Guardians of the (Epcot) Galaxy

[jpwest]

GotG2 is being released in less than a year and let's face it, this franchise will never have the mass appeal of Avengers, Star Wars, or even Avatar. So they have a very narrow window to capitalize on a spike in interest for a relatively narrow audience. But as discussed, there is no existing ride track that can be re-themed quickly to hit that window. How does all of this add up to a good idea?

 

[ColoradoDreamin]

Actually I do think they'll try to do this quick. They want guardians in the park as fast as possible which is why it wouldn't be a brand new build but would be a retro fit. They want attendance at Epcot to stay up and doing something quick will do that until they can do more after Star Wars.

I haven't seen any insiders say this is something they want to do quick. In fact, they all seem to say that it is still in developmental mode from what I have gathered. If you call Frozen Ever After fast tracked, then yes, this will be fast tracked. But most people wouldn't call that a quick build, and signs point to about the same time frame here. I even saw an insider compare the ride for GOTG to FEA except an improvement on capacity. I just see them trying to fit this into their current timeline (2017 Pandora, 2018 Toy Story, 2019 Star Wars)...but maybe it will be 6 months after Toy Story Land. I think that would be the best case scenario...so a late 2018 or early 2019 thing. But I won't get my hopes up, as I would think more 2020 even for this.

 

[rteetz]

I haven't seen any insiders say this is something they want to do quick. In fact, they all seem to say that it is still in developmental mode from what I have gathered. If you call Frozen Ever After fast tracked, then yes, this will be fast tracked. But most people wouldn't call that a quick build, and signs point to about the same time frame here. I even saw an insider compare the ride for GOTG to FEA except an improvement on capacity. I just see them trying to fit this into their current timeline (2017 Pandora, 2018 Toy Story, 2019 Star Wars)...but maybe it will be 6 months after Toy Story Land. I think that would be the best case scenario...so a late 2018 or early 2019 thing. But I won't get my hopes up, as I would think more 2020 even for this.

That is correct that this isn't for sure yet but I don't think it will be as late as 2020.

 

[Phicinfan]

any chance this goal is to get done by 50th anniversary?

 

[rteetz]

All of the upcoming rumored Epcot work will cost more than the $350 million already set aside if all of the projects get approved. Up to 5 pavilions could be seeing work done. Mission space would get minor updates but the theme would stay the same.

 

[rteetz]

any chance this goal is to get done by 50th anniversary?

That might be it or maybe Epcot's 40th in 2022.

 

[ColoradoDreamin]

any chance this goal is to get done by 50th anniversary?

I am in the camp - what motivates a company to open a new ride for an anniversary. I understand a show, fireworks, or parade. But not a new ride. Anniversaries already get enough of an attendance boost. A new ride you want to open to result in an attendance boost, or one can't justify the expense. Whether a new ride opens or not at an anniversary, people will still attend. By just changing a show or fireworks it thus becomes "special" to MOST visitors for that anniversary. My money is on it not opening the year of the anniversary, but if they see a point in the timeline where it can generate an attendance boost, and it happens to exist before the anniversary...

 

[rteetz]

Martin says work in Innoventions will be first before anything else gets done.

 

[rteetz]

I am in the camp - what motivates a company to open a new ride for an anniversary. I understand a show, fireworks, or parade. But not a new ride. Anniversaries already get enough of an attendance boost. A new ride you want to open to result in an attendance boost, or one can't justify the expense. Whether a new ride opens or not at an anniversary, people will still attend. By just changing a show or fireworks it thus becomes "special" to MOST visitors for that anniversary. My money is on it not opening the year of the anniversary, but if they see a point in the timeline where it can generate an attendance boost, and it happens to exist before the anniversary...

Yeah I'm thinking it's before the anniversary because Epcot's attendance isn't going up really it's just sitting stagnant and that's probably due to the two big festivals they have.

 

[Phicinfan]

so, for the next 4 years, two parks will be roughly 50% under construction....that is gonna hurt, especially MK with all the extra people in there. They better hope Avatarland does what they planned it to do.

 

[ColoradoDreamin]

Martin says work in Innoventions will be first before anything else gets done.

To me that makes sense. Couldn't you see that from an admin point of view -- Frozen and Soarin are done, let's work on next project at Epcot while our priorities are on HS and AK, as one of those projects wraps up, put a greater focus on Epcot...maybe start the second project then

 

[Phicinfan]

Did I see somewhere that Energy could be closed by this September?

 

[rteetz]

To me that makes sense. Couldn't you see that from an admin point of view -- Frozen and Soarin are done, let's work on next project at Epcot while our priorities are on HS and AK, as one of those projects wraps up, put a greater focus on Epcot...maybe start the second project then

Yep. Innoventions needs it to. Once sum of all thrills close there really is nothing in the place.

 

[rteetz]

Did I see somewhere that Energy could be closed by this September?

Yes one source said if it gets the green light it could close as early as September.

 

[Planogirl]

Any rumors about what might go into Innoventions?

This just seems odd. How does GoG fit into Epcot? I guess a better question would be what is the theme of Epcot now? Future, cultural and other stuff? A Disney mish mash?

 

[Reckoner]

To echo what rteetz has said, this is definitely not a quick and dirty project. The ToT retheme was the quick idea, and once it was eliminated (mainly because they wouldn't be able to have it completed by next May), this plan B was given a much longer timeline to develop. We're talking multiple years.

 

[Josh Hendy]

Yes one source said if it gets the green light it could close as early as September.

Either Disney execs feel that it's impossible to renovate and expand Epcot on the basis of corporate and international sponsorships any longer and despite all efforts they will never succeed in making bridges to the health care and energy industries, or to foreign governments and tourist authorities ...

Or, they simply don't give a flying **** about the history and theme of Epcot and feel that sponsorships and partnerships would be throwing money away that they could be making by using the park as kind of a used car lot or retail jobber for cashing in on (or "moving") leftover Disney properties which although temporarily popular, are not worth the effort and expense of building a proper attraction in an appropriate location.

 

[rteetz]

Any rumors about what might go into Innoventions?

This just seems odd. How does GoG fit into Epcot? I guess a better question would be what is the theme of Epcot now? Future, cultural and other stuff? A Disney mish mash?

Nothing specific but Martin who is a big Epcot fan doesn't sound upset about what's planned for Innoventions.

GOTG doesn't fit in Epcot anymore than it does ToT but Disney does what Disney wants.

 

[rteetz]

Either Disney execs feel that it's impossible to renovate and expand Epcot on the basis of corporate and international sponsorships any longer and despite all efforts they will never succeed in making bridges to the health care and energy industries, or to foreign governments and tourist authorities ...

Or, they simply don't give a flying **** about the history and theme of Epcot and feel that sponsorships and partnerships would be throwing money away that they could be making by using the park as kind of a used car lot or retail jobber for cashing in on (or "moving") leftover Disney properties which although temporarily popular, are not worth the effort and expense of building a proper attraction in an appropriate location.

I'm fairly certain that yes the concepts of Epcot's center are dead. No more corporate sponsorships. I think also don't care much either as long as they can sell merch. Gaurdians will move merch if it goes in.

 

[TwoMisfits]

Either Disney execs feel that it's impossible to renovate and expand Epcot on the basis of corporate and international sponsorships any longer and despite all efforts they will never succeed in making bridges to the health care and energy industries, or to foreign governments and tourist authorities ...

Or, they simply don't give a flying **** about the history and theme of Epcot and feel that sponsorships and partnerships would be throwing money away that they could be making by using the park as kind of a used car lot or retail jobber for cashing in on (or "moving") leftover Disney properties which although temporarily popular, are not worth the effort and expense of building a proper attraction in an appropriate location.

I agree with this since I've made the previous point it seemed Disney was moving away from the original concept of EPCOT Future World, since they pretty much stopped updating it and just started closing attractions and/or letting outdated ones just continue as shells of themselves. I could see Guardians of the Galaxy in a "Sci-Fi" concept for Future World and possibly having more of the "sci-fi" vs "science" concepts moving in...a "futuristic" world, not a future one. Then, you bring in supers, aliens, new worlds, etc...

It's not one I like, but I can see the writing on the wall...