How the internet killed Epcot

[spectrowishes]

Greetings all! This is my first "real" post on the DISBoards. I look forward to conversing with you all. With that, we are days away from the D23 Expo and possible new revealings on the future of Epcot. I admit that my first visit to WDW's second gate was in 2005, long after the supposed "heyday" that the park experienced in its early years. I have always a experienced a feeling of staleness when visiting, especially in Future World. It's as though somewhere in the 1990's (concurrent with the rise of the internet), the "21st Century" that began in 1982 came to a halt and has been there ever since.

With a universal resource like the internet, the world no longer depended on destinations like Epcot as a place to exhibit futuristic technologies and advancements in society. Disney and its attraction sponsors could never compete with a worldwide source of information, especially one that can adjust within seconds of a new scientific or technological breakthrough. Those discoveries are now held in our hands, pockets, wrists, homes, vehicles, and more every second of the day.

Let's also be honest with ourselves for a moment. I feel that society, as a whole, has lost great interest in futuristic ideas and visions. Take a look around at the problems we face as a planet in the present. Perhaps this is behind the consumer/guest interest shift away from real-world/futuristic themes and toward IP/fictional themes that transport guests away from the "real world" during their time in the parks. When is the last time you heard a (non-Disney fan) guest express interest in Epcot offering less IP in the park (if ever)? It's certainly a thought worth debating.

I love Epcot. I love its position as the brainchild of Walt's final dream... a living city of the future for all to enjoy and benefit from. Contrary to Mr. Chapek, I feel that the core message of Epcot is as (or even more) "Disney" than any new IP that may find itself in the park over the coming years. However, in this day and age of instant information, perhaps it's time to ask a tough question (for those of us who love this park dearly): Has the internet killed any hopes of Epcot (the theme park) returning to its former position as a place of legitimate and relevant "edutainment"?

I apologize for the lengthy nature of my thoughts, but hopefully this will generate some constructive discussion.

 

[Farro]

Great post OP!

I agree actually.

When I was at Epcot as a child in the early 80's, I was in awe. I still remember the feeling of excitement for the future after riding Horizons. Everything seemed possible, the animatronics were amazing, they gave my imagination a touch of reality! It was hope!

People always talk about missing the Epcot of years ago, but we can't go back to that. You are right, society today is completely different than we were in the 80's. The internet did/does put the world at our fingertips. A ride like Horizons would never have the same effect on a child today as it did on me at age 9 in 1982. There almost wasn't a way for me to know what was possible back then, that's why the ride was so exciting! Today's children have the luxury of the whole world being open to them at the touch of a screen.

ETA - That's not to say that it still can't be educational, they just have to go about it in a different way. I imagine it's harder to hold the interest of younger generations today as they have so many ways of being entertained at this point. Maybe technology themes (like Horizons) aren't the way to go because it just changes so fast now.
Rides like Living With the Land are good examples of how to educate us w/out ending up looking dated in 2 years!

In my opinion.

 

[Robo]

I have been saying this for many years.
(I've been shouted down for it, too.)

What possible "futuristic" technology needs to be showcased at a theme park?

Let's face it. We are not all going to have flying cars.

 

[Farro]

For non-rides, like Innoventions/Communicore type stuff -A robot lab would be fun. Lots of possibilities for learning and great guest interaction! Maybe even a simulated mini-robot wars type event with a robot you create!

At least it would be fun for me.

 

[goofy4prez]

Let's face it. We are not all going to have flying cars.

Speak for yourself; I'm still going to live long enough to own one of them flying cars of the future I saw as prototypes back when I was in grade school in the 70's.

 

[mitsukoshi samurai]

Same problem with worlds fairs and tomorrow land at MK

 

[Westcoastwild]

Hm. I don't entirely agree. I think today's vision of the future is just different than years ago, and that Disney needs to tap into that. We're still talking about space travel- it's just more about living there than a man on the moon. We're still talking about underwater cities- it's just that the submersibles look different. We're still talkin about flying cars and rail systems and robots, it's just that the form has changed. We still dream of travel- it's just that today's kids have a better chance of having visited Paris and Rome. But they may still dream about riding a camel across the desert of kayaking through a cave or walking through a lost village in the Amazon.

Museums have shifted their focus from viewing to interaction to remain viable. And hands on museums like the one in SF are huge right now. Epcot would draw the crowds if they built an innovative walk through space ship or jungle gym or something like that, because well designed, innovative places like that ARE drawing crowds in major cities elsewhere

Epcot's model really isn't dead. It's just that they haven't put any effort into updating it. But it's evident in some of the stuff they do- like making soaring global rather than California- that they do see the shift in trends. They just either don't have the money to tackle it or they don't have a cohesive idea of what it should look like yet. Probably both. Star Wars and Pandora are both probably needed immediately than Epcot 2.0. Animal Kingdom and HS just need to draw more people period. Epcot has dining to keep people coming in right now.

 

[spectrowishes]

I definitely think that many portions of the Epcot model are capable of saving. Even though it has its own flaws, the World Showcase model continues to work well (and is honestly the park's saving grace in many ways). The interactive museum shift is a valid point, but are the average WDW guests of today really interested in spending time on similar exhibits that exist in cities around the US? There is definitely a faction that would love new experiences like this (which definitely beat an empty Innoventions). The combination of overall apathetic guest interest in the Epcot model (vs. IP-driven experiences) and Disney's unwillingness to fully buy into and maintain that model is why I believe the park is in for a radical change over the next decade and beyond.

 

[jsbowl16]

I disagree. I think that now we are even more infatuated with everything that is new and want to have hands on time with it. If anything, shows like CES which are busier than ever have taken some of the wow factor out of future world but saying the Internet has done it is like saying that watching videos of Disney Attractions is like experiencing them.

 

[xjillianpaige]

I don't think I can speak very well on this. But anecdotally....

I have memories of going to Epcot as a kid and being in awe of the entire park. My brother hated it (except for Test Track) because he wanted more "rides" while I was happy to walk around and see what was there in the World Showcase and Future World.

On my last trip, I noticed the number of empty buildings and how dated a lot of it felt. Ellen's Energy Adventure comes to mind. I still like the World Showcase and now prefer to spend most of my time there - I don't mind missing the rest of the park. The empty buildings in particular feel sad.

 

[Farro]

I disagree. I think that now we are even more infatuated with everything that is new and want to have hands on time with it. If anything, shows like CES which are busier than ever have taken some of the wow factor out of future world but saying the Internet has done it is like saying that watching videos of Disney Attractions is like experiencing them.

What is CES?

The internet itself hasn't taken the fun away from actually being physically in Epcot, but kids have access to the entire world and a worlds of ideas now because of the internet. I had access to my block and wherever my parents chose to take me!

It's just some of the wonder/awe of the early years is gone because there weren't very many avenues before the internet to see a vision of "the future" or experience other cultures (World Showcase) know what I mean?

It can still be great again, just in a different way. You can't go back to what it was, because that time doesn't exist anymore.

 

[Farro]

Same problem with worlds fairs and tomorrow land at MK

I would have to disagree on Tomorrowland. It has just the right mix of kitsch and a retro 70's futuristic vibe. It works and I love it!

 

[spectrowishes]

At the end of the day, nothing can really replace an in-person experience. I think creating those experiences has simply become more difficult because of advancements in technology accessible to the general population. You could apply many points discussed here to a debate over why Disney and Universal have departed from the "behind the scenes" and "backstage studio tour" elements in their studios parks. Is that live experience as appealing as walking through Diagon Alley or similar immersive environments?

 

[Planogirl]

Kids have access to new ideas through the Internet but do they bother? You could easily introduce new concepts to your kids while exploring Epcot because so much was right there. With the Internet a kid will have to seek out this themselves but I don't believe that most of them will go to the trouble.

 

[hakepb]

What is CES?

The internet itself hasn't taken the fun away from actually being physically in Epcot, but kids have access to the entire world and a worlds of ideas now because of the internet. I had access to my block and wherever my parents chose to take me!

It's just some of the wonder/awe of the early years is gone because there weren't very many avenues before the internet to see a vision of "the future" or experience other cultures (World Showcase) know what I mean?

It can still be great again, just in a different way. You can't go back to what it was, because that time doesn't exist anymore.

Consumer Electronics Show:
http://www.ces.tech/Why-CES/CES-by-the-Numbers

With more than 4,000 exhibiting companies and exhibit space of more than 2.6 million net square feet, CES 2017 was a record-breaker, welcoming the world’s biggest companies in addition to hosting more than 600 startups at the Eureka Park Marketplace. More than 180,000 industry professionals, including more than 58,000 from outside the U.S., convened in Las Vegas to drive the ever-evolving global technology industry forward.

 

[dreiwhit]

Just my opinion:

Right now, we seem to be on a global technology plateau. There are new technologies coming out, but they are enhancements of existing technology - 4K TVs and faster cell phones for example. There's not much available right now that is new, groundbreaking and earth shaking (think TV, radio, Internet, etc, when introduced.) Part of the problem is that for almost the last 10 years, companies have been focused on surviving and not innovation due to a poor economy and reduced consumer spending. Hopefully, things will change in the future. Also, I look at how much technology changed in the 1990s and early 2000s. We got used to that, and now we don't have it.

Also, part of the problem that Disney appears not to know what they want to do with Epcot. Futuristic attractions, or just a bunch of Disney IP attractions? Not to mention, they rely on corporate sponsorship that has dried up over the past several years.

 

[lchuck]

Just my opinion:

Right now, we seem to be on a global technology plateau. There are new technologies coming out, but they are enhancements of existing technology - 4K TVs and faster cell phones for example. There's not much available right now that is new, groundbreaking and earth shaking (think TV, radio, Internet, etc, when introduced.) Part of the problem is that for almost the last 10 years, companies have been focused on surviving and not innovation due to a poor economy and reduced consumer spending. Hopefully, things will change in the future. Also, I look at how much technology changed in the 1990s and early 2000s. We got used to that, and now we don't have it.

Also, part of the problem that Disney appears not to know what they want to do with Epcot. Futuristic attractions, or just a bunch of Disney IP attractions? Not to mention, they rely on corporate sponsorship that has dried up over the past several years.

Exactly. You posted yours while I was typing mine, but this is what I was going to say exactly! We are in a stage where there are no great leaps forward, only small incremental changes. The OP started out with the premise that the Internet killed Epcot, but the Internet was developed over a period that spanned decades. When you visit a place like Epcot, it shouldn't be geared toward adults. As adults, our minds are already shaped and molded and we likely won't be the ones to come up with the next big idea (as much as I hate to admit that). Epcot needs to be aimed at sparking the imagination of every child that walks through the doors. When I visited Epcot as a 10 year old back in the 80's, I remember being filled with a sense of wonder and excitement and believing that I could do anything. Even with the Internet and the wealth of knowledge available to kids on a daily basis, there are still attractions that can draw the interest of today's children and get them thinking along those same lines. We need to stop looking at the future in the way that we saw it as children, with flying cars and aliens all around us. Also, the future doesn't need to be separate from issues that we face today (population explosion, food and water shortages, etc). These issues are the very ones we need our children to face and tackling them will require great leaps in imagination that we just aren't capable of. I know this seems like a very lofty goal for a theme park, but all they have to do is provide that first spark.

 

[tlmadden73]

I'm with you and have said it before on here.

Epcot in the 80s was amazing. I went shortly after it opened and remember it fondly to this day. As a middle schooler eager for new information I was fascinated by all the animatronic dark rides that were showcasing technology you could only dream about .. giving you a realistic glimpse at countries that you couldn't afford to go to.

My 4 yo son can handle a smartphone better than his grandparents. "Amazing" him with "edutainment" will be a lot harder to do than it was for us that went to Epcot in the 80s.

Now, with the internet, the information that you could "learn" at Epcot is literally at everyone's fingertips. The "Exotic" world showcase is aged and boring. You can see more of a country on a travel TV show and have more exotic food options at a place like Disney Springs. The technology is there to have great, exciting, interactive attractions much closer to home (say in a local museum).

I saw a video today on YouTube defending "IPCOT" .. company sponsorships just aren't there (they can market themselves easier and hit more people using the internet rather than having an attraction at theme park.) and using IPs is basically Disney "sponsoring" itself. Tieing its attractions into its IPs to cross-sell between its movie merchandising and theme parks.

I am on the side of take IPs and fill up World Showcase with some exciting attractions that tie into Disney movies and still celebrate the culture of the "host country" .. it would make that "boring" (for most kids) walk around the lake a lot more exciting and spread out the crowds more.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

Has the internet killed any hopes of Epcot (the theme park) returning to its former position as a place of legitimate and relevant "edutainment"?

DH and I have been talking about this for years: "Come to Future World and experience the last decade's cutting edge technology!"

Technology just moves too quickly (and Disney perhaps a tad too slowly... ) for a truly CUTTING EDGE edutainment experience in Future World. Even with things plateauing to some degree, I can't help but think that Disney still wouldn't be fast enough to keep up. They do a lot well -- but not very speedily.

They need a new overall vision for Future World, IMO.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

Kids have access to new ideas through the Internet but do they bother? You could easily introduce new concepts to your kids while exploring Epcot because so much was right there. With the Internet a kid will have to seek out this themselves but I don't believe that most of them will go to the trouble.

Yes and no. We PUT some of that stuff in front of our kids online... it's not just them surfing by themselves.