Walt Disney's Epcot vs. Today's Epcot

[righttrack]

Perhaps, but Walt's Epcot was not a theme park, it was a bold new concept on the urban metroplex in an attempt to redefine what a major city center could be.

Agree, but I always saw it as more of a "fishbowl" on this kind of life.

 

[cba]

After reading these posts, I am embarrassed to say that I forgot to add the original EPCOT Center to the answers I would've chosen that too.

 

[Computer Magic]

I don't think Walt's vision of EPCOT was meant for tourist. It was meant to be more like Silicon Valley. Theme Park fans wouldn't have enjoyed EPCOT in Walt's world.

I also think Walt risk taking would cost him his company.

 

[ChrisFL]

Walt's vision for EPCOT the city was going to house the CM's that were working at the park, the proposed airport and other facilities. Honestly the housing situation for international CM's and college program CM's isn't THAT much different, they have their own housing on and off property, but use buses to get to their jobs.

Would it have worked? I think with enough of investment and help from other sponsor companies, absolutely. Remember it was planned as "experimental" and I don't think people give it enough of credit. The only real differences were the layout and the transporatation systems....SUCCESSFUL transportation systems like the peoplemover and the monorail.

The two main drawbacks I can see is that since it would be open to tours by the public, the CM's would be "on stage" a lot more frequently than they would like, and, as stated, upgrading the infrastructure with new technologies would have been more challenging.

We have some major problems in this country with a rapidly growing population of people who shouldn't be driving after a certain age, and a massive infrastructure that puts the automobile as the main form of transport before anything else. There's a reason why the U.S. takes up a full 25% of the world's oil supply ALONE.

Whether EPCOT the city would have succeeded or failed, we would have learned so much from it, that we could have improved upon it and built it better elsewhere.

The closest thing we have to this idea now is Masdar in the middle east.

 

[montyz81]

EPCOT is my fav park, love the perceived dichotomy of WS and FW .. unfortunately FW has lost its way, but a few overhauls will set it straight it again. WoL, JIYI and UoA need updating (or opening, in the case of WoL) .. otherwise, its all there.

I know I'm going to get flammed for this, they should rebuild Horizons and knock down M:S

 

[blueboxdoctor]

Epcot today is kind of a mess. The front of the park is so scattered and empty, and their section for advanced/current technology is very behind the times. The only way to really stay current or looking forward is to have companies set up pavilions to showcase technology. Yeah, it'll be like advertising but it'll also be cool to see all the latest gadgets in one place. You an argue stores like Best Buy do this, but really, they only have an incredibly limited amount of devices at these stores whereas dedicated pavilions could have current, prototype, and maybe even past devices to show progress. Maybe even showing how things we use everyday work would be cool.

The problem is getting a balance between "fun" and educational/informative areas.

 

[ChrisFL]

You an argue stores like Best Buy do this, but really, they only have an incredibly limited amount of devices at these stores whereas dedicated pavilions could have current, prototype, and maybe even past devices to show progress.

You just made me realize something I hadn't thought of.

Prototypes...even with the early Innoventions at Epcot, we used to see some, but not anymore. I think it's all about competition. We don't see prototypes because companies aren't releasing them for public display as often, or if they do, it's right before the product gets released.

The other issue is that if the prototype doesn't work right, its not going to leave a good impression of the company.

 

[englanddg]

"If we can dream it, we can copyright and trademark it..."