Originally Posted By epcotplanner Many have been frustrated at the inability of World Showcase to get significant new attractions (as well as the empty show buildings in Germany and Japan) because of the unrealistic and outdated financial model of country/corporate funding. Why not gate it as a 5th separate park...for minimal investment in 2-3 E Tickets it could increase WDW length of stay (which would easily justify the capex). Multi-day ticket holders wouldn't really be affected. The guest experience of a fully loaded World Showcase park with a Fuji Matterhorn, Rhine River cruise, Great Wall of China dragon coaster, etc could be amazing (similar to Tony Baxter's Westcot proposal). This could be done simply by creating a new monorail station in front of the World Showcase lagoon. Thoughts?
Originally Posted By epcotplanner Many have been frustrated at the inability of World Showcase to get significant new attractions (as well as the empty show buildings in Germany and Japan) because of the unrealistic and outdated financial model of country/corporate funding. Why not gate it as a 5th separate park...for minimal investment in 2-3 E Tickets it could increase WDW length of stay (which would easily justify the capex). Multi-day ticket holders wouldn't really be affected. The guest experience of a fully loaded World Showcase park with a Fuji Matterhorn, Rhine River cruise, Great Wall of China dragon coaster, etc could be amazing (similar to Tony Baxter's Westcot proposal). This could be done simply by creating a new monorail station in front of the World Showcase lagoon. Thoughts?
Originally Posted By epcotplanner Many have been frustrated at the inability of World Showcase to get significant new attractions (as well as the empty show buildings in Germany and Japan) because of the unrealistic and outdated financial model of country/corporate funding. Why not gate it as a 5th separate park...for minimal investment in 2-3 E Tickets it could increase WDW length of stay (which would easily justify the capex). Multi-day ticket holders wouldn't really be affected. The guest experience of a fully loaded World Showcase park with a Fuji Matterhorn, Rhine River cruise, Great Wall of China dragon coaster, etc could be amazing (similar to Tony Baxter's Westcot proposal). This could be done simply by creating a new monorail station in front of the World Showcase lagoon. Thoughts?
Originally Posted By EPCOT Explorer I don't think that you can just separate Future World and World Showcase from each other, both build on what EPCOT is, and without each other, there's no real bond for the park. EPCOT is where we are going (Future World) and where we have been (World Showcase) If anything, longer hours are needed, and a draw in the back of WS (Japan) to mandate that it opens at 9, not 11.
Originally Posted By epcotplanner I think that "what EPCOT is" has been "in play" for quite a while. While I'm a huge fan of the original "Waltopia" version, as well as the balls out attempt to evolve the theme park model with the 1982 edutainment version, I feel that the vision for this park has been unfocused and unwieldy. Future World has shifted away from bold / optimistic visions of the future in order to add cartoon fish, GM cars, and lifted DCA attractions (Soarin') which have little to do with big ideas that Walt was fixated on (sustainable human communities, innovative transportation, and the untold stories waiting to be told in natural ecologies). World Showcase has stagnated due to an unrealistic funding model.
Originally Posted By HokieSkipper No offense, but that's a terrible idea. That would make 2 half-assed parks out of by far the best park on Walt Disney World property.
Originally Posted By epcotplanner No offense taken, but to clarify, the idea isn't simply to add a gate. The strategy is really to free up funding in order to be able to financially justifying pouring hundreds of millions into World Showcase and getting it up to a Tokyo DisneySeas/IOA attraction roster (it is already about the same size as those parks).
Originally Posted By HokieSkipper Yea, it's just not feasible, or wise IMO. And the funds are there for WS. All it takes is for Disney to spend them. The countries that are represented aren't holding WS additions up.
