What EPCOT refurb never should have happened?

yodiwan1 · Post by **yodiwan1** » Sep Tue 02, 2008 9:02 pm

i actually really liked the new Canada film, even though the song is sung by a different person, it still has the same lyrics. Martin Short adds just the rigth amount of humor.

IMFearless · Post by **IMFearless** » Sep Wed 03, 2008 2:16 pm

Lemme get a chance to list them:
First off, it kinda depresses me that none of the original Future World pavilions are intact anymore.

I loved the old signage and music, now it's gone. At least it's immortalized here.
Now heading anticlockwise, starting from World Showcase (you will see why)

Mexico: I'll be honest, El Rio del Tiempo BORED ME TO DEATH. It was also, unlike most of the other attractions and shows in World Showcase, VERY heavily themed around tourism, which I wasn't impressed with. Yeah, it had its moments. The beginning was good, they should have expanded on that. The marketplace scene was only slightly amusing, and the multiple-video effect was (is) FAR better at the Muppet*Vision preshow. The carousel was pretty borken by the last visit. I haven't been on the new version, but I think I'd enjoy it better. I mean really. I viewed it as a lame version of IT'S A SMALL WORLD. THAT should tell you SOMETHING.

World of Motion/Test Track: OK, I'll fess, I'm a thrill ride type. TEST TRACK RULES. I hardly remember World of Motion at all, I know it was an amusing-type omnimover ride, but that's where the goodness ends. The audio I hear from it here isn't all that great, and I don't remember it AT ALL. On the other hand, Test Track is STILL one of the best rides I've ever been on. For some reason, I really do enjoy it, and yes, sometimes enough for a 2-3 hour wait.

Horizons/Mission: SPACE: You should be expecting this as well. I only ever went on Horizons once. This was pretty soon before it closed permanently. I wasn't all that impressed. Sure, I was also pretty young, but I remember being bored with it. On the other hand, I actually feel that the theming for Mission: SPACE works pretty well. Even the post-show area is well-done. Though, I'd probably cut the faux-VR part - it's obviously a fake, and there's obviously no way to make it real.

Wonders of Life: See, on the one hand, Wonders of Life needed SERIOUS fixing. I never did Body Wars (not good with blood), hated Making of Me, and was only mildly interested in Cranium Command. The thing with the sensory stuff was cool but could have been updated easily. The Goofy show was the only really redeeming factor. But hey, no matter what's in there, OPEN >>> CLOSED. Personally, I think the best method of attack here would be to gut the place and renovate it; attractions would include NEWER exhibits about medical technology (heck, I could see a heavily-souped-up version of Wii Fit being perfect there) and perhaps - gasp - an Omnimover ride of some kind.

Universe of Energy: OK, once again I get caught on the wrong side of this one. I guess that's what I get for only visiting the park as a minor. I prefer Ellen's version to the original. Why? Big Bill Nye fan, bigger Jeopardy fan. Plus, a shot of irreverence usually doesn't hurt too much. HOWEVER, it has now become very outdated. I would actually recommend starting from scratch here too; I've always thought the dinosaurs seemed out of place, and the theater seats, while cool, were FAR too slow and wide. Think about it, you get the center of one of those, you won't see much - everything is too far away and too dark. The good people at WDI could probably come up with a MUCH better moving theater system these days.

Communicore/Innoventions: I don't remember a THING about Communicore. By the looks of this poll, it probably isn't missed much. What I do know is, there was awhile when I thought Innoventions went downhill, but by the last time I went, it got a LOT better. If there's a part of Epcot that REALLY needs to be kept recent and high-tech, this is it.

Spaceship Earth: Well, from what I've heard, the new update is NOT well-received AT ALL. The bits of narration I've heard on SSR, sounds like it got ruined. Big time. Though, what I want to point out is, this isn't the first time it's gone downhill. Whomever decided to completely remove Tomorrow's Child made a huge mistake, and the Walter Cronkite narration fits like a glove. At least they got rid of that SCREECHING @ thing.

The Living Seas: Again I am biased. I always thought that this was boring, exacerbated by the fact that both dad and kid brother are avid catch'n'release fishermen, and therefore loved seeing the fish. Yes, the fish were cool, but we would spend HOURS in there. I thought Turtle Talk was a VERY welcome addition, and a very cool one as well. I don't know the details of the new renovation, but even bringing back the omnimover would have made an improvement.

The Land: I think I would have preferred the shows. No, I haven't been since the upgrade. But, yes, I have been on Soarin' Over California. The original was decent for a simulator. But placing a carbon copy of it in The Land struck me as a bad idea, PARTICULARLY when they themed it around a large airport instead of the Condor Flats stuff. Even the original attraction I thought was poorly themed, I can't imagine that this was any better.

Journey Into Imagination: This is why I went from World Showcase. To save the worst for last. EVERYTHING that this pavilion once stood for has been eliminated. EVERYTHING. I don't even remember the ride that well, but the current dealio is pure junk. HISTA is badly misplaced (stick that thing in Tomorrowland, replace the theater that they don't even use anymore), Image Works is a poor knockoff of Innoventions, and (I'm likely to get flamed for this) Eric Idle has NEVER been the slightest bit amusing. Yes, I've seen Monty Python and the Holy Grail. I thought it was HORRIBLE. I would MUCH prefer if they brought the Dreamfinder back, and made a revitalized version of the original - you know, give it the feel of the original with today's technology. Actually, heck with it. I'll pledge this now: if I ever make it into WDI, my FIRST project proposal will be to bring the Dreamfinder back.

Thank you for pretending to be interested.

Blackie Pueblo · Post by **Blackie Pueblo** » Sep Sat 06, 2008 8:38 am

I had already weighed the options in another post and deemed Journey into Imagination had broken my heart. But I got to thinking about what some of you had said and thought about a few things.

The one thing I really miss about the updating of Honey I shrunk the Audience is the song during the Preshow. Does anyone remember this. It was presented by Kodak and showed photos of families and such while playing the song "True Colors" sung by a man, then a woman, and then two kids. It was very cute and very touching.

Also, do people really hate the refub of Spaceship Earth that much? I know there is another topic about it but I was just curious. I really don't hate it at much as others. I like the adding on of my face in the video at the end.

"Everything in EPCOT will be dedicated to the happiness of the people who will live, work, and play here..."
---Walter Elias Disney

yodiwan1 · Post by **yodiwan1** » Sep Sat 06, 2008 8:49 am

That version of True Colors is my favorite!!! It is teh first track I look for when I go to request sogns here!

DisBeamer · Post by **DisBeamer** » Sep Sat 06, 2008 9:27 pm

Blackie Pueblo wrote:The one thing I really miss about the updating of Honey I shrunk the Audience is the song during the Preshow. Does anyone remember this. It was presented by Kodak and showed photos of families and such while playing the song "True Colors" sung by a man, then a woman, and then two kids. It was very cute and very touching.

Is that really not in there anymore? It must have been a long time since I watched HISTA. It was there last time I saw it. Just one more reason to never go in there again... good to know.

Jwc247 · Post by **Jwc247** » Sep Sun 07, 2008 3:48 pm

I'd have to say Figment, I saw this picture of the track system of the old Figment compared to the New Figment, in the new one they used about half little more little less of it. That's rediculous!

yodiwan1 · Post by **yodiwan1** » Sep Sun 07, 2008 5:19 pm

i thought the ride seemed shorter!!! cheap execs!!!!

agingerbugg · Post by **agingerbugg** » Sep Mon 08, 2008 8:14 am

Jwc247 wrote:I'd have to say Figment, I saw this picture of the track system of the old Figment compared to the New Figment, in the new one they used about half little more little less of it. That's rediculous!

In fact, the track appears to still be there. You walk over it while in the queue. If you ride it again pay attention to the floor of the queue, there are areas where it is raised and sounds different to the surrounding floor. This is the original JII track.

IMFearless · Post by **IMFearless** » Sep Mon 08, 2008 8:19 am

Jwc247 wrote:I'd have to say Figment, I saw this picture of the track system of the old Figment compared to the New Figment, in the new one they used about half little more little less of it. That's rediculous!

I want picture pleez.

agingerbugg · Post by **agingerbugg** » Sep Mon 08, 2008 9:08 am

Here is a picture of the original track and new track.

meticulus9 · Post by **meticulus9** » Sep Mon 08, 2008 8:06 pm

what a waste of space/track

Admiral01 · Post by **Admiral01** » Sep Mon 08, 2008 8:34 pm

Such an aweful "upgrade." Insulting, really.

bluesky481 · Post by **bluesky481** » Oct Sat 11, 2008 10:00 am

Easy...JIYI!!!

pixiesparkles · Post by **pixiesparkles** » Oct Sun 12, 2008 8:57 am

I miss the original Figment!

adwayinc · Post by **adwayinc** » Oct Sun 12, 2008 5:47 pm

I agree I do NOT like the new version of JIYM.. I miss the old dream finder> My kids do too! They remember from 20 years ago. When they did a refurb on the Seas - it was horrible. ALot of the fish were lost - I remember seeing so much more and the last couple of times we visited - the fish looked sick and diseased. Most fish lost portions of their tails and fins. It was horrible to witness. Nemo the ride was so disappointing... I thought the Imagineers lost their imagination. I think the ride was poorly done. The only good thing was TT with Crush.

As for SE - i think the rehab was sorely needed as things are brighter now but I do not like the narration by Dame Densch.

WoW Body wars was cool as was Cranium Command and it was the only place to get frozen yogurt or healty salads 20 years ago.

I also like the upgrade with Ellen on UoE... I am not a fan of Ellens but she gave the ride new life.

I don't remember Horizons but the 1st time I was to Epcot was in 1991 - if it was there then - it didn't make an impression on me.

I remember CE but glad that was gone... HISTA is so much better.

and finally I Love Soarin! but I really do miss Bonnie Appetite and or Food ROcks.

Subsonic Radio

What EPCOT refurb never should have happened?

What ride/show should have been left alone?