Epcot is sad

[ArwenMarie]

I agree about FutureWorld...I find it depressing in the same way I find a mall or a main street with closed up stores depressing. It seriously needs a major overhaul...something, anything.

I don't think World Showcase is offensive. All of Disneyworld is a simulation. It's not meant to be a perfect, all-encompassing representation.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

We love Epcot. It could use some updates but that's about it.

 

[disneylovin24]

EPCOT is my favorite park, yes MK is great but as someone who loves to travel and has been to Europe, I love walking around World Showcase. I have never found it to be offensive and have never even had that thought. The pavilions show the culture of each country, I guess some could us the culture as a stereotype but I don't think that is Disney's intentions. I think Disney also has to go with the most known aspects of a country's culture to appeal to crowds. For example, how do you have anything other than the Eiffel Tower in France? It is what people know the most about France, not offensive just popular!

As for Future World, I think it has some of the best rides in WDW. Mission Space and Spaceship Earth are not incredible but are enjoyable. Meanwhile, Test Track and Soarin' are two of my all-time favorite rides. Soarin still leaves my speechless as I walk away! I like the new ending for Spaceship Earth because it keeps the guests involved and the videos are really entertaining IMO.

To add to EPCOT, it has the best food selection in WDW IMO. You can pretty much get any type of food you like there either sit down or counter service! Same with drinks! And of course there is Illuminations which, yes, I do believe is better than Wishes I love Wishes too but I think Illuminations just has a more powerful message and consists of so much more.


As much as I love EPCOT though I can see why people would not like it compared to MK or the other parks. EPCOT certainly does not have the same focus on Disney characters (although it does have the most to do with Frozen ) and I can see why that would bother people coming to WDW. Still though, I would not call it outdated or old or offensive.

The cast members from the country working in the country to ensure it is as realistic as possible do not seem to find EPCOT offensive.

 

[aaarcher86]

Is this a serious question? Do you think that Mexican Culture is limited to what you can find at a Taco Bell in Omaha? China has several provinces each with a unique cultural identity

It's one pavilion. They can't put all of China's cultures and identities in there. They're just giving a representation for each country.

If someone wants to deeply explore a country and culture I'd suggest traveling there instead of Epcot.

 

[Magpie]

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.

Well, I'm Canadian and I love the Canadian pavilion. I like the way it looks with hints of the Parliament buildings, Maritimes and the Victoria gardens. The new movie with Martin Short is very funny, and paints a fair picture of my country. And Off Kilter playing Canadian rock is FANTASTIC, even if only one member of the band is actually Canadian.

I don't find anything about the Canadian pavilion offensive, in any way. The CMs lumberjack styled costumes are a leetle dorky, but hey... lumber is still a major export. And it's no worse than the Colonial get ups the American pavilion CMs have to wear.

I'd like to hear from people from other countries, what they think of Epcot's representation of their homeland.

 

[agame2323]

It's one pavilion. They can't put all of China's cultures and identities in there. They're just giving a representation for each country.

If someone wants to deeply explore a country and culture I'd suggest traveling there instead of Epcot.

This

 

[AmyB2006]

Is this a serious question? Do you think that Mexican Culture is limited to what you can find at a Taco Bell in Omaha?

China has several provinces each with a unique cultural identity

Well, you still haven't offered any other ideas that you might have to offer a better representation of the culture...

I don't find any part of WS offensive. Outdated? Sure. But not offensive.

 

[disneylovin24]

Well, I'm Canadian and I love the Canadian pavilion. I like the way it looks with hints of the Parliament buildings, Maritimes and the Victoria gardens. The new movie with Martin Short is very funny, and paints a fair picture of my country. And Off Kilter playing Canadian rock is FANTASTIC, even if only one member of the band is actually Canadian.

I don't find anything about the Canadian pavilion offensive, in any way. The CMs lumberjack styled costumes are a leetle dorky, but hey... lumber is still a major export. And it's no worse than the Colonial get ups the American pavilion CMs have to wear.

I'd like to hear from people from other countries, what they think of Epcot's representation of their homeland.

 

[agame2323]

Is this a serious question? Do you think that Mexican Culture is limited to what you can find at a Taco Bell in Omaha?

China has several provinces each with a unique cultural identity

I'm dead serious. Please, feel free to make a suggestion as to what "you" would consider appropriate / accurate representation of Mexican culture and societal artifacts that one should find in EPCOT. Not Mexico. But EPCOT.

think about what you really saying there.

 

[BrianL]

I love the retro-future, World's Fair style of Epcot. If anything, it needs to focs on that more. Some things do need updating, but that could be said of any of the parks really.

As for offensive, I think that's over the top. Of course the pavillions aren't indicative of what an entire country is like, they are just a snapshot of the culture. It identifies them well, and their governments were all consulted. They are even respectful, like not using lights on the Minaurets in the Morocco pavillion. I think they do a great job od showcasing the countries in the limited space they have.

 

[HorizonsRIP]

Sounds like several agree about future world being tired, but enjoy the world showcase. Maybe I'm being a wee bit cynical...i think it was the 90 minute bus ride from Wilderness Lodge to Boardwalk last night that put my mood off.

 

[kbelle8995]

I have always loved Epcot in part because it is not MK.

I love MK but Epcot is just a different animal. And to be honest, it would be hard to compact all that a country or its people are in a small pavillion. Some of the movies are gorgeous, China and France are a few of my favs. I always figure that it's just a taste of a country not the whole experience.

I think that Future World needs some updating. I would like to see Imagination to return to the orginal incarnation and I do miss World of Motion and Horizons but I enjoy what is there now. It just needs to refreshed some.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

I have always loved Epcot in part because it is not MK.

This. I'm honestly not all that into the "Disney Magic", so having a less "Disneyfied" park like Epcot (and AK) suits me just fine

 

[Tramp68]

I find the innoventions buildings to be horrible underutilized and outdated. However, the rest of EPCOT is very relevant, educational and cultural...

to the troll reference. Well played!

 

[Magpie]

Sounds like several agree about future world being tired, but enjoy the world showcase. Maybe I'm being a wee bit cynical...i think it was the 90 minute bus ride from Wilderness Lodge to Boardwalk last night that put my mood off.

The Wilderness Lodge isn't known for it's stellar bus access, unfortunately. And, I expect they dropped you off at the entrance of Epcot, which you then had to walk through to get to Boardwalk, as I don't think there are any resort-to-resort busses.

So yeah, that'd sour most anyone's mood. (This is one of the reasons we keep returning to the Pop Century - good busses!)

Try checking out some of the movies and the museum exhibits in the various pavilions, next time! Norway's showcase has even themed their exhibit (in the Stave Church) around the making of Frozen. Really, really interesting stuff!

 

[jhaig]

Don't let the king of Morocco read this thread. He sent his personal architects to Epcot to oversee the construction of the Morocco pavilion, so any stereotypes there would be traced back to him. Not sure he would be OK with that

 

[dae3dae3]

Is this a serious question? Do you think that Mexican Culture is limited to what you can find at a Taco Bell in Omaha?

Then why can't you answer the question if it is so easy. You have a 75 yard wide space to summarize Mexico's culture. You have one building and it has to have a restaurant and some sort or ride, show, or attraction in it. You're not allowed to be depressing and focus on horrible incidents in the Mexico's history. After all, this isn't a museum. It is an amusement park. It also has to be appropriate for adults and small children. How would you do it? Yes, this is a serious question.

 

[disneylovin24]

The Wilderness Lodge isn't known for it's stellar bus access, unfortunately. And, I expect they dropped you off at the entrance of Epcot, which you then had to walk through to get to Boardwalk, as I don't think there are any resort-to-resort busses.

When we had to get to the Boardwalk from WL we took a bus to the MK (could have easily been boat) and then took the bus from their to the Boardwalk. Took a little under a hour which I thought was fair. Don't they always say give yourself a hour to get to places via WDW transportation?

So yeah, that'd sour most anyone's mood. (This is one of the reasons we keep returning to the Pop Century - good busses!)

Try checking out some of the movies and the museum exhibits in the various pavilions, next time! Norway's showcase has even themed their exhibit (in the Stave Church) around the making of Frozen. Really, really interesting stuff!

 

[Yellowstonetim]

Epcot is our favorite park and is wonderful.

Each country participates in the pavilion related to that country so your observation about Mariachi bands is itself offensive. Who are you to be upset at how Mexico wants to present its traditions? What is wrong with Mariachi bands. In fact the whole idea of choosing some common item to identify a country or culture is common. Unfortunately, so is the knee-jerk (emphasis on the jerk) politically correct negative reaction to any representation. If the PC idiots get their way, no one would be able to dress up or represent any place, culture, or people of any kind.

As long as it is respectful, it is OK.

Obviously you would be most comfortable in Norway, somewhere near the end of the ride.

 

[jhaig]

Epcot will never be up-to-date with modern technology anyway. It takes WDW 27 years to get one kiddie coaster finished.