Saving EPCOT's Future World

[GhostHost2]

IMO, EPCOT has turned into the worse WDW park. My suggestions to make it better:

1. Bring back the original Journey into Imagination. Also, it should be plussed with modern technology.

2. Get Nemo out of the Living Seas. Build a ride similar to TDS's 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea adjacent to the Living Seas. Have this ride show us recreated (not projections or videos) wonders of the very very deep sea that we know actual exist.

3. Build an updated Horizons.

4. If Body Wars has actually closed for good, make a ride based off the same idea, only this time it isn't a simulator, you would be actually surrounded by 3 dimensional environments like a dark ride. It would be a dark ride/thrill ride combo ala Dinosaur. Have some focus on the educational aspects such as how the body works.

5. Turn Test Track into an attraction about the future of technology, let us ride in cars that will be available in the very distant future. This could be paired with an updated Worlds of Motion.

6. Make an attraction in the Energy pavillion that doesn't rely on watching videos as much.

These improvements could turn EPCOT into a great park, instead of the park for seniors. Also, World Showcase has a lot of problems, but Future World is the focus for this thread.

[TDR_Fan]

I don't think World Showcase has any problems besides the lack of an E-ticket attraction, or attractions period.

[GhostHost2]

I don't think World Showcase has any problems besides the lack of an E-ticket attraction, or attractions period.

Exactly my thoughts. Come to the World Showcase and see videos of China, France, and Canada!

[EPCOT]

IMO, EPCOT has turned into the worse WDW park.

That's funny.

You been to the Studios or the Magic Kingdom lately?

1. Bring back the original Journey into Imagination. Also, it should be plussed with modern technology.

Imagination is broken. Very broken. Fix it. With something new.

2. Get Nemo out of the Living Seas.

Why? It's merely an introduction to the tanks. An engaging, fun little introduction at that. Anyway, this "Nemo Lite" is preferred by many to the promised messiah of all theme park rides- the Subs. Not in terms of scale of course, but in terms of not being.........ever so slightly dull.

Build a ride similar to TDS's 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea adjacent to the Living Seas. Have this ride show us recreated (not projections or videos) wonders of the very very deep sea that we know actual exist.

So, a Pixar modern classic is bad, but a Disney feature is good?

Can't disagree with the attraction though- nice idea. Sort of like Soarin' only underwater.

3. Build an updated Horizons.

Yeah, a new dark ride of some kind would be nice. VERY nice. VERY welcome.

4. If Body Wars has actually closed for good, make a ride based off the same idea, only this time it isn't a simulator, you would be actually surrounded by 3 dimensional environments like a dark ride. It would be a dark ride/thrill ride combo ala Dinosaur. Have some focus on the educational aspects such as how the body works.

I like it.

Of course, you'd need a new Pavillion first. One that doesn't magically transport you to the 80's.

5. Turn Test Track into an attraction about the future of technology, let us ride in cars that will be available in the very distant future. This could be paired with an updated Worlds of Motion.

Nice. Dark ride with fast-y bits.

6. Make an attraction in the Energy pavillion that doesn't rely on watching videos as much.

I love Ellen's Energy Adventure. But many (ok most) don't. Yeah, keep the nice long dark-y-ness of it all but pluss like you've never plussed before WDI!

These improvements could turn EPCOT into a great park, instead of the park for seniors.

How ON EARTH is it currently a park for seniors? If anything, that was the public percetion of the old EPCOT.

I wouldn't expect my granny to be first in line for Mission:SPACE or Test Track. Which, admittedly is one of the issues...........

[GhostHost2]

I wouldn't expect my granny to be first in line for Mission:SPACE or Test Track. Which, admittedly is one of the issues...........

Well Test Track and Mission: Space were built as thrill rides, but they turned out pretty bland. Mission: Space is of course not even close to being safe for seniors, but it isn't much of a thrill for those that are younger. Seniors like World Showcase and Living with the Land alot I assure you. Horizons appealed to anyone curious about what life will be like in the future, and that is something that everyone with an imagination is curious about, not just seniors.

Unfortenately, public perceptions stand in the way of making everything great. The Magic Kingdom is probably widely considered the "kiddie" park of WDW, but it isn't. It is this perception that gave us such classics (deep sarcasm) as: The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, Stitch's Great Escape, Pooh's Playful Spot, and Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor. Yeah, the MK is definately becoming way too kiddy.

[WDWLakelandFL]

Unfortunately it's all about an immediate return on investment with the current WDW (and argueably all TWDC) management. They, like most of corporate America, are allowing Wall Street to run their businesses. It's all about immediate payback and financial gratification returns. "How did you perform this quarter vs the same quarter last year?" is the first question from any Wall Street Analyst when evaluating the financial performance of a company and whether to advise their clients to invest in the company's stock. Corporate Boards of Directors have perpetualized this through HUMONGUS CEOs' bonuses based on achieving specific stock price increase benchmarks. CEOs' are encouraged to make business decisions that contribute to the bottom line immediately much moreso than long term growth decisions.

Especially when it comes to Epcot, WDW management is not willing to invest big dollars for new attractions unless they can get a corporate sponsor to front the money and/or they can show a near immediate payback in the form of a huge bump in full-fare-paying theme park/hotel guests visits (not increased AP day-tripper attendance). Example: SSE got NO attention to cleanup/updating until Siemens became the sponsor. Because Wall Street is "running" most corporations vicariously through their "buy/sell/hold" stock recommendations to their clients, it's getting harder and harder for TWDC to convince other corporations they'll see an immediate return to their bottom line by sponsoring a new Epcot (or whatever park) ride. I have no idea what a corporate sponsorship of an Epcot pavilion costs corporations now, but I recall reading that when Epcot opened in 1982, corporate pavilion sponsorships cost $3 million dollars per year and were a 10 year contract.....a $30 million committment. I'm sure it's double or triple that now. That's a LOT of money just to have little signs on the attraction with your company name and a CM and/or recorded speil saying "presented by XYZ company". If I were CEO of a large corporation, I'd think long and hard before approving that kind of bottom line expense when I knew it would directly affect my bonus payout this year and for 10 years in the future.

Sorry if I got a little off-thread here, but sometimes we tend to forget that WDW/TWDC is, first and foremost, a business that is publicly held through it's stockholders. It's easy to suggest, "They should build this or redo that.", but the money has to come from somewhere, either in the form of another corporation fronting the money for it or "bean counters" being able to substantiate the new ride/attraction will result in an immediate (or near immediate) increase in income for the company through increased fare-paying park and hotel guests.

[nbodyhome]

Epcot is my favorite park (AK next). Fortunately, I don't need many attractions to keep me happy - because what they haven't isn't so great as far as Nemo (I know a lot of people like it, I wasn't impressed), Imagination - I'd love to see the original back, or similar, etc. There are some good attractions, too - I still love the Impressions de France, though not so much the Gran Fiesta (preferred the original).

I like to walk there, it is a beautiful park! But I do miss the omnimover type attractions, it'd have been nice if they had just updated (instead of totally changed) some of them. Like Spaceship Earth, it never felt outdated to me. They could have done the same with Imagination too.

[Cmash95]

the living seas with nemo was done all on disney's dime. things are changing. I would like a new imagination ride not a rehash of the original or what is there now but something totally new. I would also like to see the energy pavilion's focus change to renewable clean energy. maybe get professor ludwig von drake involved. this would be better than the fosile fuel showcase they have now. just my opinion of course.

[ZeekSlider]

1. Imagination is fine as long as they keep Figment in the mix. Yes, Dreamfinder would be nice to have back in the mix, but I guess that ran its course. The idea of a factory/lab concentrating on the five senses to help stimulate your imagination is both fun and a fitting theme. But if they remove Figment again, there will be hell to pay.

2. Nemo at the Living Sea is not a bad thing. If anything, it's a nice little entryway for kids to get to know marine life. The only thing I wish we could have back is Scuba Diving Mickey, as I was told he has been removed from the attraction since Nemo moved in.

3. Horizon turned into Mission: Space, which is perfectly find with me. I never did understand the point of Horizon to being with, but then again, I was 11 at the time I visited it.

4. A dark ride inside the human body? I'm sorry, but I liked the Body Wars approach better. At least the sci-fi element made it more believable and the less likelihood of people joking about how you would board a ride vehicle that follows a track through the body (which will ultimately lead to people thinking that the track you follow is that of food, and we can see where this will end up, so I'm stopping right there). But, much like Star Tours, they need a major upgrade for Body Wars. Not just a new film, but even a new ride system. If they insist on keeping the motion theatre for capacity reasons, I suggest looking at StormRider in TDS.

That said, what ever happened to Cranial Command? I thought it was a cute way to introduce kids to the inner workings of the brain and body, as well as how to make healthy choices for your body. They should update that as well, or put a version 2.0 or something. That ride has just disappeared off my radar for some reson.

5. Test Track is fine for what it is. If anything, their post-show room needs to have more concept cars that we will see on the market in about five years instead of ones you can buy now.

6. Here's a better idea: Move the Monsters Inc. out of MK and put them in the Energy Pavilion! Mike and Sully can give humans a tour to renewable energy sources using Monstroplisis as an example. They can even introduce a new monster techie who knows more about human science than Mike and Sully combined! (And probably works for the CDA.) It's a nice and easy in for the kids to know about recycling and renewable energy like solar power and wind power!

ADDITIONAL SUGGESTION: Get rid of Soarin' and put in StormRider and call the new building "The Weather Pavilion" with the intent of teaching kids and adults about the atmosphere and weather events like hurricanes, tornados, and even how rain is formed. Link it with the Energy Pavilion by also showing how acid rain is formed and even how to capture lightning energy through lightning rods.

World Showcase suggestion: It's fine as is. If anything, they should just add the retired TDS show Rhythms of the World. But even I'm heisitent against that idea given what they did to Cinderellabration.

[aimster]

Exactly my thoughts. Come to the World Showcase and see videos of China, France, and Canada!

Don't forget the boat rides in Mexico and Norway.

That being said, EPCOT has been my favorite park since I first visited it 20 years ago. I try to visit every trip to WDW. I agree Future World needs some serious help, but it looks like it's slowly going to happen, which is a good sign.

[GhostHost2]

Don't forget the boat rides in Mexico and Norway.

I was being a little sarcastic.

[kirbilicious]

This might be the first time I've ever heard anyone call Epcot the worst park in WDW.

[WDW Monorail]

EPCOT! Worst park?!

[theaterbear]

I don't know if I'm alone in this - but to me, back in the early days of EPCOT Center when I was a kid, Future World represented all the new and exciting things we could look forward to in the world. Now, frankly, the world is in such a chaotic mess the future doesn't exactly look so bright. There is no sense of optimism looking ahead anymore - perhaps EPCOT feels that way as well because none of the newer attractions seem to be looking forward to the future as something exciting or as something to look forward to. The sense of wonder is gone. I remember running through Communicore looking at all the new products of tomorrow and thinking "wow, the future is going to be amazing!" - Innoventions is a sad sad comparison. Maybe its just because I've grown up and can see things as they really are now.

[aimster]

^^ You've got a point there. Disney needs to find a way to make the future look like something exciting again. They used to be 2 steps ahead on that but now they're like, 1 step forward, 3 steps back. It's sad.