very back, and every turn i felt the thing jerk because of the tethered boat following.
- The GotG Coaster show building looks FINE from the parking lot. It's barely visible, and while the majority of it is sky blue, the bottom quarter of it is forest green, blending in with the foliage. It's easy to miss.....from the parking lot.
If you're in World Showcase, it's a whole 'nother story....sticks out like a sore thumb.
389078


I did not visit the American Adventure, so I can neither confirm nor deny the state of our WWII welder friend.


But...some positives:
- Soarin' was almost a walk-on, with only a 15 minute wait. The image looked very good, and the scent effects worked well, so I'm okay with it. Even though I do miss the orange groves.
- Test Track....I can't say for sure. Wait was only about 15 minutes for me, but I went through single rider. So, it's not really indicative of what the actual wait time was.




PS - I'm crossing my fingers that in the upcoming re-imagined Epcot, someone decides to dust off the plans to install a Peoplemover system around World Showcase.
While I'm not personally opposed to walking the distance around the lagoon, it would be a great help for people who are either unable or unwilling to make that hike once the water taxis shut down for the evening fireworks show.
100112_FS_FromTheArchives_EpcotOrigins_TheWorldShowcase_2.2.jpg
 

MisterPenguin

President of Animal Kingdom
Premium Member
The mess started when the Board of Directors assumed corporate sponsors would pony up the same huge wads of cash every ten years to keep their pavilions updated with the pace of advancements in technology. From that moment in time, its fate was sealed.
 

bUU

Well-Known Member
<snip> But...some positives:
Most of what you listed are positives: They show very clearly Disney hard at work and investing a great deal in preparing Epcot for the next couple of decades, after spending so much effort and money improving Magic Kingdom (New Fantasyland, and now TRON), Animal Kingdom Park (Pandora, Rivers of Light), and Hollywood Studios (TSL, SWGE).
 

marni1971

Park History nut
Premium Member
.PS - I'm crossing my fingers that in the upcoming re-imagined Epcot, someone decides to dust off the plans to install a Peoplemover system around World Showcase.
While I'm not personally opposed to walking the distance around the lagoon, it would be a great help for people who are either unable or unwilling to make that hike once the water taxis shut down for the evening fireworks show.
100112_FS_FromTheArchives_EpcotOrigins_TheWorldShowcase_2.2.jpg

It’s worth noting there was never a Peoplemover planned for the version of Showcase that was built.

Also the dawn of time projection issue in SSE has been known about by the park since last year.

Hasn’t there been two boats together since 1982?
Yes. Perhaps the OP means their is a new method of doing it.
 

FettFan

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Hasn’t there been two boats together since 1982?

I must be having a bout of Mandela Effect then, because I distinctly remember single boats on my last trip back in 2013.
Unless they only put the boats in tandem during peak crowd season...
 

winstongator

Well-Known Member
You need to take a picture of the Guardians building that includes Test Track for comparison. If you look at volume, I don't think the Guardians building is much bigger than TT.

I noticed the dim dawn of time for the first time on Tuesday. Isn't SSE getting a lengthy refurb soon?

I did a day trip with my younger daughter and we had a great time. Can't argue there are a lot of construction projects going on though. I'd also like to see a new theater/projector for Impressions de France. That show gave me motion sickness, something I rarely get. Was very hot though, but so has all of Florida for the past few weeks. We caught a cooler (less hot) week in mid-June for our family trip.
 

HoldenC

Well-Known Member
I agree. Epcot is currently the worst park in Orlando. When my family came down a few weeks ago I was horrified that we spent more than 2 hours in the park. Future World is as gross as ever, World Showcase is still tired with mediocre merchandise and okay food. The only positive was ROE which was having a fantastic night when we saw it. (Be prepared to be called a hater for your correct observations and opinions by the way)
 

erasure fan1

Well-Known Member
I read this and immediately thought, "hyperbole". Then I actually thought about my recent visits to all the parks including Universal's (all within 6 mos) and have to agree. Epcot is a problem.
And I am so curious as to how they solve it. Maybe I lack vision, but I don't see how they fix the thematic mess the park is. And based off the rumors, and what's currently being built, it will be a jumbled mess for some time to come.
 

WDW Pro

Well-Known Member
I read this and immediately thought, "hyperbole". Then I actually thought about my recent visits to all the parks including Universal's (all within 6 mos) and have to agree. Epcot is a problem.

EPCOT is so much better than Hollywood Studios at this point that it isn't even funny. Plus, much of the work going on at EPCOT is in the right direction. They do need to go ahead and spend the money to make a worthwhile Imagination ride, they need to put the double decker carousel in the United Kingdom pavilion, and they need to utilize many of the buildings much better moving forward. Overall though, EPCOT is headed in the right direction. Hollywood Studios is a bit of a cluster... okay a lot of a cluster... Animal Kingdom still needs a bit more in the way of attractions... and Magic Kingdom needs additional capacity and traffic management.
 

bryanfze55

Well-Known Member
Does anybody here actually go to the parks and just enjoy them, or...?

All I see is negative comments about Epcot and HS. While I totally agree those parks could use more attractions, I can’t imagine spending so much money visit after visit if you don’t really enjoy the parks.

There’s still very few places like Epcot. World Showcase is one of the most thematically coherent areas in any Disney Park, even with the presence of Frozen. Future World is the lesser area, but it still has some great rides. Plus, the park is just beautiful.

In short, no, Epcot is not a problem.
 

StarWarsGirl

Well-Known Member
Here at the World while attending a series of professional development seminars for teachers, so naturally I'm using my post-seminar time to hit the parks. Today, I was Epcot... and hoo boy.

- The pre-entry area (security checkpoint and ticket purchase) is largely behind construction walls. Was kind of like a labyrinth getting from the parking lot to entrance, and looked to me like everyone had to go through bag check, which is currently under a couple of pop-up canopies.
- The main area of Imagination was closed. I don't know why, just that there were two cast members out front with the entrance courtyard roped off. The Pixar Shorts show was still open.
- All of the buildings are in need of a good pressure washing. From World Showcase, Imagination looks like the glass pyramids have dark streaks around each pane. Test Track looks like a hubcap covered with road film (oddly, in its state it looks more like a garage than it did when it was an actual garage with Test Track v1.0). Spaceship Earth also looked a bit dingy (side note: they did back SSE's purple and orange evening lights. That's nice) Speaking of SSE....
- It's in desperate need of new projectors. The opening scene of the mammoth hunters that was stunning when it first premiered was so dim you could barely make it out.
- Currently the walkways from Imagination to World Showcase are blocked off. Looks like some landscaping work being done. If you want to walk from Future World to WS on the west side, you have to go through the Innoventions West breezeway.
- Living With the Land.....wow. It's always been one of my favorites, but it's declined badly. They now have pairs of boats tethered together with a metal bar. I don't know why they did this, but the effect is that if you're in the front boat and turn a corner, once the back boat turns, it kind of jerks the front. Maybe it's not noticeable for guests sitting in the front rows, but I was sitting on the very back, and every turn i felt the thing jerk because of the tethered boat following.
- The GotG Coaster show building looks FINE from the parking lot. It's barely visible, and while the majority of it is sky blue, the bottom quarter of it is forest green, blending in with the foliage. It's easy to miss.....from the parking lot.
If you're in World Showcase, it's a whole 'nother story....sticks out like a sore thumb.
View attachment 389078

I did not visit the American Adventure, so I can neither confirm nor deny the state of our WWII welder friend.


But...some positives:
- Soarin' was almost a walk-on, with only a 15 minute wait. The image looked very good, and the scent effects worked well, so I'm okay with it. Even though I do miss the orange groves.
- Test Track....I can't say for sure. Wait was only about 15 minutes for me, but I went through single rider. So, it's not really indicative of what the actual wait time was.




PS - I'm crossing my fingers that in the upcoming re-imagined Epcot, someone decides to dust off the plans to install a Peoplemover system around World Showcase.
While I'm not personally opposed to walking the distance around the lagoon, it would be a great help for people who are either unable or unwilling to make that hike once the water taxis shut down for the evening fireworks show.
100112_FS_FromTheArchives_EpcotOrigins_TheWorldShowcase_2.2.jpg
And this was the state of DHS and AK prior to their major overhauls. While you make some valid points, you can't complain about the state and complain about the construction. The construction is how things are improved. There's been plenty of reports here and elsewhere about the construction if you didn't want to arrive surprised.

Spcaeship Earth is rumored to be getting a refurb coming up before 2021.

American Adventure just received a refurb with an updated film at the end and a new recording of the end music. The projections and Anamatroinics were also upgraded.

Living with the Land has had the boats that way for YEARS. It's nothing new.
 

OneofThree

Well-Known Member
You cannot complain about construction and also complain about the state. Construction is to fix problems. I myself have complained about the state of Epcot and there not being enough rides and attractions, but when Disney's trying to fix the problem, it may be annoying, but you cannot have it both ways.

I do not agree with the OP concerning construction complaints. That said, it wasn't the only issued in the original post, and far from the only concerns expressed elsewhere on this board.
 

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