tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23143199.post117125604460307249..comments2023-11-05T00:52:41.562-07:00Comments on EPCOT Central: EPCOT's 25 ... and No One Seems to CareEpcot82http://www.blogger.com/profile/14763893513279437902noreply@blogger.comBlogger40125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23143199.post-74289499633950218822007-10-01T16:25:00.000-07:002007-10-01T16:25:00.000-07:00As a working cast member at WDW im going to have t...As a working cast member at WDW im going to have to disagree with alot of things that has been said about EPCOT's 25th. Disney is celebrating the milestone. I was at the park today, and we gave out special buttons to every guest..Marty Skyler was at the park all day today and they did have a special ceremoney in the morning, on top of all that Illuminations will have a 4min tag on the end of it and they will attempt to break the guenis record for the most fireworks shot off in the shortest time. WDW my not have done alot of plublisity for the 25th..but the Food and Wine festaval is already going on and brings in alot of people anyways...and im not sure that wdw wanted to spend alot of money on the 25th because spaceship earth is getting compleatly refurbished and is eating up alot of the budget. WDW also did alot for their cast members in celebration for the 25th that alot of people didnt get to see or even know about....so yes Disney did celebrate Epcots 25th but maybe with out as much glamar as the other parks get.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23143199.post-48891027459128927532007-02-25T13:57:00.000-08:002007-02-25T13:57:00.000-08:00Lots of good ideas here. I guess the biggest thing...Lots of good ideas here. I guess the biggest thing that saddens me about not celebration this birthday is what its says about society. Its pretty sad when what is suppose to be an idealistic park about society, can’t even escape the money crunching and short term thinking of today’s world. Honestly, if you want to get disney to listen I would go ahead with planning an event for the 1st of October, get email confirmation on whose coming (it looks like the event site already has this) and then bring it to the media. <BR/><BR/>Send out a press release; if you don’t know how to, do some research as just leaving a voice message will not get as much attention. Put a contact number down for whoever can do a good job of speaking and conveying the message, and they’ll probably phone up the person to at least see what its about. If they like the story they'll run it and maybe even get a photographer to come down to the park and take a picture of the group (they might have to do it somewhere else for legal reasons though, I am not sure). <BR/><BR/>Seriously, its not as difficult to get media exposure as most people think, I’ve done it on multiple occasions and as long as you present yourself properly, have a good story that isn’t trying to sell something, the media will typically respond. If disney responds as well as epcot82 says to public embarrassment then I think this could actually do something, exactly what I don’t know. But it would add another dimension to the event and would at least make an impact. <BR/><BR/>Disney is different then most companies as what they do means something to people and can have a large impact on society. They don’t just have to answer to their shareholders, but also to the paying public who are the ones that ultimately keep them going, and if anything I hope this strengthens the obvious fact that screwing over the public does not, and will not work. Just stand your ground during and when planning the event, get the media involved, and you could actually make a difference.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23143199.post-16814653254018405272007-02-19T11:23:00.000-08:002007-02-19T11:23:00.000-08:00Epcot does need to celebrate it's 25th b-day! Us f...Epcot does need to celebrate it's 25th b-day! Us fans should celebrate it's b-day online!!!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23143199.post-58732882480279715002007-02-19T10:02:00.000-08:002007-02-19T10:02:00.000-08:00Just thought I'd post another update to this. Kev...Just thought I'd post another update to this. Kevin Yee over at Miceage just confirmed that he's heard this as well. I do believe he heard it secondhand from someone at laughingplace who said they heard it from a good source, so it could all just be another he said she said thing, but there's confirmation on this coming from different sources. Of course that doesn't mean anything but it does lend some weight to it.Kevin Carterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13482520379371342662noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23143199.post-78258503534821227202007-02-18T14:51:00.000-08:002007-02-18T14:51:00.000-08:00Yeah I read that. I hope its true- but I'm not hol...Yeah I read that. I hope its true- but I'm not holding my breath yet.GreenCapthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10372091267882482287noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23143199.post-22098001740033423732007-02-18T06:18:00.000-08:002007-02-18T06:18:00.000-08:00Have any of you guys seen the new post over at the...Have any of you guys seen the new post over at the re-imagineering blog yet? I'm not letting it get my hopes up too high yet, but these guys haven't been known for going out on a limb for rumors before. <BR/><BR/>I'd be curious in reading all of your interpretations of their post.Kevin Carterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13482520379371342662noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23143199.post-61894907506323989502007-02-15T12:15:00.000-08:002007-02-15T12:15:00.000-08:00http://miceage.com/guest/gu021507c.htmI still thin...http://miceage.com/guest/gu021507c.htm<BR/><BR/>I still think that this has to deal with who comes to the Park. If they are taking better care of DLP which has just started making money...for its 15th birthday, why isn't this type of TLC coming to EPCOT?J Gall.https://www.blogger.com/profile/01999260407256791127noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23143199.post-20076514787053651292007-02-14T20:26:00.000-08:002007-02-14T20:26:00.000-08:00Actually most every time I've been on Haunted Mans...Actually most every time I've been on Haunted Mansion (one of my faves) at WDW the crowd, foreign or domestic, tends to just chit-chat during the whole pre-show. At first I always get annoyed but then I just tune them out and recite the Ghost Host's spiel to myself.GreenCapthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10372091267882482287noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23143199.post-5687568560013622862007-02-14T20:17:00.000-08:002007-02-14T20:17:00.000-08:00Well, I'm not sure I'd necessarily call it Disney ...Well, I'm not sure I'd necessarily call it Disney magic when they do that at Disneyland, since it IS kinda disrespectful to the kids (mostly) who have never experienced the attraction, and to those who would like to really get the whole feel without "commentary." I can't say I haven't done it myself, but it borders dangerously on behavior akin to talking in a movie theater! Sometimes, you just like to enjoy the experience without others interfering, and, seriously, think about kids who have finally worked up the "nerve" to go inside, only to find a bunch of rowdy adults! That said, Disneyland IS for having fun, so it's a double-edged sword.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23143199.post-22220210657764844132007-02-14T18:12:00.000-08:002007-02-14T18:12:00.000-08:00J. Gall, I agree.WDW guests are absolutely differe...J. Gall, I agree.<BR/><BR/>WDW guests are absolutely different than at Disneyland and it's smart if the brass sees it. On the Haunted Mansion elevator ride in WDW, people are silent, listening. Many are from Europe and South America, and it's only their first or second time on the ride.<BR/><BR/>In Disneyland's elevator, you rarely find yourself able to hear the end of the spiel because (and I lustily take part) nearly everybody is saying the words along with the narrator -- "To find ... a way OUT!" followed by at least one piercing scream.<BR/><BR/><I>That's</I> Disneyland magic that no other park can touch.<BR/><BR/>I have always believed Alien Encounter went into the wrong park. At WDW, it's iffy, even if that may be from management show decisions more than public regard. But in Disneyland, the original Alien Encounter would have had a cult following.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23143199.post-76489966604461658512007-02-14T11:33:00.000-08:002007-02-14T11:33:00.000-08:00Considering Disneyland, It wasn't a matter of rein...Considering Disneyland, It wasn't a matter of reinventing the park.... it was a matter of restoring those things that made it truly special. Matt Ouimet did an excellent job taking a lackluster 50th celebration and making it a huge event -- mostly by adding fresh paint and some TLC to the attractions. I think visitors were happy just to enjoy a renewed Disneyland. Certainly there are places like Tomorrowland, that were tragically disfigured, but improvements are still being made to this day.<BR/><BR/>If anything can be learned from this, it is that visitors respond to such an approach. Word gets out that they are doing fantastic stuff to the parks and people decide once again to start taking that annual trip. Epcot is a perfect candidate to take advantage of such an approach. Certainly there are some cosmetic changes that I feel need to be made to the park... but since the "clutter" is mostly superficial it should be easy to correct. They should focus on Innoventions and the Entry sequence to have the greatest impact.<BR/><BR/>What we are mostly concerned about is a re-commitment to the original inspiring theme of the park. That can be reinforced by changing signage, restoring the concept of logos for the attractions, creating printed marketing materials that support the theme -- basically restoring the "ideas" that originally tied the park together and made it special. Combine all this with a return to the name "EPCOT Center", and one has a very powerful marketing approach.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23143199.post-10498630612283722382007-02-14T10:20:00.000-08:002007-02-14T10:20:00.000-08:00Charles,I think that the Disney brass is just more...Charles,<BR/><BR/>I think that the Disney brass is just more interested in the Cali parks b/c the Cali parks need to reinvented to keep the people from the transRockie west to keep coming back. I've been reading alot about the WDW and how when it was purposed 95% of all Disneyland guests were from Colorado and West. There was a very small world coming to DL. Saint Louis and then Lake Buena Vista was the answer. With a boundless number of people to continue to visit WDW from the rest of America and the whole world Florida can coast, man I'm punny, while Cali gets "special" treatment b/c it's a special park. This of course is my opinion.J Gall.https://www.blogger.com/profile/01999260407256791127noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23143199.post-81607715461282327342007-02-13T22:26:00.000-08:002007-02-13T22:26:00.000-08:00Nice shirts, SirNim. It always astonishes me what...Nice shirts, SirNim. It always astonishes me what good designs are at CafePress and other online sites -- designs NOT created by Disney (no doubt soon to be shut down, sadly, so do patronize SirNim's "store" soon!), which doesn't understand the value of or appreciate the audience for these nostalgic, "classic" designs.<BR/><BR/>To your first point, needless to say, I can't see why that decision was made, either.<BR/><BR/>"Rude" is a very good way to put it. They are indeed being very dismissive of the very people (guests, passionate ones) who have helped make their parks successful. By continuing to make the parks more and more geared to kids and teens, they also lose out on those of us who probably won't bother making a big deal out of "indoctrinating" our kids, nieces, nephews, etc., to a Disney that increasingly sends one basic and ever-more-aggressive message to its guests: Give us more of your money.<BR/><BR/>It's becoming so blatant as to be offensive. But I digress. Sort of. Because EPCOT, as with most other Disney theme parks, wasn't developed to be a commercial/retail venue ... it and they were created to realize an idea, a concept; to bring a vision to life. Yes, they turned out to be great retail locations, too, but that was beside the point.<BR/><BR/>If you've seen the latest ideas put forth by Disney to develop small "niche" entertainment locations around the U.S., you just know that these are calculated to get the most money out of your wallet while providing the least actual expenditure from Disney. They smack of overt money-grubbing. (Not to mention the fact that Disney tried and failed at this concept 10 years ago.)<BR/><BR/>I think those of us who engage in discussions on this site are driven to do so because we found in EPCOT Center a place that spoke to us, reminded us that the world is a remarkable place, spurred us to think and discover things on our own, and seemed to have been created not out of a desire to increase revenue but to inspire and excite. Its theme and CONCEPT came first, not its bottom line. We're so opposed to what EPCOT has become not because we dislike the individual elements, but because they smack of blatant commercialism. We know Nemo's not there because he legitimately gets kids interested in oceanography, but because they'll pester their parents to buy more Nemo toys. We know the Three Caballeros aren't invading the Mexico pavilion because they thematically fit, but because Disney wants to sell more Donald Ducks.<BR/><BR/>The more I write about EPCOT, the more I read the comments people send me, the brilliant observations they write here, the more I am saddened by what EPCOT Center -- and, by extension, The Walt Disney Company -- has become.<BR/><BR/>It can't <I>really</I> all be about making more money than ever before.<BR/><BR/>Can it?Epcot82https://www.blogger.com/profile/14763893513279437902noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23143199.post-52842967519264414632007-02-13T19:33:00.000-08:002007-02-13T19:33:00.000-08:00At the very least, I can't see how the decision wa...At the very least, I can't see how the decision was made NOT to publicly celebrate the 1st of October as a one day, one park event. It's ludicrous, considering that it fits in perfectly with the theme of "Year of a Million Dreams" as the greatest manifestation of Walt's last dream.<BR/><BR/>Great ideas for marking the anniversary for less than $100,000. A new welcome announcement would be, well, quite welcome... And with the new projection technology that Disney has been experimenting with off-and-on the past few years, it certainly wouldn't take much financial effort to project a large golden "25" on what may hopefully be a Wand-free Spaceship Earth.<BR/><BR/>The idea of handing out buttons with the old Center logo reminds me of the designs I came up with for homemade 25th Anniversary t-shirts ( http://www.cafepress.com/epcots25 ), one of which I will certainly be wearing should I be able to work 10/1/07 into my schedule. Honestly, if Disney issued 10 different t-shirts or other pieces of merchandise with a well-designed "Epcot's 25th" logo on them, they would all be in my collection. As so many have pointed out, if only from a merchandising perspective, a refusal to acknowledge the anniversary is just so frankly rude to the millions of guests who have been inspired by Epcot over the course of its 24 1/2 years...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23143199.post-7830749541763136872007-02-13T18:45:00.000-08:002007-02-13T18:45:00.000-08:00The best kind. ;-)The best kind. ;-)Epcot82https://www.blogger.com/profile/14763893513279437902noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23143199.post-14802717678178946592007-02-13T18:23:00.000-08:002007-02-13T18:23:00.000-08:00Will do, '82!It was so depressing going to EPCOT l...Will do, '82!<BR/><BR/>It was so depressing going to EPCOT last year as I hadn't really kept up with the changes they had made. I knew of the additions of Test Track and Mission Space but honestly didn't realize that they were built on the corpses of two of my favorite attractions. I walked around the park in a daze. I had been there the month EPCOT opened and had been back several times since. I really can't see myself recommending the park to anyone right now as I used to do frequently.<BR/><BR/>Anyway, I'll let you know if I hear anything- I left my contact info for the editor I called. I also stressed in my message (which maxed out his voicemail... heh) how much the development of Orlando was tied to Disney expanding out and opening EPCOT and why it is such a shame that Disney can't seem to respect that.<BR/><BR/>Ain't I a stinker?GreenCapthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10372091267882482287noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23143199.post-17752751232575505382007-02-13T18:07:00.000-08:002007-02-13T18:07:00.000-08:00Brilliant, Greencap ... way to go! Please feel fr...Brilliant, Greencap ... way to go! Please feel free to direct them to this blog if they'd like to read some comments from disappointed folks. ;-)Epcot82https://www.blogger.com/profile/14763893513279437902noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23143199.post-2711840543542530692007-02-13T13:16:00.000-08:002007-02-13T13:16:00.000-08:00As a recently new lurker here and a fellow disappo...As a recently new lurker here and a fellow disappointed EPCOT Center dreamer I wanted to thank you for all that you are doing here and hope that somewhere, sometime that someone at Disney will listen.<BR/><BR/>That said I wanted you to know I called and left a voicemail for one of the Lifestyles section editors at the Orlando Sentinel pointing out the lack of 25th anniversary celebration and some of the problems that Epcot (sic) has been suffering from as of late.<BR/><BR/>Thanks again and we'll see how it goes.<BR/><BR/>Eric Peterson aka GreenCaptGreenCapthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10372091267882482287noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23143199.post-47819451724803852452007-02-13T10:38:00.000-08:002007-02-13T10:38:00.000-08:00Many thanks for the perspective, as always, Epcot8...Many thanks for the perspective, as always, <B>Epcot82.</B><BR/><BR/>They launched <I>that</I> web site in 24 hours? (I hadn't looked at Disney's site in weeks, so thanks for the heads-up.) Holy Toledo. They were building it for a long time beforehand, no doubt, but I would not want to have been on that web development team when the word came down to push it into production.<BR/><BR/>The results are pretty impressive when the management actually decides to do something.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23143199.post-88000462969268034202007-02-13T09:36:00.000-08:002007-02-13T09:36:00.000-08:00St. Chris & Anonymous, I can only offer my own opi...St. Chris & Anonymous, I can only offer my own opinion based on nearly a decade working at Disney corporate: There are only two things that Disney responds to, a decrease in revenue and a public embarrassment.<BR/><BR/>While a single person's decision to cancel a trip won't cause a noticeable decrease in revenue, I do hold to my belief that one of the only ways Disney will take its hardcore fan base seriously is if those people <I>stop going to the parks</I>. It is impossible, as any parent knows, to simultaneously support and discourage behavior; that is, you can't tell your kid to stop acting up and then give him a candy bar. That's essentially what happens when hardcore, non-kid fans like you and me get all huffy about the creative decisions Disney has been making ... and then continue to patronize the parks. I feel strongly that if those who are discouraged by Disney were to cut one or two visits/trips to the parks out of their plan, Disney would see a significant hit and start wondering what's going on. (Better, if fans could get themselves organized enough, it could be pretty significant to plan "a month without Disney.") But Disney's management cares only about money and financial performance, so money is all that they respond to.<BR/><BR/>Except ... Disney's management can't <I>stand</I> being embarrassed in the media. You'll never see a faster response than Disney management trying to rectify a wrong that is called out in the Los Angeles Times or the Orlando Sentinel. The most recent case in point: Disney was running at least two weeks behind on the promise Iger made to have the new Disney.com up and running by the end of January. Then, the Los Angeles Times ran a news story about this delay. Disney responded angrily within the piece (claiming that they were still within the time period that Iger had envisioned, even though they were nearly 10 days behind the deadline he publicly gave), and it was clear from the tone of their spokesperson in the article that they had been caught with their pants down. Within 24 hours ... you guessed it: Disney.com's new site was up and running.<BR/><BR/>That's just one of many instances I could give you that show how media pressure is pretty much the only other thing Disney responds to. If the Orlando Sentinel and/or Los Angeles Times were to pick up on Disney's precedent-setting lack of a 25th anniversary for EPCOT, that could help, er, motivate management.Epcot82https://www.blogger.com/profile/14763893513279437902noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23143199.post-37545408868695611712007-02-13T08:47:00.000-08:002007-02-13T08:47:00.000-08:00If a large group comes anyway, that sends one mess...<I>If a large group comes anyway, that sends one message: "We didn't need to waste the money celebrating it."</I><BR/><BR/>If a large group comes anyway, that sends one message: "We should have been ready with commemorative merchandise and a coordinated marketing event."<BR/><BR/>If word gets around that people gathered at Epcot because it was the 25th anniversary -- and word <I>will</I> get around; the cast members will talk about it in their backstage meetings at the end of the day -- someone will recognize the missed opportunity. Let Disney's merchandising people hear about the guests walking around with home-grown "Epcot 25" t-shirts and think, "Damn, we could have sold them those." You want to dish out an object lesson? Show them the market they wrongly ignored, not the apathy they take for granted.<BR/><BR/>Or, you know, just go because you want to. I'm going to Epcot because I love Epcot and it's the 25th anniversary. Do we need Disney to tell us when we can or should celebrate anything?<BR/><BR/>I invite anyone here with a better feel for the Disney corporate mentality to weigh in on this. (And I mean an <I>actual</I> feel, not an armchair opinion.)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23143199.post-30192545230516778332007-02-12T21:16:00.000-08:002007-02-12T21:16:00.000-08:00I am very torn on the fan-based celebration. Ther...I am very torn on the fan-based celebration. There is a part of me that loves that, but there is another part that doesn't want to fuel Disney's decision. If a large group comes anyway, that sends one message: "We didn't need to waste the money celebrating it." I, for one, will be cancelling the 25th anniversary trip I was planning and may send Disney a letter saying so. It is very sad that the first non-kingdom park will not have anything stated for it, and I guess I will flex the only muscle I have with the company... my $. It is very sad to see this happen, but I feel very strongly about not supporting what I view as a mistake.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23143199.post-71751854063623866522007-02-12T20:18:00.000-08:002007-02-12T20:18:00.000-08:00Hmmm...If the Walt Disney Company was smart they'd...Hmmm...<BR/>If the Walt Disney Company was smart they'd open a park on leap year day Feb 29. That way they could only celebrate every 4 years!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23143199.post-50979413380879257772007-02-12T18:37:00.000-08:002007-02-12T18:37:00.000-08:00I think it's obvious why they don't plan to celebr...I think it's obvious why they don't plan to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Epcot. They would be inviting too many comparisons to the "glory days" of EPCOT Center, and would point out most vividly how the park has deteriorated since.<BR/><BR/>Basically, they don't celebrate the anniversary because there is nothing to celebrate.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23143199.post-24848437503430279912007-02-12T18:13:00.000-08:002007-02-12T18:13:00.000-08:00The people I have talked to who are planning the g...The people I have talked to who are planning the get together on Oct 1 are set in making sure its not a trek-a-thon and making sure its for die hard fans and casual fans as well. I doubt we'll see any banners or major protests. They just want to get a large gathering of fans to celebrate the park if Disney refuses to do it themselves.Kevin Carterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13482520379371342662noreply@blogger.com