The State of Epcot

[Nick]

Most seem to think this is a done deal and have been saying so for a while, and as much as I hate seeing more IP being pushed into Epcot even I have to admit it seems a good fit.

So I have to ask, What do you know, or think, that makes you doubt it @Joe ?

Joe just generally doubts that Disney will actually do anything ever (deservedly so)

Of course between This ride, the Star Wars rides, the potential Mickey ride and Flight of Passage, we may not be far from seeing a Disney "Screenz" debate.

 

[s8film40]

So just a thought. I know this might not be likely but what are the chances that this permit is related to the gondola project and not a new ride. As of right now the permit only calls for creating a gravel parking lot and building a berm across the road from the site. This would seem consistent with creating a staging area for construction as well as maybe potentially an eventual maintenance and storage area for the system. The station area there is fairly small and I would think they would need an additional work area during construction. Looking at aerial imagery this seems like the best closest location.

 

[Mad Dog]

Joe just generally doubts that Disney will actually do anything ever (deservedly so)

Of course between This ride, the Star Wars rides, the potential Mickey ride and Flight of Passage, we may not be far from seeing a Disney "Screenz" debate.

.......Yes, you're right. While it appears Universal is changing directions for future attractions(after F&F), it appears Disney is adopting Universal's former attraction strategy. Irony of ironies. ...Hopefully The Rat gets some changes for Epcot. It's received fairly lack luster reviews to date. Kind of similar to the F&F situation of cloning an attraction that's just so so.

 

[Nick]

So just a thought. I know this might not be likely but what are the chances that this permit is related to the gondola project and not a new ride. As of right now the permit only calls for creating a gravel parking lot and building a berm across the road from the site. This would seem consistent with creating a staging area for construction as well as maybe potentially an eventual maintenance and storage area for the system. The station area there is fairly small and I would think they would need an additional work area during construction. Looking at aerial imagery this seems like the best closest location.

If you look at the permit, it calls for using the entire expansion plot between France and Morocco. Ratatouille will not need to expand all the way over, butting up right next to Morocco (far from it actually) so it's possible they are planning to use some of the plot for staging anyway. Whether the staging is for Gondolas or Rat (or both) is the question.

It's not out of the question that it is both though. Gondolas go up super quick so the supports and such wouldn't need to be in a lay down yard for long.

 

[Ryan]

No... France already has two busy restaurants, so the restaurant will not be coming with the attraction.

That would suck if true, as World Showcase could use a family restaurant much like Chez Remy's.

 

[Nick]

That would suck if true, as World Showcase could use a family restaurant much like Chez Remy's.

This is purely speculation on my part, but it is possible that Chefs de France could see a Chez Remy makeover. A third sit-down however is not in the cards.

 

[Mad Dog]

This is purely speculation on my part, but it is possible that Chefs de France could see a Chez Remy makeover. A third sit-down however is not in the cards.

That sounds very plausible.

 

[Scott W.]

Would this no diminish Remy on the Disney Dream?

 

[Nick]

Would this no diminish Remy on the Disney Dream?

Huh? Remy as in the restaurant on DCL? This would have no impact.

 

[tielo]

So, there is one thing that Disney wants more then building a ride and that is making money. They, by now, noticed Universal is making a ton of money from HHN.
So what if they would build Ratatouille (where you literally sit in a gutted rat) to soften the crowd in a more gruesome ride and use the rest of the area to house the new Halloween Epcot Parade (one of them has Mickey in a mousetrap split in two with his intantance dripping out).
Of Course there will be will be a Halloween Food Festival with food prepared by and with rat and the chainsaw Canadian act will come back to scare the pixy dust out of you

 

[epcyclopedia]

Couple of thoughts -

There's no reason to touch the western side of the pavilion unless they intend to build the queue entrance there. (To note, walkways and other stuff that's impermeable already exist there - they're just using the project outline rather than the real scope of their work for the first phase.)

There is no reason to do that unless they intend to work around the existing theater. As it exists it has plenty of room for queue and ride if they enter through it and build straight back.

The location of the ponds makes it so Rat's ride can't fit behind the pavilion.

So they have to go next to it.

How that'll connect to the existing structures as it exits (promenade front shops or something, or hidden behind berm - not sure) remains to be seen.

But it's certainly going to load from the west, wrap the building, and pop out somewhere on the other side or into the existing pavilion.

 

[Mr. EPCOT]

Would this no diminish Remy on the Disney Dream?

Naw, Remy's on the ships are an upscale, more adult-oriented fine dining experience.

 

[Nick]

Naw, Remy's on the ships are an upscale, more adult-oriented fine dining experience.

I would say in the France pavilion that Monsiuer Paul reaches or even exceeds Remy in terms of fine-dining, however.

 

[Viator]

From Robert Niles.

He also has an article about it.

Plans filed for site work at Walt Disney World's France pavilion

 

[Mad Dog]

So, there is one thing that Disney wants more then building a ride and that is making money. They, by now, noticed Universal is making a ton of money from HHN.
So what if they would build Ratatouille (where you literally sit in a gutted rat) to soften the crowd in a more gruesome ride and use the rest of the area to house the new Halloween Epcot Parade (one of them has Mickey in a mousetrap split in two with his intantance dripping out).
Of Course there will be will be a Halloween Food Festival with food prepared by and with rat and the chainsaw Canadian act will come back to scare the pixy dust out of you

That is tooooo funny.

 

[mimitchi33]

I am excited for the Ratatouille ride. It was one of my favorite childhood movies, and if the ride is trackless, it'd be pretty cool!

 

[belloq87]

Of course between This ride, the Star Wars rides, the potential Mickey ride and Flight of Passage, we may not be far from seeing a Disney "Screenz" debate.

It doesn't sound like Alcatraz is going to be anywhere close to as screen-dependent as something like Ratatouille is, but yeah... Disney going all-in on simulated action doesn't excite me. Hopefully the Mickey ride will end up being more Mystic Manor-ish than Ratatouille-ish.

 

[Viator]

Of course between This ride, the Star Wars rides, the potential Mickey ride and Flight of Passage, we may not be far from seeing a Disney "Screenz" debate.

Funny enough, when Robert mentioned Guardians and Ratatouille, someone asked about the Mickey ride; and it's apparently gone silent.

I would actually be curious for Guardians, as the DCA attraction had multiple vignettes for the attraction. Perhaps we'll see those used in a way, or will they have to film new scenes altogether?

Either way, I think Guardians will have screens.

 

[Nick]

Funny enough, when Robert mentioned Guardians and Ratatouille, someone asked about the Mickey ride; and it's apparently gone silent.

I would actually be curious for Guardians, as the DCA attraction had multiple vignettes for the attraction. Perhaps we'll see those used in a way, or will they have to film new scenes altogether?

Either way, I think Guardians will have screens.

Interesting that he has heard it's gone silent.

Pretty much all insiders over at Magic have GMR closing in August/September for this changeover and people staying at resort hotels apparently aren't able to book Fastpasses for GMR after a certain point right now.

I will admit that that is the ride i'm most skeptical about right now. I imagine that the operations team on the ground at DHS is vigorously fighting against a closure before Toy Story Land opens so they don't have to endure roughly an 8 month period with only 4 rides in the park. By no means do I think Mickey is certain... at least right now. I actually hope it dies off and reincarnates as a new build in Animation Courtyard.

 

[Viator]

Interesting that he has heard it's gone silent.

Pretty much all insiders over at Magic have GMR closing in August/September for this changeover and people staying at resort hotels apparently aren't able to book Fastpasses for GMR after a certain point right now.

I will admit that that is the ride i'm most skeptical about right now. I imagine that the operations team on the ground at DHS is vigorously fighting against a closure before Toy Story Land opens so they don't have to endure roughly an 8 month period with only 4 rides in the park. By no means do I think Mickey is certain... at least right now. I actually hope it dies off and reincarnates as a new build in Animation Courtyard.

I may be just spitballing, but what will be the overall capacity for the size of TSL, and what will be the capacities at max for all of the new rides?

I am curious, as I have a feeling that they may try to get the new SoA facades up and that they can have enough footspace, along with diverting people to something new; to just wait till TSL opens up.

If it is closing, we'll see that at the D23 panel; but I am curious if they are just delaying the closing process to make sure there is enough capacity for the holiday season.