News New Play Pavilion to replace Epcot's Wonders of Life

[Casper Gutman]

You know who does? Disney. And here we are.

I’m not as convinced of the infallibity and omniscience of Disney executives as some. I have a sneaking suspicion they are humans, with biases and delusions, working within a system that often encourages mistakes and counterproductive decisions.

Remember, Disney was convinced people wanted A Wrinkle in Time, The Nutcracker, Solo, Alice Through The Looking Glass, The BFG, Tomorrowland, Maker Studios, Playdom, and an unending stream of ESPN.

Now, if you told me MARVEL always knows what the public wants, I’d be easier to convince.

But up until recently, Disney didn’t even seem sure that the theme-park-going public wanted Marvel. So...

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

I’m not as convinced of the infallibity and omniscience of Disney executives as some. I have a sneaking suspicion they are humans, with biases and delusions, working within a system that often encourages mistakes and counterproductive decisions.

Remember, Disney was convinced people wanted A Wrinkle in Time, The Nutcracker, Solo, Alice Through The Looking Glass, The BFG, Tomorrowland, Maker Studios, Playdom, and an unending stream of ESPN.

Now, if you told me MARVEL always knows what the public wants, I’d be easier to convince.

But up until recently, Disney didn’t even seem sure that the theme-park-going public wanted Marvel. So...

No one said they are infallible or never misjudge. But on net, over time, they obviously know better what the general public wants than any subset of any board like this. I'll bet on Disney here. And SO FAR, profits seem to suggest there's a good reason to.

 

[WondersOfLife]

How is this like the Magic Kingdom? The Magic Kingdom has distinctive lands that are more than just an assortment of movie franchises.

I never Said it would be better. I just said it would be fine. We already disagree with the theming situation. Do you want more circle conversations?

 

[lazyboy97o]

I never Said it would be better. I just said it would be fine. We already disagree with the theming situation. Do you want more circle conversations?

I didn’t say anything about better. I asked how it is in any way similar to the Magic Kingdom.

 

[WondersOfLife]

I didn’t say anything about better. I asked how it is in any way similar to the Magic Kingdom.

Simple answer. Adding attractions based on Disney movies. Although now that you’ve got me thinking, I’d prefer to think of it as Hollywood Studios 2.0, 2.0.

 

[Casper Gutman]

Simple answer. Adding attractions based on Disney movies. Although now that you’ve got me thinking, I’d prefer to think of it as Hollywood Studios 2.0, 2.0.

What’s a Disney movie? Are Marvel movies Disney movies? How about Star Wars, particularly the ones made before Disney bought the IP? Are the Ice Age movies Disney movies? How about How Green Was My Valley and Grapes of Wrath, both of which were made during Disney’s lifetime? Do we have to wait a few years before the Fox films become Disney films? How about the Miramax catalog - would a Pulp Fiction attraction be suitably Disney?

I mean, if theming is now entirely dependent on corporate ownership of IPs, we need to establish some guidelines.

 

[twilight mitsuk]

Planning theme parks with a list of IPs and a dartboard.

AK is the only park left in Orlando with a clearly differentiated theme. That ain’t good.

That and seaworld

 

[WondersOfLife]

What’s a Disney movie? Are Marvel movies Disney movies? How about Star Wars, particularly the ones made before Disney bought the IP? Are the Ice Age movies Disney movies? How about How Green Was My Valley and Grapes of Wrath, both of which were made during Disney’s lifetime? Do we have to wait a few years before the Fox films become Disney films? How about the Miramax catalog - would a Pulp Fiction attraction be suitably Disney?

I mean, if theming is now entirely dependent on corporate ownership of IPs, we need to establish some guidelines.

Haha

 

[lazyboy97o]

That and seaworld

Sesame Street has nothing to do with the sea...

 

[Casper Gutman]

Haha

I’m not sure why you’re laughing, this is very serious. “Disney” denotes only IP ownership, not silly, vague things like the promise of technology and optimistic futurism, so we need to sort this out.

Should the next restaurant at Epcot be based on Porky’s or on Jack Rabbit Slim’s from Pulp Fiction? Or maybe it could be based on Ravenous? Which property is most “Disney?”

Should the new frozen banana stand be themed to Arrested Development or Planet of the Apes?

How long should Disney wait before announcing the new Barton Fink themed hotel?

(Honestly, at this point I’m just enjoying coming up with these ideas.)

 

[HauntedMansionFLA]

If Bill Murray pops into this thread, I'll have confirmation this thread is stuck in a Groundhogs Day cycle....

Just like 95% of the threads - it’s comical

 

[HauntedMansionFLA]

As I've said before, throw GotG in DHS and you won't hear people complaining. If you want to continue throwing out that red herring, feel free. It only further cements the reputation you've built.

Tron should have been in Epcot if they wanted a roller coaster in the park

 

[doctornick]

Magic Kingdom 3.0 will be fine.

Tokyo DisneySea is clearly Magic Kingdom 2.0 for that resort and everyone seems to praise it to high heavens. There's nothing wrong with the pattern of a MK type park as long as similar ones are given some unique qualities, high quality attractions and good placemaking.

The problem with Epcot going forward has nothing to do with being like Magic Kingdom (it's really nothing like it, so that's a silly complaint - having IPs doesn't make it like a castle park) but in lacking cohesive theming. It would be possible to add significant amount of IPs and still fit in well with the premise of the park.

 

[RSoxNo1]

Quick question. Why is GoTG nonsense? just asking. it sounds like it will be pretty good. I can't say for sure because it hasn't opened but just curious why it's being dismissed as "nonsense".

The expectations are the ride will be great, but doesn't belong in Epcot. It represents more of the same in the line of tearing down EPCOT Center and turning the park into another version of Magic Kingdom.

 

[RSoxNo1]

Tron should have been in Epcot if they wanted a roller coaster in the park

Space Mountain would make more sense in Epcot with both Tron and Guardians in MK's Tomorrowland.

 

[WondersOfLife]

I’m not sure why you’re laughing, this is very serious. “Disney” denotes only IP ownership, not silly, vague things like the promise of technology and optimistic futurism, so we need to sort this out.

Should the next restaurant at Epcot be based on Porky’s or on Jack Rabbit Slim’s from Pulp Fiction? Or maybe it could be based on Ravenous? Which property is most “Disney?”

Should the new frozen banana stand be themed to Arrested Development or Planet of the Apes?

How long should Disney wait before announcing the new Barton Fink themed hotel?

(Honestly, at this point I’m just enjoying coming up with these ideas.)

If it’s owned by Disney, it’s Disney. I’m personally down for those.

 

[FigmentJedi]

Space Mountain would make more sense in Epcot with both Tron and Guardians in MK's Tomorrowland.

The original Tron was crosspromoted with Epcot Center's opening back in 1982 and was sorta treated as an "Epcot movie". You could even see the digitization tunnel sequence in the World of Motion's speedrooms and a Tron Arcade was a planned part of Communicore.

 

[HauntedPirate]

No one said they are infallible or never misjudge. But on net, over time, they obviously know better what the general public wants than any subset of any board like this. I'll bet on Disney here. And SO FAR, profits seem to suggest there's a good reason to.

25 years ago, I would have absolutely agreed with you. Today... I'm not so sure I can. Is it really giving people what they want, or is it the fact that they went without something new for so long that practically anything is accepted with arms (and wallets) wide open? It's not like there was some huge movement to get GotG into Epcot, or Avatar into AK, for that matter. The latter was simply Iger's knee-jerk reaction to losing HP to Universal (and it created some real competition, which has ultimately been a good thing). Star Wars? Abso-freaking-lutely, that is so long overdue it's not even funny.

Disney used to care about the overall guest experience, now it's more focused on the overall per-guest spending. It is what it is.

 

[lazyboy97o]

People also wanted sequels to the animated classics...

 

[TeriofTerror]

People also wanted sequels to the animated classics...

And apparently live-action remakes, as well.
I don't get it, myself.