Epcot in 10 years

[jess20k]

I love Epcot and everything about it! Both FW and WS. Could you maybe be more specific in what you feel is dated? I am just curious. I know the Imagination Pavilion can use updating, but other than that, I really think everything else is pretty much up to par imo anyway.

 

[jade1]

As long as there is BCV/BWV and World Showcase-we will be happy. Future World can become whatever even if not just more World Showcase. The Land and Soarin can become Australia for example.

 

[Sawhiskey]

dated, not in the least.

 

[mjp12831]

I don't even agree with the buildings looking dated. Mission:Space building looking dated? Really? The jumping fountains and the backwards water at Imagination dated? The rushing water aside of The Living Seas dated? The entire Spaceship Earth with it's revolutionary way of funneling off rain dated? Test Track with the outside track going over the waiting entrance dated? The fountain and its show dated? The ever changing exhibits inside Communicore, er, Innoventions dated? OK, I have to give you The Land because, well, it's land and you really can't change that too much - the layers representing the earth's crust on the outside of the building really can't change for about a million years.

No, I don't think Future World is dated. Maybe if you've been there often enough, you might be getting tired of seeing the same old buildings but they are not dated, in my opinion.

Dude, you picked one part of my post (the part commenting on the buildings) and made it sound like I panned Epcot entirely with your response - the remainder of my post gave a pretty high opinion of the actual exhibits and attractions in the Epcot FW.

What I think is dated is the appearance - the architecture of the buildings, the walkways and layout of the park, the color scheme. To me, it's kind of unintentional comedy - the 80's version of what buildings will look like in "the future"

To be clear, I love Epcot

 

[MelissathePooh]

I've gone through many transitions in my relationship with Epcot. I was 9 when it opened and we went during its first year. It was pretty amazing for a 9 year old. Years went by, additions came, small things changed, by the time I was 15 going to Epcot was like some sort of educational punishment on vacation. I don't think I really gained an appreciation of it again until I was 25 when I went with my dh for the first time together. He had never been. Being of the legal limit certainly made WS more enjoyable and - had always seemed like facades with boring movies when I was younger. FW, well it had its nostalgic charm and that was ironic as it is called FW.

I have to admit that some of the originals I preferred (Imagination) and some I don't even really remember (Horizons). I always liked WoM, but don't exactly miss it. Epcot just sort of is what it is...while there are some attractions - some outstanding attractions, it doesn't feel like a typical theme park to me. Its not a typical theme park. Now at 37 years old I do have a deep appreciation for Epcot, but I can easily see where some people wouldn't care as much for it - FW or WS. It just kind of is what it is.

 

[All American]

"Dated" to one person is "brand new" to someone who has never seen it before.

 

[PlutosRHM55]

I don't understand how you see it as dated. Maybe some of the buildings are getting old from being around so long, but I have so many favorite rides in Future World (i.e. Test Track and Spaceship Earth), but I can't see what you see. I personally would pick Future World over World Showcase, though I love both, but Future World pulls me in more than World Showcase (though WS has better food). I'm sure it will survive ten years from now, all of EPCOT. Disney is updating like a madman now. Who knows? EPCOT maybe their next stop. So I disagree fully, but I see where you mean some places do look older and dated.

 

[Finally08]

Future World always feels like stepping into Back to the Future to me. It's what people thought the future would be like...back in the early 80's. So it has this wonderfully campy retro 80's vibe...and I LOVE that.
Everything that was old just comes back around again anyway.

 

[mstaft]

Epcot is definitely our favorite. One year, I only had two days at WDW. Guess which parks I picked? One day at Epcot, and one at Animal Kingdom- just had to do Everest!

 

[wcpamotm]

I love Epcot, but have a somewhat different take on Future World. For in spite of its name, it never was really about the future. Yesterday and today was more the focus - even the pavillion dedicated to the future (Horizons) had a bit of a "History of the Future" section.

It helps a lot to think of Epcot Center (at least, as it opened) as like a big World's Fair, with some pavillions for showing other countries and cultures (i.e. World Showcase) and others sponsered by corporations to allow them to strut their stuff (i.e. Future World).

So with that in mind, I think of Future World architecture as being not so much a look at the future but simply the grandest, most epic designs the Imagineers could come up with. Designs that you might see at a World's Fair, if there were a budget there that could only be justified if the fair were an ongoing enterprise instead of just for the year.

 

[Jaggy67]

Future World always feels like stepping into Back to the Future to me. It's what people thought the future would be like...back in the early 80's. So it has this wonderfully campy retro 80's vibe...and I LOVE that.
Everything that was old just comes back around again anyway.

My thoughts, exactly! We love Epcot... during our trip for Xmas 2009, we only had time for 2 parks (gasp!) - we all unanimously chose MK and Epcot

 

[FlightlessDuck]

I think Future World and Tomorrowland are not only redundant, but they have both also lost their focus.

 

[Tiggerlover91]

I think Future World and Tomorrowland are not only redundant, but they have both also lost their focus.

 

[sissy_ib]

I love the look of Future World. And I'm sorry but I just cant take the opinion of some one who calls it the "golf ball part" seriously.

 

[lllGurulll]

I remember my first visit to Epcot in 1990. I was bored stiff. It didn't even look cool to me. Went back again in 1995 with my bride. Still kind of boring.

Fastforward 13 years to 2008. Took my two oldest boys then 6 and 12. Had a BLAST. Seeing it through my kids eyes really changed things for me. Now it is very close behind MK as favorite for me. I took my two middle children last year 8 and 6 and they loved it. I am bringing back those same two children this year with my father and I can't wait to get to Epcot again. I'm also very excited about WS for the first time in a while because of the Kim Possible missions. We only had time to do one mission last year and this year we plan to spend the entire afternoon doing all the missions. My 9 year old son can't stop talking about that Jade Monkey.

 

[nytimez]

Future World was dreadful in the early to mid 1990s. It was basically a view of the future that was a decade old.

Since that time, however, I think they've done a wonderful job of updating the park and adding new attractions, although it's gotten even further away from the "Future World" concept than ever before.

Overall, I'm pretty happy with Future World today. They clearly need to do something with the old Wonders of Life space (sorry, occasional festival pavilion doesn't cut it). And of course they should continue to plus the attractions. But I think it's a very good park.

 

[lllGurulll]

Future World was dreadful in the early to mid 1990s. It was basically a view of the future that was a decade old.

Since that time, however, I think they've done a wonderful job of updating the park and adding new attractions, although it's gotten even further away from the "Future World" concept than ever before.

Overall, I'm pretty happy with Future World today. They clearly need to do something with the old Wonders of Life space (sorry, occasional festival pavilion doesn't cut it). And of course they should continue to plus the attractions. But I think it's a very good park.

I did enjoy Body Wars in there.

 

[harpinjean]

I think Disney will continue to improve Epcot as it always has. Epcot is not the same place as it was in the 80's. Rides have changed and the Innovention Pavilions have new displays in them as well. Test Track, Soarin' and Mission Space have been great additions to the park. I think most people skip Innoventions and couldn't even begin to tell you what is in there. I guess beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

 

[nilla]

We did 5 days in Epcot last year, and will be doing 4 this year. On our first day, we get there for rope drop and stay until after dinner (about 6:30). We don't even step foot in WS on that first day, and still do not get bored of FW. Last year, we didn't even get to Imagination on that first day, and this was on an extremely light day. Keep in mind that we are very fast walkers, too.

Did you check out either Innoventions? We spent a lot of time there for the first time last year, and still skipped things. There is a TON to do in Epcot outside of the rides.

The only thing I see as being extremely dated in Epcot is the Norway movie, unless that country really does look like New York in the 80s.

 

[MCsMommy]

I guess to answer some of the questions, both my husband and I are architects, the less than "timeless" style of the majority of the buildings was what disapointed us the most. There are plenty of college campuses and municipal complexes that have similar asthetics, many now being updated because they appear very dated. There is no mistaking the style of the buildings, interior finishes, landscaping as a late 1970s/early 1980s plan.

We chuckled a bit at the TRON monorail because it seemed very much in place, as the original movie and the park are about the same age. With all Disney seems to do to keep the other theme parks up to date and attractive, the large earth hugging pastel structures, 1970s style architecture with concrete and aluminum panel skins seems out of place, something left behind. Long term I guess it will become a monument to the 1970s/80s, almost like a time capsule.