Universe of Energy observation 4/24

[IWant2GoNow]

I don't care what they do to it really, but two things...

1) Do NOT board it up like WoL!
2) Get some stinking seats for the pre-show! It's too long of a pre-show to be standing around for people of any age. Last few times I have been there we were told we could not sit on the floor. So annoying. :fork:

 

[Monorail Lime]

I don't think it is too outdated. Remove Trebek's mustache from the film with CGI and it will be good to go for another decade.

 

[stratman50th]

As far as the original comment about the CM's seeming to intentionally not mention Ellen's Energy Adventure, but calling it Universe of Energy, could this be a nod to going retro? What I mean is since it's the 40th anniversary might they be referring to the original pavilion? Just a thought.
I haven't been inside that pavilion in around 10 years. The show itself I guess I'd seen enough, and I'm not a big fan of Ellen. I personally just don't think she's all that funny. I wouldn't intentionally "not" see something she's in (I did like the Dory character) I'm just not a fan and if she disappeared I wouldn't jump off a bridge.
What would really be cool, and this is just thinking out loud like everyone else, but why not a comprehensive show about all energy sources. Talk about what we have now, how it got here, and where it's going. Nuclear, coal, oil, natural gas, solar, wind, whatever else is in development. Fill people in on how we're using energy now and what the projections are in the future.
For what it's worth!

2) Get some stinking seats for the pre-show! It's too long of a pre-show to be standing around for people of any age. Last few times I have been there we were told we could not sit on the floor. So annoying. :fork:

I was typing when you posted so I missed it, but you have my vote on this one! Couldn't agree more.

 

[flavious27]

I don't see a reason why Ellen or Nye would want to see this attraction go away. I would like to see them reshoot the film to mention how the green movement has come along in the last decade +.

 

[DocMcHulk]

I've heard rumors Energy is not long for this world, but we'll see if that's actually true...

dont make me hurt you

 

[juniorthomas]

nothing wrong will keeping bill bye or the entire show... he makes science cool... get him and another "expert" that would work for the younger audience and then go from there... and stay away from making it complete comedy but have some elements that distract people from realizing they are being educated.

I support the conversion to "Bill Nye's Energy Adventure"

 

[marihalfen]

I love Ellen, but this attraction is the biggest snozzer at Epcot IMO. The pre show is not that funny, the dinosaurs are embarassing, and the education side of it is weak. Oh, and it's too damn LONG! :hurl:
The only thing I really like is the ride sistem. Change the pre-show and update the dinos (cause people seem to love them), please!

 

[disneyeater]

I never disliked it. Its delightfully cheesy.

I agree. It is cheesy and enjoyable. I ride it everytime I go to WDW.

 

[disneyeater]

2) Get some stinking seats for the pre-show! It's too long of a pre-show to be standing around for people of any age. Last few times I have been there we were told we could not sit on the floor. So annoying. :fork:

Could not agree more!

 

[Wilt Dasney]

Yeah, the "no sitting on the floor during preshows" bit (I've also encountered this at Epcot's Captain E-O) seems like safety run amuck to me. I guess the concern is the lighting is low enough that someone might get stepped on? But the lighting isn't THAT low in those shows.

 

[CaptainWinter]

UoE is still a favorite for me always has and I guess always will.

All I ask is for the original pre show to make it's way into the pavilion. Anyone? That was very orginal. So unlike Disney but somehow it was:shrug:

The original pre-show was spectacular! What happened to that? Someone please weigh in with its history.

One of many things they should bring back from EPCOT Center. Sigh.

 

[IWant2GoNow]

Yeah, the "no sitting on the floor during preshows" bit (I've also encountered this at Epcot's Captain E-O) seems like safety run amuck to me. I guess the concern is the lighting is low enough that someone might get stepped on? But the lighting isn't THAT low in those shows.

Yea, when I was there HISTA was still in place. But the pre-show area seems much smaller and ours filled up rather quickly (or at least seems to when CMs make you go all the way down front and squish together). So in that case it wasn't too bad to stand, but the pre-show for that is so anguishing. It was like watching one huge drawn out commercial for a product that has diminished greatly over the past 2 decades. Oh wait... that's because it was. :zipit:

But the pre-show area for UoE is a LOT larger and spreadout and, normally, is fairly well lit from the sunlight coming through the entry doors on either side. But I guess if it's a rule then whatever.

 

[Orangelake555]

Eh, I really like EEA. You've got Michael Richards doing his physical humor shtick back before his comedy club implosion tainted his image. Jeopardy! is still relevant today with the IBM Watson shows recently airing. There's that delightful part where you hear the history of evolution presented as updates on a newsradio station. And I don't think we should overlook the significance of an actress who was pilloried in the '90s for coming out as a lesbian taking a starring role at a vacation spot filled with kids...and nobody cares! The lack of controversy around this attraction (Has anyone EVER protested Ellen being affiliated with Disney World?) is itself kind of a big deal IMO.

Whenever it goes, I'll light a candle somewhere, because there's a lot to love about this attraction.

I do seem to remember that a one of the bigger southern churches (southern baptist? maybe? sorry if that offends anyone) boycotted Disney when the ride first opened but nothing really ever came of it. I remember being 12 and thinking why would people not want to go to Disney because one ride had someone in it that was gay? I also remember it taking me like 5 years to figure out who the caveman was... oh well

 

[bluelobster]

Ideally, my preference for the show runs pretty much in the same general direction as what most people have already said:

New film. Bill Nye can stay (The man's show hasn't been on the air in the US for ten years but he still has remarkable name recognition - and as his presentations at Innoventions back in February show, he's definitely still on good terms with Disney), while Ellen's new contract with Universal would almost assuredly mean her getting removed.

Bring back a new version of the pre-show with the spinning cubes and classic song (Narrated by Nye...or Morgan Freeman), put in new updated Nye-hosted films in the two theaters, and update the dinos. You can even find a way to keep Michael Richards as the poor hapless caveman. Ideally, I'd like to see what's genuinely good about Ellen's show kept, mixed with the best parts of the old show plus some new parts - with updated new science and information thrown in.

 

[MAF]

I would definately be up for them putting something new in there, but like others have said its not bad enough for me to want them to just close it down and do nothing with it.

 

[flavious27]

Yeah, the "no sitting on the floor during preshows" bit (I've also encountered this at Epcot's Captain E-O) seems like safety run amuck to me. I guess the concern is the lighting is low enough that someone might get stepped on? But the lighting isn't THAT low in those shows.

They really say no sitting on the floor? The pre-show area is huge, what do they expect us to do for 15 - 20 minutes?

 

[flavious27]

I support the conversion to "Bill Nye's Energy Adventure"

If no new ellen film, then yeah, make it with Nye as the host. We can get a little bit more education and fun out of it.

 

[Edeyore]

very interesting info! I really wanted the old Universe of Energy ride back including the preshow! Yes Including "Energy makes the world goes round" and the Theme song "Universe of Energy!

I want to say this as kindly and gentley as I can. NO WAY! I like the song a bit, but the original presentation had to be the most boring, mind numbing show ever done at WDW.
It is the only ride I have been on and been looking around trying to figure if there is some way of getting off and getting out, before I fell asleep.

 

[WDWGoof07]

Am I the only one that thinks the ride's content isn't really that outdated?

I agree. It's not outdated.

And it's one of my favorite Epcot rides.

 

[Admiral01]

I agree. It's not outdated.

And it's one of my favorite Epcot rides.

I'm an engineer, and I can tell you that it is out of date.

It is still a good ride, but it is incredibly dated. The energy information is out of date. The cost of solar power (which has gone down drastically since the 1990s), the amount of natural gas and oil we have access to (and the dangers involved with them), the information on most of the things they say could definitely use an update. They gloss over nuclear power, don't really describe the difference between fission and fusion (which is very important). Bill Nye points out how nuclear power is controversial, but nothing is said about the damage and controversy of oil exploration and things like the deep sea drilling (thank you unfortunately named Deepwater Horizon). I've been in the ride multiple times since that disaster when Bill and Ellen are underwater, talking about the deep sea drilling, and you can hear audience members laughing out loud at the silliness of what Bill Nye say's about deep sea drilling (this is not meant to be an indication of my positions on oil, just an observation). They don't even mention things like lithium ion batteries, or the simple fact that the building has soloar panel on it's roof to help power the attraction. You can see them but the attraction totally ignores what is the coolest feature of the building: it's own photo-voltaic solar cells!

On top of that, the scenes in Ellen's apartment scream 1990s. The phone she uses, the age of the actors, the clothing, all of it is very out of date.

I for one would like to see more information actually given to the audience in the ride. It can be done in an informative way that is still entertaining.