The Epcot Restoration Project

A very long time ago I had this lengthy article about how Disney should shut down each park for a year in order to make all the necessary changes---—adding attractions, removing attractions, and pretty much giving each park a fresh coat of paint. Well, freshly after I made the idea Disney decided to double the size of Fantasyland while also giving Animal Kingdom a massive boost with an Avatar-themed land. While it’s still leagues behind what I wanted to see, it’s at least in the right direction in terms of expanding the park size. But one park has been amazingly quiet in recent years in terms of new changes or dramatic shifts. And worst of all, this park is the one with the fewest changes in the last 5 years.

Epcot, my favorite park, has remained quite the same within the past decade---even though it is a total shadow of what it used to be. As a matter of fact the World Showcase hasn’t seen a dramatic change since 1999, when the millennium event was going on. There has not been a new country, there has not been a new attraction within the countries (Mexico is the lone wolf exception, although that ride can do a lot better), and we still have countries like Italy and Morocco that lack an attention-grabbing attraction. While the Disney Walkabout plan is pretty much dead, I still have hopes in my latest escapade: the Epcot Restoration Project. Combining previous ideas I had about Epcot with new ones, this project would revive Epcot and bring it closer to perfection.

It would be simple: we could whether shut down future world for six months then shut down the World Showcase for the same amount of time; or shut down the entire park altogether for a year. Either way, it requires an extensive shutdown. We can start the Restoration Project in the front of the park. While this becomes a very daunting task, we should offer compensation to every person who bought a picture and took part of the create-a-memory thing. We can offer a variety of Disney items, and we should include tickets. They paid good money for their space, and we can’t technically just get rid of them. The more daunting task is figuring out what to do if we have guests that flat-out refuse to accept any compensation.

Spaceship Earth has seen better days when Jeremy Irons was the narrator, but it’s still a classic at heart. That being said, we really need to change that ending. The choosing-your-ending aspect is very unrealistic, very cartoonish, and quite different from the rest of the attraction. The Imagineers should provide a much better solution to presenting the future to the guests, as opposed to forcing the guests to pick something using a badly-cropped photo of themselves. The Spaceship Earth rides of the past offered en ending, why can’t this one? Now, I know it would be mean to replace Judi Dench as narrator, but there are many wonderful options out there: Morgan Freeman, Peter O’Toole, Clint Eastwood, Daniel Day-Lewis, etc.

Innoventions needs the most help of all. Totally losing track of the future, both sides have become bonafide flubs with awkward advertisement-run attractions and tons of filler material. We need Sony’s updated gaming hardware (and updated televisions to coincide with it), we need Apple’s involvement (because we all know they usually like to remain one step ahead), and most importantly a consistent theme about looking forward. Lastly, the roller coaster inside the left side of Innoventions needs a bit more advertising. Kim Possible’s starting spot at Future World can stay, I will let it slide. Club Cool needs to be updated to look more futuristic. At least offer some futuristic-like drinks or something along those lines. And if none of this can be accomplished, move Club Cool to the World Showcase—since its free sodas around the world has more of a Showcase feel as opposed to Future.

Universe of Energy needs to change, dramatically. While I for one am against Disney characters representing realistic rides (Nemo and Friends anyone?) , Phenias and Ferb doing the Universe of Energy wouldn’t be a bad idea. They are popular; they have a knack for science, and would give the attraction some much-needed popularity. While Bill Nye will remain cooler in my heart that part of Disney culture is long gone unfortunately. We need to re-open the Wonders of Life. Cranium Command and Body Wars are classics that need to be updated and restored for future generations to enjoy. Of course, we can throw in some healthy-based attractions, shows, and presentations to ensure that we don’t look like the blobs in Wall-E.

Mission: Space is fine—until we get to the post-show. It looks amazingly ugly after the ride is over. There is no space or Mars theme while walking from the ride to the post-show. And the post-show doesn’t have much pizzazz either, at least make it look like we are indeed astronauts in training in Mars. Test Track I originally envisioned would transform into a Tron ride. Well, after the mild fleeting success of the film, I don’t see Disney even attempting it. If not Tron, then we should at least make a futuristic car and make it go through a variety of tests to survive terrain on Earth and in outer space. Basically, make sure Test Track at least matches with the “future” theme.

On the other side of Future World we need to get rid of Nemo from the Living Seas. It should go back to the Living Seas—similar to the Tomorrowland Transit Authority at Magic Kingdom suddenly becoming the PeopleMover. Bring back the wonderful music, the more laid-back ambiance, and the scene where you slowly move your way through the aquarium. The Land should update Soarin’ and Living with the Land. With Soarin’, the movie should be updated to show other parts of the United States---like the Grand Canyon, the beaches of Florida, Yellowstone National Park, the Appalachian Mountains, the freezing parts of Alaska, and much more. To make it even more interesting, Soarin’ should randomize some of the locations like Star Tours II. Living with the Land should just update their information on how nations around the world are becoming Green and finding different ways to grow crops and livestock.

And this brings us to Imagination. Against popular opinion, we should just destroy this thing altogether. The truth is the Imagination building has never been great, has never had the amazing appeal of the old-school (and even some new-school) rides and Figment himself is just a wasted character. So why not bring the classic Horizons here? We can update it to make a little lower-key and mildly smaller in scale, but I think the re-introduction of Horizons would make some Disney fans run around in circles in glee. But Honey I Shrunk the Audience and Captain EO are outlandishly dated, and just need to eternally disappear.

Character Spot is a decent idea, but the backgrounds are so ridiculously lame I have no idea what they were thinking when they crafted those monstrosities. At least do backgrounds of classic Disney movies. At least, come on its not that hard. One final small little detail: the timeline of Epcot should be expanded. A lot has happened since the 25th anniversary, and while none of them are necessarily huge they should still at least be mentioned. And hopefully if we do a big expansion of Epcot that timeline can grow.

World Showcase is my favorite part of Disney World by far, but that doesn’t mean changes are not required. Mexico is one of the better-developed pavilions. I would whether remove the Three Caballeros from the Mexican boat ride or at least make it-----better. Norway in my opinion needs to be replaced altogether unfortunately, as it doesn’t have the support it used to have. In my opinion, Australia would be a perfect fit there. Have an Australian restaurant (do we even have those in Florida?), offer some Australian dessert, and have a ride in the style of Mexico’s boat ride that pits you in some of the scenic views of the country/island/continent.

China is fine but the Reflections of China attraction can benefit from an HD/Blu-Ray facelift in the style of what Hollywood has been doing to classic films like Casablanca and Snow White. It’s a nice attraction, and it’s a well-executed idea. But, the images can be a bit blurry sometimes. In an HD-dominating world, its time for Disney to catch up and remain pace. It becomes harder to justify a purchase to view the countries when you can get a better view from your personal television set. The small Outpost area should at least be a small African pavilion like Kenya or Egypt or even South Africa. Germany is next and from the nice restaurant to the awesome train set, doesn’t really need much changing. P.S. the newer caramel place they have there is phenomenal.

Italy honestly doesn’t offer much outside the three food places. In my opinion, they should have some romantic boat ride that puts you through the three restaurants (and Venice) and can even temporarily sneak you in to a small part of the Showcase Lagoon. I have never ever been a fan of the American Adventure, and I personally would split it into two different pavilions: with the options being Greece, Russia, Argentina, Chile, or Egypt. While the chances of the American Adventure disappearing would be at a nice -33%, it would be nice to dream, right? Let’s be honest though, why do we need an America in the World Showcase. Disney World is IN America!

Japan is the best of the pavilions by far; the best represented and by far has the best variety. The merchandise shop is massive, there are three places to eat in there, and there’s plenty to see while in the area. But wouldn’t it more awesome with a Miyazaki ride? I can see it now, a slow ride that pits you through several different Miyazaki films from Totoro to Spirited Away. Morocco can’t be dealt with too much as its considered holy ground (According to people at Epcot) but its fine the way that it is. There should be a bellydancing lesson thrown somewhere in there though.

France is beautifully done, but the Impressions of France needs a major update. The movie is a classic with beautiful music, but needs an HD-facelift, and it’s about time to give it some new scenes to display. The United Kingdom pavilion is also well-done, but we need to bring back the British Invasion, the Beatles cover band. Nothing against the British Revolution or whatever they are called, but nothing says U.K. like the Beatles. Also, a small playable soccer field in the background couldn’t hurt.

In between the U.K. and Canada should be another pavilion. This is where Brazil comes in. We can turn Brazil into a big Festival with street foods from the country and then have an Impressions of France-like attraction showcasing the beauty and diversity of Brazil. Now, you may ask why this country. Well, no other country throws more visitors at Florida than Brazil. To add to that, we still don’t have a South American country in the Showcase. Adding more to that, Brazil is quickly rising as one of the most prosperous and popular nations in the world. It is about time they get a pavilion, especially considering the good relations Disney has with Brazil.

Lastly, the Canada movie should also get an HD touch, even though it was updated not too long ago back in 2007. Next door is the Refreshment Port and a surrounding grassy area. I think this area should be used for Caribbean cuisine—give the Refreshment Port a menu with island-influenced items while throwing a couple food trucks closeby for good measure. To enhance the experience some more, they should sell imported drinks from the Caribbean like the infamous flavored sodas and their beer.

To make a long story short, Epcot has plenty of room to grow and I am sure with enough effort, enough drive and motivation, Disney can make this park even better than before, bring it to its old-school glory, and give it the jolt of magic that has been missing there recently. Some may argue why mess with something that’s worked for so long, and my response is why not? If I had the money and resources to make Epcot even better, why not take the chance?

P.S. Can we please fix the fountain in the front to make it work continuously? Thanks