Epcot (General Discussion)

[Brian G.]

What we know of the overhaul as of today:

Guardians of the Galaxy attraction coming to Epcot | Inside Universal

Ratatouille attraction coming to France Pavilion in Epcot | Inside Universal

A new Space Restaurant is coming to the Mission:Space pavilion. Mission Space film will also be updated.
First Look: New Space Restaurant to Offer ‘Out-of-this-World’ Dining Experience at Epcot | Disney Parks Blog

Future World will be completely re-themed.

China to get new CircleVision film.

A new country will be added.

Here's the PR summary of it all:

Looking ahead to the 50th Anniversary of Walt Disney World, there are grand plans to complete the transformation that started with the debut of New Fantasyland in 2014. Chapek announced exciting plans across Epcot to realize the original vision of the park while making it more timeless and relevant than ever before. Patterned after the number one family attraction at Disneyland Paris, Ratatouille will be added in an all-new space in the France pavilion at World Showcase. Epcot will also see the addition of a brand new E-ticket attraction based on the rockin’ and action-packed world of Guardians of the Galaxy, the next step in how guests can encounter these characters at Walt Disney World Resort. In Future World, a new Green Mission at Mission: SPACE will take guests on a stunning tour around the Earth, and an updated Orange Mission will make the trip to Mars even more spectacular. Adjacent to Mission: Space will be a new restaurant that will invite guests to travel high above the earth for an unforgettable dining experience.

 

[Viator]

So in essential terms, Future World will ditch a helluvalot of Concrete in exchange for Grass, Trees, and beautification.

I am completely sold on that.

 

[WAJAS]

Can we all just agree for a second that this park is obnoxiously large? There's going to be a ten minute walk through a nature park to get from The Seas to Test Track.

I'll still enjoy it though.

 

[epcyclopedia]

Can we all just agree for a second that this park is obnoxiously large? There's going to be a ten minute walk through a nature park to get from The Seas to Test Track.

I'll still enjoy it though.

Seas and Test Track aren't moving - and with the new layout (it's only Bluesky) it's actually a straightshot versus the old issue of getting around Innoventions.

 

[WAJAS]

Seas and Test Track aren't moving - and with the new layout (it's only Bluesky) it's actually a straightshot versus the old issue of getting around Innoventions.

I didn't say they were moving. It's just a long walk through not much was my point.

 

[bob albert]

Epcot to realize the original vision of the park while making it more timeless and relevant than ever before. "We are going to do whatever we want and act like it was totally a part of a consistent vision for the park"

Also did I miss them confirm they were adding a country? I thought they just hinted we can expect more updates as part of the plan.

 

[epcyclopedia]

Epcot to realize the original vision of the park while making it more timeless and relevant than ever before. "We are going to do whatever we want and act like it was totally a part of a consistent vision for the park"

Also did I miss them confirm they were adding a country? I thought they just hinted we can expect more updates as part of the plan.

Nah, just more in the future.

 

[jtsalien]

The Mission Space restaurant was by far the strangest announcement to me. My only guess is that they spent way too much money on the "space window" tech for Star Wars and scrambled to find another use for them.

 

[Brian G.]

The Mission Space restaurant was by far the strangest announcement to me. My only guess is that they spent way too much money on the "space window" tech for Star Wars and scrambled to find another use for them.

I saw it as them going back to the original grand ideas for Space - but yea that's also possible too

 

[jtsalien]

I saw it as them going back to the original grand ideas for Space - but yea that's also possible too

If they throw in some working space butlers from Horizons while they're at it, they'll have my attention

 

[captainmoch]

As random as the space restaurant it is, I absolutely love it. If it's as cool as it looks it'll be perfect IMO.

 

[Brian G.]

BTW - Here's the early concept idea for Future World

 

[belloq87]

Having now seen the section of the presentation where they talk about Mission: Space, I can say that what they're doing with that attraction sounds solid and appropriately Epcot-y. I can take or leave the restaurant, but it seems the ride will almost certainly be an improved experience for both sides.

 

[UniversalRBLX]

I still believe Epcot's original idea is alive. Shrunken, but still alive.

 

[epcyclopedia]

Anyone else think that round thing in Future World West looks like a new dolphin enclosure?

Also... Spaceship Earth's post show isn't there. Weird.

 

[maxairmike]

Here's a great comparison of what the overall concept art showed vs. how it could change the layout in real life.



EDIT: My only objection is that this shows the pathway cutting into the Guest Relations portion of the Communicore East building. I don't expect that to happen, both because the current shape of that area of the building is fully represented in the art, and because of how the building...works, for lack of a better word. The rest of Communicore looks gone, though.

 

[epcyclopedia]

It looks like it's restoring the original Communicore walking routes. So that would mean Guest Relations has to move again.

Edit, best quality i could find of the image:

 

[randompixel]

Hope they cater for places to shelter in a storm. A lot of people run for Innoventions currently (and I've seen too many slip on the tiled floor in a rain rushed run)

Interesting it has Wonders of Life in the concept art (with the GotG buildings behind it). Is WoL where the Space restaurant will be going?

 

[Viator]

It looks like it's restoring the original Communicore walking routes. So that would mean Guest Relations has to move again.

Edit, best quality i could find of the image:

Something that took me in a bit of a thing, but that while a lot of this is from Project Gemini there are elements that are missing from that.

I'm curious what we will see changed in the ultimate result, but I do absolutely love that they are taking steps to beautify the park on the front side, making it feel more unique than it has been in the past.

I hope that is something they intend to do in a sense for the front side of the globe facing the turnstiles and monorail station, moving the Legacy to a different location on-property and giving more crowd space for guests.

 

[Alicia]

Interesting it has Wonders of Life in the concept art (with the GotG buildings behind it). Is WoL where the Space restaurant will be going?

Yea, many believe that will be the space restaurant, with a new entrance built near Mission Space.

But the building behinds WoL in that concept are already there. They are the show buildings for Body Wars and the theater for Cranium Command, which still remain there to this day.



I think that blue sky concept art is meant only to illustrate the difference in the Comminicore area, and may even have been drawn up before GotG and space restaurant were conceived.