Is Epcot about to get some love?

[djlaosc]

There would almost be a space if they could somehow relocate the Seas seawater filtration system, though I don't really see where they could move that to, and I'd think that they would have a hard time relocating this without taking The Seas down, moving all sealife inside to an offsite location while they took down the filtration system and rebuilt it. I'd have to think that too expensive and potentially harmful to the sealife inside, so I dont see it happening.

If they were going to be rebuilding anything, I would rather that The Seas were moved to DAK (where it actually fits in), and then something new built on the plot where The Seas currently are. In fact, I wish they would do that anyway (and replace Chester and Hester with a new Seas pavilion).

 

[baymenxpac]

I wrote this a while ago over on my site. It's an article called Why Epcot? It's largely relevant to the discussion going on in this thread about why people like that park. Also, I bought a bunch of that merchandise so I'm contributing to the problem.

very nice article. it articulates almost exactly how i feel.

i agree, had soarin, mission: space, and test track been ADDED to horizons, world of motion, and the old seas, it would be a gorgeous balance; a working harmony of attractions with a pace for every epcot visitor.

instead, the one-note-ness of the new attractions overwhelms future world, and makes the nuance of spaceship earth (and it's post-2007 warts) seem awkward in comparison.

 

[RSoxNo1]

very nice article. it articulates almost exactly how i feel.

i agree, had soarin, mission: space, and test track been ADDED to horizons, world of motion, and the old seas, it would be a gorgeous balance; a working harmony of attractions with a pace for every epcot visitor.

instead, the one-note-ness of the new attractions overwhelms future world, and makes the nuance of spaceship earth (and it's post-2007 warts) seem awkward in comparison.

One thing I mentioned in the article, but didn't really mention here is the drop in capacity with the change over to thrill rides. In the 80s and 90s, Epcot had a ridiculously high capacity as a park. Adding rides to that could have resulted in a really interesting balance. I never recall waiting for World of Motion, Horizons or Spaceship Earth, but I wonder if that would have changed if the first two still existed today. Perhaps enhancements to the rides may have changed that, or if there really was no real demand for 20 minute dark rides.

Personally, I think it's amazing that Disney was able to quickly grasp that communication is going to be the biggest area of advancement over the years, and the highlights of communication in both Horizons and Spaceship Earth had me believing that neither attraction should ever be removed. Modified and improved upon yes, but never removed.

It's a fan boy wet dream, but I do think that a new version of Horizons could work for today's audience.

 

[djlaosc]

very nice article. it articulates almost exactly how i feel.

i agree, had soarin, mission: space, and test track been ADDED to horizons, world of motion, and the old seas, it would be a gorgeous balance; a working harmony of attractions with a pace for every epcot visitor.

instead, the one-note-ness of the new attractions overwhelms future world, and makes the nuance of spaceship earth (and it's post-2007 warts) seem awkward in comparison.

I never got to experience Horizons or World of Motion (first trip was 2002), but, having just watched Martin's videos for both attractions (Fun to Be Free is a very catchy song!), adding the current attractions to the past attractions to create multi-attraction pavilions like The Land would have been great.

A transportation pavilion focusing on the past and future of transportation (an updated World of Motion), and how they design cars currently/in the future (Test Track/2.0)
A space pavilion that shows what people used to think space was, our actual exploration of space, and the possible future exploration of space (Mission:SPACE)
A pavilion that included Carousel of Progress/an updated Horizons, and possibly Innoventions as the post show. (could replace The Seas)
An updated Energy pavilion (past, present, future)
An updated Health Pavilion (past, present, future - I've thought that if they were sponsered by Nintendo, you could have had Wii Fit Plus/Sight Training/Brain Training in the post show)
Bringing back the original Imagination pavilion
Updating Soarin and The Lion King films in the Land pavilion
Moving The Seas over to Animal Kingdom

 

[Prototype82]

I wouldn't get my hopes up.

But I've said it once and I'll say it again.

Test Track is really going to be a valuable and relevant part of Future World. It will be a modern-day EPCOT Center attraction. It's a big start. A lone start, but it's going to make a huge difference.

 

[jam814]

I wouldn't get my hopes up.

But I've said it once and I'll say it again.

Test Track is really going to be a valuable and relevant part of Future World. It will be a modern-day EPCOT Center attraction. It's a big start. A lone start, but it's going to make a huge difference.

Do you have any knowledge on what exactly is going on with the refurb besides the few concept pic? or is this just hopeful thinking that they knockit out the park with the redesign. regardless hope your right. since EPCOT doesn't seem to be getting to much love these days.

 

[dreamscometrue]

I wouldn't get my hopes up.

But I've said it once and I'll say it again.

Test Track is really going to be a valuable and relevant part of Future World. It will be a modern-day EPCOT Center attraction. It's a big start. A lone start, but it's going to make a huge difference.

I'll take that as a start. Still hoping it is open for late December/early January for our trip.

 

[AllyInWonderland]

What I want to happen is that the Tapestry of Nations parade comes back and that Imagination gets some love.

 

[PeterAlt]

Forgive me if I'm missing your point, but Mission: Space suffered several cutbacks before any deaths occurred. Whether or not any previous development plans had anything to do with the $100 million budget I have no idea. I doubt it. But point being, maybe if they went all the way it would've have crashed and burned?

By the numbers, yes, there are definitely areas that need more attention than Epcot. But looking at it both rationally and from a penny wise perspective, I imagine they'll have to build something new there sooner rather than later, especially with Cars Land on the way.

As for Project Avatar's development...who knows? It's so delicate an addition to Epcot could happen first!

Excuse me for being out of the looping his one, but what happened at MS?

 

[PeterAlt]

Everyone is forgetting that the person who was in charge of the DCA overhaul has been reassigned to Florida. So, give her some time, and I'm sure all the parks (minus MK because it is already getting its overhaul) will be getting the same treatment DCA is currently getting. This means fixing EPCOT and expanding DAK and DHS.

 

[Enchantâmes]

If they would simply fix the Imagination Pavilion completely that would make the park one million times better.

 

[awoogala]

Imagination. Just bring it back already.
Nemo is cute, but what happened to the science, the exploration, the dream of having ocean floor stations?
Spaceship Earth has been gutted. Someone write a script that again actually explains the history.
Energy adventure. Also dumbed down. Rewrite the script. Stop trying so hard for stunt casting.
Mission space. Ok, Ill give it to you, some love it. We do green anyway, and none of us "need" to do it. Please put in some science. Yes to Neil Degrasse Tyson, too.
soaring... Meh.
land is good, could use some new film that isn't from 1970!
lion king movie. Blah. bring back any science!
Here is my issue with all of epcot these days:
American education and crappy tv has dumbed down our kids. Seriously. When I went to epcot as a child, I was inspired, educated, enthralled. I wanted to conquer the world,learn more, etc
Instead of pushing for a better tomorrow, future world epcot has become a frozen meal instead of nutrition. Sad, but I don't know that it can ever go back. Too many kids are bored with anything that might be educational, and I think Disney knows it (and if you watch their tween shows, seem to be causing it!)
Our entire country is failing in stem education. So, those of us who want real science, history, and technology are small voices in the sea of mediocrity that just wants all the thrill rides it can get.

 

[PeterAlt]

How about a physics pavilion? You can have Neil D. Tyson host an attraction there. Attractions could include a super collider atom smasher, where you are an atom being accelerated, followed by visually immersive display of an atom being broken down into sling shooting light-speed particles. A dark ride could explain the history of physics, from the Greeks to Isaac Newton, to Galileo, to Einstein, to Higgs, and M-Theory. Another possible attraction could be Journey into the Eleventh Dimension that would provide 3-D visual aids to help visitors imagine a fourth spatial dimension. Has lots of potential!

 

[misterID]

One thing I mentioned in the article, but didn't really mention here is the drop in capacity with the change over to thrill rides. In the 80s and 90s, Epcot had a ridiculously high capacity as a park. Adding rides to that could have resulted in a really interesting balance. I never recall waiting for World of Motion, Horizons or Spaceship Earth, but I wonder if that would have changed if the first two still existed today. Perhaps enhancements to the rides may have changed that, or if there really was no real demand for 20 minute dark rides.

Personally, I think it's amazing that Disney was able to quickly grasp that communication is going to be the biggest area of advancement over the years, and the highlights of communication in both Horizons and Spaceship Earth had me believing that neither attraction should ever be removed. Modified and improved upon yes, but never removed.

It's a fan boy wet dream, but I do think that a new version of Horizons could work for today's audience.

I agree with everything you've said here. It's sad to say, but I only go to EPCOT now for SSE, make my way out to Mexico (and the tequila bar!) and Norway. Sometimes I'll ride UOE. That's it. It's not even a half day park anymore. And once you get the TT refurb it still won't be a half day park.

How can the powers that be NOT know how bad the park has gotten?

 

[WDW1974]

No.

 

[Hyperion]

How about a physics pavilion? You can have Neil D. Tyson host an attraction there. Attractions could include a super collider atom smasher, where you are an atom being accelerated, followed by visually immersive display of an atom being broken down into sling shooting light-speed particles. A dark ride could explain the history of physics, from the Greeks to Isaac Newton, to Galileo, to Einstein, to Higgs, and M-Theory. Another possible attraction could be Journey into the Eleventh Dimension that would provide 3-D visual aids to help visitors imagine a fourth spatial dimension. Has lots of potential!

Sounds a bit violent, but I like it!

 

[HMF]

What I want to happen is that the Tapestry of Nations parade comes back and that Imagination gets some love.

The first one isn't going to happen as it was specifically designed for the Millennium Celebration. plus the best part of ToN, the music is still played after IllumiNations.

 

[stevehousse]

2 attractions that could be added to Epcot would be a rattitue dark ride in the France pavilion. since the restaurant is already there it could work. then turn one of the defunct future world pavilions into a Green Pavillion all about environmental protection, and there could be a Wall-e ride or even refurb the old body wars into a Wall-e simulator!!!

 

[marni1971]

To the OP... probably not. Expect DHS to have some work done.