What ever happened to...

[DisneyRoxMySox]

What ever happened to Project Gemini ?

I remember reading this a few years back and was very excited about the EPCOT makeover...

Are M:S and Soarin' part of Project Gemini ?

If so...what's next ?

 

[TowerOfTerror]

This is from wdwmagic.com:

12 February 2003: Update

Further to the info below, there is very recent news to indicate that there remains a core of 3 projects for Epcot's rehab.

• Rehab of Spaceship Earth. This new attraction, as hard as it is to believe, is being talked about as being a "coaster". It's budget is in excess of that for Rock n Roller Coaster.
• A DCA Soarin' Clone
• An unspecified third attraction

The budgets are around the $100 million mark for each, with the Spaceship Earth project having the largest of the three.

Opening dates remain around late 2006.

The likelihood of the above opening, will depend to some extent on the success of Mission Space opening this year.


We did get the rumored Soarin' clone but i would doubt about the other ideas.

 

[SirGoofy]

Project Gemini is pretty much dead. Other than Soarin' the other parts have been thrown away. The changing of SSE is not gonna happen(thank God), and as far as I know no other multi-million dollar attractions are being put into Epcot any time soon.

 

[DarkMeasures]

Actually, there was never any plans to change Spaceship Earth into a rollercoaster. There were though plans to change Spaceship Earth into an EVM with a good amount of the AAs being replaced with screens.

Of course, it is a good thing it never happened.

 

[disgolfer]

I am glad that SSE will not be changed, but when I was at Epcot earlier this month, my wife and I talked about how old everything there is beginning to look. Epcot is my favorite park, and it used to be about the future. A couple of weeks ago we went to Innoventions and saw a home theater system, used email, and a laptop computer. The future looks to great.

I am sorry for the sarcastic remarks. I would love nothing more than to see Epcot revamped, but I also agree with Grizz that there are somethings with Epcot that should not change and some things should be restored to the original version. The buildings need a facelift, and some new attractions are needed.

Maybe one day Epcot will once again be a showcase for tomorrow.

 

[Master Yoda]

I am glad that SSE will not be changed, but when I was at Epcot earlier this month, my wife and I talked about how old everything there is beginning to look. Epcot is my favorite park, and it used to be about the future. A couple of weeks ago we went to Innoventions and saw a home theater system, used email, and a laptop computer. The future looks to great.

I am sorry for the sarcastic remarks. I would love nothing more than to see Epcot revamped, but I also agree with Grizz that there are somethings with Epcot that should not change and some things should be restored to the original version. The buildings need a facelift, and some new attractions are needed.

Maybe one day Epcot will once again be a showcase for tomorrow.

Your sarcasm is quite understood but that is the problem with any “tomorowland” type attraction it very rapidly turns into a “yesterdayland” attraction.

 

[Epcot82Guy]

Disney has pretty much admitted defeat with trying to keep ahead of tomorrow. That is why Epcot's Future World is searching for a new identity (at least for current management). I am still in the camp that thinks the center of Future World should be looking ahead and maintained in that way (see my ideas for Future Core and Future Worlds Fair in the Imagineering threads for more detail on that), but I doubt that would ever happen.

Here's to hoping we can still do it if we can dream it...

 

[Figment1986]

Project Gemini is most likely morphed into something smaller... Redesigning The Land pavilion to add Soarin.....

Shutter WOL (bad mistake).....

Add plants and clean up the place....

finally... Find some neat promotions to get people to visit the park....

I doubt Project Gemini will ever be done to the full idea by completely renovating FW....

 

[DarkMeasures]

Disney has pretty much admitted defeat with trying to keep ahead of tomorrow. That is why Epcot's Future World is searching for a new identity (at least for current management). I am still in the camp that thinks the center of Future World should be looking ahead and maintained in that way (see my ideas for Future Core and Future Worlds Fair in the Imagineering threads for more detail on that), but I doubt that would ever happen.

Here's to hoping we can still do it if we can dream it...

Well, I do think both Test Track and Mission Space are going a good job. It is the same concept as the older attractions, but carried out in a much different way than the older pavilians. That, however, will be the reason why Mission Space and Test Track will last far longer than the previous pavilians.

I do though feel that Innoventions needs a stronger focus on the future. Not far future but as in near future as in what you see in conventions. I really think for that area to survive, Innoventions needs to run as more of a convention lay-out maybe with an electronics show and a videogame show every year to garner more attention from other corporations. Otherwise, I think Innovenions will die off by the end of the decade and just become yet another closed pavilian.

 

[DisneyRoxMySox]

Well, I do think both Test Track and Mission Space are going a good job. It is the same concept as the older attractions, but carried out in a much different way than the older pavilians. That, however, will be the reason why Mission Space and Test Track will last far longer than the previous pavilians.

I do though feel that Innoventions needs a stronger focus on the future. Not far future but as in near future as in what you see in conventions. I really think for that area to survive, Innoventions needs to run as more of a convention lay-out maybe with an electronics show and a videogame show every year to garner more attention from other corporations. Otherwise, I think Innoventions will die off by the end of the decade and just become yet another closed pavilian.

I hope not. Innoventions takes up such a big space !

 

[Scooter]

This is exactly why I don't spend a lot of time in the Rumors section of this forum.

Ya hear a cool rumour...ya get your hopes up and get all excited....then ya find out that it was just that..a rumour and then you're all dissapointed.

Sometimes I think some forum members just make up rumours out of boredom or to get reactions out of people.

Some do it just to up their post count...now THAT'S sad.

The bottom line is this...rumors are rumors. Even if you get them from an alleged "Good Source" it doesn't mean it's gonna happen.

 

[General Grizz]

A lot of the proposed Gemini plans (Soarin', Living Seas makeover, etc) have made it. Others (i.e. Time Racers post show) are still being considered. Others have phased in and out (Land roller coaster, which converted into a Canadian raft ride, which is who knows where now). Some just didn't fly (i.e. Jr. Autopia) so far as I know.

The general essence of Gemini is dead. However, this doesn't mean we'll see a changing Epcot in the coming years.

 

[dandaman]

Canadian raft ride? That'd be great! The movie's just a little outdated. We have home video of the attraction from 1994, from my first trip. Still, they could keep the movie. It's the only place I know that I can really sing O Canada loudly and proudly... and be a know-it-all Canadian at the pre-show on Canada Day.

 

[DarkMeasures]

The movie would probably stay, though it would make a neat line area for the ride. Kinda like what rocket rodds did. The film is boring though. The only good thing from the whole 18 minutes was the arial scenes. The China one is slightly better only because it has a story.

 

[Scooter]

The movie would probably stay, though it would make a neat line area for the ride. Kinda like what rocket rodds did. The film is boring though. The only good thing from the whole 18 minutes was the arial scenes. The China one is slightly better only because it has a story.

I Don't think the Canada movie is boring....just a little outdated

Have you seen the NEW China movie? It's lame....It's like it's too rehearsed or something...I liked the old one better.

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

I Don't think the Canada movie is boring....just a little outdated

It is dated but does, to me at least, convey the sense of space and beauty that Canada offers.

I’m not sure how they could really do anything that different other than a remake of the film, with current fashions etc, perhaps with motion platform seats.

Perhaps a Canadian would be able to offer an opinion on how their country should be depicted, I know I think the UK pavilion is a joke.

But as long as they dont mess with SSE Ill live with 70s outfits, for all you ladies that find the French so chic, check that movie out. And they eat garden pests. :dazzle:

 

[longfamily]

it's actually great that there is an effort present to keep epcot going. Disney has been really good about adding attractions there as often as they do in the other parks. I would like to see the films traded out every 5 years or so to keep up to date. If I had my way I would also trade out the 3D film at JII pavilion (currently, Honey I...) every five years or so too. It would be a good idea to figure out how often the average family visits and base the update on that time frame. It would be impossible to update an entire park so often but i don't think that it would be to hard to create new films.