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.
