Originally Posted By AutoPost This topic is for Discussion of <a href="http://www.LaughingPlace.com/Lotion-View-1422.asp" target="_blank"><b>LP Lotion: The Land of Oz Garden at Epcot</b></a> A look at the new Land of Oz Garden at Epcot. Though it's a part of the 2013 Flower and Garden Festival, it's already open!
Originally Posted By Kennesaw Tom Parts of it I like. Other parts look cheap. I have a suggestion, why didn't they place all this in the 2nd floor of the Imagination Pavillion? Not that I mind an outdoor play area. But, I really think they could have easily built a more permanent setting on the 2nd floor of the Imagination Pavillion. Most everyone enjoys the Wizard of Oz storyline. Why not give it a permanent setting.
Originally Posted By sjhym333 My understanding is that the upper level of Imagination is closed because of some fire code issues. Specifically being able to evacuate the area in a quick manner. Especially those who would require an elevator to get to the lower level. Interestingly, the old ImageWorks is till basically intact. It is kind of amazing and creepy all at the same time. It was basically abandoned.
Originally Posted By Kennesaw Tom Witches you have no idea how much I would love to call WDW home! If only I could live in the Swiss Family Robinson Tree House! I could easily handle waking up in Adventureland every morning and look east over to Tomorrowland building roof tops and Space Mountain. sjhym333, I also suspect there might be some fire restriction issues with the 2nd floor of the Imagination pavillion. However, just went online and confirmed that in 2006 a Kim Possible interactive area was located briefly on the 2nd floor. If fire restrictions are an issue, then why not build an external stairway, ramp, elevator going up to the 2nd floor. Imagine the views! For that matter, the 2nd floor of imagination could just be opened without adding a thing inside it. I'm sure there must be some free space somewhere in the Imagination Pavillion to build a play area themed around Oz.
Originally Posted By sjhym333 Yes the Kim Possible testing was up there. There are still some things remaining from that, but it was very controlled and was only for invited folks, including lots of CM's. Personally I love the upstairs of Imagination. I always thought it should be open or at least used as a special event venue. I am just passing on what I was told when I worked in the area.
Originally Posted By Tiki1 As to the fire restrictions/fire code, I was under the impression that WDW was an independent entity that could write whatever code they wanted to? I'm not saying that they'd deliberately set up something that's dangerous, just that it would be up to them to decide if it's dangerous or not.
Originally Posted By FerretAfros Reedy Creek Improvement District sets the local codes, and technically they're separate from Disney (though they only serve Disney). They have some flexibility, but they also have to comply with Federal regulations, and this would certainly fall under that category (ADA and NFPA). Plus, if they ever had a more lenient local code that led to an issue, you can bet that they'd be faced with a huge PR catastrophe, so I would guess that their local codes are among the most stringent in the country. If it is in fact a fire code issue, which seems a little dubious considering the number of things on the 2nd floor throughout the parks, I'm sure it would be relatively easy to fix. Add in an elevator or two and possibly some stairs, and you're set. Fire protection groups prefer stairs, since elevators are unsafe to operate in a fire (the cables can snap) and are much slower for evacuating large numbers of people, so I don't know why they would to change much. Plus, I really don't think that moving the Image Works upstairs would really attraction *that* many guests up there that it would be an issue. I think the more likely reason not to move it up there is that it would cost additional money, and they have a perfectly functional one on the ground floor that they can keep open for minimal investment. Plus if they were to move it, they'd have a big empty chunk of the building right in the middle of the guest flow, which I'm sure they would want to use more effectively but wouldn't have the funding to do properly (I hear the old ride tracks are still there under the floor...)
Originally Posted By Kennesaw Tom <<Plus, I really don't think that moving the Image Works upstairs would really attraction *that* many guests up there that it would be an issue. I think the more likely reason not to move it up there is that it would cost additional money, and they have a perfectly functional one on the ground floor that they can keep open for minimal investment.>> Image works was originally on the 2nd floor. As far as I know much of it is still on the 2nd floor. Personally, I think it makes better sense to keep it on the 2nd floor. Much more natural light up there from the glass sides of the dual pyramid shape of the Pavillion. I really don't see this as a question of "filling up empty space", I see this more as, more available space for crowd control. Certainly placing Image Works back on the 2nd floor, or placing some other quest experience on the 2nd floor of that Pavillion would creat better crowd control in that Pavillion and would give folks a more realistic view that the Imagination Pavillion is worth a look. As it is right now, with half that building closed most quests just pass the entire Pavillion by, and move on toward somewhere else in EPCOT, including the rose garden. <<Plus if they were to move it, they'd have a big empty chunk of the building right in the middle of the guest flow,>> Ah yes, that ever increasing big empty chunk of buildings in Disney parks. Plenty of room for Character meet and greets, shops or more bathrooms. I just think that many of the other pavillions at EPCOT have gotten much more tender love and care, and money while the Imagination Pavillion remains neglected and ignored. The Imaginiation Pavillion has a lot of space, especially on the 2nd floor for lots of greatness.
