Lost EPCOT

[Movieguy]

I remember in 2000, feeling the terror of discovering that Horizons would be going away, not long after finding out that Test Track had replaced World of Motion, an old favorite of mine.

 

This got me thinking, if the management at Disney weren't such penny-pinchers, it would have been great if all the old attractions of EPCOT were rebuilt in a special area of the park that dubbed "Lost EPCOT" like Kennywood's "Lost Kennywood" section.

 

I know it's a pipe dream now, but it would have been so great to see those wonderful old attractions co-existing with the thrill rides. But I guess that was too expensive to consider.

 

Though, I wasn't sad to see the old Universe of Energy Show go away. God that thing was dull. I don't think anyone misses that one.

[YoshiFan]

That would be great. I really liked the old Future World part of Epcot from the 80's and early 90's. Test Track is fun and everything but I still wish the old rides where there. I hate how Disney is trying to make every new ride a thrill ride like Mission Space, since not everyone can enjoy those rides and the original idea with Disney parks was to build a place where families could go on rides together.

[Coasters 4 ever]

Would it kill Disney to add a new coaster?!?! I mean those new thrill rides are great and all, but I wish they had another coaster with inversions.

 

Mark"at least there's Expedition Everest"M.

[djrappa]

I don't get it...

 

You say "would it kill disney to build a new coaster" and then say "at least there is Exp. Everest"?????

 

So they are addding a new coaster, 2 if you count space mountain's overhaul and since when was Disney about coasters anyhow?

[Coasters 4 ever]

I don't get it...

 

You say "would it kill disney to build a new coaster" and then say "at least there is Exp. Everest"?????

 

So they are addding a new coaster, 2 if you count space mountain's overhaul and since when was Disney about coasters anyhow?

 

I said 'with inversions'. Expedition Everest doesn't have any inversions. I also forgot to mention that I was talking about WDW. They do need a new coaster because now a lot of people like Universal better.

[BoardwalkandBaseball4Ever]

I don't get it...

 

You say "would it kill disney to build a new coaster" and then say "at least there is Exp. Everest"?????

 

So they are addding a new coaster, 2 if you count space mountain's overhaul and since when was Disney about coasters anyhow?

 

I said 'with inversions'. Expedition Everest doesn't have any inversions. I also forgot to mention that I was talking about WDW. They do need a new coaster because now a lot of people like Universal better.

 

I agree, I love IOA way better because of the coasters....

The annual passes to Universal is also 1/3rd the price of Disney -- something to consider when you've got a family like me.

 

As for Lost Epcot. I see no reason why Horizons or World of Motion were pulled. I mean, Disney Co. already destroyed Walt's original idea of the Epcot community -- Then they take away the "World's Fair" atmosphere that I think Walt was striving for. The new Epcot is too dumbed down now -- IMO I think it was best in the early 1990s.

 

....I really think Walt would be steaming if they saw what they are doing to his dream.

[JohnSmith]

I think one thing to consider when saying WDW needs more roller coasters is not that they need more roller coasters, but more e ticket attractions. Lets see here...

 

Magic Kingdom has 3 E Tickets, Space, BTM and Splash Mountain

Epcot Has Mission Space and Test Track, and i suppose if you could soarin so 3 E tickets there

MGM has RnRC, TOT, and Star Tours 3 More

And Animal Kingdom has 1

 

For A Total of 10 E Tickets over 4 parks.

 

IOA has Hulk, Spiderman, Jurassic Park, Dueling, For 5 E ticket type rides

Universal has The Mummy... and Back To The Future I guess For 2

 

For A Total of 7 Over 2 Parks

 

Now Look at The DLR

 

Disneyland has Splash, Space (soon), Indy, Star Tours, BTM, Matterhorn 6 e tickets

DCA has TOT, Screamin, Soarin and grizzly for 4 E tickets

 

For A Total of 10 over 2 parks...

 

Now, maybe it's just me, but if your going to spend 53 bucks to go to any of these parks for a day, why would you go to WDW when you could go to IOA which has a better selection of rides?

[Ghost]

Now, maybe it's just me, but if your going to spend 53 bucks to go to any of these parks for a day, why would you go to WDW when you could go to IOA which has a better selection of rides?

 

Not everybody calculated in "Rides". I choose WDW above any other park as I like the whole atmosphere... Sure I am a big Coaster fan too.. but again in the case of IoA it is Halloween Horror Nights that brings me to the park... not the rides (not realy correct as I do love some of there rides too)

 

Everybody has a reason why they like or love e certain park... so calculating in "rides" is not realy correct for everybody. However it could be for you... it isn't for me.

 

The Ghost says; "Enjoy your stay, wherever that might be"

[JohnSmith]

i love disneyland, more than any other park, i don't calculate rides, but in my eyes, I find that MK was boring, really, thats all I was trying to show. WDW needs help in my eyes. I waited 20 years to go to WDW, and when I got there, I got a sub par version of Disneyland, a Movie Studio, An Animal park that I refuse to pay for, and I haven't gone to epcot yet so I can't say anything about it. I was done with the MK within a few hours. Theres nothing to do there! The atmosphere isnt that great either, it definatly doesnt have the same Atmosphere as disneyland. And POTC and HM are just a disgrace to the original. I guess im biased and let down. This young mans heart was crapped on. Im sorry

[JohnSmith]

And originally I posted that because somebody said that "Would it kill Disney to add a new coaster" which I think is not needed. Thats not what Disney is all about. Its about the experience. But when I have to go to 4 parks and pay a hundered somethin dollars to do so, i'll go to IOA and get the Atmosphere that WDW failed to create for me.

[Coasters 4 ever]

I agree, I love IOA way better because of the coasters....

The annual passes to Universal is also 1/3rd the price of Disney -- something to consider when you've got a family like me.

 

It's also 1/3rd the size!

[ChrisFL]

back to the TOPIC

 

Yes, I agree that with unlimited money I'd love to see the original attractions back to the way they were, especially Horizons.

[Gregory DG]

As for Lost Epcot. I see no reason why Horizons or World of Motion were pulled. I mean, Disney Co. already destroyed Walt's original idea of the Epcot community -- Then they take away the "World's Fair" atmosphere that I think Walt was striving for. The new Epcot is too dumbed down now -- IMO I think it was best in the early 1990s.

 

....I really think Walt would be steaming if they saw what they are doing to his dream.

I think you're confusing EPCOT with "EPCOT Center" (I learned this at Disney orientation when I worked there back in 1990.) The park itself is really called "EPCOT Center" because it is roughly at the "center" of the property. The entire property is the "Experimental Prototype Community Of Tomorrow" because it has parks, hotels, living areas, shopping, etc. That is what Walt dreamt of. (And really, Celebration is more like what Walt wanted than anything else.)

 

I don't dispute that Walt is spinning in his grave though. Too much of a good thing, and all of that.

[pgathriller]

Disney makes so much money every year and I don't think it would kill them to add a space for old rides. That might even bring them some more guests to the park every year because people would want to see the old rides that they used to ride.

[ChrisFL]

As for Lost Epcot. I see no reason why Horizons or World of Motion were pulled. I mean, Disney Co. already destroyed Walt's original idea of the Epcot community -- Then they take away the "World's Fair" atmosphere that I think Walt was striving for. The new Epcot is too dumbed down now -- IMO I think it was best in the early 1990s.

 

....I really think Walt would be steaming if they saw what they are doing to his dream.

I think you're confusing EPCOT with "EPCOT Center" (I learned this at Disney orientation when I worked there back in 1990.) The park itself is really called "EPCOT Center" because it is roughly at the "center" of the property. The entire property is the "Experimental Prototype Community Of Tomorrow" because it has parks, hotels, living areas, shopping, etc. That is what Walt dreamt of. (And really, Celebration is more like what Walt wanted than anything else.)

 

I don't dispute that Walt is spinning in his grave though. Too much of a good thing, and all of that.

 

Actually what we see at Epcot today is NOTHING like Walt's plans. The name may have initally been the same, but the result is entirely different.

 

I'm writing a book about the original plans for EPCOT and their impact if it was built today

[Movieguy]

That's interesting, because I've been planning a book about the old Epcot Center, describing the place in great detail. There's one that's already out which I own, but that came out all the way back in 1982 when the park was just opened. I'd like to take a closer look at what happened with it, and outline why it changed so drastically, other than the obvious reasons.

 

Actually, I think I'm going to start it off as an aritcle, and send it to a few magazines that accept freelance material, and see if I get any takers, then I might expand the material into a book if it attracts enough interest.

[JT3000]

I agree, I love IOA way better because of the coasters....

The annual passes to Universal is also 1/3rd the price of Disney -- something to consider when you've got a family like me.

 

It's also 1/3rd the size!

 

2 is not 1/3rd of 4. Your math needs serious work. (It's 1/2, btw)

 

Disney does need more E-tickets, but not coasters. Nobody goes to Disney for coasters, and they never will. Creating crap like M:S isn't a good start though.

 

Even Universal doesn't need anymore coasters. Of course, this is coming from a person who doesn't like looping coasters anyway, so...

[PikaPika]

I went to Epcot for the first time since 1993 and it was disappointing. I remember loving all of the attractions and having a great time there as a kid. It seems like Disney has taken out many of the best rides that I remember and not replaced them. Soarin' was okay, Mission:Space and Test Track were also mildly entertaining but Future World seemed a little short on substance. I did enjoy World Showcase though and the Moroccan restaurant there was beyond good. I think a lost Epcot land would be the perfect answer!

[Moose]

I am going to Disney with my family next month and was describing to my mother all the rides at Epcot that are different since the last time she was there. I was a bit shocked how much of future world I'd different and or gone. It was sort of sad.

[Hercules]

When I went to the Disney parks for the first time 4 years ago EPCOT was certainly my least favorite of the parks.

[cfc]

Why do I think that if Disney had kept Epcot exactly the same as it was in the beginning, people would be complaining about how the place had not changed or evolved? It's still unique among theme parks.

 

I do agree that what they did to Journey into Imgination was a big mistake, but I rather like Mission Space and Test Track (and, yes, I have ridden Horizons, but not World of Motion).

[PikaPika]

I didn't even ride the new Imagination because I heard it was a suckfest.

 

I'm all for change and evolution, it just seemed the park shrunk and there was a lot less to do. I agree that Epcot is the only park of it's kind and it is a breath of fresh air in a world of Six Flags (fill in the blank). I was just struck by it because it was like seeing a friend after 20 years and realizing they haven't aged well. Maybe they want people to shop and eat more in World Showcase? Because that's what I'm going to do!

 

Mission:Space was a favorite in our group (not with me, it made me a little ill) and the warnings actually ramped up the anticipation (I know there are legal reasons for all of the warnings, but my brother has NEVER turned to me and said "do you think we should ride this? It sounds crazy!!").

 

Test Track was aesthetically impressive with the Tron-type sets but I think my expectations exceeded the ride itself. Although designing the car was a nice touch.

 

Ultimately I've been downgraded from an Epcot fangirl to a "Epcot's an afternoon half-day park with a few stops along the way to dinner in World Showcase and Illuminations" visitor.

[gisco]

There will always people that are not happy. If they kept the park as it was when it opened they would be complaining it was dated. They update some of the areas by taking out old attractions and putting in new ones and people complain the old ones were the best and the park made a mistake.

 

I personally like the changes being made. I only go every few years and it is nice to see the changes and new things each time.

[Hercules]

I can't really attest to the older EPCOT, but when I visited I just wasn't feeling the place. It is just a personal preference. I didn't really enjoy my time at the park. Though, perhaps I needed more time because I didn't have a ton of time to explore World Showcase.

[Coaster Cow]

Personally, as a kid who went to Epcot for the first time in the 90s, my love for the park has never really had to do with the rides. Clearly I can't compare the current lineup to the oldies, and so I won't do any more than say that I think the current lineup is certainly top-notch Disney quality (at least as Disney rides stand up right now).

 

Why I love Epcot has so much more to do with the design (full disclosure-I am a HUGE design nerd):

For example, the "philosophy" of the design in Future World. Hiddenwdw.com had a great feature which showed exactly what I mean and included these pictures. Here is Future World West, home to the Land pavillion and the Living Seas; note the natural free-flowing construction of the paths and the water:

 

Future World East has always had to do with human technology. Test Track, the Universe of Energy, and Mission Space are set in a plaza with rigid geometric forms:

 

Another thing that made my childhood was the light-up LED sidewalks:

Source:

 

And I don't know, for some reason this spot right here might be my favorite spot in the entire world:

Source: http://polynesianmedic.com/wp-content/gallery/epcot/future-world-flower-and-garden.jpg

 

So I guess my only point, as contrite as it might be considering I never saw the "original" Epcot, is that even if the attractions have followed the general trend of Disney attractions over the years, Epcot's Future World in its spirit is not lost. The real essence of that part of the park is still there in the design standards that the Imagineers are still faithful.

 

Also, yeah, World Showcase is still the sh*t.