Improving Epcot

[Redvette]

Originally posted by SorcererMickey
Well, just how long did Cats run?

Roughly the same length of time as Horizons.

"The show opened on Broadway on 7th October 1982 and went on to hold the unique position of being the longest running musical in both West End and Broadway history.
CATS closed on Broadway in September 2000 "

And this time line is for the most popular play in history, most live much shorter lives.

 

[Epcot4ME]

I have always loved Epcot but when I was there at the end of August, I actually had a more pleasurable time in World Showcase. THAT made me scared.

I love history, technology, space travel (especially!) and Future World has lost it's edge. As you walk through the area there, you sense it's just a jumbled up bunch of stuff filling a space. There's no cohesive "plot" to the displays.

Disney has got to spend some time, energy and money on new innovative displays featuring new, exciting technology. You'd think that a section on space travel, old and new (focusing on the new) would fit right in with the M:S ride next door! Let's see some tie-in's with Test Track!

Someone mentioned statues earlier, how about statues of pioneers of science spread throughout the area. They already have some markers for famous inventions on the Land side. Put up statues illustrating the inventions so that people can see what they are talking about.

Disney is just stuck in a rut when it comes to Epcot being on the leading edge.

Thrill rides are great, but there are still plenty of people who want to learn something too.

Epcot4ME

 

[tinkerbell2]

I love EPCOT. Especially all of the different countries! And the shopping is great. Although, I do think that they need more rides in the park. And they definitely need to do a little more with the Living Seas. There is so much potential, so I am sure that with time everything will be perfect.

 

[EpcoTim]

Long post ahead

1-Add the "sky" pavillion between the land and the Living Seas. Give it a ride with the track above, and your legs dangliong free. No loops or anything. Start the ride off just like Orville and wilbers first flight, then go through the history of flight, followed by a flight over various cities and whatnot. All the while toting the freedom that aviation has brought us.

2-The living seas. Turn the tubes into a boat ride. Start off on the "sea, during a nighttime storm out at sea. Then, the boat would go down a slight drop, into the tube system below the waters, emphasizing the beauty and tranquility, and amazing forms of life that are under what seems to be a scary, threatening ocean.

3-The land, leave it alone, Soaring will be enough.

4-Jiyi-Redo it again. Make the ride system better than the original, but be more creative with the sets.

5-Test track- Leave it alone, but add another ride like World of Motion. The engineering of a car is nothing without knowing where they came from. Hell, just bring back World of Motion, attach it to Test Track.

6-Mission Space. Its fine on its own, maybe after you exit the pods you could be on mars though, with more stuff, even another ride to do. It needs to be more of a pvaillion I think.

7-Universe of Energy--I dont know, but htis ride has lost its edge. Maybe make a pavillion dedicated to the arts or something.

8-Wonders of Life-keep cranium command. Get rid of body wars. Add a Imax theatre. Do a presentation that makes you aware of your senses. A big movie, great sound. Blackness with sound , then vivid images with no sound. Sort of sensory overload, followed by sensory deprevation. Explain how and why they work. Keep the big pavillion with all the little stuff to do. I think all pavillions should have a lot of hands on stuff.

9-Spaceship Earth-Keep it an educational ride. But make it go over major points that have made us, earth, etc the way that we are. Cover the arts, music. Cover communication. Cover the great minds that have helped us along. Cover civilizations lost. Cover war and peace, and carry us into today. At the end, at the very top of the sphere as you embark backwards, have Mickey saying "Gee, its a wonderful place we live in, wouldnt ya say?"

10-add a new country or two and a few more informative rides to World showcase. Make rides that take us to these countries.


This is all a huge long shot, But its nice to dream, isnt it?

 

[marchofthecards]

Some good ideas

:lookaroun

I think there are some great ideas here. But if you think about it, EPCOT will always be date sensitive, rather like Tomorrowland. If it is all about tmrw, tmrw comes and goes, and the member that made the comment about having less-permanent attractions is absolutley right.

Disneyland Pairs have the right idea about their Discoveryland (equiv to tmrw land), they have based its look and feel on the past of the Jules Verne turn of the century era. Construction was all about craftmanship, iron, rivets etc... it won't date so easily, because it is already dated. This is why the MKs and AK, oh and the studios look better in comparrison.

Unfortunately, back in the 80's we were prepared to go to a place like this and learn. Young people today do not want to go to a theme park and learn. Its a sad fact, but this might be Disney falling victim to their own success, in that creating great parks with great attractions so the whole family have fun, and then off to EPCOT to learn. Not what the general teenager enjoys.
But first steps have been made with Test Track and M:Space.

My suggestions are as follows;

Russia as a new addition to the WSC family. Imagine the beautiful Red Square recreated. This doesn't pose much opportunity for an excitable attraction I admit.

I agree with the 'Journey to the Centre of the Earth' Lets have some Jules Verne influence in EPCOT. He was an inspiration to Walt Disney afterall.

The Mickeys wand sign removing off Spaceship Earth. The rumours are that Spaceship Earth is closing at the end of the year, to make way for a new rollar coaster in there. Ok its sad, but if its going to make the younger people happier, lets do it. Why not make it a rollercoaster around the world literally, carrying on from the Jules Verne theme, how about, 'Around the World in 80 seconds', with some preshow to extend the time or something. It could be a fast coaster going through the continents and key landmarks.

Then the educational elements need good sponsorship behind them to teach us about tomorrows communication, environment, technology, health etc...after all the T in EPCOT is for Tmrw.

WShowcase is fine as it is for now (this is not a priority), with the passing of Tapestry, we only hope that Illumination R.O.E is to stay.

thats it for now

Simes

 

[ArsonWinter]

Originally posted by grizzlyhall
Sure!

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

I wouldn't dream of it. Franchises should stay out of Epcot, anyway.

 

[cdatkins]

My wife and I went to Epcot, right after it opened, and those were a few of the most magical days of my life.

Hey everyone. First time post here.

I cannot agree enough with these words! I first went to Epcot around 1983-1984. I can't remember exactly but I know Horizons wasn't open yet.

Anyway, it was a magical time. Our society was just on the cutting edge of breakthroughs in telecommunications, and the possibilities were endless. EPCOT really tapped into this and showed us what we could become as a people.

The park was very crowded...extremely long lines and everyone was having a great time.

EPCOT should continue to be about the future, but should always respect the past and what made us great.

 

[NemoRocks78]

EPCOT really, REALLY needs help. More than any of the parks. More than anything in that large piece of land in Orlando which they like to call Walt Disney World.

EPCOT, or the Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow, was imagined by Walt Disney himself. He wanted this to be a place where you not only have fun, but you learn something at th same time. It was to be about the wonders of this place we call Earth and ourselves also. That's why it shouldn't have permanent attractions (as stated before, like MK has HM and Pirates, which will never go as long as the Magic Kingdom lives). Tomorrow is always changing. Which means rides are going to have to be ready to pick up their bags and hit the road. The future is always catching up to us which has made EPCOT outdated. Here's my suggestions.

-Rip out every scene, audio-animatronic, omnimover car, and anything else i've left out out of Spaceship Earth. A complete overhaul. Then new audio animatronics and scenes are put in place along with a state-of-the-art omnimover ride sytem. The story of course would keep along with the communications story but would be made better to keep everyone happy for the next 30 years or so.

-Two new pavillions in the World Showcase. This would be Switzerland and Spain, as an Australia pavillion would seem better suited at Animal Kingdom. The Swiss pavillion would contain a way better Matterhorn Bobsleds thrill ride. The Spanish pavillion would most likely contain a Circlevision show.

-New rides and updates in the WS. This would include the Harry Potter attraction in the United Kingdom pavillion, a Three Cabalerros update to El Rio del Tiempo, and a gondola ride in Italy in which you travel through the canals of Venice while being taught some history of Italy at the same time.

-Destroy Universe of Energy. It's been the same since the beginning with the addition of the Ellen's Energy Adventure show. I say the whole pavillion should be destroyed. A new pavillion with the same Universe of Energy name would be built along with the Journey To The Centre of The Earth ride system idea.

-Bulldoze Wonders of Life. Everything goes in the most hated pavillion in Epcot. It, just as UoE, would be destroyed and rebuilt. This would include an IMAX show which tests your senses with the sensory effects as stated before, newer small attractions, and Body Wars with a new show.

-Natural Disasters pavillion. This would include a Volcano coaster, and StormRider from Tokyo DisneySea. Also inside the pavillion is the small exhibits about natural disasters.

-Test Track and MISSION: SPACE additions. These two would now become pavillions, the SPACE Pavillion and once again World Of Motion. World Of Motion would of course include Test Track and a new dark ride based on planes. This would be a dark ride on an overhead track which goes through scenes of the 100 years of flight. MISSION: SPACE would get some educational stuff thrown in as well as some sort of new Space-themed ride in the coming years.

-The Living Seas re-haul. This is one that definitely needs to be done. Go ahead and give it the Finding Nemo theme. The part with the Sea Cabs should now become a Finding Nemo dark ride.

And of course Soarin' is being placed in The Land.

 

[ImagineerFan04]

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!

I agree

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

I don't know about thrill rides. but some kind of ride not a 360 movie. but some kind of ride exspecially if they are going to close future world at 6. Not every one wants to shop and eat for 3 hours. so people leave.

 

[MonorailGreen]

Thanks to everyone who has participated in this thread. I love the detail that everyone has provided!! Everyone has great ideas on improving this great park and I hope that one day I can change it for the better =)