What ever happened to....

[college_student]

What happened to the Wonders of Life pavilion at Epcot. I remember loving Cranium Command. Now, every time I'm in Epcot, I want to see that show again but can't. Why did that pavilion ever close?

 

[SPAM]

I think the lost funding. I heard they were shopping around the pavilion to different sponsors but didn't have any takers to revive the pavilion. I miss Cranium Command too.

 

[college_student]

I think the lost funding. I heard they were shopping around the pavilion to different sponsors but didn't have any takers to revive the pavilion. I miss Cranium Command too.

I didn't know they had lost their funding. With Disney being such a big company, shouldn't they be able to fund it themselves? It's just weird.

 

[siskaren]

I know it's not quite the same, but you can listen to Cranium Command on many of the Disney stations on live365.com.

 

[college_student]

I know it's not quite the same, but you can listen to Cranium Command on many of the Disney stations on live365.com.

I'll look into that. Thanks!

 

[akhenaten]

I think the lost funding. I heard they were shopping around the pavilion to different sponsors but didn't have any takers to revive the pavilion. I miss Cranium Command too.

no big heath care provider /insurance company wanted to sponsor an exibit that teaches about our bodies and health.. gotta love it!

 

[college_student]

no big heath care provider /insurance company wanted to sponsor an exibit that teaches about our bodies and health.. gotta love it!

true

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

I will never undertsand why a place that charges $80 for a single day ticket needs to have sponsors for the pavilions like a flippin' non-profit children's museum. It makes zero sense to me.

 

[RandFamily]

I LOVED Cranium Command! My kids also loved all the interactive exhibits in the pavilion that were more educationally-geared. I wish they'd update this idea and bring it back!!

 

[McKelly]

no big heath care provider /insurance company wanted to sponsor an exibit that teaches about our bodies and health.. gotta love it!

No kidding, you would think some big drug company or insurance provider would want "good" publicity.

 

[IhrkeFamily]

Don't forget Food Rocks and the Making of Me! Both of them are gone I believe. They weren't big draws, but nice to visit.

 

[college_student]

Don't forget Food Rocks and the Making of Me! Both of them are gone I believe. They weren't big draws, but nice to visit.

I liked the Making of Me too. I remember when I first saw that with my parents. I thought it was so cute. It was a nice introduction to that material without being graphic. It actually made a serious topic into a kid-friendly story line.

I really wish they would bring that pavilion back.

 

[Yoshi]

The last time the building was open as Wonders of Life it was in horrible condition which may have also been part of the reason it was closed. The Body Wars queue had mold on the ceilings (I have a link to a site with pictures of it but I don't know if can be posted or not since it is another theme park site), most of the interactive exhibits like the bikes you could pedal with a video were shut down and/or closed off from getting to them and the whole place just looked like it was in a state of disrepair. The lack of popularity also didn't help.

3 days before Christmas, the place should have been packed right? I walked through the Body Wars queue completely alone (I saw no one ahead of me or enter the queue after me) and when I got to the loading area, there were only 4 other people waiting. The ride operator didn't even realize there were people waiting. The whole pavilion probably has less than 25 people.

Even 2 days after Christmas we went back to Epcot when the crowds were at peak levels. That day MK and AK were filled to capacity and comparison, Test Track standby was 150, Mission Space standby was 140, Nemo was 50, and Soarin was 160 standby. Body Wars was posted to have a 20 minute wait.

While I miss the pavilion (and most of the other 80's and 90's pavilions gone from Epcot), the way it was at the end wasn't what you would expect from Disney.

 

[SueM in MN]

Don't forget Food Rocks and the Making of Me! Both of them are gone I believe. They weren't big draws, but nice to visit.

Just to keep anyone from getting confused, Food Rocks was not in Wonders of Life. It was in The Land, in the area where the entrance to Soarin' is now.

 

[college_student]

The last time the building was open as Wonders of Life it was in horrible condition which may have also been part of the reason it was closed. The Body Wars queue had mold on the ceilings (I have a link to a site with pictures of it but I don't know if can be posted or not since it is another theme park site), most of the interactive exhibits like the bikes you could pedal with a video were shut down and/or closed off from getting to them and the whole place just looked like it was in a state of disrepair. The lack of popularity also didn't help.

3 days before Christmas, the place should have been packed right? I walked through the Body Wars queue completely alone (I saw no one ahead of me or enter the queue after me) and when I got to the loading area, there were only 4 other people waiting. The ride operator didn't even realize there were people waiting. The whole pavilion probably has less than 25 people.

Even 2 days after Christmas we went back to Epcot when the crowds were at peak levels. That day MK and AK were filled to capacity and comparison, Test Track standby was 150, Mission Space standby was 140, Nemo was 50, and Soarin was 160 standby. Body Wars was posted to have a 20 minute wait.

While I miss the pavilion (and most of the other 80's and 90's pavilions gone from Epcot), the way it was at the end wasn't what you would expect from Disney.

The ride queue had mold on it? Ew!

That's so weird that nobody was in it. I remember the place being packed. Maybe I didn't go the last few years before it was closed down.

 

[akhenaten]

Just to keep anyone from getting confused, Food Rocks was not in Wonders of Life. It was in The Land, in the area where the entrance to Soarin' is now.

Thanks for some reason I thought it was in wonders of LIfe also...
That was so cute!!

 

[Ihave3daughters]

I will never undertsand why a place that charges $80 for a single day ticket needs to have sponsors for the pavilions like a flippin' non-profit children's museum. It makes zero sense to me.

I've often wondered the same thing myself... Seems like everything has a sponsor but the ticket prices keep edging up... They even need 'Brawny' paper towels' help to put signs up in the bathroom detailing the proper procedure to wash our hands. I don't get it either...

 

[akhenaten]

I've often wondered the same thing myself... Seems like everything has a sponsor but the ticket prices keep edging up... They even need 'Brawny' paper towels' help to put signs up in the bathroom detailing the proper procedure to wash our hands. I don't get it either...

I am with you!!

 

[gatour]

Disney theme parks have always had sponsors ever since Disneyland first opened.

If they can get sponsors to pay a fee, why not go after that money. I am sure the shareholders appreciate this extra wringing out any potential revenue stream.

It is just not Disney, Universal, Seaworld, Six Flags, etc do the same.

I will never undertsand why a place that charges $80 for a single day ticket needs to have sponsors for the pavilions like a flippin' non-profit children's museum. It makes zero sense to me.

 

[disnut8]

I will never undertsand why a place that charges $80 for a single day ticket needs to have sponsors for the pavilions like a flippin' non-profit children's museum. It makes zero sense to me.

It makes sense. Corporate partnerships always make sense. You think Coke would be where it is today without the partnerships? How many partnerships does Pepsi have? It's a win-win situation with corporations when they promote each other. Good example - NASCAR (stop rolling eyes, it IS a good example). How many people know Carl Edwards because he does advertising for Subway? And then Subway is on his car for Sundays and he calls them out every single week because they sponsor him. "Official sponsor" of whatever is a very good marketing tool.

Charging people admission has nothing to do with sponsorship. We have a AAA baseball team here and the field is named after a local air conditioning company. Their revenues jumped after they bought the naming rights and they don't get anything from the ticket sales. It's all in the marketing.