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What do you think of the EPCOT Central Spine redesign?
- Thread starter EpcotMark
- Start date
Maeryk
Well-Known Member
They could do quite a bit simply by pulling back on the cosmetic overlays (as noted by others) that they have done over the years. While it's all the same buildings, that part of FW looks almost nothing like it did back in the day.
Even just replacing the greenery with something toipary, and getting back to the gleaming white and glass would go a long way to improving it. Those buildings were awesome looking before they had stickers in the windows and marquees all over them.. and the current paint job is just.. ugh. It looks like someone put up paint chips and forgot to take them down.
Kman101
Well-Known Member
Absolutely completely agreed. They could do a lot by doing just a little. Really not sure what they were on when they decided to paint Future World those colors. Trimming some foliage to see glass windows again, adding topiaries, some trees, removing the tarps and pin station, they really could do a lot without it seeming like a huge undertaking. Not sure why it isn't a priority but I don't run the show ... lol
Maeryk
Well-Known Member
When we walked in in Feb, after the paint job, I told my wife it looked to me like they were doing color testing.. see which one looked best.
Kman101
Well-Known Member
It really is horrible.
Notes from Neverland
Well-Known Member
Blue sky or not, I'm all for more shade, trees and water features. A sea of concrete isn't the most visually pleasing, especially on a hot day.
Maeryk
Well-Known Member
Back then, you moved through the main hub inside. It was designed that way. Nowadays, that has been lost. It made a big difference.
You do understand the power of merchandising and impulse buying holds with Disney management, right? Getting rid of the retail space held by MouseGear isn't in their best interests. Merchandising is at the heart of their synergistic plans/plots/schemes, it ain't going away. Besides, there isn't much that can go where MouseGear currently sits other than... retail or M&G's. I'll take the former.
"Mom, after riding Frozen Ever After, I want a Princess playset!" "Sorry, honey, they used to have that at MouseGear, so you'll have to wait until we get home to get it because I have to order it on the 'Shop Disney Parks' app."
Getting rid of the largest merchandising location in Epcot would go over about as well as a fart in church.
As for 2 story buildings... Well, it's the "blessing of size" they have in the swamps, don'tcha know? That's why they continue to add rides and attractions and don't have to rip out... oh wait...
Maeryk
Well-Known Member
Two story buildings has more to do with moving crowds than anything. With the explosion of hoverrounds and strollers, ramps are pretty much the only efficient way to move people to a second floor.. and those take up a LOT of space to get a grade that is ADA complaint. So it's just easier to sprawl.
Also, they could do plenty with the space that is MouseGear. Just as it was a display pavilion before the gift shop went in there.
SpoiledBlueMilk
Well-Known Member
I actually like the fact that it's as eclectic as it is. For visitors who are only going to Epcot for a day trip or for whatever reason, it's good to have a store with variety in the park. It's by in large by favorite in the parks.
Cmdr_Crimson
Well-Known Member
The big rotunda section was the former Electric Forum which became the second addition to Mousegears the other half closer to Electric Umbrella was Centorium..
Timothy_Q
Well-Known Member
They'd never release concept art for a 20 year plan.
Marni has already stated the planned schedule for this project
Maeryk
Well-Known Member
You are referring to the concept art? Or the removal of the tombstones and repaint?
Many of the blogs are saying that the tombstone and entrance view change is planned and will be happening. As for the blue sky stuff shown at D23.. I'm not convinced on that.
If Marni wants to weigh in.. I'd love to hear his thoughts.
The central spine from the (lack of) turnstiles all the way to showcase plaza and including Innoventions is all still scheduled to change.
Maeryk
Well-Known Member
Wow. Okay. Change as in the "blue sky" art? Or just change, somehow?
That's a heck of a lot of construction in one park, and centrally, in one park, in a short period of time.
And to be clear.. I'm talking about "by the anniversary" not "at some point down the road".
Rodan75
Well-Known Member
I'm assuming that they would do this one section at a time to minimize disruption, if they did this like they did the MK hub, we are looking at 2-3 years of disruption along the spine. When do you think they would start? This seems like something that would need to start this Spring at the latest.
Cmdr_Crimson
Well-Known Member
I'm thinking that what they are trying to do....Even the concept art on the new version shows a Hedge maze between The land & Imagination....You can see it above Tom's head...
http://www./wp-content/uploads/2017/07/FutureWorldUpdate-630x341.jpg
And the Project Gemini Concept showing the hedge maze on the top right side.....This is turning out to be Gemini 2.0....
Dapper Dan
Well-Known Member
What confuses me most about this design is that the original Communicore Plaza ponds and lawns were paved over to create more room for crowds. This plan appears to have far less pedestrian space than even the original configuration. Combine that with the loss of the buildings and this is a major reduction of park capacity.
I'm thinking that what they are trying to do....Even the concept art on the new version shows a Hedge maze between The land & Imagination....You can see it above Tom's head...
http://www./wp-content/uploads/2017/07/FutureWorldUpdate-630x341.jpg
And the Project Gemini Concept showing the hedge maze on the top right side.....This is turning out to be Gemini 2.0....
Who were the imagineers on Gemini? Was Fitzgerald one of them? As they say, old good ideas never die at WDI.
Also, @marni1971 is the plan to shoehorn movie IP into *every* pavillion? Looking at this concept art, I see two major themes: space/transport in West vs. exploration/discovery of the natural world in the East. East already has IP Seas with Nemo, I could see a moderate refurb to make it look more like the Marine Life Institute in Finding Dory, with adding some of the outdoor components that would then transition into a rainforest-theme in front of the Land. I could see adding Zootopia IP to Land (or just outside of it) with those (elevated?) walkways reminiscent of the chase scene from the movie. And the hedge maze just can't help but make me think of Alice in Wonderland, which could be a good fit for Imagination (after all WDW needs an Alice ride!). Though, I would prefer a return of Figment and Dreamfinder.
On the West, we already know about UoE becoming GotG, something new would go into WoL, hopefully, M:S will stay as is, possibly with IP overlay, likely not, and TestTrack could just complete its metamorphosis to truly be Tron-Track. That way you get rid of the sponsor problems (when would Chevy's sponsorship be up?).
Eventually, something would change with Spaceship Earth (though I hope not!), but perhaps the new post-show will tie the ride in to the new "vision" of Epcot.
I am not advocating for the total IP-ification of EPCOT, but I see the upside to it. No need to worry about sponsors any more, attractions would have predictable maintenance schedules, and would hopefully be plussed from time to time, and it would be timeless, so as to not ever stagnate. I think there are ways to achieve this AND also keep the original mission of EPCOT "to entertain, inform and inspire"
Again, not saying this is *my* preferred direction, but if it needs to be done, I think it will be done well.
Don't know how EPCOT as a name stays, it will be interesting to see.