Epcot (General Discussion)

[darkridelover]

I'm confused. All I see is new trees and an upgraded lighting package everywhere.

 

[Alicia]

Looks like they just traced over the original artwork.

View attachment 10684

There was one in between they did too, that portrayed the way the park ended up looking after a decade or so. They have a history of building on that original concept art apparently.



EDIT: Unless this is a photo? Is this a photo? I can’t tell lol.

DOUBLE EDIT: Here is the OG concept art it's ALL based on too, from way back when!

 

[belloq87]

It's worth pointing out that one of the pieces of animated concept art in the video playing in the Epcot area at D23 very prominently shows a young guest holding a large Figment plush. It's conspicuously positioned in the foreground in such a way that it is clearly intentional to be noticed.

I would hope that is a sign of something positive, and not just shameless, empty fan pandering.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

I would hope that is a sign of something positive, and not just shameless, empty fan pandering.

Based on how D23 has gone so far.... I'm putting money on empty fan pandering.

 

[belloq87]

I don't disagree. I'm certainly not getting many hopes up. I just found it noteworthy because it seemed so blatant.

 

[Nick]

Looks like they just traced over the original artwork.

View attachment 10684

Very interesting that the new ponds we're getting are pretty much the exact same shape as the original ones. I love it.

 

[Skold]

Very interesting that the new ponds we're getting are pretty much the exact same shape as the original ones. I love it.

The original ones were connected - wonder if these will be, of if that infrastructure is even still in place.

 

[Nick]

The original ones were connected - wonder if these will be, of if that infrastructure is even still in place.

If you haven't noticed, this park is gonna be torn to shreds so infrastructure or not, it's certainly something they could do if that's the look they want.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

Very interesting that the new ponds we're getting are pretty much the exact same shape as the original ones. I love it.

Which ponds? The ones that are already there?

 

[Nick]

Which ponds? The ones that are already there?

I think what looks like it's already there is actually a bit of a change. The new Festival Center is actually going on top of a space where a pond sits right now and the ponds need to be changed because of that.

Of course, the fact that I had that front and center could be altering the way i'm viewing the art. I also think we're probably deconstructing an artist rendition a bit too much.

 

[Teebin]

Poor faithful old trees... *weep*

 

[Tobias]

With the parks and resorts panel tomorrow, I'm just hoping for additional rides/major attractions to be announced. Epcot is really starved for those and they honestly need them to pull the crowds so FP+ isn't as horribly broken in this park then it already is.

Additions are the preference, so Ratatouille is on the right track there.
Overlays/replacements are a little trickier, since the number of attractions is the same so it's not helping there. All I can hope is the replacement is really, really good so it can pull the crowds. GotG will probably do that, not so sure bout' the Play pavilion.
As for Moana, I don't think a splash pad will really pull the crowds.

With what's rumored...
Mary Poppins Carousel. That's a additional ride, I'll take it.

Brazil Pavilion. It needs to have some sort of ride/major attraction as WS is more starved for stuff like that than FW. More shops and food doesn't help here.

Coco in Mexico. It's probably most likely a overlay of GFT, I can see that being a bigger draw because of Coco, but like with FEA that ride and most certainly queue is too small for the crowds and I'd rather have a full blown new attraction/replacement instead.

SSE. Well that's a overlay, -maybe- expanded? Hope it's better than the current version, and this might be a sign of how much of a idea/investment they have with the park.

Imagination...
….
If this is announced, this will be the biggest test of them all. It's no secret the original is beloved, as well as the tragic history the ride has. What are they gonna' do to actually fix it? Out of everything rumored, this'll probably have the most eyes on it, and the most pressure.

 

[Alicia]

As far as Epcot goes, I’m lowering my expectations. Real low.

We’re already getting major new rides that are currently under construction.

A lot of the focus is going to likely be on the new core. The renamed neighborhoods. And the new festival center complex with the garden thing on top. The Moana thing is really just a part of the new core to me.

Sure there may be a new World Showcase pavilion. But I’m not expecting a ride to come with it.

The Play pavilion will get details revealed, but it’s not really anything big.

I’m not expecting anything Coco for the boat ride. Maybe something for the land somehow, but I just don’t feel like they’re gonna reskin the boat ride. We’ll see.

The best I’m hoping for is maybe a carousel for the UK, but even that may be wishful thinking. (Alice in Wonderland tea garden, is that it maybe?)

But hey, how much you wanna bet Dreamfinder and Figment will be featured somehow, either as a returning meet and greet, or as the hosts for the interim, ironically temporary, Epcot Forever show.

A lot of fan service. New logos. New verbiage. New pavilions. But, light on new “attractions.”

My feelings anyway.

 

[belloq87]

I approach tomorrow with an open mind, but also with mild anxiety.

 

[UNIrd]

I still hope for Coco replacing Gran Fiesta Tour because I love the movie and the music so much. Also, it guarantees us a 7-minute boat ride which is probably more than they would ever build for it from scratch. Let's be real.

Also, Disney wouldn't care that the ridership is only 1600 per hour. They didn't care with Frozen and they won't care now.

 

[AlexanderMBush]

As far as Epcot's concerned..

My general thinking for tomorrow

• The closure dates are specified for everything going down
• The Alice "attraction"..is a moved version of the Mad Tea Cups, ala' Dumbo (the difference in moving, is from one park to another. I do not see the carousel)
• Play Pavilion is detailed a bit more, but not by much
• Brazil is announced. No other details other than "it's happening" with concept art (I do think it's possible that it'll get a ride, but it's not going to be present in the initial reveal artwork)
• China Circlevision 360 is previewed slightly
• Journey to Imagination does get the next revamp, and is handled more-so to how Alice in DL got a revamp
• Spaceship Earth's revamp is confirmed, with new narrator (with the actor narrating on-stage for the announcement
• The cores that replace Future World are properly detailed
• GoTG Xandar mini-land is..somewhat talked about, considering that seemed to be present in the map of the various Marvel spots around currently for Disney
• Fiesta Tour does NOT get a revamp to Coco.

If you had a gun to my head in guessing what does get announced on the definite for tomorrow in larger things: Spaceship Earth Revamp, Xandar mini-land, and Brazil.

 

[bob albert]

I know the good of all humanity might be viewed as "political" here but the Brazil pavilion should be straight up on hold at best until the country gets their act together regardless of sponsorship or funding. They do not deserve any kind of even paid promotion from Disney.

 

[Nick]

I agree, Epcot had a HUGE year in 2017 at D23 and I think now it’s mostly gonna be going into specifics.

Think about all that’s been announced for the park:
- Guardians of the Galaxy (subtitled “Infinite Universe”?)
- Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure
- New Canada Circle-Vision
- New China Circle-Vision (with Mushu as narrator?)
- Awesome Planet (made in conjunction with Nat Geo?)
- Space Restaurant (Space 220?)
- Play Pavilion
- Spine Redo happening
- Epcot Forever
- Illuminations replacement

Think will be announce:
- Brazil Pavilion
- UK/Poppins ride
- Extensive details on spine reworking
- Details on GotG
- timeline for the 360 movies
- New Impressions de France film
- SSE redo
- Show off inside of Space Restaurant
- Details about Illuminations replacement

Maybe, but not counting on it:
- Imagination
- Coco

 

[belloq87]

- New Impressions de France film

Do you mean the BATB sing-a-long thing that's coming? Or is a revamped version of Impressions something that's really rumored?

It's one of my favorite attractions in the park, so I'd be apprehensive of how they might change it.

 

[Nick]

Do you mean the BATB sing-a-long thing that's coming? Or is a revamped version of Impressions something that's really rumored?

It's one of my favorite attractions in the park, so I'd be apprehensive of how they might change it.

The BatB thing is happening, but so is a new version of IDF.