Epcot is sad

[wen8jr]

You know, I'm not one to drink the Disney Kool-Aid and I actually agree that all the Disney parks, every single one of them, could do with an update and added attractions.

But to pick out certain aspects and be offended by the World Showcase seems extreme to me. It is just a Theme Park after all. Everything in it is a facade and what they can do to represent an entire country in a theme park is limited.

If you want real then you should go visit the real thing...but I don't think you should go to Disney expecting that. And I'm sure other countries portray the US and our culture in a singular fashion at times as well without intent to offend anyone since no one knows their culture like a true native.

We find the World Showcase to be as cool as heck, we appreciate the effort behind it and the fact that they are paying homage to other countries.

 

[xie]

HorizonsRIP, while I don't find it offensive per se, I do find some of it to be kind of dumbed down, like the ending to Spaceship Earth, really the whole Spaceship Earth soundtrack, lol. And removing the carousel in the Mexico ride and putting in tons of video screens instead. The old ride actually did pay homage to different areas of the real Mexico. Epcot does need some love, and I hope they plan on adding some new things that are innovative.

Sigh. While I don't approve of this thread generally speaking, because I actually am aware of how the World Showcase pavilions came into existence... I do agree with the Spaceship Earth thing.

I miss the old soundtrack SO MUCH. No offense to Judi Dench, but the new one is silly. The old one was almost like a meditation. And oddly, at the end where the extremely silly video plays in your car, I really miss the fiberoptic lights and music that used to be there.

 

[Narnian_Princess]

And oddly, at the end where the extremely silly video plays in your car, I really miss the fiberoptic lights and music that used to be there.

Me too! That was my absolute favorite part of the old version and the reason I rode so often. Seeing the stars, then turning around and descending, but always looking up... Lovely. That music was the best.

 

[dwheaton]

Me too! That was my absolute favorite part of the old version and the reason I rode so often. Seeing the stars, then turning around and descending, but always looking up... Lovely. That music was the best.

I'm right with you. The video is fun, but it lacks the grandeur of either the Cronkite descent (with the amazing "Tomorrow's Child") or the Irons descent with the new show scenes. Both were just a perfect way to end the ride. Now, it feels strangely anticlimactic.

 

[mjallemand]

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

I've been listening to a lot of Epcot park music over the last hour while I've been browsing the web, and it gradually bummed me out.

Now, to preface, I'm not quite a child of the 80s. I was born in late '85, so the majority of my childhood took place in the 90s. I've been to Walt Disney World five times in my lifetime: In 1989, 1994, 1997, 2010, and 2012. (At least, I'm certain on the '89, '97, '10, and '12 dates, '94 I'm rather sketchy about. I remember being at WDW when Tower of Terror had recently opened, and Innoventions being a new thing, so I want to say '94.)

With those visit dates, I have memories, vague though they may be, of Epcot in the first half of the 90s. I definitely remember riding Horizons, World of Motion, the Hydrolators of The Living Seas, Body Wars, seeing the food-themed stage shows at The Land, and even some of the pre-Ellen Universe of Energy.

As a kid (and as an adult) I was a huge nerd. I grew up on Beakman's World and Bill Nye the Science Guy, and in general science and space exploration, along with then-upcoming technology fascinated me. I wanted to be an astronaut, at the time not knowing how slim of a possibility it would be. I spent hours at the library, reading every book I could get my hands on involving the future, space, and how the world around me worked. Even in the 90s, the majority of the books I read were written and published in the 80s, so, in a sense, I was a literary and educational child of the 80s.

Considering all of this, Epcot Center fed directly into the imagination center of my brain, and I loved every bit of it. In particular, the 1994 trip was a giant catalyst of this. It was during a time where much of the early Epcot attractions were beginning to be replaced, but overall, the soul of the park still existed.

These days education and imagination have been replaced by thrill rides. History has turned into marketing (Test Track), Science has been turned into Cartoonish fluff (Seas with Nemo) and an imaginative look at the future has been turned into a flight simulator (Horizons into Mission Space).

But possibly the biggest loss, as everyone knows, was Journey Into Imagination. What was once an attraction that outright encouraged the use of your mind has been turned into a soulless factory tour, of sorts.

Does this bother anyone else as much as it does me? Epcot may as well not even exist anymore, because the only attractions that even come close to Epcot's original mission statement are Spaceship Earth and Universe of Energy.

 

[dwheaton]

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

That quote pretty much sums up exactly what my feelings are about EPCOT and my history in going their as a geeky kid.

 

[Magpie]

I'm from Canada and we were offended by the Canadian pavillion -- which we and most people I know call the Ontario pavillion. The first time we were there we actually lol'd. Last time I felt a little bit angry so we stopped going completely. The most offensive part was knowing our own government forgot about the rest of us again.

Yes, needs a Tim Hortons and yes, keep the maple syrup -- 2 of the the things you can find anywhere in Canada.

Why do you call it the "Ontario Pavillion"? There's a whole Maritimes themed waterfront/waterfall area, and the gardens are from Victoria (British Columbia!), the totem poles are Pacific Northwest in style, and the architecture is inspired by Quebec as well as Ontario. And in any case I hardly think it's offensive that the main building is modeled after the Chateau Laurier in Ottawa, Canada's Capital.

They've tried to fit in a bit of everything. Not to mention, the film also takes you coast to coast with humour and style.

 

[Laketravis]

Epcot didn't exist when I went to WDW in the early days, so my first visit to Epcot was in 2010 when I returned for the first time.

Can somebody tell me what those empty buildings used to be? It just seems odd to me that Disney would let such large signs of "I used to be something but now I'm just closed and empty" exist for so long.

 

[dwheaton]

Epcot didn't exist when I went to WDW in the early days, so my first visit to Epcot was in 2010 when I returned for the first time.

Can somebody tell me what those empty buildings used to be? It just seems odd to me that Disney would let such large signs of "I used to be something but now I'm just closed and empty" exist for so long.

The two main ones are Wonders of Life, which is near Mission Space and Test Track. It had a simulator called Body Wars that was similar to the original Star Tours, a fun theater attraction called Cranium Command, and a bunch of exhibits. It wasn't a favorite, but it had a lot to do.

The other notable one is the Odyssey Restaurant, which is along the water near Test Track. It's not as essential but is still fondly remembered by EPCOT fans since it has a cool location.

 

[Laketravis]

The two main ones are Wonders of Life, which is near Mission Space and Test Track. It had a simulator called Body Wars that was similar to the original Star Tours, a fun theater attraction called Cranium Command, and a bunch of exhibits. It wasn't a favorite, but it had a lot to do.

The other notable one is the Odyssey Restaurant, which is along the water near Test Track. It's not as essential but is still fondly remembered by EPCOT fans since it has a cool location.

Thanks - those are exactly the two I was thinking of. How long have they been closed up?

 

[dwheaton]

Thanks - those are exactly the two I was thinking of. How long have they been closed up?

From what I just read, Wonders of Life closed officially in 2007. However, it went seasonal in 2004. I know that it wasn't open when I went there in January 2005. The Odyssey Restaurant hasn't been open for regular use since 1994. It is used for corporate functions and special events.

 

[Laketravis]

From what I just read, Wonders of Life closed officially in 2007. However, it went seasonal in 2004. I know that it wasn't open when I went there in January 2005. The Odyssey Restaurant hasn't been open for regular use since 1994. It is used for corporate functions and special events.

Wow. One almost 10 and the other 20. That's a long time even in Disney years.

 

[dwheaton]

Wow. One almost 10 and the other 20. That's a long time even in Disney years.

I know. It's also sad that the Universe of Energy hasn't been updated in 18 years. There have been a few advances since that point.

 

[Tramp68]

I miss Body Wars, Food Wrapper, and Cranium Command. They were all great attractions that could have easily been updated to remain relevant. A refit of Body wars could be done well enough to alleviate some of the Soarin and Test Track congestion....

 

[ucfknight]

I know. It's also sad that the Universe of Energy hasn't been updated in 18 years. There have been a few advances since that point.

You mean fracking might be bad?

 

[FireDancer]

I do miss the Epcot of the 90's with the original Journey Into Imagination, Wonders of Life, Horizons, and World of Motion but it is still my favorite park. Every time I've been to WDW as an adult it is the park I spend the most time in and every time I am down for something else and just hit Disney for one day it is the park I hit.

I think it can be improved but I don't think it is Sad. It has the best food of any park IMO.

 

[mulan1123]

Why do you call it the "Ontario Pavillion"? There's a whole Maritimes themed waterfront/waterfall area, and the gardens are from Victoria (British Columbia!), the totem poles are Pacific Northwest in style, and the architecture is inspired by Quebec as well as Ontario. And in any case I hardly think it's offensive that the main building is modeled after the Chateau Laurier in Ottawa, Canada's Capital.

They've tried to fit in a bit of everything. Not to mention, the film also takes you coast to coast with humour and style.

I agree! Although I noticed that the pavilion was lacking in something...like they should bring back the Beavertail kiosk, or add another store or food kiosk...or someone mention a Tim Horton's would be neat to see....

Side note on the hockey jerseys, a CM said they can only have jerseys to represent of EACH province (so there's no Ottawa or Edmonton jerseys).

 

[NickyKnack]

Or mariachi bands at the taco bell in Omaha!

Although, if they did I might go to Taco Bell once in a while.

 

[NickyKnack]

Actually, I struggle with this a bit as well. It's a really interesting combination of cultural appropriation as entertainment and sort of sincerely attempting to create an honest experience. I think there are significantly more offensive stereotypes that could be used for just about every country, but, yeah I don't know if it paints an accurate picture of the culture. But, I'm also not convinced that's even the intention. I think it's probably a trickier tightrope to walk in 2014 than it was in the early 80s.

Since a lot of it (if not all of it?) is done in conjunction with the country represented, and paid for by the country in question. It may be that these cliches are tapped into in order to turn the entire place into one large advertisement to tourists meant to lure visitors to their country.

Show us the things this country has made into cliches, thus showing that these are the things we love about your culture. Make it charming, and it all becomes one big enticement to go see the real thing if they do it well enough.

That said - I love the World Show Case. But I don't go in expecting it not to be at least a bit "americanized."

 

[Gracefulskinny]

Nope
Me thinks you may have some relatives who reside in the Maelstrom pavilion?

I would have to agree!