Rumor Is the End of Innoventions Near?

[SoupBone]

with the exception of the removal of Fountain of Nations and replacing it with a Beer Garden. @marni1971 or @Magic Feather - can either of you hint if there may be more water features (possibly the fountain from the concept art, or something else) not illustrated in these current plans?

This is complete bull on Disney's part. Now EPCOT can truly transform into Bourbon Street of the Southeast. You'll have people stumbling drunk well before Showcase now. And the poor fountain. It's such a special place to truly relax in EPCOT. Damnit Disney, .

 

[michmousefan]

Honestly, I don't mind most of this - with the exception of the removal of Fountain of Nations and replacing it with a Beer Garden. Now the Beer Garden could be tacky or it could be decent. Will have to see.

If — and it's a big "if" — the new festival center has a compelling design, perhaps with lots of glass and an interesting, contemporary feel along the lines of Future World's original design aesthetic, then that could be a very cool new anchor for FW. Like a mini-pavilion.

If it turns out to be a boring value-engineered box... yikes.

They really need to hit a home run with the design of this building IMHO. Probably more so than anything else in the whole of "Gamma."

 

[PorterRedkey]

The precise shapes and exact locations may be a little off but it’s more or less what you’re getting.

Just what EPCOT Center fans were waiting for... a freaking beer garden.

 

[Sir_Cliff]

Is there any room for the notion that the original design being nearly 40 years old now is part of their thinking that it is no longer "futuristic".

Perhaps because I've made my peace of Epcot not being what it was in the mid 90's for a while now and am curious to see what they do with it now

This is not going to be a popular opinion, but I honestly don't think the Communicore/Innoventions buildings are particularly attractive or noteworthy in terms of their architecture. I can imagine they could come up with plans to improve them, but if they have no use for the buildings they may figure that there's little point.

A beer garden in the middle of Future World is an odd choice. Opening the area up with smaller structures and more green spaces, though, might be overall more pleasant.

 

[Surferboy567]

Hey there! Click your profile name on the top right and go to Signature and paste this in the box and put in your specifics like I did below. That should do the trick.
View attachment 362973

Thanks!

 

[Surferboy567]

Hey there! Click your profile name on the top right and go to Signature and paste this in the box and put in your specifics like I did below. That should do the trick.
View attachment 362973

Actually...it didn't work

 

[The Empress Lilly]

------------------------------------------------------Probably the longest post I have written--------------------------------------------------
To establish my street credit a little I have been going to the parks since I was 6 months old. I won't disclose my age here but I'm sure you can figure out based on some future comments I will make regarding alcohol.

What is EPCOT? Right now EPCOT IS A MESS it is supposed to be a celebration of nations though FESTIVALS, UNITY, AND A CELEBRATION OF ALL NATIONS. This is the most common description I see from most of the "Epcot Purists" I see on this forum. Being an Purist isn't always a bad thing by the way as they keep things in check with their outcry. Their is one problem with this description though....

I'm sorry, no purist would describe EPCOT in your manner. 'Festivals, unity, and a celebration of all nations' is however what a 21 year old only familiar with Igercot could be forgiven for mistaking EPCOT for.

 

[marni1971]

Opening the area up with smaller structures and more green spaces, though, might be overall more pleasant.

One day I’ll post the rejected none demolition but opening out the area and more green spaces version.

 

[Horizons '83]

Actually...it didn't work

Try going to account details and pasting that in the box at the bottom.

 

[Surferboy567]

I'm sorry, no purist would describe EPCOT in your manner. 'Festivals, unity, and a celebration of all nations' is however what a 21 year old only familiar with Igercot could be forgiven for mistaking EPCOT for.

Me and you both know that I'm familar with just Igercot...you clearly didn't read the post

 

[Surferboy567]

Try going to account details and pasting that in the box at the bottom.

It just fixed itself thanks!

 

[SoupBone]

I'm sorry, no purist would describe EPCOT in your manner. 'Festivals, unity, and a celebration of all nations' is however what a 21 year old only familiar with Igercot could be forgiven for mistaking EPCOT for.

I get what you're saying, but I also get what he's saying. EPCOT for better or worse now has an identity of sorts with the Showcase. That's part of the unity, nations, etc. image. These new plans (beer gardens) are really turning EPCOT on its head and ruining what little identity it did have. I would love for the original idea of EPCOT to be realized, but we all know that will never happen. Not when you can make tons of money selling craft beer and turning EPCOT into Pleasure Island.

 

[PorterRedkey]

Probably not the comparison people want to hear... but I think they are reflecting on the success of Disney Springs.

Which isn’t inherently the worst thing to model, but we need attractions.

The difference being - you don’t have to pay $80-$130 to get into Disney Springs.

 

[spresso81]

One day I’ll post the rejected none demolition but opening out the area and more green spaces version.

Marni two questions:

1 - I remember you stating there were a few options one of which you really hated. Would you say the option they chose was a middle-option?

2 - Will the new festival center mean less clutter around World Showcase lagoon going forward during the festivals? At first the stands were "not terrible" but I think the pendulum swung to terrible in the last few years.

As a kid who grew up in the late 1980s and still fondly remembers my rides on Horizons and the original JII, I am hopeful that while this will not bring back the Epcot I once loved the changes will make Epcot a fun place for me and my family going forward. The park as it stands today is no longer a 2 day park for me and my family as it once was.

 

[ChrisFL]

The original ideals will come back....once someone builds another park like EPCOT Center, because it's not going to happen here. Maybe we can convince OLC to make it their third park in Tokyo

 

[Surferboy567]

I get what you're saying, but I also get what he's saying. EPCOT for better or worse now has an identity of sorts with the Showcase. That's part of the unity, nations, etc. image. These new plans (beer gardens) are really turning EPCOT on its head and ruining what little identity it did have. I would love for the original idea of EPCOT to be realized, but we all know that will never happen. Not when you can make tons of money selling craft beer and turning EPCOT into Pleasure Island.

Maybe I described it poorly a permanent world’s fair essentially that celebrates the human condition, unity, celebration of cultures, achievement of humans.

EDIT: obviously I don’t want EPCOT to turn into pleasure island but I don’t think a beer garden would do that. The green landscape will add more life to the area (at least in my opinion)

 

[The Empress Lilly]

EPCOT for better or worse now has an identity of sorts with the Showcase. That's part of the unity, nations, etc. image. These new plans (beer gardens) are really turning EPCOT on its head and ruining what little identity it did have. I would love for the original idea of EPCOT to be realized, but we all know that will never happen. Not when you can make tons of money selling craft beer and turning EPCOT into Pleasure Island.

Yes to all of that.

 

[HauntedPirate]

I re-wrote EPCOT Center's statement a while back, and just tweaked it...

"To all who come to this former Place of Joy, Hope and Friendship
WELCOME

IPFestCot is inspired by Disney's IP. Here, Bob Iger's acquisitions are celebrated through rides and attractions, plus alcohol sales and merchandising opportunities, that promise new and exciting benefits for all shareholders and executives.

May IPFestCot entertain, thrill for short periods of time, and, above all, may it inebriate customers and suck more and more money from their wallets throughout the year."

 

[Sir_Cliff]

One day I’ll post the rejected none demolition but opening out the area and more green spaces version.

Would love to hear more about that!

Part of the problem with evaluating what's happening with Epcot for me is honestly trying to figure out the alternatives. It all seems a bit like Margaret Thatcher and TINA all over again!

 

[Shaman]

It’s a problem. But why not repurpose the buildings. They’d still get the venues they seem to want and have more money to spend elsewhere. Like on Imagination.

There was a gorgeous plan to reuse both buildings and make better use of them as opposed to replacing what they have for something else that does the same thing.

So much this. Need to stop lurking to agree.

I am all for having it be a greener space and that couldve still been accomplished had they kept the buildings. I just dont understand the reasoning behind removing buildings to only make way for festival space and a splash zone/trail. Is there a masterplan...some longterm use for this space that is being cleared? They couldve used that space for attractions...even used it as an opportunity to move CoP and SmallWorld over to Epcot which would've opened up space at MK for expansion. FW needs attractions. If not Tech stuff...something else.

I have never cared for any of the Epcot festivals. Epcot was my favorite park as a kid. It was just an interesting place from the moment you saw “the ball”. AK replaced it. A cohesive theme would be nice (and hey World’s Fair could be it) but regardless, attractions are needed if you’re going to bulldoze and clear so much space.

This direction they decided to go reminds me of Eisner days. More perceived short term bang for the buck trumps more costly creative long term vision. Does this extra space increase guest max capacity?

I think Disney will only be in the theme park game for as long as folks show up at the rate we see today. If anything should happen to that $$...they will unload ownership so fast. The parks are a cash cow. The company (and Wallstreet) doesn't care about nostalgia or theme park fans or Walt’s legacy or the old Disney approach. So if the analysts say a Beer Garden and festival space will bring in the truckloads of money...the hardcore fans take a hit. Disney has so much goodwill out there...it is why the Brand is firing on all cylinders. Millennials love pixie dust. But that magical connection took years and generations to build. They are slowly undoing that. I have never been much of a purist and I dont begrudge the corporate folks for looking out for the company and the profits, but as a fan it is increasingly frustrating...even more so as I try to navigate the sea of people at the parks on a hot day. People look so miserable half the time and I wonder if it will be sustainable if there’s nothing special to see.

 

[marni1971]

Marni two questions:

1 - I remember you stating there were a few options one of which you really hated. Would you say the option they chose was a middle-option?.

It’s all subjective. Personally there were two worse options and two better (one much better) options