Guardians of the Galaxy coming to Energy Pavilion at Epcot

[flyerjab]

Yes he was. As for this ride I'm not sure.

Would be interested to see a Joe Rohde ride developed for the Marvel franchise, considering how everything he has done recently has been for DAK.

 

[Mike S]

I don't make the rules. As it stands MS (the ride) will be the same. Seas will get some TLC. Imag will change eventually but at the moment it's long term. Looks like CCore west could get more M&G space if that'll satisfy your IP desire?

SSEs direction will depend a great deal on if Siemens renews next year. At the moment it is staying the same.

Help us Siemens, you're our only hope...

If they find a new sponsor willing to keep it and not change it drastically I hope they finally fix the ending.

My 2 cents on this subject du jour.

As stated multiple times, I have only started my Disney journey in 2009. I still remember several Disney "moments" from that trip. On that particular visit we stayed offsite (and won't be doing that again). We did not go back until 2012, this time staying on site at the Yacht Club. I state this just to make it absolutely clear that I am not a long-time fan from the 70s when the MK was all there was, or the 80s when EPCOT Center apparently blew everyone away with its sheer scope, audacity and utter creativity. I missed this, and from what I hear it was potentially a life-changing experience for both kids and adults. I have had some excellent PM discussions with @sshindel - author of the infamous EPCOT Manifesto - and @George - who is simply infamous - over the grandeur of the original park and how it deeply affected both of them. Hearing how impactful the decline has been to long-time fans is tough, and makes me wish I had visited there in the park's heyday.

The reality, however, is that I did not visit then. And, if I may state here, from that first 2009 trip, Epcot was the least impressive park out of the 4 to me. It was truly beautiful, especially World Showcase, but there didn't seem like there was that much to do. Keep in mind too that at that time my kids were significantly younger, so there was a lot for them to enjoy at DHS (that no longer exists now), as well as the animal exhibits at DAK. Of course the MK is the MK, so that park was the standout from that first visit, with so much to see and do that we spent multiple days just in that park.

I have remarked previously that I am probably the type of fan that many posters on this site dread - from an old school fanboy's perspective. Having miss the 80s and 90s, what many hold dear to them are concepts that I have missed out on. I can't really come on a fan site like this and complain about how Epcot has changed when I never experience the original incarnation. I would be the ultimate poser and my words would pretty much ring hollow. What I will say is that I really feel for some of you, as you can really feel how important this park used to be. There is a strong nostalgia ever-present here that I always respect and am fully understanding of.

However, I have to admit, that I am excited by some of the changes that I hear may be happening to this park. This park is MASSIVE, but it also feels like a vacuum when you walk into the center of Future World. I have to think to myself that if @marni1971 is correct (and he usually is), a line-up of multiple GotG attractions including a true E-Ticket with a new ride system, an updated M:S along side the 'recently' updated Test Track, would have me spending more time in Future World East than I ever have before in any of my visits. Let's add to that redone Innoventions, both East and West sides, the newly minted Soarin', FEA ride and expanded Norway Pavilion; well, now this starts becoming a park that I will spend a lot more time in. I also noticed that @Rteetz posted a statement regarding a rumor about the addition of a new pavilion which Martin 'liked'. That always gets my attention when Martin 'likes' a post about a rumor that someone else posts. @marni1971 has also hinted that other changes, both to landscaping and park aesthetics, are most likely happening, along with some minor changes to The Odyssey. Apparently there are even plans to add things to the World Showcase area, and after the crazy success of FEA, I completely see that happening. And how about capping of a celebration of Epcot's 50th with a newly re-imagined Imagination attraction (this one is me spitballing).

This would be a park that I would spend tons of time in. As it stands now it gets maybe 2 half day visits and we are done with it. We spend that much time in DAK (without Pandora). There is too much potential being wasted in Epcot so I welcome the changes - and potential changes - that I am hearing. As long as they are done as impressively as FEA seems to be. This park should have some of the most impressive AAs and ride designs/mechanisms out of any of the parks.

Finally, I will add that the removal of the 'tombstones' out front seems to be poetic justice for those that love what this park was. Those that purchased these probably adored the EPCOT Center that was but no longer will be. The removal of them is very emblematic of the dreams that were inspired at one time by this park. Yes, we might get a more aesthetically pleasing entrance as opposed to the ugly tombstone-like appearance, but it is the spirit that is behind the concept that is what will really be missed one of the last, greatest attempts at a theme park.

You lied. That was way more than 2 cents

Have you ever watched Marni's EPCOT Center videos? Those are what helped me see the greatness of the park even though I went in pretty late.

Well said, and I can understand your perspective. The nostalgia of EPCOT is still a huge draw for me. As a kid it just blew me away. I never understood when people said EPCOT was for adults and MK was for the kids or even worse, EPCOT is boring. Even without any rides I could have easily spent an hour in each pavilion just playing around in the post ride exhibits. I think what made the park truly amazing for me was the combination of fun rides with the ability to independently explore the exhibit spaces and countries. I have come to terms with the idea that the spirit of the park just doesn't work in today's fast paced world. People want instant gratification. Each pavilion in Future World was designed to potentially be a 45 minutes to an hour long plus experience. The park took 2 days minimum to see. The post ride areas and the shell of what was innoventions do need some serious updating but a lot of people skip them anyway to rush to their next FP reservation.

The FP theme park commando mentality seems to be what killed EPCOT Center more than anything else. That and clueless execs.

 

[Donaldfan1934]

I know when they first rolled out the completed system Staggs was quoted as saying that there was a 40% increase in usage of FP+ over traditional FP. In discussions here in some thread about MM+ there were some stats thrown around that the original system was used by less than half guests and the average guest used less than 3 FPs per day.

Now that is some interesting information. Who knew the original FP was so underutilized?

 

[ToTBellHop]

Would be interested to see a Joe Rohde ride developed for the Marvel franchise, considering how everything he has done recently has been for DAK.

This would likely be his.

 

[marni1971]

It's kind of hard to believe Imagination would be that far down in the queue for major tlc.

As I understand it Energy is deemed to need it more. I dare say it is ride system or major show element related. Massive show doors failing, AAs failing, ride vehicle issues - it needs serious investment again. I assume those in charge see this as the best way under Chapek. And what is proposed is serious investment.

Interesting point - and it occurs to me, it seems the status of this attraction as an E has been basically confirmed, but do we know it to be a thrill ride?"

It will have thrills, yes.

 

[mickEblu]

Any chance TDA decides to build the GOTG ride they re building at EPCOT instead of overlaying TOT?

 

[flyerjab]

As I understand it Energy is deemed to need it more. I dare say it is ride system or major show element related. Massive show doors failing, AAs failing, ride vehicle issues - it needs serious investment again. I assume those in charge see this as the best way under Chapek. And what is proposed is serious investment.

It will have thrills, yes.

Hmmmmm…Serious investment, thrills, Joe Rohde…as long as there is no yeti involved this could be incredible.

 

[Donaldfan1934]

When the Frozen overlay first hit our boards, I spent a significant amount of time discussing the direction with fellow Disney Parks & Resorts fans. Our conversations regularly transitioned from Epcot to themed entertainment, including aquariums, museums, and zoos. Although some museums have permanent collections, many have rotating, temporary, traveling, and/or visiting exhibits. Rotation piques interest and boosts attendance. Galleries may change, but the mission statement of the museum remains the same. Generally, contemporary art museums with successful 30+ year histories do not suddenly begin showcasing baroque art in their 35th year.

Like Disneyland Park and Magic Kingdom, I believe Epcot needs a permanent collection (i.e., classic attractions). Nostalgia and sentiment aside, the American Adventure and Spaceship Earth are the lifeblood of World Showcase and Future World, respectively. All of the countries surrounding World Showcase Lagoon and the other pavilions in Future World would benefit from rotation. However, the rotation should be guided by the mission statement. Parks & Resorts should bring change to Epcot, but change that continues to inspire interest in new knowledge from science and understanding between nations. Test Track and Soarin' demonstrative that automotive engineering and topography, respectively, can be cool.

Now THIS is how P&R should bring change to Epcot. A lot of people here have said they don't care about this addition because Epcot lost its way a long time ago. To them I raise this question. If Epcot goes deep into this "anything goes" direction, then what reason will it have to even exist anymore? I feel a theme park without a mission statement is just a soulless collection of attractions no matter how well themed. While it may never quite be the original Epcot Center again, it should still be something that has a similar and equally powerful meaning.

 

[theRIOT]

The moment Danny Kaye tells Drew it's really going to be called IPCOT Center
View attachment 148955

Brilliant!

 

[flynnibus]

As I understand it Energy is deemed to need it more. I dare say it is ride system or major show element related. Massive show doors failing, AAs failing, ride vehicle issues - it needs serious investment again. I assume those in charge see this as the best way under Chapek. And what is proposed is serious investment.

It will have thrills, yes.

I would suspect Disney can be satisfied with running the same crap over and over.... But when the crap refuses to actually run... They can't ignore that

 

[wdwfan4ver]

Any chance TDA decides to build the GOTG ride at EPCOT instead of overlaying TOT?

TDA has nothing to do with Epcot. TDO is responsible for Epcot.

TDA stands for Team Disney Anaheim. The President of TDA, Michael Colglazier is responsible for overlooking all the management levels in Disneyland resorts only.

The Presidents of TDA and TDO have to answer to Bob Chapek. Bob Chapek is part of Disney's Management in Burbank. Burbank is where most of the highest part of Disney Management is located. Bob is the Chairman of Disney Theme Parks and resorts worldwide. Bob Chapek is calling for Guardians of the Galaxy have theme park presence, not the presidents of TDA or TDO. The only thing TDO did with Guardians of the Galaxy was telling Bob that Guardians of the Galaxy overlay can't happen due to amount of attractions already closed at DHS.

Bob Chapek is now having Guardians of the Galaxy in Epcot instead.

The Burbank Branch of the Walt Disney Company is where the top heads of Management of the company.

 

[Calm Down Rover]

Well... If it's between ToT or Energy being placed on GotG's sacrificial altar, then goodbye Energy. We had some good times. But goodbye.

I would have greatly preferred to see Inside Out or Big Hero 6 in Future World, but I'll try my best to curb my knee-jerk reaction to this news and wait until we have more details on the actual content of these new attractions/updates.

 

[Mike S]

As I understand it Energy is deemed to need it more. I dare say it is ride system or major show element related. Massive show doors failing, AAs failing, ride vehicle issues - it needs serious investment again. I assume those in charge see this as the best way under Chapek. And what is proposed is serious investment.

Sounds like the same mentality Disney had with Maelstrom and Universal had with Disaster! before replacing them. Just let them go to hell.

It will have thrills, yes.

From this and the "serious investment" part it sounds like I'm really getting the ride I've wanted since walking out of the theater.

 

[BrerJon]

Well said, and I can understand your perspective. The nostalgia of EPCOT is still a huge draw for me. As a kid it just blew me away. I never understood when people said EPCOT was for adults and MK was for the kids or even worse, EPCOT is boring. Even without any rides I could have easily spent an hour in each pavilion just playing around in the post ride exhibits.

This board is full of people who became full on EPCOT Center devotees as children, so the idea that kids were bored before Nemo turned Seabase into sushi and Horizons was flattened has been well and truly discredited.

At this stage, if we accept the old idea of EPCOT as an inspirational science and geography park - the world tomorrow and the world today - is a dead one, then we need to find a new theme. It's a theme park, it needs one, otherwise it's just a random Disney IP dumping ground. The trouble is, that's a darn good theme, and there are ways to modernise it without just preserving old attractions as they were. Universal still manages 'ride the movies', even if those movies have changed. The same could be said for Epcot.

People growing up today are more conscious of the world than ever, more aware of issues, of climate change, they get involved more... social media has empowered people to take a real interest in what's happening in the world, and what may happen in the future. That's not too far removed from EPCOT Center's original theme, so a strong modern take on that could still work.

I don't mind more characters in Future World, if that's what needs to happen - Figment, Buzzy and the Food Rocks crew didn't jar as being out of place, as long as the mission is kept to. A random ride about an IP... no, but if the GOTG are roped in to explain energy, fine by me, as long as it's done well.

But please Disney think outside the box. Make the attractions shine, and clever enough that people don't know they're learning but come away inspired.

That's one thing missing from today's Epcot. MK was where you went to escape the present, Epcot was where you went to be inspired by the future, and the role you can play in it. Who gets any inspiration from today's Epcot? If ever there was a park mission that should appeal to the Facebook activist generation it's Epcot's, but it needs some bold thinking from Imagineering, a clear focus on a mission statement, and discovering a way to tap into the emotions of people today just as much as it did in the parks heyday.

 

[BrerJon]

There's quite a lot of space backstage behind Energy, so they could easily expand a little, especially if they ran a portion over the road, a bit like Test Track does. It could be enclosed so the guests don't know they're leaving the berm.

Will be interesting to see if they keep the moving theater technology, which isn't really used anywhere else on that scale and is still impressive, or replace it with a trackless, or Test Track type affair. Or (worst case) turn it into a Little Mermaid type dark ride past show scenes, a boys version of Frozen Ever After to help drag crowds away from Norway.

 

[yensidtlaw1969]

TDA has nothing to do with Epcot. TDO is responsible for Epcot.

TDA stands for Team Disney Anaheim. The President of TDA, Michael Colglazier is responsible for overlooking all the management levels in Disneyland resorts only.

The Presidents of TDA and TDO have to answer to Bob Chapek. Bob Chapek is part of Disney's Management in Burbank. Burbank is where most of the highest part of Disney Management is located. Bob is the Chairman of Disney Theme Parks and resorts worldwide. Bob Chapek is calling for Guardians of the Galaxy have theme park presence, not the presidents of TDA or TDO. The only thing TDO did with Guardians of the Galaxy was telling Bob that Guardians of the Galaxy overlay can't happen due to amount of attractions already closed at DHS.

Bob Chapek is now having Guardians of the Galaxy in Epcot instead.

The Burbank Branch of the Walt Disney Company is where the top heads of Management of the company.

That's what they meant . . . they were asking if Team Disney Anaheim might see WDW's plans for GOTG in Energy and want to clone that instead of mar DCA's Tower of Terror.

Which, to answer the original question, seems unlikely to me, but I suppose we can dream.

 

[Mike S]

This board is full of people who became full on EPCOT Center devotees as children, so the idea that kids were bored before Nemo turned Seabase into sushi and Horizons was flattened has been well and truly discredited.

At this stage, if we accept the old idea of EPCOT as an inspirational science and geography park - the world tomorrow and the world today - is a dead one, then we need to find a new theme. It's a theme park, it needs one, otherwise it's just a random Disney IP dumping ground. The trouble is, that's a darn good theme, and there are ways to modernise it without just preserving old attractions as they were. Universal still manages 'ride the movies', even if those movies have changed. The same could be said for Epcot.

People growing up today are more conscious of the world than ever, more aware of issues, of climate change, they get involved more... social media has empowered people to take a real interest in what's happening in the world, and what may happen in the future. That's not too far removed from EPCOT Center's original theme, so a strong modern take on that could still work.

I don't mind more characters in Future World, if that's what needs to happen - Figment, Buzzy and the Food Rocks crew didn't jar as being out of place, as long as the mission is kept to. A random ride about an IP... no, but if the GOTG are roped in to explain energy, fine by me, as long as it's done well.

But please Disney think outside the box. Make the attractions shine, and clever enough that people don't know they're learning but come away inspired.

That's one thing missing from today's Epcot. MK was where you went to escape the present, Epcot was where you went to be inspired by the future, and the role you can play in it. Who gets any inspiration from today's Epcot? If ever there was a park mission that should appeal to the Facebook activist generation it's Epcot's, but it needs some bold thinking from Imagineering, a clear focus on a mission statement, and discovering a way to tap into the emotions of people today just as much as it did in the parks heyday.

I generally agree with what you've said but don't turn the Guardians into teachers. That's not the kind of ride anyone would want of that franchise and would feel totally out of character for them.

There's quite a lot of space backstage behind Energy, so they could easily expand a little, especially if they ran a portion over the road, a bit like Test Track does. It could be enclosed so the guests don't know they're leaving the berm.

Will be interesting to see if they keep the moving theater technology, which isn't really used anywhere else on that scale and is still impressive, or replace it with a trackless, or Test Track type affair. Or (worst case) turn it into a Little Mermaid type dark ride past show scenes, a boys version of Frozen Ever After to help drag crowds away from Norway.

Since @marni1971 has confirmed thrills I think the moving theater is definitely going bye-bye and it definitely won't be slow.

 

[Thanks phoenicians]

I don't make the rules. As it stands MS (the ride) will be the same. Seas will get some TLC. Imag will change eventually but at the moment it's long term. Looks like CCore west could get more M&G space if that'll satisfy your IP desire?

SSEs direction will depend a great deal on if Siemens renews next year. At the moment it is staying the same.

Sorry if I missed this but was Seas originally planned to get some TLC? I don't remember that being originally one of the pavilions mentioned but I know things change rapidly.

 

[BrerJon]

I generally agree with what you've said but don't turn the Guardians into teachers. That's not the kind of ride anyone would want of that franchise and would feel totally out of character for them.

Since @marni1971 has confirmed thrills I think the moving theater is definitely going bye-bye and it definitely won't be slow.

I think Dinosaur is a good template, you have a thrill ride, an educational queue line, and a broadly educating experience, but it's not at all in your face... nobody says 'I don't want to be lectured about carnosaurs!' when they leave it, but they might come away thinking about more about the experience of extinction... that's the level of subtlety they need with Energy.

 

[mickEblu]

TDA has nothing to do with Epcot. TDO is responsible for Epcot.

TDA stands for Team Disney Anaheim. The President of TDA, Michael Colglazier is responsible for overlooking all the management levels in Disneyland resorts only.

The Presidents of TDA and TDO have to answer to Bob Chapek. Bob Chapek is part of Disney's Management in Burbank. Burbank is where most of the highest part of Disney Management is located. Bob is the Chairman of Disney Theme Parks and resorts worldwide. Bob Chapek is calling for Guardians of the Galaxy have theme park presence, not the presidents of TDA or TDO. The only thing TDO did with Guardians of the Galaxy was telling Bob that Guardians of the Galaxy overlay can't happen due to amount of attractions already closed at DHS.

Bob Chapek is now having Guardians of the Galaxy in Epcot instead.

The Burbank Branch of the Walt Disney Company is where the top heads of Management of the company.

I know what TDA stands for and that it has nothing to do with Epcot but thank you for the response. Let me rephrase the question better....Do you think there is a chance anyone at TDA can convince Chapek to spend the extra money to build a proper GOTG attraction at DCA like they are doing at Epcot? Or is he hell bent on being cheap and just overlaying TOT?