Welcome to the 2017 version of Walt Disney World Re-Imagineering! This is a series I created a few years ago so I could tell everyone how I would update and improve the Walt Disney World Resort. This year I'll start with my favorite Disney Park and the park that had been the center of the rumor mill for updates over the past few months: Epcot!
Before we get started let me give you some background on this series. When I do my re-imagineering of each park, I take a number of factors into consideration. The goal is to be somewhat realistic in the changes and improvements I make, but some of my changes are made simply for personal preference. When talking about each park, I break the park up into lands and address items I feel need to be updated or changed. Typically I only talk about attractions, but I might dive into some dining or merchandise locations as well. Some things will not change at all. Now, let's get started with Epcot, or as I call it, Epcot Center.
When Epcot Center opened in 1982, it was designed to show off future technology in Future World and give guests a chance to tour the world without a passport in the World Showcase. The park has undergone a number of major changes, including the park's name officially shortined to Epcot. The goal here is to keep the park's original theme in tact while updating it to appeal to old school retro fans and modern audiences. For starters, Epcot will once again be called Epcot Center. Restoring the original name would bring back some of the retro feel that the park has become loved for. I also feel it better honors Walt's original plans because the park is a theme park, not the Experemental Prototype Community of Tomorrow like Walt originally planned.
To go along with the park's retro look and theme restored, the park logo will revert back to the original and each Future World Pavilion will have a symbol to represent it and what it stands for. Some pavilions will retain their original or current logos (Spaceship Earth, Test Track with World of Motion's logo, The Land, Imagination) while others will get all new logos (Mission: SPACE, The Seas and two new pavilions I'll talk about in a bit).
Along with all of that, the park's main entrance will be restored to it's original glory. Gone are the Leave a Legacy tombstones and the crystal with the park's logo will be reborn and once again sit on top of the park's entrance fountain.
To go along with the park's retro look and theme restored, the park logo will revert back to the original and each Future World Pavilion will have a symbol to represent it and what it stands for. Some pavilions will retain their original or current logos (Spaceship Earth, Test Track with World of Motion's logo, The Land, Imagination) while others will get all new logos (Mission: SPACE, The Seas and two new pavilions I'll talk about in a bit).
Along with all of that, the park's main entrance will be restored to it's original glory. Gone are the Leave a Legacy tombstones and the crystal with the park's logo will be reborn and once again sit on top of the park's entrance fountain.
Future World Center
Future World Center will include the main entrance of the park, Spaceship Earth, the Fountain of Nations, Character Spot and the Epcot Events Pavilion.
Spaceship Earth is easily the most recognized building at Epcot and probably second most in Walt Disney World behind Cinderella Castle. Inside is the iconic dark ride that has been a staple of Epcot Center since the park opened. The 2007 update to Spaceship Earth is going on 10 years old, so it's about time the ride received some improvements. First off, the picture taken at the beginning of your acent into the ride will be updated and improved to HD quality and feature a simple editing tool to note facial features. This will allow the photos to turn out better overall.
Dame Judy Dench's narration is fine, but the script she was given treated passangers like they were young children, which should not be the case. I would update the ride's narration to include a more sophisticated script more akin to the 1994 version of the ride. Benedict Cumberbatch would become the new narrator for the ride.
The middle portion of the attraction doesn't need any major changes. I would bring back the chariot projection and Burning Rome effects, but other than that and some general maintenance, the old portion of the ride still looks great.
The decent is where things start to change. One of the biggest missteps was to cover over the beautiful and majestic finale from the 1994 version and replace it with interactive screens and a few lights. That's it. I understand that you are supposed to focus on the screen, but there should be other things to look at while waiting for your future video to begin. The screens will remain and include brand new sequences and options to make the experience fresh again. New lights and screens will be added to the finale to allow randomly selected screenshots of the future videos to appear and surround the vehicles.
Project Tomorrow will be updated to included improved technology and some new interactive experiences.
Dame Judy Dench's narration is fine, but the script she was given treated passangers like they were young children, which should not be the case. I would update the ride's narration to include a more sophisticated script more akin to the 1994 version of the ride. Benedict Cumberbatch would become the new narrator for the ride.
The middle portion of the attraction doesn't need any major changes. I would bring back the chariot projection and Burning Rome effects, but other than that and some general maintenance, the old portion of the ride still looks great.
The decent is where things start to change. One of the biggest missteps was to cover over the beautiful and majestic finale from the 1994 version and replace it with interactive screens and a few lights. That's it. I understand that you are supposed to focus on the screen, but there should be other things to look at while waiting for your future video to begin. The screens will remain and include brand new sequences and options to make the experience fresh again. New lights and screens will be added to the finale to allow randomly selected screenshots of the future videos to appear and surround the vehicles.
Project Tomorrow will be updated to included improved technology and some new interactive experiences.
Innoventions was a staple of Epcot for many years. It served as a showcase for future technoogy and included a number of sponsor ran interactive experiences for guests to enjoy. Over the past couple years the vast majority of these attractions have closed, with Colortopia as the sole survivor. Because of this, it is time for Innoventions to close entirely. My replacement concept creates more space for one existing attraction and frees up another to be replaced.
Character Spot has already begun expanding into what was Innoventions West, so my feeling is let's just give them the rest of the space. The finished Character Spot Expansion will include several new characters from more recent Disney films and a few returning favorites as well. Currently, it is home to Baymax, Joy & Sadness. The Inside Out characters will be moved to a new location (more on that later), Baymax will stay and be joined by Lightning McQueen and Mater from Cars 3, Moana, Nick and Judy from Zootopia and include expansion space for more character meet and greet locations. The result will be a one stop shop for guests to meet characters from the latest and greatest Disney films.
Now I know this image is of Wonders of Life, but I am including it with Innoventions for a reason. Epcot Center has been a festival focused park for a long time and event flex space is needed to house various festival demonstrations and events. To do this, Inmoventions East will become the Epcot Festival Pavilion. This new location will have several open air stages and display areas as well as an enclosed theater space, making it the ideal location for all Festival and special events at the park.
That is all there is with Future World Center and the park entrance of Epcot Center! Be on the lookout for my next article about Future World East coming very soon!
Written by
Chris Coburn
That is all there is with Future World Center and the park entrance of Epcot Center! Be on the lookout for my next article about Future World East coming very soon!
Written by
Chris Coburn