WDW Epcot: General Discussion

[BigAl]

There's no topic for Epcot, so here we go!

I just posted over in the Magic Kingdom thread about the Starbucks that's opening there next year and Sceamscape also have details about an outlet for Epcot too:

(11/12/12) Disney has confirmed that the first of the previously announced Starbucks location coming to the Walt Disney World parks will open in early 2013. In the Magic Kingdom the Main Street Bakery will close in January 2013 and reopen as WDW’s first Starbucks location at the start of the Summer. In Epcot the Fountain View café will close in March 2013 and reopen as a Starbucks location in Mid-Summer 2013.
Both locations will offer the full range of signature Starbucks beverage items, breakfast sandwiches and a selection of baked goods. The locations on the way to Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom will likely be announced once these first two locations open.
Also, for those worried about losing the Main Street Bakery or Fountain View bakery locations, Disney has confirmed that a selection of each location’s favorite baked goods will still be made available to guests when they reopen as Starbucks. The final menus have yet to be chosen however, so if you have a favorite item you think should stay, it may be worth voicing your opinion to Disney.

I'm not a fan of this idea at all. :/

 

[mark9]

This is a 30 page topic on Disney forums. It's like the world has ended.

 

[EuroSatch]

Major American capitalist corporation signs deal with major American capitalist corporation. Who would have thought it?!

 

[Sazzle]

I really don't like this idea! Main Street should always honour the Disney thematics - such a shame!!

Disneyland Paris at least has the decency to put Starbucks in Disney Village, and have Disney themed restaurants and eateries on their Main Street USA. Sad times !

Sent from my HTC Desire using Tapatalk 2

 

[LiamC]

I really see no problem with that, at least not 30 pages worth :

Anyway, some concept art was released Friday regarding the update for Test Track. It looks absolutely stunning! Chevrolet Test Track

Shame they have to have sponsorship, but such is the world.

 

[Sam]

Arguably, Disney's Main Street is about celebrating the 1920s, the golden age of American capitalism. Surely just having Disney's in-house eateries would be a bit of a monopoly...? That's not very American.

 

[Sazzle]

No, but it sure looks good and makes it that extra bit magical without being poked in the face with high street brands .

Sent from my HTC Desire using Tapatalk 2

 

[Lordy]

It's an odd one really.

Stick it in Adventureland or something, but not Main St USA.

 

[BigAl]

Screamscape has some information regarding a new 'Oz' development for Epcot:

General Park News - (11/19/12) The 2013 Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival (Starting March 6) will feature a new interactive play area themed to the Land of Oz, allowing guests to follow in the footsteps of “Oz The Great and Powerful” and serve as an inpark marketing device for the new feature film. This area will offer new carnival games in a circus themed area and various photo ops, before you move on to the Land of Oz Play Area full of giant flowers, the crashed hot air balloon and more.

 

[Sam]

According to Inside the Magic, Epcot will announce a new attraction on Thursday.

 

[Sam]

2016 - Soarin’ Over The Horizon - Rumor - (7/14/13) Disney and More has posted some great news this week about the future of the Soarin’ rides at California Adventure and Epcot. While the new Soarin’ Over The Horizon ridefilm is still expected to launch at both parks in 2016, they report that both of the US Soarin’ ride systems will receive projector system updates in 2014 that will bring the ride to life in new vivid HD style clarity. I’m guessing they’ll be upgrading the system up to the new 4K style projection systems.
As for the new ride film coming in 2016… while there will probably be a few more changes this new global Soarin’ concept is expected to shoot new aerial scenes in England, France, Italy, Egypt, India, China, Japan as well as in new locations in the USA like New York City and in the Grand Canyon.
Disney and More goes on to guess about the possible filming locations, but that is all just speculation. Some are obvious as any filming in India would likely involve the Taj Mahal and any footage of Egypt would have to include the massive Pyramids. Make the jump to see what world icon’s they think would be ideal in each location.

Link to the article. Upgrades of ride hardware is always good news!

 

[Sam]

Shock news from Epcot!

(7/24/13) I don’t have much on this story yet, but a posting on Facebook by Epcot Explorer’s Encyclopedia claims that the entire Imagination Pavilion (both the Imagination dark ride and Captain EO theater) will close down for good on January 2, 2014. While the hope that this may be done to create either a brand new set of attractions, or an entire new pavilion, so far our insiders tell us that there is no solid plan for a replacement as of this moment. Time to get WDI to work then... but will this be yet another example of repurposing the existing pavilion buildings, or has the time come to level the playing field and start over from scratch with an entirely new idea?

Also, I don't think Screamscape know what the phrase 'level the playing field' means...

 

[EuroSatch]

Surely theu should be looking to do something with the Wonders of Life pavilion before closing others with little plans for replacement. With minimal attractions now in each of the pavilions, Future World is starting to look a bit empty...

Journey into Imagination is no great loss though, although Captain EO has a lot of nostalgia attached to it. I'm yet to see the film, hopefully I will in Paris next year. But hopefully it'll be shown elsewhere within the resort rather than gone for good

 

[Benzin]

although Captain EO has a lot of nostalgia attached to it. I'm yet to see the film, hopefully I will in Paris next year. But hopefully it'll be shown elsewhere within the resort rather than gone for good

It might be surrounded by nostalgia, but bloody hell it's crap...

Do not get hyped for it...

 

[Alastair]

Captain EO is possibly the strangest film I've ever seen. The 3D effects are amazing for a film of its age, but Michael Jackson as the lead role?

 

[Sam]

More (boring?) Soarin' news.

2016 - Soarin’ Over The Horizon - Rumor - (7/26/13) I’m not quite sure how true this is, but according to one possible source the new Soarin’ 2 ride (aka: Soarin’ Over The Horizon) may borrow a little technology from the Star Tours 2 project. This would be more than the switch over from Imax film to Digital (each has it’s own merit), but a switch to digital would also allow for the possibility of using a randomizer to include different possible ride scenes to be shown during each visit.
Now while I can’t verify that this will happen, the simple fact that there are really far too many incredible places in the world worth Soarin’ over, more than would easily fit into a quick 5-6 minute ride film, this would be a great way to add them all into the mix of possible locations. In fact… they could even incorporate some of the great scenes from Soarin’ over California into the mix, ensuring that some of the existing ride lives on into the next generation.
However, I’ve always have one major complaint about the Soarin’ ride setups in California and especially in Florida at Epcot. The line is always… ALWAYS… way to friggin’ long! This is because Soarin’ only has two theaters, and I think it really should have had 3 or 4 to keep the line moving. If they do add this random scene concept, creating an even bigger urge for guests to ride this over and over they are really going to need to add two more theaters somehow. Lets hope they are looking into it at least in Florida because I don’t think they have the room to do anything in California.

Anyone know what the actual throughput of this thing is? Surprised it wasn't built with more theatres in the first place...

 

[NF2]

Put it this way - I rode Soarin at Epcot yesterday and the queue entrance stated 90 minutes, Fastpass was sold out I looked at the actual length and thought to myself "nah, there's no way that's 90 minutes". How wrong I was.

That 90 mins actually kept increasing further and I wasn't timing, but it was probably a wait of around 2 hours to complete the whole ride. The issue I imagine is Disney's Fastpass policy - one of my flatmates is a ride op and told me that at peak times the ratio of Standby:Fastpass is 1:8. Only about 20 people from the standby queue were going through each cycle, so naturally what looked like a short line was actually only moving about 10 feet every 5 minutes.

More theatres would be ideal... maybe one dedicated for Fastpass and 2 or three more that are mixed, but at present it just can't get through the guests fast enough. Cost is always an issue though unfortunately... even Disney have to budget at some point.

 

[LiamC]

A construction update on the new restaurant in the Moroccan area of the park:

Late 2013 - Spice Road Table - (7/30/13) A new construction update from the Morocco Pavilion in Epcot has been posted to DaMouse showing off the progress on the new Spice Road Table restaurant site.

And the pictures are here: Spice Road Table Construction

The pictures don't really show off much in relation to the construction but they do show off little bits of the Moroccan area. Epcot is so stunning, I really need to go back!

 

[Sam]

???? - Frozen Attraction - Blue Sky Rumor - (1/3/14) This could just be a fanboy rumor, but according to an email sent my way, WDI has been given the initial nod to do a little Blue Sky dreaming to determine just how they could transform the Maelstrom ride in the Norway Pavilion into a new Frozen themed attraction concept. (Credit to “Allen W” for the tip…)
Since this is Blue Sky phase, they are looking at all budget levels here, from a simple rethemed of the existing boat ride system and layout, to the installation of a new kind of flume ride system, possibly the one rumored to be put to use on the Pirates ride at Shanghai Disneyland. Given a big enough budget, the entire current ride structure could be demolished to make way for a new trackless ride system concept. Given the cold snow and ice theme of frozen, I would love to see trackless ride cars used, themed as a sleigh ride through the wilderness, scooting across the frozen landscape.
Just remember… a new ride has not been approved. WDI was only approved to do some initial Blue Sky dreaming to see what might work best in response to the stellar box office results Frozen has been bringing in, as well as guest reactions to the Frozen character meet & greet already in Epcot.

Good, Maelstrom is dreadful.

 

[Benzin]

The idea of a Frozen themed ride fills me with immense joy...

It would even fit into the Norway area with rather minimal clashing...

Just imagine them providing an immense sequence with 'Let It Go' blasting out several speakers... Offt...