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Thread: Podcast Show Notes: Update It! Replace It! Change It Back! Epcot (part 2)

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    Podcast Show Notes: Update It! Replace It! Change It Back! Epcot (part 2)

    Update It! Replace It! Change It Back! Epcot (part 2) by MouseStation Crew
    MouseStation Episode 442
    Mike and Mark finish their talk about attractions at Epcot that need updating or replacing, or should be changed back.

    Read it here!


  2. #2

    Picking up where we left off:

    Horizons: I honestly have no memories of this attraction. I was sadly too young the last time I rode it to remember it, but from what I've heard it sounds brilliant. It's tragic that this attraction is lost to us, but at the same time I do quite enjoy Mission: Space. While realistically I don't think Horizons will ever come back, I don't think there's any reason why Horizons and Mission: Space could not co-exist in the same park.

    Wonders of Life
    : I have very fond memories of both Cranium Command and Body Wars and the last time we visited Epcot passing by the shuttered pavilion was downright depressing. I understand the necessity of festival centers, but I'd love to see Wonders of Life come back. Certainly there's other places where the temporary festival centers could be set up.

    Universe of Energy: Ellen's Energy Adventure, I feel, was a fairly successful update to Universe of Energy, however, it's already starting to feel quite dated. Bill Nye the Science Guy, Jeopardy, and Ellen DeGeneres aren't exactly staples of pop culture anymore, and it is just begging for an update. It's not the worst thing in future world, not by any means, but in my opinion it feels the most dated.

    Gran Fiesta Tour: Gran Fiesta Tour feels like a half-baked waste of an attraction, but to be fair, I always felt the same way about El Rio del Tiempo. El Rio del Tiempo came across to me as a wanna-be It's a Small World minus the charm, and Gran Fiesta Tour feels like a wanna-be Fantasyland dark ride minus the charm or the attention to detail. I'd call it an update fail, but it's not like I hold the original in high regards either.

    Aside from that, as you said, nothing really significant has changed in World Showcase except for Canada, but I like Martin Short so that gets an 'A' in my book.

    Thanks for another great show. Hopefully I've been less long-winded than usual


  3. #3
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    Man, I'm surprised at all the hate for Three Caballeros. The previous ride was horrible. So boring and cheesy. Is the new ride INCREDIBLE. No, but it's a vast improvement. The music is better, and my kids always want to go on "The Donald Ride". They crack up everytime, and I'll admit that it makes me grin to see Donald chasing his bathing suit.

    I never got to do Horizons, but I'm not sure how Mission:Space could be seen as a fail. What a kick in the butt that ride is. Love it.

    Working for Disney. No, no. Working (in a Modesto office) for (the money to take a trip to) Disney (World/Land)

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    Disneyland Trips: Feb 2006, Nov 2013, Nov 2014, Feb, March, June 2015 (x2), Nov 2015

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    I like the Gran Fiesta Tour, but to be honest I miss all the male eye candy that was to be found in El Rio del Tiempo! Just sayin'...


  5. #5

    Hey guys,

    I was listening the last couple of weeks as you went around EPCOT and had a few thoughts I wanted to share. First off, Universe of Energy should be changed for two reasons- one it is simply too long- at 45 minutes it's as long as many stage shows and much less exciting. The bigger reason why I think it needs to change is that it simply seems dated to me both in terms of cast and content. I don't know if Bill Nye the science guy is really relevant anymore; considering that his show has been off the air for 14 years now. Ellen is relevant because of her talk show, but Nye isn't really in the public eye anymore.

    The Wonder of Life pavilion is an area that something has to happen- whether its knocked down, renovated, something. I always enjoyed the Body Wars ride and Cranium Command was a lot of fun. I'd like to see it refurbished and brought back in as a functioning pavilion again- I think given the childhood obesity issue and the Let's Move! campaign that is going on that a pavilion which teaches about the body would be both educational and appropriate.

    The last one I want to comment on is Mission Space, which I'm going to have to disagree with you on. I much prefer it to Horizons for the simple reason that Horizons felt like all of the other rides at Epcot- you sat down and passively watched as the BIG VOICE told you about something. I know you got to press a button for the last 30 seconds, but it always seemed to me to be too passive. The criticism of EPCOT always has been that it was too intellectual and boring; simply put the park needed something with thrills. Soarin!, Mission: Space and Test Track provide an E ticket ride with thrills that break up the rest of the day at EPCOT. Also, Horizons was getting dated. It was a vision of the 21st Century that didn't really reflect the 21st century anymore; it had become retro-future, which is the specialty of Futureland, not EPCOT which is supposed to be cutting edge.

    I'm sorry- one last thing; what is the status of the Odyssey restaurant? I think it's only used for conferences now, but it seems like it's taking up some valuable real estate at EPCOT. Surely there is something else that can be done there...


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