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New Epcot opening procedure?
- Thread starter Zummi Gummi
- Start date
Fable McCloud
Well-Known Member
Just Saying.
I think they should re-do the opening show and re-add Figment. I never got the opportunity to go to WDW when he was out and about as a puppet. Just saying.
At any rate they need to do something when they open. Right now MK kicks EPCOT's butt at rope drop. Even the World Showcase countries have a little something when it first opens.
Maybe they could do something that ties all of EPCOT together somehow?
I think they should re-do the opening show and re-add Figment. I never got the opportunity to go to WDW when he was out and about as a puppet. Just saying.
At any rate they need to do something when they open. Right now MK kicks EPCOT's butt at rope drop. Even the World Showcase countries have a little something when it first opens.
Maybe they could do something that ties all of EPCOT together somehow?
castlecake2.0
Well-Known Member
You mean me unhooking the rope to the Pavilion and saying "good morning folks"?
YankeeMouse
Well-Known Member
Good thing I got a chance to be the opening "family"; our kids are grown so my husband and I go on short trips and we were chosen for the honor. I said, It's just the two of us; and the manager said, that's a family. It was really cool. We have the photo with the characters, got driven to Test Track in the car with cast members waving to us along the route. Got to ride Test Track alone just before opening. Then they escorted us to Mission:Space and we got to go behind the scenes, were in that mission control area behind the glass; signed a "log book". After that, they gave us two fastpasses for Soarin since they realized we missed a fastpass window for that. Then we got a reservation for Illuminations to watch from a roped off area later that night in front of Italy. A pretty cool memory!
Slowjack
Well-Known Member
It's all in the way that you say it. :lookaroun
Cmdr_Crimson
Well-Known Member
I sure hope they won't use the old characters on holiday bus again like they did in 04/05.
mrssparrow
Active Member
We were also chosen as the family of the day 2 years ago and enjoyed the same priviledges as described earlier. While we were "supposed" to ride the test track car that day, the car would not start and we had to walk to TT. They held the crowd back and rode it twice through. We were given about 3 all-park fast passes for the car not working (we didn't care) and fast passes for soarin' as well as the M:Space tour.
It's funny that I read this post today as the CM that picked us was named "Josue" and we talked about a student I knew with the same name... He moved right before that trip and I just re-registered him today... hmmmm. coincedence????
It's funny that I read this post today as the CM that picked us was named "Josue" and we talked about a student I knew with the same name... He moved right before that trip and I just re-registered him today... hmmmm. coincedence????
Fable McCloud
Well-Known Member
Thanks for saying it
... I was a bit sad after that.
I only meant that during Illuminations we get the whole world, so in the morning they should find a way to tie all of EPCOTs pavillions together. I don't know how, but it would be nice. Even Hollywood Studios does something at rope drop.
MysticOrient
Member
I call you correct! I totally agree. I know it was originally Disney's intent to not have any "regular" characters there, but the public started screaming for them, so they appeased the masses. But I agree, get rid of the "regular" characters, bring back Figment, and for goodness sake... keep the 80's electronica music!! :sohappy:
Judy
CajunsCanCook
Member
Epcot Custodial CM here. Confirmed. Starting yesterday the new "rope drop" at the turnstiles is permanent. Haven't seen it yet but it includes 40 ft streamers apparently. Talked to a coordinator last week about it and he said its just to make it easier for the guests. :shrug:
If they're going to have characters in Epcot, I'd much prefer the current batch to their first effort to incorporate characters into Epcot:
Mickey looks like he could be marching alongside me at the Pride Parade in that outfit. And why did Pluto have a pinwheel on his head?
menamechris
Well-Known Member
I don't think people would whine. Maybe crazy fanbois, but the average guests still wants "Disney" - which is the characters. Even if they didn't, I am confident they can come up with better than they had...
thelookingglass
Well-Known Member
Yeah, I cringed when the spiel said something like "the characters are glad you're here and are excited to see you!" and barely said anything about Epcot itself.
Does anyone have a recording of the song and spiel?
Does anyone have a recording of the song and spiel?
hpyhnt 1000
Well-Known Member
I've never stumbled across the spiel to the show (I can't even find the full show on YouTube! I guess no one thought it was worth recording. :shrug
Anyway, you just about covered the entire show with your quote above! There wasn't a whole lot to Epcot's opening "show." Here's a link to the first part where the characters come out:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTnJLPfQeow&feature=related
After a few mins of the characters shaking hands, there was a quick mention of the family of the day in "the official General Motors Test Track vehicle." Then there was the countdown from 10, a "Welcome to Epcot" followed by a safety spiel about taking your time. The music played is "Flying" from the live action Peter Pan. After that, the theme song "Celebrate You!" was played. And yes, as of August 2011, it was still being played even though the Celebrate Today! promotion was long over.
Here's a video showing "part 2" so to speak. Skip ahead to 3:47 to get to the ceremony.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTnJLPfQeow&feature=related
That was it. Epcot's opening show was by far the weakest of any of the parks. The new show can only be an improvement.
thelookingglass
Well-Known Member
The song I was referring to can be heard at around the 40 second mark of that video (both of your links go to the same video btw) which is different from "Flying"
EpcotMark
Active Member
Snoballego
Active Member
My Epcot Opening Procedure as a guest was pretty routine. I would go up to a Cast Member greeting/welcoming around the "Leave a Legacy Walls" and always ask "When did all these people die? (pointing at a wall)".
When I worked at Epcot for Overtime a few times (circa 2002), we were on the Double Decker Bus with this catchy song blasting http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GUvSdh8iVuw. I'd always dance my rear off and then when we would finally reach our front destination and my line went down I would hijack autograph books and make the "Bus Driver" sign them as the guests politely kept saying "No, that's ok".
When I worked at Epcot for Overtime a few times (circa 2002), we were on the Double Decker Bus with this catchy song blasting http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GUvSdh8iVuw. I'd always dance my rear off and then when we would finally reach our front destination and my line went down I would hijack autograph books and make the "Bus Driver" sign them as the guests politely kept saying "No, that's ok".
JEANYLASER
Well-Known Member
I'm forward for a new show too!
Condorman
Active Member
Which part of you is forward?
dreamfinder
Well-Known Member
I can't see people walking through the turnstiles in an orderly manner. Maybe 10-15 years ago people would walk, but now? No way. Soarin & TT are too popular, and some people too greedy. Someone on another board posted a clip of opening at TDL where people take off at a dead sprint, strollers and all. I can completely see it being that way. At least with the prior method they had the ability to ensure an orderly walk to the attractions.