Three Great Shots From Bioreconstruct

Popular man that he is, Bioreconstruct may chronicle theme parks in their current form and those in development, but it is easy to forget he is also a great photographer. And here are three recent photos as proof. Above is Universal's Islands of Adventure and a great evening shot of Velocicoaster.  It's definitely one of the best attractions in the park. The evening lights behind it make an even more impressive shot, playing up the drama.

Who doesn't love Toothsome Chocolate Emporium at City Walk? The food is just so good and the atmosphere fun. Is it for everyone? Read our Dine or Ditch review and then make your own decision. 

Last but not least, an impressive shot of Mission: Space at Epcot. The attraction may be yesterday's news because of the nearby Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, but I'd argue that the evening lighting package makes it just as otherworldly. 

There you have it. Three terrific shots from both the Universal Orlando Resort and competitor Walt Disney World proving there's a lot of great photography coming from a favorite resource for all things Central Florida.

(Photographs copyright Bioreconstruct.)

The Failure and Relaunch of Mission:Space- and What Could Have Been

Today, Disney officially but not outright acknowledges the failure of Mission: Space in its original incarnation. The plan to duplicate the attraction at Disneyland and at other parks has long fallen by the wayside as the first simulator never really took off with park guests. I've done both versions, and there's a reason many park guests avoid the more intense side.

Epcot has long had and needed an attraction focusing on the space race and travel to other planets. 

Spaceship Earth, part of the original EPCOT Center, once ended with a spectacular finale as riders descended down the track to complete their journey into the sphere. All without the gimmick of putting your cartoon version in it.

Amazing in full size. Click on it!

The original plan for a Space pavilion promised a flight to outer space and not just a simulation. Look at this concept art and dream. Expensive and unbuilt- like many abandoned projects left on the drawing boards.

Looks cool, right?

Even cooler!

But back to present day. By making the "Green" mission now available for smaller children, it is a win-win. A bit of Soarin' in a new format. And it will certainly be needed as the long to be revitalized Universe of Energy aka Ellen's Energy Adventure is closed and put to rest. The more intense "Orange" version will stay the same but with new imagery to drive the story. Although it's not what could have been, I must say I like the plan. 

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

Dream Trip through Horizons

Oh, the EPCOT Center that once was! 

New Tomorrowland's Alien Encounter: Showcasing a Terrorizing Future

In the not-so-distant past, Disney suits gave us groundbreaking attractions in Florida. Such is the case with the Tomorrowland redo of 1994. They were experiences for the whole family that did not always rely on roller coaster thrills. Yet, Tomorrowland looked like something straight out of Meet the Robinsons.

It was time to redo the land. There had to be another focus as technology was surpassing what had been built for the 1971 opening of the Magic Kingdom park. What was imagined for the next version was a future fantasy that would not go out of style, something akin to a space port of the future, a world where robots, aliens, and humans all coexisted in a sometimes uncomfortable world.

From the excellent but now defunct Webcot site.

There would be a mix of science fantasy and retro focused attractions. There had to be: Carousel of Progress would still be there, but there would also be a new CircleVision show starring Robin Williams, The Timekeeper, the American version of Paris' Le Visionarium. When you tossed in the continued presence of the Tomorrowland Raceway, the odd mix of attractions had to include this elaborate backstory.

The official Disney photo looks great!

There would be found one unexpected adventure in the plans. ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter. Depending on your point of view, this was either one great Walt Disney World attraction or one that never belonged in a Disney park. Count me among the former. Happily. What could the Imagineers do to successfully revamp the old Mission to the Moon / Mission to Mars building? Apparently, something incredible!

My first and only experience with the attraction came at the end of the 20th Century. Arriving at the Magic Kingdom park one early evening, I could not wait to get to the New Tomorrowland. I was not disappointed. The visuals were staggeringly beautiful, especially after dark when the neon lighting appeared. Here was the one stateside Tomorowland I could get excited about after watching the original in California deteriorate before my eyes.

We had just been to Paris the year before, and we absolutely loved every part of the beautiful Disneyland Paris resort. Discoveryland and its Jules Verne retro style was a treat. 

I was curious to see the American version of Le Visionarium. Very glad to have it on our turf. The Tomorrowland Transit Authority was present and accounted for- in my book a staple of great Tomorrowland design. The glowing Space Mountain loomed in the near distance, and our entire family had our eyes on another great journey to outer space. Yet it was this small theater show that I was most looking forward to experiencing.

We approached Alien Encounter with an excitement we didn't expect. It's not too often we get to try out a Disney attraction for the first time. Even rarer to do so for a scary one! I'd heard many stories of families with young children who had left traumatized. Not knowing what to expect, I was still compelled to discover the horrifying truth for myself. My family, including youngest son, was game for it, too. We just couldn't resist!

X-S Tech invited us to "Seize the Future". What a wonderful opportunity to visit this company due to their generosity of hosting an open house. Or was there something more? Wandering inside the building, the more serious, some would say ominous, tone of the attraction was quite a surprise. The upcoming theater experience was only intensified by the eerie music coming from the speakers.

My wife and I gave our kids the big pep talk, particularly preparing our nine years old for a thrill on par with the Haunted Mansion- but a little more "up close and personal". We seated him between both of us and held his hands while his teenage siblings sat on both sides of us. The lights dimmed- and the thrills began.

Sitting in the soon darkened theater, every move of the alien brought shrieks- shrieks of laughter that is. Even our youngest found it great fun. I am not a horror movie fan, especially when it came to slasher flicks, but who ever thought (implied) blood and gore could be so much fun?!? 

As we exited the show, we couldn't stop talking about it. We spent the rest of our evening in a fairly empty Magic Kingdom, hitting the Florida mountain range and a quick trip with the Pirates of the Caribbean. It was a great night under the stars, full of the magic Disney promises.

Expecting Alien Encounter to be around for a long time, we never took another ride. Wish we had as it closed a mere eight years after its premier. Yes, it was a shock for us. Disney, especially in Florida, left its attractions up for years with replacement or rehabilitation. But it was gone, now only to be enjoyed on You Tube.

Wouldn't you know it, the suits at Disney had to revamp it with the now mandatory toon tie in. Above, Stitch, as he ruins a once original and spectacular attraction.

This wonderfully frightful attraction almost came to Disneyland in California as well. Unfortunately, it never arrived.

So, here it is at Walt Disney World via YouTube- scary yourself silly! ExtraTerrorestrial Alien Encounter

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

Horizons Had It All

There's something, well, magical, about this concept art for Walt Disney World's Horizons attraction at EPCOT Center. Is it the nighttime glow? Partially. The use of blues, greens, and purples with small touches of red and yellow give the artwork a sizzle and mystery that came to life in real life after dark. (Click on it for a huge size.)

Perhaps its the memories I have associated with the attraction itself...

The idea of stealing away on a beautiful Florida night- of course right after a brief storm- and venturing into the future through a building that sparkled in the moonlight made the attraction very hard to resist. There was a quiet elegance to Future World back then, when the whole park operated late into the evening,  when shopping and drinking around World Showcase weren't the main reasons for a park visit, when the park hadn't been dumbed down by the character invasion.

The wonders inside the beautiful Horizons building didn't disappoint. From the storyline to its unique execution through various medium, Horizons drew in guests. The lengthy show time was a plus: you actually had time to mentally leave your current place and time to venture into a new world. Soaking in the wonders around you, immersing yourself in its emotional impact. There's something 2 and 3 minute attractions like Mission: Space (the replacement) cannot achieve. 

Then, there's the music. Sure, the lyrics in the vocal pieces had an innocent cheesiness. But it was at once compelling and hopeful all the same. The instrumental pieces, however, stunned in their presentation and power. Mind blowing! 

Check out this ultimate Horizons music tribute:  


If you want more, just search the Insights blog for more, more art, more photos, more commentary on the EPCOT Center of old. It really was something then!

(Art and music copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

Epcot at 30: Just Imagine

Half way through our look back and forward at Epcot at 30 years, let's take a short break and look at what could have been. All is takes is some imagination and money.

You could almost subtitle this post as "Dream EPCOT Center" because there is so much that could have been done to refresh the park instead of trying to re-energize it by adding thrills at the cost of theme integrity. But we armchair Imagineers don't really have to live in the real world and balance the financial risks with the practicalities of life. Still, let me dream a bit...

A quick look at Future World shows the company understood there needed to be some alteration to keep the audience interested. In contrast to the choices made, it should have been possible to add to the pavilions instead of just replace old favorites. Add the thrills for a younger crowd mix, but respect the origins. Epcot could have become a three day park! And it is a park in which my guess is it holds the highest revenue earnings in shopping and in the restaurants. Win-win.

Like many of the older original Audio-Animatronic attractions, the signature Spaceship Earth would have seen benefit from a few well placed A-100 figures new to the ride. The dazzling effect of perhaps a new A-100 Da Vinci painting the Mona Lisa would have made guests do a double take. Especially those who made the journey a must do every visit. Throw in just a couple more, and the attraction feels frsh and first class once more. The truth is, without any constant changes to this attraction, it runs the risk of becoming the Adventure Thru Inner Space of Epcot, ie the make out spot.

In my dream EPCOT Center, Horizons would still be around but also freshly updated. There was no need to tear it down to build Mission: Space. Why couldn't the updated older attraction dump guests into a waiting area with real live options like space travel (door one to a separate entrance to Mission:Space), desert excursions (door two to something like a Test Track), a third door to another destination, and the last to exit the pavilion. Of course, Test Track and Mission:Space could also have been accessible from their own entries as well. It would just tie everything together while allowing Horizons to really take you somewhere. 

There's no excuse for the other Future World spaces to become "tooned" in order to be relevant, specifically the Land, the Living Seas, and Universe of Energy. These themes should be able to successfully encompass new thoughts and discoveries. Nor was there any need to tear down old attractions instead of adding new ones to the mix. This would please old school purists and also bring in new fans. 

The same could be said for Imagination. To an EPCOT fan, deconstructing it into what it is today by removing Dreamfinder and turning Figment into a small little pest is akin to removing one entire act from Disneyland's Pirates of the Caribbean, removing the Auctioneer, and inserting screens to simulate fire and other effects. It just shouldn't be.

In contrast to what the suits understood about Future World needing change, they seemed to think it was alright to let World Showcase stagnate, resting on the Old World charm. There seems to be one inherent problem with this section of the park besides so little attractions being added: transportation. It could be fairly easily solved with some money and creativity. Why not create a pseudo but functional version of the Metro from Paris? Allow guests to enter stations which lead them to trains to move around the park more easily. Imagine being able to depart from a station hidden toward the back of Germany or Japan and find yourself moments later in the backstreets of China or the United Kingdom pavilions. Guests could be dumped into the shopping districts while the actual tunnels the trains travel through could also offer above or below ground visual delights. It's as if the Walt Disney World Railroad was launched into the future.

And about those never built countries- really? No excuse except for wanting to make a buck by not spending. In my dream EPCOT Center, we'd find the Netherlands, Russia, Egypt, Peru, India, and more. And yes, guests would find hotel rooms above the shops and restaurants a la Westcot. The gondolas of Italy would be put to use. That Rhine River Cruise would be built, and we would be able to Meet the World in Japan. You would find a family friendly version of Moulin Rouge in France, tea ceremonies in China and Japan, and a small Harrod's in the U.K. Add an elegant American restaurant instead of just a fast food location, by the way.

The possibilities are endless, but the stories continue. Next two days: Why Epcot can never be what it once was and why it can. Come back as we conclude our week long look at the most forward looking of Disney theme parks.

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

Nineteen Years Without Walt Disney World

As a Disney geek, I find it hard to imagine. Nevertheless, my sister and her husband are right now at Walt Disney World nineteen years after their last visit in 1992. (Photo above with most of all the kids in our family circa 1992.) Absolutely unbelievable. I am thrilled for them!

Imagine experiencing a whole new theme park (Animal Kingdom), Test Track, Mission:Space, and Soarin' at Epcot , Toy Story Midway Mania and Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, and Rock N Rollercoaster for the first time. Of course, they also have to deal with the dumbing down of Tomorrowland at the Magic Kingdom, the disintegration of the Imagination pavilion, and the same old World Showcase at Epcot. I'll report back in the days ahead with what could be a very interesting perspective on the current state of Walt Disney World through the eyes of someone not quite as fanatical as the rest of us.
(Photo copyright Mark Taft.)

Epcot: Mission Space Revisited by Imagineering

Another piece from the new Imagineering book: a proposed but never used concept for Epcot's Mission:Space. The scope and scale seem massive, much more impressive than what was eventually built! Just look:

Oh, what could have been, oh, what will never be. Mission: Space seems to be Disney's most expensive "E" Ticket flop ever!

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

Future World Becomes Discoveryland

Now that the D23 convention is over, and the announcement for the Magic Kingdom's Fantasyland has been splashed all over the internet, I started thinking about other "leaked" plans and ideas for Walt Disney World.

If you are a big Epcot fan (or an even bigger EPCOT Center fan), you also wondered why absolutely nothing was announced for this park. These old and abandoned plans (above) for a revamped Future World probably got your heart racing a bit. Let's face it- Future World needs some help! We've got a shuttered Wonders of Life, an Imagination attraction that lacks the fun factor and charm of the original, and the mish mash that is Innoventions. What we discovered with this plan was not all that encouraging however.
Let's look closer- Spaceship Earth becomes Time Racers- a high speed attraction. It's joined by a roller coaster themed to the rain forest, and the elegant Living Seas gets a character infusion. (Guess we cannot win them all!)

As time goes on, it seems pretty clear that neither the Disney Company executives nor the Imagineers themselves can come up with a concept to bring Future World back to the leading edge of design and technology. Or it may just be an issue of money to fund it.

Although Soarin', Mission:Space and Test Track thrills guests, they represent a contemporary version of what is out there. Much like the character invasion of the Disneyland style Tomorrowlands, these attractions are fun, but they represent moving in the wrong direction.

Where is the vision for the future? What represents the hope of tomorrow or the concepts that will change the way we live? It is missing in action. At least until another visionary like Walt himself shows up with the ideas and clout to bring the Future back to life.

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

More Than Movies!

Don't let the name fool you- Alain Littaye's new Disney and More Movies blogsite is a gem, chock full of concept art by Disney Imagineers as well as Disney movie information. One of his most recent posts presents this piece of amazing artwork for an unrealized version of Mission: Space at Epcot. Well worth a view or two!
(Artwork copyright The Walt Disney Company.)