Welcome to Part 2 of my Re-Imagineering of Epcot Center. Today, I'll be tackling Future World East, home to attractions like Test Track, Mission: SPACE and...Wonders of Life?
Future World East
Future World East will include Test Track, Mission: SPACE, The Wonders of Life and Guardians of the Galaxy: Escape from Nowhere.
Test Track was updated back in 2012 and is probably the attraction that best fits the overall theme of Future World besides Spaceship Earth. Because of this, I would only make one change, which is to enclose the outside loop and use wall projection effects and blacklights to enhance the experience. The portion of the loop that goes along the perimeter of the building will remain outside. It will be enclosed from the launch up to the speed check, then briefly go outside before returning to the station.
Misison: SPACE is closing for refurbishment this June for 2 months. Little is known about what is actually happening during this refurb, but I will comment on what I would like to see happen...
First off, the queue area would be redone to include separate entrances for Orange and Green Team Fastpass+ Guests. The queue would be expanded and re-routed to further enhance this change.
Similar to Star Tours: The Adventures Continue, the ride would offer randomized missions to add re-rideabity. Each mission would still feature buttons to press, but the order does change with each profile.
Finally, the Advanced Training Lab would be gutted and turned into a somewhat educational Mars Base Alpha, which would offer a mission control simulation and other interactive experiences to showcase how astronauts operate in space.
Space-X (or Tesla) would be approached to sponsor the updated attraction.
First off, the queue area would be redone to include separate entrances for Orange and Green Team Fastpass+ Guests. The queue would be expanded and re-routed to further enhance this change.
Similar to Star Tours: The Adventures Continue, the ride would offer randomized missions to add re-rideabity. Each mission would still feature buttons to press, but the order does change with each profile.
Finally, the Advanced Training Lab would be gutted and turned into a somewhat educational Mars Base Alpha, which would offer a mission control simulation and other interactive experiences to showcase how astronauts operate in space.
Space-X (or Tesla) would be approached to sponsor the updated attraction.
Yup, you heard right. Wonders of Life is back baby! The revived attraction would take some of the concepts from the original pavilion, but modernize them for today's audience. The space will become opened up due to the new Epcot Events Pavilion taking over Innoventions East in Part 1 of my re-imagineering.
The updated Wonders of Life Pavilion will include the following:
Inside Out: Command Center
Body Wars 2.0
Meet The Emotions of Inside Out
Big Hero 6 Healthcare Expo
Senses Cafe
The updated Wonders of Life Pavilion will include the following:
Inside Out: Command Center
Body Wars 2.0
Meet The Emotions of Inside Out
Big Hero 6 Healthcare Expo
Senses Cafe
The main hub of the new pavilion would take on the look of a futuristic health expo partially inspired by Big Hero 6. Around the hub, various interactive exhibits about healthcare feature Baymax from Big Hero 6.
Inside Out is the most logical IP to base the updated Wonders of Life upon. It had been proven that Inside Out was in part inspired by Cranium Command, an attraction from the former Wonders of Life Pavilion with the animation done by the film's director Pete Docter. Therefor, the logical next step would be for an Inside Out attraction to replace Cranium Command.
The new attraction, called Inside Out: Command Center, would give guests a glimpse into how the 5 emotions work together on a daily basis by presenting a tour of the Command Center.
The first preshow, hosted by Joy, would give you a brief recap of the original film as well as discuss how much emotions play a part in every day living. You are then invited into the Command Center for a demonstration of how the emotions interact with each other.
The main show will feature a Joy animatronic and video screens to represent the remaining senses. All of the film actors will reprise their roles from the original film. The show will take Riley through a regular day in middle school similar to Cranium Command and of course, the emotions duke it out for who has control of the command center, creating disastrous results.
The new attraction, called Inside Out: Command Center, would give guests a glimpse into how the 5 emotions work together on a daily basis by presenting a tour of the Command Center.
The first preshow, hosted by Joy, would give you a brief recap of the original film as well as discuss how much emotions play a part in every day living. You are then invited into the Command Center for a demonstration of how the emotions interact with each other.
The main show will feature a Joy animatronic and video screens to represent the remaining senses. All of the film actors will reprise their roles from the original film. The show will take Riley through a regular day in middle school similar to Cranium Command and of course, the emotions duke it out for who has control of the command center, creating disastrous results.
Body Wars was the original Epcot thrill ride and has become a bit of a cult classic after it closed. In the updated Wonders of Life, Body Wars will return in Body Wars 2.0 (working title). Guests will once again board a probe and shrunk down to the size of a blood cell to navigate the body to rescue a doctor who has gone missing while researching a potentially cancerous area of a patient. The new attraction will feature multiple pathways and results similar to Star Tours as well as digital 3-D, in cabin effects and all new modern visuals done by Industrial Light and Magic.
A new highly themed new meet and greet area for all five senses from Inside Out will take over the center area of the hub.
Lastly, a new quick service resturaunt called the Senses Cafe will offer healthy but delicious dishes inspired by Inside Out.
Humana would be pursued as the Pavilion's new Sponsor.
Lastly, a new quick service resturaunt called the Senses Cafe will offer healthy but delicious dishes inspired by Inside Out.
Humana would be pursued as the Pavilion's new Sponsor.
Universe of Energy has been rumored for closure for quite some time. Most signs are pointing towards Guardians of the Galaxy, the Marvel film series that is getting it's first attraction at Disney California Adventure on May 27th, as the most likely candidate to replace Ellen and Bill Nye.
For those curious as to how Guardians, but not Spider-Man or Captain America are able to come to Florida Disney Parks, it is due to the fact that the Guardians were not included in the original deal Marvel made with Universal for Islands of Adventure. Because of this, they are kinda the loophole for how Disney can bring a Marvel attraction to Walt Disney World.
In terms or location, Hollywood Studios fits the best in terms of theme, but with two major expansion projects currently under way, there just isn't a place for Star Lord and crew to shack up (especially not in the Hollywood Tower Hotel like they did in California). Magic Kingdom is rumored to be getting other types of attractions before the park's 50th Anniversary in 2021 and even though Rocket is a Raccoon, they just don't belong in Animal Kingdom. That leaves Epcot and the most logical place to build a new major attraction is where Universe of Energy currently sits.
My Guardians attraction is called Guardians of the Galaxy:,Escape from Nowhere and it is an indoor dark ride roller coaster. Guests join the Guardians as they make a pitstop in Nowhere in between jobs. Suddently, the station is under lockdown and the Guardians, and you, are being hunted. To escape, you board a hover train that takes you on a madcap journey through Nowhere as the Guardians attempt to find a way out and get back to the Millano to escape once and for all. This attraction would be inspired in part by Universal's Revenge of the Mummy and be similar in terms of thrill level. The ride would exit into a Nowhere Trading Post gift shop, where you can also meet Star Lord and Groot.
That's it for the second part of my Epcot Re-Imagineering! Look for Part 3, which will discuss the future of Future World West, coming later this week!
Written by Chris Coburn
For those curious as to how Guardians, but not Spider-Man or Captain America are able to come to Florida Disney Parks, it is due to the fact that the Guardians were not included in the original deal Marvel made with Universal for Islands of Adventure. Because of this, they are kinda the loophole for how Disney can bring a Marvel attraction to Walt Disney World.
In terms or location, Hollywood Studios fits the best in terms of theme, but with two major expansion projects currently under way, there just isn't a place for Star Lord and crew to shack up (especially not in the Hollywood Tower Hotel like they did in California). Magic Kingdom is rumored to be getting other types of attractions before the park's 50th Anniversary in 2021 and even though Rocket is a Raccoon, they just don't belong in Animal Kingdom. That leaves Epcot and the most logical place to build a new major attraction is where Universe of Energy currently sits.
My Guardians attraction is called Guardians of the Galaxy:,Escape from Nowhere and it is an indoor dark ride roller coaster. Guests join the Guardians as they make a pitstop in Nowhere in between jobs. Suddently, the station is under lockdown and the Guardians, and you, are being hunted. To escape, you board a hover train that takes you on a madcap journey through Nowhere as the Guardians attempt to find a way out and get back to the Millano to escape once and for all. This attraction would be inspired in part by Universal's Revenge of the Mummy and be similar in terms of thrill level. The ride would exit into a Nowhere Trading Post gift shop, where you can also meet Star Lord and Groot.
That's it for the second part of my Epcot Re-Imagineering! Look for Part 3, which will discuss the future of Future World West, coming later this week!
Written by Chris Coburn