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Thread: More Mouse: Remembering the Magic - Wonders of Life Pavilion

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    More Mouse: Remembering the Magic - Wonders of Life Pavilion

    Remembering the Magic - Wonders of Life Pavilion by Jonathan Heigl

    Contributing writer Jonathan Heigl remembers the past of this now-stagnant pavilion

    Read it here!


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    I'm going to go with the easy option here...do SOMETHING with this pavilion other than just use it for festival space. The tougher question is what to do with it. It all comes down to figuring out whether to keep the Life/Body theme of the original pavilion. If that theme is to be discarded, then there are a lot of things that could be done, and I think just about everyone could imagine something different that they would like to replace it.

    However, I think the overall theme of "Wonders of Life" works great in EPCOT and my opinion, reinforced by this article, is to UPDATE it. The original pavilion had an almost perfect balance of a thrill ride in Body Wars, and a very cute and enjoyable show for all ages in Cranium Command, as well as an educational component in the Making of Me and some of the other smaller attractions. Each of these components could be updated with modern technology and made to be top-notch attractions. While the pavilion certainly had a theme of healthy living, it was incorporated into the attractions in a very understated way that didn't beat you over the head with it.

    One key point that was missed in the article was the campy humor of the Cranium Command and specifically the cast. The casting of the show was perfect, with recognizable name actors (from the time) that instantly were associated by the audience with the body parts being represented. While surely not the biggest "names" in the show, the perfect example of this was Hanz and Franz, from the old SNL skits, representing the heart and wanting to "pump us up".


  4. #3
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    I got visit this place just once in Dec 06. My wife didn't want to do Body Wars, so we tried Cranium Command. Unfortuately by 1 yo decided to go crying crazy just as it started, so we skipped it. We did a few things inside the pavillion which I found to be a little boring. It felt like I was at one fo the science museums you go to in 7th grade.

    Here's my thoughts: if you can raze an attraction that some people liked and replace it with a thrill ride, why not do the same thing to an attraction that no one really cared about? Start from scratch. And since it's Future World, turn into a Tron Pavillion. There's a Tron 3 movie that is already starting to go into pre-production phases. The pavillion could be a Computer Geek type place. The simulator ride could be based on the Tron movies - that would be a big draw that would bring some people back over and over, unlike Body Wars (1 and done). There could be a place where you can a make a CLU of yourself - the kids would love that, as would some of us nerds. There could be a quick snack area called Castors Tech-Lounge with plenty of loud techno music and weird drinks. Throw in a Flynn's Arcade, or just a plain arcade and call it the Game Grid where you could play against people online from all over the world. This idea could totally work. And with computers or gaming systems there, it would be very easy to get a sponsor like Microsoft, Sony, or some other Silicon Valley company to join up.

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

    WDW Trips: June 2002, Feb 2004, Dec 2006, Dec 2008, Jan 2010, Feb 2011, Dec 2012
    Disneyland Trips: Feb 2006, Nov 2013, Nov 2014, Feb, March, June 2015 (x2), Nov 2015

  5. #4

    The Wonders of Life pavilion is a topic that just makes me sad. We loved this pavilion, both for the attractions and for the fact that it was a nice cool space where you could hang out on a warm day. Cranium Command was one of our favorite attractions in all of Epcot.

    Now, we always visit the pavilion when we're there for the Flower & Garden Festival or the Food & Wine Festival, and we enjoy getting to visit it, but it comes with a melancholy nostalgia. We'll sit on a bench and reminisce about what used to be.

    We would love to see something done with the building. I'd love to see it transformed into a new pavilion altogether, with completely new attractions, a new counter-service food location, new shopping, etc. From what I've heard, Body Wars has been pretty much dismantled to provide replacement parts for Star Tours, so I don't think it would be possible to reopen it.

    One great idea I've heard is the possibility of moving the Carousel of Progress to Epcot, both to put in a place more appropriate to its purpose of telling the story of electricity in the home, and to free up valuable real estate in Tomorrowland at the Magic Kingdom. If it were combined with a new attraction or two about electricity (in the former Body Wars and Cranium Command spaces), we could have an entirely new "Electricity" pavilion.


  6. #5

    I say the best way to improve Wonders of Life is to change it. Have the building look like a futuristic hospital. When the guest enter they go onto a simulator ride, that is not as intense as Body Wars. The ride is a time machine that takes guests through the history of medicine and healthcare. After the ride they go to other attractions and activities related to health care, just like Spaceship Earth, Test Track, and others.

    Cranium Command was my favorite, so I would bring that back. The only thing I would change is than Buzzy doing one day of an adolescent boy, he do a lifetime of the boy from birth to death, or at least learns as his subject grows up. The Making of Me was ok, but I wouldn't bring that back. I would add Food Rocks to the attraction, because it didn't belong in The Land.


  7. #6

    The priority here is to DO SOMETHING! Between Odyssey and the Wonders of Life Pavilion, that is two empty, prime pieces of real estate with no real function. What I would suggest is to make one of them a full time event center (probably Odyssey, because of it's location) and use the other as a functional pavilion. But what to do with it?

    I think the idea of the human body/health is still on target and a fascinating thing to discover. I would suggest doing an updated version of Cranium Command, perhaps with multiple version -a Buzzy and a Susie or something like that- that would utilize Disney Channel's growing stable of performers (the late 80's cast of the original is NOT relevant today). It was original and funny, and I think that having rotating versions would keep it fresh and improve repeatability of the show. A second ride would be good, although I'd replace the Body Wars machines with something different, if only because Mission Space and Star Tours are already doing that sort of experience. Then I would have an expo hall with rotating exhibits- general health issues, prosthetics, nutrition, etc. and fitness tests.


  8. #7
    Quote Originally Posted by mkelm44 View Post
    The priority here is to DO SOMETHING! Between Odyssey and the Wonders of Life Pavilion, that is two empty, prime pieces of real estate with no real function. What I would suggest is to make one of them a full time event center (probably Odyssey, because of it's location) and use the other as a functional pavilion. But what to do with it?

    I think the idea of the human body/health is still on target and a fascinating thing to discover. I would suggest doing an updated version of Cranium Command, perhaps with multiple version -a Buzzy and a Susie or something like that- that would utilize Disney Channel's growing stable of performers (the late 80's cast of the original is NOT relevant today). It was original and funny, and I think that having rotating versions would keep it fresh and improve repeatability of the show. A second ride would be good, although I'd replace the Body Wars machines with something different, if only because Mission Space and Star Tours are already doing that sort of experience. Then I would have an expo hall with rotating exhibits- general health issues, prosthetics, nutrition, etc. and fitness tests.
    Couldn't agree more...a pavilion with a mild thrill ride (either an updated Body Wars or something entirely new, as you suggest), a new version of Cranium Command (same basic story, but with updated actors that people today can relate to), and some sort of educational component or, as someone above mentioned, Food Rocks ported over, would be an excellent upgrade to EPCOT. Anything done would also be MUCH better than the situation now, where the space is basically wasted.

    The only thing I'd question in your suggestion is the rotating exhibits. In my mind, Innoventions has more than enough space for that sort of thing. I'd much prefer something of a little higher quality and permanence be put in to accompany the main attractions.

  9. #8

    If Disney was granting wishes for EPCOT, this is what I would wish for:

    1. The exhibits inside Innoventions would move to the current Festival Center.

    2. Festival Center would move to the Odyssey building.

    3. Innoventions would change to the sort of exhibits now on display at Disneyland (Captain America, Iron Man, Thor).

    4. Imagination would get an update and a new sponsor. Possibly computers. This is where I would love to see a Tron theme. Love the ideas posed in DisneyGator's post.

    5. Universe of Energy would get an update, so as not to have the ride's main focus be petroleum, but all types of energy. This pavilion also needs a sponsor.

    6. While we're at it, let's have countries update their movies/exhibits.

    While I am still nostalgic about bringing back old rides/experiences, I think I might be seeing these dated pavilions through my very young memories. It was amazing to see animatronics of dinosaurs and a flying Figment as a child. But now I might feel they are dated. Just imagine what Disney could do in these spaces now!


  10. #9

    The Making of Me was an excellent example of mature, balanced filmmaking and we were delighted to make it a part of our children's development. I wish that film was available to schools or accessible to everyone. And Cranium Command was hilarious and informative, as only Disney seems to be capable of. I miss that pavilion, though I know most of the attractions would be outdated now.


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