Save the Wonders of Life Pavillion

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JWG

JWG

Well-Known Member
mcjaco said:
As for WoL, I have never understood the love. I thought it was just an OK pavilion.
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I for one agree with you. WoL had been let go to the point of no return. By the end, the main pavilion was in complete disrepair with most things closed or not working.

I think the concern, for many, is not the demise of WoL but the demise of any attraction at all. All signs point to WoL being a long-term special events pavilion. That just drives wait times elsewhere and as pavilions go down for Refurb/Rehab. it's even worse.

My hope is that it's on some list to be done. Hopefully, SSE gets finished, JII gets it's planned Refurb., something happens with Energy and then WoL gets something to return it to service. By then, Test Track will be due for a complete rehaul as well. That will likely reset Epcot for some time.
 
Horizons1

Horizons1

Well-Known Member
It would be nice to see WOL come back, but in a new form. The pavilion was very dated when it finally closed. The entire place had this 80's-Richard Simmons-Hospital vibe to it, and while the racing colors on the wall leading into Cranium Command's preshow were rockin', the rest was very blech. And, to be honest, the pavilion was not as loved as say Horizons or JII, it never had that feeling the other pavilions did. It was more on par with the original UOE. Buzzy should have been incorporated into the pavilion more, to make it less sterile and more warm. Maybe Buzzy could have been for WOL what Figment was for JII. When thinking about it, those two pavilions did have a couple of similarities: big open pavilions, interactive playgrounds.

It is a great concept for a pavilion at Epcot, and it shouldn't die off completely, but it should be heavily rethought, redone, and just flat-out rennoavted. Motion simulators are old-hack by today's standards, there would have to be something truly amazing to get people back into the pavilion, lining up outside of it like they used to, oh so long ago. Find a better use for the inside of the dome, and completely ditch the fair/carnival theme. That always seemed to be an odd placement in Epcot anyway. Something futuristic, the way The Land was updated.
 
Oriolesmagic

Oriolesmagic

Well-Known Member
Horizons1 said:
It would be nice to see WOL come back, but in a new form. The pavilion was very dated when it finally closed. The entire place had this 80's-Richard Simmons-Hospital vibe to it, and while the racing colors on the wall leading into Cranium Command's preshow were rockin', the rest was very blech. And, to be honest, the pavilion was not as loved as say Horizons or JII, it never had that feeling the other pavilions did. It was more on par with the original UOE. Buzzy should have been incorporated into the pavilion more, to make it less sterile and more warm. Maybe Buzzy could have been for WOL what Figment was for JII. When thinking about it, those two pavilions did have a couple of similarities: big open pavilions, interactive playgrounds.

It is a great concept for a pavilion at Epcot, and it shouldn't die off completely, but it should be heavily rethought, redone, and just flat-out rennoavted. Motion simulators are old-hack by today's standards, there would have to be something truly amazing to get people back into the pavilion, lining up outside of it like they used to, oh so long ago. Find a better use for the inside of the dome, and completely ditch the fair/carnival theme. That always seemed to be an odd placement in Epcot anyway. Something futuristic, the way The Land was updated.
Click to expand...

Couldn't have said it better myself...I remember the surprise of reaching in and touching something that I didn't know...It was a lot of fun...But maybe incorporating a dark ride that explores the wonders of life! (similar to sse)

How about a fun game very similar to the mission space race at mission space, except it's all about the body. What about Zero G trampolines that teaches something about the wonders of gravity. There always has to be something athletic, how about...The Michael Vick Experience...haha...no just kidding. How about a fun interactive show called "Wipeout". Themed like the tv show three contestants will volunteer before the show (much like the coming AI attraction.) Then they will head into the showing room where they will try there best to run through a tough (but entirely safe) obsatcle course!

Just my ideas tell me what you think.
 
Oriolesmagic

Oriolesmagic

Well-Known Member
Horizons1 said:
It would be nice to see WOL come back, but in a new form. The pavilion was very dated when it finally closed. The entire place had this 80's-Richard Simmons-Hospital vibe to it, and while the racing colors on the wall leading into Cranium Command's preshow were rockin', the rest was very blech. And, to be honest, the pavilion was not as loved as say Horizons or JII, it never had that feeling the other pavilions did. It was more on par with the original UOE. Buzzy should have been incorporated into the pavilion more, to make it less sterile and more warm. Maybe Buzzy could have been for WOL what Figment was for JII. When thinking about it, those two pavilions did have a couple of similarities: big open pavilions, interactive playgrounds.

It is a great concept for a pavilion at Epcot, and it shouldn't die off completely, but it should be heavily rethought, redone, and just flat-out rennoavted. Motion simulators are old-hack by today's standards, there would have to be something truly amazing to get people back into the pavilion, lining up outside of it like they used to, oh so long ago. Find a better use for the inside of the dome, and completely ditch the fair/carnival theme. That always seemed to be an odd placement in Epcot anyway. Something futuristic, the way The Land was updated.
Click to expand...

Couldn't have said it better myself...I remember the surprise of reaching in and touching something that I didn't know...It was a lot of fun...But maybe incorporating a dark ride that explores the wonders of life! (similar to sse)

How about a fun game very similar to the mission space race at mission space, except it's all about the body. What about Zero G trampolines that teaches something about the wonders of gravity. There always has to be something athletic, how about...The Michael Vick Experience...haha...no just kidding. How about a fun interactive show called "Wipeout". Themed like the tv show three contestants will volunteer before the show (much like the coming AI attraction.) Then they will head into the showing room where they will try there best to run through a tough (but entirely safe) obsatcle course!

Just my ideas tell me what you think.

Edit: Mods please delete this message thanks.
 
N

nuttyskadork

New Member
jedimaster1227 said:
Not to be the bearer of bad news but...

  1. The Wonders of Life pavilion is all but gone in reality.
  2. Body Wars' pods are beyond repair considering what they have been used for over the last 6 months.
  3. Cranium Command has been removed as well. Buzzy, the theater and the pre-show room have all been razed. Basically, those rooms sit there unused (except for event speaker preparation).
  4. The Making of Me film has been replaced with a computer input allowing for event-based films to be played. Currently, the Festival Center does not use its theater.
  5. Anacomical Theater and Goofy About Health have both had their stages razed and repurposed for general event presentations.
  6. The Sensory Funhouse was removed completely.
  7. Coach's Corner has been boxed up with most of its skeleton left unusable.
  8. Frontiers at Body Wars remains the only untouched aspect of the pavilion. It still glows from the inside of the room, though it is heavily walled off--as is the entrance and exit of Body Wars.
  9. It isn't scheduled to be demolished anytime soon.
As a whole, the pavilion has been transformed beyond the point of even the slightest possibility of a return to Wonders of Life. Expect the pavilion to be used for special events for a long time...

I'm just happy its being used at all, considering how poor of a condition it was two Winters ago before it closed for good. Now, at least it looks presentable and has a decent purpose. Wonders of Life is a part of Yesterland. Plain and simple.
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Uh this may sound dumb...but what exactly were they using the Body Wars pods for the last six months?
 
N

nuttyskadork

New Member
Horizons1 said:
It would be nice to see WOL come back, but in a new form. The pavilion was very dated when it finally closed. The entire place had this 80's-Richard Simmons-Hospital vibe to it, and while the racing colors on the wall leading into Cranium Command's preshow were rockin', the rest was very blech. And, to be honest, the pavilion was not as loved as say Horizons or JII, it never had that feeling the other pavilions did. It was more on par with the original UOE. Buzzy should have been incorporated into the pavilion more, to make it less sterile and more warm. Maybe Buzzy could have been for WOL what Figment was for JII. When thinking about it, those two pavilions did have a couple of similarities: big open pavilions, interactive playgrounds.

It is a great concept for a pavilion at Epcot, and it shouldn't die off completely, but it should be heavily rethought, redone, and just flat-out rennoavted. Motion simulators are old-hack by today's standards, there would have to be something truly amazing to get people back into the pavilion, lining up outside of it like they used to, oh so long ago. Find a better use for the inside of the dome, and completely ditch the fair/carnival theme. That always seemed to be an odd placement in Epcot anyway. Something futuristic, the way The Land was updated.
Click to expand...

Did JII use to be an open pavillion? Cuz when I went there it was just the queue up for the ride, the ride and then Image Works at the end?
 
TheDisneyMagic

TheDisneyMagic

Well-Known Member
Well it did used to be more open than in its current state, fake walls were installed during Journey into Imagination - Journey into your imagination rehab.

The entire upstairs used to be very open adn very free, the old imageworks.
 
Master Yoda

Master Yoda

Pro Star Wars geek.
Premium Member
nuttyskadork said:
Uh this may sound dumb...but what exactly were they using the Body Wars pods for the last six months?
Click to expand...
Just think a little and it will come to you. What other attraction in WDW uses the exact same ride vehicle and has been rumored to be updated soon?
 
Empress Room

Empress Room

Active Member
I attended several F&W events at WoL last week. WoL, no matter how I once felt about it during its heyday, is completely outdated. It suffers from several fatal flaws: first, it's entirely too small. Although it is aethetically interesting, the pavillion feels very tiny indeed (at least those areas that are now in use).

Second, it's tucked away between UoE and M:S almost as an afterthought. You can tell that its budget was smaller than others when it was built, and it suffers from a lack of foot traffic. Heck, even with the F&W events and signage pointing towards it, you can still almost walk right past it.

Third, the interior would need complete and extensive remodeling. Entering the bathrooms in the pavillion now is like enterting a 1985 time capsule. The fixtures and tile work just scream 1980s. Heck, I halfway expected to see the old powdered soap that Disney was famous for back in the day (in fact, I think that the soap dispensers are, in fact, the old powdered ones, only they are now filled with liquid soap).

Is it nice that the pavillion is being used for something? Absolutely. It makes a decent and convenient festival center, and they've dressed it up as best they can. But it's kind of like candidate Obama said, it's like putting lipstick on a pig.

The area and footprint can and should be used for something cutting edge, fresh and 21st century. The admission prices into Epcot are too high to settle for anything less.
 
Horizons1

Horizons1

Well-Known Member
nuttyskadork said:
Did JII use to be an open pavillion? Cuz when I went there it was just the queue up for the ride, the ride and then Image Works at the end?
Click to expand...


I'm referring to both the upstairs and downstairs. Before the pavilion was renovated in 1998, upon walking in the pavilion, you entered into a big open room. The stairs leading up to the Imageworks stood before you, the que for the ride was to your right, and you could go to your left and go to the giftshop. The space was very open, very airy, and very bright. Nothing like it is today where it's very dark and condensed.
 
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