News New Park Entrance coming to Epcot

[castlecake2.0]

Actually, all they need to do is add some more islands or even little island nations that we could visit. Positioned correctly they could block out sightlines of distant monstrosities such as the hotels or Guardians. This was more in line with the original layout plan, and would also offer more than a single pathway 'round the lagoon.

I was thinking something like this too, if they really wanted to they could get creative with landscaping to block most of these things, like some landscaped islands, or built up berms behind the countries, sorta like how they’re blocking the view of the new Star Wars hotel. But backside of france has shown us they don’t really care, until enough guests complaints make them care.

 

[James Alucobond]

I was thinking something like this too, if they really wanted to they could get creative with landscaping to block most of these things, like some landscaped islands, or built up berms behind the countries, sorta like how they’re blocking the view of the new Star Wars hotel. But backside of france has shown us they don’t really care, until enough guests complaints make them care.

Permanent World Showplace in the middle with two lead-up islands for Oceania and the Caribbean is my dream scenario. World Showplace would become the centerpiece for the firework display and space on the two islands could be sold as premium viewing, eliminating the need for the table. Current World Showplace would be blown up for a Greece pavilion.

 

[Goofyernmost]

Permanent World Showplace in the middle with two lead-up islands for Oceania and the Caribbean is my dream scenario. World Showplace would become the centerpiece for the firework display and space on the two islands could be sold as premium viewing, eliminating the need for the table. Current World Showplace would be blown up for a Greece pavilion.

For just a few million handed over to Disney on a yearly basis might just make your dream come true. The ball is you court now.

 

[Rich Brownn]

The monorail would have been able to transport guests during inclement weather and Florida's frequent thunderstorms....and no matter what the cost, the monorail system connecting Riviera, DHS, and Disney Springs would have been an amazing plus for everyone...and would have been more dependable that the Skyliner system.. The Disney Springs Monorail station could have also been linked to the upcoming BrightLine station and create a great, usable transportation Hub for guests arriving from the Airport or just train

Which is weird because when I worked monorails (1975-1976) the monorails would close during thunderstorms. Train even got hit once approaching TTC and blew the beacon off the roof.

 

[TTA94]

The “other site” is reporting new speakers installed around the entrance supposedly for the new projection show.

Hopefully they are also doing this around WS.

 

[Splashin' Ryan]

They're really beefing up the entrance area with new show tech, new ground lights, programmable lights on the overhang and fountain, new speakers on the ground and on the monorail beams, and the new points of light. I wonder if DAK or HS will get any more enhancements to their projection viewing areas before their 50th projections begin?

 

[J4546]

heres a crappy render of what if they put a shanghai disneyland style mountain climbing/river rapid/soaring block of ride in this corner. Soaring would be accessed from water pavilion as a new underwater soaring style ride around the world through different bodies of water. the rive rapids and mountain climbing part would be accessed via pathways between the land/sea pavilion. i was realy lazy with pathway drawing but use your imaginiation. Imagine an awesome giant mountain like shanghai that you could climb, a great river rapids ride (which epcot doesnt have) and a new soarin' underwater style show. thats be a pretty cool use of space imo

 

[TikibirdLand]

The “other site” is reporting new speakers installed around the entrance supposedly for the new projection show.

Hopefully they are also doing this around WS.

You know, if they may the entrance really nice, there will be no need to step into the park to enjoy it. Love that idea!

 

[tparris]

Apologies if this has already been addressed, but do any insiders have any idea if the LEDs on SSE will start lighting up before Oct 1? If so, what kind of timeframe would we be looking at? IMO I think 7/1 could work as a debut night for them, considering how many people will be exiting the park at once after EF. Just wishful thinking on my part.

 

[gerarar]

Apologies if this has already been addressed, but do any insiders have any idea if the LEDs on SSE will start lighting up before Oct 1? If so, what kind of timeframe would we be looking at? IMO I think 7/1 could work as a debut night for them, considering how many people will be exiting the park at once after EF. Just wishful thinking on my part.

Recent pictures show some spots still missing lights. I think there’s a couple underneath above the entrance. So I doubt it’ll be ready in a couple days for 7/1.

 

[CntrlFlPete]

I was somehow forgetting that the Skyliner also requires regular columns. I would take an expansion of the monorail over the Skyliner 100 out of 100 times.

By the way, I made a comment about this elsewhere, but with your knowledge you might have some insight -- was operational ability ever one of the considerations for not expanding the monorail? It didn't stop them from building the Skyliner, of course, but I could see apprehension over what would happen in the event of a shutdown if the majority of guests used it to get around the property.

Are the skyliner's columns metal? Concrete columns and concrete beams, I know the cost of concrete has risen over the years and I always figured that was one of the reasons Disney stayed away -- what I never understood is that Miami Zoo has a mono-rail made from steel -- it is in no way anything like wdw's transport, heck, I think BGT had something similar around the safari area. -- What i am getting at, would Disney ever build a lower quality system to help w/ transport?

 

[jt04]

Are the skyliner's columns metal? Concrete columns and concrete beams, I know the cost of concrete has risen over the years and I always figured that was one of the reasons Disney stayed away -- what I never understood is that Miami Zoo has a mono-rail made from steel -- it is in no way anything like wdw's transport, heck, I think BGT had something similar around the safari area. -- What i am getting at, would Disney ever build a lower quality system to help w/ transport?

That is the role of busses.

 

[Bocabear]

That is the role of busses.

Everyone hates busses! That was the whole reason the original resort was designed with a Monorail...

 

[wdwmagic]

Apologies if this has already been addressed, but do any insiders have any idea if the LEDs on SSE will start lighting up before Oct 1? If so, what kind of timeframe would we be looking at? IMO I think 7/1 could work as a debut night for them, considering how many people will be exiting the park at once after EF. Just wishful thinking on my part.

I believe they want them for the kick-off of the 50th, so I don't expect any early launch. They are also not yet complete.

 

[jt04]

Everyone hates busses! That was the whole reason the original resort was designed with a Monorail...

I'm going to hack together a plan for the Imagineering section over time. Busses are a necessity but they have become an overused solution unnecessarily. In my opinion.

Epcot shouldn't have any busses at the entrance.

 

[HauntedPirate]

I know it’s more recent than your last visit, but here’s a starting point for you.

 

[LAKid53]

I'm going to hack together a plan for the Imagineering section over time. Busses are a necessity but they have become an overused solution unnecessarily. In my opinion.

Epcot shouldn't have any busses at the entrance.

And how, pray tell, are guests not staying at a monorail resort supposed to get to Epcot?

 

[G00fyDad]

And how, pray tell, are guests not staying at a monorail resort supposed to get to Epcot?

They can walk.


Yes. That was a joke.

 

[jt04]

I know it’s more recent than your last visit, but here’s a starting point for you.

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I'm referring back to when Epcot would have been a major hub. There is plenty of room with modifications to dust off those plans. Just because something was one way in the 90's (and observed personally) and was reconfigured in the next decade, does not change what was. It is all part of the park's evolution.

Busses are a necessity for various reasons even if the hub concept is resurrected close to one of the original concepts instead of the greatly scaled down configuration we now see. But because of the centrality of Epcot on property, the best solution would be to make it a central hub. IMO.

I'll armchair it in the near future. I tried before but everything has changed. (Brightline, etc.)

 

[jt04]

And how, pray tell, are guests not staying at a monorail resort supposed to get to Epcot?

I've resolved most of this but still a work in progress.