Epcot (General Discussion)

[Clive]

I’d think it’s postponed more than anything. The inside is torn up supposedly, so they couldn’t even go back to using this as event space right now. At this point, halfway through construction, I think they’ll finish. Eventually.

They had already developed a grand majority if not the entirety of the mini attraction, so I'd be shocked if they don't at least throw it all together once meet and greets can resume.

 

[GadgetGuru]

That's a good question, I don't know. For me, World Showcase no longer really registers for me and feels stale. Imagination is a complete waste. The Land is good, Seas is fine, SSE is a mechanical mess, Innoventions is totally gone, and the rest is a big question mark right now. While Poppins on its own probably won't have done much for me it would have added to refreshing World Showcase. SSE just needs help, flat out. Finally, the Festival Center likely would be one of those "oh that's nice looking but I'm not going in" sort of things so I want to see what the new plans are first.



It depends on why you go to parks, I guess. For me I'm more interested in more rides and things to do at DCA than Epcot. Also DCA doesn't pretend to be something that it isn't.

This is the best explanation of Epcot right now I think I’ve ever heard.

Epcot really had its time before the Internet became mainstream. It was a place for interactive learning and traveling the world. The Internet has enabled the first and globalization enabled the second.

That’s why I’m personally a fan of adding more characters (including park-exclusive characters like Figment) to Epcot. That’s what I go to Orlando for. Experiencing worlds that weren’t ever real.

Aninal Kingdom doesn’t seem as rigidly attached to the real world as Epcot and I think that’s why Epcot feels so old. Also, all of the things that desperately need upgrades.

 

[Nick]

Never thought I'd see the day where Epcot is generally agreed to be worse than DCA

It's been worse than DCA for about 8 years. And in that time Epcot has only gotten worse.

 

[JonsMovies]

So any idea when we can expect Ratatouille to open at this point? Fall perhaps?

 

[Nick]

So any idea when we can expect Ratatouille to open at this point? Fall perhaps?

Rumor was that the opening got pushed to next year. With low attendance, I tend to buy that they may just want to write this year off as a wash and still get their money out of RotR and Runaway Railway which just opened. So being pushed to 2021 wouldn't surprise me.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

If you're talking general upkeep, then of course. And additional attractions (that are actually good) would be appreciated.

Aesthetically, though, I don't know how much there is to be done in terms of modernizing without getting rid of some of the rich cultural distinctiveness that has been achieved by the pavilions opting for a more "timeless"/idealized design approach.

Put another way: 1770s Philadelphia is a more interesting framework for a theme park pavilion than a modern American city.

Some locations work better than others, for sure. Japan, Germany, Morocco, and France still work exceptionally well. Problem is the UK, Mexico, and China feel stereotypical, not in a bad, racist way, just very "this is from the 70s clearly" sort of way.

I'd approach the WS problem from two angles: adding modern accents and angles to existing pavilions and expanding some of the more "flat" pavilions (see: America.) For over a decade the various festivals papered over the cracks in WS. Now we have travel vlogs and readily accessible ways to experiencing foreign cultures that accurately represent them, not some sort of 70s version dictated through the eyes of a sponsor.

 

[shiekra38]

Some locations work better than others, for sure. Japan, Germany, Morocco, and France still work exceptionally well. Problem is the UK, Mexico, and China feel stereotypical, not in a bad, racist way, just very "this is from the 70s clearly" sort of way.

I'd approach the WS problem from two angles: adding modern accents and angles to existing pavilions and expanding some of the more "flat" pavilions (see: America.) For over a decade the various festivals papered over the cracks in WS. Now we have travel vlogs and readily accessible ways to experiencing foreign cultures that accurately represent them, not some sort of 70s version dictated through the eyes of a sponsor.

When Epcot was built the rest of the world seemed distant, now it seems so close together

Also, with foodie culture developing all around it (literally at Disney Springs) many restaurants at Epcot have the charm of an Olive Garden at theme park prices

The key is rides and engaging attractions

 

[Cwoolboy]

For me, the best WS pavilions are Mexico, American Adventure, and Canada. No updates needed. SSE is close to perfect, but the descent needs a refurb ( get rid of the screens).

 

[Legacy]

For me, the best WS pavilions are Mexico, American Adventure, and Canada. No updates needed. SSE is close to perfect, but the descent needs a refurb ( get rid of the screens).

Canada needs a Brother Bear ride, then it’ll be perfect.

EDIT - To expand:

Canada gets Brother Bear
England gets Mary Poppins
France is perfect once Rat opens
Morocco needs something... maybe a Genie-hosted travelogue for a lack of options. I’ve always felt like it was desperately missing something.
Honestly, Japan is perfect.
Update American Adventure, because it’s been a while.
Italy gets an updated Pinocchio ride
Germany gets their Reine River tour, hosted by Flynn Ryder
China gets a Mushu coaster
Norway and Mexico stay the same.

And IPCOT is complete.

 

[Nick]

For me, the best WS pavilions are Mexico, American Adventure, and Canada. No updates needed. SSE is close to perfect, but the descent needs a refurb ( get rid of the screens).

I think once Rat opens, it’s the best and most complete pavilion in World Showcase with two attractions, two TSR, a bakery and a QSR in the Rat area of the pavilion.

Canada needs a Brother Bear ride, then it’ll be perfect.

I think a Rapids ride would be the best type of attraction for the Canada Pavilion.

 

[PerceptiveCoot]

I think once Rat opens, it’s the best and most complete pavilion in World Showcase with two attractions, two TSR, a bakery and a QSR in the Rat area of the pavilion.

It'll certainly be the most well-rounded pavilion, though I do worry whether Ratatouille will age well in comparison to recent additions.

 

[Nick]

It'll certainly be the most well-rounded pavilion, though I do worry whether Ratatouille will age well in comparison to recent additions.

It will certainly be received differently now that both RotR and MMRR are both open using the same ride system and Rat is probably a lesser ride than both of those.

It’ll still be a nice high level D-ticket.

Canada needs a Brother Bear ride, then it’ll be perfect.

EDIT - To expand:

Canada gets Brother Bear
England gets Mary Poppins
France is perfect once Rat opens
Morocco needs something... maybe a Genie-hosted travelogue for a lack of options. I’ve always felt like it was desperately missing something.
Honestly, Japan is perfect.
Update American Adventure, because it’s been a while.
Italy gets an updated Pinocchio ride
Germany gets their Reine River tour, hosted by Flynn Ryder
China gets a Mushu coaster
Norway and Mexico stay the same.

And IPCOT is complete.

I’ve been on that the train for Pinocchio in Italy for a long time. Would be perfect and there’s plenty of room for it.

 

[JawsVictim]

Canada needs a Brother Bear ride, then it’ll be perfect.

EDIT - To expand:

Canada gets Brother Bear
England gets Mary Poppins
France is perfect once Rat opens
Morocco needs something... maybe a Genie-hosted travelogue for a lack of options. I’ve always felt like it was desperately missing something.
Honestly, Japan is perfect.
Update American Adventure, because it’s been a while.
Italy gets an updated Pinocchio ride
Germany gets their Reine River tour, hosted by Flynn Ryder
China gets a Mushu coaster
Norway and Mexico stay the same.

And IPCOT is complete.

Although I love the idea, ya know Mushu is never going to happen! And, even though I love it in its current iteration, Gran Fiesta Tour has to be turned into CoCo.

 

[PerceptiveCoot]

Although I love the idea, ya know Mushu is never going to happen! And, even though I love it in its current iteration, Gran Fiesta Tour has to be turned into CoCo.

I could see a high-tech Mulan dark ride coming to Epcot...if Shanghai Disney was footing half the bill.

As for Mexico, Grand Fiesta Tour to Coco has always rubbed me the wrong way, in the same way that Maelstrom to Frozen did. It's not that the ride wouldn't be an improvement, it's just why constrain yourself to a limited building footprint (and if the ride is ever cloned, they're locked into that layout ala the Frozen clones at Hong Kong and Paris).

By all means, yes, put Mulan and Coco into those pavilions, but not with a coaster and a retheme.

 

[Mad Dog]

All good ideas, but I would think it's doubtful any of that is in the works for the next few years due to the destructive financial implications/realities of covid to WDW.

 

[Nick]

I could see a high-tech Mulan dark ride coming to Epcot...if Shanghai Disney was footing half the bill.

As for Mexico, Grand Fiesta Tour to Coco has always rubbed me the wrong way, in the same way that Maelstrom to Frozen did. It's not that the ride wouldn't be an improvement, it's just why constrain yourself to a limited building footprint (and if the ride is ever cloned, they're locked into that layout ala the Frozen clones at Hong Kong and Paris).

By all means, yes, put Mulan and Coco into those pavilions, but not with a coaster and a retheme.

Mushu is rumored to be in the new circlevision film for China.

 

[BigHouseFootball]

Great points about how the internet has really made World Showcase less “necessary.” When it opened your options were World Showcase or go to the country. Today we can YouTube everything.

With that in mind I love the idea of pumping character rides into World Showcase I know that rubs many the wrong way and you’re right when you say it goes against the thesis statement for World Showcase but the whole purpose of Epcot has changed drastically since opening day because of technology.

I suppose that’s the risk you run when you base a theme park very much in the real world. As times change your park becomes outdated rather quickly. MK has this problem with Tomorrowland, but with Epcot it’s the whole park.

If they were to add a character driven ride to each country Epcot would be one heck of a park and a must do in Orlando.

 

[WaterToWade]

BTW is the ducktales world showcase thing still happening?

 

[Nick]

BTW is the ducktales world showcase thing still happening?

That's actually a good question. The Ducktales reboot already ended and Phineas & Ferb has a movie coming out next month, so idk. If the movie does good and there's a sequel announced, they may just keep P&F around because why not?

 

[WaterToWade]

That's actually a good question. The Ducktales reboot already ended and Phineas & Ferb has a movie coming out next month, so idk. If the movie does good and there's a sequel announced, they may just keep P&F around because why not?

For what it’s worth, even now ducktales is typically the most played show on Disney XD every week (neck and neck with big city greens, a show that is still putting out new episodes) and is waaaaay more featured on their tv programs than Phineas and Ferb. I don’t think ending the show really means that it’s left the relevancy it had. But honestly, with everything going on, P&F staying could make sense.