News Guardians of the Galaxy Cosmic Rewind attraction confirmed for Epcot

[sedati]

People in 2017 just *think* they are smarter since we have so much information available at our fingertips. Unfortunately this does not actually translate into people learning or being inspired.

I don't know, I just accidentally stumbled across a link that showed off the new flybys of Jupiter taken by NASA. This gave me the biggest buzz Intellectually that I've had in a long time. Seriously, look it up, it's amazing. Inspired me to go on YouTube and watch some other videos including discovering the truly bizarre hexagon that lays atop Saturn's north pole. Some of the most amazing mind blowing stuff and it's all at my fingertips.

Sure, Epcot center served you wonder and amazement on a big shiny platter, but I really think the Internet can do you one better. You just have to put in the legwork. Some like to have things presented it to them while they remain passive, and others like to see can discover for themselves.

 

[Maeryk]

We're getting rides that hold fewer people and queues that hold more people (4 hours worth). The old attractions held LOTS of people... on the ride. Compare a UoE moving theater to a coaster train. The critical folks on here remember riding rides all day. Not waiting for them. Yes, headliners had longer waits, but the rides were longer too.

We don't even know what the queue is going to look like yet. If it's a cavern full of rope mazes, sure. If it's an interactive, engaging, show queue.. as seems to be the trend, I'm fine with that.

Peter Pan is a 3 min ride, with a queue that's usually an hour, and runs up to 2+.
space mountain is a 3 min ride, big thunder is 3, ariel is 6:15, 20K leagues was

I don't know, I just accidentally stumbled across a link that showed off the new flybys of Jupiter taken by NASA. This gave me the biggest buzz Intellectually that I've had in a long time. Seriously, look it up, it's amazing. Inspired me to go on YouTube and watch some other videos including discovering the truly bizarre hexagon that lays atop Saturn's north pole. Some of the most amazing mind blowing stuff and it's all at my fingertips.

Sure, Epcot center served you wonder and amazement on a big shiny platter, but I really think the Internet can do you one better. You just have to put in the legwork. Some like to have things presented it to them while they remain passive, and others like to see can discover for themselves.

Epcot's thing was always "From the dawn of time..." to "the early 80s". Which is great.. still works wonderfully in The Land and Spaceship Earth. But I far prefer Test Track over World of Motion, and the thing I remember most about Horizons, after riding it several times, was half the stuff that was supposed to move didn't, and the choose your own adventure tunnel worked.. occasionally.

A lot of people are assuming that the GotG attraction is going to be one big movie ad.. I'm content to at least wait and see if they can, in fact, tie it into Epcot's mission and make it educational. If they can, wonderful! A lot of complaining will have been for naught. If they can't/won't, well, THEN is when you start complaining about it.

I far preferred the original Energy to the ellen rework. There were a lot more dinosaurs, and they were a lot more entertaining. In fact, the whole "keep a chunk of the first half of the ride, then shoehorn in "energy comes from dead those things" always felt rather forced to me. Mostly, I wish they had kept the T-rex and Triceratops at the beginning of the ride.

The one thing Epcot was meant to do, FROM DAY ONE, was evolve. That's that whole "tomorrow" part of it. Everyone wanting it to stay the same is missing the whole point of future world.

 

[EPICOT]

I don't know, I just accidentally stumbled across a link that showed off the new flybys of Jupiter taken by NASA. This gave me the biggest buzz Intellectually that I've had in a long time. Seriously, look it up, it's amazing. Inspired me to go on YouTube and watch some other videos including discovering the truly bizarre hexagon that lays atop Saturn's north pole. Some of the most amazing mind blowing stuff and it's all at my fingertips.

Sure, Epcot center served you wonder and amazement on a big shiny platter, but I really think the Internet can do you one better. You just have to put in the legwork. Some like to have things presented it to them while they remain passive, and others like to see can discover for themselves.

Thank you for sharing that with me! As a physics major that kind of stuff fascinates me as well. It's also why I'm passionate about science and how the general public interacts with it. The internet truly does have the power to inspire (and like you said it takes some work to find the stuff), but my concern is that the vast majority of people who will discover it are people like you and me who are already passionate about it. I fear that too many people these days use the internet primarily for clickbait articles, social media, streaming, and googling a random fact. It's essentially like throwing 10 encyclopedia collections at someone and telling them to "find something inspiring." You can, but how many people will? That's where EPCOT really has the potential to step in and provide something inspirational to the masses.

 

[Maeryk]

Except the new Epcot is doing the exact opposite. You can wave your pixie dust wand all you want, and try to convince yourself otherwise, but the FACT is Guardians infesting Epcot is a travesty.

In your opinion. And to put it bluntly, if you really feel that way, please stay home so there's more room for those of us who don't.

 

[Movielover]

That picture is about execution, not philosophy.

What??? So Six Flags, which has a long history of just plopping down off the shelf rides and not caring about story, consistency, or just basic landscaping is suddenly on the same level as Disney now?

 

[Sketch105]

Epcot Center was built during a different time..an entirely different era- before smart phones and technology rapidly exceeded. You can't keep up anymore, and the idea of the "one idea theme park", whether it be about movie making or the future/the past colliding or animal encounters alone...it just doesn't work anymore. I grew up with all of you- riding Figment, enjoying Universe of Energy and World of Motion. But back then we had an unbridled optimism about science, nature and everything. Now every statement or new idea creates controversy because too many people have voices and can type at a keyboard. Back then there was only 3 Disney parks, 1 Universal park, and SeaWorld. That's it. There wasn't a whole lot of competition. You could innovate, excite, and explore. Epcot stood out because it was different.

However, things we built on 80s and 90s philosophies have disappeared from mainstream culture. Remember the big movie studio park boom? Universal, Disney MGM, Paramount, and even MGM alone created parks based on how movies are made. It was fascinating! We could learn how things were created from the VHS stocks we had at home.

Well, that idea is now overhauled because you can learn everything about movie making from Buzzfeed and any blu-ray disc. Epcot is the same- there's an app that shows you the constellations from anywhere you stand and you can literally pull it out of your pocket,, for example. On top of that Uof E was originally created as a love letter to the fossil fuels industry and now that fossil fuels are passe and clean energy is the future, the idea of UoE is dead.

Disney is a business at the end of the day. It has to compete with other businesses. It's going to make business decisions whether we like it or not. Sure, they could've tossed some dimes and created a fantastic, educational and original concept for an attraction that would've harkened back to the glory days of Epcot....but when you have Harry Potter to compete with down the road, you don't do throwbacks..you pull out the big guns.

My only hope is that the base idea keeps going- these attractions will continue to create wonder and excitement, even if the basic idea of edutainment has changed. People will continue to be inspired whether its dinosaurs or Groot, to create new things. Kids will love the thrills of Epcot, but grow up to appreciate the culture, foods, wines and shows that it showcases as they become adults. That maybe these attractions will save Epcot and new ideas will come to fruition as attendance climbs again.

 

[invader]

What??? So Six Flags, which has a long history of just plopping down off the shelf rides and not caring about story, consistency, or just basic landscaping is suddenly on the same level as Disney now?

He isn't saying they're exactly the same, only that they're philosophically the same.

If Disney says their ride is themed because it revolves around Guardians of the Galaxy how is it any different from Six Flags saying their rides are themed because they revolve around the D.C. Universe? They aren't. Both are treating their rides as vessels for a brand rather than revolving around an idea. Philosophically it's the same. It's the execution that's different.

I don't understand how you don't get that, he's made it very clear.

 

[invader]

The idea floated around that you can't teach people anything because they can just look it up on their phone is just terribly sad.

As a wise Spirit used to say "chicken nuggets for a chicken nugget crowd!"

 

[marni1971]

Unique like this prototype Vekoma's been working on for a year?

NL2 recreation, but it's based on the built prototype at Vekomas HQ.

Not that I know of. Which of course isn't everything.

 

[sedati]

The idea floated around that you can't teach people anything because they can just look it up on their phone is just terribly sad.
As a wise Spirit used to say "chicken nuggets for a chicken nugget crowd!"

I don't get it.
One is an example of someone actively seeking out knowledge that can be tailor fit to their individual curiosities and intelligence levels. The other serves up a lesson in a one size fits all package (at about a second-grade level) and is absorbed passively.
Which one is the really the fast-food style of learning?

 

[Movielover]

The philosophy is the same. Six Flags views their parks as "themed" because of branded rides. Disney today views their parks as "themed" because of branded rides.

Their Philosophy is not the same! Six Flags believes that the excitement and entertainment comes from the ride itself. That's why they will sink 20 - 30 million into a coaster by B&M or a of the shelf model from Vekoma, sprinkle a few cardboard cutouts around the area and name it after a Superhero. Disney on the other hand builds their experiences with every minor detail in mind on how it effects the experience. You honestly can't tell me that the philosophy of this

Is the same philosophy as this

Its all about the extra mile... no, 15 miles that Disney goes to entertain.

He isn't saying they're exactly the same, only that they're philosophically the same.

If Disney says their ride is themed because it revolves around Guardians of the Galaxy how is it any different from Six Flags saying their rides are themed because they revolve around the D.C. Universe? They aren't. It's a Edsel for a brand rather than a cohesive area. Philosophically it's the same. It's the execution that's different.

I don't understand how you don't get that, he's made it very clear.

And I don't understand how you don't understand my understanding of him not understanding of the difference of understanding the understatement...

 

[sedati]

Let me preface this by again saying without knowing the approach they're taking I can't say if guardians is right or wrong.

There is a good history of Walt Disney using his characters alongside education. In my elementary school I always perked up when we pulled out some old filmstrips showing things such as Donald duck in mathemagics land or any of the old Ludwig Von Drake lessons. It's a sneaky trick to get children's attention, but think of it as the carrot at the end of the stick. Not everyone needs it, but when you were trying to entertain the masses and when the masses are spending an off a lot of money on their vacations, a little character or intellectual property isn't necessarily the worst thing imaginable. For many people Epcot center was nothing but a very impressive stick. Or to put it another way, it was a dose of medicine without the spoonful of sugar to help it go down.
I think imagination and horizons were steps in the right direction in that we had characters and a cast to help make it more personable, whereas the other attractions were very dry and we passed through the dioramas like ghosts. Needing more fun, more familiarity, or more presold notions, may just be a necessity for dealing with such a large audience. Not needing such things can be fine for you and me, but that doesn't necessarily make us better or at all smarter. I am someone who spends a lot of time on vacation visiting museums and other things that would for most people to tears. I've never gone on a cruise or in a beach holiday as that would bore me to tears.

Remember, what might be right for you, may not be right for some– I think there was a song about that.

 

[Dapper Dan]

People are still ******** about Mission Space.. so I think 4 years is kinda optimistic on your part.

Hell, I'm still mad about Toad.

 

[brb1006]

Did anyone else want to punch Chapek in the face when he said adding Guardians of the Galaxy would make Epcot more "Disney"?

More like more Marvel.

 

[Mike S]

Epcot Center was built during a different time..an entirely different era- before smart phones and technology rapidly exceeded. You can't keep up anymore, and the idea of the "one idea theme park", whether it be about movie making or the future/the past colliding or animal encounters alone...it just doesn't work anymore. I grew up with all of you- riding Figment, enjoying Universe of Energy and World of Motion. But back then we had an unbridled optimism about science, nature and everything. Now every statement or new idea creates controversy because too many people have voices and can type at a keyboard. Back then there was only 3 Disney parks, 1 Universal park, and SeaWorld. That's it. There wasn't a whole lot of competition. You could innovate, excite, and explore. Epcot stood out because it was different.

However, things we built on 80s and 90s philosophies have disappeared from mainstream culture. Remember the big movie studio park boom? Universal, Disney MGM, Paramount, and even MGM alone created parks based on how movies are made. It was fascinating! We could learn how things were created from the VHS stocks we had at home.

Well, that idea is now overhauled because you can learn everything about movie making from Buzzfeed and any blu-ray disc. Epcot is the same- there's an app that shows you the constellations from anywhere you stand and you can literally pull it out of your pocket,, for example. On top of that Uof E was originally created as a love letter to the fossil fuels industry and now that fossil fuels are passe and clean energy is the future, the idea of UoE is dead.

Disney is a business at the end of the day. It has to compete with other businesses. It's going to make business decisions whether we like it or not. Sure, they could've tossed some dimes and created a fantastic, educational and original concept for an attraction that would've harkened back to the glory days of Epcot....but when you have Harry Potter to compete with down the road, you don't do throwbacks..you pull out the big guns.

My only hope is that the base idea keeps going- these attractions will continue to create wonder and excitement, even if the basic idea of edutainment has changed. People will continue to be inspired whether its dinosaurs or Groot, to create new things. Kids will love the thrills of Epcot, but grow up to appreciate the culture, foods, wines and shows that it showcases as they become adults. That maybe these attractions will save Epcot and new ideas will come to fruition as attendance climbs again.

Dreamfinder and Figment could still work as characters. I'll always hold out hope for that one.

Hell, I'm still mad about Toad.

Same here. I'll miss it when going back to Magic Kingdom. Such a fun ride here in Disneyland.

 

[Just4Pics]

I'm optimistic that they will incorporate the Guardians of the Galaxy characters in such a way that it is still relevant to Future World and educates us about energy. If you think about it, Universe of Energy currently uses Jeopardy to teach us about Energy. Jeopardy is an IP not owned by Disney and Marvel is, so you could argue that this would make it "more Disney". Just like Figment teaches us about imagination, the Guardians will replace Bill Nye and Ellen to teach us about energy.

I don't think this will be about energy anymore. I think that whole side of FW will be about space, from UoE to M:S. That makes the new space restaurant make a lot of sense. I bet they have a long term plan for WoL that will be space related too. In that way they are keeping an overarching theme for that area at least.

 

[marni1971]

. I bet they have a long term plan for WoL .

They do.

 

[Kamikaze]

I've never understood the argument that Disney can only base attractions on successful movies. How many of the millions of people that ride Splash Mountain every year are actually familiar with the movie? If Splash Mounting didn't exist today and they were building it and themed it to Home on the Range, or Kali River Rapids to Brother Bear, would people stay away in droves just because of the movie not having done well? I believe Tron is a great IP for that ride because it just plain looks cool. I'm sure there will be millions of people eagerly queueing up for that ride and a good deal of them will never have watched the movie or played the arcade game. I argue that what makes a successful ride is an actual good ride.

That wasn't my point at all. I was replying to the 'risk' factor, and the ratings of these movies supported that. There are attractions that are based on bad movies that do well, and attractions based on good movies that do poorly.

 

[Kamikaze]

The beauty of the Tron coaster concept, is it can be rethemed down the road. Reskin the ride vehicle, and change up the displays (most of it is electronic screens) and you can make it whatever you want.

Except for the ride vehicles themselves are pretty hard to theme as something other than a motorcycle.

 

[EPICOT]

I don't get it.
One is an example of someone actively seeking out knowledge that can be tailor fit to their individual curiosities and intelligence levels. The other serves up a lesson in a one size fits all package (at about a second-grade level) and is absorbed passively.
Which one is the really the fast-food style of learning?

The internet.

Unless you're taking online college courses, I can pretty much guarantee that the average person does very little learning online. (And those that do learn online are probably already well educated)