SaucyBoy
Well-Known Member
- In the Parks
- No
And the park isn't going to be any better off than it was before, well Future World at least; which to me has always been the worst part of Epcot (minus Spaceship Earth and Living With the Land).
-
Welcome to the WDWMAGIC.COM Forums!
Please take a look around, and feel free to sign up and join the community.
Our complaints about Epcot between the 2000’s and now, are we living in our worse WDW nightmare?
- Thread starter THEMEPARKPIONEER
- Start date
Sir_Cliff
Well-Known Member
That's basically how I feel.
I think most of what they did during the second half of Eisner's tenure was lacklustre to bad, but at least they were trying to keep Epcot as a unique experience alive. Now, it's kind of a weird mix of the original park and the IP mandate era approach in which all parks are basically treated as Magic Kingdom parks. The distinctness of the park seems more superficial and self-referential, for example in theming the Guardians queue to an Epcot pavilion rather than actually building a new Epcot pavilion and adopting an aesthetic that recalls the original EPCOT Center without, again, adding any content that particularly distinguishes the park from the other parks.
Vegas Disney Fan
Well-Known Member
I’m guessing we’ll fall into two camps, the old old timers who remember their Epcot from 30 years ago, and see all these changes as negatives, and those of us who’ve only been going for a decade or 2 and have only known the lessor Epcot and see these changes as improvements.
My first visit to Epcot was 2013 so for me most of what they’ve done has been an improvement… replacing the tombstone front entrance with planters and the sculpture was a huge upgrade, the lighting on SSE is spectacular, Guardians (despite its visible show building and story faults) is a huge upgrade from Ellen’s, the green hub is a huge upgrade over the concrete jungle that was there, Moana (despite its odd placement) is a huge upgrade over the previously empty innoventions building, the new expo/stage building is an upgrade over the other innoventions building that was acting as a Starbucks/Coke stand with the other 90% empty, the new restaurant/Starbucks is an upgrade over the Umbrella restaurant, the new store is an upgrade over MouseGears, Space220 is a nice addition over the former empty lot, we like Frozen better than the Norway ride, Ratatouille is an upgrade over the formerly empty lot… the only downgrade I see is Harmonious vs Illuminations (which is hopefully being fixed).
I‘ve heard about the glory days of Epcot but from what I can tell they haven’t existed since the 90s, personally I’ll take what we have now over what I first experienced a decade ago.
My first visit to Epcot was 2013 so for me most of what they’ve done has been an improvement… replacing the tombstone front entrance with planters and the sculpture was a huge upgrade, the lighting on SSE is spectacular, Guardians (despite its visible show building and story faults) is a huge upgrade from Ellen’s, the green hub is a huge upgrade over the concrete jungle that was there, Moana (despite its odd placement) is a huge upgrade over the previously empty innoventions building, the new expo/stage building is an upgrade over the other innoventions building that was acting as a Starbucks/Coke stand with the other 90% empty, the new restaurant/Starbucks is an upgrade over the Umbrella restaurant, the new store is an upgrade over MouseGears, Space220 is a nice addition over the former empty lot, we like Frozen better than the Norway ride, Ratatouille is an upgrade over the formerly empty lot… the only downgrade I see is Harmonious vs Illuminations (which is hopefully being fixed).
I‘ve heard about the glory days of Epcot but from what I can tell they haven’t existed since the 90s, personally I’ll take what we have now over what I first experienced a decade ago.
Last edited:
jaklgreen
Well-Known Member
It is a mess now, but they are not even close to being done with it. My complaint is that they are taking their sweet time with it. There is no reason for things to take this long. But I will wait until it is actually done to see if I love or hate it.
jaklgreen
Well-Known Member
I think that there are more visitors like me than you think. Look at how many DVC owners there are. Many of those don't even go into the parks anymore and just do resort stays. You are acting as if there are no rides in the park anymore. If WDW was in such dire straits, they wouldn't be filling the parks up like they do now. Everyone loves to complain and yet the parks are packed.
It is like the old joke, "no one goes there anymore, the place is too busy". LOL
Disstevefan1
Well-Known Member
Getting rid of the Tombstones was a plus.
Returning the spires was a plus.
Adding the lighting to SSE was a plus.
Both innoventions should have stayed and each should have had a great dark ride in each.
I would have preferred the energy pavilion to be re skinned with new content and kept the great ride system.
The fountain of nations should have just gotten an upgrade with the latest water and lighting tech. Including a water screen imagine SSE and the fountain working together to make a show!
Space 220 was a plus.
Moana in my mind a big minus.
They should have updated illuminations with the latest tech, using the same sound track and sprinkling in some new IP.
The addition of the Rat was a plus.
I liked the Norway attraction but Frozen is ok too.
I like mission space but I wish we could have had both Horizons and mission space.
Last edited:
All that’s left is a splash pad that should be in DAK as a queue to a bigger attraction, and a building to replace half a building. It’s no secret what’s coming.
And a hastily designed night show.
Last edited:
"El Gran Magnifico"
Mr Flibble is Very Cross.
I used to go because of “the bubble”. It was far superior to any ride. The rides complimented “the bubble”.
Now there is no “bubble”. Just rides.
AdventureHasAName
Well-Known Member
They killed the park because they didn't understand what was originally built. Future World was a series of museums. In each pavilion there was a long "history of this topic" attraction (that was a people eater and not designed to be changed constantly) followed-by a small "latest innovations in this topic" showroom (that was intended to be changed and updated constantly). Well ... WDW management just decided never to update the post-show areas and did a poor job of maintenance on the long omnimover attractions.
Then they wondered why guests believed things weren't fresh in the park. Eisner built Disney's Smithsonian; the morons who followed were mad it wasn't Six Flags.
Case in point ... if you polled all of WDW management and WDI right now ... what percentage of them would know Spaceship Earth is actually the communications pavilion? I bet it's under 20%.
Then they wondered why guests believed things weren't fresh in the park. Eisner built Disney's Smithsonian; the morons who followed were mad it wasn't Six Flags.
Case in point ... if you polled all of WDW management and WDI right now ... what percentage of them would know Spaceship Earth is actually the communications pavilion? I bet it's under 20%.
DisneyFanatic12
Well-Known Member
I mean, Epcot needed a place to just walk around. I honestly have nothing against the Moana themed walking trail. Oftentimes, these smaller trails and stuff are more enjoyable than actual rides. And, I personally think it works in World Nature. Sure, things continue to change. Is the Super Bowl show actually worse every year or is it just different? I’m sure many will grow up with this version of Epcot and hate when it is updated as well…
"El Gran Magnifico"
Mr Flibble is Very Cross.
I don’t either. But you know where you should put a Moana themed walking trail?
In the space that connects the Poly to the GF. Just next to the Luau. You drive more people to the resorts.
AdventureHasAName
Well-Known Member
In my day, we called this World Showcase and Communicore.
Last edited:
AdventureHasAName
Well-Known Member
Peak EPCOT Center was 1991 to 1993 - after the Yacht and Beach Club were built, but before Spaceship Earth 3.0, re-branding Communicore and removing Captain EO.
And if you really want to bear-down on it, peak WDW Resort was probably August 1994 - right after Tower of Terror opened, but before they shut down 20k Leagues a couple months later.
Last edited:
HMF
Well-Known Member
I would argue SSE 3.0 was the best version though. I am biased though. I have written an obituary/article on the history of Epcot and it's decline into the sad shape it is in now.
Tom Morrow
Well-Known Member
It's not just Epcot. They are frequently doing stuff now that in the 00's we would have joked about as laughably implausible suggestions and whatnot.
Centauri Space Station
Well-Known Member
Epcot forever was always a placeholder show, its currently on its second replacement
Sirwalterraleigh
Premium Member
Sirwalterraleigh
Premium Member
Like doing NOTHING as your competition builds basically an entirely new park compound 6 miles away?
Sirwalterraleigh
Premium Member
My stance is that the zenith of wdw as far as quality and value was 1998 ish…after the west side, blizzard, DAK opened
But not that far off…
What’s amazing is that the dust has people believing it was like 2016…or 2019…
Um…no…not close. We just pay way more.
It’s hard to explain to those that never saw it…but the amount of quality was just standard…as in “wow…that food is REALLY good”…
Or…”oh my gosh…they have so many pools AND those little Mickey boats you can drive?” (For an $84 dollar room at caribbean or Dixie)…
It was Omnipresent.
When I just stroll - as is often the case because I don’t find mine train or the abrams dark ride “extreme” enough for a 2 hour wait - I have to stop myself from thinking: “how much they want for that today?”
And it’s really not a good thing
Disstevefan1
Well-Known Member
Agreed! The Land pavilion is the best pavilion! I hope Disney does not ruin it!
The Land pavilion has
Three attractions.
A great counter service food court, FREE REFILLS of soda (I hope that is still the case)
One of the most unique table service with characters (I hope that is still the case)
A great backstage tour (I hope that is still the case)
The only thing it does not have is a formal gift shop! I find that both refreshing and funny.