Why Epcot is Moving from "Infotainment"

[kennyj29]

dogsruleq

I take offense to what you said, real offense. Nobody loves Disney more than I do. I go all the time. It makes me feel like no other place in the world makes me feel. To say I think Disney is a piece of trash offends me like nobody else has since I've joined this forum. I love ALL the parks but despite what you said, it's the second most popular parks BECAUSE of the restaurants. If you don't think that's true, then why is that the park that has the most attendance at night!!! Secondly, I HATE to see a park become less attended (during the day okay?) because the interest is starting to deteriote. I love to go to the countries, and yes, it's a wonderful place to stroll around and I love to go to dinner there also. But that was not what I meant when I said it needed change. I was talking about Future World. It's sad because we go to dinner at Coral Reef all the time and it is so emply around there. I could count on my two hands how many people were on that side of the park. It was so sad. I'm not speaking of July and August because that's one time I won't go but all the rest of the year when the crowds thin out a little. It has to be fixed to bring the people back there. I WANT it to become a prime place again. But if you think what's there now is going to hold the interest of people, your wrong. Do you know how many people I've heard talking, going out of the park, saying the same things. So don't be so judgemental of people. No matter what people's opinions are the one thing we have in common is the betterment of Disney Parks. So don't be so judgemental and say we want amusement parks because you are so off the mark.!!!!!!!

 

[Dizknee_Phreek]

kenny, what time were you at the Coral Reef? just wondering, cause, if it were around the time Illuminations or ToN/D was going on, or if they had just opened WS, then that could be one reason for slimmer crowds in FW (you seem to be a smart lady, though, so i assume you realized this already :animwink: ) if it were any other time than the ones mentioned above, then yea, that is pretty sad.

 

[ToTBellHop]

Kenny,
when one uses descriptors like "worst park", "pathetic", and "dying" to describe a Disney park, that does not bring up any images of you LIKING the park. I am sorry you are insulted, but you typed it. This park still sees more than 8,000,000 guests each year--if that involves death for the park, then pretty much every non-disney park on the planet is dying, as well. Would I like to see more people in the park? Yes. I would like my stocks to go up. As for Future World crowds thinning out--I will not argue what you saw, but I will say that both times I went to Disney World last year, there were the traditional Spaceship Earth lines (it never gets long and always moves quick), nearly full shows for Ellen's Energy Adventure, absurd lines for Test Track, a small line for Journey Into Imagination w/ Figment, but a very packed post-show area, long lines for Living with the Land (not so packed Food Rocks! shows...) and Wonders of Life and Living Seas were pretty empty--which is why I think both of those need to be changed. Restaurants may be one pull there, but no THE pull--I know my family doesn't eat at the World Showcase restaurants (too expensive) and I know many who feel the same way--most of them do not necessarily aim for that family atmosphere, but a more romantic, honeymoon-esque ambience--which is fine, but I'd rather eat elsewhere. The main draw for the park at night is IllumiNations, and the HOURS in the off-season. I am guessing you go in the off season, when the other parks close by 7 pm. It is obvious why this would cause people to go to Epcot in the evening--it has the best fireworks on property and it is open the latest...plus you can't beat the World Showcase feel at night...I would argue all of the parks are more crowded as the fireworks approach...or they FEEL more crowded where the fireworks are. I would argue that during Fantasmic!, which the Hollywood Hills Amphitheatre is packed, the rest of the park gets shorter lines. People come to the parks expecting fireworks at night, and who can blame them--the vacation planning videos DEFINITELY stress fireworks...ESPECIALLY IllumiNations. If I watch that video, I can tell you one thing...I'm seeing IllumiNations!

 

[kennyj29]

Last Post

Dying is what I see the more I go to Epcot, Pathetic because with such a great place there is so much more to be done there. Why do you think they are investing so much money to fix it up? Because it's the favorite park? I don't agree. If that was the case, the wouldn't be investing so much money to fix it! I love to go to the countries also We had such a great time there doing that, but, future world is awful. It's getting worse and worse and the forum is saying the same thing not just me. They took the best two attractions down with WOM and Horizons and left Wonders of Life? Come on that is PATHETIC! They need a major overhaul in Epcot because it is empty. I know during the summer everything is crowded. But look at Magic Kingdom. A loved park, they have changed it some but the main crust of that park will never change because it is LOVED!!! You don't touch what's popular. Maybe my words are strong but you have to realize that I don't want to see anything go down the drain......I want it to improve. I would have loved a new park but I would rather see them fix the one's that need to be fixed. I'm a Disney lifer, no matter what they do, but in my perfect world, I want to go back to Epcot and be able to say it's one of my favorite parks~!

 

[ToTBellHop]

Many people try to tell me Horizons and World of Motion were great rides that should have never been removed. The fact of the matter is that their queue lines told Disney they needed a change--they may have been good rides, but their popularity was dropping. I would argue Test Track and Mission: SPACE are fantastically carried out improvements, and their queues tend to agree. Test Track may be the only true thrill ride in the park, which makes its queue disproportionately large--we shall see how Mission: SPACE plays with this--hopefully it will do the same thing Rock 'n' Roller Coaster did to Tower of Terror--move ToT's wait from 2 hours to 1 hour while RnR has a 1 hour wait.

 

[ArchiDanDisney]

Re: Last Post

Originally posted by kennyj29
Dying is what I see the more I go to Epcot, Pathetic because with such a great place there is so much more to be done there. Why do you think they are investing so much money to fix it up? Because it's the favorite park? I don't agree. If that was the case, the wouldn't be investing so much money to fix it! I love to go to the countries also We had such a great time there doing that, but, future world is awful. It's getting worse and worse and the forum is saying the same thing not just me. They took the best two attractions down with WOM and Horizons and left Wonders of Life? Come on that is PATHETIC! They need a major overhaul in Epcot because it is empty. I know during the summer everything is crowded. But look at Magic Kingdom. A loved park, they have changed it some but the main crust of that park will never change because it is LOVED!!! You don't touch what's popular. Maybe my words are strong but you have to realize that I don't want to see anything go down the drain......I want it to improve. I would have loved a new park but I would rather see them fix the one's that need to be fixed. I'm a Disney lifer, no matter what they do, but in my perfect world, I want to go back to Epcot and be able to say it's one of my favorite parks~!

Yep, you're an Epcot lover allright.:hammer:

 

[kennyj29]

I'm not an Epcot lover right now, did you read anything I wrote? I said I am NOT a lover right now but I want to be again.......it's so easy to criticize when you don't read it through. I'm glad you like taking pot shots at me, I hope it makes you feel good!

 

[Testtrack321]

GIVE ME A BREAK PEOPLE! You say how Disney is now power and money hungary and how they hate you and want to kill you. BULL! Why would they keep WoM open for the 100 people out of the 14,000 that enter that park daily? I've never seen a testing facility, nor will I go into Space. That's why those attractions are being developed. We no longer need to learn about the future, we need to experence it.

Get over it, Dream finder is dead, WoM is executed, and Horizons demolished. And guess what, I'M HAPPY ABOUT IT. I loved WoM and Horizons, but look at the end product. Sometheing people like. Not something a handfull mabey will like.

I agree with the post starter. This isn't EPCOT Center anymore, we no longer need to learn about newspapers or this big new thing called the internet. We no longer need to be told that in 2000 there will be electirc cars, and we don't need some guy to show us our imagination in some LSD hyped up world.

Get a grip, do something constructive with your lives, and enjoy your lives!

Thank you...

*gets off soapbox*

 

[Dizknee_Phreek]

maybe it's just me, but i'm not really getting your point about experiencing the future, testtrack. call me crazy, but when Innoventions first opened, i felt like i was experiencing the future. and to be honest, i don't see how being the 'test dummy' in a testing facility is experiencing the future...to me, that's more like experiencing the present.

and this is just my 2 cents, but back in the day, it seemed easier for Epcot to bring the future to the public because there were so many new and exciting things developing in technology, like internet, video phones, virtual reality and the like, and now there doesn't seem to be a whole lot of new and exciting...just bettering what we have. like now we seem to just be getting faster modems and bigger hard drives and such, and less innovative ideas. i dunno, maybe i'm wrong on that....maybe that's just showing my lack of knowledge of the technology world. anyway, point is, to me there doesn't seem like a whole lot of future to experience these days!

 

[ToTBellHop]

Universe of Energy tells how we are using energy today (with visions of the future), Wonders of Life teaches us about the medical world...well, of the 80s, but that's neither here nor there, Test Track shows us how cars are made today, Mission: SPACE will show us what time travel is like through the future lens of civilian space travel, The Land shows present day farming, the Living Seas shows present day aquatic research, and I don't know how Imagination ties to the real world. Innoventions also shows modern day inventions. I think the problem is not the pavilions; it's the name of Future World that needs to change. It should suddenly make sense to all of us why Disney is plugging Epcot as "Disney's Discovery Park"--it ties World Showcase and ****** World together. Think "Discovery", not "Future"! :sohappy:

 

[TheDisneyBoy]

Originally posted by Testtrack321
GIVE ME A BREAK PEOPLE! You say how Disney is now power and money hungary and how they hate you and want to kill you. BULL! Why would they keep WoM open for the 100 people out of the 14,000 that enter that park daily? I've never seen a testing facility, nor will I go into Space. That's why those attractions are being developed. We no longer need to learn about the future, we need to experence it.

Get over it, Dream finder is dead, WoM is executed, and Horizons demolished. And guess what, I'M HAPPY ABOUT IT. I loved WoM and Horizons, but look at the end product. Sometheing people like. Not something a handfull mabey will like.

I agree with the post starter. This isn't EPCOT Center anymore, we no longer need to learn about newspapers or this big new thing called the internet. We no longer need to be told that in 2000 there will be electirc cars, and we don't need some guy to show us our imagination in some LSD hyped up world.

Get a grip, do something constructive with your lives, and enjoy your lives!

Thank you...

*gets off soapbox*
Anyone want to bribe Steve with some money and see if we can get this guy's account deleted? I am in for $20! I could go on for pages about how wrong this guy is, but, I will spare ya'll the details seeing as how many of us have already said this stuff time and time again. BRING BACK HORIZONS!

 

[General Grizz]

Originally posted by Testtrack321
Get over it, Dream finder is dead, WoM is executed, and Horizons demolished. And guess what, I'M HAPPY ABOUT IT.

Um.....

:lookaroun

Dreamfinder has, is, and always will be alive...

The World of Motion has been alive since the invention of footpower...

And Horizons are just great big beautiful tomorrows away...



They may be physically gone, but there is so much more beyond the physical. These things will NEVER go away. EVER. As long as there is faith, education, art, will-power, and dreams: a run on pixie dust.





Consider that. EPCOT Center will ALWAYS be alive. Unfortunately, Disney's abandoning it. But they will find that...they can't. Because this is just what Disney is.

I'll enjoy what I can...but unfortunately, I have memories, and a vision. I can't accept everything that comes my way - I can dare say most no one can. However, it seems that the new attractions appeal to you - but remember, they are heart-breakers to others. Yes! Be happy! But not everyone can. In fact, a lot of people can't even ride the new attractions...by spiritual (quality/meaning) or physically (like they can't really ride it). The truth is, it appeals to a whole other group. This is why there should be more of a mix. And leaving an inch for the original fans just isn't the same. The truth is, there is capacity. There just really isn't any heart, effort, or, for that matter, budget.

I don't want to put pressure on your interests...but I had the chance to listen to what EPCOT once had to say. And frankly, it's the source of a whole chunk of my inspiration. To each his own. It's a Disney World...and let us hope we may be able to continue the vision.

La Fin...Adieu

 

[GoofyMike29]

I like EPCOT for what it is ( "infotainment") and what it is not ( thrill rides)

I am definitely down for change, and always will be...just don't turn spaceship earth into a roller coaster...:hammer:

 

[Testtrack321]

You can never get rid of me! MUAHAHAH!!! :lol:

j/k

The reason why I said that was because that those rides are gone, and while JIYI was crap, Test Track was a sucess, even if those 100 or so people who come a day don't like it because it dosn't have a cutesie song or something.

 

[MKCustodial]

Originally posted by Testtrack321
You can never get rid of me! MUAHAHAH!!! :lol:

j/k

The reason why I said that was because that those rides are gone, and while JIYI was crap, Test Track was a sucess, even if those 100 or so people who come a day don't like it because it dosn't have a cutesie song or something.

Personally, I don't see what's all the hype. I seriously don't get it how driving your car really fast teaches you, other than that it can go fast...

You're happy with it? Good for you! I hope M:S is better, even though I think it'll make most Guests :hurl: I REALLY wish WDI could come up with an attraction for their next one, instead of a pretty ride.

 

[ToTBellHop]

Originally posted by MKCustodial
Personally, I don't see what's all the hype. I seriously don't get it how driving your car really fast teaches you, other than that it can go fast...

You're happy with it? Good for you! I hope M:S is better, even though I think it'll make most Guests :hurl: I REALLY wish WDI could come up with an attraction for their next one, instead of a pretty ride.

I think you are missing the point of Mission: SPACE...to put it into perspective, Rock 'n' Roller Coaster pulls 4 gs, while M:S will pull 2.5 gs--it will not make most guests puke. You won't even know you are spinning--will some guests throw up? Yes...but people throw up on Dumbo...as for the term attraction--this ride does tell a full story between its pre-show, main show, and post-show. Test Track teaches us how cars get into our driveways...unless you work at a real proving ground, do not pretend to tell me you knew everything that goes on there. Plus, you cannot drive your car like they do on Test Track, flooring it through turns...you would be dead. That is why people love it. It lets you drive the way you wish you could drive in real life...the outside loop is just such a rush...unlike any highway I've driven on.

 

[TinkerBell9988]

Originally posted by figmentcrazy
Been to JIYI lately? Seriously, so far they have closed several rides in MK and turned them into meet and greet areas, opened a ride (Test Track) that seems to be broken more than it's running, and had to update JIYI very soon after it opened because of poor customer response to the "quality".

Great point.....

 

[Buford]

:lookaroun . ..

 

[TinkerBell9988]

Re: Change

Originally posted by kennyj29
First of all my first post was a little bit sarcastic. And secondly, I love the old nostogic Disney, it was originally what brought us all there. I'm no young chicken you know. I'm 49 years old!!! Epcot needs change, no matter what anyone says about it, it needs change, it's the worst park there and you HAVE to bring people back into it......the only time that park is full is when dinner time comes and Illuminations comes. Otherwise it's pathetic.

Maybe EPCOT is not the pathetic one here.

It is NOT the worst park, and if you think it DESPERATELY needs change, then stay out of it. Go to MGM or The Magic Kingdom, those parks get the most changes as it is.

EPCOT is full all the time, no matter what meal they're serving or if Illuminations is performing or not.

I wonder if people are even aware of the outcome of this so-called Project Genesis. The Disney Company is planning to turn SpaceShip Earth into a ROLLERCOASTER. Now, THAT'S pathetic. I would be destroyed if they did that. You want thrill rides? Go to Islands of Adventure, they've got 'em. I mean, whats the point anymore? Let's just shut down Walt Disney World altogether. Not even the Disney Company can appreciate the real meaning of their enterprise.

I know you have your opinion, and I respect it, but remember, others have opinions, too. I may only be fourteen years of age, but I can still appreciate a place where nostalgia, education, and one man's dream meet.

Yours, Tink

****(by the way, kenny, this is NOT pointed at you as an individual... just to let ya know )

 

[ToTBellHop]

Nothing against you, Spark--but everything Disney makes will not, nor will be designed to make only you happy. Thrill rides have always been a part of Disney (Walt did build the Matterhorn, you know?) and will always be. Disney has to follow the general public feeling, because they want to please the most people possible--which is the best they or any of us can do. We cannot please everyone. The public concensus was that rides like WoM and Horizons needed to be replaced, and that Epcot was, well, "boring". While these may not be my feelings or your feelings, the majority of the public did express such concerns. That is why things changed. Surely, someone like yourself would approve of progress--Disney is moving toward the public interest, and the popularity of attractions built in the past few years supports this. Everything in the Disney parks was never, does not, and will never be suitable to every guest--it is impossible.