Why are they ruining Epcot ?

[tiggerbuddy]

It seems to me that Epcot just isn't what it used to be . ..So many bad decisions lately...

1) Horrible new narration on Spaceship earth..Jeremy Irons was the best.
2) Horizons ..Gone
3)world of Motion.. gone
4) Imagination..Dont even get me started ...(Dreamfinder)

Does anyone else agree or I am I being to sentimental ?

[cather74]

I concur!

[Stu29573]

Personally, I thought Walter Cronkite was the best on Spaceship Earth.... But few people even remember him!

[slottedpig]

I agree about Horizons and Jeremy Irons. But I was never a huge fan of World of Motion and I enjoy Soarin, Test Track, and Mission Space.

I would like to see some upgrades in World Showcase. Some updates to the movies using IMAX 3-D technology would be pretty cool.

[TheRustyScupper]

It seems to me that Epcot just isn't what it used to be . ..So many bad decisions lately...

1) If you want promotions, you make changes.
2) Even bad ones count.

NOTE: There must have been a lot of promotions.


.

[TinkRocks]

I also miss Horizons, Jeremy Irons SSE narration, JII, and World of Motion.

I agree that change is constant, but if something ain't broke, don't fix it. Why not enhance scenes within these attractions to embrace modern / futuristic technology?

I have been on Test Track and Soarin', but they lack the 're-rideability' that the classic omnimover attractions have. Don't get me wrong - cool concepts, but I dont' have the desire to return. I also miss the inspiring narration that was in some of the attractions (eg Jeremy Irons) - it prompted me to learn more about specific periods of time. SSE used to be a 'must see' attraction every time I go to WDW, but now it's downgraded to 'if I'm in the mood.' I like Dame Judi Dench as an actress, but I feel the narration has been 'dumbed down' and doesn't leave me wanting to learn more. Wasn't that one of the things Epcot was built for - learning?

The World Showcase could do with some type of overhaul. I enjoy visiting the different countries on the occasional trip, but needs some new life pumped into it. To be honest, if it weren't for the American Adventure pavilion & Candlelight Processional (& Laila perfume in Norway), I'd probably skip the WS all together.

[Melanie]

I would like to see some upgrades in World Showcase. Some updates to the movies using IMAX 3-D technology would be pretty cool.

Well, they are maybe moving in the right direction. The France film has been recently updated - it's gone digital and looks incredible!

[2Epcot]

Personally, I thought Walter Cronkite was the best on Spaceship Earth.... But few people even remember him!

I remember Walter Cronkite, who I also enjoyed. I like Test Track and Soarin' but both don't fall into the same category of the original EPCOT attractions. Having been going to the park almost from the very beginning, I do feel the park isn't what it used to be. Even when I was much younger, I enjoyed the educational aspect of the attractions as opposed to just being fun. EPCOT is still my favorite of the four parks.

[eam]

And how many of us are old enough to remember Communicore? I use to try to get to a computer and build a flag, which stripe goes first, red or white, and also loading the baggage onto the plane. I do miss those things.

[kbean]

I totally agree. WOM and Horizons were very nice long, detailed dark rides. Id noticed something new everytime I rode them. Now they replaced with thrill rides that are fun, but are not repeatable. How many times do you need to drive the same test track with dull scenes? Or blast into space with the same picture in front of you? You see everything there is too see in one ride through.

They really need to get back to a classic Epcot. I think ideas are stalled on what to do next in Epcot. Id bring back Wonders of Life and get rid of that bore Ellen ride.

[waymickey]

EPCOT is one of my favorite parks( MK is still my favorite), however I agree it needs ome updates. I still ride space Shhip Earth I call it mommy nap time. Air conditioned and I am sitting being lulled to sleep by the boring narration.
I miss wonders of life and world of motion. I do like test track but only need to ride it once.
I stillhit all the countries but I always by pass the boring movie at the end. Norway boat ride is good and so is the little boat in mexico. I wish they made a Gondala ride in Italy or maybe a ride through the best sights in Italy.

[darthmacho]

Tough call. They definitely dropped the ball with the Imagination Pavilion, but Test Track, Soarin, and Mission Space are huge upgrades to me. As for Spaceship Earth, I suppose the new narration is a downgrade, but the ride is still top notch. I don't mind some of the Nemo additions to Living Seas, but some things are just too much. Epcot is a changed park, but I'd say it's mostly for the better.

[ryca1dreams]

I'll add...
- Wonders of Life - practically closed
- Universe of Energy - needs updates

I think Future World's "big" improvements (TT, M:S, Soarin') are pretty good. I'd still take Horizons over M:S though and I think the Nemo ride is lame, even for the kiddos. But overall it seems to be missing that "one little spark" that used to make it so special. It now just seems like a hashed together group of some rides and some edu-tainment attractions where it used to be a fairly cohesive group of pavillions designed to ignite our desire to discover, dream, and explore.

[Dulcee]

To be honest, if it weren't for the American Adventure pavilion & Candlelight Processional (& Laila perfume in Norway), I'd probably skip the WS all together.

While I agree it could use some updates and a new country would be fun WS is probably one of my favorite parts of WDW trips lol

[DisneyDINK]

Can you really have a "Future World" that you expect to stay the same forever?

Ellen's Energy Adventure - Prefer it to the original attraction , but time for a remodel.

Wonders of life - I think this one should have stayed open. I really enjoyed Cranium Command & Making of Me, but I might be in the minority on that one. Body wars is not the best sim ride, but it would stand the test of time (isn't dated) - keep it open. 3D it later?

WOM - I prefer Test Track.

Horizons - novel enough to have stayed - put MS in Energy's place?

Imagination - they just can't get that whole pavilion quite right. Definately time for a new 3D movie at the very least.

Land - boat ride still works, I prefer Soarin' to Kitchen Kabaret and Food Rocks, don't you?

Living Seas - OK for now, it needed a ride and the Nemo theme did the trick pretty well.

SE - I prefer the new treatment. What gives it the re-rideability is the interactive stuff at the end. The old version you just went down backwards and listened to music, much better now!

[crltkcagle]

I do agree Epcot could use some updating! I remember in the 80's on my first trip it was all new and futuristic and exciting. Its kind of lame now. Future World needs some futuristic updates! LOL

[Pagan]

Just the way Jeremy Irons said "The Renaissance" was better than Dame Judi's entire narration.

[JasonH]

Here are my thoughts on it all and sorry that this is prolly going to be lengthy. There are many attractions that are gone or have changed tremendously that I, and others, truly miss. WoM, Horizons, the original JII, Kitchen Kabarat, Food Rocks!, the Walter Kronkite and Jeremy Irons versions of SE, Communicore East and West with EPCOT Poll and Wonders Of Life.

Horizons they would have had to update it a lot. One of the first lines they say in the narration is our destination being the 21st century. Well, we're living it now. But I feel they could have kept it just would need to update it.

WoM would need only a small update imo. Such as in the final scenes in regards to moreso today's kind of vehicles. I like Test Track, I ride it every time, but it does need something else to it. Perhaps an upgrade in the audio technology to make it more realistic sounding.

The original JII.....it wasn't broke, don't fix it unless you were gonna update the technology used for the ride.....and bring back the upstairs play area!!!! The newer area is a joke compared to what it used to be.

SE with either Kronkite or Irons as narrator. Both were great and I thought they updated the final scenes quite well with keeping up on technology. I like Dame Judi Dench as well the new scenes they added into the ride on our journey up to the top. On the way back down though is where I see them having failed imo. This section could have been done a lot better. Rather than update or change the scenes, they change the ride vehicles to give us a simple animation vid based on our choices via touch screen and is moreso about technology that could be used rather than what the ride was for in the first place, communication. Bad form.

Food Rocks! and Kitchen Kabaret. I miss them, would love to see both again, but Soarin' is an excellent ride but is slightly out of place where it's at.

Communicore. Moreso a nostalgia factor here for me to miss it, especially with EPCOT Poll (loved "voicing" my opinion and comparing it to others from around the world), but the technology that was showcased in it is now way dated but had more of a fun factor to it than Innoventions does imo. Goin through Innoventions I feel like I'm more of in a very hands on version of an electronics store than anything.

Wonders of Life. This I thought was a great idea and executed greatly. Body Wars I think they just needed to update the technology to make it a little more realistic looking. Cranium Command. Loved it, wouldn't have changed it at all until technology had caught up to it to where it did need updating. The exhibits were great, utilizing all of our senses. Loved the exercise bikes too (always chose going through Disneyland but wishing they had done a WDW version for it too).

All in all, all the rides would have needed to been updated in some way shape or form. Were the decisions made to change or lose the attraction altogether to make way for the new for the better? In a certain aspect, yes. Otherwise WDW wouldn't be getting our repeat business. lol Change is inevitable, we can't stop it unless we ourselves were actually one of those that make the decision to change or not. I think WDW should listen a little more to it's guests though as to which direction to go and then execute it through the Imagineers. So until such time they have gone to the way of changing so much that it's bad and that I don't want to go, I will continue to go and embrace the changes as best as possible and be where I truly feel I can get away from it all.

[ryca1dreams]

I do agree Epcot could use some updating! I remember in the 80's on my first trip it was all new and futuristic and exciting. Its kind of lame now. Future World needs some futuristic updates! LOL

This is kind of what I was getting at. While I liked Horizons, I am not a sentimentalist when it comes to Future World. Each attraction should evolve as technology or even culture changes (ie: more current personalities in attractions). The Horizons concept was all about the future - because of new technological trends, we just have a slightly different perspective on it now.

[MississippiDisneyFreak]

While I agree that Jeremy Irons was a better narrator than Dame Judi, I love Epcot and don't think its ruined at all.........