Was EPCOT Center really boring?

[comics101]

As an 18 year old, the only way I've ever had the opportunity to "visit" the Epcot of the 80's/early 90's is to watch Martin's Ultimate Videos of the past attractions. I often hear the criticism that EPCOT Center attractions such as World of Motion, or the Sea Cabs, or Horizons were just boring, and needed to be replaced by thrill rides because we live in such a different time, etc. Maybe it's just me, but the elaborate sets of those attractions, and their optimism and other inspirational story elements are just astonishing (and I've only seen them through videos! I can imagine how wonderful it must have been to actually see them right in front of your face). So here's my question, was EPCOT Center really as boring as some claim? Do the numbers back this? Was EPCOT Center really lacking in visitors? Towards the end of it's life, was World of Motion's wait time really as pathetic as Journey Into Imagination's wait time today? If it was, could that be because of the ride system, or was it really just boring?

 

[stratman50th]

I don't have the statistics to back it up, but my wife says EPCOT is really boring.:lol:
Luckily, my daughter and I like it, and we all absolutely love World Showcase.

 

[Chrononymous]

Never then...but possibly now.

 

[Master Yoda]

For the vast majority of people, yes it was. If everyone (meaning the 99.99% of people that are not on WDWmagic) loved Epcot of the 80's it would still be just like it was in the 80's. Disney changed Epcot for one reason and one reason only....To get more people to visit it and visit it often.

 

[WDWmazprty]

No, Epcot is not boring. To smaller kids? possibly. Future World has the most rides there and would be better for the younger set. World Showcase is more of a 'soak it in and experience everything around you' park. Not many rides, but a lot to see and eat! lol

I love Epcot!

 

[ddbowdoin]

would Walt be ashamed of Epcot in its current state?

 

[Pioneer Hall]

would Walt be ashamed of Epcot in its current state?

A lot of the mega fans here say that he might be. I for one think that Walt was an innovator who believed in progression and would have looked at new technology to evolve his park. He might not be thrilled with some of the idea, but overall I don't think he would be ashamed of it.

 

[WDWmazprty]

would Walt be ashamed of Epcot in its current state?

A lot of the mega fans here say that he might be. I for one think that Walt was an innovator who believed in progression and would have looked at new technology to evolve his park. He might not be thrilled with some of the idea, but overall I don't think he would be ashamed of it.

Even if he would be ashamed, doesnt mean Epcot or any of the parks are boring.

 

[stratman50th]

would Walt be ashamed of Epcot in its current state?

I don't think so, but I believe he would have wanted the pavilions to continuously change their show areas to include changing technology. Obviously you can't change the rides regularly because it would be cost prohibitive, as well as you not wanting to take away the fun stuff.
As far as the "Real EPCOT", the city I'm not sure how he would have taken the reality that creating it as he envisioned it wasn't technically possible or feasable.

 

[lebeau]

I went once in 88. I was 17. I was angry about having to go on a family vacation.

That one day in Epcot turned out to be one of the most exciting on my life to that point. Loved it. Not bored for a second.

Maybe I was in the minority.

 

[jakeman]

would Walt be ashamed of Epcot in its current state?

Impossible to say, but based on what he wanted Epcot to be, he may have been pretty peeve that it was turned into a theme park as opposed to the city it was supposed to be.

 

[comics101]

For the vast majority of people, yes it was. If everyone (meaning the 99.99% of people that are not on WDWmagic) loved Epcot of the 80's it would still be just like it was in the 80's. Disney changed Epcot for one reason and one reason only....To get more people to visit it and visit it often.

Hahaha you just inspired a "DUH! :brick:" moment...That does make a lot of sense. I'd still like to see the numbers though of visitors today vs visitors then.

With that said, do you guys think that WED was out of touch when designing EPCOT Center? Or maybe they weren't back then, but maybe they would be out of touch with today's audience? It's just interesting to me that the same people who designed such timeless attractions as POTC, HM, JC, etc couldn't design attractions for EPCOT Center that would last more than 10 years. And I don't understand why those attractions didn't reach "classic" status...to me, they seem that they were just as wonderful, and they were probably even more ambitious. I don't understand how anyone couldn't enjoy WOM, and I didn't even ride it! :lol: Though I am a Disney fan.

 

[comics101]

A lot of the mega fans here say that he might be. I for one think that Walt was an innovator who believed in progression and would have looked at new technology to evolve his park. He might not be thrilled with some of the idea, but overall I don't think he would be ashamed of it.

I agree with that completely. Actually, I think Walt probably would've really enjoyed TT, as I believe it fufills the edutainment mission perfectly. Perhaps he wouldn't have appreciated the Home Depot decor, but that's a who other issue...

 

[lebeau]

For the vast majority of people, yes it was. If everyone (meaning the 99.99% of people that are not on WDWmagic) loved Epcot of the 80's it would still be just like it was in the 80's. Disney changed Epcot for one reason and one reason only....To get more people to visit it and visit it often.

I don't usually disagree with you but I think you're oversimplifying. You're overlooking the possibility that Epcot enthralled most guests in the early 80s but became dated and boring due to neglect.

I believe Disney could have kept up the original vision of Epcot and kept it fresh and interesting. But it would have been difficult.

Regardless, they didn't do that. And I enjoy the current Epcot for what it is.

But just because it changed that doesn't necessarily most guests in the early (glory) days were bored.

 

[lebeau]

I agree with that completely. Actually, I think Walt probably would've really enjoyed TT, as I believe it fufills the edutainment mission perfectly. Perhaps he wouldn't have appreciated the Home Depot decor, but that's a who other issue...

I must have missed the educational aspect of Test Track. :shrug:

Informercial? Sure. Eductaional? Not so much.

 

[mickeysshoes]

Back when we first started going to WDW I did find Ecpot borning..but not anymore. Its a more laid back park and the best place to people watch. You can stroll along and take it all the culture. Epcot is the one park on EMH days we know we can sleep in a little. We get FP for the major rides and just go with the flow. To make it more fun the kids you have to allow the change to do a passport and hit all the KIDCOT tables in every country..the will have a blast making the masks and talking with the CM!!!

 

[Pioneer Hall]

I must have missed teh educational aspect of Test Track. :shrug:

Informercial? Sure. Eductaional? Not so much.

I think that there is some educational value there. It isn't a history lesson like WOM was, but it does teach something about car production and testing. It certainly has more you can take away from it than Soarin in terms of getting some sort of lesson.

 

[montyz81]

would Walt be ashamed of Epcot in its current state?

It wouldn't have been built if Walt Disney were still alive. the only reason his original idea didn't get built was because the majority of the idea went to the grave with him. They stated that as the reason why they stopped moving forward with that.

 

[comics101]

I must have missed teh educational aspect of Test Track. :shrug:

Informercial? Sure. Eductaional? Not so much.

:lol: Well idk a thing about cars and so, I'm always proud that I can sorta kinda have a conversation about the sort of tests a car may go through, though to be honest, that doesn't happen often, and I suppose maybe the tests may not be actual tests...oh well, maybe not. It is definatley WAAAAY too much of an infomercial though, that much is certainly true.

 

[Master Yoda]

Hahaha you just inspired a "DUH! :brick:" moment...That does make a lot of sense. I'd still like to see the numbers though of visitors today vs visitors then.

With that said, do you guys think that WED was out of touch when designing EPCOT Center? Or maybe they weren't back then, but maybe they would be out of touch with today's audience? It's just interesting to me that the same people who designed such timeless attractions as POTC, HM, JC, etc couldn't design attractions for EPCOT Center that would last more than 10 years. And I don't understand why those attractions didn't reach "classic" status...to me, they seem that they were just as wonderful, and they were probably even more ambitious. I don't understand how anyone couldn't enjoy WOM, and I didn't even ride it! :lol: Though I am a Disney fan.

There biggest problem with the attractions in Future World is the we themed around what is essentially a moving target. As the title implied all of the attractions were a short history lesson followed by what to expect in the future. This is fine provided that the attractions are regular updated the keep the future part fresh but that part was never really done. The attractions quickly became dated, people got bored and attendance dropped.

For Epcot of the 80's to have really worked each and every attraction would have really needed to go down for a major refurb every 18-24 months. We all know that that is simply not going to happen in WDW.

Thrill rides and attractions set in the past or in a Fantasy setting have a timeless quality the rides about the future can never have. MK had the same problem Future World same problem in Tomorrowland. It had to switch over to a "tomorrow that never was" theme to achieve a timeless status.

I don't usually disagree with you but I think you're oversimplifying. You're overlooking the possibility that Epcot enthralled most guests in the early 80s but became dated and boring due to neglect.

I believe Disney could have kept up the original vision of Epcot and kept it fresh and interesting. But it would have been difficult.

Regardless, they didn't do that. And I enjoy the current Epcot for what it is.

But just because it changed that doesn't necessarily most guests in the early (glory) days were bored.

I explained myself a little better in the post above..