So, with the GotG rumor focused on Epcot, I guess it s a good time to rant about Epcot as a whole. Studios us getting a whole new facelift and focus, AK is now (almost) a full day park and MK is pretty much built to saturation...so what to do with Epcot???
1st off, I really like Epcot. I love the diversity of World showcase, watching Illuminations (or any future or past night show) there is excellent, and the old future world was incredible. But future world has really struggled in the last 10-15 years to remain relevant and...well...future. So what to do?
2nd: I don't subscribe to the "Walt's dream" mentality. IMO, Epcot as it was originally constructed was so far off of what Walt envisioned, so there isn need to try and hold on to that. Likewise, what Walt envisioned was an entire working and living community, a city redesigned with business, employment, housing and a brand new infrastructure. Last time I checked, you can't sell admission tickets to get into NYC? So who would buy a park hopper to get into Walt's ideal community? Epcot was and always will be a theme park, plain and simple. WDW is a resort destination and the guests want to be entertained.
And lastly, I want to say that I am not opposed to Disney IPs (intellectual properties, basically any of their characters) being in Epcot. I know this is a huge issue with some, esp with the Maelstrom > Frozen change over we just had, but to me—its Disney, its for families (not that adults can't have fun there, some of my best times at WDW were when I was by myself), adding a few IPs to that park will not kill it. Do I think every attraction should be based on an IP...hell no, but a good mix would be welcome.
OK, back to future world, lets face it, it suffers from the same thing Tomorrowland does, attractions cannot keep up with current technology. They take too long to plan, build and changing them out every few years is not going to happen. I think its time that Disney stops with the sponsorship model that they seem so intent on for these pavilions. Companies just don't have the need or want to be sponsors on such a huge, non ROI type expense. I don't care how many times I ride Space Ship Earth, I don't run out afterward and look to buy a Seimens product.
I love the FW pavilion buildings. I can't think of one park where the architecture is so unique and diverse. There is nothing that resembles the Imagination building, or the Land, etc. Just real great visual porn when you are standing in the middle and looking around. So there is no need to change those.
What I would change is the focus of each them. IMO< I think each pavilion should be a mix of attraction and exhibit hall. I know there was inventions, where small companies can come and temporarily set up their latest and greatest. But It got too confusing, random and popped only used it as an AC pathway to the opposite side of the park. I would rather see each pavilion be whole owned by Disney, have a disney attraction—be it IP based or not, and then offer an exhibition space where smaller companies can rent space to showcase some of the latest technology that fits that theme. I think this is where Test Track has it right with the GM Showcase and vehicle type games they offer after you ride.
So lets take a walk around and see what we can do.
Starting w/ Living Seas, God I miss the old focus of this with Sea Base Alpha and the Hydrolators. IMO, the Hydrolators were the best example of WDW magic in helping transport guests (at least in their mind) from a theme park to another world. Anyway, Turtle talk is good,the kids love it and it doesn't take up too much space, so I have no problem with it. Nemo and friends has to go. Story book type attractions don't have a place in this park. What I would rather see is for them to go back closer to the original attraction where a narrator give you a tour around Sea Base Alpha. But that was still a made up story. I think we could do a mix of Space Ship Earth and Horizons here. The ride would take you through marine exploration history, showing old drive bell type technology and build up to current and future innovations in sea floor exploration. Then I would leave the rest of the aquarium tank area intact.
The Land is in good shape. I would love to see an update to the boat ride, but it isn't all bad. Plus with Soarin just getting redone, it is a popular pavilion.
Imagination....ohhhh Imagination, what happened to you?? It would be easy to say 'just go back to the original' but lets not for this exercise. I say lets scrap the theme entirely. We have 2 physical themes as neighbors, The Land and the Seas, Imagination seems too etherial of a concept. Lets retheme this something about humans, and their power of invention (ok...que the hate mail). IMO, Invention can not come without imagination, so it is not a total loss from its original theme. As for a ride, this is a go with me here type but I think it fits the pavilion perfectly. It is an IP that is not very popular, but it is actually one of my families favorite movies—Meet the Robinson's. If you don't know it, the short synopsis is about a family of quirky inventors, but 1 ends up changing the world. If you know the movie, there are os many personalites it would make for a fun attraction. Then, of course I would reopen the upstairs imagination works.
Moving over to Test Track, as i said earlier, this one id in good shape. I'm not a fan of the "Test Tron" look, but with all the other work needed, I can let this live.
Mission space, I'll admit, I don't love this attraction, but I don't do well in tight spaces, so its more me then the ride. I think this needs a exhibit extension where companies like Space X can showcase what they are doing.
Wonders of life (sad face). This needs to be reopened STAT! But not as a Star tours knock off like the past, but I would love to see a mainly screen based attraction here that centers around the Inside Out IP.
A note on 'Screen Based' attractions. These are another big debate amongst the Disney attraction purists and the Universal thrill/tech loving crowd. Put me in the camp of that I like screen based attraction, but universal has gone way-too reliant on them overall. I think WDW NEEDS a screen based attraction to balance out the attractions. I know some people don't like them, but others do and just like I don't like Mission space, many others do. So I think there is room for that here and in other parks. If you look at the new Pirates ride in Shanghai, it is a great example of using screens as a enhancement to physical props and architecture within the ride.
OK...back to WoL, I could see this being an attraction set as one f the memory balls that rolls through Reilly's head. It would be smooth but jerky when needed and with 3D screen, you can do some great rolling down hill and edge of the brain cliff type effects. Maybe this doesn't stay 'Wonders of Life" but maybe something related to the "Power of our Brain".
And finally Energy. I am having a tough time imagining how a GotG theme would fit in here. But I believe energy is an important topic and is vital to any invention or technological leap. Not sure what we could do here, but maybe something that takes you though different types of energy sources? IDK
Wish list...how cool with this be to have a Tron coaster put in there though. The actual building is huge!!!
so there is my take on Future World....feel free to discuss
