How to improve Epcot

ryguy

ryguy

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Seems to be some possible action brewing with a leadership change at Epcot. Ok your now in charge, what do you add or fix?

First and foremost Future World has to be about the Future.

I think the Universe of Energy has to be the first thing redone. The topic of energy and how we consume it is still an important issue going forward. I would like to see more focus on the future rather than the past.

Communicore East and West original idea needs to be brought back to life. Disney needs to aggressively go after companies to come in and show their new products. Love to see blue sky ideas that are maybe 10 years away, kinda like concept cars at car shows.

A ride similar to horizons that everyone can ride and learn something.

The space pavilion needs more emphasis on the new space program. What is the future of the Space program, can we see a replica of the new shuttle. Maybe bring someone other than NASA who is working on space travel.

The imagination attraction needs a completely new theme, don't see a need to bring back Figment and Dreamfinder. I know there is a desire to bring them back but I think the general public could care less. Maybe they could come back in a pre-show or in the Captain EO theatre.

I loved the old fireworks show that highlighted each country. I don't know if I need lasers (although I thought they were cool) but lets get back to celebrating world showcase with the nighttime show.

World showcase is still pretty good, but it definitely needs a new land and one more ride. I think a South American country should be represented. But at this point I would take any country.

What say you?
 
copcarguyp71

copcarguyp71

Well-Known Member
Absolutely paramount...re-open closed off areas with new attractions. WOL, Imagination upstairs and Odyssey are all travesties in my mind as far as ridiculous let downs.

After that UoE needs love in a BIG way as does Imagination and the post show there. it would be nice if they made the SSE descent an actual show again instead of the headshot clipart choose your own adventure.
 
marni1971

marni1971

Park History nut
Premium Member
Nice ideas.

Bring back the original park that informed, educated and inspired but in a 21st century way. Don't dumb it down but don't make it boring. Don't loose all characters but don't turn it into Fantasyland.

Rebuild the key attractions to be equivalent to the E tickets they once were. Overhaul the minor attractions into the Ds they were. Overhaul Futureworld from start to finish. Make it cohesive again. De clutter it. Return to the uniform detail from signs and lamposts to buildings and paint.

1983s Horizons in 2013 would be so dated. But a Horizons style attraction designed in 2013 with similar scope and scale to the original would be a show stopper.

As for Showcase.... De clutter. Respect the architecture again. Stop turning it into a pub or nightclub. Expand what's there. New attractions.

And yes, a night show that encompasses the park. Although new lasers would be a good start.

EPCOT Center was a leader. A one of a kind. Now it's just confused and neglected.
 
Seabasealpha1

Seabasealpha1

Well-Known Member
Love some of the above ideas...

To me, the first and foremost issue is Futureworld. We have a lot of wasted spaces and attractions that just
"ain't what they used to be" We have a large empty "convention center" that could hold some kind of substantial attraction...we have the nasty pile of cheap ideas that has become Imagination... and finally we have the cheapened version of the living seas...

All three of these should be made to fit the original intent of Epcot. And it should be done in a manner consistent with the mental and financial investment that all of the other parks around the world seem to get for every new project. It seems to me that Epcot has plenty of potential to still be a really cool marketable thing that can really pull a crowd...it's time to start treating it that way.

Universe of energy NEEDS something done with it...it's really looking dated...and energy is a BIG darn deal right now... Shoot, they can even still use Bill Nye!

I'd like to see a new pavilion opened between the Seas & The Land to balance out the park map (given that WoL gets used properly!). And get rid of those stone monoliths...OR find a way to make it feel less like a war memorial when you walk in the gate...they're definitely conveying two different ideas by mixing SSE and a -eyed version of Stonehenge.

Future World should just be mind blowing...period.

As for world showcase...there's two very large buildings behind those German and Japanese fronts...and WS NEEDS desperately some attractions besides food and booze. It's cool that they have all that stuff...but attractions would definitely round out the area...even just two new rides could really make WS feel like a fuller experience.

Oh, and do some maintenance on those buildings and infrastructure...they could use a wash, some paint in places, and some updating...some of it is looking a little worn! Especially the monorail beam!

That's about all I've got...
 
disney4life2008

disney4life2008

Well-Known Member
Kuzcotopia said:
No specific ideas from me, just a general call to action:

Forget what came out of the 80s. That ship had sailed. Give us something we've never seen before.
Click to expand...

The best suggestion ever. Many of us (me included) want the old Epcot back 80s/90s but that is just not the case.

I would love for Epcot to look into the far future and revamp everything. Honestly, the entire future world needs to be revamped. As much as everyone loves Soarin - that is the first that needs to go. It is absolutely boring to me. Captain EO needs to close - I appreciate the throwback but its time to move on. TT will remain the same and it should never have been updated - I hate the new attraction. Nemo, Lion King movie all need to close. Ironically, I enjoy Imagination but would not mind a update.

As others have said on multiple threads - WS needs a overhaul as well. I would love another country built. But this is a lost case - the overhaul for WS will be more alcohol, paid parties and less emphasis on being immersed in each country.

Epcot needs a complete overhaul like DCA. But that is also said about HS. Honestly, HS likely needs it more at this point. AK will need it as well - Avatar what? LOL
 
marni1971

marni1971

Park History nut
Premium Member
Kuzcotopia said:
No specific ideas from me, just a general call to action:

Forget what came out of the 80s. That ship had sailed. Give us something we've never seen before.
Click to expand...
Nailed it there. EPCOT of the 80s was full of things never seen before.

Take that goal and make it of this century.

This could be the last chance to save the park.
 
EricJ

EricJ

Active Member
marni1971 said:
Nailed it there. EPCOT of the 80s was full of things never seen before.
Take that goal and make it of this century.
This could be the last chance to save the park.
Click to expand...

I've always wanted to throttle some of the younger coaster-heads who "don't get" what Epcot is supposed to be about, say things like "What, so it's 'educational'? Am I on a field trip?", and want to put more Disney or Test Track in it.
I didn't make my first trip to old-school 80's Horizons/Imagination Epcot until 1990, four years after I'd already been to Vancouver Expo '86:

(which up until then, I'd considered the greatest "theme park" solo trip I'd ever made), and I immediately spotted the resemblance between Future World and the modern-day '64 NYC World's Fair that Walt wanted to build into his city.

We've had maybe one (two?) World's Fairs in the almost thirty years since Vancouver, and with the rise of theme parks in the 90's, I'm sure corporate sponsors are seeing less and less reason to build a World's Fair literally the size and shape of Epcot, tear it down after one year, sell off all the old architectural white-elephants, and go build it somewhere else later.
If Epcot is the reason we don't have them anymore, that puts more responsibility on the park to be what World's Fairs try to accomplish: Let corporations and international tourism/industry boards give us an optimistic commercial for the future, and throw in a few rides and entertainers to liven things up.
(And while I don't mind meeting Mulan at China, I still like the old Norwegian food at the Akershus, without Anna & Elsa.)
 
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copcarguyp71

copcarguyp71

Well-Known Member
Pumbas Nakasak said:
Theme the DVC booths to each country. Have power point presentations from international CMs in their native language about their home towns. Build some attractions not aimed at 8 year old girls. Put in ECV lanes.
Click to expand...

LOL!
54ea62e53b31f48e4934a91812d761e6.jpg
 
Disvillain63

Disvillain63

Well-Known Member
Going back to the 80's for some ideas might not hurt. It would be nice to have the Rhine River ride in Germany and/or the Matterhorn-type ride themed to Mount Fuji in Japan. Adding a couple of additional countries...Australia, Brazil or Argentina, maybe an eastern European country.

Need to stop make the theme of Epcot attractions related to the Disney movies...it's okay not to make everything kiddie...my children enjoyed Epcot in the 90's when they were ages 3 to 12.

Bring back the Teacher Exchange Resource Room.
 
ryguy

ryguy

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
marni1971 said:
The big thing.

How much $$$ will be available?

Poor choice paint jobs, booze fests and more meet n greets won't cut it.
Click to expand...

agreed. I guess one positive is the success of DCA, if the money is spent right and quality is paramount people will come.

disney4life2008 said:
The best suggestion ever. Many of us (me included) want the old Epcot back 80s/90s but that is just not the case.

Epcot needs a complete overhaul like DCA. But that is also said about HS. Honestly, HS likely needs it more at this point. AK will need it as well - Avatar what? LOL
Click to expand...

Sadly I agree :( Both AK and HS are in worse shape.
 
horizons82

horizons82

Well-Known Member
I am a huge fan of Epcot. I've written many posts about how it used to be my all-time favorite park. As an idealistic teenager I was enthralled with both the storytelling, visual effects and details and the attractions that all made for the amazing, wonderful and profound vision of the future that Epcot used to present.

As many would agree (myself included), those days are gone. I may listen to the Main Entrance Loop music and ridethrough audios of Horizons to bring back fond memories, but as good as those days and attractions were, they would be terribly dated if they were around now (although those dated rides are still better than what we have now from an ideas and presentation aspect).

What a 'new' Epcot needs to do is go back to the way in which it presented Future World in terms of the mood, atmosphere, and visions of an idealistic future as it did back in its glory days. Everything from the music to the 'feel' of the park to the seriousness and profundity of the attractions all came together to form a cohesive and powerful (yet still fun and entertaining message).

What is needed is not the old attractions themselves, but to restore the sense of awe-inspiring ideas and science and visions those original attractions possessed.

While I long for and miss Horizons, the original UoE, WoM, the original Imagination and the amazing descent the SSE used to have, I know those rides won't be coming back. But it's the 'soul' of those rides and the way in which they were presented that was timeless and needs to be continued into any upcoming and all Future World attractions.

All IMHO of course.
 
THEMEPARKPIONEER

THEMEPARKPIONEER

Well-Known Member
True or false, thats some of the greatest news I have heard in a long time :). All I can say is that they could have saved allot of money if they didn't screw up everything back in the late 90's.
 
DisneyPrincess5

DisneyPrincess5

Well-Known Member
I've always thought a more tame space ride would be awesome in Future World and Worldd Showcase could reeeaaalllllyy use another ride. A fun, fast paced ride.
 

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