Epcot - Future World, how did it get so screwed up?

[JimmyV]

The fact is .. Disney doesn't care.

I don't know if this is entirely true. Or, at a minimum, it is only part of the story. The truth is, the future is tricky business. It moves way faster than Disney's typical pace of renovation/rebuilding. Pavilions and rides would have to be overhauled every 3-5 years to keep up with true cutting edge ideas. This simply wasn't the case in 1982 and I don't think anyone predicted the rapid pace of change when Epcot was constructed. I remember being "wowed" by my first look at a movie on laser disc at Epcot's future home in Innoventions way back when. Laser discs were going to be the future. How long did they last? 5 years? There is simply no way for Future World to remain current, topical or relevant unless pavilions are constantly renovated and updated and with all the money that Disney is spending elsewhere, I don't think they want to jump on the endless carousel of progress that Epcot would have to become in order to stay "futuristic". So I think it has less to do with not caring and more to do with conceding that they are boxed in. At least until FW gets completely made over into an area that has little to do with the future. As the saying goes, "the future ain't what it used to be."

 

[DSG]

The last time I was there I personally enjoyed Epcot and what it offered. However with that being said It didn't meet the expectations I had going in. I loved the idea that FW has been molded into. A place on Disney property that you and your children can interactively learn and create together. I do understand that this is incredibly hard to maintain given the rate technology is growing now a days. I enjoyed SoAT (although I think I liked the one at DQ a little more....RIP). Being a able to "design" my own ride gave me a closer connection to the ride I experienced and its a bigger memory that sticks out to me. We also see this idea at TT.. you cant really go wrong with this interactions, especially for kids. I walked away really enjoying WS and FW but I couldn't help feeling that given the idea Epcot has become and the technology available, along with the great service Disney provides.....that there was so much lost potential for such a promising idea. You see these ideas of connecting with guest and kids in other parks...lets say Jedi Academy in HS. That interconnection with both kids and adults can definitely be re-imagined for the unlimited potential the idea behind Epcot has been built around. For example leaving the imagination pavilion.... I know a lot of people aren't into Figment....personally I kinda liked the ride...also SSE.... at the end of rides I really wanted neat things to experience....activities both kids and adults can try and learn from.... but I couldn't help but feel everything was at best technology from the early 90s. I still play around a bit and I always walk away wanting to love it but just thinking .... "eh." MS was another one. While I like the ride (go orange!) With all those buttons right infront of me I wanted them to do more. Each person can only really press on thing during the ride. Re-Imagining the ride and with some tweaks to make things a little more obvious for the general guest, having some more interaction over the course of the ride would really bring out the interconnection between the rider and the ride, feeling like you had a much bigger part in controlling the landing. (I also think it'd be cool for little simple things like the photo button. Clicking it could let you capture yourself at your favorite moment on the ride instead of an automatic a camera on bigger rides...little fun things...). My hope (and I am someone who loves classic Disney and stands up for all the older timeless rides...CoP is one of my favorites attractions) Disney will refocus FW and WS and provide so more interactive, updated rides or attractions that can really engage guests about the technology of today, tomorrow, and experiences (not just movies and museums) of various cultures around the world. I want to have fun, I like to learn and try new things, and I would love the opportunity to do that with friends and family.

 

[larryz]

If you pay attention as you walk out after Illiminations, you'll see Siemens name up on Spaceship Earth as they're a sponsor of both; Mission Space has a sponsor, Test Track had to be redone when Chevy took it over.

If they'd crank up the wattage on the lasers and start shooting into the crowd, this would be a great name for the new attraction...

 

[nooneshome]

The 80s ended.

BINGO!!!

 

[larryz]

Lack of corporate sponsor's willing to fork over money IMO is one reason for the Future World's feeble resemblance of the future. With technology changing so quickly I'm not sure anyone is willing to invest. Also corporate America has changed a lot since EPCOT opened with multiple economic downturns.

Also from a Disney perspective, using Horizons as an example. When it closed, it pretty much sat with no usage. Over the past years it has grown to be used for Food and Wine and the Flower and Garden Show. Both uses are more filler than substance for the area.

I think the Disney bean counters looked at exhibits closing from big to small and noticed no negative impact on attendance or revenue. So they saw no reason to invest. No reason spend millions when we were still willing to spend our money there. I mean to have Captain EO comeback 14 years after it closed the first time (Yes I know it came back after his death) was just pathetic.

I think corporations have determined that there's no ROI in public goodwill anymore, whereas there's extensive potential downside in extra public exposure.

For example, imagine if Monsanto or Archer Daniels Midland approached Disney to sponsor The Land...

 

[labattblue]

I don't know if this is entirely true. Or, at a minimum, it is only part of the story. The truth is, the future is tricky business. It moves way faster than Disney's typical pace of renovation/rebuilding. Pavilions and rides would have to be overhauled every 3-5 years to keep up with true cutting edge ideas. This simply wasn't the case in 1982 and I don't think anyone predicted the rapid pace of change when Epcot was constructed. I remember being "wowed" by my first look at a movie on laser disc at Epcot's future home in Innoventions way back when. Laser discs were going to be the future. How long did they last? 5 years? There is simply no way for Future World to remain current, topical or relevant unless pavilions are constantly renovated and updated and with all the money that Disney is spending elsewhere, I don't think they want to jump on the endless carousel of progress that Epcot would have to become in order to stay "futuristic". So I think it has less to do with not caring and more to do with conceding that they are boxed in. At least until FW gets completely made over into an area that has little to do with the future. As the saying goes, "the future ain't what it used to be."

FW doesn't need to be 100% true to a futuristic theme that needs to constantly be updated, but it can't just be ignored for years on end which has led to WoL being closed, UoE being ignored, JII made into a shell of its former self, Innoventions shuttered, M:S an attraction that only the thrill seekers will ride replacing an attraction that could be enjoyed by the entire family, etc...

 

[DisneyFan32WI]

I just got back from a wonderful vacation, but I was surprised that the old Odyssey restaurant was still abandoned! How many years has it been since it closed?

 

[larryz]

I just got back from a wonderful vacation, but I was surprised that the old Odyssey restaurant was still abandoned! How many years has it been since it closed?

They still use it for special events...

 

[JimmyV]

FW doesn't need to be 100% true to a futuristic theme that needs to constantly be updated, but it can't just be ignored for years on end which has led to WoL being closed, UoE being ignored, JII made into a shell of its former self, Innoventions shuttered, M:S an attraction that only the thrill seekers will ride replacing an attraction that could be enjoyed by the entire family, etc...

I suspect that the evaporation of Innoventions is an indication that the next big announcement for park renovations is going to belong to FW. Sort of like a landlord of a strip mall letting all the leases lapse before undertaking a complete overhaul. Things get worse before they get better. And I suspect that the focus on the "future" will give way to some other theme.

 

[JimmyV]

I just got back from a wonderful vacation, but I was surprised that the old Odyssey restaurant was still abandoned! How many years has it been since it closed?

It stopped service as an everyday restaurant in 1994.

 

[book_junkie]

I suspect that the evaporation of Innoventions is an indication that the next big announcement for park renovations is going to belong to FW. Sort of like a landlord of a strip mall letting all the leases lapse before undertaking a complete overhaul. Things get worse before they get better. And I suspect that the focus on the "future" will give way to some other theme.

Well, they had a new thing for Innoventions and it completely bombed. The Blue Cross Blue Shield game that opened in 2012? That was the last new thing Innoventions has had. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Innoventions_(Epcot)

Anyone know what they're doing with the West side?

 

[aristocatz]

I'm in the Disney Nerd Camp that thinks Epcot needs to bring back what used to work. Just because the 80's ended, it doesn't mean that good & innovative ideas have to end as well. I liked when Epcot was educational. The best Museum of Science & Culture that has ever existed! I get the need to add in thrill rides, but kids actually still do like to learn!!! I liked when Epcot was always one step ahead of the game with technology. But I feel like they gradually just stopped putting in the effort & money to keep up with it, and in many ways, I think they sold out.

I like some of the changes.
Soarin=definitely the epitome of the original Epcot vibe. I liked Kitchen Caberat & I think they should have moved it to the Lion King Theater-I think it would have appealed to young kids today.
Getting rid of most of their pavilions & what they represented=bad idea.
I like Test Track, but I feel like it should have complemented the World of Motion, not replaced it.
I think they could have maintained & evolved Horizons if they chose to put in the effort.
Imagination=I just don't get it-??
I think they could have done a ton with Innoventions if they put in the effort.
Energy=I am a big Ellen fan, but I preferred the old version
I think Illuminations is amazing.

I hope Disney's next CEO makes the investment to bring the commitment and the magic back to the park.

 

[Lady Hiss]

In addition to some of the other suggestions for improving FW: put the benches back around Mouse Gears and the fountain! Note to Disney: if my DH had a comfy place to sit and people watch, I'd be more inclined to browse longer (SPEND more) in the store without feeling I needed to shop quickly to keep Hubby happy (he hates to shop).

 

[Tomh]

SSE - The ascent is much better now, the descent is bad... I love Space Ship Earth. I think it's message is timeless, but agree the decent could stand to be reworked.

Seas - Adding Nemo and Turtle Talk... Seas is cool, though we don't often spend a lot of time there.

Land - Adding Soarin', losing Kitchen Kaberet... I don't remember Kitchen Kaberet. Soarin' is awesome, and I can't wait to see the new film.

JII -nothing needs to be said on this... I absolutely LOVED the original version of the ride, and the upstairs interactive part. This pavilion desperately needs a new sponsor. Someone like HP, or Canon, or Minolta to step in, and a complete overhauling. Bring back dreamfinder, make the ride as awesome as it used to be, and a new interactive area upstairs. Couple that with a new 4d film that ties together the ride, and the sponsor, and bring Imagination back to life!

Innoventions/Communicore(both sides) - might as well be shuttered... Needs a complete reboot!

Ellen - Just sad that nothing has been done to it except for adding Ellen. So dated... Agreed. I love the dinosaurs, but the entire show needs to be updated.

World of Motion to Test Track...

Horizons to Mission Space, only the thrill seekers like the spinning version and the other version is boring - I miss Horizons

Wonders of Life - what a shame - Yup, sad sad sad. Epcot needs a reimagined Wonders Of Life pavilion, themed around the Inside Out movie!

 

[DisneyFan32WI]

I never saw the jumping water this week. It was absolutely beautiful weather, and I was looking forward to that.

 

[JimmyV]

Soarin=definitely the epitome of the original Epcot vibe.

Soarin' was not an original Epcot attraction and has nothing whatsoever to do with the mission statement of the park. It was an attraction built for California Adventure which proved to be popular and they decided to replicate it at WDW. Epcot just happened to be the park where they pigeonholed it. Probably because Future World was in such drastic need of an infusion of rides. The ride itself is simply a riff on the Magic Kingdom's Circle Vision 360 attraction that featured "America The Beautiful" film, only limited to California due to the ride's original purpose in DCA.

While there are some who pine for a return to the "edutainment" aspect of Epcot, it appears that this aspect of the park's purpose fell flat with most visitors. The "We don't come to an amusement park to be taught a lesson" voices were always much louder than the "We learned so much" voices. For every person who likes to learn about solar energy (as if that is some new, cutting edge technology), there is someone else who thinks that this is an affront to the coal, oil and gas businesses of which they are a part. For every person who thinks that a mission to Mars would be cool, there is someone else who thinks that such a program would be a tremendous waste of hundreds of billions of dollars. The original Epcot vibe of educating people about the future is hard to pull off. There is a reason why World's Fairs and Expos are so widely spread apart. The last one was in 2000 and the next one is in 2017. Keeping up with these ideas on a daily basis is next to impossible.

 

[aristocatz]

Soarin' was not an original Epcot attraction and has nothing whatsoever to do with the mission statement of the park. It was an attraction built for California Adventure which proved to be popular and they decided to replicate it at WDW. Epcot just happened to be the park where they pigeonholed it. Probably because Future World was in such drastic need of an infusion of rides. The ride itself is simply a riff on the Magic Kingdom's Circle Vision 360 attraction that featured "America The Beautiful" film, only limited to California due to the ride's original purpose in DCA.

While there are some who pine for a return to the "edutainment" aspect of Epcot, it appears that this aspect of the park's purpose fell flat with most visitors. The "We don't come to an amusement park to be taught a lesson" voices were always much louder than the "We learned so much" voices. For every person who likes to learn about solar energy (as if that is some new, cutting edge technology), there is someone else who thinks that this is an affront to the coal, oil and gas businesses of which they are a part. For every person who thinks that a mission to Mars would be cool, there is someone else who thinks that such a program would be a tremendous waste of hundreds of billions of dollars. The original Epcot vibe of educating people about the future is hard to pull off. There is a reason why World's Fairs and Expos are so widely spread apart. The last one was in 2000 and the next one is in 2017. Keeping up with these ideas on a daily basis is next to impossible.

I'm aware of the history of Soarin & also aware that Soarin was not an original attraction (My first trip to Epcot was a few months after it opened), so I think you misunderstood my point. Epcot used to be innovative-always one step ahead of technology. To me, the technology of Soarin' fit in with that.

 

[JimmyV]

I'm aware of the history of Soarin & also aware that Soarin was not an original attraction (My first trip to Epcot was a few months after it opened), so I think you misunderstood my point. Epcot used to be innovative-always one step ahead of technology. To me, the technology of Soarin' fit in with that.

I understood your point. I just don't see it that way. Soarin' has nothing to do with the future, technology, or corporate America's efforts to improve our lives. Those were the "original Epcot vibe". Had Soarin' represented any of that, the attraction would have been developed for WDW and later imported into DCA and not the other way around. Instead, it was simply a new workup of an old idea from the Monsanto pavilion in the MK that fit well into DCA and was later squeezed into Epcot. What sort of technological leap is a modified IMAX movie? What application is there for this so-called technology that can be repurposed into the outside world? The designers of the ride admit that the "technology" derived from a children's erector set. I simply don't see the technological import that you do.

 

[sunshine1]

FW is like a concrete jungle. I used to find it depressing but now i like the fact that it is outdated and depressing.
;-)
I embrace it.

 

[sunshine1]

Gosh, I hate to say this as it's slightly off topic regarding the park's cleanliness, but we spent 2 weeks there last year, and rode Spaceship Earth probably 6 times in that span.
As you enter the ride, to the right where the mural is and rocks on the ground, I there was an empty drink/straw. That was there at the beginning of our trip, and right on through the 2 week span.
My wife was tired of my mentioning it, but I couldn't believe that something so obvious remained for 2 entire weeks (and who knows how long before/after?)

We'll be there in a month. Hope it's gone.

Dont go to DLP where you will see cigarette butts on the floor in the parks.