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

ULPO46

Well-Known Member
Projects don’t necessarily come back into full fruition. Elements come and go into different projects and some elements just get re themed or redressed. It’s all about finances in the long run.
 

gustaftp

Well-Known Member
How much more could labor costs have been than any of the other Future World pavilions? They all have lots of staff.

I always felt most of these Play! elements would be a better fit for the original ImageWorks space. But to basically lose this pavilion in an already-extremely watered down overhaul that has done little more than rip out the entire center of the park with nothing to show just furthers my resolve to not return for the foreseeable future. They’ve really up EPCOT, and it’s sad.

But at least the restored entrance looks nice. 😏
 
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TwilightZone

Well-Known Member
Wait, is that a surprise to people? I've been screeching about this since Frozen came to the World Showcase, and especially when it came to the closure of Reflections of Earth.

"Epcot isn't 'Disney' enough" has been a top guest feedback sentiment for decades at this point.

Anyone looking to point fingers for shoehorned IP shouldn't be looking for someone named Bob, they should be looking at their fellow guests.
I can't help to remember a certain part of the Light Magic opening special (I have been fixated with that dreadful show lately, especially with recent events).

One point, I believe it was a clip of Paul Pressler, said that the guests love rides based on movies. Snow white, tomorrowland's subs, and more were all pointed as examples.

Then when one of the hosts goes to the Light Magic audience and asked what their favorite ride was, most adult (and children)'s favorite rides were the ones that WEREN'T based on a movie. Most prominently was Haunted Mansion.

So sure, maybe people do like movie rides...but it seems like a majority would prefer and revisit a ride that is not based on a movie more often.
 

UNCgolf

Well-Known Member
I can't help to remember a certain part of the Light Magic opening special (I have been fixated with that dreadful show lately, especially with recent events).

One point, I believe it was a clip of Paul Pressler, said that the guests love rides based on movies. Snow white, tomorrowland's subs, and more were all pointed as examples.

Then when one of the hosts goes to the Light Magic audience and asked what their favorite ride was, most adult (and children)'s favorite rides were the ones that WEREN'T based on a movie. Most prominently was Haunted Mansion.

So sure, maybe people do like movie rides...but it seems like a majority would prefer and revisit a ride that is not based on a movie more often.

I don't think it's this as much as the fact Haunted Mansion (along with several other attractions that were not based on pre-existing IP) is just better than most other rides. I also think it's easier to build a great attraction without IP because there's inherently more creative freedom, which may help explain why those rides are often better.

With that said, there's no problem with Disney using their IP for attractions. It's good for marketing and of course people enjoy seeing IP they know. The problem is refusing to even consider an attraction that doesn't use IP, since that severely limits design options. Instead of saying, "Come up with the best ideas possible", it's "Look at the IP we own and figure out what you can do with that".

Realistically, it's not "look at the IP we own" either because not all Disney-owned IP is truly on the table. They're not going to sign off on an attraction based on IP they consider irrelevant; it needs to be something from the relatively recent past or something that's shown sustained popularity via merchandise sales, Disney+ views, etc.
 

_caleb

Well-Known Member
Whether PLAY ends up happening or not, it still seems like a no-brainer to me that Disney would have a place to guests to take Instagram photos and TikTok videos with IP props/scenes.

At this point, they’ve pretty much missed the opportunity for what may literally be the easiest thing (besides maybe the Purple Wall) to get people to come out for.
 

Indy_UK

Well-Known Member
Crazy to not carry on and complete this, especially if it was quite a way along. Epcot needs capacity but this tells me that they dont plan on spending any money other than completing the central hub
 

Bocabear

Well-Known Member
Whether PLAY ends up happening or not, it still seems like a no-brainer to me that Disney would have a place to guests to take Instagram photos and TikTok videos with IP props/scenes.

At this point, they’ve pretty much missed the opportunity for what may literally be the easiest thing (besides maybe the Purple Wall) to get people to come out for.
but isn't that the whole resort? 4 parks full of photo ops and meet and greets? I don't think they then need to create an entire pavilion full of more artificial photo ops... Sure, add an extra photo op in the queue area of each attraction, but there is plenty to photograph already... everywhere...
 

monothingie

Evil will always triumph, because good is dumb.
Premium Member
Crazy to not carry on and complete this, especially if it was quite a way along. Epcot needs capacity but this tells me that they dont plan on spending any money other than completing the central hub
Honestly I'm glad that they realized this boondoggle before it opened. I'd rather have a closed off pavilion behind the berm as opposed to an open pavilion that vibes of the last 15 years of Inoventions.
 

Epcot82Guy

Well-Known Member
Honestly I'm glad that they realized this boondoggle before it opened. I'd rather have a closed off pavilion behind the berm as opposed to an open pavilion that vibes of the last 15 years of Inoventions.

That is kind of my concern overall. For trying to fight the "future" problem that Epcot and TL have had, a number of these ex-FW designs seem like they will become dated more quickly than not. Maybe that's the point - to have them be updated more easily to stay relevant. But, Epcot was built that way, too, and we see how that was treated. Time will tell, I guess.
 

monothingie

Evil will always triumph, because good is dumb.
Premium Member
That is kind of my concern overall. For trying to fight the "future" problem that Epcot and TL have had, a number of these ex-FW designs seem like they will become dated more quickly than not. Maybe that's the point - to have them be updated more easily to stay relevant. But, Epcot was built that way, too, and we see how that was treated. Time will tell, I guess.
Sadly the only thing that would work in that space is a D or E ticket. What they proposed was not going to age well and be obsolete within 3-5 years. They'd have better luck converting into some type of uber high end lounge and restaurant.
 

James Alucobond

Well-Known Member
but isn't that the whole resort? 4 parks full of photo ops and meet and greets? I don't think they then need to create an entire pavilion full of more artificial photo ops... Sure, add an extra photo op in the queue area of each attraction, but there is plenty to photograph already... everywhere...
Balance must be restored after removing the Morocco genital alcove.
 

_caleb

Well-Known Member
but isn't that the whole resort? 4 parks full of photo ops and meet and greets? I don't think they then need to create an entire pavilion full of more artificial photo ops... Sure, add an extra photo op in the queue area of each attraction, but there is plenty to photograph already... everywhere...
Of course people are free to take photos anywhere they'd like! But rather than having long lines (that cause traffic jams) for a path side photo op, why not put a bunch of them in one place, where there can be a proper queue and CMs managing? Just like when they started doing more organized, indoor meet and greets, where guests are able to meet with variety of characters.

ETA: This is not my preference for the pavilion. Just what I thought they were going for and seems like an "easy" attraction to build/maintain.
 

bryanfze55

Well-Known Member
Wait, is that a surprise to people? I've been screeching about this since Frozen came to the World Showcase, and especially when it came to the closure of Reflections of Earth.

"Epcot isn't 'Disney' enough" has been a top guest feedback sentiment for decades at this point.

Anyone looking to point fingers for shoehorned IP shouldn't be looking for someone named Bob, they should be looking at their fellow guests.
If Disney is gathering this sentiment from surveys - they could pretty easily use leading questions to direct the guest to select the answers they want to hear. I’d venture a lot of modern guests don’t even comprehend the alternative. IP is familiar and comfortable, and the alternative is unknown. It’s up to Disney, not the guest, to realize that familiarity and comfort breed mediocrity - as is nearly always true in life.
 

Bocabear

Well-Known Member
I did a VERY pointed survey Years ago...before the Meet and Greets came to the Magic kingdom... The questions were so pointed towards wanting Meet and Greets instead of attractions it was ridiculous. "Would you like to:
A, Have a magical moment with Mickey and Minnie live for a meaningful and personal visit
B, Enjoy Longer Queues at existing attractions
C, Have crushed clam shells substituted for your favorite coffee
D, Have a case of ulcerative Collitis"
ok obviously I am joking, but it was kind of like this...the only way you could answer was to continually say you wanted more meet and greets in the parks.
 

James Alucobond

Well-Known Member
I did a VERY pointed survey Years ago...before the Meet and Greets came to the Magic kingdom... The questions were so pointed towards wanting Meet and Greets instead of attractions it was ridiculous. "Would you like to:
A, Have a magical moment with Mickey and Minnie live for a meaningful and personal visit
B, Enjoy Longer Queues at existing attractions
C, Have crushed clam shells substituted for your favorite coffee
D, Have a case of ulcerative Collitis"
ok obviously I am joking, but it was kind of like this...the only way you could answer was to continually say you wanted more meet and greets in the parks.
It’s possible that they had already determined from previous research that more meet and greets were going to happen, so the subsequent surveys were about what form they would take. It’s not terribly different from the current surveys where they obviously know something’s wrong with the 50th and they’re trying to pinpoint the what.

Of course, it’s also possible that the survey was devised in service of some agenda as you suggest, though a good researcher should steer interested parties away from crafting surveys of that sort.
 

CaptainAmerica

Premium Member
If Disney is gathering this sentiment from surveys - they could pretty easily use leading questions to direct the guest to select the answers they want to hear.
Yes, Disney spends lots of money gathering data that's contradictory to what guests actually want so they can deliberately give guests things they don't want in a grand conspiracy to drive satisfaction into the gutter and torpedo future profitability.
 

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