The State of Epcot

[GadgetGuru]

If Epcot wants to double down on the Future World theme, Tron would be a great way to do it. It would compliment Test Track nicely too.

I really hope Disney has learned their lesson with building Future Worlds. It's just going to look outdated in 10-15 years.

 

[epcyclopedia]

It would photography really well behind Spaceship Earth as well - and open a walking path from there to the front of the park, something the park has needed but would need to do major changes in that area to achieve.

 

[P@n!K_Sw1tC#]

I think the best part about this project is that it sits right next to the Imagineering building. Bet this gets some really fun attention.

 

[epcyclopedia]

I think the best part about this project is that it sits right next to the Imagineering building. Bet this gets some really fun attention.

The people who designed the window clings for Innoventions and the hot dog carts work there.. it's not exactly a den of ingenuity.

 

[P@n!K_Sw1tC#]

Oh lame

 

[Mr. EPCOT]

:bang:

What will Walt Disney World do next to transform Epcot?

 

[Mad Dog]

:bang:

What will Walt Disney World do next to transform Epcot?

Yes, I just read that before I popped in here. One of the keys to the article is Niles statement that Disney & Universal legal have reached an agreement that will allow Disney to bring Guardians of the Galaxy and other non IOA Marvel characters to WDW. Very interesting indeed. Wonder if there was some sort of trade off. I would guess there's more to it.

 

[belloq87]

:bang:

What will Walt Disney World do next to transform Epcot?

Other than Ratatouille, nothing Niles posits in that piece gets me excited. Only two rides and a redesigned entry plaza for that huge amount of money? He doesn't say he's holding back other information, but he has to be, right? Not even a hint about new WS pavilions, nor any other rumored projects that insiders have confirmed are at least on the drawing board (if not yet given a green light).

Most bizarrely, he seems to indicate the proposed Star Wars hotel might be coming to the front of Epcot. Because that makes total sense! :bonk:

 

[Alicia]

Other than Ratatouille, nothing Niles posits in that piece gets me excited. Only two rides and a redesigned entry plaza for that huge amount of money? He doesn't say he's holding back other information, but he has to be, right? Not even a hint about new WS pavilions, nor any other rumored projects that insiders have confirmed are at least on the drawing board (if not yet given a green light).

Most bizarrely, he seems to indicate the proposed Star Wars hotel might be coming to the front of Epcot. Because that makes total sense! :bonk:

As far as I've heard nothing else has been given a green light. Energy replacement and France seems to be the only things Disney knows for sure what to do with. Rumors about Imagination replacements or new World Showcase nations remain just that, rumors.

Edit: I think Disney's playing wait and see on a few fronts, such as responses to new attractions and how well new movies do (Coco and Gigantic for example) before moving forward on more Epcot plans. Doesn't mean there isn't a lot coming, just that it's going to be phases, and only the first (or first couple) phases are set in stone as of yet.

 

[belloq87]

As far as I've heard nothing else has been given a green light. Energy replacement and France seems to be the only things Disney knows for sure what to do with. Rumors about Imagination replacements or new World Showcase nations remain just that, rumors.

I'm aware that those projects are the ones which are most concrete at this stage, but for 2 billion dollars, I just think there has to be more stuff coming that hasn't been finalized. If we get to 2022 and Disney's spent that amount of money, and we've only gotten two new rides from it (one of which is a replacement), somebody will need to be fired for gross financial mismanagement.

 

[epcyclopedia]

I assume any changes to Legacy plaza will also include changes to the Innoventions buildings.

The plaza holds things like stroller rental, camera center (photos), etc... that can't just be axed without replacement. And Innoventions is too big of an eyesore to just ignore for that long.

 

[belloq87]

Edit: I think Disney's playing wait and see on a few fronts, such as responses to new attractions and how well new movies do (Coco and Gigantic for example) before moving forward on more Epcot plans. Doesn't mean there isn't a lot coming, just that it's going to be phases, and only the first (or first couple) phases are set in stone as of yet.

Possible, certainly. The only concern would be that Disney doesn't have the greatest track record of following through on phases beyond the first (unless construction is already underway).

 

[Alicia]

I'm aware that those projects are the ones which are most concrete at this stage, but for 2 billion dollars, I just think there has to be more stuff coming that hasn't been finalized. If we get to 2022 and Disney's spent that amount of money, and we've only gotten two new rides from it (one of which is a replacement), somebody will need to be fired for gross financial mismanagement.

It sounded like Niles just doesn't know what other projects are coming... and if a new Hotel is something we're getting -and/or- they really are tearing out all of communicore I can see the price tag shooting up pretty fast. As it is now though, they may still have two-thirds of that money to play with when coming up with ideas if you take out what's already underway at Future World and France.

I assume any changes to Legacy plaza will also include changes to the Innoventions buildings.

The plaza holds things like stroller rental, camera center (photos), etc... that can't just be axed without replacement. And Innoventions is too big of an eyesore to just ignore for that long.

Yes. This. Very much this.

And I've heard that a lot of the wiring, pipes, etc in the Innoventions buildings have NEVER been updated. A big chunk of money may very well go to simply updating infrastructure, gutting buildings, replacing walkways, and building a new entrance plaza. And while that might not be a fun use of a lot of money, it is desperately needed for the park.

I hope some of the plans from Project Gemini come to fruition and we get a lot more trees and gardens in Future World, because there's a bit too much concrete for my taste. (Project Gemini was rumored to cost up to $500 million alone, and that was mainly just to update communicore, so keep that in mind when thinking about where the theoretical 2b is going to.)

Possible, certainly. The only concern would be that Disney doesn't have the greatest track record of following through on phases beyond the first (unless construction is already underway).

I'm okay with that. I'm not so sure Gigantic or even Coco are going to be good enough, (or more importantly earn enough) to base rides on.

I wouldn't mind seeing a new Figment ride that doesn't suck personally, but odds are Disney'll shove a Pixar property in there eventually.

 

[epcyclopedia]

Not to mention, the floor of Innoventions is just poured in concrete on top of the Communicore subfloor.

Really, filling in the few feet of height difference between the levels was one of the most bone headed things they've ever done.

 

[Mr. EPCOT]

Not to mention, the floor of Innoventions is just poured in concrete on top of the Communicore subfloor.

Really, filling in the few feet of height difference between the levels was one of the most bone headed things they've ever done.

Really thinking about it, filling it with concrete does seem like overkill, considering that there would be plenty of other ways to even the floor throughout the buildings.

 

[epcyclopedia]

Really thinking about it, filling it with concrete does seem like overkill, considering that there would be plenty of other ways to even the floor throughout the buildings.

When IBM put in their exhibit it was delayed for months because they had to dig out the floor to get access to running he electrical and such.

 

[GadgetGuru]

The TPI article was mostly speculation. Guardians, a new entrance plaza, and Ratoutille were the only things Niles actually confirmed.

If this is a $2B expansion, there's going to be a lot more. DCA was a couple billion and they built a ton of stuff.

I'm glad Disney wants to redo Epcot's mess of an opening plaza. Maybe it'll kick Universal into gear and fix USF's...

 

[SkiBum]

I'm aware that those projects are the ones which are most concrete at this stage, but for 2 billion dollars, I just think there has to be more stuff coming that hasn't been finalized. If we get to 2022 and Disney's spent that amount of money, and we've only gotten two new rides from it (one of which is a replacement), somebody will need to be fired for gross financial mismanagement.

Shareholders will be extremely unhappy, which might lead to firings.

If this is a $2B expansion, there's going to be a lot more. DCA was a couple billion and they built a ton of stuff.

So, Carsland, Mermaid, World of Color, and the entryway to DCA came in. What else was added? I cannot remember. I completely agree that this should bring in several attractions. However, given Disney's trend of overspend, I'm not holding my breath.

 

[epcyclopedia]

Maybe they do mean to spend 2b on just the entry, spine, and shops.

Epcot has bigger coffers than the other parks. Usually it ends up paying for random things the other parks need.

To note: Legacy is just sheets of granite - the blocks aren't solid. They're on steel frames - like they made countertops into the monoliths by gluing the panels together.

Taking it down and having an empty plaza should theoretically take days.

 

[Joel]

Maybe they do mean to spend 2b on just the entry, spine, and shops.

Epcot has bigger coffers than the other parks. Usually it ends up paying for random things the other parks need.

To note: Legacy is just sheets of granite - the blocks aren't solid. They're on steel frames - like they made countertops into the monoliths by gluing the panels together.

Taking it down and having an empty plaza should theoretically take days.

I know this is a hypothetical question, but do you think they'd move/keep the Legacy sheets? I mean, weren't they sold as being there forever? Maybe to Disney Springs or used as walls instead of Czech hedgehogs?