Epcot needs a thrill, badly!
Walt Disney World: Epcot needs a thrill, AKA coaster! Any hope?
Ok, I like Epcot as it is unique, but it's really missing something badly; a Thrill! Epcot has this worldly and outer worldly theme, and yet it has no coaster or thrill ride which helps keep me a returning visitor! Sorry, what they have don't classify as a thrill ride to me! Disney costs so much $$$ they need to offer a thrill for those bucks! Anyone know if they have any plans to put a thrill (coaster) into their park?
I really don't think a roller coaster is necessary in Epcot. Do you not get enough thrill from Mission: Space or Test Track?
i do agree, a roller coaster in epcot is not really needed. it's not that type of theme park.
Yeah, I don't think it is a theme park that needs a coaster. As much as I would love Epcot to have one, it doesn't seem right. Now, a highly advanced dark ride seems more like an Epcot ride!
Disney is spending a boat load of monies for Star Wars additions in Hollywood Studios. I do not believe they want also spend by adding onto Epcot at this time.
If the attendance numbers fall drastically, then they would have to.
ryan, what kind of a dark ride would you suggest to put in epcot?
i think spaceship earth, sorin, mission space (plus ellen's energy adventure), that's enough indoor atractions for anyone
perhaps extend the opening hours of the rides though- not sure if it's the same as it's ages since i went... but the rides used to shut at 7. let's compare that to magic kingdom for a second. lol..
Oh I agree, it's the reason I don't really like going to Disney parks. It's unbelievable to think about what they could pull off with Intamin or B&M instead of Vekoma (nothing against them).
However I just don't see it. I went to Disney once and don't have any plans to return but Epcot isn't really a thrill park along with disney in general, which is why it is not really for me. People can talk about a whole new park dedicated to thrill rides but it'll never happen, I don't think. And that's okay, as far as I know Disney is doing just fine.
Disney World would need a coaster like California Screamin' but Everest fills the roll as the major coaster. It's not extreme or anything but a true world class coaster with some thrills. Plus, they have Rockin' Rollercoaster, who could forget. So Epcot doesn't have that sort of ride but at least there are others at the other parks.
Emily, I was thinking of a thrilling dark ride (i.e. Tower of Terror, Mission Space). Obviously they wouldn't use the same ride systems, but if Epcot got an outdoor ride, it wouldn't be Epcot for all of the rides are indoors! Honestly I think World Showcase could use a new ride or two just to make the history part more interesting! Now there would be the perfect spot for an indoor coaster!
With Epcot's themes of course a themed roller coaster would fit right in and yes, in my opinion this park does need one badly! Every theme park should have at least one roller coaster. Agree, this park has enough indoor rides and attractions. Me and my friends all feel Epcot needs to offer a coaster to bring us back. No matter the park my family/ friends want a coaster. Soaring is a pretty film of US geography but I don't consider that at all a thrill ride. Mission Space feels like those spaceships that spin at the fair. All the money of Disney and they can't provide one coaster at their park, sad! Even Sea World which is about sea animals understands this need and they have 3 coasters; 2 adult and one for the children/ family. It brings the people back more often.
I don't think EPCOT needs a coaster at this point. What they really need is for Future World to be totally made over with new/upgraded pavilions and new exhibits. There are too many empty/underused pavilions now and most of the educational exhibits are pretty lame. I have always thought Disney Quest would be a nice fit in Future World as well.
Epcot is the 3rd most visited park in the country behind two worldwide icons. It doesn't need huge, "I can see it from the free way", roller coasters. In fact Disney parks in general are the juggernaut they are because of their focus on family attractions, not huge steel coasters. Thats how millions of people keep walking through their turnstiles.
I do believe Epcot could benefit from a new attraction, especially in World Showcase, but a huge roller coaster is not appropriate at Disney World and especially at Epcot.
From Tony Duda
Posted June 29, 2013 at 9:28 PM
A version of the Grizzly roller coaster at the Canada pavilion would be perfect.
Can't really see it. Epcot is #6 in global attendance, only behind MK, Disneyland and 3 of the 4 foreign Disney parks. It's still the second most visited park in Orlando. There was a 2.2% increase in attendance from 2011 to 2012. Where's the need? It was never designed or intended to be a thrill park and it never should be imho. It's been described as a permanent worlds-fair and if it had been done to Walt's original vision, it would have been even further away from being a thrill-park then it is now. So it's simply not the place for one imho.
Universal Studios Florida thought a coaster would improve attendance i.e., Rip-Ride-Rockit...it didn't significantly...only Potter did, and it wasn't on account of the rethemed coaster that was already there (Dragon Challenge). It was themeing and immersiveness. That's the real pull for most people. So if Epcot needs anything, it's more advances in themeing and immersiveness.
I just can't see where one would fit, unless you did an indoor version like Rock'nRoller Coaster or Revenge of the Mummy. Maybe Wonders of Life? Heck, at this point if it means getting SOMETHING in there I'd be all for it? A fast, thrilling ride through the "human body" anyone?
Epcot has enough thrill without a roller coaster. Epcot is perfect just the way it is. It's really not the type of park that needs a roller coaster. The current attractions along with the world showcase is plenty. A roller coaster in Epcot just wouldn't feel right.
Mission: Space and Test Track were two additions in order to draw more people to the park who seek out thrills. I feel like those two attractions are enough thrills for Epcot.
From Phil B.
Posted July 1, 2013 at 10:59 PM
Well Ellen always seems to be rumored amongst fans as being on the block, perhaps that show building can be repurposed for some type of coaster thrill ride. Wonders of Life lays dormant next store as well. I HIGHLY doubt they would demo both buildings, but if they did it would leave a huge footprint for a nice sized coaster/thrill ride. The only other place that looks like a large enough footprint for something would be in World Showcase where Village Traders currently sits. Brazil keeps surfacing as the next country in WS, if this happens then perhaps a ride based off of Brazilian folklore executed along the lines of Revenge of the Mummy could be built.
Disney is all about the skyline and feel of things. The Rockin Roller Coaster is completely hidden from view and Expedition Everest has just enough coaster viewable to tease you. Where would you fit a coaster into the overall skyline of EPCOT? I don't think it could work. Now Mystic Manor..... that could work.
EPCOT is not a thrill park, and in fact, WDW as a whole is not about "thrilling" guests. The resort is about immersing guests in stories and different places, which I feel that EPCOT does better than any other WDW park. Just because something is fast or rides on steel tubular track does not make it a superior attraction. Afterall, WDW's fastest attraction is at EPCOT (TestTrack).
There were rumors circulating for years that Imagineers were trying to figure out a way to install a roller coaster inside Spaceship Earth, but the existing ride was so integral to the support structure of the sphere, that there was nothing that could be done.
No I do think there could be some more motion-based attractions in World Showcase to keep crowds in the park a little more spread out (only Mexico and Norway have actual rides in their pavillions). The movie and animatronic-based attractions are fine, but one e-ticket in the back of the park would space crowds out a bit more. It doesn't have to be a roller coaster, and I don't think a roller coaster is really appropriate for any of the existing or proposed future countries in World Showcase. Something like Forbidden Journey or Indiana Jones/Dinosaur would be much better, and easier to incorporate into the themeing of a country than a straight roller coaster.
I agree that epcot needs more investment, I worked there 20 years ago and the only significant new things to be added since then are Soarin, Test track and Mission. I guess you could include the Nemo makeover. That's not much in 20 years! I am not so sure myself about a rollercoaster - maybe, but definitely some new 'dark' rides - maybe at the country pavilions taking you through the history, culture and experience of each country. The only rides are Norway and Mexico and they could be so much better and need updating. But I guess it's all about sponsorship.
EPCOT needs a Prince Harry lookalike who roams about the Rose & Crown and then out into the streets.
Epcot is the only Disney park without a roller coaster..just saying.
Id love the idea, but it needs work.
Epcot is a "private world exhibition" style park.
The only problem with Epcot these days is not that it lacks a thrill ride (which will only serve to be even more confusing to what it "is"), but the lame "always less informative" attitude in the management of both main sections. Instead of more up to date explorations in science and technology, every year there is LESS. Instead of closer encounters with the spirit and culture of the countries, it's weakening downwards to more redundancy leading to eating-drinking-shopping.
Epcot needs "thrilling cultural news", not thilling rides...
From Tony Duda
Posted July 14, 2013 at 4:07 PM
I agree with Herwig but it is a business. To paraphrase PT Barnum (IIRC), no one ever went broke underestimating the public's intelligence. Or another saying: Just remember that no matter how stupid you think the average person is, half the people are stupider than that.
Wow, that sounds rather harsh. I should just say that playing to the lowest common denominator is how money is made (or so the business people think). Everyone seems to love shopping and eating more than learning.
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