Wonders of Life reopening

[etrimpe]

I was just wondering what kind of attendance WOL is experiencing due to its reopening, is it busy or dead?

 

[Master Yoda]

When I went there on 12/11 it was all but deserted. Only one pod was being used for body wars and it wasn't even 1/2 full. In making of me there was one other person other than my wife daughter and myself and cranium command had maybe 10 people in it. At most it might open again for the 4th of July and maybe the week of Christmas next year.

 

[DisneySaint]

Empty.

The reason is it's not on the park map and rarely does anyone walk into that area over there. It's kinda funny to me because how can they expect to accurately gauge attendance there to decide to keep it if people don't know to go there in the first place?

 

[MamaMunk]

That attraction isn't open year-round due to a lack of a sponsor. Disney "can't afford" to keep it open. They open it during peak seaons; Christmas and Easter as a distraction to guest. To keep the super busy attractions just slightly less busy. And last I knew it was on the park map, just with the forewarning that it is only open seasonaly.

 

[MiceysBestPal]

That attraction isn't open year-round due to a lack of a sponsor. Disney "can't afford" to keep it open. They open it during peak seaons; Christmas and Easter as a distraction to guest. To keep the super busy attractions just slightly less busy. And last I knew it was on the park map, just with the forewarning that it is only open seasonaly.

While the image of the building is on the maps, it is UNLABELED as an attraction. It does not even refer to the building by a name... its just left blank.
The lighted "tip board" near the fountain in central FW in Epcot, does list the attractions as open, however.

We were just at WDW Nov. 29-Dec. 9th and each time we went to the WOL building, there were under 20 people inside, even though FW was very busy otherwise.

"Open seasonally" has simply meant NOT OPEN AT ALL this entire year... until the Sunday following Thanksgiving.
It has not been open at any other "peak times" or even when TT was down for re-furb this year.

Even though nobody can actually predict what Disney will or won't do... based on the near TOTAL lack-of-interest by guests during this brief time it is open (and by the poor condition of many of the attractions as they are found to now be in) I don't expect the attractions in WOL to ever open again after they close the pavilion on Jan. 1, 2007.

Too bad.

Cranium Command and Making of Me are very nicely done.

 

[JaclynR]

We visited Wonders of Life 2 times last week. Both times there were less than 30 people in the building.

 

[hokielutz]

Here is a post I made on my visit to WOL back on Friday December 8th.


Just getting back from the world from last week I can give you an update on WOL activity.

Friday the 8th... (which saw HUGE EPCOT park attendance) was when I visited WOL since we got to the park 2 hours after opening and everything was jammed. I'd say the old pavillion had about 75-125 people in there at any one time. I can also tell you that the cast members there were really not enthused about working WOL. You could really see their displeasure of their assignment on their faces and the way they interacted with guests.

And quite frankly, I don't blame them.

Here is an update on what we saw in the pavillion that day:
The cold coils were not working properly... where I was supposed to feel warmth... I felt frigid cold.
Goofy about health was down
the Health comics attraction was not running
Body Wars was running all 4 simulator pods... and my pod included only me and my DW
Cranium Command was attracting the largest audiences
Making of Me was cute and it filled about 1/6 of the seats for each showing

 

[DisneyMusician2]

I think that with a facelift and some real TLC, the pavillion would again be one of the most popular in Epcot just as it used to be. And why shouldn't a CM be enthused about working at WoL? They should be enthused EVERYWHERE they are!

 

[RonAnnArbor]

Nothing has changed since the first few posts here -- visited Epcot on both 12/16 and 12/18 and both days saw HUGE attendance - and WOL was practically deserted.

I was the only person watching Cranium Command at 3:00 which is extraordinarily outdated.

I won't do Body Wars anymore since I still feel sick from the last time I rode it 12 years ago -- but there was absolutely nobody in line at all, and the CM was just pacing back and forth trying to keep his mind stimulated.

There were probably 20 - 30 people total inside the building.

Speaking with the CM in charge of the building that day (even he was hanging out near the back restroom area just trying to have something to do and speaking with guests) he indicated that the problem is that WDW needs to keep the attraction open long enough each year to let potential sponsors see that it is in good working order, but they can't go ahead and refurbish or reimagine anything new in case a sponsor DOES suddenly come along and want to do something with the pavilion. Catch-22 of course.

He also indicated that they are not labeled on the map as it actually costs them MORE to reprint the inside of the map than it is worth for them to have it advertised as open -- apparently, WDW only reprints the backside of the maps as needed, not the mapside, which only gets changed if something major needs to be removed or added (i.e. once a year).

Finally, he also indicated that WOL has been budgeted for next year -- exactly the same as this year -- indicating it will sporadically be open again for the holidays -- although it could never reopen. WDW often will create a budget in hopes of opening an attraction, but then yank the budget if they decide not to open it. They never add a new budget to something not on the end of year summary for the projected year ---

SO, there is some hope some attractions inside might be open during peak periods next season - but it could just as well close for good after the New Year.

While I take CM news with a bit of salt, I take the Managerial staff comments a bit more seriously. And even they don't know the fate of the attraction.

 

[RiversideBunny]

I think they should move Cranium Command to another location so it can be open all the time. It is too unique of an attraction to be closed just because the rest of the building is shut down. I was hoping they would move it to where The Time Keeper used to be in MK but that spot has now been taken. Disney should seriously do a study on where they could relocate Cranium Command and keep it open permanently.
Maybe they are thinking that way... maybe.
:kiss: :wave:

 

[DisneyMusician2]

I don't think they will move any of those atttractions - they need them to try and find a potential sponsor. I am surprised that some gym or health-based company won't jump right in to having their info posted all over Disney. Wonder how they are marketing it to companies.

 

[sknydave]

There is a big warning sign outside of the Wonders of Life pavilion stating you may be hit by passing tumbleweeds

I kid, I kid. Really, the place goes unnoticed and it is always practically empty.

 

[Master Yoda]

I think they should move Cranium Command to another location so it can be open all the time. It is too unique of an attraction to be closed just because the rest of the building is shut down. I was hoping they would move it to where The Time Keeper used to be in MK but that spot has now been taken. Disney should seriously do a study on where they could relocate Cranium Command and keep it open permanently.
Maybe they are thinking that way... maybe.
:kiss: :wave:

CC is the one thing I will really miss from this pavilion. Great attraction and hands down the best casting job ever.

 

[PigletIsMyCat]

I finally got to see the WoL Pav a couple of weeks ago. During all my visits to WDW since 2004, it had not once been open. My husband was being a dork and wouldn't go see 'Making of Me' with me, but we thought Cranium Command was really great!! I also liked the idea of Body Wars, but felt the movie was sorely lacking, and it was a little hard to pay attention to the screens at times. Also, the seating in BW is not very apt for those of us who are larger than a supermodel. I feel that if a sponsor was to be found, this pavillion could once again rock. Also, I had never been up there before, and didn't realize that Ellen's Energy Adventure was there and running. Totally escaped us (granted, we're usually at Epcot for reasons other than rides, like alcohol) and we finally saw it for the first time - AWESOME.

 

[MamaMunk]

Speaking with the CM in charge of the building that day (even he was hanging out near the back restroom area just trying to have something to do and speaking with guests) he indicated that the problem is that WDW needs to keep the attraction open long enough each year to let potential sponsors see that it is in good working order, but they can't go ahead and refurbish or reimagine anything new in case a sponsor DOES suddenly come along and want to do something with the pavilion. Catch-22 of course.

I worked at WOL while it was open for Easter season '04. And not too long after that there was a night it was open solely for a sponsor. If they have a potential sponsor, they will open it privately for them. I don't know and never heard any rumors of who the sponsor was or why that sponsor fell through.

But I remember all the of the CMs being excited to be working WOL at that time. It always meant a break from the daily routine of the attraction you normally worked. I'm sure things could be different now.

PS Check out the AWESOME Hidden Mickey among the capalaries (sp?) above the entrance to BW

 

[CheersBoston]

I got to go in WoL last Wednesday and it was completely dead. I used to LOVE BW and CC when I was growing up and was excited to be able to see them again. Honestly, the pavillion is SO outdated. The only people who were going in I think are people that remembered it and went for nostalgic reasons. As much as I enjoyed it in the past and as much as I get aggrevated when anything is closed, the time has come to give WoL the Old Yeller treatment.

 

[sknydave]

A bit of an unrelated subject, but I used the restroom in the WOL pavillion and I stopped for a second when I realized the toilets did not have the motion detectors and I actually had to pull a lever to flush lol

 

[reptar77]

A bit of an unrelated subject, but I used the restroom in the WOL pavillion and I stopped for a second when I realized the toilets did not have the motion detectors and I actually had to pull a lever to flush lol

That has happened to me several times, I always have a good laugh. I was in the WOL building a couple of weeks ago. It has desperatly needs updating along with a tree air freshener. The building smells like it hasn't been opened for ever.

 

[Master Yoda]

A bit of an unrelated subject, but I used the restroom in the WOL pavillion and I stopped for a second when I realized the toilets did not have the motion detectors and I actually had to pull a lever to flush lol

You should hit the bathrooms at PORS. To keep with the theming they still use the overhead pull chain on the toilets.