While I like your ideas, I don't know that I am a big fan of bringing Oz into the parks. Typically I am against most ideas to take attractions that don't have any movie/character connection today and redo them with one, especially at Epcot. My one exception to that is that if it ultimately is to "save" the attraction then I'm for it. A good example is the slow demise of the Imagination pavilion and the recent rumors that it may receive a Phineas and Ferb overhaul. In that case, while in general I "poo poo" the idea of it, it's already a dead attraction to me and the concept of redoing it with a show like P&F that focuses on the primary theme of imagination, I can get behind.
In the case of your ideas, while bringing Oz theming into one of the parks in some way could be great, I'm not sure it makes sense at Epcot (beyond the playground they built for Flower & Garden that was ultimately just a huge advertisement). Something like Oz would fit into DHS a little better in my opinion. I love your idea for how to redo Soarin' but at the same time I like the concept of Soarin' being non-fiction as it is today (and even rumors of refurbs have continued in that direction). The idea of continuing with the hot air balloon does indeed fit though as that pavilion has always featured them and it'd fit right in (as in the idea of P&F and imagination). The path through Sunshine Seasons could easily be done up in a yellow brick rode concept so that I can see too, putting munchkins etc. along the walls that exist today on either side of it.
Extending the concept beyond one pavilion to another however I'd have issues with regardless of the theme/idea/movie/character association. The idea of Epcot is to have individual pavilions that showcase different ideas/concepts to learn from and having two pavilions with the same basic theme just would be against the idea of Epcot to me.
All in all, the ideas in general I think work and are great forward thinking concepts. Just because someone doesn't agree 100% with your idea based on their preference/opinion doesn't ever mean you should stop imagining!
Thanks for your feedback!
I agree that plonking Oz in the middle of Epcot may be a little inconsistent with the concept of the park. The only reason I did this is because I think 'Soarin' Over Oz' is a great idea, and The Land isn't really too popular so it would be a good way to renew it.
The Imagination! Pavilion becoming Emerald City was also just a suggestion. It was probably a little ambitious considering it is a pyramid and the Emerald City isn't! I agree that Phineas and Ferb would probably be a better solution, especially if they want to maintain the theme of imagination.
But I would also argue that Oz isn't any less suited to Epcot than Finding Nemo, so I don't see my idea as an impossibility. The other place I would recommend for Oz would be Fantasy Land, although seeing as they are nearing completion of the recent expansion, I doubt they'd want to build anything new there for a while!
As for DHS, I just can't see it working there. I don't think the lands in that park are well enough themed for them to pull it off. I'm not saying they can't do it, it is just with the rumours about Star Wars and Pixar basically taking over the park, I can't see where Oz would fit in.
And it may be able to work at Animal Kingdom, but I wouldn't be in favour of that. It would be almost as illogical as building an Avatar Land there! Haha who would think of that?!
But anyway I would love to see Oz
somewhere in WDW, that is basically all I'm saying.
