If Epcot Was Built Today

Cmdr_Crimson

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Were getting closer and closer to the 25th Anniversary of Epcot. Which brings me to a thought. If the park was built for this year and with all the new advanced technilogical rides we have seen over the years...

Would we see Epcot with a Future World or Discoveryland layout?

Would World Showcase Exsist?

A Park without A Figment Of Imagination?

What would it be like?

Discuss....
 

Expo_Seeker40

Well-Known Member
I like this question but find it so hard to answer.

I doubt EPCOT Center would even have been built.

It would have years since EPCOT/Progress City never came about.

Years since America hosted a World's Fair.

And all the great imagineers and others who created EPCOT Center in the late 70s and early 80s, most of them would be dead.

Spaceship Earth probably wouldn't even have come into existance.

So who knows...:lookaroun
 

TheDisneyMagic

Well-Known Member
I would imagine, that most probably the name Epcot would not be used. I could imagine it being like Disney's California Adventure but on a wider scale, as opposed to focusing on California, it would be all the countries like in the world showcase all most certainly containing the likes of Spain. Future world would probably be on a much smaller scale and would probably have a Test Track style ride themed more to how each country has developed cars over the years. I would guess Soarin' would be over the world as opposed to California. I couldn't imagine a structure such as Spaceship Earth would be given a budget, it would be something much smaller and cheaper.

Those are just my ideas what the company would do.
 

marni1971

Park History nut
Premium Member
It wouldn`t - dare I say couldn`t - happen. Not without massive outside investment. $1.2 Billion in 1982 - that`s two DCAs or WDSP at prices a quarter of a century old. I reakon by 1993 the chances of another US park of this scope went out the window. Certainly when Eisner was left on his own any chance dropped to nil.
 

SirNim

Well-Known Member
Epcot was a unique product of its times...

...times which have gradually shifted and evolved into a more cynical age.

One of the few anchors remaining to this era is, of course, Epcot. Lucky, lucky, lucky we are...
 

SDav10495

Member
Epcot was a unique product of its times...

...times which have gradually shifted and evolved into a more cynical age.

One of the few anchors remaining to this era is, of course, Epcot. Lucky, lucky, lucky we are...

Exactly...the park just wouldn't have been created with that optimistic spirit in this day and age. It is indeed a more cynical era, an era of hip 'n' edgy, an era where sincerity is too uncool to invest in significantly for a theme park.

My guess is that an Epcot built today, aside from almost certainly not using the name "EPCOT" as jddjcfc said, would be designed as more of the "discovery" park it's become rather than one that tried to explain and re-assure about the future, as EPCOT Center was. It would be a much smaller, more "winding" park in the style of MGM--we wouldn't see the monumental architecture (no SSE) or clear symmetrical layout of EPCOT Center. Those aspects of EPCOT Center were reminiscent of the old World's Fairs, because that's what EPCOT was. An "Epcot" built today, on the other hand, would probably be divided into "lands" that would have more in common with the new Tomorrowland than with EPCOT's wide open spaces and pavilions. And I'm pretty sure World Showcase would be an entirely separate park, if it even existed. The entire reason WED decided it fit into EPCOT Center was because it was in keeping with the park's forward-thinking spirit of harmony; I don't think Disney would make that connection with the Epcot they'd presumably build today because I think there would be no such unifying spirit.

It wouldn't be anything like EPCOT Center...and I feel pretty secure saying, quality-wise, it would be worse. I don't believe that EPCOT Center was perfect by any means...in some cases, it was as dry and didactic as its reputation made it out to be. But it was built with the sincerest intentions, and with a desire to really get it right. In today's Disney a "new Epcot" would be built with a fraction of the money pumped into EPCOT in 1982, and we all know from observing Disney's most recent crop of parks that mediocrity is unavoidable if you skimp on the money. That's not to say it wouldn't be enjoyable park--I'm sure I'd have a good time there--but I find it hard to believe that it would be daring or unique. Probably just Disney's typical park formula, with a shiny gloss of fantasy futurism...hardly the landmark pop-culture event that EPCOT Center was.
 

cloudboy

Well-Known Member
It's hard to say because there are so many variables. For instance, I don't think that the Disney Company as it exists today would even try to build Epcot. The original Epcot vision was about a positive look towards the future, a rather Utopian, if perhaps flawed, vision. Today's Disney is more interested in profits, and in the end, they would focus more on a park that would offer better tie ins with their other productions. If they were to still retain some semblance of future visions and world connections, I would expect to see more location based attractions - the sea, tropics and islands, rugged mountains, and space. I don't think you would have seen a separate Future World and World Showcase.

Assumi9ng that Disney did suddenly develop some interest in providing a more optimistic future vision, I think you would see something far more "earthy", more message driven. I would expect to see a lot of green architecture, much less emphasis on interesting architecture and instead a lot more theming. I would expect to see pavilions based around ecosystems and cultural awareness, I would expect more interest in continents and natural environments, perhaps more greenery and probably a much more meandering layout.

The interesting thing to think about, however, is what the original imagineers, with the original vision, would do in todays world. And that would blow our minds away! Today we are far more aware of technology - and also far more receptive to it. I think we would see fewer pavilions dominated by one major company with such a generalized subject. I would expect a lot more pavilions in Future World, with more interesting subjects such as computing and artificial intelligence, biochemistry, energy production, transportation, and communications. I thin it would be a lot more exciting, and probably, given the speed that our world moves in, a lot more dominated by an ever changing show of new products and technology. World Showcase I think would be a lot more adventurous - less dominated by Old Europe and covering a greater diversity of countries. I think you would see more rides, but I think you would see less involvement with governments and more involvement with corporations. This might a good thing, as it might bring in more exciting shops and attractions, but it could also mean a more commercialized, retail driven experienece.
 

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