What's next for Epcot 2024 and Beyond

[UNCgolf]

I disagree that they didn't bother fitting Ratatouille well into World Showcase...we got an entirely new street area with other shops along with the ride and made the France pavilion a lot more interesting.

You can argue whether a ride based on a rodent at Disney is a bad thing, but it seems to be a pretty popular thing to do

I didn't mean the surrounding area -- I meant the content of the attraction itself.

They kind of botched the new area because the restaurant is such a design disaster, but the idea of it was fine.

 

[No Name]

I disagree that they didn't bother fitting Ratatouille well into World Showcase...we got an entirely new street area with other shops along with the ride and made the France pavilion a lot more interesting.

You can argue whether a ride based on a rodent at Disney is a bad thing, but it seems to be a pretty popular thing to do

Yeah, they opened two consecutive rides starring rodents. It’s absolutely disgusting.

 

[HauntedPirate]

If only they had a blueprint of how to do an area dedicated to Ratatouille well… AND THEY STILL SCREWED IT UP.

 

[FigmentFan82]

I like the Rat area, but crepe place is baaaadd. I thought the food was fine, but the inside is so uninspired and just not well laid out. They need to 86 it and convert it to a well themed merch store

 

[RoysCabin]

The whole situation is beyond disappointing. I remember visiting Disney for the first time in a while back in 2012 and 2013 and still feeling a strong attachment to it, and especially being happy to get back to EPCOT since it's pretty much always been my favorite. But what I pretty quickly came to realize was that what I still loved about EPCOT so much was its potential, and not so much what it had become, and later when the new plans for it came out I had a glimmer of hope that pretty quickly gave way to realizing that even the potential to be something greater was going away.

It's easy to say what I'd do if I was king of the world and could remake the park any way I'd like: reviving old attractions for the modern era, expanding with new pavilions, all the usual laundry list. But what irks me is that the Disney of 2023 is so much richer than the Disney that actually built EPCOT, yet still won't commit to anything for the park that doesn't have something attached to it that can be used to advertise Disney+...but so much of what they could do would ideally not even have to run them that much, just some basic stuff to expand capacity and keep up consistent theming in the park.

Like, I know not everyone here likes this so much, but I can't lie: I like having World Showcase work as a bit of an open-air bar that has a bunch of interesting walkthroughs, films, and museum installations, and I feel that just adding a few rides that are more on the scale of El Rio del Tiempo/Gran Fiesta Tour would do wonders to flesh it out while maintaining that relaxed vibe and leisurely pace that makes World Showcase stick out so much in the theme park world. Japan and Germany already have spaces for it, there are expansion pads for new countries that could have their own, and Disney has more money than should probably even be legal...and yet, here we are, waiting for a sponsor to step up instead of Disney being proactive to do simple stuff that could add that needed capacity.

And never mind the former Future World, I don't even know where to begin at this point. The best I feel like I could ever hope for is that a renovation of Spaceship Earth, restoration of The Living Seas, and return of something with the spirit of the original Imagination...but the odds of getting most of that feels incredibly remote. I'd also get into the whole "please, come up with ideas that aren't just IP shoehorns" thing, but that'd just be filling out people's bingo cards for these conversations.

 

[TP2000]

I didn't mean the surrounding area -- I meant the content of the attraction itself.

They kind of botched the new area because the restaurant is such a design disaster, but the idea of it was fine.

I think the Creperie area is a perfect example of how detached WDI currently is from operational reality.

WDI designs a new park area with Imagineers who have apparently never worked in a theme park before, and never talked to a theme park operator or middle manager, much less an actual operations CM. The Creperie design and artwork is a glaring example.

WDI Detached Reality = Flowers in boxes & pots & baskets, Street furniture, a 2:3 CM to Guest ratio, park attendance of 4,000 per day, etc.

WDW Operational Reality = No Flowers, No Street Furniture, a 1:50 CM to Guest ratio, park attendance of 60,000 per day, etc.

Now obviously, WDI concept art has always been otherworldly and rather unrealistic. So much so that an entire fan event, Dapper Day, was created entirely by fans to pay homage to the wildly overdressed park visitors in 1950's and 60's WDI concept art.

But aside from the clothing the visitors wore in the old WDI concept art, the actual facilities and physical environment were always something that park management carried out, and WDI knew how the parks operated enough to include them. But now? WDI is obviously being staffed and managed by designers who have no idea how a theme park actually operates, or what its operational needs are.

If the flower pots and street furniture were intended to be included in the Creperie expansion, and I would argue they are desperately needed there to infuse charm and elegance and depth to that rather charmless and flat Creperie facility, then WDI should have figured out a way with the park operators to make an order line area that used flower pots and wrought iron railings instead of poles and chains. Plus the missing benches and street furniture, the missing flower boxes on the windowsills, missing flower baskets on the street lamp, etc., etc.

But that's just me. Disney is getting perilously close to resuming the old Paul Pressler "If It's Good Enough For Six Flags" mentality.

 

[Bocabear]

All the dressing in the concept art is clearly the difference between something complete and beautiful, and something that doesn't live up to the promise of being immersive. The interior of this location is an even bigger offender. I don't know if they jobbing out all of the design or what, but it looks like WDI and TDO only have contract interior designers on staff that don't know anything about thematic design... I guess the original Imagineers all having links to film production and set design made a huge difference... They saw the spaces as cinematic, transportive, and evocative. The new guard needs to be hired from the film/stage design industry...

 

[wserratore1963]

I still have some faith that the center of the park will be fulfilling once its all opened.

 

[Bocabear]

I still have some faith that the center of the park will be fulfilling once its all opened.

I wish I did....Park with trees. Meet and Greet in basically the same location, a stage... and a planter with marketing advertisements.
hardly fulfilling...

 

[aladdin2007]

I wish I did....Park with trees. Meet and Greet in basically the same location, a stage... and a planter with marketing advertisements.
hardly fulfilling...

dont forget the rave party central and drinking booths.

 

[wazowski_216]

I feel like if we don’t get any updates on old projects at the expo next year, Epcot could just sit quietly, which kinda sucks because World Showcase could still use another attraction and Figment is pretty much begging for a re-do… but Cosmic Rewind was a fantastic addition, Ratatouille is very good in my opinion, and Epcot is definitely a little bit more complete now. I’m very excited about the Test Track reimagining, and I’m hoping that with new seasons on Phineas and Ferb on the way, they somehow make it back into the parks, whether it’s kinda Agent P World Showcase Adventure again or a complete land, it would really be huge for them and could turn Epcot into a juggernaut

 

[WaltsTreasureChest]

Captain EO reboot with AI Michael Jackson

 

[ChrisFL]

"What's next for Epcot 2024 and Beyond?"


not much

 

[Phicinfan]

I feel like if we don’t get any updates on old projects at the expo next year, Epcot could just sit quietly, which kinda sucks because World Showcase could still use another attraction and Figment is pretty much begging for a re-do… but Cosmic Rewind was a fantastic addition, Ratatouille is very good in my opinion, and Epcot is definitely a little bit more complete now. I’m very excited about the Test Track reimagining, and I’m hoping that with new seasons on Phineas and Ferb on the way, they somehow make it back into the parks, whether it’s kinda Agent P World Showcase Adventure again or a complete land, it would really be huge for them and could turn Epcot into a juggernaut

I think reality is they won't touch EPCOT other than minor fixes for a while.
AK and evidently MK are the two they seem to be focusing on for all the blue sky work.

My guess is all we MAY get in the next 5-7 years is some upgrade to SSE and maybe something in WOL

 

[Bocabear]

I think reality is they won't touch EPCOT other than minor fixes for a while.
AK and evidently MK are the two they seem to be focusing on for all the blue sky work.

My guess is all we MAY get in the next 5-7 years is some upgrade to SSE and maybe something in WOL

Sadly, I agree...
I am guessing that AK numbers are not what they want....though all of the parks could use help at this point.
I love what they did with Cosmic Rewind, and Rat is a seamless fit for World Showcase... An update to Test Track is a nice idea...But there are bigger issues... A completely shuttered FutureWorld Pavilion, the Morocco Pavilion that has lost it's Restaurants and marketplace, Other pavilions that have never been completed with their intended attractions, the destruction of the central core which was a net gain of zero... I still hold onto hope that something positive might turn things around...

 

[WDWFREAK53]

The original Living Seas was a very complete pavilion...It told a story, had lots of things to discover, Had a ride, a restaurant, and no gift shop... It was worth an hour or two... It really was one of the best complete pavilions along with The Land...
The original World Of Motion was just missing a restaurant....
Wonders Of Life was also a very complete pavilion... Attraction, shows, Food and gifts.... now vacant for a decade or more....

Imagination should have a restaurant "test kitchen" with all kinds of foods that don't belong together or trick your senses. Maybe a green drink that's cherry flavored. Or a cupcake that resembles a cheeseburger... That type of thing.

 

[Bocabear]

Imagination should have a restaurant "test kitchen" with all kinds of foods that don't belong together or trick your senses. Maybe a green drink that's cherry flavored. Or a cupcake that resembles a cheeseburger... That type of thing.

I love that idea... The Test Lab could be a must-do dining spot for that side of the park...
Especially if they reinvigorated the entire attraction...bring back the playground on the second floor, replace the 3-D theater with the Test Lab restaurant and a fantastic Lounge like the Adventurer's Club but based on The Dream Port
I would spend way more money there than any food and wine festival booths

 

[MJL92]

The Test Track redo is such a pleasant surprise that I'd imagine nobody saw coming, yet the majority of people are pleased with its announcement. Not that it's a priority at all, but little projects like that should be way more commonplace to keep the parks fresh. That being said, over the next decade, what does it feel like Epcot NEEDS?

My long term wishlist:
-New Country Pavilion (I don't even care where, just something)
-2-3 new rides in the world showcase. (They don't all need to be E-Tickets. Rat is a perfect addition and will eventually settle into a mid-tier/above average ride in the park)
-SSE Update
-ANYTHING in the Wonders of Life. Given the attraction lineup in World Discovery, this feels like an opportunity for one final thrill attraction in the park.
-Mission Space Refresh
-Land and Seas pavilion refreshes (I don't think either needs a major overhaul, but if we're going with a "world nature" theme, there are lots of opportunities to give both a turbocharged nature aesthetic
-COMPLETE OVERHAUL of the Imagination pavilion. New ride starring Figment, a high tech new age 4D movie next door, and an actually engaging post show area to replace the current imageworks. No reason that area can't borrow from a lot of what we saw at Innoventions / Proposed for the Play pavilion.
-Doubling down on some ideas previously tossed out above, some sort of dedicated dining experience for most/all of the Nature/Discovery pavilions (Looking at you Test Track / Imagination)


I know a lot of this is regurgitated / same old wishes and rumors, but I really believe this park isn't that far off from being in really really good shape. Epcot has the bones to be the best theme park in the world.

 

[WDWFREAK53]

I love that idea... The Test Lab could be a must-do dining spot for that side of the park...
Especially if they reinvigorated the entire attraction...bring back the playground on the second floor, replace the 3-D theater with the Test Lab restaurant and a fantastic Lounge like the Adventurer's Club but based on The Dream Port
I would spend way more money there than any food and wine festival booths

That color thing messes with you. A friend of mine did that for a birthday party for his kids. He made different slushes for them and had them taste them. He messed up the colors and, for instance, the yellow one was really cherry flavored. Every kid said it tasted like lemon. Once he revealed the actual flavor, they all agreed that it was cherry.
Fun things like that would be perfect.

 

[wazowski_216]

COMPLETE OVERHAUL of the Imagination pavilion. New ride starring Figment, a high tech new age 4D movie next door, and an actually engaging post show area to replace the current imageworks. No reason that area can't borrow from a lot of what we saw at Innoventions / Proposed for the Play pavilion.
-Doubling down on some ideas previously tossed out above, some sort of dedicated dining experience for most/all of the Nature/Discovery pavilions (Looking at you Test Track / Imagination)

I honestly want them to bring back the ORIGINAL Imagination, but that might just be me being a sucker for old Epcot…