The Sorcerer's Apprentice, Season 7: Fantasmic Journeys [CONCLUDED!]

[Tegan pilots a chicken]

.....

WHAT EVEN IS TEST TRACK 2.0?!!

For real. Like, this project has me all angry about that again.

First time it was cool and fun! “Oh yay, we design our own car! Pink hatchback let’s go! Ooooh let’s see how we did?! Everything is neon blue it’s so cool!!”

Then by the fourth time it’s like “....yeah this is pretty low effort. In fact this is an abomination of thematic disaster that makes absolutely zero sense.”

Can you imagine being a first time visitor?? The anti-lock brake section MAKES. NO. SENSE.

The section that used to be heat, cold, and corrosives? ....yeah that’s nothing.

We gave up World of Motion for this. A fun, timeless journey through the history of transportation, laced with humor and more animatronics than Pirates of the Caribbean, traded in for,....”it’s blue and fast!”

Why can’t Tony Baxter be head of Theme Parks?!

 

[DashHaber]

.....

WHAT EVEN IS TEST TRACK 2.0?!!

For real. Like, this project has me all angry about that again.

First time it was cool and fun! “Oh yay, we design our own car! Pink hatchback let’s go! Ooooh let’s see how we did?! Everything is neon blue it’s so cool!!”

Then by the fourth time it’s like “....yeah this is pretty low effort. In fact this is an abomination of thematic disaster that makes absolutely zero sense.”

Can you imagine being a first time visitor?? The anti-lock brake section MAKES. NO. SENSE.

The section that used to be heat, cold, and corrosives? ....yeah that’s nothing.

We gave up World of Motion for this. A fun, timeless journey through the history of transportation, laced with humor and more animatronics than Pirates of the Caribbean, traded in for,....”it’s blue and fast!”

Why can’t Tony Baxter be head of Theme Parks?!

Because Tony Baxter is currently retired.

 

[Tegan pilots a chicken]

Because Tony Baxter is currently retired.

I know he is. I extremely selfishly want him to not be.

 

[DashHaber]

I know he is. I want him to not be.

I know that feeling. I share it as well.

Speaking of, can we talk about how wild and odd early Epcot seemed to be?

 

[MickeyWaffleCo.]

Why can’t Tony Baxter be head of Theme Parks?!

YES​

 

[Tegan pilots a chicken]

I know that feeling. I share it as well.

Speaking of, can we talk about how wild and odd early Epcot seemed to be?

I can talk about EPCOT Center all day long!!

 

[Tegan pilots a chicken]

Think about this: EPCOT Center cost over $1.2B to build,....in 1982 money.

 

[DashHaber]

Think about this: EPCOT Center cost over $1.2B to build,....in 1982 money.

That is kinda wild to think about, considering EPCOT was designed with more of this edutainment sensibility.

This prompt is already being a real fun one to work on, because Epcot is one of the Disney parks I'd love to tinker with. There's definite value in that founding idea of mixing education with entertainment, but man...they have really stumbled on what to do with the park in recent years.

 

[Tegan pilots a chicken]

That is kinda wild to think about, considering EPCOT was designed with more of this edutainment sensibility.

This prompt is already being a real fun one to work on, because Epcot is one of the Disney parks I'd love to tinker with. There's definite value in that founding idea of mixing education with entertainment, but man...they have really stumbled on what to do with the park in recent years.

Oooooooooohhhh have they ever!!

The theme held pretty consistently through 1993.

In 1994 they changed the park’s name to
“Epcot ‘94” and then followed suit in 95, before just going with “Epcot” by 1996. Those middle years were when they started to like, not know what they were doing.

Some sponsors chose not to renew their deals, and others decided they wanted changes made or attractions updated. I guess in some ways Disney had to play nice in order to try and make that sponsorship model work.

In reality by that point they could have just taken on everything themselves.

In some ways, it’s “the Tomorrowland problem.” But some attractions are absolutely timeless. Journey Into Imagination was one. World of Motion and Spaceship Earth really just needed their ending scenes updated every ten years or so to remain valuable, because they were more historical than futuristic. SSE still is obviously.

Horizons,.....just,......sad puddle.

I cannot believe that The Land has made it this far largely in its original form. I mean obviously a lot has changed, but it still feels so “EPCOT.” And I’m thankful. That’s my favorite pavilion.

 

[DashHaber]

Oooooooooohhhh have they ever!!

The theme held pretty consistently through 1993.

In 1994 they changed the park’s name to
“Epcot ‘94” and then followed suit in 95, before just going with “Epcot” by 1996. Those middle years were when they started to like, not know what they were doing.

Some sponsors chose not to renew their deals, and others decided they wanted changes made or attractions updated. I guess in some ways Disney had to play nice in order to try and make that sponsorship model work.

In reality by that point they could have just taken on everything themselves.

In some ways, it’s “the Tomorrowland problem.” But some attractions are absolutely timeless. Journey Into Imagination was one. World of Motion and Spaceship Earth really just needed their ending scenes updated every ten years or so to remain valuable, because they were more historical than futuristic. SSE still is obviously.

Horizons,.....just,......sad puddle.

I cannot believe that The Land has made it this far largely in its original form. I mean obviously a lot has changed, but it still feels so “EPCOT.” And I’m thankful. That’s my favorite pavilion.

At least Tomorrowland just has the issue with having to feel futuristic. Epcot's challenge of "edutainment" has definitely faced some harsher hits over the years, to say nothing of stuff like the current state of Journey into Imagination.

Like, I'm sure that Guardians of the Galaxy ride is going to be awesome, it just doesn't feel very Epcot.

 

[Tegan pilots a chicken]

At least Tomorrowland just has the issue with having to feel futuristic. Epcot's challenge of "edutainment" has definitely faced some harsher hits over the years, to say nothing of stuff like the current state of Journey into Imagination.

Like, I'm sure that Guardians of the Galaxy ride is going to be awesome, it just doesn't feel very Epcot.

Oh exactly!! I LOVE Marvel!!
But this doesn’t belong in,....
Well,... now that they’re doing the “neighborhoods” thing, and Future World is no more,...I guess our “this doesn’t belong in Epcot” arguments are kinda moot.

 

[DashHaber]

Oh exactly!! I LOVE Marvel!!
But this doesn’t belong in,....
Well,... now that they’re doing the “neighborhoods” thing, and Future World is no more,...I guess our “this doesn’t belong in Epcot” arguments are kinda moot.

The Neighborhoods are dumb. It feels like they're trying to cobble together sections after the fact, like how Imagination is apparently part of "World Celebration", so that World Celebration is the center area with Spaceship Earth and the off-center bit of Imagination.

 

[Tegan pilots a chicken]

The Neighborhoods are dumb. It feels like they're trying to cobble together sections after the fact, like how Imagination is apparently part of "World Celebration", so that World Celebration is the center area with Spaceship Earth and the off-center bit of Imagination,

Oh it’s definitely an “after the fact” type of solution. My optimistic opinion on it is maybe it will help bring some long term cohesiveness back to the park as a whole. Note that’s “long term.” In the immediate future it’s a little weird.

 

[DashHaber]

Oh it’s definitely an “after the fact” type of solution. My optimistic opinion on it is maybe it will help bring some long term cohesiveness back to the park as a whole. Note that’s “long term.” In the immediate future it’s a little weird.

You know, if they really want to get Disney IPs into Epcot, they can figure out ways to integrate them more naturally.

Like, imagine a pavilion about mental health using the Emotions from Inside Out, or a pavilion on robotics or innovation with Big Hero 6 there to showcase it. Heck, if they wanted to add some Marvel content, you could probably more easily get in something with space travel using Captain Marvel.

 

[DashHaber]

While we work on these pavilions, here's a fun topic for everyone: what's your favorite ride at Epcot (past or present)?

 

[Brer Panther]

While we work on these pavilions, here's a fun topic for everyone: what's your favorite ride at Epcot (past or present)?

Definitely either Test Track or Soarin'. Either version of either one.

 

[pix]

.....

WHAT EVEN IS TEST TRACK 2.0?!!

For real. Like, this project has me all angry about that again.

First time it was cool and fun! “Oh yay, we design our own car! Pink hatchback let’s go! Ooooh let’s see how we did?! Everything is neon blue it’s so cool!!”

Then by the fourth time it’s like “....yeah this is pretty low effort. In fact this is an abomination of thematic disaster that makes absolutely zero sense.”

Can you imagine being a first time visitor?? The anti-lock brake section MAKES. NO. SENSE.

The section that used to be heat, cold, and corrosives? ....yeah that’s nothing.

We gave up World of Motion for this. A fun, timeless journey through the history of transportation, laced with humor and more animatronics than Pirates of the Caribbean, traded in for,....”it’s blue and fast!”

Why can’t Tony Baxter be head of Theme Parks?!

I never experienced old test track but I did read the kingdom keepers books and let me tell you I was ED

 

[Orange Cat]

I’m not sure if I should feel offended or complimented.

 

[Orange Cat]

View attachment 541634
I’m not sure if I should feel offended or complimented.

For real I’m so happy to be at 1000 posts

 

[Pi on my Cake]

.....

WHAT EVEN IS TEST TRACK 2.0?!!

For real. Like, this project has me all angry about that again.

First time it was cool and fun! “Oh yay, we design our own car! Pink hatchback let’s go! Ooooh let’s see how we did?! Everything is neon blue it’s so cool!!”

Then by the fourth time it’s like “....yeah this is pretty low effort. In fact this is an abomination of thematic disaster that makes absolutely zero sense.”

Can you imagine being a first time visitor?? The anti-lock brake section MAKES. NO. SENSE.

The section that used to be heat, cold, and corrosives? ....yeah that’s nothing.

We gave up World of Motion for this. A fun, timeless journey through the history of transportation, laced with humor and more animatronics than Pirates of the Caribbean, traded in for,....”it’s blue and fast!”

Why can’t Tony Baxter be head of Theme Parks?!

Test Track 2.0 could have been a really cool concept if it wasn't just used as a testing ground for Tron effects.

At least Tomorrowland just has the issue with having to feel futuristic. Epcot's challenge of "edutainment" has definitely faced some harsher hits over the years, to say nothing of stuff like the current state of Journey into Imagination.

Like, I'm sure that Guardians of the Galaxy ride is going to be awesome, it just doesn't feel very Epcot.

I have some hope that the final product for GotG will feel more Epcot than people are expecting. Kevin Feigi and James Gunn are both BIG classic Epcot fans and supposedly decently hands on with the story for this. But we'll see.

While we work on these pavilions, here's a fun topic for everyone: what's your favorite ride at Epcot (past or present)?

Spaceship Earth. Irons version is best, but you can't go wrong with any of them.