EPCOT New York

[Vinny]

It will be so awesome to build a second EPCOT theme park where the 1964-'65 World's Fair was in New York! Essentially this park can change the world through being an evolved and powered up version of the 1964 World's Fair. Creating this futuristic science and culturally unifying theme park in the heart of New York will help inspire everyone into participating in creating a much better world!

 

[epcotisbest]

It would be so AWESOME to build a second EPCOT Center where the 1964-'65 World's Fair was in New York!
What are your thoughts about this idea?

 

[Vinny]

Beautiful picture!: "Frozen", great metaphor too! And my answer to the weather concern: Kinetic Architecture
Imagine massive convertible roofs and telescoping high tech tent structures. One of the major themes of EPCOT New York would be about designing the future of our entire world, so an outdoor park than can transform into an indoor park is a perfect example of futuristic engineering. The roof and gigantic sliding doors of the AT&T stadium in Texas, is a great example of kinetic architecture. They transform that huge indoor arena, that has a capacity of over 105,000 people, into an outdoor arena. Another great innovation is the Denver International Airport's tensile membrane structured roof. That's a proven tent structure that has no problems with the demands of Colorado's winters. The next step in engineering would be building that modern tent roof structure in a convertible fashion so it can open up during the Summer and warmer parts of the year.

 

[WDW Guru]

Beautiful picture; and my answer: Kinetic Architecture
Imagine massive convertible roofs and telescoping tent structures. The main theme of EPCOT New York would be about designing the future of our entire world, so an outdoor park than can transform into an indoor park is a perfect example of futuristic engineering. The roof and gigantic sliding doors of the AT&T stadium in Texas, is a great example of kinetic architecture. They transform that huge indoor arena, that has a capacity of over 105,000 people, into an outdoor arena. Another great innovation is the Denver International Airport's tensile membrane structured roof. That's a proven tent structure that has no problems with the demands of Colorado's winters. The next step in engineering would be building that modern tent roof structure in a convertible fashion so it can open up during the Summer and warmer parts of the year.

Cool idea but the way that Epcot at Disney World has been treated, I don't think that would be a great idea. Imagine having the dome stuck and them not willing to fix or replace it.

 

[mouse_luv]

My thoughts are that this should be in the Imagineering forum.

 

[Vinny]

Cool idea but the way that Epcot at Disney World has been treated, I don't think that would be a great idea. Imagine having the dome stuck and them not willing to fix or replace it.

I think the park would be incredibly profitable, so they would not have that problem. Plus high tech tent structures are easier and much cheaper to engineer. About profitability: think of how many people who live in New York and visit Disney World every year. As long as this park distinguishes itself as something different from the other parks in WDW, it will be an additional Disney park visited by New Yorkers. And most importantly think of all of the people in New York who can not afford a vacation in Florida, but these people's live's could be dramatically influenced in a positive way by spending a day at this new and much improved version of the 1964 World's Fair. And then there are the people who visit New York for tourism. That number is already astronomical and it is very probable most of them will also visit a new EPCOT Center in the heart of New York, that delivers the newest tangible vision of the future of our entire world.

 

[Vinny]

VISION: EPCOT NEW YORK - Experience the positive energy of EPCOT New York this Saturday, November 19th, by participating in the running races at the World's Fair Grounds in New York and envisioning what an inspiring place can be built. The initiative of the 1964-'65 New York World's fair was to inspire a new generation of scientists and people who want to build a better world, as to can be the important initiative of building EPCOT New York.

 

[NYwdwfan]

Cool idea but a logistical nightmare. It's hard enough driving through that area when the Mets are playing, even worse when the US Open is in town AND the Mets are playing and it's going to be worse once they fix LaGuardia and there are more people flying in/out of there. There would need to be some serious improvements in infrastructure before something like that could be considered.

 

[Vinny]

Sounds like the perfect call for some new monorails !! Think about it, it would be awesome! Jamaica LIRR Station is less than a mile or two to the south and LaGuardia is only two miles away. This could amazingly revitalize the entire surrounding area with a new preferred method of mass transportation and easily shuttle visitors into and out of the area.

 

[Vinny]

It would be so awesome to build a second EPCOT theme park where the 1964-'65 World's Fair was in New York! Creating this futuristic science and culturally unifying theme park in the heart of New York will help inspire everyone in our entire society into participating in creating a much better world!

The only way building such a place would make sense is if it was built by a considerable team of sociologists, scientists, architects, and investors, who are committed to making a huge impact on the culture of New York City and NYC tourists, the way the 1964 World's Fair did, and changing the lives of the park's visitors through inspirational and informative attractions, and showing the visitors that they can become a part of a much better world if they themselves are committed to helping to create it.

 

[rob0519]

It would be so awesome to build a second EPCOT theme park where the 1964-'65 World's Fair was in New York! Creating this futuristic science and culturally unifying theme park in the heart of New York will help inspire everyone in our entire society into participating in creating a much better world!

So, building a theme park in New York would somehow inspire "everyone" in our entire society to participate in creating a much better world? Wow! Imagine eliminating all the poverty, unemployment, bigotry and all other societal ills by building another Space Ship Earth!

This is just my opinion, but, the Wold's Fair didn't make society better. The original Epcot didn't make society better, so why on earth would another park make a difference? When Epcot was built, there were dozens of corporate sponsors to involved to make it happen. Each thought it was a good way to get their products and name out to the public. With all the media available today, there is no reason for such corporate sponsorship anymore. This is evident by the lack of sponsors for major attractions at Epcot today. If Disney cannot keep the original park from falling into a such a state of stagnant attractions and disrepair, how would they do any better in a location with four seasons and the cold, ice and snow putting even more stress on the physical plant and the employees?

 

[Vinny]

So, building a theme park in New York would somehow inspire "everyone" in our entire society to participate in creating a much better world? Wow! Imagine eliminating all the poverty, unemployment, bigotry and all other societal ills by building another Space Ship Earth!

This is just my opinion, but, the Wold's Fair didn't make society better. The original Epcot didn't make society better, so why on earth would another park make a difference? When Epcot was built, there were dozens of corporate sponsors to involved to make it happen. Each thought it was a good way to get their products and name out to the public. With all the media available today, there is no reason for such corporate sponsorship anymore. This is evident by the lack of sponsors for major attractions at Epcot today. If Disney cannot keep the original park from falling into a such a state of stagnant attractions and disrepair, how would they do any better in a location with four seasons and the cold, ice and snow putting even more stress on the physical plant and the employees?

I know a lot of successful people in New York who say they were inspired by the 1964 World's Fair. They also say that visiting the fair to them was like visiting a different world in the future with a Utopian society. So building such a place can inspire people to envision a better world that they can become a part of. Each person's visit to the 1964 World's Fair is an accountable influential factor to their career choice and direction in life. To build such a place can be a strong tool for positive societal change.

 

[rob0519]

I know a lot of successful people in New York who say they were inspired by the 1964 World's Fair. They also say that visiting the fair to them was like visiting a different world in the future with a Utopian society. So building such a place can inspire people to envision a better world that they can become a part of. And their visits to the 1964 World's Fair is an accountable factor to their career choice and direction in life. To build such a place can be a strong tool for positive societal change.

 

[ShoalFox]

Flushing Meadows Corona Park is the fourth largest park in New York City. It would be a bad idea to develop it further not just for the environmental effects, but also because it would only add to the excessive crowds in the area whenever Citi Field or the tennis facilities are being used. The already crowded roads would be even more gridlocked and the (7) subway train which serves Flushing is already an extremely crowded line. Besides, there's a reason why World's Fairs aren't held anymore; the world simply moved on.

FMCP would be better off if left the way it is now: a functioning park and a historic landmark.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Besides, there's a reason why World's Fairs aren't held anymore; the world simply moved on

There was one last year and one next year.

 

[Vinny]

Flushing Meadows Corona Park is the fourth largest park in New York City. It would be a bad idea to develop it further not just for the environmental effects, but also because it would only add to the excessive crowds in the area whenever Citi Field or the tennis facilities are being used. The already crowded roads would be even more gridlocked and the (7) subway train which serves Flushing is already an extremely crowded line. Besides, there's a reason why World's Fairs aren't held anymore; the world simply moved on.

FMCP would be better off if left the way it is now: a functioning park and a historic landmark.

Simple but important fix: building a monorail. New York can seriously use a new monorail for tourism and urban renewal. LaGuardia airport which is currently being entirely renovated and updated is less than a mile or two away, Citi Field and the US Open are right there, and there were plans to build an enormous convention center there also, but there were traffic concerns. A monorail would fix that problem. And then the monorail can connect to the Long Island Rail Road which is also right there, making this park very accessible using mass transportation from all over the tri-state area. A monorail connection from the LIRR to LaGuardia has already been politically well supported. A project like this has so much unbelievably positive potential for great things.

 

[The Empress Lilly]

I love classic World's Fairs! Endlessly fascinating.

Plus dinosaurs. Always dinosaurs! Here be dinosaurs on their way to yet another world's fair gig:

 

[Vinny]

I believe building this place would be the perfect example of God's true intention as to why people ever created such a place called a "theme park." A place that will educate and inspire people through entertainment. An entire day of a visit to a place where a person is immersed in what can become the greatest technologies and shared unifying beliefs in the future of our world. A place where people can actually experience what its like to be a part of a team of doctors operating to save a life, being an astronaut utilizing space bending technology to travel to a far off galaxy, or perhaps being a human ambassador making contact with a newly discovered alien species from outer space.

Here are some examples of possible attraction experiences

1) Being a doctor on a missioned craft shrunken down to operate inside of a patient's body - (The original Body Wars attraction (which has since disappeared) at EPCOT debuted nearly 30 years ago, so I'm sure the Imagineers can make a remarkable technology and story-line upgrade to this transcending concept of a ride)

2) Journeying into the universe on a new form of transportation that is faster than light

3) Saying hi, how's everything?, to some new interstellar guests

4) An adventurous journey through the human mind and spirit

5) And of course the park would only be half complete without the other important theme of world peace and unity being illuminated.
The Imagineers got this completely right as the fastest way to create world peace:

How can EPCOT New York be even more unifying? Answer: EPCOT New York will feature all cultural themes as being blended. All food offerings as "fusion food" in blended cultural buildings. Nations that may be separated by half the globe will be architecturally and culturally represented blended together!

 

[Vinny]

Although it will be an extremely entertaining place, building EPCOT New York is not about building just some amusement type park. It's about building a place that will change society through its design and attractions and make the future better by the ideas that are communicated within. Walt Disney originally wanted to build a real Utopian city that would lead the world into becoming a better place where people had better lives. EPCOT stands for the Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow. When Walt Disney passed on, without his leadership, the company was not able to build his city, but they still built EPCOT as a place that would teach the world that we can live better lives if we proceed our efforts in the right direction.

Here is an awesome quote from Martin A. Sklar, the legendary President of Imagineering:

..."What was lacking was a public focus for new ideas and concepts, a "center" for the communication of new possibilities for the future - directly to the public. To answer this need, we are developing Epcot Center: a permanent world's fair of imagination, discovery, education, and exploration that combines the Disney entertainment and communication skills with the knowledge and predictions for the future of authorities from industry, the academic world, and the professions. Our goal is to inspire the visitors who comes here, so that they will be turned on to the positive potential of the future and will want to participate in making the decisions that will shape it. We believe that in a world of cynicism and negativism abound, there is another story, and we have chosen, with forethought and conviction, to tell it, and to be the voice of optimism.
..."If we build all this correctly, if we build it beautifully, if we set an example for the world, we can change the whole damn country. That's how important you are. That's how important I feel, working with you. People will come from all over the world; the're already doing it at Disneyland and Disney World...so, what we're going to do in the next year and the next five years and the next thirty years is change our own country, only for the better. And after that - the world.
It's a big project. But of all the groups in the world, while everyone else is busy talking, your doing the stuff that's really going to count.

Martin A. Sklar
Vice President
Creative Development
WED Enterprises

November 20,1981