Epcot's "Problem" - Not Exactly

[RealHawker]

There is no longer a ride that makes me think and builds imagination for the future like Horizons did for me when I was 9-12 in the mid 80's.

Spaceship earth is thankfully still there.... Rome burning takes me back.

Mission space is garbage. Test Track is fun, the exit pavillion should be a concept car show all year round.

Hopefully the living seas renovation is for the best...

 

[UncleJeet]

If they're going to do anything to Spaceship Earth, what they need to do is touch up the sets and replace some of the key animatronics with newer models. Give them more life via animation, add more sound cues along the way for them to speak, etc...In essence, the "update" should consist of updating what is already there from a technical standpoint, and nothing more. Heck, they haven't even bothered to replace that bit near the end where the kids are making a bee turn into an airplane and whatnot. My computer was producing better realtime 3D years ago than what they show on the system of the future. It's little things like that that are fairly inexpensive to update, and keep the show always how people remember it.

The trick is to keep all of the show elements that have worked since day one, but you have to update them to be reflective of not what we can do with, for example, an animatronic figure today, but to also be the show that people remember seeing years ago. Memory is a funny thing. When Epcot opened and the show inside of Spaceship Earth was on the cutting edge, it was very impressive and wonderous. If someone who saw the show then goes back today and rides through it, it won't be the same show they remember (and not just because of things like the narration change) - because their memory of the "wow" factor will be very different than what the current experience will be. The way to keep that same sense of wonder and impressiveness is not to strip out the ride and put something else in its place (least of all, a roller coaster), but to simply upgrade what is already there, using the technology and improvements that have been made since the original elements were put in to place.

That's just my two cents. Or ten. I can't ever keep track....

 

[Expo_Seeker40]

Great Thread! :sohappy:

When I go to Epcot (anything past 1999)...I wonder this, is Epcot still or can be an EPCOT Center. Not a total educational place via the 80s but a place that still inspires people like it did when it first opened. It seems like it is gradually recovering to become this.

World Showcase is still an amazing place...the only current world's fair in the USA. BUT even though I can still see opening day attractions and films in world showcase that are hardly untouched...money should be put aside to further "plus" or enhance them. New countries, and actual rides, that give world showcase a broader field. This does NOT mean rides must be INFESTED with character overlays. Attractions and rides can still be built in world showcase that have roots from EPCOT Center but find culture that appeals to audiences of today, and I know not all audiences want or need damn character overlays! LOL.

Future World, perhaps it can still support itself as Future World. architectuarly Epcot is confortable with its age when it comes to future world. Cosmetically IMHO it needs to rehab itself. Wand and stars gone, leave a legacy entrance redo, Innoventions repaint, etc. Make future world FUTURE WORLD. Not some bogus tan era fantasy world of las vegas.

Money Money Money.... :hammer:

Spaceship Earth while it needs a cosmetic and mechanical rehab, it's ending should be changed but still even the ending it has now is very broad.

WoL could be a weather pavilion IMO.

UoE could use an update.

M:S and TT wont change

Land is descent and will be the seas

Imagination...well thats up for grabs.

Innoventions would be the key to convincing people future world is future world. It needs to take a better look how it will involve us in the future and not buying best buy products.

Epcot will forever be mocked and made fun of by people of all ages no matter what happens!!! A balance is already starting to happen, and must continue that will give riders choice of edutainment or thrill, but also of preserving and enhancing the message that is EPCOT Center.