Lifeline

When thinking about what Epcot needed, there is one thing that I could get off my mind. Why is the Wonders of Life pavilion still empty?

Sure, it doesn't take up prime real estate in Future World. But it still is plenty of real estate. A great pavilion could be put in, or at least replace the current tomb of a building. And in today's world where people are so conscious about their health, why wouldn't a life pavilion work. People need to learn about their bodies. Why not entertain them while you do it?

So what do you guys think? Is it time for a new health and life pavilion in Epcot?

Makin' Memories

The song says it all. Take a listen:



I recently started going through old vacation pictures. Boy, is it a time warp. It's so crazy, but so fun to go back through old pictures. I highly recomend it. It's a great way to take yourself back to the happiest place on Earth. You also can take yourself back to things that are no longer in Epcot....

R.I.P. Sea Base Alpha

The Jammintors

I think the Jamminators are one of the most underrated entertainment offerings in all of Epcot. They're fun, energetic, and can really get a crowd going. Do they really fit in Future World? Probably not, but they are still a great group and do a great show. Enjoy!

Money Grows on Apple Trees

While watching the news about the Ipad 2 the other day, the thought struck me that while Steve Jobs is heavily connected to Disney, nothing has ever come of it in the theme parks. I think Epcot would be a great place to showcase the best and brightest ideas from Apple. Even if it was just an Apple overhaul in Innoventions, I would love it. The current videos games and software are just a blatant advertisement anyway. Why not make it interesting and groundbreaking? Apple would get some great advertising and Epcot would finally have some technology that is really innovative.

What do you guys think? Would you welcome Apple in the parks?

New Horizons

The fact that the Wonders of Life pavilion sits dark and empty is an absolute travesty. Almost equal in shame, is the fact that Epcot lost its signature attraction: Horizons. So what can be done to right these great wrongs? I have a simple solution: New Horizons.

The original Horizons provided a great glimpse into our future by looking at the future from a historical prospective. Things have changed so much in our world since the 1980s that its time to explore the future once again. Technology has also advanced enough to make a ride of this scale feasible.

When I think of a ride system for this new attraction, the Universal attraction Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey comes to mind. New Horizons could also utilize the same Kuka Robotic Arm technology. This would allow for a much more unique ride system rather than a normal dark ride. It would also make any Imax or Omnimax scenes much more immersive.

As far as the ride itself goes, I picture a ride very similar to the original. It could be sponsored by a company like Siemens or IBM and look at how technology has shaped our lives and vision of the future. I think this is a perfect opportunity for another epic audio-animatronic attraction.

This is just an idea at this point, but what do you guys think? Would you ride New Horizons?

The Fantastical World of Figment

Journey into Imagination with Figment is a small band aid placed on a giant scar in Future World. What was once a legendary attraction became a boring, lifeless ride. Most tragically, the attraction lost it's loveable icon, Figment. However, instead of fixing it, Figment was simply shoe horned back into the ride as a quick fix.

Here is the classic attraction:


Here is the terrible Journey into YOUR Imagination:


And finally, here is the current attraction:



So as another part of my Revitalizing Future World series, I present the Fantastically World of Figment.

 

I believe the glass pyramids of the Imagination pavilion are some of the most amazing feats of architecture in Disney World. Thus I believe they deserve to house an attraction equally grand in scale. My idea is an all encompassing one. It will tie in not only the Journey into Imagination with Figment Attraction, but the Honey I Shrunk the Audience 3D show. This will create a one of a kind experience that will entertain guests in an all new way.

The attraction will begin with an extended queue in the Honey I Shrunk the Audience building. This will be a recreation of Dreamfinder's home. Guests will walk through various rooms full of crazy contraptions and weird artifacts collected by the Dreamfinder. Once reaching the theater, they will witness a presentation of Dreamfinder's latest discovery, the figment of imagination.

Think about how amazing a digital 3D show staring Figment could be. His character provides endless possibilities in a 3D universe. Dreamfinder would welcome you to his personal dream lab. He would take you through his creative process and explain how he discovered Figment. Then Figment would take over the show and the real fun would begin. Eventually things would get out of hand and a new character, the Critic, would show up. He represents all things against dreamers and new ideas. The Critic kidnaps Figment in order to crush the Dreamfinder's passion. This will lead into the next part of the attraction. Dreamfinder needs the guests help to get Figment back. He instructs you to exit the lab and go to the Dreamcatchers.

Guests would be lead out of the theater and into a newly built queue area between the theater and the ride. It would be a continuation of the Dreamfinders house and eventually end at the garage where guests would encounter the Dreamcatchers. The ride vehicle would be the same type, but covered in flashing lights and weird contraptions. It would also have several big thrusters at the back and a giant vacuum mounted on the front.

At the beginning of the ride,  guests would pass by the Dreamfinder on his own Dreamcatcher as he explains to you how you'll have to journey through the different worlds of imagination to find Figment. Worlds would  include the Arts, Science, Fun, Fear, and Memories. Throughout all of the different worlds you would see traces of Figment in everything you see. These are the clues that the Dreamfinder will use to track down Figment.

In the Arts section, you will see how imagination has been used to create all the famous works of art in history. As you pass these great creations, you see them transform with twists of color and footprints and images of Figment. The Science section will show you how imagination is the driving force behind breakthroughs in science. However, instead of the famous inventors and innovators, Figment will be the one doing all of the experimenting. The fun section will be, of course, fun. It will have Figment showing how we use our imagination to have fun in our everyday lives. Surprisingly, the Fear world of imagination will not be scary. Figment will show you how our imaginations sometimes create fear when there is no real danger. Finally, Figment will demonstrate how we use imaginations to relive memories. This is the final clue that lets the Dreamfinder finally catch up with Figment.

In the climax of the story, guests will find Figment trying to get away from the Critic. The Dreamfinder will instruct guests to use their Imagination to free Figment. At this point there will be a big explosion of colors and light. The Critic will disappear in a ball of colorfull fog and the Dreamfinder will be reunited with Figment. Figment will fly around the room and is sparkles and is covered in projection of all the worlds of imagination. The Dreamcatchers will take the guests to the unload station as One Little Spark is sung by the Dreamfinder and Figment.

I think this could be a great new addition to Future World. It would be fun for the whole family and possibly inspire a new generation of dreamers. What do you think? How would you like to see the Imagination Pavilion redone?

The ACTUAL Universe of Engery

Next up on our revitalization tour of Epcot's Future World is the Universe of Energy. First off, I must admit that that Ellen's Energy Adventure can sometimes be a guilty pleasure of mine. It has a decent story, and the animatronics can be impressive. However, the ride is far outdated and can use a new theme to make the area fresh.

 My idea is to create an actual universe of energy. This pavilion would showcase many of the different types of energy and their numerous implementations. The current pavilion would be bulldozed and a more spacious building would be constructed. The building would be shaped as the base of a cone, with a flat roof that was covered with solar panels. On the sides of the building, fiber optic lights would be interwoven against the black walls in a similar fashion to the old finale of Spaceship Earth. The inside of the building would be a sort of city of energy. The pathways would have a hub and spoke design with the central area containing a giant water fountain. This would be a unique water fountain because it would also be a perpetual motion device that seemingly conserved all its energy and needed none to operate.

All around the pavilion there would be small exhibits and demonstrations showcasing the latest technology and green energy. Since these would be small booths, it would be easy to change them and not affect the normal operation at the pavilion. This would be the most informative part of the pavilion and be located between the different attractions.


The most intense ride in the pavilion would be the one concerning kinetic energy. Guests would enter the queue designed to look like a giant warehouse full of old arcade games. As you walked through, the games would get bigger and include giant playable games for the guests. Finally you would arrive in the game testing room. It turns out you have been hired as new game testers. After your new manager explains how the game works he will explain how kinetic energy is conserved and allows your ball to keep moving. Then guests will move into the loading area where they will find their cars. Cars will fit 4 people and be made to look like stainless steel. The coaster will begin with a launch sequence made to simulate the ball being launched into the game. This will be followed by a sharp turn to the left and the guest will enter the game. When the car turns buzzers and lights will go off and it will seem as if the guests are ricocheting off a bumper. Backwards sections could also be incorporated for the same affect. Finally the ride would end with the guests seeing a high score billboard flash on and off followed by entering a dark room thus ending the game.


The other staple attraction of the pavilion would revolve around chemical energy. This would be the D ticket of the pavilion. It would be an imax type movie shot in 3D. The story would follow a young protester who is strongly against chemical energy, specifically nuclear types. We would follow him and a group of his friends as they try and break into a chemical plant. But as they do they run into a professor from their university who also works at the plant. He explains to them the benefits of this energy and how safe the plant is. While he is doing so, one of the more rebellious students sneaks away and falls off of a catwalk. The rest of the movie would show the search for the other student. If a good plot is developed, this movie would be a great way to introduce people to the background of chemical energy.

There would be one more attraction in the pavilion. It would be a small simulator ride that was about electric energy. It would be a row of small cars, each fitting about 8 people. The ride would take guests on an adventure through a circuit board and on other similar trips that electrical energy takes. Of course like all good pavilions there would be a counter service food station, and a small gift shop selling UNIQUE souvenirs.

What would I name this new place in future world? Well I personally think the Epcot Energy Exhibition has a nice ring to it.

Storm Center

This is the first in a series I will be starting about the revitalization of Epcot's Future World. While some new attractions like Soarin' have breathed new life into the land, I think Future World still strays too far from its original purpose. It also has a lot of empty and unused space prime for new construction.

Does anyone remember the Wonders of Life? This great pavilion now sits mostly empty and abandoned expect for the occasional corporate or other special event like the Food and Wine Festival. I think it is one of the prime pieces of rel-estate in Epcot that goes unused. It has such a unique design with is special dome structure and I think it is depressing that it doesn't have the attraction is deserves.

Because of it's location in Central Florida, I think a Storm Center would be the perfect fit for this location. Not only that, but it would be an effective way to bring edutainment back in Epcot. It could even be a way to collect new information about storms and how they function. Due to the nature of weather in Florida, if a an actual weather station was built on this location, tons of reports and information could be compiled.

One of the centerpiece attractions of the Storm Center would be an attraction called Into the Storm. It would utilize a circle vision theater, but with unique special effects. There could be lights strategically placed around the floor of the theater, motion capabilities built into the separate rows, and other effects like wind and rain built into the walls and ceiling. Along with those, this theater would have a major technological breakthrough. It would be the world's first three dimensional circle vision movie. This would be an amazing feat of engineering. It would expand on the distortion theory used when creating the Amazing Adventures of Spiderman and wrap the screen around the audience. If the math could be worked out, images on the screen could appear to come through on one side of the screen, pass over the audience, and continue into the opposite screen. Into the Storm would be a truly one of a kind, immersive experience that guest would talk about long after their stay.

Into the Storm would not be the only attraction inside the Storm Center. Minor attractions would include a tour of a home built to survive severe storms. Guest could tour the home, learn tips for their own homes, and take part in hands on demonstrations. The actual lab and  storm tracking equipment could also serve as a small attraction. If the lab was surrounded by large glass walls, guests could watch the work going on inside. Their would also be another movie in the pavilion. It wouldn't be an intense attraction, but a solemn tribute to major storms of the past, their heroes, and the fallen victims. While some might find this inappropriate, I believe it is impossible to have a storm pavilion without paying respects to those who have been lost.

I don't see this pavilion being a huge market center, I do envision one large shop and one counter service restaurant in the Storm Center. The shop would be called Radar Ray's Outfitting. It would be housed inside of a tent like structure and have an outdoor feel. This store would also have merchandise UNIQUE to the pavilion as well as the typical Epcot gear. The counter service restaurant would be called the Storm Chaser's Cafe'. It would be housed inside of a typical office cafeteria, but the walls and ceiling would be adorned with posters, images, artifacts, and other memorabilia from storms and the brave people who study them

So there you have it. My first big attraction in Epcot's Future World. In the coming weeks, I will come up with ideas on how to re-imagineer the rest of the land. But I think this is a good start and a great way to create traffic in an unused part of Epcot. Let me know what you guys think and any ideas on where I should take this series.