Major Epcot Transformation Details

[5DisneyNuts]

Yes that stays as is in the discovery area.

Thank you and thanks for all the great info you provide.

 

[tlmadden73]

A spinner doesn't sound glamorous to most. However for smaller kids, the world showcase is a boring mile with little chance for a "ride". The rat helps with that, but I think a basic spinner at the UK will be a big hit with the younger folks. That will make the younger folks parents happy. Like the magic carpet where older family can grab a dole whip, and watch the youngling spin around and have fun. In the UK, mom or dad can grab a pint at rose and crown and do the same while their kidlet spins around with glee.

This .. the more attractions (that aren't movies, restaurants or shopping) the better Epcot is for the young folks. Right now it is so very skippable (mileage varies per family). I have taken 5 short trips and one long trip to WDW way too many times (oldest just turned 7)... and we've gone to Epcot twice. Why? It's a long walk between attractions .. the big rides have height requirements and the other attractions are pretty darn boring or not very memorable (even for kids). We finally went when my son was tall enough to ride Soarin' and Test Track and liked those, but just not we've never gone deeper than Norway into the World Showcase. (or UK on the other side .. and that was just to look at F&G topiaries).

But yes .. having two attractions in France and ANY type of ride in UK will help even out World Showcase and spend most of the day doing that instead of focusing on Future World

 

[Jhoyer5150]

Rteetz thanks for the information in this thread. I guess my problem is I don't quite understand how Disney can't find the budget to update Journey into Imagination / Imagination Pavilion in what will quickly be approaching 20 years? It would take $100MM at most to put a "Mystic Manor" type overlay on the ride, maybe another $50MM to renovate the 2nd floor of the pavilion. Moreover, while I understand SSE refurb is occurring first, once Ratatouille is open next year wouldn't that take some of the pressure off in terms of crowds (in terms of having 2 pavilions down simultaneously). I guess I just don't like Disney's timetables, that allow clearly flawed rides like the current iteration to linger for what seems like forever while it takes 4 years to build a Guardians coaster that nobody asked for.

 

[movie77]

We were all waiting for the return of the piggy bank game my kids loved that.

 

[tigger29]

In my hometown a park had a scrambler inside a geodesic dome building. They shon psychedelic lights on the walls and played the Beatles Magic Mystery Tour over speakers. They called it the the Magical Mystery Ride or similar and it was way more fun than you imagine it should be. An example of both a dark ride and a spinner; sort of. And British invasion .

OH MY GOD! YES! I remember that ride from when I was a kid. I rode it at the Great Escape outside of Utica, NY the one summer I was up there for summer camp. I think of it to this day whenever I hear the song. It was a great ride.

 

[rteetz]

Rteetz thanks for the information in this thread. I guess my problem is I don't quite understand how Disney can't find the budget to update Journey into Imagination / Imagination Pavilion in what will quickly be approaching 20 years? It would take $100MM at most to put a "Mystic Manor" type overlay on the ride, maybe another $50MM to renovate the 2nd floor of the pavilion. Moreover, while I understand SSE refurb is occurring first, once Ratatouille is open next year wouldn't that take some of the pressure off in terms of crowds (in terms of having 2 pavilions down simultaneously). I guess I just don't like Disney's timetables, that allow clearly flawed rides like the current iteration to linger for what seems like forever while it takes 4 years to build a Guardians coaster that nobody asked for.

Imagination will receive updates. It just won’t be part of the initial Epcot change.

 

[Farro]

This timeline has me a bit more excited - I think the major work (in future world) will be done before we come back in 2023 and that will be awesome!

 

[mcjaco]

Imagination will receive updates. It just won’t be part of the initial Epcot change.

This people. It's called phases.

 

[HuskieJohn]

I missed that Disney officially announces Ratatouille for Summer 2020. Even though that is cutting it close with our EPCOT day being 6/20 I am just going to assume it will be open by that day.

With our EPCOT day, along with RRA being open, I am hoping for a new France PPO ADR breakfast so we could ride just before the RD crowd, like riding 7DMT after BOG.

 

[jknezek]

This people. It's called phases.

Well yes. But Disney hasn't always been very good about finishing their future phases. So I can see why the abomination that is current Imagination creates some heartburn when it isn't among the announced changes.

 

[sponica]

This .. the more attractions (that aren't movies, restaurants or shopping) the better Epcot is for the young folks. Right now it is so very skippable (mileage varies per family). I have taken 5 short trips and one long trip to WDW way too many times (oldest just turned 7)... and we've gone to Epcot twice. Why? It's a long walk between attractions .. the big rides have height requirements and the other attractions are pretty darn boring or not very memorable (even for kids). We finally went when my son was tall enough to ride Soarin' and Test Track and liked those, but just not we've never gone deeper than Norway into the World Showcase. (or UK on the other side .. and that was just to look at F&G topiaries).

But yes .. having two attractions in France and ANY type of ride in UK will help even out World Showcase and spend most of the day doing that instead of focusing on Future World

I'm the opposite, I can't think of the last time I spent anytime IN future world...we didn't enjoy the reskinned test track, so I haven't been on it in 6 years. My husband can't stand mission space, haven't been on that in 5 or 6 years. My 20 month old loved the world showcase. I'm sitting here thinking, with all these improvements, I might actually spend some time in the soon to be departed future world.

 

[CastAStone]

I missed that Disney officially announces Ratatouille for Summer 2020. Even though that is cutting it close with our EPCOT day being 6/20 I am just going to assume it will be open by that day.

Yes, hopefully this is more how "Galaxy's Edge opens Late Fall 2019" meant August and less how "Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway opens Fall 2019" meant sometime in 2020.

 

[AvidDisReader]

No matter how much Disney spends or how many projects they have ongoing--it will never be enough for some people. I just sit back and enjoy the ride.

 

[DIS Florentin!]

Imagination would fit perfectly also under Discovery however putting it in World gives it it's Epcot home with Spaceship Earth as Figment is the parks signature highlight from the start. It's featured on the festival center new Epcot Model so I'm guessing it will have its own announcement surprise in no time! I was skeptical also Mexico was on it. We know China and Canada will get a new film. The UK was not and it's now the one with the big news of Mary Poppins section!*

so based on the map it is a little unclear as Imagination seems to span Celebration and Nature - if anything, the part that guests see seems to be more in Celebration ... but it isn't mentioned explicitly when they talk about either "World" so it does have me a little concerned about the future of it

View attachment 429664

 

[rteetz]

Imagination would fit perfectly also under Discovery however putting it in World gives it it's Epcot home with Spaceship Earth as Figment is the parks signature highlight from the start. It's featured on the festival center new Epcot Model so I'm guessing it will have its own announcement surprise in no time! I was skeptical also Mexico was on it. We know China and Canada will get a new film. The UK was not and it's now the one with the big news of Mary Poppins section!*

Imagination can’t be in discover because they are on opposite sides of the park.

 

[DIS Florentin!]

That's why it's going with World Celebration

Imagination can’t be in discover because they are on opposite sides of the park.

 

[CamilaGS]

EPCOT is my favorite park so I´m beyond excited to see what will come!!
However, we can only go every few years to WDW (and my wife has been talking about how we should see other parts of the real world lol), so it bums me out that I probably won´t ride SSE in a long time now...
I kinda regret booking our trip for late Feb, so much of EPCOT will be construction site! If at least I could have Ratatouille I would be a lot happier lol
Guess I´ll have to invest more time in eating and drinking around the world next trip

 

[quandrea]

Love the look of the plans. I am so enjoying all the changes that Disney is bringing to us these days. Makes me love my dvc, knowing I’ll be able to go year after year and watch it all happen. This looks great!

 

[Alicefan]

My "armchair imagineering" idea has been something like Luigi's Rollickin' Roadsters where you ride carousel horses and they start out in classic carousel formation, but then break free and do choreographed movements to songs from the films

You're hired!

 

[Alicefan]

OH MY GOD! YES! I remember that ride from when I was a kid. I rode it at the Great Escape outside of Utica, NY the one summer I was up there for summer camp. I think of it to this day whenever I hear the song. It was a great ride.

Yes we had something like that here in Myrtle Beach for years! It was called the Mind Scrambler and it was set to whatever pop song was hot at the moment. We also had a casino roulette wheel type ride inside the same kind of set up. Those were super cool back in the day, just imagine Disney's tech and spin on things!