nickys
Premium Member
. It isn't a height balloon, it genuinely was for race weekend. We're just discussing it for fun. Again.
But back to your question, I have no idea - sorry.
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Rumor The EPCOT Hotel
- Thread starter Magic Feather
- Start date
. It isn't a height balloon, it genuinely was for race weekend. We're just discussing it for fun. Again.
But back to your question, I have no idea - sorry.
GoofGoof
Premium Member
If it was a height balloon, it was way too high for a hotel. Grand CA hotel is 6 floors and blends very well into the park itself. I think that’s about the limit for height You can see it but it doesn’t stand out as out of place. If they want to build in the parking lot outside of EPCOT they should consider making it a mid-rise that’s more spread out over a large tower.
Very.
It being directly ahead of arriving vehicles at the end of the tram lane wasn’t an accident. It was the first park weenie, the ultimate reveal.
To clear, the EPCOT entrance hotel was scrapped and the money diverted.
nickys
Premium Member
Was the money diverted to the redevelopment of the park?
Are you able to tell us what would not be happening if they had gone ahead with the hotel?
nickys
Premium Member
Wow! I hoped at least some of the money would have been used for the park itself.
Timothy_Q
Well-Known Member
I'm guessing since it was hotel money it went for another hotel
GoofGoof
Premium Member
The reveal from the parking lot may be less important these days. With the Skyliner and already existing EPCOT resorts almost 10,000 hotel rooms are now using the back entrance. Not saying it should just be ignored but it’s not what it once was. Actually maybe that’s a good new theme for the park. EPCOT...it’s not what it once was
I do think it should be possible to “hide” a mid-rise tower behind the giant Guardians show building without impacting the original reveal from the front gate. Of course that plan would kill any views into the park from the hotel and these days that seems to be more important.
GoofGoof
Premium Member
Stock buybacks
trainplane3
Well-Known Member
I'll add this to the list of "things I'm glad was cut out of the budget". Genuinely excited for the new entrance. Once I'm past SSE though...eh...I'll have to see what they do.
Brad Bishop
Well-Known Member
The reveal from the parking lot may be less important these days. With the Skyliner and already existing EPCOT resorts almost 10,000 hotel rooms are now using the back entrance. Not saying it should just be ignored but it’s not what it once was. Actually maybe that’s a good new theme for the park. EPCOT...it’s not what it once was
I do think it should be possible to “hide” a mid-rise tower behind the giant Guardians show building without impacting the original reveal from the front gate. Of course that plan would kill any views into the park from the hotel and these days that seems to be more important.
My main point was: Yep, I get it that we all like to see SSE from the parking lot and that it lines up nicely with the tram lanes but, if it didn't, and you basically parked on the other side of something like City Walk / Disney Springs, AND there was a nice promenade leading up to the entrance, I think that could work.
It's not super-important to see SSE from the parking lot any more than it's important to see the castle from the parking lot on the other side of the lagoon or the Tree of Life from the parking lot at Animal Kingdom (though you can see it). The parking lot is utilitarian and sort of an necessary feature/utility. It's not like the parking lot is "magical". (God help me, someone will reply here and tell me it is and how walking across the asphalt really makes their vacation)
To me it's a bit like moving Disneyland's parking lot off to the garages and building DCA there. Yeah, you don't get to see the entrance of Disneyland when you drive up but you got an extra park and a really nice promenade out of it. I'd argue that it's better how it is now than how it was when it was just a parking lot leading up to the gate.
GoofGoof
Premium Member
I agree it’s probably not as important anymore to see SSE on the way in. Considering about 1/3 of the on-site hotel guests are now expected to use the back entrance it can’t be a requirement.My main point was: Yep, I get it that we all like to see SSE from the parking lot and that it lines up nicely with the tram lanes but, if it didn't, and you basically parked on the other side of something like City Walk / Disney Springs, AND there was a nice promenade leading up to the entrance, I think that could work.
It's not super-important to see SSE from the parking lot any more than it's important to see the castle from the parking lot on the other side of the lagoon or the Tree of Life from the parking lot at Animal Kingdom (though you can see it). The parking lot is utilitarian and sort of an necessary feature/utility. It's not like the parking lot is "magical". (God help me, someone will reply here and tell me it is and how walking across the asphalt really makes their vacation)
To me it's a bit like moving Disneyland's parking lot off to the garages and building DCA there. Yeah, you don't get to see the entrance of Disneyland when you drive up but you got an extra park and a really nice promenade out of it. I'd argue that it's better how it is now than how it was when it was just a parking lot leading up to the gate.
I don’t have any issue with the DLR/Universal approach of using garages feeding into a promenade area including hotel. The only reason they may hesitate to do that in the front of EPCOT is that it’s pretty close to the Boardwalk area which is already a dining and entertainment area. It may be redundant. Maybe they could connect the 2 but there’s only a narrow piece of land with an access road between BC and EPCOT.
The Empress Lilly
Well-Known Member
I'll volunteer!The parking lot is utilitarian and sort of an necessary feature/utility. It's not like the parking lot is "magical". (God help me, someone will reply here and tell me it is and how walking across the asphalt really makes their vacation)
The show has already begun at the parking lot. The views are orchestrated. WDW is one big magical world. Unlike the outside world it is not just a haphazard collection of highways, parking lots, hotels, city walks and theme parks and....erm...well make that past tense.
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Creathir
Premium Member
Definitely agree.
With the monorail flying above, it just enhances the excitement with each step.
CumulusIsobar
Member
Until you step inside the park...
Brad Bishop
Well-Known Member
Epcot82Guy
Well-Known Member
These responses are the ones that baffle me. (And apologies in advance - I know you were just going for humor, so talking about this generally vs. targeting you.)
There is no doubt Disney failed in epic fashion in maintaining and updating Epcot. But, while the "Future" was always part of Future World. It was always about inspiration. What we are doing today to lay the groundwork for a better tomorrow. Maybe that didn't resonate with others, but that's what Future World was about to me. Frankly, Epcot Center's Future World spent a ton of time on the past vs. showcasing the future in its offerings. But, it was all with an eye toward progress and discovery. And, walking up to SSE is one of the most inspirational things in any Disney Park worldwide still to this day. Again, assuming the excitement to be inspired is a drive for visiting Epcot.
Unless you look left or right and see a field of cars on a black parking lot and buses and trams. IOW, wear blinders and look in just one direction.
I'm not knocking the effort for architecture of the future, it looks pretty slick. But it's a 90 degree field of view. The other 270 degrees is infrastructure drudgery.
Good ol' Uncle Walt tried to get rid of that infrastructure drudgery at the MK by putting the parking lot across a lake. And it's visually stunning. And a practical nightmare trying to transport tens of thousands of people across or around that lake. Great if you're staying at the Contemporary. Sucks for everyone else.
I'm not saying that there shouldn't be a transition area that takes you out of the real world and into the thematic place-setting of the park. But the idea it should take place *outside* the park is problematic. How do you hide the parking lot and all that other real world transportation infrastructure at the same time you're transitioning people visually?
The MK succeeded, but at the expense of quick and easy transportation into the park. Epcot thought they could get away with it... but only if you face in a certain direction. DHS and DAK kept the transition after the tapstile, and that seems to be the best solution.
IMO.
This post will be lost on those who (for some odd reason) only believe that Epcot was designed to showcase future technology and now that we have cell phones there is no point in allowing Epcot to retain a distinct identity, thus it should become MK 2.0 and every attraction should have a character and/or IP tie-in.
Considering that there are still mysteries on our own planet, let alone space exploration, multi-verse theories, the future, the human brain, etc, it allows myriad possibilities for the park. But hey, Peter Quil was photo shopped next to SSE and thats enough theme and story for some folks.
WED Purist
Well-Known Member
I disagree. I asked Tony Baxter one time what the biggest thing he regretted not doing, and it was hotels themed to the adjacent lands in World Showcase. They would never build them because the scope wouldn't be supported by the revenue, but could you imagine how cool it would be to walk out the back of Japan into a Japanesed themed hotel? Or Norway, or France, or...?