12th Pavilion in World Showcase

[DisneyCat]

A source at WDW has confirmed it: The 12th and latest pavilion in EPCOT's World Showcase will be devoted to the history of Kentucky Basketball.

The new attraction, which is to be located in the "Central African" corner between China and Germany, will include a restaurant, shops, and a ride-thru exhibit. Latest plans call for the restaurant to be a branch of Lexington's famed Coach House. The ride, tentatively called "Tracking the CATS," will trace the history of college basketball's most storied (and most
notorious!) program. Highlights will include the school's seven national titles,
audio-animatronic figures depicting many of the great Wildcat players, and an unprecedented simulation of a game at the legendary Rupp Arena. According to the source, the show will also deal candidly (yet delicately) with the more infamous events in UK history, including the infamous "Emery Package" episode. As expected, the souvenir/gift contract went to Lexington's Wildcat Corner company.

The exterior theme of the exhibit will recall landmarks familiar to UK and college basketball fans the world over: Rupp Arena, the old Memorial Coliseum, and even a scaled-down version of the Lexington Civic Center Mall, which will be the site of the restaurants and gift outlets. Of course, all employees will be native Kentuckians, recruited through the same process as the other foreign nationals working in the World Showcase.

Lexington's Webb Brothers Development Corporation is the capital partner in the project, and final approval of all plans will go to a joint committee composed of the UK Athletics Board and Disney officials. Ground has already been broken, and the projected completion date is set for spring, 2002. Of course, a tie-in publicity campaign is expected to be coordinated with the
school's EIGHTH NATIONAL TITLE, which will have been achieved in early April of next year.

 

[wdwguide]

I though that was the location for "Burger Station Hot", where you can sample tiny bits of McDonald's products from around the world, one of which is destined to disgust visitors with its taste of disolved aspirin?

 

[DisneyFanGuy]

I had confirmation of the rumor given to me by one of my CM sources. They also said that Figment was going to be part of the tour, due to a cost saving stratagy of using old discarded animatronics from other "no longer loved" attractions. I heard that Eisner was planning on being "personally involved" in both the design and construction and was about to hold a press conference to confirm the new pavillion. Something about how he actually plans to "drive in the tacks" that hold the electrical cables. (Though some wags are commenting that it's really a cover to hide the fact that their last electrician took a voluntary severance package.)

Looking forward to it!

 

[KYMickey]

inkbounc Of Course accross the lake will be the Duke Pavillion, the 2 could then show the finals as part of the new Laser light show the will replace Illuminations! Each years winner gets to paint the boats in their Logo!

 

[lc1965]

who says Disney cult members can't have a sense of humor? besides, i thought they were going to skip the next pavilion so they can devote themselves to expanding china: a replica of the terra cotta soldiers w/ mickey ears & mylar balloons.

 

[Geubux]

I heard it was going to be devoted to all of college basketball and would have an Indiana Pavilion. If you were caught line jumping, you be choked by a disgruntled cast member and if you didn't pay attention to the preshow, you would be verbally harassed and humiliated until you decided to transfer to a different EPCOT pavilion.

 

[DisneyCat]

I heard it was going to be devoted to all of college basketball and would have an Indiana Pavilion. If you were caught line jumping, you be choked by a disgruntled cast member and if you didn't pay attention to the preshow, you would be verbally harassed and humiliated until you decided to transfer to a different EPCOT pavilion.

Chair throwing... somebody has to work chair throwing in there!!

And by the way- I think you'd have to call it the Texas Tech pavilion now. Doesn't have quite the same ring to it, does it?

 

[Geubux]

How could I have forgotten that time honored Indiana tradition? When a beautiful woman or bad call is seen across the court, a true portly gentleman will gracefully toss her his chair from the opposite side. If she should show the poor taste to refuse it, said gentleman may cuss her out profusely!