My justification for being fine with Time Racers is I think SSE will never be as good as it was in its 1994 edition again, so I'm fine with moving on.
Even in its current form, I just think it's such a special attraction, in the sense that it could only ever belong in Epcot, and it embodies so much of what the park used to be about. To lose it would be to lose a big part of the reason I became a fan of that park.
I don't want to get to the point where I feel about Epcot the way I feel about Universal Studios Florida, where my emotional connection to it has been completely severed and it's "just another theme park." There's nothing wrong with "just another theme park," of course, but it won't be special to me anymore.
I recognize that's a very personal justification, not backed-up by anything other than my own experiences with the park, and I also recognize Disney (and Universal) can't cater just to me.
I'm actually excited for Epcot's future. There's so much that can be done with the park that just with the few projects that ARE in the works, I feel like it's already moving in the right direction. Yes, lots of IP moving in but for the most part, a lot of the right choices in IP.
Their recent efforts have had a lot of cultural influence and this is when they absolutely nail some of their best work. I more than welcome it if it means having new and refreshed attractions in this park that, as inconsistent as it may be in its current state, many of us do have a real affinity for.
I hope you're right. I've always said there's a way to do IP right in Epcot. The Seas, Gran Fiesta Tour, and Ratatouille meet that standard for me; Frozen Ever After and Guardians do not.
I would be very willing to give them the benefit of the doubt if I believed they have a long-term, coherent plan for the park's identity, even if it's an identity that I would think is a step-down from its original thesis.
Probably because Disney doesn't even know the meaning of "Future" as Walt did. Actually I really hope they drop the "Future World" name, because it is not anymore. It's more like a "Mix and Match World".
"Hodge-Podge Land" coming Summer, 2021!
The concept of Future World only works if you decide to update the experiences every so often. Technology evolves at a rapid rate, so should the park.
The one thing I hope we get from this update are buildings that stay relevant and look nice.
I don't think even the most die-hard EPCOT Center enthusiasts would disagree. FW does not have to be - and should not be - locked in stone. There are ways to update things (from attractions themselves, down to architectural and scenic features) without throwing away the park's legacy, though.