Moth
Well-Known Member
Gonna make assumptions and say "yes" to the former, and I have no idea for the latter.
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EPCOT Figment, well, to be replaced by Figment
- Thread starter Walrus from Paris
- Start date
CastAStone
5th gate? Just build a new resort Bob.
All they need to do is blow the dust off and plug it back in, if certain cast members are to be believed.
MerlinTheGoat
Well-Known Member
The tunnel was 99% gone by 2017. They were dismantling it between 2016-2017. There's a video from 2017 where someone snuck inside and shot footage of the room. All that was left was the metallic circular entrance, nothing else. There were still a few scattered props at the time (like on the walls), but even that might all be gone by now. Some of it was marked for archival.
They should definitely still use this space for a revamped Imageworks (including a new rainbow tunnel), though it would pretty much need to be completely rebuilt at this point. Meanwhile knock down a bunch of the walls downstairs and return it back to the open space and bright pastel colors of the original aesthetic.
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Horizonsfan
Well-Known Member
I completely agree about the need to move back upstairs. The location of Imageworks in v4 will be a real canary in the coal mine for v4's quality level.
Even if they keep the v2/v3 track layout, moving Imageworks upstairs would give a lot of space to a well-themed queue after the lobby and a preshow that could serve the same function as the v1 turntable.
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dreamfinding
Well-Known Member
I know we will never have a full restoration of 1.0, but I wonder what the chances are of getting the turntable back?
dreamfinding
Well-Known Member
They also sold scraps of imagination 1.0 and 2.0 in pin form. The ones for 1.0 contain pieces of a banner used in the pavilion.
dreamfinding
Well-Known Member
Not that this would ever happen, but if they gave him creative control AND a healthy budget…
V_L_Raptor
Well-Known Member
I have absolutely zero insider information for corroboration, but.
It wasn't too awful long ago that Joe Rohde* was around seemingly to assess EPCOT as it currently sits and works (or doesn't). We're getting some encouraging news about Test Track's refurb. Order and budget may still be in question, but it's clear that Imagination is on some prominent list, somewhere, for some overhauling.
Now that people are busy polishing (and repairing the light strings for) their laurels at the wonder of the "Evolved Epcot" project, I'm wondering if we're maybe looking at the beginning of the real EPCOT upgrade process.
*"Rohde" as in the Imagineer, not "Rhode" as in Island
It wasn't too awful long ago that Joe Rohde* was around seemingly to assess EPCOT as it currently sits and works (or doesn't). We're getting some encouraging news about Test Track's refurb. Order and budget may still be in question, but it's clear that Imagination is on some prominent list, somewhere, for some overhauling.
Now that people are busy polishing (and repairing the light strings for) their laurels at the wonder of the "Evolved Epcot" project, I'm wondering if we're maybe looking at the beginning of the real EPCOT upgrade process.
*"Rohde" as in the Imagineer, not "Rhode" as in Island
Moth
Well-Known Member
#ANDNEW
Next on the chopping block is....
Not the character. The character isn't leaving.
I have it on good word that Imagination is next up after TT reopens. I don't know specifics outside of Figment still being apart of the pavilion.
SSE could like, still jump ahead. But Imagination is currently being looked at for development after TT is active.
We could be back.
I doubt Journey Into Imagination will be active until Tropical Americas and Beyond Big Thunder are done though. But you could see it go down once work starts on either or. I expect it to be up before Studio's work is done. (whatever it may be, that is something still in flux because it's prime real-estate)
But intentions are serious. But rest assured. Imagination and SSE are in good arms.
It's kinda sad that this is basically the original post just years later, huh? What else can you do...
This is also kinda the end of information I have that'd interest yall. The other stuff is more mundane/stuff that's scrapped.
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I want to get of Mr. Figments Wild Ride. God I hope it isn’t inside out with figment.
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FigmentFan82
Well-Known Member
I have to say, if the rumors that have just come out truly indicate the direction their looking to go for Imagination I'm pretty happy. Inside Out isn't my favorite, but by no means my least of Pixar IP and very glad the sequel is having great success which will hopefully push good things in Imagination to actually happen. Fingers crossed all good things!
SageOfTime
Well-Known Member
just for curiosity's sake, what kind of scrapped stuff have you heard about?
Disnutz311
Disney World Purist
Yes. We like hearing scrapped stuff too!
MerlinTheGoat
Well-Known Member
Both Martin and (for those who remember him as another reputable source of info) Lee said years back that the turntable would never move again. I don't know if this means that construction crews during the V2 overhaul did something to permanently damage it and prevent it from ever being repaired with any reasonable sum of money (like concreting/welding it in place or some other destructive act), or if it just refers to there being an iron-clad agreement from everyone at Disney to never attempt to fix it. But either way, it doesn't seem like it will ever return. I just assume it would be deemed as either impossible, or too cost prohibitive to get it working again (probably more the latter because most things DO ultimately have a price tag, however difficult).
Repairing and re-extending the original longer track layout seems like it would be more feasible. At least i'd assume so, I don't really know for sure. I think there are still parts of the old track allegedly underneath the flooring of the queue/load areas. Not that I think this would be likely either, but it's probably more reasonable of a hope than the turntable working again.
I actually had pretty much the same basic ideas. Including recreating the Flight into Imagination scene via a standing preshow at the end of the queue right before load/unload. Basically what Dinosaur does with its preshow (or alternately, the double Haunted Mansion stretching rooms at WDW), but as a return of the original physical scene instead of a video.
Basically here's what I sketched up using Park Lore's layouts as a basis (thanks very much to them for providing these nice drawings)-
Imageworks moves back upstairs where it belongs. The downstairs lobby is restored as closely as possible to its original bright pastel colored mural-adorned open space cyllindrical glory. A spiraling queue that also uses this freed up open space (going out on a limb here and assume that this ride would probably command much longer waits than what is there right now). At the end, a standing recreation of the Rise into the Clouds and Flight into Imagination scenes. That scene was approximately three and a half minutes, which is very similar to the runtime of other preshows like Dinosaur's. Double alternating theaters so the queue doesn't halt for too long (some lost capacity/efficiency is inevitable without the turntable sadly).
I've moved and consolidated the load and unload areas, freeing up space for other scenes. Load is now the entry into the Dreamport. There was also some extra space to expand the initial Dreamport ride scene, so I went ahead and used it. After that, most of the original ride should now be possible to recreate faithfully until the film reel tunnel and finale. This is why I consolidated and moved the load and unload further up the track, to free up some more space for a new finale based on the original. At unload, I sort of just came up with a purpleish/blue prismatic exit tunnel, not unlike the rainbow one upstairs but with colors that more closely reflect the downstairs lobby and Figment/Dreamfinder. At the end of that, I threw Disney a (undeserved) bone since they love their giftshops. Whatever incentive it takes to get the ride done right and actualy keep it around.
Guess this belongs in the armchair section, but eh.
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Epcot82Guy
Well-Known Member
Your concept is similar to what I've had in mind for years. (Thank you for sketching it into something real.) While the turn table was really awesome, I think a pre-show approach also works well. I also think loading in the Dreamport as an idea could actually plus the original (as you could see all the details). Point being - this is one of the few where a modern redo could actually be better than the original in some ways, So, the fact it's not seen that way is frustrating.
Moth
Well-Known Member
The Space restaurant?
Was gonna be Horizons: Bar and Grill. Hilarious idea. I got shown some art over a call with someone and we laughed for a solid five minutes. If it was revealed the forums would be split on its the death of Epcot or the best call back ever.
The other scrapped stuff is common knowledge (Inside Out in Imagination 2017 plans) or stuff I mentioned before.
Wonders of Life was toyed with to become a giant restaurant or a wedding venue for awhile.
Spaceship Earth story-light pitch had a ton of Disney IP jammed in.
Jungle Cruise had a WHOLE movie overlay planned with an AA Rock!
Mission Breakout almost came to FL until they wanted to put Guardians in EPCOT.
Brazil was gonna happen! Until it wasn't.
This is an oldie but Disney wanted to make a "Studio Ghibli Garden" walk thru back when they had the rights to the films.
Energy almost became Monsters Inc. The Land was a pitched location for The Good Dinosaur cross-promo.
The original M&G idea for Figment was a VR character in PLAY! using a different design.
I saw some PLAY! merch actually. WIPs but, Inside Out and BH6 were gonna end up in there from what I remember. This is older stuff haha. I dont wanna give away where my info and other sources are but they're not like up close and personal with blueprints yknow? They get told the gist and they work on what they work on.
Some (most) of these plans died young. I just get reminded of HORIZONS: BAR AND GRILL and laugh for an hour.
SageOfTime
Well-Known Member
Horizons Bar and Grill is just. Wow. I for one would be happy to eat the Mesa Verde Chicken Enchiladas! Also, I will never be more grateful that a project got cancelled than the storylight version of SSE. Nightmarish.
Moth
Well-Known Member
HAH. God I wish they would've done that. Space is cute but Horizons would've been crazy.
Honestly from what I remember (2-3 years ago), Space is basically the same end result, just a different name. Horizons needs to stay dead to milk more merch, duh!
Goodbye Mesa Verde Pork Ribs .... goodbye Alpha Centauri Bubble Tea...