Walts Plans For Epcot

[Al]

HI!

in the video on the ride videos thread, i was watching Walt talk about Epcot, and how it was going to be a whole community. Well he died shortly before it was completed, so did they suddennly just change the whole design after he died? Because the Epcot that he invisaged would have people living in it, and well.......nothing like the one we have today!

What happened :veryconfu

 

[HBK]

EPCOT became...

Celebration is a watered down concept of what Walt was planning for EPCOT.

 

[JeffJewell]

Alberrisford...

did they suddennly just change the whole design after he died

...I think that Walt was a man driven by a vision, whereas Card Walker and Ron Miller, the guys who ran Disney after Walt died, were men doing jobs.

Walt wasn't a traditional businessman, but found ways to harness the business side of Disney to the task of creating his vision. Without that burning vision, it seems to me that those that followed Walt ran Disney from a more traditional "business" viewpoint.

E.P.C.O.T., as Walt envisioned it, didn't adapt itself to a traditional business model, and without Walt fighting for the integrity of the vision, it became less revolutionary and more evolutionary.

Jeff

 

[TheDScoop]

On the flip side....

...the author of "Married to the Mouse" (Fogelsong) makes a very researched and IMHO convincing argument that Walt & Co. never actually intended to create the EPCOT they once described but rather the concept became a pawn in the political games which accompanied the creation of Reedy Creek and WDW.

You can buy the book on Amazon. Check it out, its an interesting read from an established author....and, of course, it could just be hogwash too...but he didn't seem to have an agenda (other than despising Nunis)

 

[Fievel]

You said that he died shortly before it was completed...in fact, they hadn't even broken ground on it yet...I have the disney architecture book in which it was quoted "When walt died, so did the original plans for EPCOT."

 

[disneymystique]

I tend to be of the mindset that Walt was using E.P.C.O.T. as a bargning chip. The model just doesn't seem to be completely feasible. I don't, however, feel Walt would be completely happy with how Epcot is today.

I seem to recall that the Epcot we know today came out of a chance encounter when Imagineers combined two ideas into one. World Showcase was to be somewhere off of the MK parking lot and Future World was to be E.P.C.O.T. They combined the two and located them around the giant sinkhole known affectionately as World Shocase Lagoon and a "brilliant" chance encounter gave birth to Epcot.

 

[Keysmickey]

I believe a lot of pieces of what everyone has said (huh?).

I believe that EPCOT was a barganing chip, as mentioned, and I know Walt wasn't fond of the idea of recreating DL. So I'm sure EPCOT, as built by Walt, would have been radically different in that it would have to have been a working city (his dream). Therein lies the rub. A working, living city development (no matter how futuristic) wouldn't have gotten the initial permitting and Governmental leeway that a Theme Park was able to garner (politics) and wouldn't allow Disney to maintain the control that Walt ALWAYS wanted to have. So I'm sure Roy (at least) new from the start that there would have to be more to EPCOT than a city of tomorrow, if for no other reason than permitting and then of course there was the monetary aspect. The Theme Parks had to be on the drawing boards (somewhere) to pay for Walt's dream. Remember, this is what Walt always did. He'd rob Peter to pay his Paul. He was never satisfied with the status quo and always dreamed a mile down the road.

So...I think EPCOT would have been more Celebration like, only with more technology and ideology (the Walt influence) had he lived, but the Theme Parks would have had to have been built to pay for these dreams...
:slurp:

 

[Pioneer Hall]

I watched that Video too, and was kinda of shocked at it. Walt was getting in to city development and he sounded like a business man in the video. It wasn't the theme park Walt I have seen. In a way I am glad the original EPCOT never took place. I like WDW as it is no.

But think if Walt were to live for an extra 10 years. Do you know our World could be completely different today? Walt said it himself that they want EPCOT to be a model for cities around the world. We could have possibly be living in one of those towns you see on futuristic shows and movies. With monorails all over the place (and a TTA). Just think how different the world could possibly be if Walt were alive today.

I would like to see what he would say if he could see his corporation today. He left with one theme park. Now there are 10 and the 11th is on the way (2005 Hong Kong). Not to mention all the other things that make WDW and DL major vacation spots. 22 (i think) hotels in WDW alone. He planned 3 (all of which are there today). You know we could possibly have never left the era of the 50's. Kids would possibly be watching the Mickey Mouse Club today and Walt Disney Presents. Think of everything that would be different if Walt were alive.