Comments | matt_arnold: Fixing EPCOT

matt_arnold

Fixing EPCOT

Apr 03, 2006 16:22

For those who may not know, EPCOT (formerly known as Epcot Center) is part of the Walt Disney World resort complex in Florida. The "giant golf ball", as it is sometimes known from its flagship globe, is the only permanent World's Fair of human knowledge, technology, art and travel. This was where I first saw computers, videophones, cell phones, ( Read more... )

humanism, world fair, epcot, disney, secular, creativity

Comments 2

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matt_arnold April 4 2006, 13:34:56 UTC

Lasseter doesn't have to come up with the ideas himself. I think the hope is that he actually understands the park experience in a way that the MBAs currently in charge supposedly do not; that he just knows quality when he sees it, the way those attending the park do. He will hopefully be able to get away with rubber-stamping much more brave creative decisions from WDI, based on his personality clout. But it would be an improvement if he allocates enough of a budget to maintainance for attractions that already exist. I'm imagining him disembarking the Spaceship Earth ride and saying "somebody fix those squeaking wheels!" Because, you know, he'll actually ride the rides.I actually enjoyed the Coca Cola refreshment station. Finding out what soft drinks taste like in other parts of the world was really neat, and partially inspired our OpenCola project at Penguicon. I recall an apertif soft drink from Italy which I sampled there. My family was amazed that it tasted so foul. But it's an acquired taste. Since none of us had ever had any ( ... )

the few changes that are true to EPCOT anonymous December 7 2007, 13:39:54 UTC

I agree with many of your statements but when you said "They only tear down the EPCOT attractions that they got right, and replace them with inexpensive and unimaginative attractions designed by committee. They are giving up on the sort of experience that EPCOT is about." I can't agree 100% with you. Mission: Space uses cutting edge technology, houses a NASA moon rover, and has costed an estimated $100 Million to build. It certainly isn't Horizons but wouldn't you agree it's a cutting edge and essential installment to Future World? The Loss of the Living Seas was a tradgedy and is 100% irrelevent to EPCOT, but I believe Mission: Space and Test Track (which fufils Walt's dream of testing new products through what was going to be his future city) are important modern elements to Future World that truely expand the horizons of the future.