Rumor The EPCOT Hotel

[EPCOTCenterLover]

I'll pick a hotel over the tombstones any day- as long as its done very well.

 

[truecoat]

• At the Magic Kingdom Cinderella Castle is obstructed at the entrance by the train station and you have to "re-center" yourself after passing underneath for the reveal of the castle.
• At the Animal Kingdom you have to wind through the Oasis before seeing the Tree of Life
• At Disneyland, Sleeping Beauty Castle is also obstructed by the train station with a similar reveal
• At Tokyo Disneyland you have a covered Main Street obstructing the castle
• At Tokyo DisneySea you have Hotel MiraCosta and an archway obstructing Mt. Prometheus
• At Disneyland Paris you have a hotel.
• Hong Kong and Shanghai have the train station blocking their entrance if IIRC

People don't like this because it's a change and change is scary, but from a concept standpoint I see nothing wrong with this. Now if it's a Wall-E themed hotel (not a rumor, just an example of a bad idea), I'll be right there on the picket line.

FTFY....At Shanghai you have a "train station" blocking the entrance.

 

[danheaton]

This doesn't bother me if it looks like it belongs in Future World. I could imagine something remarkable where you stroll under a futuristic walkway and then see Spaceship Earth after going through the gate. It could work if set up well. Doubt I'll ever be able to afford to stay there, but it's a cool dream.

 

[P_Radden]

• At the Magic Kingdom Cinderella Castle is obstructed at the entrance by the train station and you have to "re-center" yourself after passing underneath for the reveal of the castle.
• At the Animal Kingdom you have to wind through the Oasis before seeing the Tree of Life
• At Disneyland, Sleeping Beauty Castle is also obstructed by the train station with a similar reveal
• At Tokyo Disneyland you have a covered Main Street obstructing the castle
• At Tokyo DisneySea you have Hotel MiraCosta and an archway obstructing Mt. Prometheus
• At Disneyland Paris you have a hotel.
• Hong Kong and Shanghai have the train station blocking their entrance if IIRC

People don't like this because it's a change and change is scary, but from a concept standpoint I see nothing wrong with this. Now if it's a Wall-E themed hotel (not a rumor, just an example of a bad idea), I'll be right there on the picket line.

Maybe people don’t like it since it’s another nail in EPCOTs design in the name of profit.

Change should be for the better. Not for the elite few who can afford a room.

I'm attracted to the idea of a new resort directly connected to Epcot. What I'm not attracted to is exactly a point you made... It being super expensive or exclusive. I feel the new Epcot hotel could be a "moderate" level resort in feel and cost, but I understand the "value, moderate, deluxe" tiered system is being transitioned to a location based pricing system which would dictate this be an expensive "deluxe" type resort. But why couldn't it be both. Have the 4-star accommodations in one branch or tower but also feature less expensive rooms that appeal to "moderate" budgets as well.

Also, put it off to the side, not right in your face out front. Personally I still like these spots the best as it does not mess up the SSE reveal form the monorail and not as bad for parking lot walk up:

If it will be a tower, the tower portion of the overall structure should be as far away from SSE as possible.

 

[RSoxNo1]

Maybe people don’t like it since it’s another nail in EPCOTs design in the name of profit.

Change should be for the better. Not for the elite few who can afford a room.

I have a much bigger problem with Epcot changes that have already been announced or have already opened. I'm guessing you know more on the design of the resort than I do, so that in itself has me cautious. But The Seas with Nemo and Friends, Frozen Ever After, Gran Fiesta Tour, Kitchen Calamity and the Guardians Coaster are all far bigger attacks on EPCOT Center than a thematically appropriate hotel at the park entrance.

I think a hotel can significantly improve the entrance plaza whereas the other items are bandaid/creatively vacant attraction options that definitely go against the thematic feel of EPCOT Center.

 

[KBLovedDisney]

IMHO, in a sense, I feel like the first three deluxe resorts were for Magic Kingdom.

Maybe, (and really hopeful) the new hotel will not be in the park per-say, but very near it like GF/Poly/or Contemporary is near MK.

 

[Notes from Neverland]

Personally, I feel the walk up from the bus station into Epcot is underwhelming. That's referring to the actual area, not the view of SSE. I actually enjoy the walk up through the International Gateway better, as the whole area is beautiful. The entrance to Epcot just feels dated and a bit grimy.

 

[matt9112]

DVC isn't just 'cash up front'. It's 50 yrs of subsidized operating expenses, guaranteed park attendance and gift shop purchases.

so all the same stuff an AP gives you? DVC owners are not some god. I mean look at how much is resold on points sites.

 

[matt9112]

• At the Magic Kingdom Cinderella Castle is obstructed at the entrance by the train station and you have to "re-center" yourself after passing underneath for the reveal of the castle.
• At the Animal Kingdom you have to wind through the Oasis before seeing the Tree of Life
• At Disneyland, Sleeping Beauty Castle is also obstructed by the train station with a similar reveal
• At Tokyo Disneyland you have a covered Main Street obstructing the castle
• At Tokyo DisneySea you have Hotel MiraCosta and an archway obstructing Mt. Prometheus
• At Disneyland Paris you have a hotel.
• Hong Kong and Shanghai have the train station blocking their entrance if IIRC

People don't like this because it's a change and change is scary, but from a concept standpoint I see nothing wrong with this. Now if it's a Wall-E themed hotel (not a rumor, just an example of a bad idea), I'll be right there on the picket line.

your right it depends on how it's built into the area. if walking under it is a new nice green scape and the end of the grave yard with a big open grand space than sure. but if it's just plopped in front on top of what exsists with very minimal changes below/under it wil one underwhelming. execution is key however I prefer off over the bus stop still right there same room rates can be obtained and it's not smack in your face.

 

[PREMiERdrum]

I keep picturing a vista that frames Spaceship Earth between two spire-like towers reminiscent of the old Tomorrowland gateway, connected by a lower level building made up of the horizontal line / rounded corner aesthetic of EPCOT Center's original aesthetic.

I have next to zero confidence in current management getting this project *this* right, but it could be done very, very well.

 

[marni1971]

The entrance to Epcot just feels dated and a bit grimy.

That it is.

Thanks to the under utilised group sales building, late 90s design disaster and overgrown landscaping.

 

[RSoxNo1]

your right it depends on how it's built into the area. if walking under it is a new nice green scape and the end of the grave yard with a big open grand space than sure. but if it's just plopped in front on top of what exsists with very minimal changes below/under it wil one underwhelming. execution is key however I prefer off over the bus stop still right there same room rates can be obtained and it's not smack in your face.

Don't get me wrong, there are many ways they can mess up a hotel at the park entrance, but I don't think the entrance to Epcot right now is aesthetically pleasing at all.

 

[DisneyDodo]

The blessing of size and the irrational nature of the average consumer do not always align.

They built AKL literally 5 minuets farther away from from MK, DHS and Epcot than your average resort and many people act like the thing is on another continent. People want to walk out of their front door and into a park.

To be fair, AKL is supposed to feel like it's in the heart of Africa, so I guess that's how people should be acting

 

[matt9112]

Don't get me wrong, there are many ways they can mess up a hotel at the park entrance, but I don't think the entrance to Epcot right now is aesthetically pleasing at all.

not to get off topic but that begs the question are they unable to fix the front of the park unless a giant ATM machine is also present?

 

[bclane]

I think the idea of a resort at Epcot is a cool idea as long as they theme it properly (I'd love to see them pay homage to old EPCOT), but I don't get the locations that Martin mentions. Why would it have to go up front like that? I would think that they could do a really cool themed resort somewhere off to the side...somewhere that wouldn't change the look of Epcot or block any views. For example, over in the cast parking lot to the east of TT or west of Seas. That would make more sense to me anyway.

 

[peter11435]

not to get off topic but that begs the question are they unable to fix the front of the park unless a giant ATM machine is also present?

Unable? No. Unwilling?....

 

[montyz81]

Since it’s all out in the open now, the options - from what I know - are now west of the bus station, on the bus station, and slap bang center, adjacent to the monorail station and blocking the parking lot entrance reveal.

A forth, inside the park, thankfully seems to have been dropped.

The latter two imho would be detrimental to the park. But we’ll see.

I think you are talking about where I placed the green square, but I would think the red oval would provide more flexibility for the hotel. They could even spend some money to reroute the Monorail and make it a grand entrance through the hotel and into Epcot. What a site that would be to see SSE for a longer straight shot.

 

[dreday3]

So...safe to say these are far off plans? As in next 10 years or so?

 

[sedati]

Keep in mind, anything tall enough to block the view of Spaceship Earth is also going to have it's own view blocked by Spaceship Earth for the all-important Illuminations view. I still think a half-pipe shaped structure would both cradle the Sphere in an attractive and less-obtrusive way, while also offering the best views into the park and of the nighttime show.

 

[jt04]

I keep picturing a vista that frames Spaceship Earth between two spire-like towers reminiscent of the old Tomorrowland gateway, connected by a lower level building made up of the horizontal line / rounded corner aesthetic of EPCOT Center's original aesthetic.

I have next to zero confidence in current management getting this project *this* right, but it could be done very, very well.

I'm a bit more optimistic. If they can't do this right then they should delay.