For all the hate Michael Eisner gets, he understood that Epcot was special because it was NOTHING like the Magic Kingdom. And this is why both parks he opened (MGM & Animal Kingdom) had distinct themes and ideals. Iger and Chapek ruined this, and the path Disney is on right now their 4 parks will soon feel like: Magic Kingdom Magic Kingdom- formerly known as Epcot Magic Kingdom 3.0 Magic Kingdom with real animals
Michael Eisner had NOTHING to do with EPCOT. It opened in 1982 - and Eisner came into Disney in 1984. Michael Eisner ordered the destruction of audio-animatronics from the parks including EPCOT. Eisner is also responsible for California Adventure which had to be rebuilt. Eisner brought in Iger & Chapek. Eisner is poison to Disney.
@@swamp1138 now tell me how Iger and Chapek are better… at least Eisner gave us classic new Disney attractions, Splash Mountain, Tower of Terror, Indiana Jones Adventure, etc. He expanded WDW to a world class destination, many of the projects that opened under his era were quality than not. An example of this are Disney’s hotels: Look at the design and architecture of the Eisner era hotels, compared to Iger
It's both poetic and frightening that a work of art like Epcot, a work dedicated to an optimistic outlook on human kind, is destroyed by corporate greed
I mean, it was originally designed as a company town where Disney would own everything and its residents would own nothing, so in a sense this kind of capitalistic domination has always been present
@@chompythebeast not to mention the reliance on sponsorships. The quick mention of many classic Epcot edutainment attractions closing or retooling after losing support from corporate sponsors really stood out to me.
EPCOT used to be about optimism. Optimism for our world and what laid ahead. As a kid that grew up in the 80s, EPCOT was the reason I wanted to keep coming back to Disney World. It made me so excited for the future and everything that could be. It was inspiring, made me dream, and made me want to explore. Not only did this message of optimism get “killed” at EPCOT, it is no longer found anywhere in popular culture. Outside of EPCOT, the 80s and early 90s where filled with shows like Beyond 2000, AT&T’s “You Will” ads, and even Star Trek TNG that painted a picture of tomorrow being better than today. I struggle to find experiences and content today that will inspire my kid the same way I dreamt of what tomorrow could hold. Everything is so bleak. It is challenging to find joy and optimism from a deluge of crime dramas and 24 hours news cycles. Even elected officials on all sides try to stoke fears and encourage divisiveness. It speaks volumes to the original thesis of EPCOT that 2 of my young daughter’s favorite rides at Disney World are Living With The Land and Spaceship Earth. I wish leadership at Disney understood their product better. The New Coke version of EPCOT is not the right path long term.
No kidding... I can't even watch the current versions of Star Trek. It's all irritating, unlikable people screaming and lecturing each other about the cold, dark, hard brutality of the universe. Optimism doesn't sell. Bring on the zombie apocalypse.
@@CoryTheRaven I feel like Star Trek is a poster child of the death of optimism. It is a franchise that was built on the idea that tomorrow is worth striving for, modeling inclusivity, thirst for knowledge, and respect for others. But the franchise has become dark, bleak, and angry. I feel like it accurately represents where our culture is going and, frankly, how could it go any other direction if the message of optimism has been abandoned by the popular culture and news that is consumed globally everyday.
@@CoryTheRaven I agree with you on Star Trek with everything since Enterprise. However, do recommend Strange New Worlds. So far, seems miles better than Discovery and S1 of Picard (thought S2 was better, but still was meh). I also thought Lower Decks was pretty good. Strange New Worlds seems less bleak and dark. More like TOS. Paramount surprisingly put the first episode of Strange New Worlds on TH-cam, free to stream, if want to give it a try if haven't already. Edit: Well, it was on YourTube, but apparently only for a limited time. It is no longer available.
@@parkds what you mean that new Star Trek doesn't model inclusivity and thirst for knowledge? Didn't you see the one lady say something cringe about the power of math, and that other lady with a sour face hector someone about her pronouns?
some people really use this love of the past to cloud their blatant bigotry lmao. The past wasn't optimistic. It was ignorant. People could go their whole lives in their own bubbles, and it's pretty evident with the older generations of today.
I'm a little nerd who has always been interested and obsessed with "behind the scenes" and how things are made/done. I never got to experience the splendor of original EPCOT but I remember riding Universe of Energy (and liking it) and I was absolutely in love with Innoventions and made sure I did all of the activities every time I went. I used to love EPCOT so much and have been extremely sad about its transformation as well as the transformation of Hollywood Studios since I miss the "behind the scenes" and educational aspect of that park as well.
I miss old EPCOT. I took my kids around Christmas last year and will be again this Christmas. Epcot has become yet another character ridden park that is nothing like what it used to be or should be. I don't hate it but, I prefer it the old way. I remember going as a kid and absolutely loving it. I learned so much while having so much fun. You went to the Magic Kingdom for Disney characters. You went to Epcot for an entirely different experience. Your day at Epcot was NOTHING like your day at MK. Now, it feels like they stripped away the educational aspect all together and I'm just waiting for them to release a movie called Spaceship Earth so that they can litter that ride with characters as well. It isn't the Epcot I remember, or want. It's too Disney-y. It has lost its identity and has become Magic Kingdom 2
@@saviorself1164 I am not old enough to really know of an EPCOT like that but given what I have seen of the past, it appears it was much more of an educational and encompassing experience. Disney, the parent company itself, for about the past two decades has just emphasized how much they just care about the bottom line and less about the whole human experiences we came to their parks and films for. :( It’s sad but it’s also unsurprising given so many other companies going in this direction.
@@saviorself1164 Magic Kingdom 2 with food festivals. It’s probably worth a video to explore how the festivals went from being unique, seasonal, and relatively well-themed to being homogeneous to the point that they bleed into one another.
"Fun" wasn't used as an insult. "Fun" was shown to be what it is in most cases...cheap and fleeting. I've done "fun" things many times in my life but there are few things that are totally captivating. My early life trips to the Disney World Resort were captivating because of the reasons shown in this video. To be completely removed from your reality is quite an accomplishment and 80s and 90s Disney did that fantastically. I get the same feeling when I visit Diagon Alley so it still can be done, I just don't see Disney doing it anymore. They go for the cheap thrill because the majority of Disney TH-camrs just go with it and treat Disney like its just a pub now. Its pathetic. We don't ask better of our companies anymore. We bend the knee and eat whatever cost cutting slop they chose to give us so shareholders make more money. We do this because we are too scared to push that trip to the future or just go somewhere else. When we stop continuing to patron these places, we will immediately see change. This unfortunately will never happen because we are simply too easy nowadays.
@@finned958 Ok, so the classic EPCOT is boring to you. Fair enough. I just don't see things the same way as you do. I would gladly take Horizons and World of Motion over a Frozen reskin anyday. To each their own.
Man, this hit hard. EPCOT truly has lost all of its “magic.” The best thing I can compare it to is a beautiful and tranquil nature preserve that slowly has plots of its land sold to a mega-corporation. The mega-corporation then removes all the scenic aspects and places giant billboards advertising their latest and greatest products. This is the EPCOT we have now.
Eh, to be fair, Epcot really was a one and done park. So was Animal Kingdom until they added Mount Everest. With ticket prices rising they still need to sell package deals, and not alot of people find value in Epcot. For me personally, it was just a Downtown Disney 2.0 as the shops in the lands are some of the best at Disney world. It was eventually going to get some roller coasters.
Perhaps it’s that today’s tourist are no longer worried about learning while being entertained. They’re worried about just having fun with their favorite Disney characters and properties and Disney has recognized this. I know they aren’t exactly being smart about it or heck, just instead doing things to update attractions like Horizons or Journey into Imagination that would still educate but also add something(s) that would make sense to today’s audience, and society while still being timeless and entertaining no matter which generation enters the park. Disney has an over abundance of IP and all they are seeing is opportunities to capitalize and monetize on them instead of say…Moana teaching guests about her culture, each fish from Finding Nemo/Dory is different from the rest, and how they survive, and maybe the Guardians actually talk about energy instead of chasing a fictional cosmic being in retrieving their own fictional power source. I know this is not going to happen, however, because I see that Disney sees that while not as many guests are interested in being educated while on vacation, just where can they build lightsabers, ride Slinky or ride alongside the Guardians or the Galaxy.
I wouldn't say it lost its magic. It never had magic. That's why it was great. You learned about things through experiments and interaction . There was no magic. There was an explanation for everything. It was great. Now, it's fun but, not intellectually stimulating, like it used to be.
@@saviorself1164 By the same token, who says vacations had to be educational? I guess it’s like choosing to either eat healthy or eat junk food. EPCOT had the balance of both. But now it’s just rides, rides, rides.
How is Poseidon going to skip over the worst IP reskin in history? By far the best themed ride in CA was The Hollywood Tower Hotel and Disney killed it needlessly and savagely defied the corpse! The ominous hotel towered over the park and added to the California themed atmosphere and now the GotG ride looks like an oil refinery with a bad florescent paint job. Completely kills the vibe in the entire park and the Guardians ride is MEDIOCRE at best.
please don't let them take away Living with the Land. As a proud plant parent i love seeing all the different plants growing, seeing which ones are edible and such. plus they go all out during holidays with lights and decorations. It's a heart-warming experience, like a mini oasis among a chaotic [disney] world.
As a kid growing up in Orlando in the 80s, EPCOT was always my favorite because of the educational aspect. It made learning fun and unique. Shame they've taken that away from current and future generations.
IKR? It's almost as if they're forcing current and future generations of children to dread school rather than look forward to school like previous generations did!
Epcot has always been my favorite park, but my last visit showed me how much it’s changed. The only draw it has to me now is food and wine/drinking around the world. But even that is becoming ridiculously expensive now and I’ve noticed the quality decrease over the years while the cost has increased. I miss the late 90s/early 2000s Disney.
Same. When we went to get food food and cocktails we just go to Disney springs or even better, a local cocktail bar that is ten times better than anything Disney has.
@@jimthar17 literally just went to FnW yesterday. My parents, sister, and I stayed in a hotel and picked up my little cousin to come with us. For the weekend (including hotel, tickets, food, and one piece of merch) we spent over $2,000. It wasn’t even really that impressive this year. Ridiculously expensive now and I don’t think we’ll be going back for a few years.
I'm only a few minutes in, but that writeup by Joe Rohde hit hard. Lately I have felt like a bit of a crazy person for being so invested in theme park experiences, and feeling so disappointed in 90% of Disney's latest output. I felt like I was losing my marbles when Zach Riddley made an instagram post about how the use of hexagons in Guardians is the peak of Disney Storytelling(TM). Theming feels more like a buzzword than an ethos recently.
Someone needs to make a website that randomly generates Disney word salad. "Guest experience their favorite Disney Storytelling, bringing them into a rich, immersive worlds meticulously crafted by Walt Disney Imagineering and inspired by revered figure Walt Disney's childhood that creates the most beautiful and magical memories sure to last their lifetime."
It sure is a buzzword. Just like how Disney loves to throw around "story telling". I'm curious why Disney marketing thought they could sell the new Toon Town splash pad as an example of "creating new stories".
That Imagineer's farewell message is beautiful, engaging, and tragic. Brilliant minds like him, and environments that supported such creativity, will be greatly missed.
Epcot is mirroring how business and the future is seen today. When it was built, people were optimistic about the future of technology and so were companies like Disney who were innovators at the time. Now people don't look forward to the future and companies like Disney focus on old IPs and anything proven to work rather than the next new thing.
@@TECfan1 Tomorrowland had a little too much Ayn Rand-ian objectivist BS for my liking, but that stuck with me. The only future is the one we create. A few years ago, we were obsessed with dystopia and the apocalypse. Now we're retreating into familiarity and even reactionism because Imagining a different future, even one that's better for everyone, is scary and hard. I'm holding out hope that we haven't destroyed our good future just yet, and I'm trying the best I can to make it so, but every day that light dies a little and there's only so much each of us can do individually.
I remember when I was little, Epcot was my family's favorite park. Fun things to do for adults, fun educational rides for kids. At some point it ended up turning into a half day visit during our 7 day vacation. Very sad.
They need to start making the different parks ACTUALLY DIFFERENT again, they’re all beginning to feel exactly the same with the exception of maybe Animal Kingdom
It’s very sad to see a memorial park built with Walt’s educational yet romantic and futuristic theming be cast aside for IP’s that may or may not be well received in the future. When these IP’s can’t sell vacation packages or merchandise they’ll be ripped out and replaced with a new skin.
That quote of his pretty much encapsulates all of the issues we are having nowadays. It is so hard to get companies to actually make quality products rather than churning out whatever makes them the most money while being able to feed the shareholders. The Rhode's of the world are going to become few and far between and it really sucks.
@@jthom0027 i think disney is glad to get rid of him. Pretty sure they saw him as nothing more then a trouble maker at the end. Arguing all the time about why we should spend more money on expensive things that can also be done with a screen and a few blinking lights.
1994 was peak EPCOT. All classic rides were still around, Innoventions had just launched with the awesome Sega pavilion and all the exhibits were open and rocking. I was there last week, first time in 6 years, it was sad just seeing how Space Ship Earth is literally falling apart. Guardians I think was very good, Ratatouille was underwhelming, and Harmonious was soulless.
I went to Epcot in 2019 and about 2011 when I 6, when I was 6 I hated Epcot, it was so boring to a kid like me who just wanted to see Mickey Mouse or something like that, but when I returned 8 years later as a more mature person, it became my favorite park instantly, I loved how the world showcase didn't focus on just Disney, and it even sold undisney related merchandise ( I remember seeing some Nintendo merchandise in the Japanese section! ) and it was so cool, I felt like the whole world was connected and cooperation was the future. I could not be more disappointed in what Epcot has became.
My first real job was in the Land pavilion at Epcot working The Lion King and Food Rocks shows. I loved Epcot but was always aware it was never focused on by Disney leadership nearly as much as it needed. No one at Disney seemed to know exactly what to do with it. I got into the Test Track test and adjust team and what a mess that was. Spent some time working Horizons and Energy while I waited for Test Track to get finished. I fell in love with Horizons! I rode it every day I worked, usually multiple times. When I had a 15 minute break I would just hop on and ride. Nothing Epcot is doing now has that sort of appeal to me. Would I like to ride GotG? Sure. But I doubt it will make me feel like I want to ride it over and over again. Even if the rides were low energy before they somehow brought out that magical feeling that Disney used to be so good at. They made me think and dream. Now it just seems like how much can they get me to spend. It sucks that I don't think kids will come away with that sense of wonder that Epcot used to give me. Oh well sad times.
> it was never focused on by Disney leadership nearly as much as it needed Possibly a small blessing? MGM got a terrible Sorcerer's Hat because Management took special interest.
Extremely well put. Particularely that phrase: ''Even if the rides were low energy before they somehow brought out that magical feeling that Disney used to be so good at. They made me think and dream'' This is why I felt in love with Disney in the first place...I could literally dream and seek answers to the future of my life. Most of my big life decisions were made there. The music inspired me...Now I feel like this is gone forever and not just in Epcot
Gotta be honest, I work in EPCOT World Discovery and I would ride Cosmic Rewind every day if I could. It's a stellar ride, and an incredibly unique feeling experience. And that's coming from someone who never really enjoyed Disney parks growing up because the rides were not intense enough. Not that Cosmic Rewind is particularly intense, it's just a ton of fun, and the rotating music options really add another layer to it. I stand by this ride as one of my absolute favorites alongside Intimidator 305 at Kings Dominion, even though thrillwise it doesn't quite compare, the smile can't be wiped off my face while I ride it.
As the EPCOT fan girl that I am “and hopefully you know by now with all my EPCOT centered comments” and with Joe being one of my heroes, my broken Epcot heart has been waiting for this video. I would be lying if I said I didn’t have a few tears in my eyes watching this. I’m not one of those so called “Disney Adults” at all, but EPCOT helped shaped the adult I am today. From my love of learning about other countries at a very young age that led me to study international policy’s and politics In college to bridge a gap and bring understanding for other countries, but also studied history and business. Hoping to work with foreign governments and hopefully EVENTUALLY be the bridge to those countries into an Epcot like setting. I realize I am rambling but it’s to give an idea of what my first trip to Epcot did for me at the young age of 6/7. Epcot is “well was” everything I love and believed in, past present, and what I truly believed and hoped the future would be. And it’s not. Of course I have my feeling on Tron and my love/obsession with it and will die on the hill that it would have made more sense in Epcot if they would have gone with a future technology area than GOTG, but I know I’m in the very small minority in that. I realize this comment way way too long winded and that it probably won’t be read the whole way through. But seriously thank you for this video and thank you for better or worse loving and missing Epcot like I do.
I live in Middle Tennessee and we are slated to get a new park in 2025 named Storyville Gardens. The project managers wanted it to be a park focusing on "edutainment." It will have multiple areas dedicated to different parts of world, educating guests on various cultures and their folklore tales. Many here are comparing to it Epcot, but I am seeing it as what Epcot should still be. Sad seeing this great park pan out branding and sales over ingenuity and creativity. Hopefully Storyville Gardens fulfills what made Epcot great.
And these new rides are even outdated Marvel. What happens when the Guardians are gone from the movies? Poseidon is so right when he says that these IP driven attractions are going to become outdated quicker than anything that EPCOT once had.
I truly don’t understand why Disney hasn’t made a dark ride Mary poppins attraction to Epcot. You can start in a carousel and then it detached and you fly into Mary’s world. Mary poppins is timeless! And then even made a sequel recently! It seemed like such a Disney magical ride! Full of magic and nostalgia. But not only did they get rid of it they idea they had wasn’t even a ride 🤦♀️
don’t think they have enough room for dark ride in the uk pavilion, the mary poppins ride that was announced was going to be a carousel as far as i know
I like that the Joe Rohde quote spoke to something I had kinda realized, that a person or child could be much more entertained by doing things they could do easily in their home town without spending hundreds of dollars. I love running around on Tom Sawyer/Pirates Island in CA, because you have to make your own fun. But things like the canoes and walking around a local small town Main Street aren't unusual like going to another planet. Why do that when hiking or going to explore some part of their local area that hasn't been seen before can be really engaging?
So what you're saying about the coaster itself, Vekoma did great? I always think it's weird how when a coaster sucks the manufacturer gets the blame while when it's great the park gets all the glory even though Vekoma did basically all the work on the machine itself (and the vehicles + their turning mechanism). Shoutout to the engineers!
Vekoma has certainly done better recently, but the joke has always been that they're great when Disney throws money at them. That being said, I'm sure that Disney has a lot of input regarding the layout, just as Universal did with the Velocicoaster.
NOW THAT RHODE IS GONE, IS THERE ANY HOPE OF SAVING OR BRINGING BACK THE INTELLECTUAL EPCOT AND STOPPING ANIMAL KINGDOM FROM SUFFERING THE SAME FATE?? Did Rhode leave because he saw the ripples of what is to come?
I was 12 when I went Disney World in 1987. I like the Magic Kingdom, but l loved Epcot. It was so different. Educational and entertaining. I loved everything about it. The countries were cool. The ride in Norway was awesome. I went several times just to Epcot in the early and mid 90s after we moved to Florida in 1989. I can't believe to my dismay what it has become. So disappointing. I have no desire to go to WDW ever again.
I would love to see journey into imagination be updated in a retro sort of way with Tony Baxtor's version being brought back. With the tech of today, it would be mind-blowing.
When Disney actually gets back into their creative and caring phase or builds a coaster over 200ft tall someone give me a call, otherwise I'll be at literally every other theme park
Another excellent video and glad you were not caught recording! My main issue is the fact that their non IP EPCOT attractions have always been incredible and groundbreaking. When they put the effort into creating a whole new storyline they can do it so well. From listening to another Disney video channel allegedly Cosmic Rewind was going to be an original ride; without the mandated Guardians of the Galaxy IP. While I happy that they originally considered a non IP attraction; it is unfortunate that imagineers are required to limit their imagination to IP; there are many things people can criticize the Disney Imagineers for. But I wouldn’t necessarily say it is their fault for building an underwhelming theme parks and/or rides. Looking at theTokyo Disney Resort, Hong Kong Disneyland and Shanghai Disney Resort shows what Disney Imagineering can come up with when given a sizeable budget and allowed to be creative. Hopefully over time at some point down the road they will use the Guardians ride system; someone with a with a bigger budget. Someone will create something a new non-IP ride that is rich in storytelling that is wild and fun that will have the impact of the original Pirates of the Caribbean ride and Haunted Mansion did in the 60's. Maybe they will build a non-IP ride similar to Mystic Manor ride like in Hong Kong Disneyland in EPCOT and/or any other North American Disney Park.
@Cara EPCOT was at one time magical.and unique; The Land, the original Journey into Imagination 1983-1998 and Space Ship Earth were at that time amazing rides. The old EPCOT made us think; it set us dreaming while the new EPCOT puts me to sleep and I am saddened that it has morphed into a theme park. Our future is far more exciting than promoting Nemo, Frozen and other cartoon characters and rides based on Marvel movies. EPCOT now has devolved into a money grab pandering to entertainment. People should go next door to WDW and/or Disney's Hollywood Studios if they want that. Because atone time EPCOT held up the best of our creative genius to show us an exciting future. We have enough theme parks.
To clarify, I wasn't concerned with being caught recording. It's just something that Disney has thrown into other attractions recently, but I don't think anyone actually cares. I don't think it's a rule, so much as its a deterrent to stop people from having their phones out and ruining the experience for others by shining their flash light or recording on full brightness. I make sure to go out of my way to not disturb others.
I lined up 3 hours for Web Slingers in the rain and I was left disappointed after disembarking the ride.. There’s an extreme disconnect between the guests and the ride…
I think your videos are consistently the best reviews of problems and good things disney does and without peer. We have gone to EPCOT the last few years to hear to the one-hit wonders and older acts. Usually, we were there once a week or more depending on the act that was performing. While there we would eat at the various kiosks since they tended to have the more unique offerings that didn't taste like the institutional foods throughout EPCOT and the rest of WDW. This year they brought back some of the acts, but fill about half the nights with local cover bands they try to pass off as entertainment. Once, where we would find ourselves at EPCOT out of curiosity to see and listen to the older acts and sometimes more recent acts we may or may not have liked. The cover bands are uninteresting and not a draw for us or others we know who we would meet and then hit kiosks or go to restaurants. We have been longtime AP holders, but have decided this is it. When it expires we are moving on. Our decision to not renew was a combination of: 1. lack of value, 2. price much too high for the lack of quality entertainment and experience, 3. their political activism that has made its way to the employees interacting with customers. Interacting with a really exceptional employee is the exception today. Many don't even wear name badges or if they do, the badges are turned over so you can't get their name. Their HR department should be fired and replaced with professionals who hire to promote the park rather than their agenda.
I think the biggest offense of this ride is that its original design was supposed to be 'going back to the big bang' before the IP was pushed into it- it would have still maintained itself a a level of educational, would have fit with the themeing of space with the other rides/locations nearby, and it wouldn't be such an IP eyesore. I really wonder what the Big Bang ride would've been like.
My hope is that, since the "story" of this ride seems to acknowledge that EPCOT has an educational aspect to it, that means that Disney hasn't completely abandoned the original vision for the park and plans on putting in future attractions that are actually educational. I believe that Disney Imagineers can figure out how to use IP to attract guests while honestly delivering the edutainment that would I think would pleasantly surprise a lot of first time guests. The follow through on this particular attraction may not be what we hoped for, but I'm hopeful that EPCOT Center isn't dead yet. It's just an awkward time for the park identity. Still, I'm honestly not sure that current Disney leadership is capable of knowing what is actually educational.
I'm not very optimistic. The new revamp of Epcot is very much focused on bringing back the iconography of Epcot, but in a very superficial way. They put a map of Walt's original E.P.C.O.T. on the floor of the Starbucks and the new planters of the spine will be shaped like the original Epcot logo, but it's all just superficial pandering. It's a "hey look, remember how you liked this? We're bringing it back!" But that's not the appeal. It was the stellar attraction design and park atmosphere that made the place interesting and unique, not the symbols.
I really loved riding through the giant golf ball being surrounded by the darkness and watching history walk by. Especially one segment where there's just a little bit of red light up ahead so faint I'm not even sure how far away it is, it was great.
Thank you for continuing to present the most nuanced, detailed analyses of what is happening at Disney. Your video essays are never overwrought or emotional and that makes them so much more impactful than what amounts to the rants available on other TH-cam channels. I continue to be amazed that Disney execs don’t understand the long-term implications of what they’re doing--or maybe they do and just don’t care. Short term gains are, after all, keeping shareholders happy, guaranteeing upper management’s continued employment, salaries and bonuses: That says as much about the shareholders as it does about management. But at some point, the continued goal of producing thinly gilded mediocrity to increase profit margins has got to backfire, especially in an increasingly uncertain worldwide economy. Even potential first-time visitors will start hearing enough negative feedback to wonder if a Disney park trip is worth it: Mediocrity has a really short shelf life. Those of us who remember Disney’s former attention to detail, theming and yes, magic, already know it and we’re making other plans.
You hit the nail on the head. It's all short term thinking. So much is about seeing what Universal did with Harry Potter and trying to copy it without understanding why it worked. Disney used to be the leader and innovate but now they are chasing trends with so much just being about the bottom line.
Yeah, it is really too bad how much it has fallen. I used to try to recommend my co-workers to check out the park, but I can't recommend it anymore and suggest going with Universal Studios, and it seems in the future I might recommend it more with the new great attractions and park to it in the near future.
And yet Disney kept setting attendance records right up until the pandemic. Sounds like they know what they’re doing more than you, some random Karen on the internet.
So we’ll worded.. When I see Creations shop and Cafe it doesn’t evoke emotion or magic.. They have really gotten rid of so many wonderful things.. World Showcase Players, Spaceship Earth before changes, Horizons, Fountain in Land Pavillion, Mo Rockin, Off Kilter..Etc Used to be a 2-3 day park now it takes less than a day😢
As someone who ended up having a really fun time with the ride, I agree with your analysis wholeheartedly. No matter if you like the new attractions coming out of the park, it's impossible to deny that the initial intent and theme Epcot had when first opening is no longer there. It's not impossible for that original theme to have stayed throughout the decades, even with the implementation of IP into the park, but it's painfully clear that Disney isn't interested in doing anything more with their parks than what they know will bring people there. It seems the attraction conceptualisation for every Disney Park nowadays is the same, no matter what park it's actually being built at, which ends up really souring the overarching themes that the different parks are trying to convey, simply because Disney can't be bothered to go beyond what they know people will come for, and it's become rather tragic. Great essay as per usual
Why would they not plop down popular rides with popular IPs in all their parks across the world that draw the most crowds and money… Its a business after all and it seems to be working for them lol.
@@dojavillager5998Them being based on IP's isn't the problem. It's that the thematic cohesion that these parks are trying to go for ends up being soured by rides that have nothing to do with said theme
@@JMCVO I mean why would any company go beyond what they know people will show up for? It’s a business after all and Disney already puts in way more than almost all other amusement park chains lol.
The senseless death of epcot was at the hands of the original imagineers on the project. Walt Disney would say when describing his vision of Epcot that it's not going to be another world's fair! It would be a living, growing community with the latest technology and innovations, and guests could experience a truly modern city environment, and take the ideas back to their communities. The imagineers apparently couldn't handle his concept, so they built another world's fair! No matter what has happened since, the concept was dead on arrival on opening day!
Really happy you're making videos like this. Alot of us have similar feelings but can't articulate them as well...we just know it's not what it used to be....
Could not agree more. We were there this week for a short visit. Had Lightning and Virtual cue passes. Rode this twice and left, really no need to hang out there anymore. I still miss Journey and Horizons so very much.
After the desecration of "Journey into Imagination" it was pretty clear that modern Disney is incapable of upkeeping EPCOT's lofty ideals. At this point they might as well totally re-theme Future World. That too would not be cheap, but at least it would be a genuine renaissance.
@@AXander1978 also euro disney but he was a funny little man who at least tried. for consistency. i think that not trying harder for similar donors killed it though yeah
Excluding Superstar Limo, those direct to video sequels and Euro Disney, I think he was pretty good, he full on saved the company by starting the Disney Renaissance.
This video (and all your disney critical videos as a whole) have seriously opened my eyes. I am very spiteful towards all of disneys IPs in the movie making sphere, but I could never put my finger on my recent troubles with the park, especially since I had such fond memories of them. Recently me and my friends went on our senior grad nite trip. Going to avengers campus was kinda like. "is this it?" the restaurant there was cool looking but the food was ultimately mediocre (i ordered pasta and i got a side of like, this weird glob of yogurt and tapioca balls??? and the cheese wasnt even melted on the pasta) and obviously it was built around the guardians ride, a ride that made no sense in california adventure in the first place (I ended up riding it and loving it, but it kept me thinking that i would have enjoyed it much more when it was tower of terror). My friends were excited but thats bc they all like marvel and follow it blindly, but even they probably wouldn't have come to disney in the first place if not for the grad nite and as were all entering college across the states were unlikely to return for a long time. Even the new spider man ride was just awful in its presentation. (I actually got up on the leaderboard, but I just kept thinking "so what?") and my friend ended up spending like almost two hundred bucks in the store, which was just like, a huge warehouse full of leftover marvel junk. it had no immersion with the theming at all. The only thing that makes that land interesting to me is the great performances of the walk around characters- and what happens if they ever become irrelevant???
As an EPCOT fan, and someone whose this is his favorite Disney park, I can’t help but feel like EPCOT is slowly being killed in front of me. What made it so special when I was 4, 5, and 6, ten years later, I’m 16 and sad to see what the park and Disney in general has become. It’s like one of those slaps to the face, or punches to the gut you get as you grow up. It hurts.
The Imagineers recently discussed how they had plans for a non-IP omnicoaster style coaster centered around The Big Bang prior to this version of the ride being announced. But were then told by upper management that they needed to "put The Guardians in the park" so they tried to retro fit their original concept with this new demand.
@Cara oh boy, you better say sorry cause die hard fans of anything will retaliate. But I can see what people say about Epcot, I like the premise of an educational theme park, but now it’s IP land, and not the good kind
The first thing I said when getting off this ride was “wow. I love it. It does not belong in Epcot.” I think ur right. Tomorrowland would be a good fit for it. Or studios in an east coast Avengers Campus land. (Although we all know why that might never happen) It’s just not right for Epcot.
Epcot was a major inspiration for me to learn physics, math, and engineering. I wish I could take my nephew to Epcot to inspire him, but what inspired me as a kid in Epcot is now lost to the past and the continued intentional dumbing down of population using entertainment devoid of substance
I don’t know why people hate IP. I love going inside the movies I grew up with. It’s a unique experience. I think the problem is when they pick an Ip that doesn’t match the park.
It’s not that IP rides are bad. It’s the idea that they only have IP. Think about Pirates or Haunted Mansion. Both have remained popular even before the films that were based on both rides. Many would argue Pirates has been diminished by incorporating IP into the ride.
Islands of Adventure used to have sections not related to any “IP”. I am in the minority, but I liked MerlinWood better than Hogsmede. I’m still a huge fan of Poseidon’s Fury.
@@gissneric That's because the theme of Universal is "ride the movies", which has extended in a way to all of their parks. Disney was not originally all about IPs, and each park had their own distinct theming. Now those themes are getting muddled with baseless IPs, and many are justifiably upset with that.
@@chrisirish3532 It’s a lot harder to reason a $500 million dollar operation on something that would be inherently more popular if you just attach some IP to it
To me, the best WDW theme park is Animal Kingdom. The theming is solid throughout - even the inclusion of Pandora, thanks to Joe Rhode's handiwork, manages to blend into the theme of the park and fulfills the long-thought abandoned "animals of fantasy" wing of the park - and each area blends into the other. Animal Kingdom also offers unique experiences that park goers can't really get anywhere else. Chiefly among these experiences is the Kilimanjaro Safari, because there, the experience is the animals. Personally, I cannot think of another attraction where I can get as close as safely possible to lions, crocodiles, rhinos, giraffes, hippos and other African animals - and learn something about each creature along the way. Expedition Everest, Dinosaur, and Flight of Passage (although I have not ridden this yet - word of mouth I have heard all describe it as amazing) are all fun, engaging attractions. As I write this, Everest is my favorite WDW attraction as it blends theming and thrills (and effects pre-disco Yeti) better than anything else WDW has to offer (And it's NOT based on IP...GASP). The inclusion of smaller animal exhibits littered throughout the park as well as the Jungle Trek and Planet Watch exhibits further drives home the theming of being immersed in the wildlife of exotic lands. If I had only one day to spend at a WDW park, it'd be Animal Kingdom. After that, Magic Kingdom is the next choice due to it being "classic" Disney. Haunted Mansion, the Mountain rides, Pirates, are all great experiences (even the Peoplemover A/K/A the best ride in Tomorrowland). Personally, there's no better feeling as a park goer than turning that corner from the entrance and seeing Main Street and the castle looming past. Magic Kingdom will always have that quintessential Disney feel that is always nostalgic. Hollywood Studios...really ought to change its name. The only "behind the scenes Hollywood" aspect anymore is maybe Rockin' Roller Coaster due to the story being Steve Tyler giving riders back-stage passes. Tower of Terror is a great attraction, but it's much more Twilight Zone than "behind the scenes." Still, ToT fits the old-Hollywood look that area of the park sought to invoke. The Backlot tour is gone, the whole backlot area is gone, and now 1/2 the park is IP based either being Toy Story or Star Wars. Toy Story just looks so cheap and by the numbers, and Star Wars...you can feel the Force pulling your credit card out of your wallet. Then EPCOT, like you say here, isn't the Edutainment Park anymore. Future World is now Guardians (IP), Soarin, Nemo and Friends (IP but still fits due to the riding through the fish tanks), the butchered remains of Imagination, Tron Track, and Innovations is gone. World Showcase is just IPs now and not to share cultures anymore - but you can argue Ratatouille works since so much of French culture is their cuisine and the IP heavily involves food and cooking. What Future World once was, to learn about energy, the human body, communication, the importance of the arts, the oceans, the land, transportations, and exploring beyond Earth and peeking into the future technologies...it's almost all gone. Spaceship Earth and Living with the Land still exist, but you can almost taste Chapek's desire to gut those rides and replace it with Encanto the Ride or some cheap flavor of the month IP. I know people don't like it (I love it), but Mission Space does adhere to what Future World used to be, to look to the future and explore beyond Earth. Empty buildings and a hodgepodge of IP's - that's EPCOT and Hollywood Studios now.
I agree, but I think most people would say Magic Kingdom. Animal Kingdom and Magic Kingdom are full day immersive experiences, but Studios and Epcot are very lacking with only a few worthwhile attractions each.
I have to agree, in that Animal Kingdom is still the most thematically cohesive and meaningful of the parks. I only really care for Magic and Animal Kingdom now. I find myself avoiding Epcot and Studios as they're just not interesting anymore. I'm not sure if you've seen it, but your sentiments on Pandora are something that I've covered through an older video if you're interested: th-cam.com/video/U5NCmNI50X0/w-d-xo.html
Honestly I hate what Epcot has become, but I love old Epcot too much to hate it nowadays or not want to go there. I just feel so bad for it. What was once a beautiful, thoughtfully designed hub for technology, innovations, diversity, and hope has become destroyed by greed and money. It’s so sad so see something formerly beautiful and artistically crafted be a shell of itself. I’m not the biggest proponent for doing things according to what they think Walt would have wanted, but he was be so pissed to see what his idea has become.
I remember going to Epcot in the early 2000s and I loved the edutainment aspects of the park. But, most people, including my parents and other kids parents, thought it was boring and that they didn't go on vacation to "learn" (They were all boomers, after all). Unfortunately, it wasn't just the adults that felt that way. I vividly remember leaving the park as it was closing and a little kid leaving with his parents, upon walking out, turned to Epcot and yelled "Goodbye, Epcot, there wasn't much to you!" People who "got" Epcot loved it for trying to teach humanist values, but the average park goer only wants "fun" and not to have their world view challenged in anyway. The "New" Epcot was inevitable and I say that as a pejorative. The average person would rather have vapid "fun" then even attempt to learn about the world beyond what they already know.
You do an incredible job researching and creating a study of the failure of intellectual property. You give me hope that there are articulate engaging people out there.
This proves my point. Disney doesn’t listen to feedback from guests. They remove original rides, rides based on an irrelevant IP or even rides based on multiple IPs. If they didn’t, we’d still have The Great Movie Ride, Hollywood Tram Tour or even Malestrom. Disney needs to up their game desperately.
You really think so? Frozen ever after and Mickey and Minnie’s runaway railway draw very high wait times. They’re popular. It doesn’t matter what people are screaming into the comment sections online, these decisions are made based on what draws people in. I’m not saying that’s a good or bad thing, it just is what it is.
Your definition-explanation of fun at the beginning was spot on-well done, I will remember that the next time someone brings up why cant things just be fun. Great video!
I hope this ride has special overlays. Like what mission breakout has. Add a new song every once n a while or add a limited time story. Like a spooky one if that makes since
You have the best and most informative information of any Disney site. Your videos are very truthful and always right on the money. How very sad to see what they did to my favorite place in the world. Thank you.... Keep Writing,...... These are great...
This is fascinating at someone who will never ever visit a Disney park. The Disney mentality of “hey, that’s a character I recognize” has crept into basically all of their “creative” output
Another Argument for swapping the locations of Tron and Guardians. Tron 1982 helped introduce or educate the world to the computer concepts and potential that is not far from reality today. Continuing the EPCOT theme of technology, communication and education. Tron Legacy helped introduce the world to the concept and potential of the ISO imaging format. Both while in a fictional world and both touching reality. This is yet another reason why Tron (while not Ideal IMO) would have been a better fit for EPCOT and Guardians would have fit in Magic Kingdome as that is the place for fictional story telling. Swing and a wiff for Disney as they have forgotten that targeted theming and customer service is what got them to where they are today. But they do not care about EPCOT as it was anymore. They are content to slowly murder it with IP and "Fun". As Disney moves into IP and "Fun" they are well behind Universal and their time of decline is emanate. Awesome Video.
Yay there’s another person who loves and feels about Tron/Legacy like I do!! I’m with you 100% on that Tron should be in EPCOT. Can you imagine if one of the new “Lands” was The Grid??!! I honestly get goosebumps just thinking about it.
I 100% agree, but unfortunately Test Track became TRON:track with the 2.0 update first. Those attractions would have been too similar right next to each other, and I see why Disney opted for the current locations. But if they were going to go this route, there are tons of IPs disney could use that actually fit with the epcot theme. Imagine ENCOM sponsoring the tron ride. Or SFIT sponsoring a big hero 6 ride/innoventions. Litwak arcade chain sponsoring the wreck-it-ralph PLAY pavilion. Stark industries sponsoring an energy pavilion. BNL corp sponsoring mission:space or even a sustainability pavilion. The list goes on. I don't hate the idea of IPs coming into epcot, but make it make sense with the original theme and purpose of the park. Take the fiction of corporations, and use it to drive real ones to do the right thing.
I'm glad I went to EPCOT in the early 80's . I was 18, a boomer. I left with hope and optimism for the future . Some innovation came true, solar panels ,some is on the way. Highly developed Automation, AI , robotics and food production. Sadly taking 40years to develop . Experiencing EPCOT this year , May, 2022. I looked forward to see what Disney had in the works for the next 40 years. I felt let down. No real innovation unless you dissect the entertaining, fun rides. Such as radio frequency mobility and intense computer wifi networks. BUT no real demonstration of how these technologies could affect my life in the real world in the future. A real let down. I felt " dumbed down", like , I couldn't or didn't want to see , learn anything new. Just entertained. That says alot for the newer generations. Instant gratification and greed are the new norms . Disney statistically knows this. Instead of what can improve an entire society. Sad , very sad. Walts dream disappeared. Experimental Prototype City of Tomorrow or EPCOT as of the present is no more than just an acronym. It is not represented in the park at all, presently. Unless you consider The monorail. It is a great innovative reminder of what could be. Only used at WDW. Yet very efficient, comfortable, non polluting , fast transportation never adopted in any great length anywhere in America. Again a let down 40 years later, no city or state adopted the technology in all that time. Just a fun ride.
I just rode this for the first time a couple of days ago and was blown away. I grew up with soarin and finding Nemo and all so I haven’t experienced the park change as much but it’s sad to hear that they’ve lost sight of Epcot’s purpose. Either way I still love Epcot for the variety of food and for my new favorite ride
The hardest part of guardians, is hearing that it was meant to be a ride about the Big Bang .. This would have been perfect, but instead we got Marvel in Epcot
someone else in the comments mentioned that whata happening to epcot was "inevitable" and i really feel that. when a park gets a reputation for being the "boring" one, its only a matter of time before the money outweighs whatever the original planners were doing that was more interesting. hopefully epcot will maintain some substance as we go into the future. I like the new design aesthetic, at least.
As a guy who has never been to Disney or Epcot but has been obsessesed with them for years I always got the vibe Epcot would be the place you'll go to on a school field trip
This attraction seems quite fun, but it has no business being in EPCOT. Alas, it’s still nice to see EPCOT get a thrill ride, and without a doubt this is a win for the MCU fans.
@@MyEcho4 actually I’d argue that it does fit in HS. Atp it’s Disney’s DCA, or rather their IP dumping ground. However, that park has slowly started to become “experience the movies” (that’s why Galaxy’s Edge and Toy Story Land are there) rather than celebrate them. In Cosmic, you’re experiencing an adventure with the Guardians, so it fits.
@Cara that’s not fitting in with the themes of the park and any ride can fit in any theme park to be fun for children and families, so I don’t see the point you are trying to make.
I am a diehard EPCOT Center fangirl. I fell in love with the place as a kid in the 90s. Horizons is my favorite attraction of all time. And I actually loved Universe of Energy. I agree with most of what you said here and you said it eloquently and wonderfully. All of that said, I’m honestly excited to experience GotG Cosmic Rewind. And I support the change from Future World to World Discovery, World Celebration, and World Nature. Each of these areas can be stronger individually now that they don’t have to be part of the Future World narrative.
That statement you made about fun at the beginning is something I’ve been saying to my family recently. What’s the point of paying huge amounts for theme parks that aren’t immersive and are only full of random fun? Disney used to be about something more.
Cosmic rewind is THE BEST ride Disney has ever made. Period. And its FUN. Whether it has a place in Epcot is another matter. But Disney seems absolutely convinced to kill the park. So at this point I'm just grateful there's something, anything, to do there.
Most rollercoasters last a minute nowadays so two and a half is pretty long for a rollercoaster especially a launch one and not the traditional slow lift hill.
While I appreciate that many older Disney classics are 10+ minutes in length, I think that 2 or 3 minutes is fine for a thrill attraction. Even then, that's actually quite long for a rollercoaster.
I read some confirmed/in construction plans for Epcot's new transition. It's horrible. A bunch of trees and new meet and greet areas. Nothing at all of substance. They have completely ruined this park. It used to be my favorite as a kid because I loved the different pavilions and the idea of "edutainment."
I remember my dad saying once that Carrier or another air conditioning company should sponsor Spaceship Earth and make it “the great air conditioned ride.”
While I too found Epcot to be my favorite Disney Theme Park, The original concept was doomed from the start. As Yoda said, always in motion the future is. The theme of the future meant the park was outdated before it opened. With the larger attractions set to themes (land, motion, etc.) the attractions were entertaining but weren't fun. The average family goes to a park to have fun, and Epcot was not that. By adding the intellectual properties, Disney upped the entertainment factor, Let's face it, the Living Seas was a boring, walkaround movie set! I wanted Disney to replace the Imagination building with a Tron attraction that had not only the light cycles, but a hanging "flying" coaster that simulated dog fight similar to the climax of Tron Legacy, along with some interactive "games" sets were guests could be in the games themselves (disk wars). I feel if they had gone down that road, Epcot could be both entertaining and fun, and thereby a more desired destination.
I really like your channel because it’s different from other channels like yours but you did things that the other ones really do not do and that’s great.
I miss Classic Epcot ... i mean just look at what happened to the Imagination pavilion (I STILL LOVE Living with the Land) without going on and on and on about it ... but as a teen visiting Epcot .... "having fun learning" is what sticks with me to this day years later. "learning different cultures, learning sciences, and technology can be ..." (ironic i say this) "FUN" I haven't gone to disney in years but Living with the Land and Spaceship earth are still the top places in Epcot and while updated over the years .... still "classic Epcot" Classic Epcot STILL inspires me .... that is what classic Epcot means to me really
i am so happy I got to ride "world of motion" once and Horizons about 3 times i think before it closed .... I think part of going to Epcot is some sick mental thing where some people think that it will suddenly be "Classic Epcot" once again
I've felt this since I was little at Epcot, wondering how soarin fit into the land pavilion, or what were the messages of test track and mission space to the broader theme. My family never understood my confusion and just enjoyed 'eating around the world' but it has always bothered me. Now, with Guardians, Remy, Frozen, Harmonious and soon to be Moana, theres no passion left in the park, and I have no desire to visit Epcot, or Hollywood Studios, for that matter, as they did a similar thing over there.
Idk, as someone who is hyper critical of Disney (especially the IP-ification of Epcot) I still find a lot of the points of this video to be a little too slighted against Disney. Toy Story Land and Slinky Dog Dash have rave reviews because they are good. Especially for Disney's family target audience. As someone who genuinely likes thrilling and family style attractions, I can say that I personally love coasters like Mine Train and Slinky. They are well themed and while quaint still fun to ride. They are coasters that are meant to be enjoyed by beginners and that's okay. While Star Wars Land I will admit is just simply not compelling, Disney has been doing a good job attractions wise. Yes Guardians going into Epcot doesn't make a lot of sense but at the end of the day it's still a memorable attraction and will probably be cemented into a classic. My issue with Disney is how they're stripping privileges from people who stay on property (especially those who stay at value/moderate resorts.) Anyways besides the multiple disagreements that I have with this video, it's still wonderfully put together. Keep up the good work!
I used to love Epcot. I went there and always looked forward to it more than Magic Kingdom. Shame because I was thinking of going to Epcot at least one last time.
If the rest of Future World were still intact, an attraction like this that affectionately parodies it would be easier to appreciate and would probably become a beloved classic (sort of like what Muppetvision 3D was before MGM/Disney Studios got stripped of its original theming).
I’d put the coaster intensity above Everest because of the rotating cars, it makes so many people nauseous moving in 2 places at once (like the teacups) every time I get off of it I see an older rider sitting in a corner with a barf bag. Even saw an older woman with her head in a trashcan and a cast member offering her a chair
so sad that i didn’t get to experience the parks when it was better. I lived too far away and never had the money for it, nowadays I know when I can finally visit it’ll just be one big advertisement stunt
Wow. Growing up I was always a fan of Epcot and definitely felt like the experience was in decline. Seeing all of the negative changes put back to back, it really drives the point that Epcot is a shell of its former self.
While this ride was the most fun in the park by far (the track we had playing - Disco Inferno actually made all the difference as it fitted so well with the ride, only one other track on the list is as well suited) I still enjoyed Living with the Land and Spaceship Earth nearly as much and they bought back feelings of nostalgia of my first visit back in 87. Disappointed to see what it was becoming and the Seas was just a mess, lack of Horizons or Energy (which were excellent). Guardians just needed to be in Hollywood Studios and not Epcot.
![Disney's Hollywood Studios Rides at Walt Disney World [4K POV]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/xrA1_UPf5eQ/mqdefault.jpg)
For all the hate Michael Eisner gets, he understood that Epcot was special because it was NOTHING like the Magic Kingdom. And this is why both parks he opened (MGM & Animal Kingdom) had distinct themes and ideals. Iger and Chapek ruined this, and the path Disney is on right now their 4 parks will soon feel like:
Magic Kingdom
Magic Kingdom- formerly known as Epcot
Magic Kingdom 3.0
Magic Kingdom with real animals
It’s you! Can you upload some Videos again, I really enjoyed them and I miss your content
@@nolanbetts104 lol hi there, yes I have some projects I’m working on- hopefully this month or next
Michael Eisner had NOTHING to do with EPCOT. It opened in 1982 - and Eisner came into Disney in 1984. Michael Eisner ordered the destruction of audio-animatronics from the parks including EPCOT. Eisner is also responsible for California Adventure which had to be rebuilt. Eisner brought in Iger & Chapek. Eisner is poison to Disney.
And all of those Magic Kingdoms will just be used for pub crawls by TH-camrs.
@@swamp1138 now tell me how Iger and Chapek are better… at least Eisner gave us classic new Disney attractions, Splash Mountain, Tower of Terror, Indiana Jones Adventure, etc.
He expanded WDW to a world class destination, many of the projects that opened under his era were quality than not.
An example of this are Disney’s hotels:
Look at the design and architecture of the Eisner era hotels, compared to Iger
It's both poetic and frightening that a work of art like Epcot, a work dedicated to an optimistic outlook on human kind, is destroyed by corporate greed
Plus it was destroyed by a complacent society that wants less thinking and more Elsa dolls, beer, and shitty overpriced food.
I mean, it was originally designed as a company town where Disney would own everything and its residents would own nothing, so in a sense this kind of capitalistic domination has always been present
@@chompythebeast not to mention the reliance on sponsorships. The quick mention of many classic Epcot edutainment attractions closing or retooling after losing support from corporate sponsors really stood out to me.
Epcot was always a compromise between entertainment and education. At least they finally decide to pick one
Murica
EPCOT used to be about optimism. Optimism for our world and what laid ahead. As a kid that grew up in the 80s, EPCOT was the reason I wanted to keep coming back to Disney World. It made me so excited for the future and everything that could be. It was inspiring, made me dream, and made me want to explore. Not only did this message of optimism get “killed” at EPCOT, it is no longer found anywhere in popular culture.
Outside of EPCOT, the 80s and early 90s where filled with shows like Beyond 2000, AT&T’s “You Will” ads, and even Star Trek TNG that painted a picture of tomorrow being better than today. I struggle to find experiences and content today that will inspire my kid the same way I dreamt of what tomorrow could hold. Everything is so bleak. It is challenging to find joy and optimism from a deluge of crime dramas and 24 hours news cycles. Even elected officials on all sides try to stoke fears and encourage divisiveness.
It speaks volumes to the original thesis of EPCOT that 2 of my young daughter’s favorite rides at Disney World are Living With The Land and Spaceship Earth. I wish leadership at Disney understood their product better. The New Coke version of EPCOT is not the right path long term.
No kidding... I can't even watch the current versions of Star Trek. It's all irritating, unlikable people screaming and lecturing each other about the cold, dark, hard brutality of the universe. Optimism doesn't sell. Bring on the zombie apocalypse.
@@CoryTheRaven I feel like Star Trek is a poster child of the death of optimism. It is a franchise that was built on the idea that tomorrow is worth striving for, modeling inclusivity, thirst for knowledge, and respect for others. But the franchise has become dark, bleak, and angry. I feel like it accurately represents where our culture is going and, frankly, how could it go any other direction if the message of optimism has been abandoned by the popular culture and news that is consumed globally everyday.
@@CoryTheRaven I agree with you on Star Trek with everything since Enterprise. However, do recommend Strange New Worlds. So far, seems miles better than Discovery and S1 of Picard (thought S2 was better, but still was meh). I also thought Lower Decks was pretty good. Strange New Worlds seems less bleak and dark. More like TOS. Paramount surprisingly put the first episode of Strange New Worlds on TH-cam, free to stream, if want to give it a try if haven't already.
Edit: Well, it was on YourTube, but apparently only for a limited time. It is no longer available.
@@parkds what you mean that new Star Trek doesn't model inclusivity and thirst for knowledge? Didn't you see the one lady say something cringe about the power of math, and that other lady with a sour face hector someone about her pronouns?
some people really use this love of the past to cloud their blatant bigotry lmao. The past wasn't optimistic. It was ignorant. People could go their whole lives in their own bubbles, and it's pretty evident with the older generations of today.
I'm a little nerd who has always been interested and obsessed with "behind the scenes" and how things are made/done. I never got to experience the splendor of original EPCOT but I remember riding Universe of Energy (and liking it) and I was absolutely in love with Innoventions and made sure I did all of the activities every time I went. I used to love EPCOT so much and have been extremely sad about its transformation as well as the transformation of Hollywood Studios since I miss the "behind the scenes" and educational aspect of that park as well.
I miss the Univerae of Energy and the Great Movie Ride so much
@@watcheri5742 i loved the kitschiness in the theming of UoE but as a ride it was kind of boring
I miss old EPCOT. I took my kids around Christmas last year and will be again this Christmas. Epcot has become yet another character ridden park that is nothing like what it used to be or should be. I don't hate it but, I prefer it the old way. I remember going as a kid and absolutely loving it. I learned so much while having so much fun.
You went to the Magic Kingdom for Disney characters. You went to Epcot for an entirely different experience. Your day at Epcot was NOTHING like your day at MK. Now, it feels like they stripped away the educational aspect all together and I'm just waiting for them to release a movie called Spaceship Earth so that they can litter that ride with characters as well.
It isn't the Epcot I remember, or want. It's too Disney-y. It has lost its identity and has become Magic Kingdom 2
@@saviorself1164 I am not old enough to really know of an EPCOT like that but given what I have seen of the past, it appears it was much more of an educational and encompassing experience. Disney, the parent company itself, for about the past two decades has just emphasized how much they just care about the bottom line and less about the whole human experiences we came to their parks and films for. :( It’s sad but it’s also unsurprising given so many other companies going in this direction.
@@saviorself1164 Magic Kingdom 2 with food festivals.
It’s probably worth a video to explore how the festivals went from being unique, seasonal, and relatively well-themed to being homogeneous to the point that they bleed into one another.
I’m not used to “fun” being an insult….but the logic and analysis here is indeed compelling. Nice post. Thought provoking indeed.
I thought that was odd as well. Since we all have a different definition of what we find fun.
"Fun" wasn't used as an insult. "Fun" was shown to be what it is in most cases...cheap and fleeting. I've done "fun" things many times in my life but there are few things that are totally captivating. My early life trips to the Disney World Resort were captivating because of the reasons shown in this video. To be completely removed from your reality is quite an accomplishment and 80s and 90s Disney did that fantastically. I get the same feeling when I visit Diagon Alley so it still can be done, I just don't see Disney doing it anymore. They go for the cheap thrill because the majority of Disney TH-camrs just go with it and treat Disney like its just a pub now. Its pathetic.
We don't ask better of our companies anymore. We bend the knee and eat whatever cost cutting slop they chose to give us so shareholders make more money. We do this because we are too scared to push that trip to the future or just go somewhere else. When we stop continuing to patron these places, we will immediately see change. This unfortunately will never happen because we are simply too easy nowadays.
@@finned958 What exactly was the "boring EPCOT"?
@@finned958 Ok, so the classic EPCOT is boring to you. Fair enough. I just don't see things the same way as you do. I would gladly take Horizons and World of Motion over a Frozen reskin anyday. To each their own.
@@finned958 such a shame though that diversity is such a dirty word now.
Also why have epcot as a seperate park? Why not integrate it into disneyland.
Man, this hit hard. EPCOT truly has lost all of its “magic.” The best thing I can compare it to is a beautiful and tranquil nature preserve that slowly has plots of its land sold to a mega-corporation. The mega-corporation then removes all the scenic aspects and places giant billboards advertising their latest and greatest products. This is the EPCOT we have now.
This is perfect
Eh, to be fair, Epcot really was a one and done park. So was Animal Kingdom until they added Mount Everest. With ticket prices rising they still need to sell package deals, and not alot of people find value in Epcot. For me personally, it was just a Downtown Disney 2.0 as the shops in the lands are some of the best at Disney world. It was eventually going to get some roller coasters.
Perhaps it’s that today’s tourist are no longer worried about learning while being entertained. They’re worried about just having fun with their favorite Disney characters and properties and Disney has recognized this. I know they aren’t exactly being smart about it or heck, just instead doing things to update attractions like Horizons or Journey into Imagination that would still educate but also add something(s) that would make sense to today’s audience, and society while still being timeless and entertaining no matter which generation enters the park.
Disney has an over abundance of IP and all they are seeing is opportunities to capitalize and monetize on them instead of say…Moana teaching guests about her culture, each fish from Finding Nemo/Dory is different from the rest, and how they survive, and maybe the Guardians actually talk about energy instead of chasing a fictional cosmic being in retrieving their own fictional power source.
I know this is not going to happen, however, because I see that Disney sees that while not as many guests are interested in being educated while on vacation, just where can they build lightsabers, ride Slinky or ride alongside the Guardians or the Galaxy.
I wouldn't say it lost its magic. It never had magic. That's why it was great. You learned about things through experiments and interaction . There was no magic. There was an explanation for everything. It was great.
Now, it's fun but, not intellectually stimulating, like it used to be.
@@saviorself1164 By the same token, who says vacations had to be educational?
I guess it’s like choosing to either eat healthy or eat junk food. EPCOT had the balance of both. But now it’s just rides, rides, rides.
It sounds a bit ironic to have Peter Quill there talking about how he misses the old Epcot rides as part of a ride that replaced an old ride
How is Poseidon going to skip over the worst IP reskin in history? By far the best themed ride in CA was The Hollywood Tower Hotel and Disney killed it needlessly and savagely defied the corpse! The ominous hotel towered over the park and added to the California themed atmosphere and now the GotG ride looks like an oil refinery with a bad florescent paint job. Completely kills the vibe in the entire park and the Guardians ride is MEDIOCRE at best.
Pseudo-self awareness (or whatever its called) is a bitch
please don't let them take away Living with the Land. As a proud plant parent i love seeing all the different plants growing, seeing which ones are edible and such. plus they go all out during holidays with lights and decorations. It's a heart-warming experience, like a mini oasis among a chaotic [disney] world.
As a kid growing up in Orlando in the 80s, EPCOT was always my favorite because of the educational aspect. It made learning fun and unique. Shame they've taken that away from current and future generations.
IKR? It's almost as if they're forcing current and future generations of children to dread school rather than look forward to school like previous generations did!
Epcot has always been my favorite park, but my last visit showed me how much it’s changed. The only draw it has to me now is food and wine/drinking around the world. But even that is becoming ridiculously expensive now and I’ve noticed the quality decrease over the years while the cost has increased. I miss the late 90s/early 2000s Disney.
Me too!
Same. When we went to get food food and cocktails we just go to Disney springs or even better, a local cocktail bar that is ten times better than anything Disney has.
The last time I went to the FnW festival it was expensive as hell and that was at least ten years ago. I can't imagine what it's like now.
@@jimthar17 literally just went to FnW yesterday. My parents, sister, and I stayed in a hotel and picked up my little cousin to come with us. For the weekend (including hotel, tickets, food, and one piece of merch) we spent over $2,000. It wasn’t even really that impressive this year. Ridiculously expensive now and I don’t think we’ll be going back for a few years.
I'm only a few minutes in, but that writeup by Joe Rohde hit hard. Lately I have felt like a bit of a crazy person for being so invested in theme park experiences, and feeling so disappointed in 90% of Disney's latest output. I felt like I was losing my marbles when Zach Riddley made an instagram post about how the use of hexagons in Guardians is the peak of Disney Storytelling(TM). Theming feels more like a buzzword than an ethos recently.
Someone needs to make a website that randomly generates Disney word salad.
"Guest experience their favorite Disney Storytelling, bringing them into a rich, immersive worlds meticulously crafted by Walt Disney Imagineering and inspired by revered figure Walt Disney's childhood that creates the most beautiful and magical memories sure to last their lifetime."
It sure is a buzzword. Just like how Disney loves to throw around "story telling". I'm curious why Disney marketing thought they could sell the new Toon Town splash pad as an example of "creating new stories".
So very true. And most Disney “fans” these days just write off our opinions on the matter saying “oh you just don’t like change.”
That Imagineer's farewell message is beautiful, engaging, and tragic. Brilliant minds like him, and environments that supported such creativity, will be greatly missed.
The dumbing down of Epcot is a mirror to the dumbing down of society. I, too, am saddened.
Agreed, Cosmic Rewind looks like a great ride on its own but for the life of me I have no idea why anyone thought it has anything to do with Epcot.
Epcot is just a place to put ip attractions at this point. They just plop them down anywhere they fit.
Epcot is mirroring how business and the future is seen today. When it was built, people were optimistic about the future of technology and so were companies like Disney who were innovators at the time. Now people don't look forward to the future and companies like Disney focus on old IPs and anything proven to work rather than the next new thing.
Because there is no next new thing. Tomorrowland the movie told of this same nature. We destroyed our future.
@@TECfan1 Tomorrowland had a little too much Ayn Rand-ian objectivist BS for my liking, but that stuck with me. The only future is the one we create. A few years ago, we were obsessed with dystopia and the apocalypse. Now we're retreating into familiarity and even reactionism because Imagining a different future, even one that's better for everyone, is scary and hard. I'm holding out hope that we haven't destroyed our good future just yet, and I'm trying the best I can to make it so, but every day that light dies a little and there's only so much each of us can do individually.
I remember when I was little, Epcot was my family's favorite park. Fun things to do for adults, fun educational rides for kids. At some point it ended up turning into a half day visit during our 7 day vacation. Very sad.
Wow what are you doing for 7 days at Disney 😮
They need to start making the different parks ACTUALLY DIFFERENT again, they’re all beginning to feel exactly the same with the exception of maybe Animal Kingdom
It’s very sad to see a memorial park built with Walt’s educational yet romantic and futuristic theming be cast aside for IP’s that may or may not be well received in the future. When these IP’s can’t sell vacation packages or merchandise they’ll be ripped out and replaced with a new skin.
I REALLY enjoy that Rhode quote at the begging, he's such a well-spoken, talented, man.
He’s a GOAT imo
That quote of his pretty much encapsulates all of the issues we are having nowadays. It is so hard to get companies to actually make quality products rather than churning out whatever makes them the most money while being able to feed the shareholders. The Rhode's of the world are going to become few and far between and it really sucks.
@@jthom0027 i think disney is glad to get rid of him.
Pretty sure they saw him as nothing more then a trouble maker at the end.
Arguing all the time about why we should spend more money on expensive things that can also be done with a screen and a few blinking lights.
1994 was peak EPCOT. All classic rides were still around, Innoventions had just launched with the awesome Sega pavilion and all the exhibits were open and rocking. I was there last week, first time in 6 years, it was sad just seeing how Space Ship Earth is literally falling apart. Guardians I think was very good, Ratatouille was underwhelming, and Harmonious was soulless.
I went to Epcot in 2019 and about 2011 when I 6, when I was 6 I hated Epcot, it was so boring to a kid like me who just wanted to see Mickey Mouse or something like that, but when I returned 8 years later as a more mature person, it became my favorite park instantly, I loved how the world showcase didn't focus on just Disney, and it even sold undisney related merchandise ( I remember seeing some Nintendo merchandise in the Japanese section! ) and it was so cool, I felt like the whole world was connected and cooperation was the future. I could not be more disappointed in what Epcot has became.
My first real job was in the Land pavilion at Epcot working The Lion King and Food Rocks shows. I loved Epcot but was always aware it was never focused on by Disney leadership nearly as much as it needed. No one at Disney seemed to know exactly what to do with it. I got into the Test Track test and adjust team and what a mess that was. Spent some time working Horizons and Energy while I waited for Test Track to get finished. I fell in love with Horizons! I rode it every day I worked, usually multiple times. When I had a 15 minute break I would just hop on and ride.
Nothing Epcot is doing now has that sort of appeal to me. Would I like to ride GotG? Sure. But I doubt it will make me feel like I want to ride it over and over again. Even if the rides were low energy before they somehow brought out that magical feeling that Disney used to be so good at. They made me think and dream. Now it just seems like how much can they get me to spend. It sucks that I don't think kids will come away with that sense of wonder that Epcot used to give me. Oh well sad times.
> it was never focused on by Disney leadership nearly as much as it needed
Possibly a small blessing? MGM got a terrible Sorcerer's Hat because Management took special interest.
Extremely well put. Particularely that phrase: ''Even if the rides were low energy before they somehow brought out that magical feeling that Disney used to be so good at. They made me think and dream''
This is why I felt in love with Disney in the first place...I could literally dream and seek answers to the future of my life. Most of my big life decisions were made there. The music inspired me...Now I feel like this is gone forever and not just in Epcot
Gotta be honest, I work in EPCOT World Discovery and I would ride Cosmic Rewind every day if I could. It's a stellar ride, and an incredibly unique feeling experience. And that's coming from someone who never really enjoyed Disney parks growing up because the rides were not intense enough. Not that Cosmic Rewind is particularly intense, it's just a ton of fun, and the rotating music options really add another layer to it. I stand by this ride as one of my absolute favorites alongside Intimidator 305 at Kings Dominion, even though thrillwise it doesn't quite compare, the smile can't be wiped off my face while I ride it.
As the EPCOT fan girl that I am “and hopefully you know by now with all my EPCOT centered comments” and with Joe being one of my heroes, my broken Epcot heart has been waiting for this video. I would be lying if I said I didn’t have a few tears in my eyes watching this. I’m not one of those so called “Disney Adults” at all, but EPCOT helped shaped the adult I am today. From my love of learning about other countries at a very young age that led me to study international policy’s and politics In college to bridge a gap and bring understanding for other countries, but also studied history and business. Hoping to work with foreign governments and hopefully EVENTUALLY be the bridge to those countries into an Epcot like setting. I realize I am rambling but it’s to give an idea of what my first trip to Epcot did for me at the young age of 6/7. Epcot is “well was” everything I love and believed in, past present, and what I truly believed and hoped the future would be. And it’s not.
Of course I have my feeling on Tron and my love/obsession with it and will die on the hill that it would have made more sense in Epcot if they would have gone with a future technology area than GOTG, but I know I’m in the very small minority in that.
I realize this comment way way too long winded and that it probably won’t be read the whole way through. But seriously thank you for this video and thank you for better or worse loving and missing Epcot like I do.
Tron 100% should have been in magic kingdom it’s insane that it’s not
Should not have** sorry lol I agree with you
@@notatoxicgamingchannel7969 hahaha all good! And I’m glad there’s others like us! Also wish it wasn’t a decade late
That was beautiful. 😢 My heart breaks about EPCOT even more.
I live in Middle Tennessee and we are slated to get a new park in 2025 named Storyville Gardens. The project managers wanted it to be a park focusing on "edutainment." It will have multiple areas dedicated to different parts of world, educating guests on various cultures and their folklore tales. Many here are comparing to it Epcot, but I am seeing it as what Epcot should still be. Sad seeing this great park pan out branding and sales over ingenuity and creativity. Hopefully Storyville Gardens fulfills what made Epcot great.
EPCOT was once a VERY UNUSUAL place. Back in the 80’s, I mean. I used to love it!!!! Now (in every Disney park) is Marvel all around! Great video! 👍
And these new rides are even outdated Marvel. What happens when the Guardians are gone from the movies? Poseidon is so right when he says that these IP driven attractions are going to become outdated quicker than anything that EPCOT once had.
That end really hit me hard, and has left me thinking for over a half hour. That was a great video, one of your best.
I truly don’t understand why Disney hasn’t made a dark ride Mary poppins attraction to Epcot. You can start in a carousel and then it detached and you fly into Mary’s world.
Mary poppins is timeless! And then even made a sequel recently! It seemed like such a Disney magical ride! Full of magic and nostalgia.
But not only did they get rid of it they idea they had wasn’t even a ride 🤦♀️
That would be better in Magic Kingdom, as it fits that park's theme a better than EPCOT's theme
Uhm, unless plans have changed, they are planning a marry Poppins ride in the England pavilion.
They were supposed to make the sequel a ride,but it's not Cheapek's top priority,meaning he won't make gobs of $$$ from it.
I’m sure everyone on here would still find a way to complain about it and say it ruined EPCOT.
don’t think they have enough room for dark ride in the uk pavilion, the mary poppins ride that was announced was going to be a carousel as far as i know
I like that the Joe Rohde quote spoke to something I had kinda realized, that a person or child could be much more entertained by doing things they could do easily in their home town without spending hundreds of dollars. I love running around on Tom Sawyer/Pirates Island in CA, because you have to make your own fun. But things like the canoes and walking around a local small town Main Street aren't unusual like going to another planet. Why do that when hiking or going to explore some part of their local area that hasn't been seen before can be really engaging?
Thank you for voicing many of my private concerns and observations of not only EPCOT but Disney in gerneral over the past years. Very well done.
So what you're saying about the coaster itself, Vekoma did great? I always think it's weird how when a coaster sucks the manufacturer gets the blame while when it's great the park gets all the glory even though Vekoma did basically all the work on the machine itself (and the vehicles + their turning mechanism). Shoutout to the engineers!
Vekoma has been killing it recently. I hope this and that tilt coaster going to Texas signal more new Vekomas in the US
Vekoma has certainly done better recently, but the joke has always been that they're great when Disney throws money at them. That being said, I'm sure that Disney has a lot of input regarding the layout, just as Universal did with the Velocicoaster.
NOW THAT RHODE IS GONE, IS THERE ANY HOPE OF SAVING OR BRINGING BACK THE INTELLECTUAL EPCOT AND STOPPING ANIMAL KINGDOM FROM SUFFERING THE SAME FATE?? Did Rhode leave because he saw the ripples of what is to come?
I was 12 when I went Disney World in 1987. I like the Magic Kingdom, but l loved Epcot. It was so different. Educational and entertaining. I loved everything about it. The countries were cool. The ride in Norway was awesome. I went several times just to Epcot in the early and mid 90s after we moved to Florida in 1989. I can't believe to my dismay what it has become. So disappointing. I have no desire to go to WDW ever again.
Nothing like a Sunday Poseidon entertainment video thanks for such great content
I would love to see journey into imagination be updated in a retro sort of way with Tony Baxtor's version being brought back. With the tech of today, it would be mind-blowing.
When Disney actually gets back into their creative and caring phase or builds a coaster over 200ft tall someone give me a call, otherwise I'll be at literally every other theme park
Another excellent video and glad you were not caught recording! My main issue is the fact that their non IP EPCOT attractions have always been incredible and groundbreaking. When they put the effort into creating a whole new storyline they can do it so well. From listening to another Disney video channel allegedly Cosmic Rewind was going to be an original ride; without the mandated Guardians of the Galaxy IP. While I happy that they originally considered a non IP attraction; it is unfortunate that imagineers are required to limit their imagination to IP; there are many things people can criticize the Disney Imagineers for. But I wouldn’t necessarily say it is their fault for building an underwhelming theme parks and/or rides. Looking at theTokyo Disney Resort, Hong Kong Disneyland and Shanghai Disney Resort shows what Disney Imagineering can come up with when given a sizeable budget and allowed to be creative. Hopefully over time at some point down the road they will use the Guardians ride system; someone with a with a bigger budget. Someone will create something a new non-IP ride that is rich in storytelling that is wild and fun that will have the impact of the original Pirates of the Caribbean ride and Haunted Mansion did in the 60's. Maybe they will build a non-IP ride similar to Mystic Manor ride like in Hong Kong Disneyland in EPCOT and/or any other North American Disney Park.
@Cara EPCOT was at one time magical.and unique; The Land, the original Journey into Imagination 1983-1998 and Space Ship Earth were at that time amazing rides. The old EPCOT made us think; it set us dreaming while the new EPCOT puts me to sleep and I am saddened that it has morphed into a theme park. Our future is far more exciting than promoting Nemo, Frozen and other cartoon characters and rides based on Marvel movies. EPCOT now has devolved into a money grab pandering to entertainment. People should go next door to WDW and/or Disney's Hollywood Studios if they want that. Because atone time EPCOT held up the best of our creative genius to show us an exciting future. We have enough theme parks.
To clarify, I wasn't concerned with being caught recording. It's just something that Disney has thrown into other attractions recently, but I don't think anyone actually cares. I don't think it's a rule, so much as its a deterrent to stop people from having their phones out and ruining the experience for others by shining their flash light or recording on full brightness. I make sure to go out of my way to not disturb others.
@Cara Troll. Don't feed the troll.
I lined up 3 hours for Web Slingers in the rain and I was left disappointed after disembarking the ride.. There’s an extreme disconnect between the guests and the ride…
I think your videos are consistently the best reviews of problems and good things disney does and without peer. We have gone to EPCOT the last few years to hear to the one-hit wonders and older acts. Usually, we were there once a week or more depending on the act that was performing. While there we would eat at the various kiosks since they tended to have the more unique offerings that didn't taste like the institutional foods throughout EPCOT and the rest of WDW. This year they brought back some of the acts, but fill about half the nights with local cover bands they try to pass off as entertainment. Once, where we would find ourselves at EPCOT out of curiosity to see and listen to the older acts and sometimes more recent acts we may or may not have liked. The cover bands are uninteresting and not a draw for us or others we know who we would meet and then hit kiosks or go to restaurants. We have been longtime AP holders, but have decided this is it. When it expires we are moving on. Our decision to not renew was a combination of: 1. lack of value, 2. price much too high for the lack of quality entertainment and experience, 3. their political activism that has made its way to the employees interacting with customers. Interacting with a really exceptional employee is the exception today. Many don't even wear name badges or if they do, the badges are turned over so you can't get their name. Their HR department should be fired and replaced with professionals who hire to promote the park rather than their agenda.
I think the biggest offense of this ride is that its original design was supposed to be 'going back to the big bang' before the IP was pushed into it- it would have still maintained itself a a level of educational, would have fit with the themeing of space with the other rides/locations nearby, and it wouldn't be such an IP eyesore. I really wonder what the Big Bang ride would've been like.
the ride's showbuilding possibly could have been less of a eyesore, because maybe it would focus less on thrills and more on education?
My hope is that, since the "story" of this ride seems to acknowledge that EPCOT has an educational aspect to it, that means that Disney hasn't completely abandoned the original vision for the park and plans on putting in future attractions that are actually educational. I believe that Disney Imagineers can figure out how to use IP to attract guests while honestly delivering the edutainment that would I think would pleasantly surprise a lot of first time guests.
The follow through on this particular attraction may not be what we hoped for, but I'm hopeful that EPCOT Center isn't dead yet. It's just an awkward time for the park identity. Still, I'm honestly not sure that current Disney leadership is capable of knowing what is actually educational.
I'm not very optimistic. The new revamp of Epcot is very much focused on bringing back the iconography of Epcot, but in a very superficial way. They put a map of Walt's original E.P.C.O.T. on the floor of the Starbucks and the new planters of the spine will be shaped like the original Epcot logo, but it's all just superficial pandering. It's a "hey look, remember how you liked this? We're bringing it back!" But that's not the appeal. It was the stellar attraction design and park atmosphere that made the place interesting and unique, not the symbols.
This ride is so self depreciating it feels like a satire
I really loved riding through the giant golf ball being surrounded by the darkness and watching history walk by. Especially one segment where there's just a little bit of red light up ahead so faint I'm not even sure how far away it is, it was great.
Thank you for continuing to present the most nuanced, detailed analyses of what is happening at Disney. Your video essays are never overwrought or emotional and that makes them so much more impactful than what amounts to the rants available on other TH-cam channels.
I continue to be amazed that Disney execs don’t understand the long-term implications of what they’re doing--or maybe they do and just don’t care. Short term gains are, after all, keeping shareholders happy, guaranteeing upper management’s continued employment, salaries and bonuses: That says as much about the shareholders as it does about management.
But at some point, the continued goal of producing thinly gilded mediocrity to increase profit margins has got to backfire, especially in an increasingly uncertain worldwide economy. Even potential first-time visitors will start hearing enough negative feedback to wonder if a Disney park trip is worth it: Mediocrity has a really short shelf life. Those of us who remember Disney’s former attention to detail, theming and yes, magic, already know it and we’re making other plans.
You hit the nail on the head. It's all short term thinking. So much is about seeing what Universal did with Harry Potter and trying to copy it without understanding why it worked. Disney used to be the leader and innovate but now they are chasing trends with so much just being about the bottom line.
Yeah, it is really too bad how much it has fallen. I used to try to recommend my co-workers to check out the park, but I can't recommend it anymore and suggest going with Universal Studios, and it seems in the future I might recommend it more with the new great attractions and park to it in the near future.
PERFECTION
And yet Disney kept setting attendance records right up until the pandemic. Sounds like they know what they’re doing more than you, some random Karen on the internet.
So we’ll worded.. When I see Creations shop and Cafe it doesn’t evoke emotion or magic.. They have really gotten rid of so many wonderful things.. World Showcase Players, Spaceship Earth before changes, Horizons, Fountain in Land Pavillion, Mo Rockin, Off Kilter..Etc Used to be a 2-3 day park now it takes less than a day😢
As someone who ended up having a really fun time with the ride, I agree with your analysis wholeheartedly. No matter if you like the new attractions coming out of the park, it's impossible to deny that the initial intent and theme Epcot had when first opening is no longer there. It's not impossible for that original theme to have stayed throughout the decades, even with the implementation of IP into the park, but it's painfully clear that Disney isn't interested in doing anything more with their parks than what they know will bring people there. It seems the attraction conceptualisation for every Disney Park nowadays is the same, no matter what park it's actually being built at, which ends up really souring the overarching themes that the different parks are trying to convey, simply because Disney can't be bothered to go beyond what they know people will come for, and it's become rather tragic. Great essay as per usual
Why would they not plop down popular rides with popular IPs in all their parks across the world that draw the most crowds and money… Its a business after all and it seems to be working for them lol.
@@dojavillager5998Them being based on IP's isn't the problem. It's that the thematic cohesion that these parks are trying to go for ends up being soured by rides that have nothing to do with said theme
@@JMCVO I mean why would any company go beyond what they know people will show up for? It’s a business after all and Disney already puts in way more than almost all other amusement park chains lol.
The senseless death of epcot was at the hands of the original imagineers on the project.
Walt Disney would say when describing his vision of Epcot that it's not going to be another world's fair!
It would be a living, growing community with the latest technology and innovations, and guests could experience a truly modern city environment, and take the ideas back to their communities.
The imagineers apparently couldn't handle his concept, so they built another world's fair!
No matter what has happened since, the concept was dead on arrival on opening day!
Original Epcot was my favorite park. Every change seemed to cheapen the experience. I'm sad over its destruction.
Epcot CENTER. Never forget.
Really happy you're making videos like this. Alot of us have similar feelings but can't articulate them as well...we just know it's not what it used to be....
Could not agree more. We were there this week for a short visit. Had Lightning and Virtual cue passes. Rode this twice and left, really no need to hang out there anymore. I still miss Journey and Horizons so very much.
this channel is a light in the darkness
After the desecration of "Journey into Imagination" it was pretty clear that modern Disney is incapable of upkeeping EPCOT's lofty ideals. At this point they might as well totally re-theme Future World. That too would not be cheap, but at least it would be a genuine renaissance.
never thought we'd miss michael eisner
We never appreciate anything until its gone. And that thing, was the Eisner era, the last great era of Disney.
@@AXander1978 also euro disney but he was a funny little man who at least tried. for consistency. i think that not trying harder for similar donors killed it though yeah
Excluding Superstar Limo, those direct to video sequels and Euro Disney, I think he was pretty good, he full on saved the company by starting the Disney Renaissance.
@@mattwolf7698 splash 2 was supposed to be a hit!
This video (and all your disney critical videos as a whole) have seriously opened my eyes. I am very spiteful towards all of disneys IPs in the movie making sphere, but I could never put my finger on my recent troubles with the park, especially since I had such fond memories of them.
Recently me and my friends went on our senior grad nite trip. Going to avengers campus was kinda like. "is this it?" the restaurant there was cool looking but the food was ultimately mediocre (i ordered pasta and i got a side of like, this weird glob of yogurt and tapioca balls??? and the cheese wasnt even melted on the pasta) and obviously it was built around the guardians ride, a ride that made no sense in california adventure in the first place (I ended up riding it and loving it, but it kept me thinking that i would have enjoyed it much more when it was tower of terror). My friends were excited but thats bc they all like marvel and follow it blindly, but even they probably wouldn't have come to disney in the first place if not for the grad nite and as were all entering college across the states were unlikely to return for a long time. Even the new spider man ride was just awful in its presentation. (I actually got up on the leaderboard, but I just kept thinking "so what?") and my friend ended up spending like almost two hundred bucks in the store, which was just like, a huge warehouse full of leftover marvel junk. it had no immersion with the theming at all. The only thing that makes that land interesting to me is the great performances of the walk around characters- and what happens if they ever become irrelevant???
As an EPCOT fan, and someone whose this is his favorite Disney park, I can’t help but feel like EPCOT is slowly being killed in front of me. What made it so special when I was 4, 5, and 6, ten years later, I’m 16 and sad to see what the park and Disney in general has become.
It’s like one of those slaps to the face, or punches to the gut you get as you grow up. It hurts.
The Imagineers recently discussed how they had plans for a non-IP omnicoaster style coaster centered around The Big Bang prior to this version of the ride being announced. But were then told by upper management that they needed to "put The Guardians in the park" so they tried to retro fit their original concept with this new demand.
@@KaitouCiel yea I heard about that on WDWNT. It’s a shame really, the higher ups should just let the creative people work and get off their backs.
That sounds so much better. Would distinguish and elevate the entire attraction.
@Cara oh boy, you better say sorry cause die hard fans of anything will retaliate. But I can see what people say about Epcot, I like the premise of an educational theme park, but now it’s IP land, and not the good kind
@Cara how’s that being dramatic lol
The first thing I said when getting off this ride was “wow. I love it. It does not belong in Epcot.” I think ur right. Tomorrowland would be a good fit for it. Or studios in an east coast Avengers Campus land. (Although we all know why that might never happen) It’s just not right for Epcot.
People really will gobble up anything disney puts in front of them without a single critical thought, huh?
Epcot was a major inspiration for me to learn physics, math, and engineering. I wish I could take my nephew to Epcot to inspire him, but what inspired me as a kid in Epcot is now lost to the past and the continued intentional dumbing down of population using entertainment devoid of substance
I don’t know why people hate IP. I love going inside the movies I grew up with. It’s a unique experience. I think the problem is when they pick an Ip that doesn’t match the park.
It’s not that IP rides are bad. It’s the idea that they only have IP. Think about Pirates or Haunted Mansion. Both have remained popular even before the films that were based on both rides. Many would argue Pirates has been diminished by incorporating IP into the ride.
Islands of Adventure used to have sections not related to any “IP”. I am in the minority, but I liked MerlinWood better than Hogsmede. I’m still a huge fan of Poseidon’s Fury.
@@gissneric That's because the theme of Universal is "ride the movies", which has extended in a way to all of their parks. Disney was not originally all about IPs, and each park had their own distinct theming. Now those themes are getting muddled with baseless IPs, and many are justifiably upset with that.
@@chrisirish3532 It’s a lot harder to reason a $500 million dollar operation on something that would be inherently more popular if you just attach some IP to it
Then current Disneyland is very much for you because of your emotional attatchment to your favorite IPs.
To me, the best WDW theme park is Animal Kingdom. The theming is solid throughout - even the inclusion of Pandora, thanks to Joe Rhode's handiwork, manages to blend into the theme of the park and fulfills the long-thought abandoned "animals of fantasy" wing of the park - and each area blends into the other. Animal Kingdom also offers unique experiences that park goers can't really get anywhere else. Chiefly among these experiences is the Kilimanjaro Safari, because there, the experience is the animals. Personally, I cannot think of another attraction where I can get as close as safely possible to lions, crocodiles, rhinos, giraffes, hippos and other African animals - and learn something about each creature along the way.
Expedition Everest, Dinosaur, and Flight of Passage (although I have not ridden this yet - word of mouth I have heard all describe it as amazing) are all fun, engaging attractions. As I write this, Everest is my favorite WDW attraction as it blends theming and thrills (and effects pre-disco Yeti) better than anything else WDW has to offer (And it's NOT based on IP...GASP). The inclusion of smaller animal exhibits littered throughout the park as well as the Jungle Trek and Planet Watch exhibits further drives home the theming of being immersed in the wildlife of exotic lands.
If I had only one day to spend at a WDW park, it'd be Animal Kingdom.
After that, Magic Kingdom is the next choice due to it being "classic" Disney. Haunted Mansion, the Mountain rides, Pirates, are all great experiences (even the Peoplemover A/K/A the best ride in Tomorrowland). Personally, there's no better feeling as a park goer than turning that corner from the entrance and seeing Main Street and the castle looming past. Magic Kingdom will always have that quintessential Disney feel that is always nostalgic.
Hollywood Studios...really ought to change its name. The only "behind the scenes Hollywood" aspect anymore is maybe Rockin' Roller Coaster due to the story being Steve Tyler giving riders back-stage passes. Tower of Terror is a great attraction, but it's much more Twilight Zone than "behind the scenes." Still, ToT fits the old-Hollywood look that area of the park sought to invoke. The Backlot tour is gone, the whole backlot area is gone, and now 1/2 the park is IP based either being Toy Story or Star Wars. Toy Story just looks so cheap and by the numbers, and Star Wars...you can feel the Force pulling your credit card out of your wallet.
Then EPCOT, like you say here, isn't the Edutainment Park anymore. Future World is now Guardians (IP), Soarin, Nemo and Friends (IP but still fits due to the riding through the fish tanks), the butchered remains of Imagination, Tron Track, and Innovations is gone. World Showcase is just IPs now and not to share cultures anymore - but you can argue Ratatouille works since so much of French culture is their cuisine and the IP heavily involves food and cooking. What Future World once was, to learn about energy, the human body, communication, the importance of the arts, the oceans, the land, transportations, and exploring beyond Earth and peeking into the future technologies...it's almost all gone. Spaceship Earth and Living with the Land still exist, but you can almost taste Chapek's desire to gut those rides and replace it with Encanto the Ride or some cheap flavor of the month IP. I know people don't like it (I love it), but Mission Space does adhere to what Future World used to be, to look to the future and explore beyond Earth.
Empty buildings and a hodgepodge of IP's - that's EPCOT and Hollywood Studios now.
I agree, but I think most people would say Magic Kingdom. Animal Kingdom and Magic Kingdom are full day immersive experiences, but Studios and Epcot are very lacking with only a few worthwhile attractions each.
Animal Kingdom is certainly the best, at least in the States
I have to agree, in that Animal Kingdom is still the most thematically cohesive and meaningful of the parks. I only really care for Magic and Animal Kingdom now. I find myself avoiding Epcot and Studios as they're just not interesting anymore. I'm not sure if you've seen it, but your sentiments on Pandora are something that I've covered through an older video if you're interested: th-cam.com/video/U5NCmNI50X0/w-d-xo.html
Animal Kingdom has Rhode's fingerprints all over it. And you can really tell.
The fact that they replaced an attraction showing the history and culture of Mexico with cheap stereotypes says it all
I don't know how you do it, but your upload schedule is impressive. Keep up the great content, I'm a huge fan!
Honestly I hate what Epcot has become, but I love old Epcot too much to hate it nowadays or not want to go there. I just feel so bad for it. What was once a beautiful, thoughtfully designed hub for technology, innovations, diversity, and hope has become destroyed by greed and money. It’s so sad so see something formerly beautiful and artistically crafted be a shell of itself. I’m not the biggest proponent for doing things according to what they think Walt would have wanted, but he was be so pissed to see what his idea has become.
I remember going to Epcot in the early 2000s and I loved the edutainment aspects of the park. But, most people, including my parents and other kids parents, thought it was boring and that they didn't go on vacation to "learn" (They were all boomers, after all). Unfortunately, it wasn't just the adults that felt that way. I vividly remember leaving the park as it was closing and a little kid leaving with his parents, upon walking out, turned to Epcot and yelled "Goodbye, Epcot, there wasn't much to you!" People who "got" Epcot loved it for trying to teach humanist values, but the average park goer only wants "fun" and not to have their world view challenged in anyway. The "New" Epcot was inevitable and I say that as a pejorative. The average person would rather have vapid "fun" then even attempt to learn about the world beyond what they already know.
You do an incredible job researching and creating a study of the failure of intellectual property. You give me hope that there are articulate engaging people out there.
This proves my point. Disney doesn’t listen to feedback from guests. They remove original rides, rides based on an irrelevant IP or even rides based on multiple IPs. If they didn’t, we’d still have The Great Movie Ride, Hollywood Tram Tour or even Malestrom. Disney needs to up their game desperately.
You really think so? Frozen ever after and Mickey and Minnie’s runaway railway draw very high wait times. They’re popular. It doesn’t matter what people are screaming into the comment sections online, these decisions are made based on what draws people in. I’m not saying that’s a good or bad thing, it just is what it is.
Your definition-explanation of fun at the beginning was spot on-well done, I will remember that the next time someone brings up why cant things just be fun. Great video!
I hope this ride has special overlays. Like what mission breakout has. Add a new song every once n a while or add a limited time story. Like a spooky one if that makes since
You have the best and most informative information of any Disney site. Your videos are very truthful and always right on the money. How very sad to see what they did to my favorite place in the world. Thank you.... Keep Writing,...... These are great...
This is fascinating at someone who will never ever visit a Disney park. The Disney mentality of “hey, that’s a character I recognize” has crept into basically all of their “creative” output
Another Argument for swapping the locations of Tron and Guardians.
Tron 1982 helped introduce or educate the world to the computer concepts and potential that is not far from reality today. Continuing the EPCOT theme of technology, communication and education. Tron Legacy helped introduce the world to the concept and potential of the ISO imaging format. Both while in a fictional world and both touching reality.
This is yet another reason why Tron (while not Ideal IMO) would have been a better fit for EPCOT and Guardians would have fit in Magic Kingdome as that is the place for fictional story telling. Swing and a wiff for Disney as they have forgotten that targeted theming and customer service is what got them to where they are today.
But they do not care about EPCOT as it was anymore. They are content to slowly murder it with IP and "Fun".
As Disney moves into IP and "Fun" they are well behind Universal and their time of decline is emanate.
Awesome Video.
Yay there’s another person who loves and feels about Tron/Legacy like I do!! I’m with you 100% on that Tron should be in EPCOT. Can you imagine if one of the new “Lands” was The Grid??!! I honestly get goosebumps just thinking about it.
I 100% agree, but unfortunately Test Track became TRON:track with the 2.0 update first. Those attractions would have been too similar right next to each other, and I see why Disney opted for the current locations. But if they were going to go this route, there are tons of IPs disney could use that actually fit with the epcot theme. Imagine ENCOM sponsoring the tron ride. Or SFIT sponsoring a big hero 6 ride/innoventions. Litwak arcade chain sponsoring the wreck-it-ralph PLAY pavilion. Stark industries sponsoring an energy pavilion. BNL corp sponsoring mission:space or even a sustainability pavilion. The list goes on. I don't hate the idea of IPs coming into epcot, but make it make sense with the original theme and purpose of the park. Take the fiction of corporations, and use it to drive real ones to do the right thing.
@@m1lk0meda omg these ideas are damn right genius!!!!
I'm glad I went to EPCOT in the early 80's . I was 18, a boomer. I left with hope and optimism for the future . Some innovation came true, solar panels ,some is on the way. Highly developed Automation, AI , robotics and food production. Sadly taking 40years to develop . Experiencing EPCOT this year , May, 2022. I looked forward to see what Disney had in the works for the next 40 years. I felt let down. No real innovation unless you dissect the entertaining, fun rides. Such as radio frequency mobility and intense computer wifi networks. BUT no real demonstration of how these technologies could affect my life in the real world in the future. A real let down. I felt " dumbed down", like , I couldn't or didn't want to see , learn anything new. Just entertained. That says alot for the newer generations. Instant gratification and greed are the new norms . Disney statistically knows this. Instead of what can improve an entire society. Sad , very sad. Walts dream disappeared. Experimental Prototype City of Tomorrow or EPCOT as of the present is no more than just an acronym. It is not represented in the park at all, presently. Unless you consider The monorail. It is a great innovative reminder of what could be. Only used at WDW. Yet very efficient, comfortable, non polluting , fast transportation never adopted in any great length anywhere in America. Again a let down 40 years later, no city or state adopted the technology in all that time. Just a fun ride.
I just rode this for the first time a couple of days ago and was blown away. I grew up with soarin and finding Nemo and all so I haven’t experienced the park change as much but it’s sad to hear that they’ve lost sight of Epcot’s purpose. Either way I still love Epcot for the variety of food and for my new favorite ride
The hardest part of guardians, is hearing that it was meant to be a ride about the Big Bang .. This would have been perfect, but instead we got Marvel in Epcot
i dont get is how spaceship earth is seen as a super educational ride, even though its like the most eurocentric retelling of history possible
someone else in the comments mentioned that whata happening to epcot was "inevitable" and i really feel that. when a park gets a reputation for being the "boring" one, its only a matter of time before the money outweighs whatever the original planners were doing that was more interesting. hopefully epcot will maintain some substance as we go into the future. I like the new design aesthetic, at least.
As a guy who has never been to Disney or Epcot but has been obsessesed with them for years I always got the vibe Epcot would be the place you'll go to on a school field trip
This attraction seems quite fun, but it has no business being in EPCOT. Alas, it’s still nice to see EPCOT get a thrill ride, and without a doubt this is a win for the MCU fans.
Where else would you put it then since it wouldn't fit with DHS or even Tomorrowland since that's already getting Tron.
@@MyEcho4 actually I’d argue that it does fit in HS. Atp it’s Disney’s DCA, or rather their IP dumping ground. However, that park has slowly started to become “experience the movies” (that’s why Galaxy’s Edge and Toy Story Land are there) rather than celebrate them. In Cosmic, you’re experiencing an adventure with the Guardians, so it fits.
@Cara that’s not fitting in with the themes of the park and any ride can fit in any theme park to be fun for children and families, so I don’t see the point you are trying to make.
The Epcot this doesn't fit in hasn't existed for decades.
Cosmic Rewind fits perfectly now.
I am a diehard EPCOT Center fangirl. I fell in love with the place as a kid in the 90s. Horizons is my favorite attraction of all time. And I actually loved Universe of Energy. I agree with most of what you said here and you said it eloquently and wonderfully.
All of that said, I’m honestly excited to experience GotG Cosmic Rewind. And I support the change from Future World to World Discovery, World Celebration, and World Nature. Each of these areas can be stronger individually now that they don’t have to be part of the Future World narrative.
That statement you made about fun at the beginning is something I’ve been saying to my family recently. What’s the point of paying huge amounts for theme parks that aren’t immersive and are only full of random fun? Disney used to be about something more.
To adults probably but for kids they don't really care about that and they just want fun and that's what's important.
Cosmic rewind is THE BEST ride Disney has ever made. Period. And its FUN.
Whether it has a place in Epcot is another matter. But Disney seems absolutely convinced to kill the park. So at this point I'm just grateful there's something, anything, to do there.
The ride itself lasts about two and a half minutes. I can’t imagine paying the skip-line for that.
Most rollercoasters last a minute nowadays so two and a half is pretty long for a rollercoaster especially a launch one and not the traditional slow lift hill.
While I appreciate that many older Disney classics are 10+ minutes in length, I think that 2 or 3 minutes is fine for a thrill attraction. Even then, that's actually quite long for a rollercoaster.
Great job as always
Sadly, the thrill of Disney is gone. Lost is the originality, and elegant consistent attention to detail!
I read some confirmed/in construction plans for Epcot's new transition. It's horrible. A bunch of trees and new meet and greet areas. Nothing at all of substance. They have completely ruined this park. It used to be my favorite as a kid because I loved the different pavilions and the idea of "edutainment."
I'm so glad I got to experience EPCOT in its glory days... There was hope for the future then. There's none now.
I remember my dad saying once that Carrier or another air conditioning company should sponsor Spaceship Earth and make it “the great air conditioned ride.”
While I too found Epcot to be my favorite Disney Theme Park, The original concept was doomed from the start. As Yoda said, always in motion the future is. The theme of the future meant the park was outdated before it opened. With the larger attractions set to themes (land, motion, etc.) the attractions were entertaining but weren't fun. The average family goes to a park to have fun, and Epcot was not that. By adding the intellectual properties, Disney upped the entertainment factor, Let's face it, the Living Seas was a boring, walkaround movie set! I wanted Disney to replace the Imagination building with a Tron attraction that had not only the light cycles, but a hanging "flying" coaster that simulated dog fight similar to the climax of Tron Legacy, along with some interactive "games" sets were guests could be in the games themselves (disk wars). I feel if they had gone down that road, Epcot could be both entertaining and fun, and thereby a more desired destination.
I really like your channel because it’s different from other channels like yours but you did things that the other ones really do not do and that’s great.
I miss Classic Epcot ... i mean just look at what happened to the Imagination pavilion (I STILL LOVE Living with the Land)
without going on and on and on about it ... but as a teen visiting Epcot .... "having fun learning" is what sticks with me to this day years later. "learning different cultures, learning sciences, and technology can be ..." (ironic i say this) "FUN"
I haven't gone to disney in years but Living with the Land and Spaceship earth are still the top places in Epcot and while updated over the years .... still "classic Epcot"
Classic Epcot STILL inspires me .... that is what classic Epcot means to me really
i am so happy I got to ride "world of motion" once and Horizons about 3 times i think before it closed .... I think part of going to Epcot is some sick mental thing where some people think that it will suddenly be "Classic Epcot" once again
Our family went to Epcot on the second day it was open when I was 8. It stands as one of the greatest days of my life.
I've felt this since I was little at Epcot, wondering how soarin fit into the land pavilion, or what were the messages of test track and mission space to the broader theme. My family never understood my confusion and just enjoyed 'eating around the world' but it has always bothered me. Now, with Guardians, Remy, Frozen, Harmonious and soon to be Moana, theres no passion left in the park, and I have no desire to visit Epcot, or Hollywood Studios, for that matter, as they did a similar thing over there.
Again, the best Theme Park TH-cam channel right now!
Idk, as someone who is hyper critical of Disney (especially the IP-ification of Epcot) I still find a lot of the points of this video to be a little too slighted against Disney. Toy Story Land and Slinky Dog Dash have rave reviews because they are good. Especially for Disney's family target audience. As someone who genuinely likes thrilling and family style attractions, I can say that I personally love coasters like Mine Train and Slinky. They are well themed and while quaint still fun to ride. They are coasters that are meant to be enjoyed by beginners and that's okay. While Star Wars Land I will admit is just simply not compelling, Disney has been doing a good job attractions wise. Yes Guardians going into Epcot doesn't make a lot of sense but at the end of the day it's still a memorable attraction and will probably be cemented into a classic. My issue with Disney is how they're stripping privileges from people who stay on property (especially those who stay at value/moderate resorts.) Anyways besides the multiple disagreements that I have with this video, it's still wonderfully put together. Keep up the good work!
I used to love Epcot. I went there and always looked forward to it more than Magic Kingdom. Shame because I was thinking of going to Epcot at least one last time.
Your genre of informational theme park entertainment is thought-provoking. The level of respect & quality is undisputed. Well done.
Just wish it wasn’t so doom and gloom a lot of the time…
The opening breakdown of “fun” is spot on. Fun isn’t enough. You have to be SINGULAR.
If the rest of Future World were still intact, an attraction like this that affectionately parodies it would be easier to appreciate and would probably become a beloved classic (sort of like what Muppetvision 3D was before MGM/Disney Studios got stripped of its original theming).
I’d put the coaster intensity above Everest because of the rotating cars, it makes so many people nauseous moving in 2 places at once (like the teacups) every time I get off of it I see an older rider sitting in a corner with a barf bag. Even saw an older woman with her head in a trashcan and a cast member offering her a chair
Wow perfect timing!
so sad that i didn’t get to experience the parks when it was better. I lived too far away and never had the money for it, nowadays I know when I can finally visit it’ll just be one big advertisement stunt
Wow. Growing up I was always a fan of Epcot and definitely felt like the experience was in decline. Seeing all of the negative changes put back to back, it really drives the point that Epcot is a shell of its former self.
While this ride was the most fun in the park by far (the track we had playing - Disco Inferno actually made all the difference as it fitted so well with the ride, only one other track on the list is as well suited) I still enjoyed Living with the Land and Spaceship Earth nearly as much and they bought back feelings of nostalgia of my first visit back in 87. Disappointed to see what it was becoming and the Seas was just a mess, lack of Horizons or Energy (which were excellent). Guardians just needed to be in Hollywood Studios and not Epcot.