Imagineer Tom Fitzgerald takes over the creative direction of Epcot

[BoarderPhreak]

Not to add to the fire, but there's so much here about "bringing back." Doesn't anyone think about totally redoing and going forward?

Good point. There's no doubt a lot of nostalgia at work here. But I don't necessary want the original park back... As much as I want the original spirit back. EPCOT Center was about the future and the world around us. It presented a forward-thinking, hands-on experience of what the future holds. There was promise and excitement. There is really nothing in the park left that embraces this spirit anymore except maybe... The Land? And that's mostly because it's the one thing that hasn't changed (much)!

Epcot has turned into a bland park, and the brass is desperate to keep it relevant. If all they can come up with is sprinkling characters here and there and a hideous new paint scheme, then all is lost.

Consider for a moment what EPCOT stood for: Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow. Each of these words (and concepts) is missing from Epcot today.

 

[G8rchamps]

Nothing wrong with a little history lesson while we work towards our future. If you try to make every attraction totally futuristic, then you are rebuilding in like 8-10 years.

(BTW- not suggesting in any way that we add Lion King to Future World, Rafiki just makes my point)

 

[BoarderPhreak]

View attachment 52136
Nothing wrong with a little history lesson while we work towards our future. If you try to make every attraction totally futuristic, then you are rebuilding in like 8-10 years.

Well yes. Not everything can be the Astuter Computer Revue. That's a losing battle. Base attractions not on a product or era, but a concept. Hate to beat a dead horse, but Horizons was a good example.

 

[sshindel]

View attachment 52136
Nothing wrong with a little history lesson while we work towards our future. If you try to make every attraction totally futuristic, then you are rebuilding in like 8-10 years.

(BTW- not suggesting in any way that we add Lion King to Future World, Rafiki just makes my point)

Too late

 

[G8rchamps]

Too late

Oh Yea...

 

[sshindel]

Oh Yea...

Don't worry, I forget about it most of the time too, because I walk right past it towards one of the last bastions of Old EPCOT, Listen to the Living with the Land.

 

[DznyGrlSD]

Ok - I made it 16 pages into this thread before my eyes started going crossed. EPCOT is my favorite park and it really does need some TLC. Despite was has been said in 21 pages of this thread I'm going to say what *I* would like to see happen with EPCOT

FW:
SSE - fix the narration & fix the ending
Energy - bulldoze it & put something new up - E-ticket please
WoL - see above bulldoze it and put something new up
M:S - I don't ride it (makes me sick) but it's fine IMO
TT - haven't seen the Tron overlay yet
Seas - needs...something - what that is I don't know but it needs...something
Living with the land - again...needs...something?
Soarin' - new film
Imagination - please please PLEASE fix this attraction and bring back imageworks!!
HISTA/EO - new film
Oddessey restaurant - make it a restaurant again
Innoventions - I never go in there so honestly I don't know what to do with it.

WS:
New country(ies) with more rides. Something on the west side of the lagoon perhaps - something to disperse the crowds.
bring back tapestry of nations or something similar

Illuminations:
fix/replace it - it's essentially been the same show for how many years (decades?)now?

 

[LorangeJuice]

View attachment 52136
Nothing wrong with a little history lesson while we work towards our future. If you try to make every attraction totally futuristic, then you are rebuilding in like 8-10 years.

(BTW- not suggesting in any way that we add Lion King to Future World, Rafiki just makes my point)

Meh. Updating and refreshing? Yes. All-out rebuilding? I wouldn't go that far.

Well yes. Not everything can be the Astuter Computer Revue. That's a losing battle. Base attractions not on a product or era, but a concept. Hate to beat a dead horse, but Horizons was a good example.

Horizons is the perfect example. Imagine (just for a moment ) that it were refreshed in '94? And I highly doubt it would have taken anything near an all-out rebuild to keep it relevant. The physical sets including the wardrobe and dialogue could have been tweaked. The Omnimax scene could have been completely updated as well as the choose your own ending sequences. The Beach Boy and Red-Head dialogue tweaked or swapped out as well. (This is where screens, when properly used, can be helpful in maintaining relevance! )

Yes, I realize this would take money and a sponsor, but updating and refreshing just goes with the EPCOT territory, and that is what will set it apart from other parks and resorts. Problem is, either Disney or sponsors need to be reminded of that (GM/Chevy excluded)! This re-imagining of EPCOT needs to address this concept whether Disney decides to ditch the sponsorship model or not. No more character additions/movie tie-ins/dark space band-aids!

 

[CDavid]

The point of Epcot is to get kids interested in the various aspects of the world around them.

That's not the point of Epcot.

Ok - I made it 16 pages into this thread before my eyes started going crossed. EPCOT is my favorite park and it really does need some TLC. Despite was has been said in 21 pages of this thread I'm going to say what *I* would like to see happen with EPCOT

FW:
SSE - fix the narration & fix the ending
Energy - bulldoze it & put something new up - E-ticket please
WoL - see above bulldoze it and put something new up
M:S - I don't ride it (makes me sick) but it's fine IMO
TT - haven't seen the Tron overlay yet
Seas - needs...something - what that is I don't know but it needs...something
Living with the land - again...needs...something?
Soarin' - new film
Imagination - please please PLEASE fix this attraction and bring back imageworks!!
HISTA/EO - new film
Oddessey restaurant - make it a restaurant again
Innoventions - I never go in there so honestly I don't know what to do with it.

WS:
New country(ies) with more rides. Something on the west side of the lagoon perhaps - something to disperse the crowds.
bring back tapestry of nations or something similar

Illuminations:
fix/replace it - it's essentially been the same show for how many years (decades?)now?

Not bad, but please don't bulldoze Universe of Energy. It's too easily updated with a new show, being mostly video based. Living with the Land and Spaceship Earth are really the only original Future World E-tickets left; They need only minor updates which don't disturb the fundamentals of the current presentation.

 

[BoarderPhreak]

I think we need to move beyond this concept of sponsors. Disney makes MORE than enough money on the parks. If you want to keep them full, you need to maintain them.

 

[prfctlyximprct]

Ok - I made it 16 pages into this thread before my eyes started going crossed. EPCOT is my favorite park and it really does need some TLC. Despite was has been said in 21 pages of this thread I'm going to say what *I* would like to see happen with EPCOT

FW:
SSE - fix the narration & fix the ending
Energy - bulldoze it & put something new up - E-ticket please
WoL - see above bulldoze it and put something new up
M:S - I don't ride it (makes me sick) but it's fine IMO
TT - haven't seen the Tron overlay yet
Seas - needs...something - what that is I don't know but it needs...something
Living with the land - again...needs...something?
Soarin' - new film
Imagination - please please PLEASE fix this attraction and bring back imageworks!!
HISTA/EO - new film
Oddessey restaurant - make it a restaurant again
Innoventions - I never go in there so honestly I don't know what to do with it.

WS:
New country(ies) with more rides. Something on the west side of the lagoon perhaps - something to disperse the crowds.
bring back tapestry of nations or something similar

Illuminations:
fix/replace it - it's essentially been the same show for how many years (decades?)now?

Can you be the creative director?

 

[Beholder]

It's like the scene in Jurassic Park when they are taken to the lab, but before they're forced to sit through a childish cartoon to "explain" things. EPCOT doesn't need a cartoon or a character or movie personality or a tie-in to make things understandable or relatable. If EPCOT has/had an issue with making the natural world "relevant", then I'd say the blame for that lies outside of Disney. The Living Seas. It's the oceans, perhaps the most awe-inspiring feature on earth, I don't need Nemo to sell me on the idea, and didn't when I was 6 or 8 or 16 or ever. To put that kind of trite stuff into any attraction at EPCOT cheapens the experience and trivializes the message. No one is saying "no characters" in EPCOT, just don't use them to carry or present a message that does fine all by itself. Current Disney can't get it together? Fine, get them out and let someone in who will.

 

[Soarin' Over Pgh]

Sorry, I'm still quite a few pages behind, but...

yeah! Bring Back EPCOT Center! and Bring back the old Universe of Energy and Imagination too!

I would like to see future world take the Tiki Bird route and have every pavilion restore to its original shows. Lets bring back a future world that would actually inspire people to think of the future and what could be possible instead of the horrible Nemo ride or need I mention the lack of imagination in imagination. This sounds like good news but I will wait and see as to what actually appears.

Tiki is missing the fountain. Eo is missing some original effects...so...

This "bring back xx and xx and xx!" trend is disturbing. Isn't EPCOT supposed to be about the future? Why bring back rides from the years past- that were removed/rebuilt instead of trying to either reinvent the ride for future children and adults to enjoy or build something NEW?

How many times has Disney brought something back from the crypt- is it just two? (serious question, I really don't know.) The Tiki room being reverted to original form, minus the fountain, and Capt. EO (personally never seen so I can't really comment) And of those brought back from the dead, who still whined and complained about them missing effects/scenes/etc?

IMHO, the direction for EPCOT should be "new" and not returning to old rides. They worked in their time and they served their purpose, but it's time to look forward.

 

[Matt_Black]

That's not the point of Epcot.

Children LEARNING? You're right, Walt would be disgusted at that.

 

[BoarderPhreak]

Tiki was reverted because, honestly, the refurb sucked.

 

[doctornick]

How many times has Disney brought something back from the crypt- is it just two? (serious question, I really don't know.) The Tiki room being reverted to original form, minus the fountain, and Capt. EO (personally never seen so I can't really comment) And of those brought back from the dead, who still whined and complained about them missing effects/scenes/etc?

The subs at DL were dormant for quite a while and then were brought back (albeit with a significantly different theme).

 

[BoarderPhreak]

...or for 1985 to come back.

Disney aside, this wouldn't be so bad.

 

[Bocabear]

Don't bulldoze WOL...turn it into a Weather pavilion! Storm Rider can go in here...the dome can have ever changing weather patterns...it could be spectacular...
and with our changing weather patterns lately this is VERY relevant...

 

[CDavid]

How many times has Disney brought something back from the crypt- is it just two? (serious question, I really don't know.) The Tiki room being reverted to original form, minus the fountain, and Capt. EO (personally never seen so I can't really comment) And of those brought back from the dead, who still whined and complained about them missing effects/scenes/etc?

Magic Journeys also once returned from the dead, but to Fantasyland in the Mk rather than Future World. Then there are attractions like Disneyland's subs, which were never actually replaced but were closed for an extended period (before reopening in refurbished form).

Children LEARNING? You're right, Walt would be disgusted at that.

Why? Just because something is a desirable benefit doesn't mean it is the park's reason for being.

 

[Kman101]

And didn't Innoventions add something about weather/hurricanes? Is that still there (I don't really go into Innoventions, lol)?

So, exactly, a Weather pavilion makes perfect sense. And kids can learn without characters. They're smart and willing and able to learn.