News Guardians of the Galaxy Cosmic Rewind attraction confirmed for Epcot

[aliceismad]

People were calling DHS a half day park for most of the last decade and a half and that didn't have management scrambling the way Potter did.

Unless you consider Star Wars a longer-term answer to Potter. But it may have already been planned out for decades in advance; I have no idea. They did start all the Star Wars events (including night events) at DHS years ago, so Disney has added Pandora and SW:GE to its two "half-day" parks. Clearly they want people to stay all day, and stay more days, and just give them all their money.

It doesn't surprise me that Epcot is getting a "big" new ride (plus Rat, etc.) to give it the same level of "wow, i want to go there, mommy."

 

[WDWFREAK53]

I was always fascinated by the tomatoes growing out of plastic tubing when I was a youngin'. I was an odd one though.

It was simply an example of EPCOT Center showcasing innovative technology that wasn't consumer electronic based, was feasible, and yet still groundbreaking enough that it took another 30+ years for commercial uses to catch up to the concept. This could still be done if the correct technologies were showcased. For example, Test Track could have showcased electric mobility and it still today would have been relevant with few updates. The Nemo overlay of Seas could have spoken about the evolution of oceanographic research which could have been on point for both IP and existing theme. Mission Space mostly just needed a better pre and post show and would have fit well with old EPCOT, at least until space travel becomes as common as air travel. These are helping guests explore innovative tech that still moves slowly enough to not feel stale after just a few years.

There is too strong an association with the technology side of EPCOT Center being centered around Communicore/Innoventions and guests having hands on interactions with electronics and other "devices". This sells short the legacy of EPCOT Center showcasing or highlighting new technologies like the hydroponic farming of LwtL, or the moving theaters of UoE, or the new homesteads of Horizons, or at the time the largest saltwater tank of the Seas. Some practical and some fanciful. There should still be room for this at the "New Epcot."

FWIW, I'd love for GotG to have some "Energy" edutainment factor too, but I fear it will be a simple nostalgic nod, or worse, a nostalgic slap in the face.

Don't get me wrong, I still love Living with the Land. It's just not enough to draw people into that park.
To be honest, I actually think the NEW Test Track fits into the old Epcot theme better than TT1.0. While I feel TT1.0 was a better attraction, the idea of designing an automobile in a digital world and test it prior to building a prototype is more innovative than driving a normal test vehicle around a track. The digital world doors opening up and becoming a reality seems like it's 100% Epcot.

I never had a problem with Mission:Space aside from it replaced such a classic. Classics get old...and times change. I get it but I really thought we took a major step back going from Horizons to M:S.

The Nemo overlay is just wrong. Creating a new submarine exploration attraction into the Mariana Trench to show that human achievements can unlock the wonders of the deepest depths would've worked much better.

Energy was a tricky one. They tried the easy overlay and it just made the attraction worse. That attraction was on life-support and it is definitely the best choice for a revamp (compared to the other FW pavilions...WoL aside). Guardians does have some "Energy" ties so it can still work...it's just a "wait and see" game at this point.

 

[Bender123]

How often does Disney re-theme things? I honestly don't know the answer to this. I'm just curious from people who know a lot more Disney than I do.

I mean, Rock N Rollercoaster is still Aerosmith, even though it could very easily be updated. I guess Mr. Toad was "re imagined" into Pooh, Aliens is a rethemed Mater clone, RSR a rethemed Test Track. TOT at DCA was rethemed but only because the Twilight Zone arrangement was running out.

Realistically, the only directly cloned to a different theme ride at WDW is Dinosaur (DLs Indy)...They are literally the same layout. Comparing RSR to TT is like comparing Haunted Mansion to Spaceship Earth...yeah, they are both Omnis, but the layout and theme are completely different. You could "retheme" TT to Cars, but it could never be RSR without massive structural additions and rebuilds.

 

[aliceismad]

Realistically, the only directly cloned to a different theme ride at WDW is Dinosaur (DLs Indy)...They are literally the same layout. Comparing RSR to TT is like comparing Haunted Mansion to Spaceship Earth...yeah, they are both Omnis, but the layout and theme are completely different. You could "retheme" TT to Cars, but it could never be RSR without massive structural additions and rebuilds.

Good to know. I've not ridden RSR, so I was sorta guessing. I had forgotten about Dinosaur and also the Great Frozen/Maelstrom debacle.

 

[Missing20K]

Unless you consider Star Wars a longer-term answer to Potter. But it may have already been planned out for decades in advance; I have no idea. They did start all the Star Wars events (including night events) at DHS years ago, so Disney has added Pandora and SW:GE to its two "half-day" parks. Clearly they want people to stay all day, and stay more days, and just give them all their money.

It doesn't surprise me that Epcot is getting a "big" new ride (plus Rat, etc.) to give it the same level of "wow, i want to go there, mommy."

They certainly always have "plans" for their parks that are long-term, decades long strategic plans. But until the "plans" become executed, we have no way of knowing how threatened they are by UNI. So only when they start moving earth am I inclined to believe they take the threat seriously. So, by that logic, I believe they only began taking UNI seriously after Potter. And again only after the Potter expansion did they feel the need to announce and get earth moving on SWGE.

 

[Bender123]

Good to know. I've not ridden RSR, so I was sorta guessing. I had forgotten about Dinosaur and also the Great Frozen/Maelstrom debacle.

Arguably (IMHO), Frozen is a superior ride to Maelstrom...It just gets knocked down a bunch of pegs for being in WS as opposed to Fantasy Land.

Then there is Rat, which actually fits the theme of France perfectly.

 

[Bender123]

Good to know. I've not ridden RSR, so I was sorta guessing. I had forgotten about Dinosaur and also the Great Frozen/Maelstrom debacle.

...And I forgot about If you had wings to Dream Flight to Spaceranger Spin...They are all just rethemes using the same track layout, down to the speedrooms. WDW really doesn't do this type of thing too much. They did Tiki Room, but changed it, mostly, back.

 

[ChrisFL]

Question: If all of the other changes were happening to Epcot, WITHOUT GOTG happening, would people be more positive about the overall direction the park is going?

 

[Missing20K]

Question: If all of the other changes were happening to Epcot, WITHOUT GOTG happening, would people be more positive about the overall direction the park is going?

Yes

 

[Bender123]

Question: If all of the other changes were happening to Epcot, WITHOUT GOTG happening, would people be more positive about the overall direction the park is going?

Eh...No...Unless there was a plan for UoE...

My issue is that GotG is going to generate buzz for the park, the rest of the rides and changes are great, but Rat, a nature movie, a few new restaurants, high tech play place and updated spine aren't going to get people through the turn style without something that can hold its own against SWGE...

Its a hard line to run, because I both hate the idea, but also see its a necessary evil.

 

[BrianLo]

Figment would like a word.

Unfortunately figment doesn’t essentially run two theme park shopping malls in Orlando.

Originals CAN sell merch, but they don’t usually overturn IP (for which Mickey IS the proto-type). Disney Parks are/were built on Mickey.

The one honest to goodness exception is Duffy - albeit somewhat steeped in Mickey lore.

 

[marni1971]

How often does Disney re-theme things? I honestly don't know the answer to this. I'm just curious from people who know a lot more Disney than I do.

I mean, Rock N Rollercoaster is still Aerosmith, even though it could very easily be updated. I guess Mr. Toad was "re imagined" into Pooh, Aliens is a rethemed Mater clone, RSR a rethemed Test Track. TOT at DCA was rethemed but only because the Twilight Zone arrangement was running out.

It happens. Tiki Room. Flight to the Moon. If You Had Wings. Dreamflight. Test Track. El Rio Del Tiempo. Maelstrom.

But ToT at DCA had no arrangement that was running out.

 

[Missing20K]

Eh...No...Unless there was a plan for UoE...

My issue is that GotG is going to generate buzz for the park, the rest of the rides and changes are great, but Rat, a nature movie, a few new restaurants, high tech play place and updated spine aren't going to get people through the turn style without something that can hold its own against SWGE...

Its a hard line to run, because I both hate the idea, but also see its a necessary evil.

I wasn't necessarily answering for myself, but I bet if GotG wasn't happening and UoE was left in it's former state, there would be far less vitriol on these boards about the long term direction of Epcot.

 

[marni1971]

Question: If all of the other changes were happening to Epcot, WITHOUT GOTG happening, would people be more positive about the overall direction the park is going?

It would be a huge shift in the right direction. As would even an IP overlay - even GotG if they still couldn’t see sense - of a fully refreshed Energy pavilion. But that’s just me.

 

[aliceismad]

It happens. Tiki Room. Flight to the Moon. If You Had Wings. Dreamflight. Test Track. El Rio Del Tiempo. Maelstrom.

But ToT at DCA had no arrangement that was running out.

I thought I had read that there was a licencing fee that was expiring. But you would certainly know better than I.

 

[eliza61nyc]

So then why would anyone create an original book, movie, piece of music, artwork, architecture, so on and so forth, if the best use of funds is always on "the story you already love"?

I think the difference maybe "intent" and what I'll call "luxury". At artist general creates for the love of their art. It's where we get the term starving artist.. they create because its an integral part of who they are. Imagineers don't have that "luxury". They work for someone who wants specific results.
It's similar to what is happening in my industry ( research and development). Scientists used to be free to invent new products, now major companies want a product in 1/2 a year. They want you yo rehash the old stuff, no expensive testing, no trials, just straight to market.

 

[MisterPenguin]

I thought I had read that there was a licencing fee that was expiring. But you would certainly know better than I.

You did read that. From people who knew nothing of the situation and kept repeating it on the internet.

 

[T.Will]

You did read that. From people who knew nothing of the situation and kept repeating it on the internet.

Such is the way of online rumors and info. Though I do wonder what's actually the situation with the license for ToT.

 

[aliceismad]

You did read that. From people who knew nothing of the situation and kept repeating it on the internet.

Well, that's the internet for ya. Thanks for the correction.

 

[Tavernacle12]

Question: If all of the other changes were happening to Epcot, WITHOUT GOTG happening, would people be more positive about the overall direction the park is going?

I guess. I’m more concerned about IllumiNations’ replacement. If it was getting a true successor I’d feel better about Guardians, if you wanted to swap the two in the question, and by virtue the rest of things.