Wonders of Life to close?

[NoAssemblyReqd]

Interesting rumor. Pretty surprising since WOL is a pretty new pavilion. I have to admit, however, that on my last visit, the interior of the pavilion looked about as exciting as a late 80s shopping mall. (The same could really be said about The Land pavilion, but it has that cool sculpture thing in the center of the main room).

http://www.wdwmagic.com/general_epcot_news.htm

I guess this just goes to show you that if _you_ notice something's not quite up to par, chances are others do too. Let's hope Journey Into Your Imagination get the boot soon, too.

[Mark Goldhaber]

The rumor's been floating around for well over a year. I'm wondering what information made Steve post it, since he usually waits for reliable information before putting it on the site's official new pages. I'll see if I can find out more later.

[pixiedust]

I got my weekly email from my Disney rep this morning. As of January 5 the food counters and souveneir shops will be closed. The attractions will be opened during "peak attendance periods". Otherwise entire pavillion will be closed.

[Mark Goldhaber]

Woof!

I'll be sure to get that into next week's WDW Update on the site. Thanks for the info, pixiedust!

[rrsafety]

Wow!! Shutting down Body Wars, Cranium Command and the Making of Me just like that in a couple of weeks with no explanation is kind of rotten...the whole Epcot is having a hard enough time being relevant to kids, and now they scrap a big chunk of it....can't say I'm surprised though....typical.

[NoAssemblyReqd]

I never liked the Wonders of Life attractions, even when I was a kid. BODY WARS felt like a full-body dry heave (sorry, George Costanza), and Cranium Command was already dated by the time it opened (Hans and Franz, George Wendt?)

I wouldn't recommend scrapping the pavilion entirely. A good interior makeover and some modern attractions would do the trick.

[Loric]

A thought, having worked in the "little gold dome thingy."

First off.. At the closing time for "lesser pavillions" The Land and the Universe of Energy both had moderate crowds/lines. A whole lotta people try to do Energy as their last "lesser pavillion" because the last show starts at 7pm and lasts until 7:45.

Body Wars, on the other hand, has no line. The attraction runs with a single Probe and operator to close for the night, usually Probe 2. It can run this way for several hours before the attraction closes, only moving 40 people every 5-7 minutes, and still not have a line.

During the peak periods of the day, only having two Probes (Bay 2 and 3) is often sufficient to keep the line down to 5 minutes or less. Only when the line passes the red bay (decontamination chamber 2) do they consider bringing up Probe 1 or 4 and adding those operators. There, the line is only 10-15 minutes with 1 probe operating.

On a typical day, Probe 1 and 4 are flown for "Re-staged" flights (aka: something is wrong with 2 or 3 and people have to be moved around) and on an hourly basis simply to keep them operational (the system faults and is "101" if not flown within a certain time period). Otherwise, they're not used.

Only during the busiest days (read: New Years Eve) does Body Wars with 4 operational Probes have a line that extends beyond the Blue Bay (decontamination chamber 1) and exceeds 30 minutes.

Only when Test Track breaks down (especially for weather, as Wonders is a fully enclosed pavillion) and Energy is 101 and it's a holiday, will Body Wars have a line that extends into the main ramp that wraps the building - and I have yet to ever see the expanded rope queue used unless serving as a temporary queue (think Energy 101 and weather with only 2 Probes) to avoiding having to divert people down the excessively long hard-queue ramp.

This was before SPACE opened. So, essentially to get people into the Body Wars line, you have to somehow force SPACE to be unoperational - which, like Body wars, with 4 seperate ride systems, is hard to do.

[teri]

I always considered the line length at Body Wars to be a desirable feature. If ride quality is being judged by line length, I hope very much that they choose another measure and make sure that lines are not the goal.

Meanwhile...The entire Wonders of Life Pavilion needs reImagineering. Just think of the true wonders that could be done in this incredible space if the animators and imagineers were set to the task of enriching this beautiful and promising place! Imagine the educational value that could develop if newer animation and video production techniques were put into place here.

The movies are dated? Hey! I've got an idea! Let's put the guys at the Disney Animation Studios in Florida to work renewing the movies and enriching the existing infrastructure.

The shopping venue is not appealling. The sports theme just doesn't create a draw for people on vacation, or homeschooling parents, or school groups, or science enthusiasts, or grandmothers who are waiting in the comfort of the pavilion while their families ride the rides.

The Wonders of Life Pavilion is a beautiful resting place, a promising educational venue, and very inspirational architecture as well.

People with imagination could make it work.

[Loric]

Essentially, a ride isn't measured by its line, but rather how many people ride it per day. Every attraction keeps extensive counts of the number of guests to pass through its "photocell" and the operators are in charge of recording this data and then reporting it back to management.

At Body Wars, with little or no line, the total guest count is very small and at time, depressing. How would you feel being an operator looking down the long corridor for the next guest to come - when in truth that's sometimes few and far between.

Body Wars has an amazing capacity. The 4 "ride" system works wonderfully to move people and at a constant rate. The pre-show in the queue only plays 3 seperate segments before it loops again, thus meaning you are only expected to be in that portion of the queue for 3 load cycles maximum.

Problem is, the monitors are between Red Bay and Blue Bay, an area the queue rarely reaches anymore.

[Ducktastic]

I remember when Body Wars was EPCOT's only thrill ride and back then waiting an hour, maybe longer was normal. The pavilion is showing it's age and with the way food courts and other public spaces are now being designed with vivid colors and big bold shapes - the interior could use a redo. I say gut it and re-imagine the concept.

[NoAssemblyReqd]

I agree, Ducktastic. With the explosion of theme restaurants (Rainforest Cafe) and other public places (Las Vegas) trying to copy the Disney style, the theme parks seem to be getting beat at their own game. Disney Imagineering is faced with the increasingly challenging task of creating elaborate spaces which you can't find anywhere else.

[mzloolue]

Body Wars blows. After one ride, they would have to pay me to go again.

[Crispy]

Wow!! Shutting down Body Wars, Cranium Command and the Making of Me just like that in a couple of weeks with no explanation is kind of rotten...the whole Epcot is having a hard enough time being relevant to kids, and now they scrap a big chunk of it....can't say I'm surprised though....typical.

Let's see... Disney shut down Carousel of Progress and Timekeeper because they were not "essential" attractions. Only were they recently opened during holidays and now whileAlein Encounter is getting it's redo.

The Living Seas seacab ride has been discontinued.

Horizons was shut down in the same way and only opened up while contruction was going on with Test Track, then shut down once Test Track opened.

This is just a continuation of a practice that's been going on, it seems like.

Cris

[teri]

Future World is not in good shape all around.

[Iceman]

Originally posted by teri
Future World is not in good shape all around.

Really? Let's take a little virtual tour...

Spaceship Earth: Open. Good as ever, rumors of a rehab ranging from scary to wonderful.

The Living Seas: Open (without seacabs). Always been pretty lame IMO, rumors of a Finding Nemo overlay.

The Land: Open. All attractions running and enjoyable.

Journey Into Imagination: Open. Journey Into Your Imagination better than last redo, not as good as original. HISTA still great, ImageLabs a pale shadow of the original.

Innoventions: Open. Enjoyable, if not as much so as the old CommuniCore days.

Test Track: Open. One of the most popular attractions in the park.

Mission: SPACE: Open. One of the most amazing thrill rides ever, plus a plethora of interactive exhibits and games.

Universe of Energy: Open. Ellen's overlay superior to the original.

Wonders of Life: Open. All attractions running and enjoyable.

[Loric]

But, 1 month from now..

Wonders of Life: Closed indefinately.

The Land: Loses "Food Rocks" and the Backstage Tour is indefinately canceled.

And 4-6 months from now...

Universe of Energy: Facing the loss of sponsor, will have to close temporarily to remove sponsor imagery.

Living Seas: Closing temporarily for refurbishment. (rumor)

[mzloolue]

Actually, does anyone, regardless of age, like Body Wars? It's just like Star Tours, but incredibly boring and lame. Any fans or defenders of Body Wars out there?

[Loric]

Originally posted by mzloolue
Actually, does anyone, regardless of age, like Body Wars? It's just like Star Tours, but incredibly boring and lame. Any fans or defenders of Body Wars out there?

There's one thing i like about Body Wars, the "hurry up and wait" music.

It plays from the moment Captain Braddock says "Welcome home" at the end of the flight until the nxt boarding group's "Stow your baggage" video ends.

I always thought it was funny how the "Stow your baggage" video was actually on the end of the loop from the previous mission.

[teri]

Spaceship Earth - new intro safety movie excessive and many effects gone or not working.

Wonders of Life - Closing except on high volume days, all attractions aging, movies stale, vendors not appealing.

The Land - as above, also food court is less appealing somehow (can't put my finger on it), the gardens are looking like they are getting minimal attention. food Rocks closing for Soarin' ride.

Living Seas - Movie so stale that people walk right by. Losing its appeal fast.

Imagination - HISTA getting stale, Journey Into Your Imagination still isn't right.

Energy - losing sponsor? Movie already getting stale. Animatronics are just fine but the ride needs more imagination.

Future World is in trouble.

Innoventions - oh dear....

[efoxx]

I tend to agree with you teri. the problem is that future world has not kept up with the future. here is what I see can be done in the short term to help.
1. space ship earth; fix up broken effects. wow new audiences with mor smell-0-vision effects. tame the over baring ride warnings, and only give them once at the start.

2. universe of energy; change the whole theme from that of energy to a dino rama type thing. think a version of disc. channel's walking with the dinos. in fact if you were to do that you may even get a new sponsor.

3. adapt "storm chasers" from Disney Seas for wonders of life. this is the only initial major change.

5. bring back the sea cabs, but continue the re themeing around the whole of Disney's underwater library. include such things as 20,000 leagues, little mermaid etc.

6. reemphasis the research in the land. make most of the food sold in the food court come from the green houses out back. change the theme of the land to a look at our planet.

7. allow companies FREE access (with limitations of course) to showcase new tech. in inoventions. make the exhibits temporary and encourage new things. maybe limit to 1-2 years any exhibit.

8. drop the names futureworld, and world showcase, unifiy all of epcot under the epcot name. futureworld's new emphasis is a look at our planet, and WS becomes a look at our planets people.

9. use landscaping to get away from the 80's shopping mall look of FW.

my vision of a new revitalized epcot would be around a global community theme. FW rather then trying to keep up with the future should be rethemed to work will with WS to provide a unified look at our planet.

[mzloolue]

I think that efoxx is thinking in the right direction. Technology and electronics change so quickly, making things that were at one time amazing into common place household items, it would be very difficult to impress people for long with "futuristic" type displays. Perhaps a whole new concept for Future World is in order. I find the ride in The Land that goes through the greenhouse interesting, but to a gardner it is obvious that it is not at all productive. Also, WDW has a reputation for wonderful and imaginative landscaping and floral displays, but, again, as a gardner, I am unimpressed. The floral displays seem designed for economy and low maintence, but what I want to see is billowing abundance and creativity. Show me something that will impress my gardner's soul.