Imagineer Tom Fitzgerald takes over the creative direction of Epcot

[JEANYLASER]

I really hope to bring back Horizons because it's my favorite ride in EPCOT and I do miss it! I miss to ride horizons and the song and saying "If you can dream it, You can do it!" And Universe of Energy the old ride and song "Energy makes the world go round and Universe of Energy theme song!

 

[DreamfinderFigmentFan]

I really hope to bring back Horizons because it's my favorite ride in EPCOT and I do miss it! I miss to ride horizons and the song and saying "If you can dream it, You can do it!" And Universe of Energy the old ride and song "Energy makes the world go round and Universe of Energy theme song!

I agree with what you're saying except mine's with the old Journey Into Imagination, the current ride with Dr. Nigel Channing and the Imagination Institute sucks!!

 

[CDavid]

I've updated attendance numbers (either total WDW or just Epcot) in my post from yesterday, and they are now complete except for 1987 and 1989. Again, attendance during the late 80's and early 90's - with the original slate of Epcot attractions - was actually higher than it was after 2000.

http://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/...irection-of-epcot.883257/page-27#post-6068354">Imagineer Tom Fitzgerald takes over the creative direction of Epcot

 

[Omnispace]

I've updated attendance numbers (either total WDW or just Epcot) in my post from yesterday, and they are now complete except for 1987 and 1989. Again, attendance during the late 80's and early 90's - with the original slate of Epcot attractions - was actually higher than it was after 2000.

http://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/...irection-of-epcot.883257/page-27#post-6068354">Imagineer Tom Fitzgerald takes over the creative direction of Epcot

Thanks for going through the trouble of posting those attendance figures! One interesting thing to note is that current attendance is pretty good, actually climbing. I'm sure there are many reasons for that but with this news that they are assigning Tom to take creative leadership of Epcot there must be some other reason than attendance numbers to drive their decision. I know that they do lots of guest surveys and keep track of the numbers entering each pavilion. I'm curious what's behind their actual reasoning for this change. Looking forward to hearing more news on it.

 

[sshindel]

Thanks for going through the trouble of posting those attendance figures! One interesting thing to note is that current attendance is pretty good, actually climbing. I'm sure there are many reasons for that but with this news that they are assigning Tom to take creative leadership of Epcot there must be some other reason than attendance numbers to drive their decision. I know that they do lots of guest surveys and keep track of the numbers entering each pavilion. I'm curious what's behind their actual reasoning for this change. Looking forward to hearing more news on it.

Just a guess...
These days, you have something like 120 days of "festivals" that bring guests in and inflate the attendance numbers in some degree (meaning, the festivals go away, potentially a sizable portion of the guests do as well). I don't know if there is a way to try and really drive out how many guests are brought in by the two major festivals, but it might be that they are concerned that the park itself is not really growing, and in fact, potentially shrinking, it's standard guests.
Again, just a bit of uneducated speculation on my part.

 

[Omnispace]

Just a guess...
These days, you have something like 120 days of "festivals" that bring guests in and inflate the attendance numbers in some degree (meaning, the festivals go away, potentially a sizable portion of the guests do as well). I don't know if there is a way to try and really drive out how many guests are brought in by the two major festivals, but it might be that they are concerned that the park itself is not really growing, and in fact, potentially shrinking, it's standard guests.
Again, just a bit of uneducated speculation on my part.

That's a good point. Another thing to look at is the response to the latest updates. To be honest, they actually have been updating the various attractions: Spaceship Earth, Mission Space, Test Track, Seas With Nemo, Soarin, Grand Fiesta Tour, Canada -- all completed in the past 10 years. It could very well be that they are not seeing an attendance bump from these efforts, (though some could say that most were not much of an effort).

I hope that they not only look at attendance figures but also the caliber of the attractions they have been putting in lately. The Three Caballeros for instance sounded like a good fit for the Mexico pavilion and could have had a fun place in the show. It was dumbing it down into a "Where's Donald" shtick that diluted the appeal.

 

[NoChesterHester]

Thanks for going through the trouble of posting those attendance figures! One interesting thing to note is that current attendance is pretty good, actually climbing. I'm sure there are many reasons for that but with this news that they are assigning Tom to take creative leadership of Epcot there must be some other reason than attendance numbers to drive their decision. I know that they do lots of guest surveys and keep track of the numbers entering each pavilion. I'm curious what's behind their actual reasoning for this change. Looking forward to hearing more news on it.

Market Share

 

[Gabe1]

Does this imply there was someone leading it before this?

From the post:


Look. There are few out there that want this more than I do. I obsess over Epcot and it's failings more than most. I WANT them to make this happen. Truly, I do. I will likely throw some skepticism into any further discussion on this topic, but I want everyone to know before I do, that I truly hope to be wrong. I hope to be dead wrong. I hope that this means a shift in their care of Epcot, and a return to glory.

I am in your camp. Someone lead this charge before and it didn't happen. Not that there was not talent or good ideas but Disney failed to fund the projects. We are seeing the same failings happening at DHS. Funding is pulled and projects stalled or cancelled. Changing staff is an everyday occurrence under Iger. Pulling funding is also typical of Iger. It isn't the failure of WDI, it is the failure to fund. I really want this to happen too but am skeptical. I'd jump for joy if they booted out The Character Spot and Duffy, and flipped Nemo and Crush out of the Seas and revamped Epcot to its original intent. Painting brown pattern stripes just didn't help at all nor did adding a Starbucks or a Character Spot. Those type of fixes are not even band-aids.

What is missing with this staffing change is an announcement like Uni did...Tom will implement positive changes to Epcot and we are committing 1.5 Billion dollars to ensure he has the proper budget to make these initial projects happen over the next couple of years. (and it best be faster than Avatar or FLE)

 

[NoChesterHester]

Disney and Fast are not synonymous. Stop hoping for that, because it isn't realistic.

Hope for a re appropriation of money. They have capital and have proven they will spend it, but we need a focus on attractions not bands and queues.

 

[Gabe1]

Disney and Fast are not synonymous. Stop hoping for that, because it isn't realistic.

Hope for a re appropriation of money. They have capital and have proven they will spend it, but we need a focus on attractions not bands and queues.

Not True. Have you seen how Fast those DVCs went up in the Poly water. They were given a money pot to make that happen fast. In the time I was on vacation it went from a pier plank to vertical buildings with full crews. Release adequate funding and projects get completed timely. Release funds in drips and drabs you get FLE ad nauseam. Iger-ism.

Disney is replacing the wrong people if they genuinely want to update their parks.

 

[WDWDad13]

Not True. Have you seen how Fast those DVCs went up in the Poly water. They were given a money pot to make that happen fast. In the time I was on vacation it went from a pier plank to vertical buildings with full crews. Release adequate funding and projects get completed timely. Release funds in drips and drabs you get FLE ad nauseam. Iger-ism.

Disney is replacing the wrong people if they genuinely want to update their parks.

I agree with what you are saying.... but for comparison, a lot of the Poly building structure was pre-fab'ed though. Easier to do that with bungalows than with an attraction/ride/coaster

 

[Clowd Nyne]

I love spaceship earth in its current state. I think test track 2.0 was a step in the right direction. I think nemo is the worst dark ride in any Disney park. Crush is amazing and I hope new tech comes with Soarin over the world.

 

[BoarderPhreak]

As for the attendance numbers, it's interesting to note that EC is pretty static. A dip or peak of 1,000 guests here and there means little. Which is sad, because that means no matter what they've done since the opening years... Attendance has not kept up. Look at the MK - it's doubled by 10 MILLION. What that means is that EC has been essentially "declining" in popularity and it's taken all these new things (festivals, etc.) to keep it going. THAT is the real message.

 

[JEANYLASER]

I love spaceship earth in its current state. I think test track 2.0 was a step in the right direction. I think nemo is the worst dark ride in any Disney park. Crush is amazing and I hope new tech comes with Soarin over the world.

Clowd Nyne I think that nemo is the worst dark ride in any Disney Park. I hope new Tech comes With Soarin over the world.

 

[seascape]

I love EPCOT and the FW and F&G. However I do agree that Energy needs updating. It is crazy that Energy currently gives the view we are running out of oil and gas. I think an update should start with a film in the waiting area starting with news stories from 2008 saying we are running out of oil and gas and that anyone who thinks we could be energy independent is crazy. Then show interviews with the people who actually proved we will be energy independent and even President Obama saying recently that we will be. Thanks to private individuals and the use of new technology we will not only become energy indecent but will become the world's largest energy exporter. The Energy Pavilion could show exactly what Walt always believed, that with imagination and the use of new technology there is nothing we can not do. One last thing and this should be interesting to anyone who knows Orlando magazine and Edward Prizer. His name sake in the family was President of SOCONY-VACUME Oil company, AKA Mobile. He knew oil would not be the only source of energy and that his company was an energy company and not an Oil company. I wish that that the current management of Exon would have the same view and be willing to pay for the upgrade. This would be what Edward Prizer would have wanted and most likely would have been willing to do.

 

[Kman101]

Universe of Energy desperately needs a re-do.

Ellen, Alex Trebek and Bill Nye are still very popular but they really can't believe they are actually drawing people in.

Please please please update this attraction.

 

[Gabe1]

I agree with what you are saying.... but for comparison, a lot of the Poly building structure was pre-fab'ed though. Easier to do that with bungalows than with an attraction/ride/coaster

What was prefab`d? I watched them day by day grow from pier to roof. Coasters in that same vein and simulators are prefab so they should go quick as should animatronics if that is the excuse of the day.

 

[JEANYLASER]

Universe of Energy desperately needs a re-do.

Ellen, Alex Trebek and Bill Nye are still very popular but they really can't believe they are actually drawing people in.

Please please please update this attraction.

Yeah I agree with Kman101 Please Please update this attraction!

 

[WDWDad13]

What was prefab`d? I watched them day by day grow from pier to roof. Coasters in that same vein and simulators are prefab so they should go quick as should animatronics if that is the excuse of the day.

I think most of the walls trusses were all built and put in place by cranes was it not?

 

[aladdin2007]

I love spaceship earth in its current state. I think test track 2.0 was a step in the right direction. I think nemo is the worst dark ride in any Disney park. Crush is amazing and I hope new tech comes with Soarin over the world.

Its current state remains unfinished and in deplorable inexcusable condition, in the descent.