But Epcot wasn't always a mess.
Communicore was once the heartbeat of EPCOT Center, offering guests a wide variety of smaller attractions, exhibits, and places to shop and dine. Surrounding Spaceship Earth, these large circular buildings were very inviting with their glass walls and their contemporary design and color schemes. They truly were attractions unto themselves. Perhaps the most beloved exhibit was SMRT-1, a small blue robot with a childlike voice and welcoming presence. Challenging guests with a variety of trivia, it was easy for our young family to spend more than a few minutes playing games with this little guy.
On the more serious side, Exxon's Energy Exchange was informative, educational, and yes, fun, even if it was a bit of self promotion for the huge oil company. We loved the "edutainment" aspect of the park, but then, our kids were always fascinated by the world around them. Another interesting exhibit was the FutureChoice Theater. Not only was it a filmed presentation, it was also a chance for guests to give Disney feedback on important events of the day. Real issues and not marketing gimmicks.
There was just so much more to be found here, making Communicore a two hour part of our first Epcot day. Imagine that! The main pavilions around it held a large number of attractions that were imaginative, informative, well executed, and lasted longer than a three minute thrill ride. Even Future World alone could easily fill a day. But that was then.
Once completed, will this centerpiece of the park hum with activity or will it be just another pass through area? Time will tell. Anything new will have an initial fan base, but the long term impact of Epcot 3.0 will be felt 5-10 years from now. Will the suits of the Walt Disney Company continue to invest in my once favorite Florida park or will they let it rot due to neglect? I can only imagine.
(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)
2 comments:
I don't think we'll ever see anything on the grand scale of Old EPCOT again. We were lucky to have it as long as we did.
Unfortunately, I think you're 100% correct!
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