Epcot to get major transformations

[rteetz]

Lol. ROL is surely going down in history as one of their biggest fiascos!

Probably won't beat test track though.

 

[nursejackie]

Oh no, another park in turmoil for years to come! I know things have to be updated but it takes soooooooooo long for Disney to complete any construction that it looks like a building site for several years every time (same with Fantasyland, Avatar Land). We haven't been since last December so I'm sure HS will look like a big building site when we visit in 3 weeks, and will do next December when we visit again.

 

[nursejackie]

Probably won't beat test track though.

What do you mean? What's your opinion on Test Track?

 

[Travis B]

So, the question for me is: is GOTG/Marvel going into Epcot? It doesn't really match the family friendly, 'true to the original idea' kind of storyline - whatever that means.

Definitely excited to watch this play out and follow the rumors

It seems like they would want Avatar, Toy Story and Star Wars open before any really major stuff at Epcot happens. The advantage, though, is that they could be working on an attraction/project in Universe of Energy or Nemo or Figment, and because of the layout it wouldn't affect the overall feel of the park too much. They can segment things off and do one little area at a time.

 

[rteetz]

What do you mean? What's your opinion on Test Track?

Test track had even worse problems when it opened. It was delayed over a year I believe.

 

[Flyerjab]

I have always been of the opinion that Disney wants to see what UNI is planning for the new plot of land that they purchased. They have a working relationship with Nintendo that has not even been tapped into yet. And now seeing Fantastic Beasts, they could have a whole land centered on the American part of the Potterverse. Remember, Disney had plans for Star Wars at DHS, the Imagineers then went and witnessed how incredible Diagon Alley was after it opened, and came back saying we need a lot more money.

After adding more hotels, Volcano Bay and maybe a potential 3rd gate, this could really impact Disney's approach to what they do with the beloved Epcot.

 

[DrBanner]

How about a tron coaster like shanghai? It would go nicely with the park theme and wouldn't take long to put up.

 

[TwoMisfits]

If this is waiting years to even get started, they should really just do a Wet and Wild on Future Land, demolish it, and then start all over...completely new park and concept, since they have enormous tracks of land to use - they could fit 2 MKs practically just in Future World...

If Universal keeps up their pressure, Disney will almost have to respond this huge...especially if they are gonna wait til post Star Wars to even get started...

 

[WEDWDW]

Will this include new Countries and/or Attractions for World Showcase or will the "fix" just be for Future World?

Thanks!

 

[MJ6987]

Bob said: it will be true to original vision, more family oriented, timeless, relevant, more disney like.

i was under the impression overhaul of future world. no concept art just a spaceship earth pic with excuse the pixie dust.

The host then lightly "joked": just in time for epcots 35th.

Wait, they're going to turn it into a city where people live?

 

[Lee Matthews]

They have a lot of land still at Animal Kingdom. The giant expansion pad just beside and between the safari and behind Asia. There is room for growth at Magic Kingdom as well. They will have to do something there at some point. Avatar and Star Wars will help but it will also bring new visitors that haven't been coming adding more burden to MK. It will burst one of these days unless they add more foot print.

I assume that once pandora is open, Animal Kingdom will be left alone for a while. Disney Springs is pretty much finished. Magic Kingdom looks like it will give Tomorrowland a modest refurb in the next few years.

Once Star Wars and Toy Story are done with I assume they will then work on even further lands after the 50th anniversary.

When it comes to Epcot though, there's loads of IP which i think would make a good fit.

UP (exploring) Inside Out (emotions) Ratatouille (France) for a start would be great in Epcot

 

[LauraLea]

If World Showcase will get anything, it will probably be yet another restaurant on the lake blocking your view.

Laura

 

[maltdizzy]

I wonder what it could be, a new country? New attractions? I can't imagine where they could but a whole new country, I feel like it would have an awkward fit.

World Showcase was designed to house 18 country pavilions, that's why there is so much walking space between them. Some of this space has been taken for other things over time, but most plots still reaming. I think the original idea was to have been like the WestCOT proposal, where the countries were adjacent to one another, with a transitional "reveal" as you move between them, much like how the lands transition at Disneyland and MK.

But I think this is going to be more about building out the existing pavilions. There has been talk about gutting and changing Imagination, Energy, and others are some time, as well as adding rides to existing countries (these would probably swallow up unused country plots as well).

 

[maltdizzy]

There has been rumors about a ride for the UK (Alice or Mary Poppins) and France (Ratatouille) for some time, so new attractions are certainly a possibility. While there World Showcase was designed for 18 countries, I doubt we'll ever see another.

But I think this is mostly about fixing the ever-aging, ever-shrinking Future World. And since many long-running rumors are about re-purposing existing attractions (Energy, Imagineering), with no rumors at all on the defunct Horizon and Life pavilion sites, I wouldn't expect much growth.

There are certainly ideal spots to insert the nextgen Ratatouille (France) and Crush (Seas) rides from Paris if they wanted.

 

[Travis B]

Wait, they're going to turn it into a city where people live?

I'm guessing probably not - unless it's some ultra premium DVC type situation .

 

[Travis B]

I assume that once pandora is open, Animal Kingdom will be left alone for a while. Disney Springs is pretty much finished. Magic Kingdom looks like it will give Tomorrowland a modest refurb in the next few years.

Once Star Wars and Toy Story are done with I assume they will then work on even further lands after the 50th anniversary.

When it comes to Epcot though, there's loads of IP which i think would make a good fit.

UP (exploring) Inside Out (emotions) Ratatouille (France) for a start would be great in Epcot

There's a lot of good IP they could utilize for the educational/inspirational vision of Epcot, you're absolutely right. I suspect that might be what they refer to with the idea of going back to the original vision for Epcot.

It would be super-cool to Ratatouille in France. It would be kind of neat to see some more attractions in World Showcase.

I would love it if "family friendly" meant a little less emphasis on alcohol consumption. I understand it's a big money maker for them, but public drunkenness/stories of people vomiting, etc, in a Disney park make my heart sad. /mini-rant over

 

[mshanson3121]

I would love it if "family friendly" meant a little less emphasis on alcohol consumption. I understand it's a big money maker for them, but public drunkenness/stories of people vomiting, etc, in a Disney park make my heart sad. /mini-rant over

Agree. There's a time and a place, and Disney is definitely neither. Now, if they wanted to create some special adult only after-hours events, even market it as a "drink around the world" event, then more power to them, and I'm actually surprised they havent!

 

[DrBanner]

Hmmmmmmmm, double price DVC to stay inside the parks..$$$$

 

[Lee Matthews]

T
I would love it if "family friendly" meant a little less emphasis on alcohol consumption. I understand it's a big money maker for them, but public drunkenness/stories of people vomiting, etc, in a Disney park make my heart sad. /mini-rant over

Thats quite authentic to the UK though lol

 

[Travis B]

If this is waiting years to even get started, they should really just do a Wet and Wild on Future Land, demolish it, and then start all over...completely new park and concept, since they have enormous tracks of land to use - they could fit 2 MKs practically just in Future World...

If Universal keeps up their pressure, Disney will almost have to respond this huge...especially if they are gonna wait til post Star Wars to even get started...

Epcot is so beloved I can't see a complete demo, doesn't make sense. To me, Epcot without Spaceship Earth is not Epcot. It would also render the park unusable. They could so easily work on it in small segments I don't know why they would create more work and expense for themselves with some massive gut rehab.

IMO the whole idea of this pressure from Universal is somewhat mythical. It is true that Uni has definitely stepped up their game, and Diagon Alley is very well done - but it is a small themed area inside a park which I find sort of mediocre.

Many of their newer projects have been over-hyped and under-delivered. I.E. Kong (although I have not yet ridden it) is screens and a giant, stationary monkey head. Volcano Bay, while hailed as an entirely new concept, is essentially a waterpark. Fast and Furious - more screens. Jimmy Fallon, more screens, who cares.

If anything, Diagon Alley and Uni's growth has pushed Disney out of complacency and inaction - and now they're building. I have to beat my tired old drum and assert that creatively and practically Disney is superior to Universal. Hands down. Avatar, Star Wars, and the other things we hear rumbling will IMO cast a major shadow over anything Universal has done. I don't think it was ever that Universal could do it better than Disney, it was that they were actually doing it while Disney was doing very little.