News Odyssey becoming a flex space

[montyz81]

If they continue down the path they seem headed where there are festivals year-round, I could see how using the Inoventions buildings would probably make a lot of sense if they reworked them a bit to kind of direct flow into them at the front and out the back to hit World Showcase.

I think the Innoventions buildings were going the way of the Dodo?

 

[po1998]

Where is the Millenium Village mentioned up thread? I've never been during the F&W festival, and during the F&G festival many moons ago, don't think we made it past FW.

 

[MrPromey]

I think the Innoventions buildings were going the way of the Dodo?

Maybe that's the plan this week?

 

[rocketraccoon]

Where is the Millenium Village mentioned up thread? I've never been during the F&W festival, and during the F&G festival many moons ago, don't think we made it past FW.

It's the white tent-y looking thing near the UK pavilion here, by the Joffery's:

It's normally covered by some big doors. Unless a bunch of characters are out or they open it for bathrooms during Food & Wine, it's never really seen.

 

[po1998]

It's the white tent-y looking thing near the UK pavilion here, by the Joffery's:

It's normally covered by some big doors. Unless a bunch of characters are out or they open it for bathrooms during Food & Wine, it's never really seen.

thx

 

[marni1971]

I think the Innoventions buildings were going the way of the Dodo?

Possibly not now.

 

[Kman101]

Possibly not now.

Could the use be at least promising or should we lower expectations? (I know you probably don't know or can't say too much.) Although I know this time tomorrow they could decide to demo them and then the next day change their mind again ...

 

[marni1971]

Could the use be at least promising or should we lower expectations? (I know you probably don't know or can't say too much.) Although I know this time tomorrow they could decide to demo them and then the next day change their mind again ...

Use would pretty much be how they were five years ago. Food, exhibit space, store, meet n greets. Although with a complete new look and layout. And maybe a few additions. That’s the best case scenario IMHO.

 

[Kman101]

Use would pretty much be how they were five years ago. Food, exhibit space, store, meet n greets. Although with a complete new look and layout. And maybe a few additions. That’s the best case scenario IMHO.

Better than a demo. I just don't know how they can avoid falling into the same pattern, with a lack of exhibits and a lack of updating them. I mean, they CAN avoid that, but will they? lol. I didn't expect more than that really so it's good the buildings could be used again but I also don't want to salvage them just to be in the same situation down the line. These buildings are pretty large and could probably be put to much better use. But if they insist on falling into old ways and not using them, at all, I say open the space up, but I'd prefer they be used.

Hopefully we still get more greenery and other updates. Like I've said in the past, the hub update doesn't need to be extreme, lots of small things that can be done that will overall improve the aesthetics. I want to applaud the ambition of making over Future World 'just because' but it doesn't really need to fixed to the extremes they seem to throw out doing. I'm surprised they haven't done a lot of things we all want, like more trees, water, less tarps, no tombstones, new paint jobs ....

Any idea why they seem to be struggling with this one so much? It doesn't seem that hard of a decision to me ... save the money on the extreme makeover it doesn't need ...

 

[P_Radden]

Better than a demo. I just don't know how they can avoid falling into the same pattern, with a lack of exhibits and a lack of updating them. I mean, they CAN avoid that, but will they? lol. I didn't expect more than that really so it's good the buildings could be used again but I also don't want to salvage them just to be in the same situation down the line. These buildings are pretty large and could probably be put to much better use. But if they insist on falling into old ways and not using them, at all, I say open the space up, but I'd prefer they be used.

Hopefully we still get more greenery and other updates. Like I've said in the past, the hub update doesn't need to be extreme, lots of small things that can be done that will overall improve the aesthetics. I want to applaud the ambition of making over Future World 'just because' but it doesn't really need to fixed to the extremes they seem to throw out doing. I'm surprised they haven't done a lot of things we all want, like more trees, water, less tarps, no tombstones, new paint jobs ....

Any idea why they seem to be struggling with this one so much? It doesn't seem that hard of a decision to me ... save the money on the extreme makeover it doesn't need ...

If I had to guess what the hold up is, I'd say possible 2 things.. 1) budget getting ironed out due to all the proposals and already various projects in the works. 2) I've proposed this before, but perhaps the entry/spine/CC plans are in limbo due to the entry resort plans getting finalized.

 

[Kman101]

If I had to guess what the hold up is, I'd say possible 2 things.. 1) budget getting ironed out due to all the proposals and already various projects in the works. 2) I've proposed this before, but perhaps the entry/spine/CC plans are in limbo due to the entry resort plans getting finalized.

Very true. Probably different factors playing a role.

 

[marni1971]

Better than a demo. I just don't know how they can avoid falling into the same pattern, with a lack of exhibits and a lack of updating them. I mean, they CAN avoid that, but will they? lol. I didn't expect more than that really so it's good the buildings could be used again but I also don't want to salvage them just to be in the same situation down the line. These buildings are pretty large and could probably be put to much better use. But if they insist on falling into old ways and not using them, at all, I say open the space up, but I'd prefer they be used.

Hopefully we still get more greenery and other updates. Like I've said in the past, the hub update doesn't need to be extreme, lots of small things that can be done that will overall improve the aesthetics. I want to applaud the ambition of making over Future World 'just because' but it doesn't really need to fixed to the extremes they seem to throw out doing. I'm surprised they haven't done a lot of things we all want, like more trees, water, less tarps, no tombstones, new paint jobs ....

Any idea why they seem to be struggling with this one so much? It doesn't seem that hard of a decision to me ... save the money on the extreme makeover it doesn't need ...

There won’t be enough like in the past to fall Into the same problems like in the past.

Landscaping would also play a big part.

 

[Kman101]

There won’t be enough like in the past to fall Into the same problems like in the past.

Landscaping would also play a big part.

Good to hear! Sounds like this redo could be moving in a better direction? Let's cross our fingers they don't screw this up.

EDIT:
I'd be thrilled just hearing the tombstones are going away. I know that's been a part of the plan but I'm way past ready for them to be gone. I know they mean a lot to some people, but they (obviously) shouldn't have gone where they did.

 

[montyz81]

Good to hear! Sounds like this redo could be moving in a better direction? Let's cross our fingers they don't screw this up.

EDIT:
I'd be thrilled just hearing the tombstones are going away. I know that's been a part of the plan but I'm way past ready for them to be gone. I know they mean a lot to some people, but they (obviously) shouldn't have gone where they did.

I guess I am not sure I agree. I really feel like this is the real death of the park I love so much. I know everyone will tell me that EC died a long time ago, but I haven't lost hope yet. (Maybe I should). I really want the idea of a technology showplace to come back alive inside FW. As WS is a permanent worlds fair, FW should be a permanent technology showplace. Someday I'll come around to the new direction of Epcot, just not there yet.

 

[Kman101]

I agree on Future World. I wish it would focus on that too. Maybe someday the direction will shift again. They've been too short-sighted in their handling of Future World. Everything now needs to be a thrill or a quick fix. I don't agree with that.

I meant re-do in terms of the hub/spine (it sounded like there are/were some very severe makeover plans and it sounds like it's moving in a direction of not radically changing the look), not overall Epcot. Guardians is not a good direction for them to go in. Another cheap (well, not cheap in the actual sense this is costing a fortune) thrill.

In a decade or two they'll be in the same spot they are now, IMO. They need a long-term fix for Future World. They don't seem to be thinking that way and that's a mistake.

EDIT: I've wanted Future World to better represent the World's Fair-but-it's-a-theme-park. It was meant to be that way, with the different pavilions. I wish that came across better to guests now. It should be obvious but I imagine some guests who don't do their homework are confused. And it seems management is also confused. The whole World's Fair thing is why I've been a supporter of the never-gonna-happen (so no one needs to get on their tangent of how crazy it is and it's never gonna happen; it's not) move of it's a small world to Epcot. I mean, it was at the World's Fair, why couldn't it have fit here, it's the perfect welcome ride to World Showcase, IMHO. But I know some people just can't see that. I'd have also put Carousel of Progress in Future World.

I kind of like the name 'Epcot World Center' ... I don't think 'Future' World was ever the right name because they were never going to keep up with it.

 

[P_Radden]

Good to hear! Sounds like this redo could be moving in a better direction? Let's cross our fingers they don't screw this up.

EDIT:
I'd be thrilled just hearing the tombstones are going away. I know that's been a part of the plan but I'm way past ready for them to be gone. I know they mean a lot to some people, but they (obviously) shouldn't have gone where they did.

Remove the tombstones, add more trees & foliage out front and for the love of Figment, add some sort of prisms or something to the blank plate in the middle of SSE's fountain. The way that fountain was designed and built with the center pad and prisms, and then them removed with nothing replacing them, it just looks incomplete currently.
Then:

Now:

EDIT:
Look how beautiful it is in this art:

 

[Kman101]

Remove the tombstones, add more trees & foliage out front and for the love of Figment, add some sort of prisms or something to the blank plate in the middle of SSE's fountain. The way that fountain was designed and built with the center pad and prisms, and then them removed with nothing replacing them, it just looks incomplete currently.
Then:
View attachment 269092
View attachment 269093
View attachment 269095
Now:
View attachment 269096

EDIT:
Look how beautiful it is in this art:
View attachment 269097

Yep!

Those who don't mind the tombstones really need to look at how the entrance used to be. So grand and welcoming. Beautiful planters and trees ... Room to walk around ... the amount of room taken up by the tombstones is one of the reasons I'm really surprised they went through with them in the first place.

 

[trainplane3]

Remove the tombstones, add more trees & foliage out front and for the love of Figment, add some sort of prisms or something to the blank plate in the middle of SSE's fountain. The way that fountain was designed and built with the center pad and prisms, and then them removed with nothing replacing them, it just looks incomplete currently.
Then:
View attachment 269092
View attachment 269093
View attachment 269095
Now:
View attachment 269096

Exactly this. Literally just revert the design back to how it originally was. It'd probably smooth out foot traffic out front too. And as goofy as it may sound, I'd welcome more palm trees throughout FW to replace some of the trees that are already there.

 

[spacemt354]

EPCOT Center used to be truly a 'park' setting .... so much foliage/water/vast open walkways. So beautiful.

 

[ppete1975]

was the upstairs ever used? is it sponsor space?