Improving Epcot

[MonorailGreen]

Many people complain about Epcot but not too many people give solutions to the problems they see in the park. What do you think needs to be done at Epcot, if anything, to improve it?? If you think the park is fine as it is defend Epcot, if not gives reasons and suggestions for the future... =)

 

[Vipex23]

First and foremost, Horizons must be rebuilt. :lol:
Second, the American pavilion needs a fancy sit-down restaurant.
Third, a new country should be added (perhaps Australia or Spain).

 

[ArsonWinter]

Epcot is already my favorite park (I've been vocal on that for a while now), but it really needs Carousel of Progress and a Wonders of Life rehab (to get it out of the 80's).

 

[MonorailGreen]

Epcot

I love Epcot but I have to say that some areas are just still in the 1980's and/or untouched since opening in 1982. This park needs to be ahead of our time, for example, Body Wars just seems so out of date if you ride Mission: Space right before it. Disney can't change the park fast enough but I think if we give them a few years things may change for the better... =)

 

[General Grizz]

Originally posted by ArsonWinter
Epcot is already my favorite park (I've been vocal on that for a while now), but it really needs Carousel of Progress and a Wonders of Life rehab (to get it out of the 80's).

Sure!

But, Disney, this doesn't mean movie tie-ins from Toy Story...or removal of a clever Animatronics show... :lol: :lookaroun

 

[Michael72688]

Well I think Disney is starting to get the big picture, people want rides, not an education! they build M:S, they're going to be building Soarin', and thats what people want, so maybe they'll do some more off that, and tear down that ugly Wonders of Life

 

[General Grizz]

Originally posted by Michael72688
Well I think Disney is starting to get the big picture, people want rides, not an education! they build M:S, they're going to be building Soarin', and thats what people want, so maybe they'll do some more off that, and tear down that ugly Wonders of Life

Oh yeah, def. Big waste of space. Who cares about life? What a waste of time - creating a pavilion as something as stupid as "LIFE"! :sohappy:

 

[Michael72688]

Originally posted by grizzlyhall
Oh yeah, def. Big waste of space. Who cares about life? What a waste of time - creating a pavilion as something as stupid as "LIFE"! :sohappy:

I dont remember saying "LIFE" was a waste of time or "stupid" anyways, its ugly, and there really is nothing good in there. Oh wait lets all go as a family and see how a baby is made, wow, what a fun family vacation

 

[MonorailGreen]

Posts

Am I getting any better at posting threads?? I am sorry if you have visited some of my other ones with inter-mixed topics. I finally know how to do this now =) Sorry if I annoyed people in the past with my double topic threads again...

 

[meeko_33785]

I admit that EPCOT is not my favorite park. If it's not my least favorite, it's at least pretty close. There is just one reason that I feel this way- Future World. World Showcase is absolutly incredable with a few great attractions, wonderful entertainment, great shopping and dining, and unbelievable theming, but Future World seems extreemly lacking and always has. To me, the look of most of the buildings in the area are just bland and unappealing (Universe of Energy, Innoventions, Test Track, and to a degree Living Seas) and a good number of the attractions are fairly week and don't give me too much reason to keep coming back. Mission Space and Test Track I believe were good starts to rejunination the area, but more progress needs to be made. Redoing Wonders of Life and Living Seas would be great, as well as adding a new attraction to Imagination and Test Track (there must be room).

 

[Michael72688]

Originally posted by meeko_33785
I admit that EPCOT is not my favorite park. If it's not my least favorite, it's at least pretty close. There is just one reason that I feel this way- Future World. World Showcase is absolutly incredable with a few great attractions, wonderful entertainment, great shopping and dining, and unbelievable theming, but Future World seems extreemly lacking and always has. To me, the look of most of the buildings in the area are just bland and unappealing (Universe of Energy, Innoventions, Test Track, and to a degree Living Seas) and a good number of the attractions are fairly week and don't give me too much reason to keep coming back. Mission Space and Test Track I believe were good starts to rejunination the area, but more progress needs to be made. Redoing Wonders of Life and Living Seas would be great, as well as adding a new attraction to Imagination and Test Track (there must be room).

Completely agree but, I think World Showcase needs a few more top notch thrill rides

 

[SpectroMan]

Epcot is my favorite park. So, y'all might not like some of my ideas.

What Epcot needs is to be the place that it used to be in the 80s. Granted, I did not experience Epcot during this time, but my parents have told me about it, and I have seen the EPCOT Center opening celebration. It was a place where new ideas and inventions could be displayed. I think they are going in the right direction with Mission: Space.

I would like to see:

The wand on Spaceship Earth taken down. For 2000, it was cool, but now it doesn't create the right atmosphere for Future World or World Showcase.

A new Spaceship Earth attraction that would still be based around the old designs.

A Wonders of Life rehaul

The Land needs to be redecorated.

The Living Seas needs to be redone.

The whole Future World Area needs to be more visually stimulating. Statues and modern art would really help.

El Rio del Teimpo (I think that's how you spell it.) needs to be changed........badly.

I would like to see The American Adventure have a new ending because of past current events.

The U.K. needs an attraction.

Canada needs a new movie.

I would like to see a new country built. Hopefully, Spain will come through!

 

[MonorailGreen]

Epcot Ideas

Originally posted by SpectroMan
Epcot is my favorite park. So, y'all might not like some of my ideas.

What Epcot needs is to be the place that it used to be in the 80s. Granted, I did not experience Epcot during this time, but my parents have told me about it, and I have seen the EPCOT Center opening celebration. It was a place where new ideas and inventions could be displayed. I think they are going in the right direction with Mission: Space.

I would like to see:

The wand on Spaceship Earth taken down. For 2000, it was cool, but now it doesn't create the right atmosphere for Future World or World Showcase.

A new Spaceship Earth attraction that would still be based around the old designs.

A Wonders of Life rehaul

The Land needs to be redecorated.

The Living Seas needs to be redone.

The whole Future World Area needs to be more visually stimulating. Statues and modern art would really help.

El Rio del Teimpo (I think that's how you spell it.) needs to be changed........badly.

I would like to see The American Adventure have a new ending because of past current events.

The U.K. needs an attraction.

Canada needs a new movie.

I would like to see a new country built. Hopefully, Spain will come through!

Those ideas aren't half bad to me, I too love Epcot but not everyone does. We should make it so EVERYBODY wants to come back to Walt Disney's Experimental Prototype Community Of Tomorrow... =)

 

[kennyj29]

Epcot is my least favorite park also

I agree with the above post about future world. I love the countries, to me that is so interesting. However, Future World needs some major improvement. Living Seas is getting old do something to make it more interesting. I don't have any ideas but I'm sure the imagineers could come up with something. Universe of Energy is much better than it used to be but still something is lacking and I can't quite put my finger on it. Wonders of Life I would just totally destroy. It is the most empty building in the whole park. I hated it from day one. I never quite understood what it was about. I know health but it never really did anything for me. It never showed much excitement. There were a couple of cute thing in the beginning but now, its tiring. I haven't seen M:S so I can't say anything. I loved World of Motion but I can handle Test Track. SE, even though people will hate me for saying it, is getting old. Those cars are THE most uncomfortable cars I have ever ridden in. I love the music but it needs a major face lift. Just the inside of course. I don't want a roller coaster, don't get me wrong but do SOMETHING!!!! The Land, is okay but again, major face lift. Figment is okay, I love figment but I liked the first one better. In other words , make many improvements.

 

[Dr Albert Falls]

What made EPCOT CENTER in the 80's so fascinating was that the park contained cutting-edge technology and storytelling, coupled with never-before-seen architecture. (We will likely NEVER see a new park open with the expansiveness and expense of the original EPCOT)

Where Epcot has failed in the past two decades is that is has focused primarily on "freshening up" 20-year-old attractions--- rather than trying to re-capture that same innovativeness that set Epcot apart from the other "fantasy" theme parks.

It's the same old Spaceship Earth--with a few new scenes.

It's the same old Universe of Energy--with a new film.

It's the same old "Listen to the Land"-- minus the music and the giant vines.

It's the same old "Kitchen Kabaret"--with inferior new foods singing new songs.

It's the same old Communicore--with updated exhibits.

It's the same old Journey Into Imagination--with, well, this one speaks for itself.

The Living Seas, Wonders of Life, and World Showcase remain virtually unchanged.

Don't get me wrong-- some of these attractions (like Spaceship Earth) have an important place in Disney history, and in the hearts of guests.

But don't be mistaken-- Epcot does not (and SHOULD not) have the "timelessness" of Magic Kingdom, with "permanent" attractions like Pirates and Haunted Mansion.

MOST guests are not going to return again and again to see the same cavemen in Spaceship Earth and the same dinosaurs in Energy.

Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow.

Epcot is about today and the future-- not dwelling in the past.

With that said-- call me blasphemous-- but the BEST changes to Epcot in the past 20 years were the demolition of Horizons and World of Motion--- but ONLY because they made way for the cutting edge attractions of TODAY (Test Track and Mission:Space).

Likewise, I'm thrilled to hear "Soarin" is on its way to The Land (and if that means the demolition of the old Kabaret theater, so be it)

Old and New Epcot can exist together (and, in fact, they WILL. It's not like Disney is going to level the park and start from scratch). But Disney needs to have the vision, the budget, and the courage to keep Epcot cutting-edge.

Some specific ideas:

* A state-of-the-art dark ride leading into The Living Seas tanks.

* An all-new Universe of Energy, using Tokyo's "Journey to the Center of the Earth" ride system to show dinosaurs, oil deposits, wind tunnels, hydroelectric power, and nuclear reactions.

 

[Walter]

Well, Epcot is my favorite park, but, in the eighties, it was even better. It had some of the best attractions that this planet will ever see. Not many of these still exist today. SE and the Land are among the only classic Epcot attractions left. I think that Epcot should be changed to make it more like it was in the eigthties.

1. Rebuild Horizons
2. Rebuild World of Motion
3. If they're not going to change Imagination back into it's original form, just get rid of the darn thing! Quit trying to make imitation replacements!
4. Replace Body Wars with SOMETHING! ANYTHING! NOBODY LIKES IT!
5. For Spaceship Earth, update the sound system so that it sounds better. Change the way that it moves to make the ride smoother, and not so clankety. Pad the seats to make them more comforatable. Finally, update the animatronics to make broader movements.
6. Put the song "Listen to the Land" back into the Land.
7. Make more original songs.

If they did all of this, Epcot would be my best friend once again.

 

[DisneyFan 2000]

Originally posted by Walter
Replace Body Wars with SOMETHING! ANYTHING! NOBODY LIKES IT!

I like it..............:veryconfu :dazzle: :brick:

Am I alone?

 

[Walter]

Originally posted by DisneyFan 2000
I like it..............:veryconfu :dazzle: :brick:

Am I alone?

I wasn't being literal, somebody likes everything. I just don't believe that I've ever heard anything positive about it before you said that you like it.

 

[Redvette]

My wife and I went to Epcot, right after it opened, and those were a few of the most magical days of my life. The architecture was inspiring, the music was moving, the rides in Future World were both entertaining and informative, and World Showcase was the weaker half of the park. The whole idea of it being a learning experience was reinforced by education centers manned by researchers.

As Walt found out with Tomorrowland in Disneyland, tomorrow comes fast. When Epcot was born, the home computer was a hobby for eccentrics and the internet was just a thought in the back of Al Gores mind, the majestic space shuttle was flying its first missions, the recent discovery of chemosynthesis had Biologists scrambling for new ideas and rewriting text books, and we as nation were just coming to grips with environmentalism and conservation. There was no Discovery channel, or Travel channel or Learning channel, and there were only one or two IMAX theaters, thus there were very few channels to tell these stories to the mass public and Epcot's Future World filled a void. But know we all know about plate techtonics, it is on the Science channel, and the space shuttle is now just an overpriced space freighter. Epcot's mission to educate is now redundant, and needs to become more entertainment than education based.

If the shows on Broadway never changed, they would ultimately cease to exist, there would not be enough new customers to make up for the regulars who just stop coming. I loved Horizons, it inspired me everytime I saw it, but just how many times can you see Cats?

 

[SorcererMickey]

Originally posted by Redvette
If the shows on Broadway never changed, they would ultimately cease to exist, there would not be enough new customers to make up for the regulars who just stop coming. I loved Horizons, it inspired me everytime I saw it, but just how many times can you see Cats?

Well, just how long did Cats run? And didn't it continually make a profit?

Anyway.. I think that some updates are definatley needed here and there, however, I don't think they should go the way of strictly entertainment. Educational entertainment is what has set Epcot apart from any other theme park out there, and I think that's great.. People should be interested in learning stuff!

my two pennies