[Chat] What's next for Epcot after Test Track refurb?

[edward1978]

Do you guys know what might be the next project for Epcot after the Test Track refurb is complete. My guess would be that since the new version of Test Track is so futuristic maybe a New Fantasyland type project could be in the works for Epcot, like expanding pavilions for new versions or return of Epcot attractions that we know and love like enlarging the building that houses Mission: SPACE to make way for the return of Horizons, enlarge the transportation pavilion to make way for World of Motion 2.0, bringing back the original Journey Into Imagination with Dreamfinder and the upstairs ImageWorks which I am hoping is Epcot's next project. That my opinion, what do you think is the next Epcot project?

[ZaneB]

Re: What's next for Epcot after Test Track refurb?

hopefully a new 4D show to replace Captain EO. Something with figment would be nice.

[Disneytwins]

Re: What's next for Epcot after Test Track refurb?

I wouldn't be surprised if we see it just sit there for a few years, but I bet they'll do somthing with the Imagination pavilion or Wonders of Life.

[Bronco21]

Re: What's next for Epcot after Test Track refurb?

Most likely scenario: Imagination pavilion continues to suck until Disney decides to close it all together and make it special event space. World showcase changes all costumes to a less period look to a more contemporary airplane pilot look (basically the opposite of what they did to fix DCA 1.0), and everyone hates it so Disney ignores guest imput again and keeps the new uniforms (this is the only one that we actually have confirmed information of and we just need to see whether disney goes through with the change). Then universe of energy continues to be a dated adventure that could easily be fixed but wont be. Disney updates Illuminations, but funding gets cut and it loses it's original magic because Disney corporate decides that they need to add characters to the show. Innoventions adds more horrible exhibits that offend a lot of people and end up being removed shortly there after (habit heroes is not the first or the last of the awful exhibits we will see).

What I would realistically like to see happen: imagination pavilion is completely revamped. Imageworks upstairs is reopened with a new interactive exhibit using tech from the goofy paint house attraction in TDL. A new animatronics/ 3D show where guests get to help figment and dream finder to discover the root of imagination in themselves replaces captain EO. Journey into Imagination gets replaced with a more elaborate much longer Journey into Imagination (use new ride system that takes guests from gliding through the rivers of invention, to flying through the atmosphere of creativity, to rolling through the land of creativity). The new ride would require a new building extension with large showbuilding full of large projection screens and animatronics.

Brazil is added to world showcase featuring a new E-ticket Rollercoaster that combines aspects of the tiki room with the thrills of space mountain (similar to how Grizzly Gulch mine train uses aspects of big thunder mountain and CBJ). It would take guests through a Brazilian jungle where colorful birds would sing to them before the entered the streets of Rio and experience Carnival with bright flashing lights and colorful costumes. Along the way the colorful birds sing their tunes of carnival.

Wonders of Life is demolished to make room for an expanded universe of energy. The new expansion would add a new exhibit space (designed for Food and Wine festival), a new boat ride (similar in purpose to the land) that showcases how scientists at future world are able to use renewable energy to solve many of the worlds energy needs. A huge wind mill farm, nuclear reactor (fake obviously), hydroelectric dam, alternative fuel production plant, solar power plant, ect would be built where WoL is. The ride would wind through with on board audio explaining how scientists and engineers use knowledge and ingenuity to supply the energy needs of the world. Ellen's energy adventure would be revamped/ replaced by a new ride simply called Our Universe of Energy. It would be similar to EEA, but instead of using notable celebrities, it would use scientists who helped to increase our understanding of energy and the universe.

[SpectroMan]

Re: What's next for Epcot after Test Track refurb?

I believe the more realistic plans according to the aerial map that details future expansion is a replacement for Wonders of Life, possible Energy updates, and new or plussed countries in World Showcase. That's about it for now.

[PSUMark]

Re: What's next for Epcot after Test Track refurb?

Most likely scenario: Imagination pavilion continues to suck until Disney decides to close it all together and make it special event space. World showcase changes all costumes to a less period look to a more contemporary airplane pilot look (basically the opposite of what they did to fix DCA 1.0), and everyone hates it so Disney ignores guest imput again and keeps the new uniforms (this is the only one that we actually have confirmed information of and we just need to see whether disney goes through with the change). Then universe of energy continues to be a dated adventure that could easily be fixed but wont be. Disney updates Illuminations, but funding gets cut and it loses it's original magic because Disney corporate decides that they need to add characters to the show. Innoventions adds more horrible exhibits that offend a lot of people and end up being removed shortly there after (habit heroes is not the first or the last of the awful exhibits we will see).

Do you work for TDO?

But seriously, I have a hard time believing the update to Test Track implies that big changes are in store. The Test Track refurb is being funded by GM and likely wouldn't be happening otherwise. Disney hasn't invested significant cash of their own in Epcot since Soarin' in 2005 (Captain EO & NexGen experiences notwithstanding) and seems to content to leave things more or less as they are for the foreseeable future.

WoL is shuttered, Universe of Energy is embarrassingly dated, and Journey Into Imagination is a perpetual ghost-town. No countries have been added to World Showcase since Norway in 1988. The reason that all of these remain unchanged is because with very few exceptions, Disney simply isn't willing to spend money on Future World or World Showcase pavilions absent sponsorships. Unless Disney Corporate Alliances is able to convince a lot of other companies that Epcot is worth investing in, it's doubtful that Disney will be willing to invest much themselves.

[Bronco21]

Re: What's next for Epcot after Test Track refurb?

Do you work for TDO?

But seriously, I have a hard time believing the update to Test Track implies that big changes are in store. The Test Track refurb is being funded by GM and likely wouldn't be happening otherwise. Disney hasn't invested significant cash of their own in Epcot since Soarin' in 2005 (Captain EO & NexGen experiences notwithstanding) and seems to content to leave things more or less as they are for the foreseeable future.

WoL is shuttered, Universe of Energy is embarrassingly dated, and Journey Into Imagination is a perpetual ghost-town. No countries have been added to World Showcase since Norway in 1988. The reason that all of these remain unchanged is because with very few exceptions, Disney simply isn't willing to spend money on Future World or World Showcase pavilions absent sponsorships. Unless Disney Corporate Alliances is able to convince a lot of other companies that Epcot is worth investing in, it's doubtful that Disney will be willing to invest much themselves.

Bingo! That's exactly how what I expect to happen. Everyone seems to expect Disney to do what I would call the right thing, but Disney hasn't done the right thing since the mid 80's! Since then it has been all about getting the most money for the least amount of effort. This means TDO gives us meet and greets, cloned attractions that don't fit where they are placed (I'm looking at you Soarin'), interactive "games", and anything else cheap that the average WDW tourists would consider a major addition. I'm sure my list of major additions to WDW would be very different from TDO's. I don't consider a cheap hotel themed to Cars to be even near as big an addition as the ultra nice Cars Land, but AoA has been just as hyped (if not more) as Cars Land. EPCOT might just be doomed to slowly morph into a park filled with shops and restaurants and a few rides made in the 90's surrounded by meet and greets.

[edward1978]

Re: What's next for Epcot after Test Track refurb?

Bingo! That's exactly how what I expect to happen. Everyone seems to expect Disney to do what I would call the right thing, but Disney hasn't done the right thing since the mid 80's! Since then it has been all about getting the most money for the least amount of effort. This means TDO gives us meet and greets, cloned attractions that don't fit where they are placed (I'm looking at you Soarin'), interactive "games", and anything else cheap that the average WDW tourists would consider a major addition. I'm sure my list of major additions to WDW would be very different from TDO's. I don't consider a cheap hotel themed to Cars to be even near as big an addition as the ultra nice Cars Land, but AoA has been just as hyped (if not more) as Cars Land. EPCOT might just be doomed to slowly morph into a park filled with shops and restaurants and a few rides made in the 90's surrounded by meet and greets.

I agree 100% with this, Epcot has been absoultely dreadful since the late 90's, living in the shadow of the EPCOT Center days. I do not want Epcot to remain the way it is now 10 years from now. I want Epcot back the way it's supposed to be, with breathtaking omnimover rides, like Horizons, World of Motion, The original Journey Into Imagination and such, thrill rides like Mission: SPACE, Test Track, and Soarin can all stay. I think it's time that TDO and the Disney excs need to wake up and see what Epcot has become absoultely neglected, as PSUMark said in his reply, Disney has not foot the bill for a new attraction at Epcot since Soarin in 2005, and the World Showcase has not had a new country since Norway was added in 1988. I'm afraid Disney has no choice but to foot the bill for a better Epcot because attraction sponsorship is a dying form of advertising, and with Avatar now permantly canned, Disney can now use the money originally earmarked for Avatar to give us all a better Epcot. Sure wish time travel was possible so I could go back in time to revisit EPCOT Center back in the 80's.

[PSUMark]

Re: What's next for Epcot after Test Track refurb?

with Avatar now permantly canned

Off topic, but that may be a premature assumption.

[LordVader]

Re: What's next for Epcot after Test Track refurb?

I would like to see a multi year reworking on the scale of DCA. The most important things to address are the demolishing of WoL, which could be used for a new pavilion. Possibly one focusing on weather. With a dark ride on the scale of WoM chronicling how history has dealt with certain storms and weather conditions. The other most important thing is the complete refurb of Journey into Imagination. The Magic Eye Theater will be ripped out for more ride space, and the upstairs Imageworks will be remodeled and reopened with new exhibits, and Dreamfinder will be walking around interacting with guests up there, Figment in hand. And he will ask how you enjoyed the new Journey into Imagination attraction. A loving tribute to the original with new show scenes, and a trackless ride system ala Poohs Hunny Hunt. I'm sure there will be other issues such as Energy needing a huge refurb and the Seas without Nemo. But those are just the things I would like to see after Test Tracks refurb is complete.

[danyoung]

Re: What's next for Epcot after Test Track refurb?

While Epcot is still by far my favorite park, that could have more to do with the excellent martinis at the Rose & Crown Pub than anything else at the park itself. They did a nice job with the recent update of Spaceship Earth. Well, except for the silly videogame on the way down - they could have done better there. Imagination really needs to go. I still enjoy Energy, but I can see how some would feel that it's very dated and needs to either go or be totally updated.

But those who are wanting old attractions to come back are just dreaming. Yeah, it happened with EO, but that was just a film. To expect them to bring back an attraction like Horizons, a ride that was closed due to lack of ridership, is simply wishful thinking.

[Bronco21]

Re: What's next for Epcot after Test Track refurb?

While Epcot is still by far my favorite park, that could have more to do with the excellent martinis at the Rose & Crown Pub than anything else at the park itself. They did a nice job with the recent update of Spaceship Earth. Well, except for the silly videogame on the way down - they could have done better there. Imagination really needs to go. I still enjoy Energy, but I can see how some would feel that it's very dated and needs to either go or be totally updated.

But those who are wanting old attractions to come back are just dreaming. Yeah, it happened with EO, but that was just a film. To expect them to bring back an attraction like Horizons, a ride that was closed due to lack of ridership, is simply wishful thinking.

Agreed! Disney will never bring back the original Journey into Imagination, they will never rebuild Horizons, and, even though it would be relatively easy to do, they will never bring back WoL. And honestly, they don't need to. They just need to actually put imagination, ingenuity, and creativity into their additions instead of just throwing Nemo into the Seas, shoehorning P&F into WS (with yet another cheap "interactive" game). Why does TDR and HKDL get amazingly detailed unique attractions, while EPCOT, a park build on the ideas of innovation, gets Nemo onimovers replacing a future ocean pavilion, rides designed for other parks and thrown in where they don't fit, and interactive games that distract guests from how incredibly lacking the park now is.

[FigmentJedi]

Re: What's next for Epcot after Test Track refurb?

It's a shame nothing will be done with Imagination any time soon. Pavillion's coming close to the Simpsons threshold: Where it has spent most of it's existence in a mediocre to bad state.

[TimmyTimmyTimmy]

Re: What's next for Epcot after Test Track refurb?

How about fixing the entire Future part of EPCOT? Talk about a place that reeks 1985.

[Coastierox]

Re: What's next for Epcot after Test Track refurb?

I don't know, "retro-future" is kind of one of the fun parts about EPCOT. I do think that TDO should ramp up on the EduTainment factor though. I kind of feel at times that the whole dumbing down of society/de-evolution is effecting the park... But I could just be a cynical jerk.

[edward1978]

Re: What's next for Epcot after Test Track refurb?

Agreed! Disney will never bring back the original Journey into Imagination, they will never rebuild Horizons, and, even though it would be relatively easy to do, they will never bring back WoL. And honestly, they don't need to. They just need to actually put imagination, ingenuity, and creativity into their additions instead of just throwing Nemo into the Seas, shoehorning P&F into WS (with yet another cheap "interactive" game). Why does TDR and HKDL get amazingly detailed unique attractions, while EPCOT, a park build on the ideas of innovation, gets Nemo onimovers replacing a future ocean pavilion, rides designed for other parks and thrown in where they don't fit, and interactive games that distract guests from how incredibly lacking the park now is.

So Disney will never bring back these great attraction that what made Epcot of the 80's and 90's so great in your opinion, would you please explain why we'll never see any of the great attractions again. I agree with Coastierox about retro-future being one of the fun parts of Epcot, when it opened as EPCOT Center back in 1982, it was billed as a permenent world's fair, and edutainment is what made Epcot far more unique than all the other Disney theme parks. I don't agree at all with what Bronco21 said about Disney never bringing back Horizons, the original JII and such, because things billed as "it's never going to happen" have happened before, and there are alot of Disney fans who remember how great Epcot was back in the 80's and 90's, not to mention that I myself was fortunate enough to see the old EPCOT Center back in the 80's and had the great pleasure to see Horizons, original JII, WoL and such and I would love to see 2010's generationers to see these great attractions just like I did back in the 80's. These people are campaigning and petitioning to Disney to bring back these great Epcot attractions so who know maybe Disney will have enough sense to see how dreadful Epcot is now, so don't ever say it's never going to happen, because who knows it just might.

[Dapper Dan]

Re: What's next for Epcot after Test Track refurb?

Does anyone within the company who is able to make such decisions even like Epcot, or at least know what it's supposed to be? Practically everything they've done with the place since the 90s has indicated that the answer is no.

EPCOT Center was the first non Disneyland park ever built and was such a tremendous departure from what everyone expected from Disney that it surprised a lot of people. It surprised them so much that they didn't know what to do with it or how to market it properly. The only thing they could come up with was to make it more like Disneyland, but the park itself refused. They continually try to cram this place built to challenge what we as people are capable of full of of wishes characters and fairy dust in the hope that a castle will spring out of the ground, but it's not working. Epcot was designed way too well to ever allow itself to be turned into another disneyland.

[danyoung]

Re: What's next for Epcot after Test Track refurb?

edward, it'd take tens of millions of dollars to bring back an attraction like Horizons. And Disney has no reason to. The attraction, as much as you and I loved it, was a failure in keeping the crowds over a long period of time like Pirates and the Haunted Mansion has. If Disney is going to sink tens of millions of dollars into an attraction, it'll be something new, not bringing back a failed attraction.

[englanddg]

Re: What's next for Epcot after Test Track refurb?

I only wish it reeked of 1985 still! That would be a step forward!

[Bronco21]

Re: What's next for Epcot after Test Track refurb?

edward, it'd take tens of millions of dollars to bring back an attraction like Horizons. And Disney has no reason to. The attraction, as much as you and I loved it, was a failure in keeping the crowds over a long period of time like Pirates and the Haunted Mansion has. If Disney is going to sink tens of millions of dollars into an attraction, it'll be something new, not bringing back a failed attraction.

Couldn't have said it better myself... Costs in 1980's Disney were much lower than 2012 Disney (DCA's Little Mermiad cost $100 million compared to huge Expedition Everest built not too long before). Horizons was demolished because it was not as popular as us Disney fans sometimes think. Modern Disney is not going to spend hundreds of millions of dollars on a ride that was lacking popularity in the 90's. Captain EO was brought back because it was cheap! If Captain EO was an elaborate dark ride, no amount of Michael Jackson fan call out could have brought it back.