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.)

Epcot at 30: First Time is the Charm

There's an old saying that there's nothing like your first time. It happens to be true when I speak about our first visit to EPCOT Center. In an unexpected twist, it almost instantly became our favorite Disney park. 

Back then, World Showcase opened the same time as Future World, so we entered the park and almost walked right past Spaceship Earth and directly to the Mexico Showcase. Of course, we were not immune to the charms of the future as portrayed by Disney. In fact, I remember clearly just staring at the huge silver sphere. Couldn't take my eyes off it, but I had to get to the World Key Information Stations inside Earth Station to book meal reservations. 

We had to wait a bit, but we made ourselves busy by watching a terrific kaleidoscope of images previewing the wonders we'd soon encounter.  Just the presentation and the surrounding area felt fresh, optimistic, and inspiring. We made our way to the front of the line and to the screen. 

This truly was a touch of the future. In fact, in 1982 touch sensitive computer screens were something of a rarity. The Bell System (at  divestiture the attraction would then be officially sponsored by AT&T, the company I worked for at the time) and its branch Bell Laboratories really were bringing us the future of communication. Moments after a young woman came too the screen to help us with our meals choices, we were on our way. 

Deciding to bypass Future World for the time being, we strolled into Mexico.  It and China next door just seemed to beckon us compared to Canada and the United Kingdom. The lone pyramid and the small cantina gave us no hint to what we about to see.

Until the changeover from El Rio del Tiempo to the Gran Fiesta, the sights, sounds, and feel of Mexico made it our favorite place in all of World Showcase. I won't bore you with the details of El Rio del Tiempo, but I will tell you, we were enchanted by it and wished it had lasted even longer than it did. (If you want to see lots of art and images plus links to video etc, just search on the site for "Cinco de Mayo" or go here for one of many posts.) Having been to Baja California, Mazatlan, and Acapulco, I have aways had a soft spot for the country. The old boat ride gave the pavilion a touch of glamour and mystery that the new version replaces with cheap marketing. It's too bad. We wandered around inside the moonlight, so glad we were returning for lunch.

Naturally, we followed along the promenade and continued on to China. For younger readers, it's important to remember that at the time, few people were given the ability to travel to this country, thereby making a visit to a fairly accurate representation of the landmarks of the country all the more alluring. This was only enhanced by the nationals who were privileged to work there. And there were no Disney themed items to be found in the shops of World Showcase, only authentic goods right from the countries represented. It was as close as an authentic experience a traveler could get without hopping on an airplane. Needless to say, we were again stunned by the beauty of the landscaping and architecture, thrilled by the 360 movie, Wonders of China.

Making our way around, we stopped at Germany and Italy, winding up at the American Adventure. We very impressed by the show, (Disney always makes you proud to be an American) but disappointed there was nothing else to represent our country. The view back to Future World and Spaceship Earth- wow, the park was huge.

We chose to head back toward Mexico for lunch as we had waterside dining reservations at the San Angel Restaurante.  It was dark, cozy, romantic- and we so enjoyed the margarita, queso fundido, and our main course. It was my first taste of Mole Poblano and not my last. We ended our lunch with another cruise on the river, then headed back into Future World.  

By this point in time, the crowds were heavy back in the other end of the park, and it was fairly easy to get to the big ticket attractions of Future World.  First stop, Journey Into Imagination. My father-in-law worked for Kodak at the time and for his entire career, so we had heard great things about what Disney came up with. In a word, magical! Figment and Dreamfinder were delightful and will always be the "hosts" of the park.  (I cannot tell you what a bastardization of the original attraction this new version is. You'd have to experience it to know.)  before I became a collector of sorts of Disney park memorabilia, I purchased a Figment of my own. I have him to this day. Magic Journeys in 3D (a new thing!) was a great second attraction to the pavilion, and the Image Works was just plain fun. We stayed almost two hours- something you could not pay me to do now.

"Just make believe you're a tiny little seed..." The Land is our favorite of the original Future World attractions that are still in the park. Up until the point Horizons debuted a few years later, this is where the future was in Future World. The Listen to the Land boat tour was the perfect way to share the latest in farming technologies to the public. "Edutainment" at its best. The film Symbiosis was preachy at times, but the cruise through the greenhouses made learning fun. Kitchen Cabaret brought it home for the kids. The silly presentation about nutrition, while enjoyable, was not on par with the much better Audio-Animatronic musicals found in the Magic Kingdom. However, it wasn't meant to be a headline attraction either.

Starting with the following morning when we would return for a second full day at EPCOT Center, breakfast at The Good Turn would become a tradition until it became too expensive or too difficult to book. We always enjoyed the warm Florida sun streaming through the greenhouse dome, and intentionally stretched our meal time long enough to rotate into the darker showroom of the boat cruise. It's in the hidden places such as this that Future World has its own unique charms. The future should be warm and hopeful, and it always was in the way Disney chose to present it upon the park's opening.

The Living Seas wouldn't come until later, so we stumbled through Communicore (now Innoventions). We passed through both East and West, and decided to make that area part of the next day. We were among those to vote for The Person of the Century poll. Kind of a fun thing to throw in there. My bet was Disney didn't like the results, and the show- and announcement of the winner- soon disappeared.

A journey on Spaceship Earth was a perfect way to continue our trip. It was very impressive, and I was pleased to see my employer was represented by such a fine attraction. The changes over the years have not taken away from the grandeur. After all, what can compete with a trip through the globe? 

In quick time, we went into the Universe of Energy. It's inherent surprises did the trick they were designed to do, but it was next door's World of Motion that we loved. 

Let me be clear- I love old school Audio-Animatronic adventures like Pirates of the Caribbean and the Haunted Mansion. They rely on story to bring the thrills and surprises. World of Motion easily held its own with these classics. From the train being held up (in a nod to the never built Western River Expedition) to the policeman on motorcycle behind the billboard, the attraction built to a grand finale- a ride through the city of the future. Humorous, informative and repeatable. (Gary Owen's narration was incredible in his signature style.) Motion became a three ride attraction for us, and we did it again several hours later after nightfall.  

Upon exiting and knowing the song "It's Fun to Be Free" by heart, we stepped into the Transcenter for the Bird and Robot / The Water Engine show followed by the automotive displays, a nice nod to the sponsor. 

I'm all for thrill rides-  and I love Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, Expedition Everest, and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad- but there is something about these older lengthy and leisurely attractions like those mentioned above that really take you out of present day reality and into another realm. This is something Disney does better than just about anyone, but this fact about immersion is almost lost on the current batch of Imagineers... and park guests trained to run from ride to ride! Without the balance of all kinds of attractions, the audience is limited. This is why parks like California Adventure 1.0 and Animal Kingdom are not as popular as they could have been. 

Evening meant a return to World Showcase starting with Canada. The signature attraction, "Oh, Canada!" had nothing on its Chinese counterpart. This was not the case when we viewed "Impressions of France".  Superlatives are not enough, so Imagineers and Budgeteers, isn't it time to update the film and give it a technology upgrade as well? It's a masterpiece. So is the pavilion it is built around. A late night stroll through "France" and then around the promenade basking in the glory of a beautiful Florida evening was the perfect way to end our first visit to EPCOT Center. 

We'd do it again the next day by starting in Future World and then working our way through World Showcase, starting with Canada this time. From here on out, Epcot would always be a two day visit. The changes over the years would not always please us, but this one single theme park is the reason I return to Walt Disney World.   More tomorrow...

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company. Photographs copyright Mark Taft.)

An Interruption in Our Epcot 30th Coverage

Please forgive this cutting in on the Epcot 30th anniversary celebration dance. Just have to mention this article - with photographs - I just read. Many people I know do not seem to believe that Christians are persecuted in this day and age. Well, that's not the case. This recent article describes persecution (execution) of Christians in Egypt and Yemen. I can't close my eyes to this any longer. Warning: explicit photograph...  Go here for the article.

Epcot at 30: Delayed Gratification

October 1, 1982 seemed so far away once the announcement came that the Disney company was finally building a version of Walt's final dream- EPCOT Center. And now, 30 years later, the promise of the future and the excitement that came with it seems so long ago.

Since my wife and I were about to be married in April of that same year (Happy Anniversary again!), a trip to Walt Disney World to see the park would have to wait. However, our honeymoon to the Bahamas did include a couple of nights at the Florida complex. It was with the glowing hearts of newlyweds that we rode the monorail from the Transportation and Ticket Center to the new park. I should say through the new park, as it was still under construction and there was no scheduled stop. 

As we cruised through the darkness closer and closer to the site, my heart began to race as I excitedly shared what the Imagineers had planned for the new park. I couldn't wait to see it! My wife knew what she was getting into when she married me- I was a self confessed Disney park freak from the beginning (and in the years to come, she'd be so gracious with me as we enjoyed each new park as it came, including those in Paris, but not in Asia- yet.)

Spaceship Earth. I couldn't imagine the reality, I was stuck with the dream. Yet, the reality was as good as promised. It glowed under the Florida moon. What an icon! I could see the Universe of Energy and then the World of Motion. I knew I'd come back one day, but it was my first view of World Showcase that did me in. All those landmarks beckoned, but as fast as I saw everything, it all disappeared just as quickly. 

For every visit since, the monorail ride gave me a rush as I spied the countries alongside the World Showcase Lagoon. There have been many visits to the park, but I'll always remember this time when we couldn't get in. I'd hang in suspense for a year, but my day was coming...

(Photograph copyright Mark Taft.)

Epcot at 30: Past, Present, Future

On Monday, Epcot celebrates its 30th birthday. Next week, I'll present a series of articles covering the park in its present and past state and why it can never return to its former glory... and why just maybe it can. Come back Monday- and every day all next week!

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

Watered Down

I was thinking this morning that the Gospel message is not nice. It's about death- Jesus choosing to die for us, then him asking us to take up our cross and follow Him, dying to self. I do not want to make the Gospel nice by watering it down so it appeals to everyone. Why do what Jesus didn't?

Iron Man or Tron?

What's it gonna be? Tron Light Cycles from Shanghai Disneyland or a brand new Marvel Iron Man based thrill ride? Disneyland's Tomorrowland has long been in need of a revamp. The problem is the place is a thematic mess as it stands now. Nemo, Buzz, Star Wars, and on and on.

Imagineers are hard at work on prepping the spot which will take over Innoventions. An announcement should be forthcoming. Disney has got to make some quick decisions to battle the new Harry Potter at Universal Studios in Los Angeles, and the upcoming 60th anniversary of Walt's original kingdom will give the suits a perfect excuse to say it is not because of Harry. After all, Disney can't admit they are playing catch up.

In a perfect world, both attractions would make its way to California. If a third theme park at the Disneyland Resort is gong to be Marvel themed, give us Tron now, Iron Man later. Regardless, I have a soft spot for Frontierland, and I'm hoping Tony Baxter's new project isn't cut back because of the expense to bring something fresh to Tomorrowland. Gosh, just think. Disneyland may need those new Main Street back alleys after all!

(Photograph copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

Lovin' The Voice

As a long time American Idol fan, I have to say that The Voice hits all the right notes. The nicer than last season Christina Aguilera still annoys me at times, and the talented Mr. Green's antics with the ladies are just creepy, but the constant bickering between bromancers Blake Shelton and Maroon 5's Adam Levine make for interesting television. Ultimately, the main gimmick does not tire out, and the contestants themselves are the real reason for watching. Talented and gutsy. It's competitive reality television at its best.

(Photograph copyright NBC/The Voice.)

Rancho del Zocalo Shines

One of my favorite places to eat at Disneyland is the Rancho del Zocalo. The food is pretty good for a theme park, but its the rich environment that makes it a winner in my heart. The lavish attention to detail and Old World charm make me feel millions of miles away from this present time- something Disney parks are known and loved for their ability to do.

When I viewed this evening photo by Paul Hiffmeyer on the official Disney Parks Blog, I knew I needed to capture it for myself. Stunning!

(Photograph copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

Tebow Upsets Critics From Both Sides

Just heard Tim Tebow did a photo shoot for Vogue that will cause a stir. (Not this photo, above, taken years ago and touched up). This newest photo shoot is with renowned photographer Annie Leibovitz. 

You know, people can complain about him all they want- and he's not perfect- but you have to applaud his willingness to be open about his love for Jesus. Too many people who profess Christianity decide to not be open about it where they work. And I don't mean "obnoxious" either, just real about their lives. Time to move on, people.

Top Ten Carpenters Albums to Date

Right from the A&M Corner- I couldn't resist. No compilations or Christmas albums included...

(11.)    “Ticket to Ride”-  Adventureous first album.  Standouts: title song, “All of My Life”, “Nowadays Clancy Can’t Even Sing”

10.   “Passage”- When it’s good, it’s great. When it’s bad, it’s awful. Standouts: “Bwana She No Home”, the underrated “All You Get From Love is a Love Song”, “Don’t Cry For Me, Argentina”, “Sweet, Sweet Smile”

9.   “Made in America” – Same as above. Really- At first listen, I despised the “Wedding Song” long before I knew the behind the scenes story. No love for the Broadway style. Standouts “Strength of a Woman”, “Somebody’s Been Lying”, “Touch Me When We’re Dancing”.

8.    “Now & Then” -  Mixed bag. The Oldies did not wear well over time. Standouts: “This Masquerade”, “Yesterday Once More”, “Our Day Will Come”.

7.  “A Song For You” -  Great singles mixed with toss away tracks (“Intermission”, “Crystal Lullaby”, “Piano Picker”) which move it lower in ranking. Standouts: “Hurting Each Other”, “Goodbye to Love”, the title song.

6.   “Voice of the Heart”- Sentimental favorite. Would be ranked higher if not for chorale vocals. Gorgeous photo of Karen.  Very tasteful presentation under the circumstances. Standouts: my favorite Carps song of all time “Ordinary Fool”, “Now”, “Your Baby Doesn’t Love You Anymore”, “Look to Your Dreams” (an exception to the Broadway rule), “Sailing on the Tide”.

5.    “Carpenters” – Warm, by the fireplace music. Would rank higher if not for the barrel bottom “Druscilla Penny”. Standouts: the three single releases plus  “Let Me Be the One”, “Hideaway”, “Sometimes”, “Bacharach Medley”.

4.    “Lovelines” -   Strong and Weak. Standouts: “Lovelines”, “If We Try”, “Where Do I Go From Here?”, “When I Fall in Love”, “Kiss Me the Way You Did Last Night”, “If I Had You”.

3.      “A Kind of Hush”- Best overall package, music and art. Very soft but beautiful. Second place for “Worst Carpenters song: Goofus”. But it comes with the award for “Happiest Personal Memories Associated with an Album”. Standouts: “Boat to Sail”, “I Need to Be in Love”, “One More Time”, “I Have You”, plus the title song is my ultimate guilty pleasure.

2.      “Close to You”- the one that started it all for me.   Still stunning after 40 years.  Standouts: “We’ve Only Just Begun”, “Baby It’s You”, “Love is Surrender”, “Maybe It’s You”, “I’ll Never Fall in Love Again”.

1.     “Horizon”- elegant, classy, best recorded sound of Karen’s voice ever.  Standouts: “Only Yesterday”, “Desperado”, “Solitaire”, “I Can Dream, Can’t I?”, “Aurora/Eventide”, “Love Me For What I Am”.

This is part of a continuing series on the albums of Karen and Richard Carpenter. There are so many stand alone posts highlighting different aspects of their career, recordings, rare photographs, and life that I've lost count. 

Below is the list of my "Revisited /Fresh Look" reviews and then my initial ones a decade earlier. Each have different photos and clippings.

My Revisited / Fresh Look at the albums:

Offering / Ticket to Ride
Close to You
Carpenters 
A Song for You 

Now & Then

The Singles 1969 - 1973

Live in Japan

Horizon

A Kind of Hush

Live at the Palladium

Passage

The Singles 1974 - 1978

Christmas Portrait

Karen Carpenter (The Solo Album)

My Initial Reviews of the albums:

Offering/Ticket to Ride

Close to You

Carpenters

A Song for You

Now & Then

The Singles 1969-1973

Live In Japan

Horizon

A Kind of Hush

Live at the Palladium

Passage

The Singles 1974-1978

Christmas Portrait

Made in America

Voice of the Heart

An Old Fashioned Christmas

Time (Richard Solo)

Lovelines

Karen Carpenter (Solo)

As Time Goes By

Disney Poster Art Book Worth the Price

The Poster Art of the Disney Parks just arrived at my doorstep. It's a perfect book for a long winter's day when dreaming about the parks is as close as its going to get for this Californian longing for home. 

It's certainly not full of text, although there's some good information to be found in it. It's really all about the art. There's plenty of it in full page glory. If you've a soft spot for the original Disneyland graphics and the classic attractions they represent, you will be very, very pleased. Epcot fans might be a bit disappointed, as will those for the 3rd or 4th Walt Disney World parks. Some on Tokyo (especially on the gorgeous Tokyo DisneySea), many on Paris, a couple on Hong Kong, and absolutely nothing on Shanghai Disneyland. 

That said, it was to my delight that the posters of California Adventure 2.0 are found here- and even more delightful to find they were designed by the incredibly gifted Greg Maletic. All said, a worthy and beloved addition to my Imagineering collection.

(Art copyright the Walt Disney Company.)

Not My Cup of Tea

While certainly not my cup of tea, I am mildly curious to see California Adventure's Mad T Party for myself this fall. I am a fan of the classic Alice in Wonderland movie. Love the Disneyland attraction even more!  Not so much a fan of Johnny Depp's and Tim Burton's work on this Lewis Carroll classic. But, as I said, if it is part of the revamp of California Adventure, I may just have to see it for myself. That is if I can tear myself away from Buena Vista Street, Cars Land and Radiator Springs Racers!

(Art copyright The Walt Disney Company.)

Don't Ever Forget

Cowards come in all shapes and sizes. But today, let's focus on the heroes. Never, never forget their sacrifice to fix a deadly and shameful attack. Need I say more? God bless the United States of America!

Poster Art of the Disney Parks in the Mail This Week!

Considering I ordered this book back in April, I think I've been very patient! Poster Art of the Disney Parks looks to be an instant favorite of Disney park fans all over the world! Vanessa Hunt and David Handke have assembled the ultimate collection. Including rejected concepts for attractions posters and posters from Disney parks worldwide.

If you are interested in a sneak peak of sorts, you can view my Disneyland Attraction Posters series beginning here. It's full of various artwork and stories involving the evolution of the park over the years. I start with Main Street U.S.A., and all that's left is Tomorrowland, and I hope to have it finished soon!

(Art copyright the Walt Disney Company.)