Repainting of Epcot Central Plaza?

[Captain Neo]

I always find it incredibly hysterical the amount of attention frieking paint schemes get around here. Some of you want it "back to the way it used to be" and more modern at the same time and it doesn't work that way. Cracks me up. Just like when people freaked out about the purple color of the bathrooms in Tommorowland during the SM refurb.

This is what bother y'all??? Seriously get a life.

Not sure what you mean. "Make it like it used to be but also be modern" has been a pretty popular thing to do in movies (see Skyfall, Star Trek), comic books, and other categories for some time now.

The reason it never happens at Disney is 1)Most of the people that make decisions for the parks really don't care or have any interest in respecting the past and 2)Too many people have their hands in the pie with their own ideas and agendas. Although even despite that Disneyland has been able to do it successfully from time to time.

 

[Soarin' Over Pgh]

...didn't intend for that picture to be liked, LOL but thanks y'all. Five minutes and Repix equals instant art.

I had this whacked out thought of a star wars castle overlay and I think the colors inserted themselves into it!

 

[CDavid]

Well, you know it does look better than the Pepto Bismol castle cake...

 

[Seabasealpha1]

The striping kinda reminds me of some of the details painted onto vintage Schwinn bicycles like my Dad has in his barn...

I would kinda like to see something like the very original paint scheme...just for sleekness and ease on the eyes...after all it IS an overall presentation...I don't feel like there's really anything that friggin' cool in communicore (save Sum of All Thrills) anyhow...but...

I'm good with whatever they do as long as it's not like polka dots or plaid...

 

[KingdomofDreams]

I like the gray blue with the slate gray combo. The light gray is a nice accent color as well.

Agree! Really like the shades of gray with the blue. Dislike the beige, brown, peach. Blech

 

[Gabe1]

The area needed an update, now if they would only do the same to the TTC...

How 'bout it. The TTC is the arm pit of WDW. Thankfully they pulled the MK park transfer buses out of there. Nasty.

 

[ABQ]

...didn't intend for that picture to be liked, LOL but thanks y'all. Five minutes and Repix equals instant art.

I had this whacked out thought of a star wars castle overlay and I think the colors inserted themselves into it!

Nice kitty. Sorry, couldn't help but check out some of the other pics in the photobucket.

 

[Figments Friend]

Oh it was lovely

View attachment 50095

Awesome image.
Yes, lovely indeed.



Love seeing the parking lot over on the right hand side packed with cars.
Today that is a rare sight most of the year.

 

[Figments Friend]

You know what REALLY needs to be removed......This!

Totally agree.

What i find to be a wry irony - This was installed to provide more shade in this area.
If the original trees and greenery that used to be present were not decimated, well, you would not have that problem!

 

[ABQ]

Totally agree.

What i find to be a wry irony - This was installed to provide more shade in this area.
If the original trees and greenery that used to be present were not decimated, well, you would not have that problem!

Oh how I miss the square cut trees around SSE. I know they offered next to nothing for shade, as the attraction itself creates a bit, but the unusual shape of a tree, square, was enjoyable.

 

[Cmdr_Crimson]

Totally agree.

What i find to be a wry irony - This was installed to provide more shade in this area.
If the original trees and greenery that used to be present were not decimated, well, you would not have that problem!

The center hub of MK is very tree-less and very wide & open. It doesn't seem to have problems with the guests..So In honesty..It should be removed..

 

[Figments Friend]

The center hub of MK is very tree-less and very wide & open. It doesn't seem to have problems with the guests..So In honesty..It should be removed..

Agree, the triangle canopy is eyesore. Not disagreeing with you at all.
I just find it amusing that they level all of the more pleasant, natural shade providers there and then end up replacing them with this geometric clutter.

Interesting you mention the MK Hub.
In the first decade or so the Park was open, the Hub was quite full of trees and greenery too.
These were removed some years later as a result of some feeling the view of the Castle was being spoiled, and show/parade views were being compromised.
The trees at that time had grown rather large at that point, so i can understand the desire to want to address it.

My guess is that the designers of the EPCOT Central Plaza re-do back in the 90s felt that it 'needed' the canopy because of the concrete expanse.
All those hard surfaces were reflecting heat and it likely felt 'hotter' then the MK Hub , which was far more 'lush' and cooling in comparison.
In a FL heat, being out in the middle of the Plaza at EPCOT can feel like walking on the surface of a hot frying pan.
Too bad some of that lovely greenery from the past could not be re-incorporated into the area to help ease this.

 

[muteki]

I always find it incredibly hysterical the amount of attention frieking paint schemes get around here. Some of you want it "back to the way it used to be" and more modern at the same time and it doesn't work that way. Cracks me up. Just like when people freaked out about the purple color of the bathrooms in Tommorowland during the SM refurb.

This is what bother y'all??? Seriously get a life.

Something can be made in '82 and be "modern". It is a style, not a time period.

It is entirely possible that "make it look like 30 years ago" and "make it modern" mean the same thing.

At least, until the real world starts looking like Future World. Last I checked 30 years later it still doesn't.

 

[sshindel]

Yesterday while digging around my old childhood home I found a few old WDW books that are like a treasure trove. One of them is "Walt Disney's Epcot Center: Creating the New World of Tomorrow" by Richard Beard, copyright in 1982. From what I can find online, it's the smaller of two versions of this book that was put out. It was written before Horizons was opened (it refers to it in future tense) and has a section set out describing the Africa Pavilion. It's spectacular.

Anyway, the reason I bring it up is because so many of the things that folks on here have been saying about the design of the plaza and of Communicore is spot on with what this book talks about.

As to the keeping it modern, here is an excerpt:

Nor will Future World remain static. Several displays are designed to incorporate advances as they come of age...

 

[Soarin' Over Pgh]

Yesterday while digging around my old childhood home I found a few old WDW books that are like a treasure trove. One of them is "Walt Disney's Epcot Center: Creating the New World of Tomorrow" by Richard Beard, copyright in 1982. From what I can find online, it's the smaller of two versions of this book that was put out. It was written before Horizons was opened (it refers to it in future tense) and has a section set out describing the Africa Pavilion. It's spectacular.

Anyway, the reason I bring it up is because so many of the things that folks on here have been saying about the design of the plaza and of Communicore is spot on with what this book talks about.

As to the keeping it modern, here is an excerpt:

I'd love to see the African pavilion write up!

 

[The Empress Lilly]

I'd love to see the African pavilion write up!

Spoiler: Open Sesame

 

[Crafty]

Well, you know it does look better than the Pepto Bismol castle cake...

We loved that giant cake look. It was to highlight a celebration and was appropriate for its purpose. As a long term thing, it would have been too much. Our little girl's eyes lit up like candles when she saw the giant pink cake castle. That was what was important to us.

 

[Cmdr_Crimson]

Yesterday while digging around my old childhood home I found a few old WDW books that are like a treasure trove. One of them is "Walt Disney's Epcot Center: Creating the New World of Tomorrow" by Richard Beard, copyright in 1982. From what I can find online, it's the smaller of two versions of this book that was put out. It was written before Horizons was opened (it refers to it in future tense) and has a section set out describing the Africa Pavilion. It's spectacular.

Anyway, the reason I bring it up is because so many of the things that folks on here have been saying about the design of the plaza and of Communicore is spot on with what this book talks about.

As to the keeping it modern, here is an excerpt:

I'd love to see the African pavilion write up!

In the TV Special Epcot the Opening Celebration Danny Kaye talks to Alex Haley The Author of Roots who was to help work on the Pavilion..

It Starts at 1:40 in this video..

 

[articos]

Agree, the triangle canopy is eyesore. Not disagreeing with you at all.
I just find it amusing that they level all of the more pleasant, natural shade providers there and then end up replacing them with this geometric clutter.

Interesting you mention the MK Hub.
In the first decade or so the Park was open, the Hub was quite full of trees and greenery too.
These were removed some years later as a result of some feeling the view of the Castle was being spoiled, and show/parade views were being compromised.
The trees at that time had grown rather large at that point, so i can understand the desire to want to address it.

My guess is that the designers of the EPCOT Central Plaza re-do back in the 90s felt that it 'needed' the canopy because of the concrete expanse.
All those hard surfaces were reflecting heat and it likely felt 'hotter' then the MK Hub , which was far more 'lush' and cooling in comparison.
In a FL heat, being out in the middle of the Plaza at EPCOT can feel like walking on the surface of a hot frying pan.
Too bad some of that lovely greenery from the past could not be re-incorporated into the area to help ease this.

Once hardscape is in, it's a lost cause to convince anyone that putting greenery back is the answer. It's always thought of as taking usable space and making it decorative. Also it's more expensive. The thought in the 90's was much smaller scale as opposed to adding trees or large scale landscaping. The canopy was a direct response to guest comments.

 

[Soarin' Over Pgh]

Spoiler: Open Sesame

Wow! That is amazing. I really would have enjoyed seeing that at Epcot, it's a shame it was never added.

Thank you, @The Empress Lilly !!