Save Epcot!

[Robo]

I despise, I repeat DESPISE, the new JIYI. What was wrong with the original I have no idea

Nothing was "wrong" with it. But Kodak had a long-standing contract that said Disney was to "upgrade" the attraction for the year 2000.
Nobody knew that the "upgrade" would be so miserable.

They need to get a new 3-D film in there, Honey I Shrunk the Audience is way outdated.

Its only "outdated" if you're tired of seeing it.
HIST-Kids is an older Disney film, but the content of HISTA does not depend on seeing (or even knowing about) the original films.

 

[ocalla]

that's it!!!! Communicore East and West. I loved that place. Thanks for the name

Am I the only person (besides hubby and daughters) that really feel like I am at EPCOT only after a boat ride in The Land. Is that still there? Tell me they didn't replace it.

Is the "food rocks" gone now? My kids liked this when they were younger, Had To see it every time.

We do enjoy having lunch in the Sunshine Season Food Fair, more to choose from, and have been lunching there since our first few trips. It was however called something else and for the life of me I can't remember what it was.

Boy I am really excited about finally going back, especially after reading so many memories.

 

[MisunderstoodLilo]

Am I the only person (besides hubby and daughters) that really feel like I am at EPCOT only after a boat ride in The Land. Is that still there? Tell me they didn't replace it.

Is the "food rocks" gone now? My kids liked this when they were younger, Had To see it every time.

Living W/ The Land is still there. Food Rocks has been replaced by Soarin'. Even the Sunshine Seasons food court is different. Still there in a newer form, but different.

Soooo much has changed in WDW since your last trip in 2004, that a new guidebook wouldn't hurt. Don't get the Birnbaum though...either get the Unofficial Guide or the Passporter.

Have fun!

 

[ChrisFL]

Food Rocks has been replaced by Soarin'.

That's something else that bothers me...the Soarin' ride itself is actually next to Journey into Imagination, and with all of the "flight" involved, I really think Disney missed a great chance to open a whole new pavilion for "air"...

That way we'd have "Land" "Sea" AND "Air" all next to each other!

 

[readytogo]

I've heard numerous times about how Epcots attendance was dropping, and was getting a reputation for being boring, but is there anyone out there that feels the same way I do? Any other 80's kids who miss the old Epcot? Anyone else think its going down-hill?

I LOVE EPCOT and could spend a whole week there! The last time I was there during 'Regular' season, it was packed with people. No sign whatsoever that there was or is an attendence problem. I have heard people complain about MGM and Animal Kingdom, but never about Epcot. It is the most unique 'theme' park around and Disney is doing a fine job of trying to please it's millions, upon millions of guests and that's no easy feat.

Love Epcot, wand or no wand!

 

[disneyphilip]

Im honsetly nervous. I just read an article saying that WDI is only going ahead whith attractions featuring animated characters from their films, only. NO more rides that have no association to a film. Looks like the Grand Fiesta plague may be spreading across world showcase....This very well may be the end of the original EPCOT.

All of that is not true, so please stop overgeneralizing and overexaggerating.

Besides, Gran Fiesta Tour is way better and maybe even more educational in showing off the Mexican country than El Rio del Tiempo.

Epcot is not being dumbed down. It's only being dumbed down because people like you think that it is. Epcot has not abandoned its mission to edutain--they're just doing it in new ways that are more accessible to kids and families. They want characters to teach them stuff, then so be it. And I, for one, am all for it.

So, in general, Epcot DOES NOT need to be saved! It's just fine as it is and it's doing better than ever now.

 

[FlowersChild]

I was 5 years old when Epcot first opened I remember going to Epcot a few times when I was a little child and I can't remember the names of all those rides and there is a lot that I don't remember, but I know that I really like those olds rides. I am still a little child though, I just got older and taller

I am happy that SpaceShipEarth and Ellen's Energy Adventure are still in Epcot I guess Ellen's Energy Adventure used to be called something else, but like I said when I was a little child ( little child meaning around 8 years of age and about 4 and a half feet tall ) I did not know all the names of these rides or I do not remember them.

I have an idea. Maybe Disney could come out with a dvd edition that has all the Epcot rides that are now gone. I say put every ride and show in there. This might take 2 or 3 dvds to do this. You could watch the rides on your dvd player and see them how they were with all the sound effects and everything Maybe for bonus stuff they could talk about these rides and how people got the idea for these rides and so on I would so buy this dvd edition

Now Mission Space is a new ride, but in a way it feels like an old ride. Does anyone know what I mean ? I guess it's the idea about Mission Space that feels like the ideas of old. When I go on Mission Space it feels like the world of Tomorrowland from years ago I know that Tomorrowland is in DisneyLand and the Magic Kingdom in DisneyWorld, but in a way it was in Epcot since a lot of Tomorrowland ideas are in Epcot, if you see what I mean ? This was hard to explain and it's hard for me to word things, but do you kinda understand what I mean ?

Anyways I do love the Epcot of today and I know that changes must take place. I am just another person who happens to like some of the older Epcot rides better. Maybe it's because they were the first Epcot rides that I went on ? But I also like some of the new stuff like " The Seas with Nemo & Friends " This is why I think it would be a great idea to put all the rides from epcot that are now gone on a dvd edition In the years to come some of these new rides will be gone and other rides will come and then they will need another dvd edition

I am 6 foot 3 and 30 years old, but I will always be a little child and I will always be the same person who went to Epcot when it had many of those rides that are now gone

 

[Horizons1]

All of that is not true, so please stop overgeneralizing and overexaggerating.

Besides, Gran Fiesta Tour is way better and maybe even more educational in showing off the Mexican country than El Rio del Tiempo.

Epcot is not being dumbed down. It's only being dumbed down because people like you think that it is. Epcot has not abandoned its mission to edutain--they're just doing it in new ways that are more accessible to kids and families. They want characters to teach them stuff, then so be it. And I, for one, am all for it.

So, in general, Epcot DOES NOT need to be saved! It's just fine as it is and it's doing better than ever now.

LOL

 

[Horizons1]

Now Mission Space is a new ride, but in a way it feels like an old ride. Does anyone know what I mean ? I guess it's the idea about Mission Space that feels like the ideas of old. When I go on Mission Space it feels like the world of Tomorrowland from years ago I know that Tomorrowland is in DisneyLand and the Magic Kingdom in DisneyWorld, but in a way it was in Epcot since a lot of Tomorrowland ideas are in Epcot, if you see what I mean ? This was hard to explain and it's hard for me to word things, but do you kinda understand what I mean ?

I know exactly what you mean. I really liked the Mission Space Queue area...did you notice that the Horizons logo is in the center of the big spinning spacestation thing? I wish there were more exhibits like that in the rest of the pavillion, like a mini museum section on space travel

 

[disneyphilip]

LOL

Please don't make fun of me.

 

[mikkiwikki]

This strikes me as so sad! I would have figured that they had trashed all that stuff or sold it off on ebay. What a waste! The playground area was one of my favorite spots in epcot. I always wanted to stay, and usually had to be dragged out by my parents so we could see something else. Now when I go to Epcot in Oct. all I'll be thinking of is those great toys sitting unloved upstairs at Imagination.

Absolutely - I took my kids to Imagination for their first time 2005.

I was so upset with what they did to that ride. The very best parts - the hands on exhibits - that I couldnt wait to show my kids, because I was so awed by it as a kid were gone. The only part that was there that was a big draw was the 'sound floor' <<<Click for pic... ...there were a bunch of computers setup to take pictures of your face that you could morph...my kids spend enough screen time, ...I was looking for the tactile experiences that were so interesting.,

 

[FlowersChild]

I know exactly what you mean. I really liked the Mission Space Queue area...did you notice that the Horizons logo is in the center of the big spinning spacestation thing? I wish there were more exhibits like that in the rest of the pavillion, like a mini museum section on space travel

I will have to look for the Horizon logo the next time that I go there Also yes more space travel rides would be awesome After all this is future world so future space travel rides fit in nice Some new rides with that old TomorrowLand feel There is something about Disney TomorrowLand that I just really like and it's hard to explain

Also all these space rides don't need to be as intense as Mission Space. Maybe have some intense and some mild ones. Maybe a nice Cinema Space show on screen and maybe make it 3D ? This Space show can be kinda like you going somewhere into space and make it educational Also what about a nice slow ride that goes threw space ? This slow space ride could be in the dark and all around you can see stars and sometimes you see other things in space like maybe our star and the moon and make it educational Also for an intense space ride maybe a ride in space that starts off slow but something goes wrong and before you know it you are being pulled by a black hole and everything goes crazy Also I say they make this intense black hole ride educational These are just some of my ideas and while I have little hope that this will ever happen, it's fun to dream about these ideas

 

[goofybabe2001]

We love epcot past and present more especially the past ride. I wish i could take my dd's on them now but everything seems to have to change.I just wish for once Disney would stay themed in their parks. It seems that the vision of the future from the 80's is now here and we can't imagine what the future maybe in the coming years. show me some imagination and show me what the future maybe in the next say 50 years. Let get a little creative disney put your imagineers to work not just rehashing old ideas with a new theme.

 

[Horizons1]

Please don't make fun of me.

come on man, lighten up....all in good fun. No hard feelings

 

[Ridge]

I don't get here too often but one thing I do know is all the parks.As annual passholders we get to visit at least twice a week .After the AK my second favorite is EPCOT. Intyernation Food and Wine, Summer Concert series, Food and Wine and Holidays Around the World keep you going.The new attractions and changes are exciting.Nest years 25th anniversary of EPCOT will be huge.
Why live in the past. Absorb the future.Isn't that the spirit of EPCOT anyway.

 

[Horizons1]

Why live in the past. Absorb the future.Isn't that the spirit of EPCOT anyway.

read the rest of the posts....thats not exactly what we're talking about.

You're right "absorb the future". That is what the spirit of EPCOT is all about....but it doesn't seem like that anymore. Almost nothing about it.

 

[graygables]

.Nest years 25th anniversary of EPCOT will be huge.

Care to share where this is coming from? The 25th is actually THIS year and the last I heard, Disney is no longer going to make a big hoopla for individual parks, only year long celebrations that all the parks can participate in. For Heaven's sake SE is going to be CLOSED for the 25th anniversary of the opening. There has been precious little said about anything for Epcot's 25th, this is all I've seen:

"Epcot fans have been hoping for a big celebration to mark the theme park's 25th anniversary but until now Disney officials have been discouraging the notion, saying instead that the event would be marked by internal commemorations.

New Epcot Vice President Jim MacPhee is opening the door to possible public events, saying last week that the Oct. 1 anniversary would include "some surprises for our guests."

As that news follows up his declaration that the 257-foot-tall wand sign will be coming down, MacPhee looks like he's off to a potentially big start among Epcot purists.

MacPhee, however, didn't say any more about what those anniversary events might include."

With one pavilion outright closed and another so empty the CMs faces light up the moment they see another human face, it would be sad to have a big to-do with so much wasted potential.

 

[momxx5]

I have not read all the posts but I wanted to mention that most of the old rides/pavillions, etc where corporate sponsored and that is what kept the themes going. WDW/Epcot lost a lot of the sponsors and thus needed to rethink the rides.

Kraft sponsored the Land, Kodak sponsored Imagination, etc.

Is the wand hand really coming down? That is sad.

 

[Disney Padawan]

With one pavilion outright closed and another so empty the CMs faces light up the moment they see another human face, it would be sad to have a big to-do with so much wasted potential.

Just curious which pavilion is always empty?

 

[jess20k]

I do miss a lot of things about the original Epcot Center, but I also enjoy some of the newer additions, like Soarin and Test Track. I do wish they would've kept Horizons and World of Motion! Those are the 2 I really miss! I also think Nemo would have been a better fit at the MK.