EPCOT to become “more Disney”

[nonnadisney]

I'm not sure if any of the options fit my opinion. I only know Epcot as an adult. While I went to WDW as a child it was from 1972-1981. Epcot had not opened yet. We went to DL in the 90s and 2001 but didn't go to WDW again till 2006. And quite frankly it's my second favorite park, MK is my favorite and I often call it Disney World instead of MK. My kids like Epcot as well. We love World Showcase! Adding the frozen ride and making Impressions of France only available in the evening have been 2 of our pet peeves the biggest pet peeve is replacing Soarin over California with the current soarin. We are looking forward to the Remy ride in France though. And we also like the meet and greet area added for Anna and Elsa. So if you don't mess with a fav attraction and it's an actual addition we're fine with IP being added. We only go to 3 places in Future world: The Land ( soarin, living with the land and sunshine seasons) The Living Seas ( exhibits, nemo ride, turtle talk, and Coral Reef restaurant) and Spaceship Earth. I tried talking my kids into going on test track with me and they never wanted to.

 

[Pooh's World]

I'm not sure if any of the options fit my opinion. I only know Epcot as an adult. While I went to WDW as a child it was from 1972-1981. Epcot had not opened yet. We went to DL in the 90s and 2001 but didn't go to WDW again till 2006. And quite frankly it's my second favorite park, MK is my favorite and I often call it Disney World instead of MK. My kids like Epcot as well. We love World Showcase! Adding the frozen ride and making Impressions of France only available in the evening have been 2 of our pet peeves the biggest pet peeve is replacing Soarin over California with the current soarin. We are looking forward to the Remy ride in France though. And we also like the meet and greet area added for Anna and Elsa. So if you don't mess with a fav attraction and it's an actual addition we're fine with IP being added. We only go to 3 places in Future world: The Land ( soarin, living with the land and sunshine seasons) The Living Seas ( exhibits, nemo ride, turtle talk, and Coral Reef restaurant) and Spaceship Earth. I tried talking my kids into going on test track with me and they never wanted to.

California Soarin is so much better because it actually tells a cohesive story and doesn't use fake CG,

 

[JC1984]

California Soarin is so much better because it actually tells a cohesive story and doesn't use fake CG,

I’ve always felt when Disney “reimagined” attractions that if they have the ability to keep the original they should at least have 2 sides to the attraction. Such in the case of Soarin’ and Star Tours.

 

[cgattis]

I agree. They have kept a sorta educational value at most of the rides, maybe except Soarin' really. They're not a full lecture anymore, but the pre and post shows do add scientific context, like at Mission: SPACE and Test Track, at least a little. For Guardians, they could be on a quest to find an energy source for space travel and compare that to real-world examples, etc. It's not too hard. I don't think every ride at Epcot needs to be 100% educational start to finish.

Yeah they totally missed the opportunity to make Soarin about how airplanes actually fly instead of just the stuff you fly over......could’ve had the visual AND the flight mechanics part, even a simple version.

 

[BrianL]

Yeah they totally missed the opportunity to make Soarin about how airplanes actually fly instead of just the stuff you fly over......could’ve had the visual AND the flight mechanics part, even a simple version.

Yeah - I mean just exhibits in the line queue would work. Even in California they have pictures and articles about famous aviators and planes and such. It's more like a rustic hangar, but the history is represented.

 

[cgattis]

Yeah - I mean jsut exhibits in the line queue would work. Even in California they have pictures and articles about famous aviators and planes and such. It's more like a rustic hangar, but the history is represented.

Really?? I had no idea! Oh mercy YES I’d love that in the WDW line. Most boring place in the World.....

 

[JC1984]

Really?? I had no idea! Oh mercy YES I’d love that in the WDW line. Most boring place in the World.....

I didn’t know EPCOTs was so boring. I have never ridden it in FL. Always just hit the stuff I couldn’t ride at DLR.

 

[cgattis]

I didn’t know EPCOTs was so boring. I have never ridden it in FL. Always just hit the stuff I couldn’t ride at DLR.

It’s this long hallway, and then it turns into...another long hallway with some vague background “music.” It really reminds me of airports that have those long underground passages, like where you go under a street or between terminals....KWIM? It’s just sort of barely “decorated” enough that you know you didn’t wander into a storage area.

 

[BrianL]

I didn’t know EPCOTs was so boring. I have never ridden it in FL. Always just hit the stuff I couldn’t ride at DLR.

The Epcot version is very airport like and has wavy neon lights. It's pretty, but there isn't anything going on. There are big screens with games on them - I think you can play on your phone now with that app, but it used ot be like trivia and some motion tracking games with lights. That wasn't always working though.

For @cgattis, the DCA queue looks like this and has milestones of flight along the wall. It is themed as such because it is part of Grizzly Pwak Airfield (formerly Condor Flats) - the whole building looks like a hangar - actually the one at Epcot does too, you just can't see it from within the park.

 

[JC1984]

The Epcot version is very airport like and has wavy neon lights. It's pretty, but there isn't anything going on. There are big screens with games on them - I think you can play on your phone now with that app, but it used ot be like trivia and some motion tracking games with lights. That wasn't always working though.

For @cgattis, the DCA queue looks like this and has milestones of flight along the wall. It is themed as such because it is part of Grizzly Pwak Airfield (formerly Condor Flats) - the whole building looks like a hangar - actually the one at Epcot does too, you just can't see it from within the park.


View attachment 560110

I liked when DCA had that rocket engine out front too. Kind of bummed when they took it out. I have actually never been on the reimagined Soarin’. The 3 times I have tried to ride it, it has been broken down every time I returned for my FASTPASS. Next time I am at EPCOT I will ride it since I will be there before I return to DLR.

 

[BrianL]

And for @JC1984, since you hadn't seen the Epcot one:



It can be pretty, but there is just nothing going on.

 

[JC1984]

And for @JC1984, since you hadn't seen the Epcot one:

View attachment 560111

It can be pretty, but there is just nothing going on.

That does looks a little bland.

 

[Grumpy by Birth]

Compare to the tunnel at O'Hare airport in Chicago:

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

The Epcot version is very airport like and has wavy neon lights. It's pretty, but there isn't anything going on. There are big screens with games on them - I think you can play on your phone now with that app, but it used ot be like trivia and some motion tracking games with lights. That wasn't always working though.

For @cgattis, the DCA queue looks like this and has milestones of flight along the wall. It is themed as such because it is part of Grizzly Pwak Airfield (formerly Condor Flats) - the whole building looks like a hangar - actually the one at Epcot does too, you just can't see it from within the park.

I love the queue at DCA. I always give a nod to Jack Northrop when we pass his picture (I work for Northrop Grumman lol)

They used to also have a replica of the plane that Chuck Yeager broke the sound barrier with at Taste Pilot's Grill next door



I've been to the Epcot's Soarin' when the DIS had their 20th anniversary. We were the last ones to go on the attraction, and so we got to experience it twice in a row. We were in the middle row, which is the only way to see the World version, in my opinion.

 

[cgattis]

Wow. Well now I’m super jealous of the DCA theme, for sure. I’ve only been to DL, not DCA, so I didn’t even know what we were missing. I just knew ours was very blah. And after seeing the O’Hare tunnel, I feel like it’s almost an insult to compare ours to one LOL—that’s pretty awesome.

 

[JC1984]

I love the queue at DCA. I always give a nod to Jack Northrop when we pass his picture (I work for Northrop Grumman lol)

They used to also have a replica of the plane that Chuck Yeager broke the sound barrier with at Taste Pilot's Grill next door
View attachment 560139


I've been to the Epcot's Soarin' when the DIS had their 20th anniversary. We were the last ones to go on the attraction, and so we got to experience it twice in a row. We were in the middle row, which is the only way to see the World version, in my opinion.

I think the original theming of SoC at DCA was “Pioneers in CA Aviation” so does EPCOT retheme and make a “Pioneers of FL Aviation”, “Pioneers of World Aviation”, or Throw some Plane Crazy or Planes IP in there?

 

[Moliphino]

I don't think the plane theme fits perfectly, either, since you're supposed to be on a hang glider in Soarin'. I do agree it's more interesting to look at while you're waiting.

 

[DisneyMama811]

I don't get why people complain about IP in the theme parks? it's a THEME park called DISNEY WORLD literally a world filled with Disney...

 

[Eric Smith]

I don't get why people complain about IP in the theme parks? it's a THEME park called DISNEY WORLD literally a world filled with Disney...

I think there's a line for putting IP specifically in to World Showcase, but I don't think Disney has come close to that line yet. It still gives off the World's Fair vibe that it was originally designed to. The giant Harmonious barges are more of an issue for me than a Frozen ride in Norway.

 

[NickC]

I would like the minimalist, retro style of the Soarin' line if it was shorter. But it does get boring.