What about World Showcase?

[Shaman]

There's been alot of talk lately about Project Gemini , and how its going to give "Future World" a much needed face lift, but what about the World Showcase? Wouldn't too many rides on the new Discovery Land area cause EPCOT to be unbalanced when it came to attractions on the two sides of its park. I know that there are alot of pavilion in World Showcase, but not many have rides, and if they want to appeal to the 18 and younger crowd doesn't it make sense to put more family based attractions there (and by attractions I don't mean some 360 movie where I see an advertisement for a country). For many years I thought World Showcase was the down side to EPCOT, but over the years I've grown to like it. With Project Gemini, World Showcase would be over shadowed by all the "thrills" in "discovery land".
There are rumors out there that plans are in the works for a new country pavilion, and while these rumors aren't new, with the Spain pavilion-like exhibit, could this mean that Spain is the new country? As I was reading all about Project Gemini, it struck me that World Showcase, which is part of EPCOT wasn't mentioned, and if you ask me other than a great dining and shopping experience, what else do you have in World Showcase?
Don't get me wrong, its obvious that "Future World" ain't looking too futuristic at this point, and in many cases its falling apart, but I believe Disney should take a look at the park as a whole, before World Showcase starts falling apart.
Well, just some comments, that I thought would be relevant to the Project Gemini story, but which I thought needed its own thread.:lookaroun

 

[BRER STITCH]

:lookaroun

WOW......

Whoever said World Showcase had to appeal to the 18 and younger crowd?

How about more stuff to appeal to the 21 and OLDER crowd?!?!?!

WOOHOO!!!!!!!


:sohappy:

 

[Andy]

As far as I know there are no plans to touch World Showcase just yet. The problem is Future World, getting the guests in the park. If Disney can get sponsorship from another country like Spain then maybe a new country might be built, otherwise theres no plans. There might be a few rehabs, like China's 360 movie. But I would say that Mexico will soon be changing.

 

[WDWspider]

Originally posted by BRER STITCH
:lookaroun

WOW......

Whoever said World Showcase had to appeal to the 18 and younger crowd?

How about more stuff to appeal to the 21 and OLDER crowd?!?!?!

WOOHOO!!!!!!!


:sohappy:

What about the 26 - 27 crowd. :lol:

Seriously, you can't change the world. Besides WS does relatively well. China is getting a new movie. Spain may be coming, and some countries are considering updates to attractions or adding rides. But overall FW is where EPCOT is really hurting right now. Odyssey is being rumored for something good as well. Just rumors though.

 

[Epcot is my fav]

Andy said:
_____________________________________________
But I would say that Mexico will soon be changing.



What makes you say that.....El Rio Del Tiempo is a relaxing ride...and the inside of the pavillion....is nice.

.....

As for the World Showcase....i dont think they need to change anything.......one question thou....is that Japenese Baseball exhibt still there?

 

[Andy]

It is a relaxing ride, and also very out-dated and really avoided by guests, one rumour has been the 'Three Caballeros' refurb. The inside would not change that much don't worry, on account of the restaurant.

I think the baseball guys are still there.

 

[Andy]

It is a relaxing ride, and also very out-dated and really avoided by guests, one rumour has been the 'Three Caballeros' refurb. The inside would not change that much don't worry, on account of the restaurant.

I think the baseball guys are still there.

 

[Shaman]

quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally posted by BRER STITCH


WOW......

Whoever said World Showcase had to appeal to the 18 and younger crowd?

How about more stuff to appeal to the 21 and OLDER crowd?!?!?!

WOOHOO!!!!!!!


---------------------------------------------------------------------------------


I agree, the problem is Disney wants to sale mostly to kids who play a big role in the minds of parents when they decide where to go on vacation. Instead however of rides designed for a specific demographic group, Disney should focus on rides which appeal to all members of the family, those who love thrills and those who don't (sounds a bit hard to do, but Disney has done it in the past). Disney should stop building rides to keep up with the competition, its should be the other way around. It seems that this new trend of placing thrill ride after thrill ride will continue. Personally I love thrill rides, but I know that not all members of the family will agree with me. Just some additional thoughts.

 

[surfsupdon]

My family and I only go to Epcot for World Showcase, haha. We enter at International Gateway from the resorts and stay back in WS. It's just so pretty and authentic and is beautiful to walk around at night and sample stuff. That is the place where we go when we need to relax b/c it is more laid back.

The only FW attractions we now hit are the Imagination stuff, not even Test Track....I don't think it lived up to its hype. FW does need help, but regardless WS is enough to make Epcot a really enjoyable park!

 

[Maria]

Originally posted by surfsupdon
My family and I only go to Epcot for World Showcase, haha. We enter at International Gateway from the resorts and stay back in WS. It's just so pretty and authentic and is beautiful to walk around at night and sample stuff. That is the place where we go when we need to relax b/c it is more laid back.

WS is enough to make Epcot a really enjoyable park!

I agree with you!

WSC is so unique and that´s what makes it so wonderful. It is real. The cast members from each country are real.

IMHO and after working there as an ambassador for my country (Mexico), I can tell you, that kids are easily amused with WSC. It´s sometimes the parents who don´t appreciate the efforts of having those pavillions and such cast members. We had many kids doing homeworks about different countries and they were very eager to know facts and things about our lives out of the USA.

Disney can also improve the way cm´s approach guests in the pavillions. With a bit more of training and bit more of a better rotation in the shifts inside the pavillions, and adding some other resposibilites, there could be a lot more interaction and a lot more of information can be shared with the guests. For instance, it wouldn´t hurt much if there were cm´s at the entrance of the let´s say, the mexican pavillion, "offering" little tours of the pavillion and explainning what each thing in it is and why the theming is the way it is. I did that, but I was on a different program that Disney doesn´t have anymore. The rest of the cast members working in the pavillions can´t do it because they have a rotation to follow that doesn´t give them such freedom of time like I had. There is so much to say about the pavillions and life in the different countries!

I also agree that El Rio del Tiempo needs to be updated ASAP! Those screens are soooooo old! ....and I hate that awful carrousel!

 

[Erika]

I love World Showcase. Ipretty much motor right on through Future World. I mean, shopping and eating- what more can you want?

 

[djmatthews]

I love World Showcase so much, last time I was in WDW in Sept 2001, I spent a whole day just in WS, I still felt I hadn't seen it. I love all the "little shows" that run in the different countries. I hope they dont change it!

As Business student, I agree Epcot needs Project Gemini, although I will miss that retro look, please oh please dont let them distroy Space Ship earth as an icon, I hate the Mickey arm, dont let them create a second icon for the park (like in MGM - the Hat)

 

[meanmice]

My mom's favorite part of Epcot is WS. She thinks it's very relaxing and enjoys the scene. I, however, don't enjoy it as much as she does. I'll admit that at the right time of day it can be very beautiful and the food is great, but other than going into shops all day, what is there to do. There is nothing new from the last time that I visited and there was nothing new then. After a while it becomes the same old thing.

As far as Mexico goes, the ride could use a few touch-ups. I am NOT saying that it should be taken down and re-themed as a thrill ride, but something that looks newer would be nice. The ride hasn't changed much as far as I can remember. A three caballeros theme would be interesting, but I'm still iffy if that's the way the ride should go.

 

[WDWspider]

Originally posted by meanmice
After a while it becomes the same old thing.

You must go to WDW alot to be able to say this. I keep finding many new things to see, do, or eat each time I visit World Showcase. When I've finally found and done it all I'll agree with you, but unfortunately they keep adding just enough new things each time I return to WS I don't see this happening. Now the stores are getting old. The ones in Mexico, China, UK, Germany, and Norway has the same stuff year after year. Japan also, but at least it's interesting stuff.

 

[meanmice]

Originally posted by spider-man
...but at least it's interesting stuff.

I'll give you that. The items in the shops are kinda cool. I don't go that often to WDW, I guess I just don't find the interesting stuff as easily as you do. I'll agree there are some things that I have never done, but they are things that have been there for twenty years. I don't think WS needs to be more thrilling or even get rides in every pavillian. I just think it needs to be a little newer.

 

[meeko_33785]

I really don't think WS needs neerly as much work as Future World. It seems that most people who think it needs more rides seem to miss the entire point of th pavillions. It's supose to give you a taste of each of the represented countries through archatecture, landscaping, shopping, dinning, and entertainment. As for it not being "new", it's the entertainment tha truly keeps the area new and fresh. It seems like there is something new or interesting every time I go there. Just last time I went a few months back there was a brand new acrobatics show in France. While I could unerstand adding new pavillions like Spain, it just doesn't need a whole "Project Gemeni"-eque plan like FW does.

 

[crazy2363]

Change

I've heard rumors of Discoveryland becoming a park within itself and WS becoming strictly for shopping and dinning.

 

[Bayou_Tigerfan]

The WS is great and may be my favorite part of WDW. That doesn't mean that it can't be improved, however. I'd like to see a couple of slow rides added to the two that the park already has.

 

[Shaman]

I understand that currently looking at the park, some would say that the only thing keeping EPCOT up and going in WS, but imagine FW, with all the rumored attractions of Project Gemini, EPCOT would become lopsided with too many rides on one side and not enought to compinsate in WS.

WS doesn't need all that much, just a couple of new attractions, perhaps something in the old Millenium Village complex which has been closed for ages, or maybe a Hyperion style theater like the one in California Adventure. The bottom line is that while as of this moment WS is the best part of EPCOT, in the future, things may not be as they are now, especially after Gemini. :lookaroun

 

[big3red]

I agree that the Mexico ride needs to be updated, but I don't think the three caballeros would be the way to go. The ride is supposed to show the culture of Mexico. Last time I rode it I thought that the animatronic people portion looked as though it was falling apart.