Is Epcot "outdated?"

[Tonka's Skipper]

We always find Epcot to be fun and a gem of all parks in Orlando. Future world is ready for some new things, but they seem to be coming. As for the drinking , I hope every one enjoy a drink a they wish, but F and W is getting to be a worse and worse problem every year. Disney as already stated they are increasing security this year.

AKK

 

[ZephyrHawk]

Yes, it's a bit outdated.

 

[tlmadden73]

Agree. It is not the park I remember fondly from my youth when it first opened in the early 80s.

Unfortunately a lot of it still feels from the 80s.

Test Track and Soaring are great attractions and great additions, but they've just left everything else sit.

Disney is suffering from their own Success. Their movies are huge. They have multiple IPs now (Star Wars, Marvel) . .people want to see that in the parks and Epcot really doesn't have much "Disney" in it (which arguably, was part of its original charm).

I've been to Disney twice in the last year and since I have a toddler, Epcot isn't even on the radar. My in-laws (also with toddlers) were there even longer and they didn't hit Epcot either. It just isn't very kid friendly. I think they are trying to fix that with the Frozen ride, but like many have said .. it just doesn't seem to fit in with everything else. It is an odd decision to shoehorn in a single ride rather than just announce a big redesign like they did at DHS.

I wonder if the Frozen ride a first step into actually making the World Showcase a bit more "theme parky" and less just a shopping, drinking, eating area. A Ratatouille ride in France .. a Mary Poppins attraction in England .. etc. etc.

 

[Jfine]

Yes. Epcot is a half day park for us. We do like the restaurants and the architecture in WS, so we usually spend a little bit of time there. The only thing the kid likes about WS is the Perry adventure and the movies . But after a couple times seeing/doing both, he's over it. And even the movies strike me as totally 80s.
Captain EO is the only time I walked out of an attraction/ride at Disney and said, "Well there's time I'm never going to get back."

 

[sunshine1]

Epcot is so outdated that enjoying how outdated it is has become the main pleasure in visiting there. That, and booze.

So true. Is used to depress me but i embraced the fact that it depresses me when i went there two weeks ago and enjoyed it.

They do have one if the biggest merch shops there though: Mouse Gear.

I wonder what Walt would have thought of it being a theme park. Wasnt his original plan for Epcot be for people to live and work there?

 

[Nancyg56]

Well while its true that 100% of people will never be satisfied, you can make correct and incorrect judgment calls. Bottomline, most people would greatly prefer Maelstrom to EO. People are literally at Iger's door begging and pleading with the man to axe EO. And for some reason Disney isn't doing anything with that space.

You won't get any argument from me there! That attraction needed to be gone the day after it opened

 

[Nancyg56]

I'll 100% agree that not all change is sen the same. I don't mind the inclusion of Nemo, 3 Caballeros or Frozen at EPCOT but the inclusion of Tron the way they did it drives me nuts. I think the bigger issue for most is the lack of substantial change and changing attractions into empty buildings. EPCOT is full of both and since F&W and F&G boost attendance and Frozen is going to cause a rush (whether people like it or not) so I don't think they have much incentive to change anything else.

I think that they are relying too much on the food and wine aspects of Epcot to carry that park. Frozen will add to that but I do think they are shortsighted.

 

[Neverland98]

Count me in on wanting updates to FW. I love the this park is education based! However, I agree with PP-too much of the info presented is outdated in rides like Living with the Land and Ellen's Universe of Energy. And Imagination...well, keep Figment and update to exore where today's imaginative innovations lie.

I think vast areas and unused buildings makes sections of FW feel like a wasteland. I understand these may be used for special events, but it doesn't resonate well with the frequent visitor that so much real estate in buildings is effectively held for hard ticket event venues. Rather see some of these converted to another FW "Land" or the reimagining of a previous land - like Health and Wellness.

I think the concept of "post ride hands-on areas" and Innovations is still relevant...but the FORMAT and CONTENT is not. My kids would enjoy spending time at these exhibits, but the too often these areas have received little "updating" or are unregulated, leading to standing in lines to experience the exhibits. Which...I understand waiting occasionally, but sometimes the "timer" on these hands-on stations are too long to run through the crowd effectively.

 

[J'Adore Disney]

OK, great advice, maybe I will get him to start drinking while we are there, then his complaining will die down.

This is what I do with DH. Having Mimosas for breakfast and getting him liquored up early in the morning is a must before attempting to go any further!!!!

 

[3DisneyFanz]

You won't get any argument from me there! That attraction needed to be gone the day after it opened

In 1986 I would have disagreed. In 2010 I would support this completely.

 

[loves to dive]

About getting rid of CoP at MK, no, no, no, no, no. I have to ride that every time I go, I love that ride. Maybe update that final scene since it's not a timely as it used to be but no, no, no, no, don't get rid of it. About getting rid of Living With the Land, no, no, no, no. Another favorite although I liked it better when it was Listen to The Land and the boat drivers actually narrated instead of a recording but no,no,no,no don't get rid of it. I think it might be one of the few rides at Epcot that actually embodies what Epcot was meant to be. Shows advancements in crop management and love the first part of it.

 

[Nancyg56]

In 1986 I would have disagreed. In 2010 I would support this completely.

Oh gosh, I detested it back then!

 

[DisneyFive]

Outdated? Yes! I thought so on our very first visit in 2010. What really threw me for a loop were all the dated architectural pieces. The tombstones (ahem, sorry, picture monuments) out front are an eye sore. "Future" World may have been that way in the 80's, but not now. The buildings are way 80's! Kinda funny.

Unfortunately, it kind of grows on you and you look past it eventually. Still needs a big makeover IMO though.

Dan

 

[mickeyluv'r]

If you are going to list attractions that need updating...let's not forget probably the worst offender: the Energy attraction. The current version opened in 1996!

It is amazing to see how closely Ellen's current appearance is to how she looked almost 20 years ago!

Though the attraction is a bit open ended, there have been some exciting advances in the World of Energy in the last 19 years!

 

[mickeyluv'r]

Good point. Since the front half of EPCOT was all about change and innovation why actually do these things. Just talk about it and realize it's always new to someone.

Again, Energy!

The last time the attraction was updated was 1996!

Big things have transpired in the Energy sector since 1996!

It is a sham to call the front of Epcot Future world when the Energy attraction hasn't been updated in almost 20 years!

But then, it always seems to be forgotten in these threads....

 

[Vivianne]

I enjoy Epcot. However, I'd like to see them add another country or two to WS. I agree Energy needs a revamp. In addition to more dinosaurs.

 

[lugnut33]

Here are a few ideas I have for Epcot:
1. Add a Mt. Fuji indoor rollercoaster to Japan (was originally supposed to happen, but didn't due to money).
2. Add a nice 10 minute gondola boat ride through Italy, including a small section that takes you out onto the lake.
3. England could really use an attraction that uses an omnimover type of vehicle. Maybe a journey through Mary Poppins world?
4. A new film attraction for the Imagination Pavillion would be nice and not expensive to build. I think one based on Inside Out would be fabulous.
5. Total re-imagination of the Figment ride, with Figment making a rockstar like comeback.
6. Ellen's Energy should be re-done, but keep the dino ride as that's still awesome.
7. Health pavillion needs to re-open.
8. I'd love to see a new attraction open in FW that tackles current day Astro-physics. Could be a ride through a blackhole.

The buildings around FW don't feel old or anything, just the attractions inside of them.

 

[AaronInWI]

Here are a few ideas I have for Epcot:
1. Add a Mt. Fuji indoor rollercoaster to Japan (was originally supposed to happen, but didn't due to money).
2. Add a nice 10 minute gondola boat ride through Italy, including a small section that takes you out onto the lake.
3. England could really use an attraction that uses an omnimover type of vehicle. Maybe a journey through Mary Poppins world?
4. A new film attraction for the Imagination Pavillion would be nice and not expensive to build. I think one based on Inside Out would be fabulous.
5. Total re-imagination of the Figment ride, with Figment making a rockstar like comeback.
6. Ellen's Energy should be re-done, but keep the dino ride as that's still awesome.
7. Health pavillion needs to re-open.
8. I'd love to see a new attraction open in FW that tackles current day Astro-physics. Could be a ride through a blackhole.

The buildings around FW don't feel old or anything, just the attractions inside of them.

Yes to all of these!

 

[mickeyluv'r]

About getting rid of CoP at MK, no, no, no, no, no. I have to ride that every time I go, I love that ride. Maybe update that final scene since it's not a timely as it used to be but no, no, no, no, don't get rid of it. About getting rid of Living With the Land, no, no, no, no. Another favorite although I liked it better when it was Listen to The Land and the boat drivers actually narrated instead of a recording but no,no,no,no don't get rid of it. I think it might be one of the few rides at Epcot that actually embodies what Epcot was meant to be. Shows advancements in crop management and love the first part of it.

Get rid of, no, update- oh my gosh YES!

The last scene of CoP is laughable.

Whenever I ride Living with the Land, I laugh to read the quotes on the wall and look at the smiling images of children. I think about how old those former children must be today. And the quotes? Well they include a quote from President Bush '41! Not that there's anything wrong with his quote, but well....it is from a speech he made in 1987 - BEFORE he was president!

There's also a quote from Pope John Paul II, "We cannot say we love the land and then take steps to destroy it." Okay well...maybe that same sentiment coming from a pope has come around again....

 

[OKW Lover]

Epcot is perhaps our favorite of the WDW parks. We enjoy just wandering around and taking in the atmosphere. Perhaps we are a bit unusual in that we've visited WDW so many times, and now live 2 miles away, that we have no compelling desire to do the attractions. If we get on with a short wait that's fine. If the line is too long, that's fine too.

Would a new attraction, or significant change to an existing one, change that attitude? Probably. But only for a period of time. I'm sure that when the new Soarin movie opens we will try hard to get in. After seeing it for ~5 times, then it won't be as big a draw for us.