Epcot's newest attraction just turned 10!

[lockedoutlogic]

We moved to Orlando a little over a year ago, and live 10 minutes from Downtown Disney. Since we've gotten Universal passes my 10 year old son prefers going to City Walk for movies, eating, etc, over downtown Disney. And its great they are adding new things, but the restaurants they added are so high end they don't appeal to me unless its a special occasion. I've gone to Disney consistently as an adult from 2001-present, and its really disappointing how they have fallen off in so many regards. I know a lot of my posts come across as hating and complaining, but its honestly because I want them to get back to what they were. The only time I have felt much "Disney Magic" in the past 3 years is on the 2 cruises we took. Beyond that over many trips this past year, my experiences in the park have ranged from ok to terrible.

Perfect...

I'm gonna use the above excellent thought to illustrate something about me...

I'm asked - with far too much regularity - "why do you even go to Disney?" ...meaning why to I read and write here...

This post has alot of my feelings in it with different details.

Nobody would/should look at it as a "Disney hater"

And I can honestly say that its the same for me.

I love it there... I put alot of sweat and brainpower Into the place and even more money and patience since...

But yes...yes!...this post is correct.

I... Like the poster... Don't want Disney to fail. But there's no reason to sit in silence and not say "gotta do better, guys..."

Wdw was at its peak (hopefully not a permanent record) from 97-2000. And note that much of that fell after the period of major expansion...
But they were running an impressive portfolio of offerings more according to the Disney management style/ideals...and making money every step of the way.

But now we have little of that - we have no freedom to "update" in the parks...we have these calculated "event" projects that are as transparent as Saran Wrap...
Announce big, cut back, stretch it out like the last :45 seconds of an NCAA tourney game...bleed it, bleed it, bleed it, open it...then shut the cranes down for 5 years - if we are lucky.

What's funny is they do have a couple of legit players in the game now in town. Much moreso than the first 30-35 years in Orlando.

But now the threat is met with "IP"...which is fancy for profits without investment. And you start pecking away at the foundation long term.

But these managers aren't thinking long term - and nobody has much of an issue.

Why should there be only two choices in this discussion?
1. Agree with all and shut up
2. Go somewhere else.

There very much needs to be a "grey option" In between the black and the white.

I recently noticed other posters saying that they enjoy things and throwing in " while it lasts"

Ten years ago would anyone have thought that? The idea that the good experience is not here to stay was almost unconscionable...

That is erosion and it is managements fault. And ours...because they reap the benefits of the "black or white" world they are spinning.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

"E ticket" is just a subjective term. Everyone's list of favorite rides is different. "High-demand" rides, I think that is a term that has some objective meaning.

I agree...but there's key variables to " high demand rides " that pixie ponders are giving the great sundial in Orlando and the Dwarf Center in Burbank a complete pass on...

 

[ArwenMarie]

I agree...but there's key variables to " high demand rides " that pixie ponders are giving the great sundial in Orlando and the Dwarf Center in Burbank a complete pass on...

Oh sure, definitely. But it doesn't matter if people keep coming.

We are done with the 3 non-MK parks for a while until they get something new worth going back for. MK is still fun for our family. Last summer I'll admit, the Frozen Fun at DHS got us to go there. And it was fun! Low-budget, nothing fancy obviously, but we enjoyed it. But I don't need to go back there to see that stuff again. I think the new stuff at DAK has real potential, but it is so far off. As far as anything new at DHS, that is SO far off it's not even on my radar. And my family has specifically requested we skip Epcot from now on (the walking-to-ride-ratio is too high) but I'll be back to check out the new Frozen ride whenever that is done.

 

[Planogirl]

I'm not sure on how I think of E ticket rides. If it's just the most popular then Peter Pan would be an E-ticket. I love Peter Pan but I never think of it that way.

It doesn't bode well for anyone who wants real quality in WDW either. I can't imagine the Frozen thing being all that high quality (and yes I know that I might be wrong). Yes, demand will be high simply because of the movie but does that alone make it deserve to be an E ticket?

 

[rteetz]

I'm not sure on how I think of E ticket rides. If it's just the most popular then Peter Pan would be an E-ticket. I love Peter Pan but I never think of it that way.

It doesn't bode well for anyone who wants real quality in WDW either. I can't imagine the Frozen thing being all that high quality (and yes I know that I might be wrong). Yes, demand will be high simply because of the movie but does that alone make it deserve to be an E ticket?

E tickets aren't just supposed to be high demand attractions but attractions that have high tech stuff like test track and soarin at the time same with HM. When pan opened it was high tech and a big deal.

 

[circus4u]

E tickets aren't just supposed to be high demand attractions but attractions that have high tech stuff like test track and soarin at the time same with HM. When pan opened it was high tech and a big deal.

I can't remember for certain, but when WDW opened, Peter Pan was no more than a D ride. Something in memory tells me it might have been a C Ticket. Somewhere, I have an old ticket book that lists the required ticket for the different rides. I remember the carousel and main street vehicles were A tickets, Carousel of Progress and If You Had Wings were free. Hall of Presidents was free during 1976 to celebrate the Bicentennial. Can't really remember for sure the B, C, and D rides.

 

[rteetz]

I can't remember for certain, but when WDW opened, Peter Pan was no more than a D ride. Something in memory tells me it might have been a C Ticket. Somewhere, I have an old ticket book that lists the required ticket for the different rides. I remember the carousel and main street vehicles were A tickets, Carousel of Progress and If You Had Wings were free. Hall of Presidents was free during 1976 to celebrate the Bicentennial. Can't really remember for sure the B, C, and D rides.

Pan wasn't an E but my point was an E was more determined on more than demand, but also the type of attraction, length, and overall experience.

 

[Planogirl]

I agree that demand shouldn't decide this. At least not demand alone.

 

[xipetotec]

Over the past ten years some attractions have been re-imagined at epcot, but no new attraction has opened since Soarin. Is Frozen a sign of things to come and we'll see more new attractions or is it just an opportunity do drop a "Frozen land" in the parks?

Either way, happy birthday, Soarin! You're alright.

Well they are dropping some more money into Soarin' and creating another room aren't they? Not 'new' but definitely an investment into a crazy packed attraction.

 

[wallrock]

Well they are dropping some more money into Soarin' and creating another room aren't they? Not 'new' but definitely an investment into a crazy packed attraction.

Expanding a ten year old attraction doesn't offset the shutdown of Wonders of Life, gutting Journey Into Imagination and now shutting down Innoventions.

 

[Andrew015]

Exactly. There wouldn't be a need for additional Soarin' capacity if they actually had other "ride worthy" attractions (Test Track withstanding) within FW.

 

[Josh Hendy]

Expanding a ten year old attraction doesn't offset the shutdown of Wonders of Life, gutting Journey Into Imagination and now shutting down Innoventions.

And the utter lameness of Energy Adventure.

 

[DuffWDWCP]

Well they are dropping some more money into Soarin' and creating another room aren't they? Not 'new' but definitely an investment into a crazy packed attraction.

An small investment into their most popular attraction does not even compare to opening a new one.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

An small investment into their most popular attraction does not even compare to opening a new one.

Agree...

And (groan here) I know I'm a pessimist...but isnt this expansion of two older rides a bit embarassing?

I mean...if they open new rides for crowds and then retrofit the others to provide more crowd
Accommodation - I'd be giving them mad props.

But is this not the definition of cheapskatery?

To close down what's becoming a now alarming list of shows and b rate rides (to be fair) in studios and EPCOT and then rolling out an 18 month plan to increase the capacity of a single ride in each park by 33%?

So if the usual wait in a moderate crowd is around 75 minutes...which it is...what basically forms the 3 year master plan (with another overlay, a princess queue, and a Bibbidi in EPCOT) of two parks is taking the wait down to 50 minutes?

?

?!
(Yes...my jaw is dropped like a guppie)

There are times of vulnerability on these topics where all I can physically muster is to laugh

 

[Barnabe]

So many people seem to have blinders on when it comes to Epcot too. Epcot is nothing like it once was. I'd be willing to bet that there are fewer attractions and that the food isn't as good as it once was. But slap a few princesses here and there and some people just go on about how amazing Epcot is with its two major rides and shopping/dining mall. Nice shopping/dining mall but still that nonetheless.

I was guilty of that myself for a long time. But they pushed me over the edge. I'm wondering if anyone else will eventually get pushed beyond that edge.

I think that 's the reason Epcot is experiencing lower crowds. If your're paying the same admission price for Epcot or MK which on will you choose? I'd definitely pick MK over a glorified shopping mall.

 

[Barnabe]

I think it will be a popular ride at MK for a long time yet and I think it is exactly what it is supposed to be (a very nice kiddie coaster)

So do you think the popularity will wane? I look on the boards and I'm amazed at how popular this ride is. It's OK, but c'mon that's it!

 

[Josh Hendy]

So do you think the popularity will wane? I look on the boards and I'm amazed at how popular this ride is. It's OK, but c'mon that's it!

MK has a lot of rides. But practically every single ride which is the "competition" is 30 to 50 years old. They may be bigger, longer rides with more thrills and/or with more to look at, but unless you're a first-timer, you've ridden the Mountains, Haunted Mansion, Pirates, Small World and Peter Pan so, so, so many times.

So I think the mine train popularity will hold up ... but not necessarily because of its own, inherent interest and thrills.

 

[Barnabe]

MK has a lot of rides. But practically every single ride which is the "competition" is 30 to 50 years old. They may be bigger, longer rides with more thrills and/or with more to look at, but unless you're a first-timer, you've ridden the Mountains, Haunted Mansion, Pirates, Small World and Peter Pan so, so, so many times.

So I think the mine train popularity will hold up ... but not necessarily because of its own, inherent interest and thrills.

Good point. I'm going to repeat the same lament: I wish they would've invested in new attractions instead of more cement and a ride rationing system.

 

[rteetz]

And the utter lameness of Energy Adventure.

With a missing Ellen!

 

[rteetz]

I think that 's the reason Epcot is experiencing lower crowds. If your're paying the same admission price for Epcot or MK which on will you choose? I'd definitely pick MK over a glorified shopping mall.

The glorified shopping mall has free entry and is currently a construction zone