Disney's direction

[Neo Fender]

Been gone awhile. I joined Intercot back in 2000 and I haven’t posted here since 2010. I’m aging out of Disney’s larger demographics. Our two kids are (mostly) grown and we moved from Florida back in 1996 so the few visits we’ve made to WDW since that time have felt more like checking off a to do list as opposed to a proper vacation. Our last visit was in 2010. I’m making this point because I am not quite the Disney devotee I once was so my observations may be from someone more likely on the outside looking in.

I get Disney’s tradition of co-branding. Disney did it before there was a term for it, if one would call Snow White’s Scary Adventures and the Snow White movie a valid example.

It looks certain that Disney’s California Adventure is heading toward a Pixar-Marvel theme. The (Hollywood) Tower of Terror is set to be re-skinned with a Guardians of the Galaxy theme. This sort of pop theming already permeated World Showcase at Epcot (Frozen). Disney Studios is overdue for an overhaul, so I’m sure it’s ripe to go the way DCA is going.

I made the observation here well over a decade ago that Epcot, specifically Future World, looked like it was asleep. Granted, I haven’t visited in a number of years but based on everything I can see hear and read, Future World has gone comatose. I also get that Disney needs to target young and emerging generations but (and this is just one example) re-theming The Living Seas into Nemo’s…whatever it is - was not an improvement. Ellen’s Energy Adventure was a neat refresh for a while but now it just seems contrived.

I actually feel sorry for Epcot. It has fantastic scope in its layout, architecture, landscaping and overall vision but the inspiration and imagination that shaped that creation is long gone. I don’t know what Disney’s plan is for Epcot but I don’t envy them – they have a challenging hurdle ahead.

I don’t mean to come across as a curmudgeon. I can even tolerate an animatronic Johnny Depp crashing Pirates of the Caribbean but Disney’s needs to rely on ingenuity, originality and a far, wide vision for the future for its theme parks and back away from tying its attractions in with forgettable, fleeting movies.

Just my $.02.

[Arielfan98]

I understand where you're coming from. There's actually another thread on the "Theme Park" forum titled "Is the Service Really Declining? Where's the Proof?" and I think you may find it interesting. People are asking all the same questions. Unfortunately, I don't think there is one answer as to why EPCOT is declining. A bunch of factors include lost sponsorship and not so great ideas.