Originally Posted By mousermerf Just ran across this article from Progress City which is essentially verbatim what Nunis' told everyone was coming for Epcot "in the future.." <a href="http://progresscityusa.com/2008/08/29/chattin-with-nunis-may-1982/" target="_blank">http://progresscityusa.com/200...ay-1982/</a> Which now that we're there, is quite ironic to read.. Yeah, those 8 slots in World Showcase sure filled up fast..
Originally Posted By MPierce Great article. It would seem many of the dreams of 1982 remained just that, dreams. It is nice to see they are finally getting around to that MK expansion mentioned 28 years ago, and they "have" added 2 pavilions to EPCOT since then.
Originally Posted By leobloom The statistics Nunis quotes are interesting as well. Disney was attracting 25% of Florida tourists at the time. I suppose that number would be higher now, though I wonder by how much. The expansion plans, as others have said, are laughable today.
Originally Posted By trekkeruss Interesting that Disney had signed a contract with Spain for a pavilion. I don't remember hearing about that. I didn't know they had talked to Venezuela either, or that there were plans or at least an idea to have a second lagoon. Is that what is now the Boardwalk and Y&B Club area, or was that lagoon going to be directly behind the American pavilion?
Originally Posted By EPCOT Explorer "A community for information transfer" ...It actually looked like that, back then. Now, it's blatent "Disney wants your money".
Originally Posted By Jim in Merced CA I actually like sounds of this: <We also have a blue-sky dream. On both sides of the American Adventure there is enough room to make a cut through and create another lagoon on the south side of the World Showcase where there are about five good building sites. The concept involved building a hotel in Australia for instance. If you’re staying in the hotel then you’re in World Showcase already, if you’re a day guest, you could take a cruise down to Australia or to the South Seas or other parts of the world. I think it’s a good concept and would be another way to generate more hotel space.> Sounds fun -- and theme-d much better than Swans, Dolphins, and turn-of-the-twentieth century boardwalks. But I digest...
Originally Posted By brotherdave Isn't there a major roadway now there, not to mention the Caribbean Beach Resort? Never gonna' happen now, unfortunately...
Originally Posted By mousermerf Essentially they built International Gateway and the Epcot resorts and MGM instead of World Showcase's second lake. That's why they're all on "Crescent Lake" and the boat all dispatch from Epcot and much of that area is supported from Epcot facilities/infrastructure-wise.
Originally Posted By Manfried As one who worked for Disney back then, I can tell you that Dick Nunis had no clue about much of what was going on at WDW as far as future plans were concerned.
Originally Posted By MPierce >> As one who worked for Disney back then, I can tell you that Dick Nunis had no clue about much of what was going on at WDW as far as future plans were concerned. << Funny that he wouldn't know what was going on at WDW. This is an excert from an article about him from Disney Legends. " From 1967-74, Dick also served as chairman of the Park Operations Committee, and in 1968, was bumped up to vice president of operations. By 1971, the year the Magic Kingdom opened at Walt Disney World, he was named executive vice president of Walt Disney World and Disneyland. In 1980, a month after his 25th anniversary with Disney, he was named president of the Outdoor Recreation Division, overseeing Walt Disney World, EPCOT Center and later, Disney-MGM Studios. Dick also consulted on plans for Disneyland Paris and Tokyo Disneyland, while serving on the Walt Disney Productions Board of Directors. On May 26, 1999, exactly 44 years to the day since he joined the Company, Dick retired as chairman of Walt Disney Attractions. "
Originally Posted By trekkeruss What were you doing for the company that allowed you to know whether or not he had a clue?
Originally Posted By Jim in Merced CA <As one who worked for Disney back then, I can tell you that Dick Nunis had no clue about much of what was going on at WDW as far as future plans were concerned.> Yeah, that seems a bit of a generalization, Mandried. During that era, Nunis was just as much 'in the know' as Sully, Matheison, Burns, Cora, Rodriguez, Van Dyke, Ridgway or any of those old school, we-worked-for-Walt-Disney guys in the 'inner circle' It dismisses Dick Nunis as some sort of doof - he was and is nor.
Originally Posted By Jim in Merced CA I saw him during the 'Let's wear Bermuda shorts as part of our new dress code' timeframe. What was it? A 6-month trial period? Big deal. Maybe you just don't like him *shrug*
Originally Posted By mousermerf Well, i'm glad i'm roughly the same age as Epcot so I was spared that visual.
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 Manfried seems to be very bitter against Disney. Much like Merfie. Too bad their paths didn't cross at the right time, they could have made an perfect Imagineering couple. Manny, can I call you that? Better that Friedo and I have one pal by that nickname already. So ... Manny why do you resemble some poster that was so popular on that MAGICal site a few years back, but basically disappeared never to be heard from again? (oh, and someone should tell him the wand really is coming down at EPCOT!) Sometimes, you just get deja vu all over again!
