EPCOT days gone by

[PatriciaH]

I don't think that's true, to my memory.

I know the Japanese restaurants are above the department store.
(Dark rectangle building on the right of the photo.)

The German restaurant is in only a section of the large building.
(In the photo, the area with the lower roof, to the right of the much
larger and taller-roofed area.

Yes, those are huge areas (the one in Germany is much larger than what Biergarten takes up.)

 

[DisneyBrideToni]

I wish they would add some new countries. I think something like Greece would be interesting.

 

[Macca1111]

Those large "show buildings" in countries that do not have rides have all been converted into restaurants. Doubtful Disney would remove them now since I assume they are money-makers.

I can't speak for what Japan is except that it's definitely not the restaurant. There may not even be a show building back there because I think the roller coaster was supposed to be outside. Germany is definitely used for a staging area for school performing groups...the restaurant is to the left side of the area that would have been a ride. There's no financial reason for them to add something there (my sister is running stats on that, there's no correlation yet between adding a ride and getting more people spending more money) so they won't add anything in the near future, I don't believe.

 

[duffy]

Not exactly sure how Africa as a nation could sponsor a pavillion, as Africa is a continent made up of many different countries. The financial logistics could be a nightmare.

Well, several posters referred to South Africa sponsoring a pavilion. Which is a country.

 

[DisneyNutinNJ]

Well, several posters referred to South Africa sponsoring a pavilion. Which is a country.

The idea and all the concept art shows EQUITORIAL Africa though. From my understanding, however, the only African nation at the time financially stable enough and willing to sponsor a pavilion at the time was South Africa. This would have been strange, since it's first nowhere near the Equator, and second with Apartheid, this opens up a whole political can of worms where they may have wanted to influence the content of the pavilion. This is PURE SPECULATION on my part though.

 

[DisneyNutinNJ]

I wish I could remember what site it was, but I read that the ride in Germany was supposed to be a dark ride along the Rhine river. That there are 2 giant wooden doors somewhere there that would have been the entrance.

Japan was supposed to have a ride based on Mt. Fuji, and Fuji film wanted to be the sponsor, but because of Disney's relationship with Kodak, this never came to pass.

I don't know how much of this is true

For Germany: http://www.2719hyperion.com/2007/11/lost-imagineering-rhine-river-cruise.html

The line queue area is still there, IIRC, to the right of the Biergarten. I believe there are just some benches and maybe a table or 2 there now.

Here's another great article, with lots of concept art that also shows what looks like a Bullet Train attraction slated for Japan:

http://jimhillmedia.com/blogs/jim_hill/archive/2006/06/06/2772.aspx


I hae to admit, I love seeing all these things!!!

 

[Shannon12]

For Germany: http://www.2719hyperion.com/2007/11/lost-imagineering-rhine-river-cruise.html

The line queue area is still there, IIRC, to the right of the Biergarten. I believe there are just some benches and maybe a table or 2 there now.

Here's another great article, with lots of concept art that also shows what looks like a Bullet Train attraction slated for Japan:

http://jimhillmedia.com/blogs/jim_hill/archive/2006/06/06/2772.aspx


I hae to admit, I love seeing all these things!!!

Hey thanks for the links! I love seeing them too.

 

[W.E.D.]

Yes. Thanks for all the links. EPCOT is my favorite, and I love walking down memory lane with all this stuff.

Let's move on to FW. Who misses the original Journey Into Imagination?

 

[BarleyJack]

The idea and all the concept art shows EQUITORIAL Africa though. From my understanding, however, the only African nation at the time financially stable enough and willing to sponsor a pavilion at the time was South Africa. This would have been strange, since it's first nowhere near the Equator, and second with Apartheid, this opens up a whole political can of worms where they may have wanted to influence the content of the pavilion. This is PURE SPECULATION on my part though.

I was going to post something very similar, but didn't want to come across as overly argumentative. You're absolutely correct, South Africa is no where near the equator, and the original idea was for "Equatorial Africa". Thanks for posting this.

 

[MonorailDriver]

Yes. Thanks for all the links. EPCOT is my favorite, and I love walking down memory lane with all this stuff.

Let's move on to FW. Who misses the original Journey Into Imagination?

I agree, I also kind of wish they would bring back something along the lines of Horizons

 

[W.E.D.]

^^^Yeah. I think we are probably past considering the stuff of the old Horizons (living under the sea, etc.), but the world is never empty of new theories on what our future world will look like.

So, no one is biting on the "do you miss the old Journey Into Imagination" question? Has that been overplayed around here?

 

[DisneyNutinNJ]

^^^Yeah. I think we are probably past considering the stuff of the old Horizons (living under the sea, etc.), but the world is never empty of new theories on what our future world will look like.

So, no one is biting on the "do you miss the old Journey Into Imagination" question? Has that been overplayed around here?

I'll bite. I do miss that, but also, in a broader sense, I miss seeing attractions WITHOUT a constant character/movie tie-in (see The Living Seas with NEMO). The new Journey Into Imagination is a continuation of the theme of the Honey I Shrunk the Audience film. I feel that THIS is a tad outdated too...hoe long has it been since we had a "Honey I Shrunk..." anything?

I am sure that opens a big can of worms

 

[W.E.D.]

I agree with that sentiment 100%.

IMO, Journey... was changed because it was too long. Maybe it was too fun to notice, but it had to be, what, 15 min. long, maybe more. With this new, shorter ride they can pump people through in maybe 5min. tops.

 

[StephanieCG]

When I went in 1992 they had Body Wars and I thought that was awesome. I was so bummed when I found out that wasn't there anymore.
Is the Imagination ride different now from what it was then? I really don't remember it much, but Figment was cool.

 

[W.E.D.]

When I went in 1992 they had Body Wars and I thought that was awesome. I was so bummed when I found out that wasn't there anymore.
Is the Imagination ride different now from what it was then? I really don't remember it much, but Figment was cool.

MUCH, much different. The former ride was literally a journey into the imagination, with Figment and the DreamFinder as your guides. You went through different areas like horror, adventure, fantasy. It was one of the longest rides I've ever been on at WDW, save for UoE and LwtL. It was also one of the best designed and most beautiful dark rides, IMHO.

 

[Robo]

I agree with that sentiment 100%.

IMO, Journey... was changed because it was too long.

----

Kodak, the attraction's corporate sponsor since the opening of Epcot, had an agreement with Disney that stated the attraction must be "updated" for the year 2000.

Little did anyone know that the "creative minds" in WDImagineering would not be nearly as creative in 1998 as they had been in 1980!

The new Imagination ride was one of the biggest disappointments in the history of Disney parks. There was NOTHING left of what had made the original such a huge crowd pleaser (and that also meant that there was no Figment in that version!)

So, they soon re-did the re-do and you now still see the result.
Its "cute," (and Figment is back) but the current ride is nothing but a far too brief, sliver of the amazing original ride.

In the grand scheme of these kind of things, it was a colossal blunder.

So sad.

There's a saying that goes, "Do you want to trade the devil you KNOW for the devil you DON'T know?"
(Meaning that if you don't like your situation NOW, how do you know that you won't move into a WORSE one by making a change?)

I'll paraphase it in the case of "Imagination" to say to Kodak/Disney...
"Do you want to trade the ANGEL you KNOW for the POSSIBLE devil you DON'T know?"

The original version of this ride is my all-time favorite attraction at Epcot.

It was so RICH in details that I'm sure that I never saw "everything" in it, even after literally dozens off rides.

The scenes were diverse and always surprising.
The musical arrangements were complex and interesting.
The characters were engaging.

There was even a "ride photo" that displayed as you rode along near the end.
What a tragedy that this was "lost" in an untimely and entirely AVOIDABLE set of missteps.

I'll assume that there was an entire CHAIN of memos and meetings where warnings of
looming problems were ignored (or not spoken strongly enough.)

I have seen so many majorly ill-advised corporate decisions made in all kinds of companies.

So sad that in a "vast bastion of creativity" like Disney, could they make such an unfortunate move
as to lose the original artistic creation that was the first version of Journey Into IMAGINATION.

 

[W.E.D.]

WELL SAID! I think Robo has concluded that subject in excellent form. I really don't know what else to say. I rode the first redo, and immediately complained. I was told by the CM that they were already working on another change because they had heard nothing but complaints. In closing, if I had a time machine, the first thing I would do is go back to the 80's and ride the original.

Let's see...

I have yet to experience the Nemo version of TLS. My folks were down last year and thought it wasn't that intrusive and was well done. Opinions?

 

[MonorailDriver]

I have yet to experience the Nemo version of TLS. My folks were down last year and thought it wasn't that intrusive and was well done. Opinions?

I think the movie tie in is absolutely terrible. Why does everything HAVE to have a movie tie in anyway? I thought the "trip" to SeaBase Alpha was great and it fit in better with original idea of Epcot, the Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow, and the permanent world's fare so to speak. Its not the place where there are a bunch of movie tie ins that take away from the original rides and exhibits. Personally I'd much rather see the largest indoor aquarium in the US than a bunch of screens with a CGI fish on them...its really just silly.

Also the imagination ride stinks...and someone said the old one was too long at 15 minutes? how could that be? Ellen's Energy Adventure is 37 minutes...and if your looking for a nap on a hot day, well worth it.

 

[WTP]

I really, truly miss the old EPCOT. It was my favorite part of Disney in the 80's.

Figment was my favorite part of future world and I remember selecting a figment stuffed animal to buy with my own money. (That means it was a big deal!) It was on my bed for years. When I rode the "updated" ride I was so disappointed. I recall figment as being THE headliner for the park. Meaning, I associated Mickey's face with MK and Figment's with Epcot. I don't know if that was just my imagination (pardon the pun) or intentional Disney marketing.

I miss Horizons, and the cabaret Kitchen.

I miss the astronaut characters that used to roam around Epcot. Does anyone else remember this? The silver costumes with the rainbow stripes? Space mickey, and the rest of the fab 5? I think there was a "space figment" too. I was into space so much as a kid and this was just so magical to me. I know the space race is not a part of our culture anymore, but I'd still love to see them out from time to time.

 

[MonorailDriver]

i really, truly miss the old epcot. It was my favorite part of disney in the 80's.

I miss the astronaut characters that used to roam around epcot. Does anyone else remember this? The silver costumes with the rainbow stripes? Space mickey, and the rest of the fab 5? I think there was a "space figment" too. I was into space so much as a kid and this was just so magical to me. I know the space race is not a part of our culture anymore, but i'd still love to see them out from time to time.

agree agree agree, 10000000% agree!!!