Does it bum anyone else how soulless Epcot feels these days or is it just me?

[kbelle8995]

I think Epcot is a wonderful park. I like the OP miss Horizons and would love Journey into imagination to return to the original attraction.

But Epcot has evolved. So I really enjoy what it is now.

 

[bcrook]

I put down that I love EPCOT because every year that we go, something stands out THAT Trip!

For us, last yea reven w/out TT up n running EPCOT was our fav.

With 11 nights there in WDW, there was plenty of time to visit & revisit each park several times. It's just something stood out this. time. It's possible that way because we stayed in BWV this time, I'm not sure.

For instance the trip before thatin 2011 we really enjoyed AK ,& that time was our fav park..

Who knows: Maybe this April Epcot won't be our fav. But even if it's our least favorite out of all 4 parks this time, it's still Disney, & it's better than anything else that there is out there---> (O/side of Disney that is)

surely you don't mean everything? The real Paris? All the sights and history of Washington, D.C., Yellowstone, the Columbia river gorge, Hawaii? Charleston South Carolina? The Great Lakes? Maine in the summer. The Rockies! The blue ridge parkway? Lake itasca, Minnesota? The Pacific Coast highway? The Virgin Islands. Quebec and Vancouver? London, Scotland, or Ireland? Better than all of Australia?

I like Epcot, but not that much.

 

[DisneyDiva8401]

I see were the OP is coming from. Epcot has always been one if my favorites. All of the changes were made gradually so you really don't see how much it has changed until you sit down and compare now and then. It used to be a very educational experience, but not so much now. It's still a fun park and I love it, but if I hadn't seen it for a long time and saw the changes taking place, I wouldn't even recognize it. I find it kinda sad that unless it has fun thrill rides, it would more than likely get passed over.

 

[bcrook]

I see were the OP is coming from. Epcot has always been one if my favorites. All of the changes were made gradually so you really don't see how much it has changed until you sit down and compare now and then. It used to be a very educational experience, but not so much now. It's still a fun park and I love it, but if I hadn't seen it for a long time and saw the changes taking place, I wouldn't even recognize it. I find it kinda sad that unless it has fun thrill rides, it would more than likely get passed over.

I think it could have both!

 

[DizDaD7]

surely you don't mean everything? The real Paris? All the sights and history of Washington, D.C., Yellowstone, the Columbia river gorge, Hawaii? Charleston South Carolina? The Great Lakes? Maine in the summer. The Rockies! The blue ridge parkway? Lake itasca, Minnesota? The Pacific Coast highway? The Virgin Islands. Quebec and Vancouver? London, Scotland, or Ireland? Better than all of Australia?

I like Epcot, but not that much.

LoL......Ok let me reword this....Those are different destination type trips.....

What I meant was amusement parks and sorts.....While I enjoy Six flags & Busch Gardens, & Universal Studios, which have great thrill rides & stuff, it's just the Way that DISNEY treats you that's all I meant by that..

Now would I love to visit national parks and europe & all...Of course, but that's not what I was comparing it to.

It's Just Disney just does it right..

 

[finedice]

I'm actually on the fence here. I do love EPCOT, and always have. Yet I do see the point of the OP. To me, Futureworld is very current (as opposed to futuristic), and has lost a lot of its luster. I did love body wars, the Imagination pavillion "play area", the original Figment ride, and yes, Captain EO is soooo outdated. Shrinking the audience was so much more fun. The entire Imagination Pavillion has lost its magic in reality. We didn't even make the walk over there on our last trip.

WS is fantastic for adults, but very so-so for children. Yes, the interactive missions and meet/greets have helped with that.

As BCrook said, it is a great place to eat (if you are on the dining plan anyway). Yet in reality, the food is not that great overall when you look at the prices.

Foregoing the DDP this year based on price/value ratio, I have to say that it is less enticing to spend multiple afternoons / evenings there. I can get much better food off property for the same money, or equal food at a significant savings as well. Do I lose something in experience? Maybe, but I must say, I do feel that it will be pretty liberating not feeling like I have to eat all that food, as well as having so many more options for spontaneity when it comes to eating. Having those ressies locked in so far in advance is really limiting in a lot of ways. Sure you can find a ressie at many restaurants day-of, but those options are generally somewhat limited.

I think it would be great if they built a new country in WS - preferably with a ride, and if they completely refurbed the imagination pavillion, as well as finding a better use for the Life Pavillion. EPCOT could really use a third E-Ticket IMHO.

 

[maxiesmom]

I think it could have both!

What was the name of the educational area they tried to have? And it offended too many people, so they had to shut it down? It seems people don't want to learn anything while they are on vacation.

 

[ttintagel]

EPCOT is great, but it's definitely a ghost of its former self. The central theme of the permanent World's Fair is gone, so it does feel like a bit of a mishmash.

 

[bcrook]

LoL......Ok let me reword this....Those are different destination type trips.....

What I meant was amusement parks and sorts.....While I enjoy Six flags & Busch Gardens, & Universal Studios, which have great thrill rides & stuff, it's just the Way that DISNEY treats you that's all I meant by that..

Now would I love to visit national parks and europe & all...Of course, but that's not what I was comparing it to.

It's Just Disney just does it right..

. I understand!

 

[DizDaD7]

But if people don't have the time or money to take a European vacation, or Canada or so, EPCOT just gives you a nice scaled down version, that is at least authentic enough to almost bring you there w/out actually being there.. If that makes sense !

Adding another Country in WS, would be awesome yes, & sprucing up the pavilions &/or adding new things there as well , would be great too, but I still enjoy it, & plan on visiting each n every year.

 

[bcrook]

But if people don't have the time or money to take a European vacation, or Canada or so, EPCOT just gives you a nice scaled down version, that is at least authentic enough to almost bring you there w/out actually being there.. If that makes sense !

Adding another Country in WS, would be awesome yes, & sprucing up the pavilions &/or adding new things there as well , would be great too, but I still enjoy it, & plan on visiting each n every year.

Yup, that is why I go to Kidani instead of Kenya!

 

[dadddio]

EPCOT could really use a third E-Ticket IMHO.

Space, Test Track, Soaring

 

[lstylr]

As a kid I LOVED Wonders of Life and could (and usually did) spend hours there on our trips, but as a young adult (22) I now adore the World Showcase. I miss WoL, but I think that's mainly nostalgia. So no, I don't believe Epcot has become soulless, but it has, as PPs have said, lost that "Worlds Fair" quality and feels a bit lost as a park.

 

[finedice]

Space, Test Track, Soaring

Yah, I guess, but I'm not sold on MS as something that pulls that many people. It's probably my touring plan that makes it so I don't have more than a 5 minute wait for it, combined with the fact that so many avoid it because of its reputation, but I wouldn't wait for it if it had a much longer standby, and wouldn't use a FP on it.

 

[MissionMouse]

The thing that stands out since visiting Epcot since it opened is the last country to be established in the World Showcase was 1988. While there is nothing stating how many countries there should be, Disney left property open around the showcase to introduce new countries. They now have a list of failed concepts which never made it past design to others where they put of construction walls with country announcement signs only later to be removed.

The Future World name seemed more appropriate in the 1980's. As time passed and the lack of investment into new technologies to stimulate the mind made the area a place to skip until we started to see some advanced rides introduced. Even then it felt like Disney was not committed. Vacant buildings (Wonders of the World, etc) or areas going through a slow death don't (Imagination, Odyssey) align to the "future world."

 

[Planogirl]

I'm with the OP. I loved the educational aspect of Epcot and the imagination in the attractions which is sadly lacking nowadays. I would practically bubble over with excitement when we went to Epcot and now I like it but it isn't the same. It's not all about nostalgia for me.

Spaceship Earth is still fine even if the ride down portion is silly. Soarin' is nice the first dozen times you ride. Imagination is pathetic and Mission Space is dull. DS loves Test Track but for me it's only OK. The Living Seas aquariums are nice but the Nemo ride is short and pointless. Ellen is OK.

I have no problems with World Showcase and spend most of my time in that area now. Disney could another land or two but to me that isn't vital. It's Future World that really has no theme now. The future? Really?

 

[dadddio]

I wonder if we just start to become jaded the more often we visit he parks. It will never be as good as the first times, after all, no matter what.

 

[rainynight]

2010 was the first time I've been to Epcot so I have no past experience with it. I enjoy it but its not my favorite park. The World Showcase section is pretty dull. As far as Future World of seems a bit...unsure of what it wants to be I guess. My husband and I both felt it was eclectic with no real theme. I can say it definitely did not measure up to what I thought it would be. My parents took my brother to Epcot in the 80's before I was born and their memories are of it being pretty amazing and that is definitely not the impression I got. I felt it was nice but dated. Needs some work and a theme since it in no way represents the "future"..

 

[bcrook]

I wonder if we just start to become jaded the more often we visit he parks. It will never be as good as the first times, after all, no matter what.

In the case of Epcot, I think it has wandered away from its main idea. It would be like the magic kingdom changing its focus to marvel characters and Star Wars, or DAK switching to an industrialized city, or DHS losing its movie connections.

 

[PrincessMe]

Thank you for this. I've been struggling for weeks to define my feelings for Epcot and 'soulless' hits the mark.

I am a child of the 80s and I used to LOVE Epcot. I didn't even want to go to MK because Epcot was so cool. I loved playing with stuff in Innoventions. I loved the original Future World attractions. I loved walking around the World Showcase talking to cast members about their homes and sampling the cuisine.

I don't feel it anymore. We always go to Epcot, usually a morning in Future World and an evening or two in the World Showcase, but I could skip it. Future World has been so dumbed down and the Showcase is just a shadow of its former self. Most of the time it feels like an overpriced shopping mall with a poor selection of goods and mediocre restaurants. It makes me sad. Maybe it is just because I've been lucky enough to travel to quite a few of the Epcot countries. Maybe it is because I live in a city with wonderful (and cheap) ethnic restaurants within walking distance of my house and office. Maybe it is because my local Safeway has a better selection of English teas and candy than the shop in the UK pavilion.

Epcot is beautiful and it still has good things going for it but I agree it lacks a soul. I hope the powers that be start working to restore it to its former glory soon.