Originally Posted By mrichmondj I first went to EPCOT in 1983, and visited many times throughout the 1980s. It has always been my favorite park -- in its current and former incarnations. If EPCOT had stayed the way it was in the 80s, it would be a complete ghost town today. The only thing that I truly feel nostalgia for is the very positive view that Future World placed on the world of tomorrow -- there was a real sense of optimism in those attractions. I appreciate the remodeling of all the Future World pavillions today, but wish that America still had that sort of optimism for the future that has really been lost -- not only at EPCOT, but in all of our popular culture.
Originally Posted By Kennesaw Tom <<There never were parades at Epcot until the Millennium Celebration; long after the 80's.>> I agree that I was thinking of the Tapestry of Dreams Parage. But technically according to Allison's web site at walt dated world. There was the World Showcase Parade in 1982. Granted it was opening night. But still at least there WAS a parade in the 80s. <<I've never noticed this during my trips, but accept your word that it was like that on your last trip.>> I've got the pictures to prove it. <<The Outpost was never a pavilion. All it has ever been is a refreshment/gift shop.>> Which just further illistrates my point exactly. ALL the other World Showcase Pavallions have restaurants, movies, attractions, rides. ALL with the exception of Equitorial Africa. A refreshment stand? Why bother? As if that does the contenient of Africa justice. If no country in Africa is willing to finance a pavallion in the World Showcase then turn that valuable piece of property over to a country that is willing, say like South Korea or Irseal ( just some examples ). At least there was something in that area. I remember when Electrolux was displaying their "Smart Fridge" in that area. My point is that the area was being used. Instead of how it is today just some dark corridor with movable walls. Its about as bad as the hall getting onto and coming off from Space Mountain, but thats another park. Having "phone booths" in that area was poignant to the attraction. SSE is about Communication. <<And boy wasn't that about as exciting as watching grass grow?>> It was a fun thing to do at home. The first time I ever saw DLP was on one of those live web cams. Now evertime time I try to bring up WDW website I'm inundated with vacation packages instead. I know how to book a Disney vacation package. Just show me more of the parks.
Originally Posted By Kennesaw Tom But more importantly EPCOT Center had a consistent theme evoking the future. Don't get me wrong. I still like EPCOT. But we now have a mix match of Pixarland rides/ attractions meets eco-friendly stand up comedy / game show productions. There just isn't the same blend..... its just an oddly bizzare combination of whatever.
Originally Posted By mstaft We've been to WDW six times since Epcot opened. The first time was 1983, the last time two weeks ago. It's still both our favorite park. Yet, this visit, even my wife said World Showcase felt tired and needed some freshening up. Effects in the attractions were not all working- and some pavillions, most notably Imagination! were a shadow of their former self. (To be fair, there was an energy in Future World we hadn't seen in years.) To sum it up, the future seems brighter for this park than it did last visit- but some of the wonder and optimism have been lost. That said, Epcot still sparkles compared to the wasteland of the park next door- MGM Studios...
Originally Posted By RoadTrip <<If EPCOT had stayed the way it was in the 80s, it would be a complete ghost town today. The only thing that I truly feel nostalgia for is the very positive view that Future World placed on the world of tomorrow -- there was a real sense of optimism in those attractions.>> I agree. The Epcot of the 80's would not have survived today. Remember, the number one demographic for WDW is people with kids. Both the young parents and kids of today are from the Video Game/instant gratification generation and the parks needed to change to accommodate that. A twenty minute ride looking at goofy recycled animatronics in the World of Motion? Yea, that would go over real big today. I think much of the reason EPCOT felt so optimistic during the 80's is that the country as a whole was more positive during that era. We'd been through Viet Nam, the resignation of a President, the debacle of Jimmy Carter's presidency and "America Held Hostage" by Iran. Suddenly we were greeted by the candycane wonderland of Ronald Reagan's New Day in America. Everyone felt good and upbeat during that time. People often feel nostalgia for the 50's, but I think it was the 80's that were truly the golden American years.
Originally Posted By Kennesaw Tom <<A twenty minute ride looking at goofy recycled animatronics in the World of Motion? Yea, that would go over real big today.>> I know I hear people say this. But Splash Mountain is basically a flume ride with animatronics and yet it remains to be the most popular ride since its inception. I wouldn't write off animatronics just yet. Becides at this point it would be refreshing to actually get on a ride/ attraction what offerec animatronics rather than the direction that Disney has been going in the past twenty years of providing huge movie theater experiences ( with a few limited exceptions ). <<Everyone felt good and upbeat during that time. People often feel nostalgia for the 50's, but I think it was the 80's that were truly the golden American years. >> I don't think it has anything to do with being upbeat. Time is still moving on. Exciting innovations are still being made. This world is simply "not stuck" in the 90s. Its a new Millimium. EPCOT Center showed us the future today. The Epcot of today is just there to entertain us. No outstanding theme. In my opinion Epcot is getting to be more and more like a MGM Studios. Its definately getting away from its prevalent future theme. Now it just seems to be about simulating near death experiences and providing a little "Pixarland" attractions for the kiddies.. Where is the underlying theme of education?
Originally Posted By mickey_ring Epcot Center was the grown-ups alternative to the Magic Kingdom. The Centorium gift shop was the coolest - more than T shirts and coffee mugs, there was all sorts of reasonably hi-tech stuff, far out watches and science kits. The camera store was awesome with all sorts of lenses and filters for 35mm cameras. I guess it's World Showcase that still has the original Epcot Center "something". It's great to spend a day seeing other countries promote the heck out of their positive features.
Originally Posted By DVC_dad Just sayin'... There are many many "competitions" or "lists" created each and every year about theme parks across the world. Did you know ( I read this in the NY Times so it MUST be true ) that while many of these lists say "excluding WDW" ... out of the ones that include WDW parks, Epcot comes off as the number one rated park in over 95% of these lists. There are categories such as "value for your money" "cleanliness" "attractions for a wide range of ages" "size of park" "hours of operation" "ease of travel to and from" and the list(s) goes on. So basically I interpreted the article to say this: According to the various lists and competitions held by press every year, Epcot generally is considered the best in the world...the real world. Just sayin'....
Originally Posted By vbdad55 <<<Remember when you could look online at the live feeds of cameras stationed around EPCOT and other Disney Parks around the world.>> And boy wasn't that about as exciting as watching grass grow? < I actually liked it, eventhough not sure why -- I remember seeing the smoke from the wildfires the year of the drought...I just deleted those links a while ago since I figured they were never coming back
Originally Posted By Kennesaw Tom Let me clarify my earlier statements. I believe that todays Epcot is good. Its my favortie of all Disney parks. However, its filled with great stand alone rides and attractions, pavallions. Overall these rides and attractions share little cohesion. Epcot is no where near as cohesive as it was during the 80s or 90s for that matter. Furthermore and probably the most frustrating thing in the world to me is that Disney goes out of its way to "downplay" any technological advances they made in their show buildings, rides and attractions. For example I wonder how many people on this board are aware that The Universe of Energy Building has solar pannels on its roof. How about that the entire concept for the building was that the "theater" would split up into ride mobiles following a track inprinted in concrete through a set of scenes that offered automatronics as well as smells. There is so much technology behind that entire building its still incredible despite that fact that its over 20 years old.
Originally Posted By RoadTrip <<There is so much technology behind that entire building its still incredible despite that fact that its over 20 years old.>> There is a LOT at Epcot that is truly amazing. The first time you see it. After that you are expecting it and it is no big deal... I think that is what hurt the original EPCOT. The first time I experienced the Universe of Energy it was amazing. When that theater started to break apart and move into the animatronic dinosaur section it was one of the biggest "Oh my God!" moments I had at WDW that year. When that was followed with what really seemed like the smell of a primordial mist, I was blown away. Once. But the second time I experienced it I expected it and it was no big deal. That is why attractions like that lose their popularity pretty quickly. Anything that depends on the "big wow" is doomed to failure. That was the main problem with Alien Encounter at the MK. Once you had seen it there was no reason to return. Two things keep you coming back to an attraction time after time: 1) Enduring charm 2) Thrills That seems to be what the new Epcot is going for. Can you blame them?
Originally Posted By trekkeruss If you are 25, early EPCOT was boring because it wasn't built for kids.
Originally Posted By mickey_ring <<If you are 25, early EPCOT was boring because it wasn't built for kids.>> That's my thought too. Now that it has been Mickeyfied with the MouseGear store, the KidCot stops, a Nemo'd Living Seas and so forth, the uniqueness has been watered down to make it a Magic Kingdom with a ball for a castle.
Originally Posted By avromark <<If you are 25, early EPCOT was boring because it wasn't built for kids.>> I'm not much older then 25 now, but I found EPCOT Center (sic) fun. However I was the kid that played school reach, was in the science club, only played 3 team sports. I wasn't a jock.
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 <<I first went to EPCOT in 1983, and visited many times throughout the 1980s. It has always been my favorite park -- in its current and former incarnations.>> Me too. <<If EPCOT had stayed the way it was in the 80s, it would be a complete ghost town today. The only thing that I truly feel nostalgia for is the very positive view that Future World placed on the world of tomorrow -- there was a real sense of optimism in those attractions. I appreciate the remodeling of all the Future World pavillions today, but wish that America still had that sort of optimism for the future that has really been lost -- not only at EPCOT, but in all of our popular culture.>> What exactly is there to be optimistic about in America today (other than last week's election results, which are way too little, way too late)?
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 <<But more importantly EPCOT Center had a consistent theme evoking the future. Don't get me wrong. I still like EPCOT. But we now have a mix match of Pixarland rides/ attractions meets eco-friendly stand up comedy / game show productions. There just isn't the same blend..... its just an oddly bizzare combination of whatever.>> That sums it up well, Tom. That's the EPCOT Center conundrum. It was always an optimistic park based on a positive world-view about progress and nations living in harmony. It was supposed to be a constantly changing world's fair. That was what TWDC intended when it was built and it remained that way for its first decade. But then Disney execs realized, rightly, that it would have cost a tremendous amount to keep Epcot updated and relevant. So they did little to nothing in some areas, completely changed directions in others. Improved some areas. Destroyed others. But the concept changed. It's now known and marketed ambiguously as 'Disney's Discovery Park', whatever that means. There's no focus anymore. The EC of 1982-92 had that in spades.
Originally Posted By mstaft ^^^ No optimism here in our house about about the election or the results. Nastiest campaign ever. Brought humanity to a new low...
