Not sure if this goes under "Rumor", but thought I'd post here

[Twingle]

An business associate I know recently returned from WDW, and said that Universe of Energy is not even on the Epcot maps for 2006. Can anyone confirm that? I know that it's been closed the last few times I was at Epcot, but I thought it was just because I was there in off seasons.

 

[jonestavern]

ooh, hope this is just a rumour!
we are big UofE fans--

Jean

 

[peter11435]

An business associate I know recently returned from WDW, and said that Universe of Energy is not even on the Epcot maps for 2006. Can anyone confirm that? I know that it's been closed the last few times I was at Epcot, but I thought it was just because I was there in off seasons.

Its not true. I was just there today and UOE was certainly open and on the maps. I don't know when you have visited Epcot, but other than being an occasional breakdown or rehab the ride has always been open.

 

[betterlatethannever]

An business associate I know recently returned from WDW, and said that Universe of Energy is not even on the Epcot maps for 2006. Can anyone confirm that? I know that it's been closed the last few times I was at Epcot, but I thought it was just because I was there in off seasons.

Are you confusing the Universe of Energy with the Wonders of Life?

The WoL has been closed off and on for years and they have started dismantling the inside. Last year, the pavilion wasn't identified. The F&W Festival maps didn't show the pavilion at all.

Ed

 

[peter11435]

Good point. My guess is that the OP or his business associate has confused UOE and WOL.

 

[jeanylaser]

universe of energy needs to change from 1982-now

 

[peter11435]

universe of energy needs to change from 1982-now

It was changed in the mid 90's so it is hardly stuck in 1982.

 

[Twingle]

Are you confusing the Universe of Energy with the Wonders of Life?

The WoL has been closed off and on for years and they have started dismantling the inside. Last year, the pavilion wasn't identified. The F&W Festival maps didn't show the pavilion at all.

Ed

Nope, they said it was Universe of Energy - the Ellen show with the Science Guy.

I wasn't aware that Wonders of Life was even there anymore - I hadn't seen it since my Honeymoon in '97. Although, it is still listed in Birnbaum's . . .

 

[peter11435]

Nope, they said it was Universe of Energy - the Ellen show with the Science Guy.

Well in that case they were just wrong.

 

[Another Voice]

Well, actually....

ExxonMobile pulled out of the pavillion's sponsorship a long time ago. The 'Universe of Energy' is an extremely expensive show to run and it's filled with all those hated auto-animatronic figures (because of their maintenance costs). Now, we've already seen what happens to big, expensive pavilions that loose their sugar daddies - 'Horizons', 'Wonders of Life' - so there are plenty of whispers on the breeze that Ellen and Bill could quickly find themselves on the "seasonally open" list.

 

[peter11435]

Well, actually....

ExxonMobile pulled out of the pavillion's sponsorship a long time ago. The 'Universe of Energy' is an extremely expensive show to run and it's filled with all those hated auto-animatronic figures (because of their maintenance costs). Now, we've already seen what happens to big, expensive pavilions that loose their sugar daddies - 'Horizons', 'Wonders of Life' - so there are plenty of whispers on the breeze that Ellen and Bill could quickly find themselves on the "seasonally open" list.

True. I have also heard speculation that UOE may go seasonal in the future. Although with WOL closed I find it hard to believe they would do this. Especially since UOE has been running near full shows now with TT and M:S next door.

 

[dbm20th]

It's time to gut this baby and start from scratch. If it is not popular enough to be a full-time attraction, lets have something that is. EPCOT has transformed terrifically in recent years and it should continue.

 

[Another Voice]

If it is not popular enough to be a full-time attraction, lets have something that is.

Popularity has nothing to do with the decision. Disney believes that Epcot is "too big" for the current price of a ticket. They want to reduce costs, i.e. the number of attractions a guest visits in a day, down to a level similar to the Disney/MGM Studios and Animal Kingdom. Since they can't charge more to get into Epcot, they want to make sure it costs them less. They believe it's better to have one attraction with a 30 minute wait than two attractions with a 15 minute wait time.

Especially since UOE has been running near full shows now with TT and M:S next door.

It's unlikely they'll do anything until the 'Nemo' attraction at 'The Living Seas' opens. Not only will that be a draw, Disney may decide to force the issue as well. If I had to bet, I say you won't see the dinosaurs the moment the fish shows up.

 

[doubletrouble_vb]

Popularity has nothing to do with the decision. Disney believes that Epcot is "too big" for the current price of a ticket. They want to reduce costs, i.e. the number of attractions a guest visits in a day, down to a level similar to the Disney/MGM Studios and Animal Kingdom. Since they can't charge more to get into Epcot, they want to make sure it costs them less. They believe it's better to have one attraction with a 30 minute wait than two attractions with a 15 minute wait time.


It's unlikely they'll do anything until the 'Nemo' attraction at 'The Living Seas' opens. Not only will that be a draw, Disney may decide to force the issue as well. If I had to bet, I say you won't see the dinosaurs the moment the fish shows up.

My hope is that you are wrong. Beyond hope it feels wrong too... EPCOT doesn't have any big live shows that suck up a lot of people the way AK and MGM do. It already has rides with long wait times if you didn't grab a fastpass...a bad thing since people standing in line can't shop or eat. The shorter wait time rides (altho UoE isn't one of them because of the length of the show) serve a purpose. The other thing is...if EPCOT has too many attractions what does that say about Magic Kingdom?

With any luck perhaps another energy company will use their record profits to prop up their public profile by sponsoring U0E. Or maybe ADM will underwrite a revamp it to focus more on corn and other biofuels (they could replace the dinosaurs with the Children of the Corn).

A simple thing they could do is change the pre-show area into a store. They could put Ellen's Energy adventure on a big or multiscreen TVs along one wall of the store...no need for a dark theatre. Or change it over to a tie in with Monsters Inc instead of Ellen. Energy is the one place I could see a natural fit between that movie and any part of EPCOT.

 

[dbm20th]

Popularity has nothing to do with the decision. Disney believes that Epcot is "too big" for the current price of a ticket. They want to reduce costs, i.e. the number of attractions a guest visits in a day, down to a level similar to the Disney/MGM Studios and Animal Kingdom. Since they can't charge more to get into Epcot, they want to make sure it costs them less. They believe it's better to have one attraction with a 30 minute wait than two attractions with a 15 minute wait time.

That makes perfeect sense to me, but they have raised ticket prices across the board. Do you suggest that keeping it seasonal is the best way to amximize the cost then? Perhaps a better more cost efficient and exciting attraction makes more sense. One that sells t-shirts, pins, and hats.

 

[jeanylaser]

i want to know in universe of energy rehab in May. Please !tell me and what is the new sponsor will be?

 

[rlovew]

Are you confusing the Universe of Energy with the Wonders of Life?

The WoL has been closed off and on for years and they have started dismantling the inside. Last year, the pavilion wasn't identified. The F&W Festival maps didn't show the pavilion at all.

Ed

I was just on an Undiscovered Future World tour and we specifically asked about Wonders of Life. The inside has recently been painted and they plan to cotinue to open it seasonally. It has been taken off the maps because of the way some guests would jump down the throasts of CMs over it not being open when they were visiting. To solve the problem it is not shown on the guide map unless the pavillion is open.

 

[exDS vet]

I have to weigh in on this one. I havn't been to WDW since October, 2001. It seems that right after I got back from that trip, they started screwing around with operating hours and listing attractions as "seasonal".

I think it is truly pathetic that WDW has the nerve to make attractions seasonal. These boards are filled with posts asking if CoP, Timekeeper, etc. are going to be open when they visit. Sure WDW is a huge property, but guests spend so much money go visit, I think it is a shame that they have to worry about if a certain attraction is going to be open during a certain time of year.

If they want to make things seasonal, then they should go the Six Flags route and close entire parks for a "season". It's one thing to have refurbishments, but this seasonal stuff is ridiculous. I'm just glad that Disneyland doesn't do this crap.

 

[Tink's Tormentor]

"Seasonal" just means it is on life support and slowly dying.... After a while as being listed as seasonal, the ride is gone forever and replaced....

 

[YoHo]

Previous rumor had it that WoL is in the process of being gutted, not painted. That the motion simulators were going to be moved to another park/attraction.