Matt_Black
Well-Known Member
Alright, then if learning in a fun fashion isn't Epcot's raison d'etre, what is?
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Imagineer Tom Fitzgerald takes over the creative direction of Epcot
- Thread starter wdwmagic
- Start date
Alright, then if learning in a fun fashion isn't Epcot's raison d'etre, what is?
BoarderPhreak
Well-Known Member
And certainly don't bulldoze UOE. Are you kidding? Kids and dinosaurs go together line peanut butter and jelly. Chocolate and peanut butter.
Lose Ellen and Bill Nuy. Go back to the roots but update everything using new technology. And ditch/change the snoozefest cruise through Screenville that's nothing more than a feel-good segment on energy companies. I'm sure we can do better here.
Lose Ellen and Bill Nuy. Go back to the roots but update everything using new technology. And ditch/change the snoozefest cruise through Screenville that's nothing more than a feel-good segment on energy companies. I'm sure we can do better here.
Soarin' Over Pgh
Well-Known Member
I rather like the idea of picking CoP and iasw up and plopping them in a more edutainment type setting. Plus it would free up a good deal of room at MK for other projects.
I LOVE THIS.
Seriously, bring the 'edutainment' back to EPCOT. It's sorely lacking some historical lessons to go with the beautiful architecture and attention to details.
I really don't have much opinion on the (Disney) characters in Epcot but I'd really like to see more historical reference and value brought back to the place. Make it feel less like a gift shop and more like a learning tool.
doctornick
Well-Known Member
Yeah, I think a weather pavillion would make sense and be easy to do. In addition to Storm Rider in the Body Wars area, they could even move the Innovention film on weather proofing your home into the "Making of Me" space.
I'd like to see them do this and just use the Odyssey building as a festival center. Would make more sense anyway given the location for the Odyssey is nearer to the WS which hosts the F&W.
lazyboy97o
Well-Known Member
Which is probably one of the biggest disappointments. More digital media would offer a means of keeping the narrative more up-to-date, but Disney has failed to take advantage of such possibilities.
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Crazy Harry
Active Member
Meh. Updating and refreshing? Yes. All-out rebuilding? I wouldn't go that far.
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!
Yes, and I think what people often forget about Horizons is that it is the very essense of Epcot's original theme which in some ways is watered down, although it wouldn't take a whole lot to reinvigorate those core concepts. If you consider that Future World was all about looking at the past so we see where we are now and where we may be in the future, then an attraction which focuses on past ideas of the future makes perfect sense. So although some will mock the desire to ressurect a fallen attraction, many of those who miss it understand it was the foundation on which Epcot was conceived to begin with.
CDavid
Well-Known Member
No Disney park (and, arguably, least of all Epcot) is supposed to be aimed primarily at children. The Magic Kingdom has gained that reputation (which frankly is a problem), but even there it is not supposed to be all about kids.
BoarderPhreak
Well-Known Member
It's not "about" kids because at WDW, everyone is a kid (again).
PhotoDave219
Well-Known Member
Crazy Harry
Active Member
I like your thoughts and will interject some of mine as well.
SSE: Agreed
Energy: I don't think you bulldoze it, I think you convert it into a grade A dark ride with Dino AAs and windturbines. You could even add a character if you want (i.e Monsters Inc) but it would not be nessisary if done to the same quality as SSE.
WoL: I have been calling for a Weather pavillion here like many others. But instead of a simulator, how about an action packed Spiderman style dark ride with interactive exhibits and perhaps even a museum style atmosphere at the end. Whether or not there is room for that is another question.
M:S : I don't want to overdo the dark rides, but something on atronomy would be awesome, again if room allows.
TT: I always liked the idea of moving the Speedway from MK and make a TT junior, which would also make room for a new e ticket in Tomorrow Land.
Seas?
Imagination: There are a few things you could do here. You could doze it and put something new entirely (i.e. transportation pavillion or New Horizons) but I would prefer if they could reimagine it. If you redo the dark ride, it should be less technical and more whimsical like the original. And Image works should be converted into a Muppets Lab using Muppet AAs and include hands on exhibits much like the original.
WS: If they ever finally built the Rhine river boat ride or a variation, I think I would faint. I adore German culture and I think this would be a strong addition to WS.
PhotoDave219
Well-Known Member
I can't find any photos of Mickey and Goofy in Epcot opening day. I know what costumes you are talking about as I have seen them in promotional images but my understanding is that they were added at a later date when people complained (A similar situation occurred at Disney's California Adventure when it first opened that there was a lack of Disney characters).
EDIT: So far looks like I'm correct http://www.imagineeringdisney.com/blog/tag/epcot Characters were added by Michael Eisner when he took over later on.
Epcot's early days did have some characters but they were original creations for the park like the World Showcase children:
Thats..... did they have a deal with Fischer-Price? Its like one of their 'little people' came to life.
asianway
Well-Known Member
Storm rider isn't very good actually
dstrawn9889
Well-Known Member
would have to bulldoze, have you seen the condition of the dome? check it out on google earth, oxidation and corrosion all over, and there are tiles discolored, fading... sure didnt use alucabond on that dome.
PhotoDave219
Well-Known Member
The guests don't know that
sshindel
The Epcot Manifesto
Not saying that it's not the case, don't have a background in construction, but based on that, isn't it still the case that they could save the shell of the building by repairing it, thus saving quite a bit of $ that could be spent putting something in there?
I'm more of a supporter of a true, updated, Wonders of Life pavilion personally. Health and Medical technology is more important than ever these days, and could make for a pretty great pavilion, if properly done. Just not BodyWars 2.0.
Omnispace
Well-Known Member
I can't speak for everyone but imagine if people were instead saying "Bring back the Haunted Mansion" or "Bring back Splash Mountain"... ..or any of the other popular attractions that are considered iconic. It's understandable that people feel nostalgic for attractions they had been visiting for a good 15 years -- and the shows at Epcot were created on a scale more epic than any of the ones I mentioned above. I still can't believe that they simply tore down Horizons, or gutted the sets for World of Motion and Journey Into Imagination. Imagine tearing-out the sets for Pirates of the Caribbean and replacing it with something else! What could possibly replace that experience? I also have a feeling that folks think that the past shows said more about the future and were more inspiring than the current ones. That's really saying something!
I agree that things need to move forward though and recreating the 1980's is not going to be the answer. But there are definitely lessons that can be learned from that time. It would be nice if they could build upon the nostalgia that people feel for the former attractions and incorporate that into new concepts in a meaningful way. I think they would get a lot more buy-in from the public. Also, it would be fun to explore some of the concepts that were considered for Epcot but never brought to reality because of either cost or lack of technology. There are lots of ideas than can be used as new starting points.
dstrawn9889
Well-Known Member
in this case, looking at three epcot 'updates', horizons demoed for M:S, WoM gutted(but exterior structure preserved) for TT, and JII interior partially gutted for JIYI... so i could see them keeping the dome and trying to repair now that they are WAY behind on PM. and spending more to bring it back to its old condition.
Voice of Disney sanity
Well-Known Member
I guess I'm in the minority at least on these boards but I don't want WDW to bring back anything except MAYBE the adventurers club. I've ridden SSE at least 15 times and frankly it was cool back in the day but I don't want to ride it again in ANY form. Same thing with the universe of energy, Journey into Imagination and it's a small world in MK. But then again I don't want to see the remake of the Amazing spiderman 2 either. I like fresh entertainment. I don't like reading the same book 10 times over and over and I don't want to watch the same movie 12 times either. Gut those stale attractions and bring in some fresh stuff. Get back to the original idea of EPCOT yes but a modern 2014 version not the 80's. I don't hear anyone on here asking for Microsoft to bring back the old Atari games to play on the XBOX?
dstrawn9889
Well-Known Member
are you kidding, VIVA LA PONG!