I just want to briefly comment on Epcot for a moment. I've seen many posts describing what should be done with Epcot, why it "doesn't work" and other things in a similar vein. However, I have yet to see one post that recognizes the real "problem" of Epcot, and without understanding that, no fruitful discussion can really take place.
The basic core of the problem is not that it is too expensive to maintain Future World and keep it futuristic - it's that the future is not all that exciting today. Stay with me on this, I'll explain.
When Epcot was built and opened, technology was experiencing an explosion of interest. Personal computers were just coming into their own. The Space Shuttle brought the excitement of space travel back into peoples' lives in a way not experienced since the race to the moon. There was a lot to be excited about, and people were excited. They wanted to learn about these new ideas and technologies that were poised to change the world. Epcot fit this need perfectly.
But as time has passed, the exciting technologies of yesterday's Epcot have come into reality and the everyday lives of people. The exciting promise of that era have come, been absorbed, and gone.
So in order for Epcot to come into a second age, so to speak, it needs to latch onto the ideas and technologies of today that promise an interesting and exciting future. The problem is - there aren't any.
The enormous growth of computing power means - in the minds of most people - that virtually anything is possible in the realm of technology, and if it's isn't possible just yet, it will be soon enough. There is no magic, no mystery, no exciting new things to uncover that are general enough to be palatable to the masses.
So what is Epcot to do? I think the idea of making Future World into Thrill Ride World is a horrible idea, because it just doesn't gel with World Showcase. Besides, wasn't Walt creating a place with Disneyland (and, by proxy, the other resorts) where parents and children can have fun together? How is that possible when Little Johnny isn't tall enough to ride any of the thrill rides, or Mommy has a weak heart and can't tolerate them? What sort of confrontations will World Showcase and Thrill Ride World have with each others' patrons?
I think a great approach for the Future World attractions would be to make them more what some of them once were. SE still does this, since the show hasn't changed, but it's in need of a good refurb. To this end, what I'm suggesting is this: Make Epcot a place to inform and inspire. . Sounds familiar, doesn't it?
But how can we do this when there's nothing terribly exciting on the horizon? Simple - present the history and evolution of some of the technologies that we take for granted today, and end the show with an inspiring fanfare for the promise of tomorrow. This used to be a common theme and approach on Disney rides, but has been replaced with the bigger, badder, faster mentality that so permeates the forgettable one day thrill parks that dot the American landscape.
I am a huge coaster buff. I love many types of thrill rides, but coasters above all. The country has many great coaster and thrill ride parks to choose from. However, Disney never loses my business to a one day thrill park because I go to Disney to experience Disney magic. That magic is not found in cheap, unimaginative thrills. It's found in details, imagination, and the ability to inspire.
Let us hope Disney never loses sight of what made it great in the first place....if it's not too late already.
The basic core of the problem is not that it is too expensive to maintain Future World and keep it futuristic - it's that the future is not all that exciting today. Stay with me on this, I'll explain.
When Epcot was built and opened, technology was experiencing an explosion of interest. Personal computers were just coming into their own. The Space Shuttle brought the excitement of space travel back into peoples' lives in a way not experienced since the race to the moon. There was a lot to be excited about, and people were excited. They wanted to learn about these new ideas and technologies that were poised to change the world. Epcot fit this need perfectly.
But as time has passed, the exciting technologies of yesterday's Epcot have come into reality and the everyday lives of people. The exciting promise of that era have come, been absorbed, and gone.
So in order for Epcot to come into a second age, so to speak, it needs to latch onto the ideas and technologies of today that promise an interesting and exciting future. The problem is - there aren't any.
The enormous growth of computing power means - in the minds of most people - that virtually anything is possible in the realm of technology, and if it's isn't possible just yet, it will be soon enough. There is no magic, no mystery, no exciting new things to uncover that are general enough to be palatable to the masses.
So what is Epcot to do? I think the idea of making Future World into Thrill Ride World is a horrible idea, because it just doesn't gel with World Showcase. Besides, wasn't Walt creating a place with Disneyland (and, by proxy, the other resorts) where parents and children can have fun together? How is that possible when Little Johnny isn't tall enough to ride any of the thrill rides, or Mommy has a weak heart and can't tolerate them? What sort of confrontations will World Showcase and Thrill Ride World have with each others' patrons?
I think a great approach for the Future World attractions would be to make them more what some of them once were. SE still does this, since the show hasn't changed, but it's in need of a good refurb. To this end, what I'm suggesting is this: Make Epcot a place to inform and inspire. . Sounds familiar, doesn't it?
But how can we do this when there's nothing terribly exciting on the horizon? Simple - present the history and evolution of some of the technologies that we take for granted today, and end the show with an inspiring fanfare for the promise of tomorrow. This used to be a common theme and approach on Disney rides, but has been replaced with the bigger, badder, faster mentality that so permeates the forgettable one day thrill parks that dot the American landscape.
I am a huge coaster buff. I love many types of thrill rides, but coasters above all. The country has many great coaster and thrill ride parks to choose from. However, Disney never loses my business to a one day thrill park because I go to Disney to experience Disney magic. That magic is not found in cheap, unimaginative thrills. It's found in details, imagination, and the ability to inspire.
Let us hope Disney never loses sight of what made it great in the first place....if it's not too late already.
) ppl have so much more access to technology and information than they did when Epcot first opened. The stuff that they used to have (like the Energy Exchange) just isnt that exciting anymore (for most)
