Guardians of the Galaxy coming to Energy Pavilion at Epcot

[marni1971]

I get what your saying, but Epcot was supposed to have coasters, it just didn't happen due to countries not wanting to pay.

Mild ones in an appropriate setting. With respect.

 

[Daveeeeed]

Mild ones in an appropriate setting. With respect.

I agree. I think an Energy coaster about the thrill level of Space Mountain would've been perfect.

 

[marni1971]

I agree. I think an Energy coaster about the thrill level of Space Mountain would've been perfect.

I think a coaster on an unused expansion area would have been better.

And an updated traveling theatre experience too.

 

[po1998]

It will be able to diversify the crowds. I don't want it to be Guardians, but Epcot has always needed one. Magic Kingdom has three, Hollywood Studios has 1 very thrilling coaster, and animal Kingdom has an incredible coaster. Epcot is left with Tron track. It needs one. Otherwise people will go to Universal instead of Disney to ride coasters. I enjoy them myself too, but usually I would be fine with a non thrill ride, but again Epcot really doesn't have a very good one. Disney also doesn't want Epcot to dip in attendance after Hws and Ak are complete. Now if another one goes into Imagination I would be very disappointed.

People going to Universal to enjoy more thrilling rides aren't going to do a 180 just because of a new coaster at Epcot.

 

[doctornick]

A coaster is a good idea -- I agree. But killing Energy and shoehorning a theme that doesn't fit is not necessary in order to get a coaster into Epcot. Just build a new version of the Matterhorn in Italy. There, a better theme and better placement.

Or develop the Mt. Fuji concept for Japan as a coaster.

 

[mgpan]

Probably been asked before, but could you put a coaster in Innoventions E &W and connect The Land pavillion to it by going underneath the monorial for a portion of the attraction?

 

[Daveeeeed]

I think a coaster on an unused expansion area would have been better.

And an updated traveling theatre experience too.

Of course. Realistically though, even if it was Universal, if you had let's say 200 million to spend and either could use an expansion plot or replace a nostalgic, should've of been replaced a while ago, and severely dated attraction which one makes more sense. Epcot doesn't need the capacity, and yes it would be nice, but again it just doesn't seem like the best way to go about it is to keep the bad old. Ellen could use the same vehicles, but the preshow area, and the ride itself would have to be severely updated. The only thing that keeps people going back is the Dinasaur scene, and for me the music. I remember when I was 6, my favorite ride at Epcot was Ellen, for the Dinasaur scene. everything else is crap. Best case scenario they keep it, add a coaster, and then update it with the current ride technology, but even a while ago that seems unlikely. Epcot has always been a good park to replace, or update the old instead of build new. Ten years from now, the entire park needs to feel fresh, and if a ride like Ellen keeps it from being that way it's better to make what they have feel good than add knew and let the bad attractions rot. A proper Energy redo, with the current ride system, could easily cost upwards of 75m. I think replacing it is the better move.

 

[Daveeeeed]

People going to Universal to enjoy more thrilling rides aren't going to do a 180 just because of a new coaster at Epcot.

Yeah, but if they have 2-days at WDW and 1-day dedicated for Universal, and they've already done Universal, it might be enough to keep them on property. Business-wise and for the guest all around it will be improvement to have a coaster, even though it should be themed to Energy.

 

[marni1971]

I remember when I was 6, my favorite ride at Epcot was Ellen..

Now I feel old.

In that case I won't be able to explain the sheer awe that EPCOT Center was. To understand that you'd have to also understand Ellen was a dumbed down waste of the pavilion.

 

[marni1971]

Right now pretty much all you see from a distance approaching FW is SSE. How much are the visuals expected to change by adding a coaster?

Part of the project will be quite visible.

 

[Daveeeeed]

If you could save Energy, or GMR which would it be? The horribly dated but for some like myself nostalgic, and the one you sleep on? Or the very good but in need of an update attraction?

 

[wdwfan4ver]

I get what your saying, but Epcot was supposed to have coasters, it just didn't happen due to countries not wanting to pay.

Japan not having a coaster wasn't due to cost, that was due to Kodak. Fuji and Matterhorn made sense as potential coasters for Epcot. When Kodak left, Disney should've went back to that concept. Matterhorn due to Switzerland though.

 

[Daveeeeed]

Now I feel old.

In that case I won't be able to explain the sheer awe that EPCOT Center was.

Sadly I will never truly know how Epcot Center was, but from people on these forums, and my family they all agree that Epcot is sad in its current state, and from watching videos (which I know is not the same) you can really see how cool it was. But there's nothing wrong with a coaster going into Energy, it just needs to be themed to Energy, which it is not, that is the issue.

 

[marni1971]

But there's nothing wrong with a coaster going into Energy..

That is and always will be personal taste and opinon.

 

[Daveeeeed]

Japan not having a coaster wasn't due to cost, that was due to Kodak. Fuji and Matterhorn made sense as potential coasters for Epcot. When Kodak left, Disney should've went back to that concept. Matterhorn due to Switzerland though.

But it was still due to cost...

 

[Daveeeeed]

That is and always will be personal taste and opinon.

Out of curiosity why is it bad? Test track still works very well for the theme of the pavilion, and by from most Disney lovers who have ridden World of Motion and Test Track, Test Track is much better. Sure it doesn't really educate you, but Spaceship Earth does that very well, not so much can be said for World of Motion. Ellen barely educates you. Music is good though I will admit.

 

[britain]

I'll never forget being in junior high 30 years ago, and meeting some kid who had gotten back from WDW. I was so excited to talk to him about my favorite stuff at the time, Epcot Center. "Escot Center!" he said, "That was the stupidest most boring rollercoaster I've ever been on. Just slowly going in a circle up to the top, and then slowly backwards to the bottom. I hated Escot Center."

There were... just... SO many things wrong about everything he said. I flipped out at him. Which didn't help what meager popularity I had at the time.

Deep down, however, I did know he had a smidgen of a point. When I had gone to Epcot, I loved SSE, loved Imagination, Energy, Horizons (oh, HORIZONS!) but I had wished there had been a roller coaster somewhere in the mix. Not a crazy one, just your typical MK level of thrill and theme.

 

[Daveeeeed]

I'll never forget being in junior high 30 years ago, and meeting some kid who had gotten back from WDW. I was so excited to talk to him about my favorite stuff at the time, Epcot Center. "Escot Center!" he said, "That was the stupidest most boring rollercoaster I've ever been on. Just slowly going in a circle up to the top, and then slowly backwards to the bottom. I hated Escot Center."

There were... just... SO many things wrong about everything he said. I flipped out at him. Which didn't help what meager popularity I had at the time.

Deep down, however, I did know he had a smidgen of a point. When I had gone to Epcot, I loved SSE, loved Imagination, Energy, Horizons (oh, HORIZONS!) but I had wished there had been a roller coaster somewhere in the mix. Not a crazy one, just your typical MK level of thrill and theme.

Precisely my point. I love SSE (best ride at Epcot imho, especially the Jeremy Irons version) but Epcot needs a mild roller coaster. The attraction lineup is so stale (should Figment & the Nemo ride be called rides?) everything needs updates, but a coaster is needed for one of them. I think Energy is the best one for it, I'm just really disappointed they are using Guardians of the Galaxy.

 

[doctornick]

I'll never forget being in junior high 30 years ago, and meeting some kid who had gotten back from WDW. I was so excited to talk to him about my favorite stuff at the time, Epcot Center. "Escot Center!" he said, "That was the stupidest most boring rollercoaster I've ever been on. Just slowly going in a circle up to the top, and then slowly backwards to the bottom. I hated Escot Center."

There were... just... SO many things wrong about everything he said. I flipped out at him. Which didn't help what meager popularity I had at the time.

Deep down, however, I did know he had a smidgen of a point. When I had gone to Epcot, I loved SSE, loved Imagination, Energy, Horizons (oh, HORIZONS!) but I had wished there had been a roller coaster somewhere in the mix. Not a crazy one, just your typical MK level of thrill and theme.

To draw upon this point, I myself loved classic EPCOT Center as well, but it did suffer from an attraction problem of "too much sameness". The largely were awe inspiring, but relatively similar -- long, slow moving, kinda lecture, some humor, etc. There's certainly a valid argument that diversifying the attractions was needed to provide a more balanced experience.

Now, I think they actually have succeeded in changing things (though not always for the better *cough* Imagination) and there is some better balance. Now, they need to fix and enhance what is there. Adding a true roller coaster could certainly be part of that, though I echo @marni1971 sentiment that it should be appropriate for the park. A Matterhorn level coaster in WS would have been fantastic. Perhaps the GotG ride will blend in better and "fit" and, if it does, great. I'm willing to be open minded, though I'm skeptical.

 

[MichWolv]

energy desperately needs help

Perhaps, but a vacant plot of land needs more help than Energy.

 

[Daveeeeed]

But deep down we all know its a fact

A fact is that Epcot would be better without ips. I don't exactly know how a coaster wouldn't be anything but an improvement. You're getting rid of a ride that know one truly likes. Vehicles, dinosaurs, and music are the only downsides, and of course the ip, but for a coaster in general I think it would pretty much always be good for Epcot to have one.