Rumor Is the End of Innoventions Near?

[EPICOT]

Putting the beer garden in the center of the park makes sense. They want to first inspire guests on SSE (assuming the redo is good), but they don't want expectations to be too high for the rest of the park.... so they have to immediately deflate your expectations by seeing a bunch of drunk people wandering around SSE.

 

[SoupBone]

The beer garden in the middle of EPCOT has really upset me more than most ideas Disney has put forth. "Hey I have an idea! Let's put an open bar in EPCOT, right near Spaceship Earth!" Who the hell came up with this crap idea? Better yet, who approved it? It's one of Disney's worst ideas on record.

 

[Sir_Cliff]

But why demo the building? Why not modernize it? Spend the money elsewhere (like on fixing Imagination or Seas)?

This one is a head scratcher.

I do see why they might not find it worthwhile to modernise the buildings.

For one, they don't have any real use for them and the spaces might not be ideal for the kinds of things they do want to build in the area.

Secondly, they may want to open up Future World and see the buildings as two giant barriers that are neither beautiful nor functional.

I'm not sure what they're doing with the area is any better than other options that did re-use the buildings, but I can see the logic in deciding that they don't need to be preserved in any re-imagining Future World. Leaving them in does kind of limit their options of how to rework the area.

 

[jt04]

How do you know it's just going to be green patch of grass? You don't. Your assuming.

I think a lot of the assumptions are based on very basic 2 dimensional drawings that were posted. We just don't know much about the scale or design of the changes.

However Martin did mention something going on a rooftop. Could be we see rooftop gardens, viewing areas etc.

 

[Indy_UK]

Seems like they dont plan to spend too much on Epcot except from what's already been announced. They obviously are planning to turn Wpcot into more of a Garden City where you'll have loads of options to eat and drink with a few rides and attractions thrown in.

I don't mind the idea but i hope they are doing the minimum because they have bigger plans elsewhere

 

[TJJohn12]

What they are really turning Epcot into is much truer to the original vision than what most people here realize (or acknowledge).... and that is a World’s Fair (that never goes away) with a strong Disney twist.

That’s hitting on the crux of the problem: Walt died and the idea for EPCOT changed at that moment. Some people are still wedded to Walt’s original idea of EPCOT (I’ll admit I’m fond of it). Others like you are good with what was actually built in ‘82 - EPCOT Center. But the place has always had tension at its core and never had one clear vision. It’s two ideas haphazardly welded together.

 

[ChrisFL]

Disney always has 3 choices when doing something new, IMO:

• Give guests what they want
• Give guests what they don't want
• Give guests something they'll want but don't realize it yet

Disney in the early years was great at the third option, but less and less over time. Now they go back and forth between the first and second option, and occasionally achieve the third one (I think Flight of Passage as a good example)

 

[ChrisFL]

That’s hitting on the crux of the problem: Walt died and the idea for EPCOT changed at that moment. Some people are still wedded to Walt’s original idea of EPCOT (I’ll admit I’m fond of it). Others like you are good with what was actually built in ‘82 - EPCOT Center. But the place has always had tension at its core and never had one clear vision. It’s two ideas haphazardly welded together.

Sort of, yes.

The way I see it, Disney after many different ideas for how to transform the EPCOT city plan actually took two features from it, and turned it into EPCOT Center....the industrial area with major companies sponsoring, and the international themed area that was going to be covered in the downtown area of the city.

So in essence, both concepts did already exist in another form in the city project, and they made it "work" with the new theme park.

 

[DreamfinderGuy]

It’s demolition just for the sake of demolition. It really shouldn’t surprise any of you

 

[lazyboy97o]

That’s hitting on the crux of the problem: Walt died and the idea for EPCOT changed at that moment. Some people are still wedded to Walt’s original idea of EPCOT (I’ll admit I’m fond of it). Others like you are good with what was actually built in ‘82 - EPCOT Center. But the place has always had tension at its core and never had one clear vision. It’s two ideas haphazardly welded together.

EPCOT Center had one idea; a celebration of human ability, past achievement and future possibilities.

 

[marni1971]

What they are really turning Epcot into is much truer to the original vision than what most people here realize (or acknowledge).... and that is a World’s Fair (that never goes away) with a strong Disney twist.

No they’re not.

 

[TJJohn12]

...but if you go back to the imagineers/Execs back then said, it was truly a Worlds Fair from day one.

The way I see it, Disney after many different ideas for how to transform the EPCOT city plan actually took two features from it, and turned it into EPCOT Center....

Good evidence of the uneasy tension right there...

 

[marni1971]

Typical/historical elements of World Fairs: Country Pavilions, Other Misc Pavilions (typically company sponsored with various kinds of focus including IP), rides including roller coasters , and Festival-type content. Yes I’ve been to them.

when you see what’s been done in 4-5 years time, come back and we can carry on the discussion.

 

[Andrew C]

when you see what’s been done in 4-5 years time, come back and we can carry on the discussion.

Didn't see this question (maybe I missed it?)....is there still time for Disney to change their minds, or it this new "core" essentially locked in?

 

[marni1971]

Didn't see this question (maybe I missed it?)....is there still time for Disney to change their minds, or it this new "core" essentially locked in?

As far as I know it’s approved and funded. Walls should be within a few months.

 

[Andrew C]

As far as I know it’s approved and funded. Walls should be within a few months.

lame....

 

[Horizons '83]

As far as I know it’s approved and funded. Walls should be within a few months.

I am genuinely curious if there are any Imagineers left that fought the powers to be on the recent changes to Epcot or are all the "stewards" of the park retired or passed on. I know you might not have insight to that but a very small part of me wants to think there is some hope further down the road.

 

[mwf5555]

I don't even mind the idea of a Beer Garden per se. It's the placement of it - right in the center of the spine and the plaza - that I don't care for. There are plenty of other places off to the side they could put it.

But hey, maybe it will be tastefully done. We will see.....

maybe an offering of a Club Cool flight as well? #keepBeverly

 

[Magenta Panther]

It depends if you aspire to a shopping / dining facility or an admission based theme park.

I think Robert Iger aspires to make the parks nothing more than merchandising hubs. He can't get kicked out too soon. I hate to applaud any failure by Disney, but the floppings of Dumbo, Wrinkle In Time, Solo, and the Nutcracker warms my Walt-loving heart. They're not enough to have Iger get shown the door, but hopefully they'll take a bit of shine off him...

 

[Soluna16]

As far as I know it’s approved and funded. Walls should be within a few months.

Is Club Cool staying in any form?