Epcot (General Discussion)

[Gillman]

So if I'm understanding EPCOT's changes properly the Imagination pavilion now resides in the World Nature neighborhood. Anyone else worried about what that means for Imagination's future?

 

[Nick]

Basically how I felt before the panel. Nice. Epcot can't get worse. But so far this project just isn't all that exciting.

The problem is depending on how you look at the situation, we only have confirmation that they're only adding a grand total of ONE RIDE to the park. Remy. Yes, they're adding Cherry Tree Lane in the UK, but there's nothing telling me for sure that whatever this "attraction" is for sure a ride. As we see with the Moana thing, they're playing it fast and loose with the term these days.

And yes, of course they're adding GotG, and i'm hoping that the actual ride is as beefy as the track is. But this isn't an actual addition and nor is Play! Things were in both spots for many years. Now of course ridership on Universe of Energy was dismal in it's later year and Wonders turned into an events pavilion over the past decade, but still, neither are actual expansions of the park. Will that area draw more people simply due to GotG and the IPs in Play? Of course! Will the park look and feel refreshed as if somebody actually cares about it again after this? Absolutely. But how much will we have actually gained? Besides refreshes of existing attractions (or gut jobs), we're only gaining two attractions and only one is confirmed as a ride.

Think about that. Think about how stale this park had to be for Disney to be spending over a billion on the park, yet barely expanding the park at all. I actually applaud Disney in a way as it makes sure the park is fresh while also adding new things, but when Remy opens next year, it will be the first park expansion since Wonders of Life opened in 1989. 31 years. Epcot may have had a great opening decade but it went straight to hell after that. And yet some people are having a hard time accepting Innoventions West being demolished (not speaking to anyone on here).

It's just amazing the power nostalgia has because, even though I enjoy myself when i'm here, I also look around and feel a bit empty. I can like something and also call it for what it is and it's hard to ignore that this park has sucked for about 20 years now, if not more.

 

[Mad Dog]

But it does have great food, wine and flowers.

 

[UNIrd]

It's just amazing the power nostalgia has because, even though I enjoy myself when i'm here, I also look around and feel a bit empty. I can like something and also call it for what it is and it's hard to ignore that this park has sucked for about 20 years now, if not more.

That's literally the conversation I had with a friend tonight who is huge Epcot fan and was basically lamenting the death of the old Epcot with today's announcements.

I was like trust me.. when this is all done, we'll be referring to the last 20 years at Epcot as "the dark ages."

 

[belloq87]

What do folks think about the new Epcot “anthem”/theme song they debuted at the panel today?

I’m glad that Disney recognizes that the park has a very rich history of original music and songwriting, and I hope that this implies they won’t be abandoning park-specific music just to pipe in well-known standards from the Disney movie songbook.

As for the song itself, it feels Epcot-y (enough) to me. A little melancholy, a little bittersweet, but ultimately uplifting. Pinar Toprak’s a talent to watch (her CAPTAIN MARVEL score from earlier this year is quite good), so it’s nice to see her have a hand in crafting original work for this park.

So if I'm understanding EPCOT's changes properly the Imagination pavilion now resides in the World Nature neighborhood. Anyone else worried about what that means for Imagination's future?

I'm always worried, to one degree or another, about Imagination's future.

Figment was directly referenced both in concept art and by the Imagineer talking about Epcot during the presentation, so my level of concern is not any more than its usual baseline at this point!

 

[UNIrd]

I'm always worried, to one degree or another, about Imagination's future.

Figment was directly referenced both in concept art and by the Imagineer talking about Epcot during the presentation, so my level of concern is not any more than its usual baseline at this point!

If we did a poll, Imagination is probably the one attraction in Epcot we would agree on that NEEDS WORK. So if they're really listening like they say they are about our feedback and they do nothing, then there's still deaf ears in the top brass.

 

[belloq87]

That's literally the conversation I had with a friend tonight who is huge Epcot fan and was basically lamenting the death of the old Epcot with today's announcements.

I was like trust me.. when this is all done, we'll be referring to the last 20 years at Epcot as "the dark ages."

You and I have had similar experiences tonight, but from the opposite ends!

I just finished a long conversation with a friend who was also following the parks panel today, and who is pretty uniformly optimistic about where the park is heading. The bulk of our conversation involved her trying to talk me off the ledge with rationales not too different from what you or @Nick have been supplying. And I told her that I'm trying to be open to change. Because I am, truly. And there are aspects of what they're doing in the park that I unreservedly like (Ratatouille, Awesome Planet, the China and Canada shows, greening-up the spine, etc.).

But it's just not easy to come to grips with the knowledge that a place that was once extremely special and meaningful to you isn't going to be (as) special or meaningful to you anymore.

If we did a poll, Imagination is probably the one attraction in Epcot we would agree on that NEEDS WORK. So if they're really listening like they say they are about our feedback and they do nothing, then there's still deaf ears in the top brass.

Given that Chapek went to great lengths to proclaim that what they're doing in Epcot is the result of what "we" (the fans) have apparently been asking for, they have no excuse!

 

[Nick]

You and I have had similar experiences tonight, but from the opposite ends!

I just finished a long conversation with a friend who was also following the parks panel today, and who is pretty uniformly optimistic about where the park is heading. The bulk of our conversation involved her trying to talk me off the ledge with rationales not too different from what you or @Nick have been supplying. And I told her that I'm trying to be open to change. Because I am, truly. And there are aspects of what they're doing in the park that I unreservedly like (Ratatouille, Awesome Planet, the China and Canada shows, greening-up the spine, etc.).

But it's just not easy to come to grips with the knowledge that a place that was once extremely special and meaningful to you isn't going to be (as) special or meaningful to you anymore.

I didn't start going to Epcot until 97 or 98 so the park was already going downhill at that point and I was only 5 or 6. In the mid 2000's, we would take trips almost every year (or every other) and maybe I was just lucky to grow up during a time where WDW had a bunch of under built parks, and a stagnant MK & Epcot, so I never got attached to any one park (MGM was actually my favorite park growing up, but I knew even at a young age it needed improvement because of how little there was to do).

I love this period we're in right now where I get to sit back and watch Universal evolve and expand in ways never thought possible and ALSO watch DHS and Epcot receive near parkwide remodels and expansions. I know Epcot purists hate IPs being added, but I just want a good, fun park that at least tries to adhere to some sort of vision or theme. Maybe it's not what the original vision of the park was (and I can understand being upset at that, I really can), but at least the attempt is being made to make things work rather than being lazy about it.

Do I even like the idea of Play!? No. But the park is better for it being in use for guests and there are two ride/show buildings sitting there waiting to be used. I could easily see a ride going into the Body Wars show building sometime down the line. Also, the positive about Play! is that it condenses all of that IP in one place. If you don't go in there, you won't see it, thus making your Epcot experience more "pure".

Idk, like I said, I just want a fun park and this gets us well on our way to that ultimate goal. If they put characters in SSE or Living with the Land though, i'm gonna have some issues.

Given that Chapek went to great lengths to proclaim that what they're doing in Epcot is the result of what "we" (the fans) have apparently been asking for, they have no excuse!

I did quite enjoy his quip about adding shade. Clearly that has been a big enough complaint that he felt he needed to address it. Let's see how good his follow through is on that though.

 

[Ryan]

So if I'm understanding EPCOT's changes properly the Imagination pavilion now resides in the World Nature neighborhood. Anyone else worried about what that means for Imagination's future?

I'm amused this is still going on, mostly because people are still thinking of Future World West/East. Imagination is in Celebration. The featured attractions of World Nature is: The Land, The Seas, Journey to Water

The more I think about it, I get the idea, although the naming is clumsy. This is very much reminding me of science museums, which is a good thing, except the obvious fact that there's less edutainment than before.

What @JungleSkip said is dead-on, and I'm amused people are freaking out. They attach themselves so loyally to what amounts to a rotting corpse, and can't really take anything more than a literal rebirth of an outdated, outmoded ideal and facility. This is at least fresh, but it's only a start. There are still several issues to fix and it doesn't just amount to some new movies and a totally redone Future World. The Mary Poppins Cherry Tree Lane is cute, but if the ride is indeed what we've heard, it'll be a belly flop in the long run. Imagination and The Seas DESPERATELY need updating. The good news is that this is a multi-phase, multi-year plan. So there could indeed be more coming, and I hope so. If we get some updates to Imagination especially, I think the balance will finally start nearing restored. Play! is a concept for sure, but it's one that can be very clearly switched in and out. The SSE rehab sounds solid, and amounts to mostly what I imagined we'd get.

I think that at the very least, bringing back the logos is a way of bringing consistency back in some way. Once again, this is a good start, but can not and should not be the final vision.

 

[Nick]

The Mary Poppins Cherry Tree Lane is cute, but if the ride is indeed what we've heard, it'll be a belly flop in the long run. .

I think that at the very least, bringing back the logos is a way of bringing consistency back in some way. Once again, this is a good start, but can not and should not be the final vision.

If Poppins is a Carousel it'll be fine. If it's Enchanted Tales with Mary, we've got a problem. I'm not expecting much, but I don't think it's an Enchanted Tales thing bc

I've set this to start right when Chapek starts talking about Poppins.


Key things that stick out to me is that he calls Cherry Tree Lane a "neighborhood", and once you step inside the Banks house "your venture begins". He also says "You'll step into this magical world". All of that tells me that it is 100% NOT a carousel. It sounds like too much money is being spent for it to be a carousel, but it also seems that they left it so vague that it would be easy do an immersive M&G type thing but stop short of a ride.

I want it to be a ride really bad, but if it was a ride, i'm not quite sure why they wouldn't have just said it? So i'm just gonna say to everyone: keep expectations low.

 

[Scott W.]

So if I'm understanding EPCOT's changes properly the Imagination pavilion now resides in the World Nature neighborhood. Anyone else worried about what that means for Imagination's future?

I know, it's bizarre. They should change Nature to Imagination.

That way the front of the park can have; Discovery, Imagination, and Celebration or it can be called DIC for short which is fitting because it shows how Disney have completely shafted the front and original theme of Epcot.

 

[Jamesh22]

I know, it's bizarre. They should change Nature to Imagination.

That way the front of the park can have; Discovery, Imagination, and Celebration or it can be called DIC for short which is fitting because it shows how Disney have completely shafted the front and original theme of Epcot.

:hail:

 

[WebHead1138]

I know, it's bizarre. They should change Nature to Imagination.

That way the front of the park can have; Discovery, Imagination, and Celebration or it can be called DIC for short which is fitting because it shows how Disney have completely shafted the front and original theme of Epcot.

Imagination fits the nature aspect. How? It’s human “nature” for us to have a big imagination. See what I did there? That’s how Disney will spin it.

 

[OrlLover]

Things I’m most excited about

1. New landscaping throughout Epcot’s neighborhoods
2. Rat
3. Space 220
4. New Fireworks Spectaculars
5. UK Pavilion addition
6. New Festival Center
7. SSE Update
8. GOTG Cosmic Rewind
9. Moana inspired walkthrough maze
10. Updated Pavilion Films

 

[WebHead1138]

Things I’m most excited about

1. New landscaping throughout Epcot’s neighborhoods
2. Rat
3. Space 220
4. New Fireworks Spectaculars
5. UK Pavilion addition
6. New Festival Center
7. SSE Update
8. GOTG Cosmic Rewind
9. Moana inspired walkthrough maze
10. Updated Pavilion Films

I’m most excited about Guardians!

 

[Cup_Of_Coffee]

I’m most excited about Guardians!

I just wish we had a little more on Guardians. I know its got a backward launch so id assume this is a bit more thrill heavy than other Disney attractions, but I still feel like we don't really know. Im skeptical on it to be honest, but also excited by the massive show building.

 

[WebHead1138]

I just wish we had a little more on Guardians. I know its got a backward launch so id assume this is a bit more thrill heavy than other Disney attractions, but I still feel like we don't really know. Im skeptical on it to be honest, but also excited by the massive show building.

To be honest I don’t wanna know a thing! I want to go into the ride completely blind. Probably won’t happen for me since it’s almost impossible to avoid any spoilers this day and age.

 

[Cup_Of_Coffee]

To be honest I don’t wanna know a thing! I want to go into the ride completely blind. Probably won’t happen for me since it’s almost impossible to avoid any spoilers this day and age.

Ya I understand that. I likely won't watch a POV but id like some sort of reference of what the coaster will be like in terms of thrills. Backwards launch is encouraging though.

 

[WebHead1138]

Ya I understand that. I likely won't watch a POV but id like some sort of reference of what the coaster will be like in terms of thrills. Backwards launch is encouraging though.

Im hoping the ride feels like a cool mix of revenge of the mummy and space mountain.

 

[Cup_Of_Coffee]

Im hoping the ride feels like a cool mix of revenge of the mummy and space mountain.

That would certainly be a win in my book.