Epcot (General Discussion)

[belloq87]

Rewatching that Beacon of Magic video above, I was struck by the intro music cue during the narration, which includes the current theme from Spaceship Earth AND the "Legacy" theme at the end. I'd love to get a hold of a clean/clear/official recording of the entire piece, including the new Epcot "anthem."

I'm convinced the people who worked on this particular project genuinely cared about the park's legacy, which is (sadly) refreshing. I'd go so far as to say it's the most properly Epcot-y thing to happen at the park in a long time.

 

[Nick]

Rewatching that Beacon of Magic video above, I was struck by the intro music cue during the narration, which includes the current theme from Spaceship Earth AND the "Legacy" theme at the end. I'd love to get a hold of a clean/clear/official recording of the entire piece, including the new Epcot "anthem."

I'm convinced the people who worked on this particular project genuinely cared about the park's legacy, which is (sadly) refreshing. I'd go so far as to say it's the most properly Epcot-y thing to happen at the park in a long time.

Not an official studio recording, but here's a live performance they did of the Epcot Anthem at D23 in 2019:

 

[Nick]

Just took this pic from the monorail. Temporary Mouse Gear now a huge construction site and completely gutted:

 

[Alicia]

Just took this pic from the monorail. Temporary Mouse Gear now a huge construction site and completely gutted:

Sooo, huge Starbucks??

 

[Nick]

Sooo, huge Starbucks??

I’m assuming at least part of this will be a Starbucks for sure.

 

[Frank Drackman]

Just took this pic from the monorail. Temporary Mouse Gear now a huge construction site and completely gutted:

guess it is faster to tear things down. I took this from ground level yesterday, there were a lot more walls standing yesterday.

 

[Yabbadabba Doh]

guess it is faster to tear things down. I took this from ground level yesterday, there were a lot more walls standing yesterday.

View attachment 15389

This will now be referred to as the “primeval” method. O:

 

[Nick]

 

[belloq87]

Connections Cafe and Eatery Coming to EPCOT

Walt Disney World news, photos, and reviews! We provide you with daily news from the Walt Disney World theme parks and beyond

blogmickey.com

 

[belloq87]

So the currently timetable is to "finish" (define that however you want) Epcot's "transformation" by 2023...

EPCOT Overhaul Project To Be Completed in 2023

Walt Disney World news, photos, and reviews! We provide you with daily news from the Walt Disney World theme parks and beyond

blogmickey.com

Also, apparently all the music loops in the park are eventually going to be newly-composed, bespoke pieces? Surely not World Showcase, right?

New "Full Score" for EPCOT by Pinar Toprak to Debut in 2023

Walt Disney World news, photos, and reviews! We provide you with daily news from the Walt Disney World theme parks and beyond

blogmickey.com

I like Toprak's "Epcot Anthem," I think it's suitable for my conception of what the park should be. But I still think discarding all the custom-written songs that were once part of the park (and some of which still are) is unnecessary.

 

[SkiBum]

So the currently timetable is to "finish" (define that however you want) Epcot's "transformation" by 2023...

As one who has been a bit pessimistic about this project, I would submit that completing this shouldn't be that hard or long because they aren't actually doing anything. A walkthrough with water featuers isn't building Horizons. Adding a playground isn't building a new World of Motion. It just feels like a net zero gain and only Disney could spend four years with little to show for it at the end.

 

[frank_1991_]

A 2023 completion date guarantees we are getting one of those open green spaces Disney loves shoving into parks of recent instead of the tabletop bar.

 

[Alicia]

A 2023 completion date guarantees we are getting one of those open green spaces Disney loves shoving into parks of recent instead of the tabletop bar.

That date is so far into the future, I assumed the opposite.

Without the festival center all they have to do is pave the area, install a statue that was premade off site, and make a walk thru water garden. That’s an awfully long time to pave over dirt. But then again, this is WDW we’re talking about.

 

[Nick]

That date is so far into the future, I assumed the opposite.

Without the festival center all they have to do is pave the area, install a statue that was premade off site, and make a walk thru water garden. That’s an awfully long time to pave over dirt. But then again, this is WDW we’re talking about.

Remember, there’s the PLAY Pavilion that’s supposed to be a part of this park remodel, too.

 

[Alicia]

Remember, there’s the PLAY Pavilion that’s supposed to be a part of this park remodel, too.

I’ll believe it when I see it.

Also, last I checked, that building already exists.

 

[PerceptiveCoot]

Last I checked, that building's been closed or empty for 2/3rds of my life.

 

[Nick]

I’ll believe it when I see it.

Also, last I checked, that building already exists.

I'm not sold on Play! happening either. However, the point about the building already existing is irrelevant when you take into account how long it takes Disney to even do simple remodels/overlays. My theory is they have been letting Play basically sit SBNO mid-construction and they'll restart construction when GotG is finished in the Summer. I could be wrong, but it would be a very Disney move as it would push CapEx costs off to Fiscal 2023 pretty much for Play.

 

[Magic Feather]

I’ll believe it when I see it.

Also, last I checked, that building already exists.

A lot of things aren't happening as originally announced. PLAY! is not one of them.

 

[Clive]

I'm not sold on Play! happening either. However, the point about the building already existing is irrelevant when you take into account how long it takes Disney to even do simple remodels/overlays. My theory is they have been letting Play basically sit SBNO mid-construction and they'll restart construction when GotG is finished in the Summer. I could be wrong, but it would be a very Disney move as it would push CapEx costs off to Fiscal 2023 pretty much for Play.

What's frustrating is they literally already developed and (as far as I know) effectively finished the assets/programming for Play's signature component. And this was... like 1.5 years ago.

 

[Nick]

A lot of things aren't happening as originally announced. PLAY! is not one of them.

So is it happening in a different form, canceled for something different or just axed with no replacement?