EPCOT Made Simple

EPCOT Center’s first 15 years were marked by a design aesthetic I always found both ennobling and surprisingly playful. Yes, I know some of you don’t agree, but even if you found the design more in keeping with Mussolini’s style of over-the-top grandiosity (albeit in a distinctly modernist mode), there was one aspect of EPCOT that no one I know could criticize:

The logos.

Oh, yes … the logos!

Now this was a brilliant concept: Reduce the grand scope and ambition of expansive attractions down to their absolute core essence, and then go one step further – create an overall design program that brings these disparate elements together.

There was the "radioactive" Universe of Energy; the virtually literal Living Seas; the straightforward (and oddly exciting) Horizons; the iconic Spaceship Earth ... and more, of course, including the main EPCOT Center logo that literally tied five of the circles (representing the original five attractions) together with a globe that represented both Spaceship Earth and World Showcase.

You could take the logos simply at face value -- as representing individual attractions -- or find even greater meaning in their careful design.

What Disney’s Imagineers created in EPCOT’s original graphics program was slickly beautiful and astonishingly ahead of its time. (No doubt AT&T's graphic artists at least thought about the original Spaceship Earth logo when designing that company's "spinning globe" symbol.)

Any great logo or symbol seeks to make a simple, easily understood graphic representation out of a difficult, abstract concept. It’s tough enough to do that for a single concept (like a corporation) … but to do it eight times for a single park, to create a strong, unified vision that not only identified individual components but also served as a way to tie them together … that was brilliance, pure and simple.

Compare the sleek, instantly indentifiable logos of EPCOT Center – created 25 years ago – at the top of this post to the busy, hard-to-read logo for the new Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor attraction at the Magic Kingdom. Now, bear in mind that in these deceptively simple circular logos, Imagineers weren’t just communicating the concept of a single ride or show, but of an entire, multi-faceted pavilion.

The logos could be understood and appreciated whether or not you spoke English, whether or not you were even old enough to read – they immediately told you where you were and, when used on park signage, where you wanted to go.

They made EPCOT Center simple, but they didn’t dumb it down. Many guests, myself chief among them, could envision a day when logos like this would define our lives, when we would spend our day orienting ourselves not through words and images, but graphically. The logos were in some ways the very definition of a “world showcase,” one we could all understand at a glance and easily navigate, even if we had different ways to communicate or interpret the experience inside.

The EPCOT logos were, in many ways, the apotheosis of the promise of EPCOT itself: A complex and exciting, vibrant, ever-changing world rendered simple and clear on the surface, at once homogeneous and plain, yet rich and varied. I loved those logos.

I guess it’s not a surprise, then, that they were among the first things to go when Epcot got “Disney-ized.” They truly set the place apart.

Like EPCOT itself, they exist now mostly in memory – perhaps waiting, like EPCOT, for the day when someone can appreciate their meaning and reconcile the Disney that created them with the Disney that destroyed them.

EPCOT's Brand of Magic

For all the discussion of what's wrong with EPCOT*, for all the criticism (justifiable, I believe) of what it's become, there's also a side of EPCOT that all the tinkering, all the cartooning, all the Pixarization, all the teen-flavored additions can't destroy.

Every visitor to EPCOT Central probably has his or her own favorite "definition" of EPCOT. For me, the spirit that Disney hasn't yet destroyed is felt most when walking along the World Showcase promenade right after a summer sunset.

In the summer months, that happens somewhere around 8:30 p.m. The heat of the day is finished, perhaps there's been a nice dinnertime break, and now, well, you know what's going to happen shortly. That's right -- Illuminations: Reflections of Earth is starting soon. Crowds are gathering along the lagoon, some people have been there for hours.

True, in its zeal to separate every last dollar from families with small children, Disney began a few years ago allowing carnival-barker-type hawkers of needless and cheesy doo-dads (light necklaces, LED whirligigs) to set up shop right in the middle of the promenade, and their presence does detract.

But it doesn't destroy.

Because with just the barest trace of light in the sky, with a deep-purple Spaceship Earth "hovering" in the background, with dramatic lighting illuminating every World Showcase pavilion, and with Illuminations pre-show music playing gently throughout the speakers, this is truly a magic place.

It's not the sort of cheap, over-commercialized "magic" that Disney tries to sell today, it's the magic that Disney used to make so effortlessly ... the magic that comes from designing and creating a place that is unique in the world, one that exudes both charm and comfort, that welcomes you and doesn't try to "sell" you. About a decade ago, it was described as "the architecture of reassurance," but it's more than reassurance, though that is most inarguably a factor. It's an assurance and an insistence that this little slice of land in the middle of Central Florida is exactly right.

As you look to one side and see, for instance, the serenity of Japanese architecture or the statleliness of German design, you look to the other and see, across a calm, reflective body of water, a colorful reminder that our future is as optimistic as our past. Just as the Japanese, the French, the Norwegians, the Moroccans developed a style that is distincly their own, Disney (and, by extension, "we") have envisioned a future that stylistically may be worlds away but esoterically is as timeless and confident as anything else in the world.

World Showcase at this time of night is a relatively calm place, too large and, owing to its curved designed, not linear -- which means that we can, at once, make out every other bit of this section of EPCOT from no matter where we are standing, but we can't see down a "main street" in front of us. That presents us with an illusion that we're not surrounded by mobs of people all straining either to find an exit or wait for the fireworks; rather, it propels us forward at a gentle pace -- we can see what's up ahead, but we can't see the road in front of us. It's an unusually tranquil design conceit for a theme park; it doesn't create a sense of urgency in us to do anything but keep walking forward at our own pace ... or to find a spot to sit and take it all in.

That's what's best about this twilight-hued EPCOT: It lets us move at our leisure, allows us to absorb it all with our eyes and ears.

If it's possible to have a "quiet theme park," a nighttime EPCOT is it. It's a beautiful place.



* Sorry, but try as I might, I just can't bring myself to use the lower-case "Epcot." It just isn't right. "Epcot" isn't a word; EPCOT the acronym, whether followed by Center or not, still fits.

Apologies to Orson Welles

While watching The Third Man on DVD tonight, I got to thinking:

Walt Disney for forty years had near-financial ruin, naysayers, critics, turbulence, but produced Disneyland, Mary Poppins, Pirates of the Caribbean and the Golden Age of Animation. And current Disney management has had prosperity and 25 years of financial growth and opportunity. And what did they produce? The Seas With Nemo and Friends, California Adventure, Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor and lower-case Epcot.

Big Anniversary News! (No, Not EPCOT's)

A reader sends this link to a story in the Orlando Sentinel, touting a major new arena (apparently on WDW property ... though I can't tell for sure from this article), announced as part of the 10th anniversary of the Wide World of Sports complex.

Yes, there are festivities, ceremonies, events and news announcements being made about this unbelievably important anniversary of the Wide World of Sports -- a section of WDW that, despite having been there 15 times or so in the last 10 years, I have never visited. Have you?

So far, though, I've heard several anonymous assurances from readers that there will be something done to celebrate EPCOT's Silver Anniversary (most likely just some merchandise). Despite that, no actual word from Disney that they really will recognize the incredible contributions of EPCOT Center. And why should they? I mean, really, when you can celebrate the 10th anniversary of a sports complex instead ... ?

Why Should Disney Care About EPCOT?

Twenty-five years ago, the company then known as Walt Disney Productions opened the gates of its newest theme park, the reality-based, unusual and civic-minded EPCOT Center. It was an ambitious place, greeted both by critical praise and derision, and its opening was accompanied by a marketing and PR campaign perhaps unequalled in Disney's history.

Nothing Disney had attempted prepared the public for what they experienced at EPCOT Center. If it was a "traditional" theme park, where were the rides? EPCOT offered large-scale, immersive experiences, not simple diversions. Where was Mickey Mouse? EPCOT stressed not "Disney-style" entertainment, but expansive "surveys" of themes that were key to understanding our world and its future. Where, for all of that, was "Disney"? EPCOT emphasized learning and discovery, not "magic" and "fun."

By the time it opened, nearly 16 years had passed since Walt Disney died. But the vast majority of early guests remembered Walt the man, not just Walt the brand; they still understood his fascination with science and futurism. For a great majority of them, "Disney" didn't just mean the Mickey Mouse Club, cute cartoons and fairy tales -- "Disney" also taught them at school through popular educational films whose subjects ranged from math to health, from chemistry to anthropology.

Combining education and entertainment was nothing odd to these guests, and EPCOT was simply a grand extension of the concepts and ideas that they had seen presented in Tomorrowland at Disneyland and The Magic Kingdom, combined with a "real-life" It's a Small World.

During the next 10 years, EPCOT Center experienced a pattern that has become well-known to theme-park observers: After a massive burst of public interest, things settled down. Compared with the inaugural 18 months, succeeding years saw a steep decline in attendance. Disney responded by adding attractions and pavilions to EPCOT, ones that had been part of an overall expansion plan in place from the beginning. These new attractions, like the Norway pavilion, the Wonders of Life, Horizons and The Living Seas, opened at regular intervals and fit in beautifully with the overall conception of EPCOT Center as a "permanent World's Fair." For a while, it seemed, EPCOT would grow, expand and change in ways that seemed almost organic.

Then, about 12 years after EPCOT opened (and about five years after its last major addition), something happened. Disney was pursuing other theme-park opportunities both in the U.S. and abroad. Corporate interest (from Disney and from sponsors) began to wane. EPCOT was no longer the "new" theme-park darling -- it had competition, and much like a less-popular but over-achieving student, it had a hard time garnering the attention it needed.

Despite the extraordinary early promise of EPCOT, Disney turned its attention elsewhere. For most theme parks, that would hardly mean much; if executed well, they can retain their high quality over time. EPCOT, however, was different. Inherent to its basic concept was a need for constant change and enhancement. EPCOT required huge amounts of work to keep its attractions current and relevant, and Disney's lack of interest began to have serious effects.

That leaves us where we are today, looking at an EPCOT Center that has become "Epcot," and that is a marketing albatross around Disney's neck. On one hand, it pulls in more-than-respectable numbers year after year; it's the Energizer bunny of theme parks -- it keeps going and going, almost despite itself. On the other, guests aren't always kind to Epcot in exit polls. It has long struggled against a misperception (seemingly encouraged by Disney) that it is "boring" and "educational."

Marketing folks at Disney, who generally are some of the best in the world, seem to have little concept of how to present EPCOT to the public. Is it a "fun" park? Is it a "thrill" park? Is it a place to see Disney characters, or a place to escape from them? Is it for adults? Is it for children? Is it a place families can go together? Watch any Disney vacation video and you'll see what I mean: The Magic Kingdom, Disney-MGM Studios and Animal Kingdom have very clear identities; EPCOT just sort of flounders. What is it, exactly?

Disney doesn't seem really to care. As long as EPCOT makes its numbers, management will continue to ignore it. They'll pump it full of Disney characters, aiming to make it something recognizably Disney.

But that's precisely why Disney should care about doing something more with EPCOT.

Twenty-five years ago, EPCOT proved something extraordinary: It proved that the attributes that defined "Disney" in the public's mind could exist apart from the Disney name. That was a huge leap. Guests understood inherently that EPCOT upheld the Disney ideals even though the Disney name was virtually nowhere to be found at the park. EPCOT proved that Disney could effectively and successfully create non-Disney branded entertainment.

Remember, EPCOT opened about a year before Touchstone Pictures debuted, so it was a doubly important revelation that "EPCOT Center" could become a brand name recognized as part of Disney even while it stood separately.

EPCOT proved that Disney knew what it was doing. It "segmented" the brand long before terms like "brand segmentation" were used very often.

Here's the most astonishing thing to me: EPCOT could still do the same for Disney. At a time when Disney looks to invest its money elsewhere to acquire "non-Disney" brands (think ABC, ESPN, Jetix, Miramax), it has its own internally developed non-Disney brand that, at its core, represents the very ideals and concepts inherent in the broader Disney name.

While reading the excellent Walt Disney: The Triumph of the American Imagination by Neal Gabler, I came across this bit of wisdom from Roy O. Disney. To put it in context, Gabler is trying to explain why the Disney Studios made through the Depression relatively unscathed while other entertainment companies almost went bankrupt.

"We have been doing our own gambling. This past three years will be a very good lesson to the people at large," Gabler quotes Roy O. Disney as saying. Gabler interprets this statement as "meaning apparently that others would have to learn to invest in themselves as well."

Seventy years later, does the lesson still apply? Finance and MBA types will tell you that it is impossible: The world has changed too much in 70 years for such simple concepts to be applicable. I don't believe it. Disney spends literally billions of dollars investing in brands that are supposed to "expand" its core audience ... and yet it has turned its back on the one non-Disney brand it already has and that already has a definition in the eye of much of the public.

EPCOT's central philosophies are very much those of Disney as a whole. EPCOT is sitting in Disney's own backyard (literally), waiting to be re-discovered. Why should Disney care about EPCOT? Because by investing in itself, by exploring all EPCOT could be -- which is, very different than any other theme park, providing a point of distinction that truly sets it apart from the other offerings in Central Florida -- Disney might realize that the future of its theme-park business was actually created 25 years ago.

This Is Getting Ridiculous

Here we go again.

First, it was the world-renowned, groundbreaking, must-visit Disney's Wide World of Sports that received publicity attention for its all-important 10th anniversary.

Then, Disneyland's Pirates of the Caribbean gets special in-park signage and a limited merchandise collection for its 40th anniversary.

Now, Disneyland Paris -- the most beautiful yet most financially troubled park Disney has ever conceived -- is getting a massive marketing blitz for its 15th annivesary. And we all know how important 15th anniversaries are, right? They must be very important -- much more so than silly 25th anniversaries.

Why do I think that? Because, as Matt points out in the comments section, even ... I kid you not ... the Disney Vacation Club gets commemorative merchandise for its 15th year!

Come on.

No doubt some of you reading this are DVC members, and you may already know my feeling about Disney's timeshare concept. (It's not enough that we pay hundreds or thousands of dollars to visit a Disney theme park; nowadays we're not considered "special" by Disney unless we cough up tens of thousands to buy in to the resorts.) But no matter whether you think DVC is great or the ultimate con, a timeshare concept is hardly unique ... is it really more worthy of new merchandise and special mention in press releases, while the genuinely revolutionary EPCOT Center gets nothing?

Is EPCOT's VP, Brad Rex, still saying that all Disney will be doing to mark the Silver Anniversary of the most groundbreaking theme park ever created is to have some private, backstage observances for cast members? So far, I've heard no official comment that indicates anything different at all.

So, at this point, it's clear: Disney really couldn't care less about EPCOT.

Why should they? That's an article I'm working on for the very near future.

In the meantime, read it and weep, folks ... Disney has announced yet another theme-park anniversary event, but it ain't for EPCOT. No, folks, 25 years of EPCOT just isn't good enough for our friends in Burbank and Lake Buena Vista. Sad.

(Oh, and if all this gets you as irate as I have become, you might want to consider sending a nicely worded and rational e-mail to Brad Rex letting him know you think EPCOT's anniversary deserves at least as much respect as, say, the Wide World of Sports complex or the timeshares.)

Anniversaries Everywhere ... Except EPCOT

Word comes in today from Mouseplanet.com that Disney is continuing its tradition of celebrating milestone annivesaries at its theme parks.

Except, that is, at EPCOT.

This weekend, Disneyland's Pirates of the Caribbean received the anniversary treatment, with a commemorative banner at its entrance as well as limited, collector's merchandise at the Disney Gallery.

You'll get no argument from me that Pirates of the Caribbean was enormously influential in the development of the theme parks. Although it opened after Walt Disney died, it proved his belief that Audio-Animatronic figures could provide a scale of entertainment no one had ever seen in an attraction, and though succeeding rides (particularly those in the last 15 years) have failed to realize the promise of the technology, Pirates changed theme parks forever. It doesn't hurt, too, that Disney has the big-budget Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End coming out this year.

But does a single ride, no matter how important, merit something that's not even being given to an entire theme park? Based on Brad Rex's comments to Allears.net, the only effort Disney is making to mark EPCOT Center's Silver Anniversary is to hold some "private observances behind the scenes for cast members."

Taken in conjunction with a press release touting the 10th anniversary of Disney's Wide World of Sports, this continues leading me to one of two sad conclusions about EPCOT:

1) Disney doesn't understand the important role it played in its own company and doesn't appreciate the impact it had on millions of people;

2) Disney just doesn't care.

Either conclusion isn't particularly pleasant, wouldn't you agree?

Back to the Future

I played a video game the other day called Thrillville. It’s a very cute game, geared more toward teen-agers than adults, though it’s based on an idea that took me right back to CommuniCore: building your own roller coaster.

That was one of the absolute highlights of my earliest visit to EPCOT Center – spending time at the computer station, touching the screen and listening to that crazy whistling beaver tell me whether the coaster track I chose was appropriate or not. The most outrageous aspect of your virtual coaster was the ability to have multiple loops; I can tell you this much, the things we “built” back in the early 1980s in Communicore pale in comparison to anything in the real world today!

I’d find it very hard to believe that the makers of Thrillville, or the Roller Coaster Tycoon games before it, didn’t visit EPCOT Center as kids and weren’t influenced by what they saw there. The theme park inspired many people in ways that its designers probably could never have imagined.

Today, the ideas that were on display in Communicore are remarkably commonplace. True, videophones aren’t in every home, but they are in every conference room in the office building in which I work. Talking robots are still for fun, but instead of being on display in theme parks they’re conversation starters in living rooms. “The Age of Information,” as it was called in the earliest Communicore incarnation, isn’t just upon us – we’re deep into it, and it has changed our lives in remarkable ways. Touch screens, scrolling computer graphics and instant polling were state-of-the-art technologies in 1982, now they’re so ubiquitous as to be unnoticeable.

Not many visitors to EPCOT Center in the early 1980s would have imagined their lives would be so influenced by the technologies that seemed novel at the time.

What was so appealing about EPCOT, Future World and Communicore was that it imparted a giddy sense of discovery in guests who tried out these technologies.

That’s one of the key elements that feels absent in today’s incarnation of EPCOT.

Every week, it seems, there are magazines and TV shows touting the technologies of tomorrow that are going to influence the way we live. There’s no dearth of material to pull from. I’m not a “techie,” but I realize that most of us are barely aware of the technology that makes our world work.

We live in a highly technical age, even though most people (like me) hardly realize it. Consider that, 25 years ago, the PC, the VCR and even the microwave were only just penetrating consumer consciousness. Now, they’re almost passé. Few could have imagined DVDs, plasma TV screens, the Internet and cell phones becoming so commonplace.

Last time I visited EPCOT, some cast members were riding around on ultra-cool (though not incredibly practical) Segway scooters ... but not even pausing to talk to guests who were pointing at them excitedly. Why wouldn’t they encourage that sense of discovery?

More importantly, couldn’t EPCOT be sold to potential sponsors by Disney as a fantastic way to showcase the technology they’re working on – not technologies that are six months away from being reality or are simply iterations of what we’ve already got, but truly “bleeding-edge” technologies that are going to impact our lives?

It’s a shame Disney doesn’t seem interested in exploiting this possibility at EPCOT – grrrrr, I mean Epcot. With some imagination, ingenuity and passion, Epcot could once again be a place to go to learn what our lives could be, not simply see new applications of Disney characters and video games.

EPCOT Center used to help us see how we were building our future. That future isn’t remotely finished. I’d love to learn more about it.

Is Bigger Better?

EPCOT Center was never your average theme park. From the moment it was conceived as a way to bring some of Walt Disney’s final vision to life, EPCOT Center was different than anything Disney had ever attempted.

Though, certainly, it never came close to the “city” concept Walt envisioned, it did attempt to bring many of that idea’s core components into the world: It put human ingenuity on display, showed us how some of the most important issues facing the world were being addressed, reminded us that we’re all in this together – and presented these difficult concepts in a fun, engaging way. No theme park was ever, or has ever been, like it.

One of the most clear differences between EPCOT Center and “regular” theme parks was its presentation of themed pavilions. Disneyland and The Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World had conditioned guests to expect elaborate ride-through attractions from Disney theme parks, but when it came to EPCOT Center, those weren’t enough.

Subjects like human communications, energy, transportation, imagination and the future were far too large in scope for a single ride. Though Disney had effectively explored some of the territory that EPCOT Center would cover with Adventure Thru Inner Space at Disneyland (introducing the basic ideas of physical science to guests), it was a short attraction that barely scratched the surface of what was possible to convey in a three-dimensional, immersive environment.

EPCOT Center’s ambitions were grand, and the way it achieved them was even grander. Instead of simply “going on a ride,” guests of this theme park would explore massive pavilions dedicated to exploring multiple facets of a subject. “The ride” was just one part of these enormous structures, each housing a ride, interactive areas, exhibits and sometimes even shows and multiple attractions.

It wasn’t enough to spend 45 minutes in line for a five-minute ride – not at EPCOT Center. Of course, the ride could be an end unto itself, but for Imagineers who designed EPCOT, the goal was to make the journey and the destination one and the same: discovery.

Not every pavilion was intended to offer the same mix. At the Universe of Energy, for instance, the ride was so gigantic in scale and offered such an astonishing mix of media that it took up virtually the entire building. Wonders of Life, on the other hand, presented a ride, an Audio-Animatronics based show, a film, interactive exhibits and stage presentations and even offered a quick-service dining area, all intended to promote better understanding of issues regarding the human body and its health.

To various degrees, The Land, The Living Seas, World of Motion and Journey Into Imagination offered a mix of shows and rides. Spaceship Earth, the park’s iconic centerpiece, primarily offered a (long) ride-through attraction, but at its base was what was designed to be the park’s entryway: Earth Station. While on one hand simply an updated version of “Guest Relations,” it was also the place to learn about EPCOT’s attractions, make reservations and – importantly – try out new communication technology.

World Showcase was much the same: Even in country-themed pavilions that had no rides or experiential attractions, there was a mix of shopping, dining and cultural education that made a simple “walk-through” of the pavilion difficult except for the most un-discerning of guests.

I realize you know all of this. But in the past few years, something has slowly happened to many of the pavilions, something that undermines this basic concept that made EPCOT so unique.

The “pavilion” concept is giving way to something much less, even though it is presented as something more. Test Track, Mission: Space, The Seas With Nemo and Friends – each of these (relatively) recently renovated “pavilions” emphasizes a single attraction, something to wait in line to see before moving on.

Of course, it hasn’t always been possible to completely remove what made the original pavilion so rich. At the former Living Seas, for instance, the centerpiece salt-water tank still exists … but that’s not why guests visit: It’s for the animated turtle named Crush. Most of the elaborate, deeply educational displays have been replaced with smaller, less interactive areas.

Test Track, likewise, still maintains a version of what was once called the “TransCenter,” but even more than before, guests make a beeline out of it at the end of their Test Track experience. The goal is riding the ride, then getting on to the next thrill.

Mission: Space, sitting on the site of what was once one of Disney’s most sophisticated ride-throughs, Horizons, likewise offers an exhibit area at the end of the ride, but virtually no one bothers to stop in it, and if they do it’s to play a video game or send an e-postcard to friends.

The key difference is this: The ride is the goal, nothing more than that. There are some minor distractions offered up once the ride is finished, but they’re no more than amusing diversions. They are not areas to linger in, places to explore and learn.

Learning at EPCOT, it seems, is finished. Though millions of tourists every year (families included) flock to vacation experiences that promise to blend entertainment and education, Disney has all but given up on that concept at EPCOT.

No doubt, some say good riddance. They welcome $175-million rides that give three minutes of thrills, attempt no greater edification, and then are finished. They are touted as bigger and better than what came before.

Bigger, yes. I’ll grant you that.

Video Memories

Unfortunately, YouTube has not yet upgraded its system to be compatible with the new Blogger/Google login.

Until that happens, here are some terrific links to YouTube videos that serve as testaments to the spirit, enthusiasm, excitement and promise that EPCOT Center held for so many years. Enjoy!

A Musical Preview of EPCOT Center

The 21st Century Begins Oct. 1, 1982

EPCOT Center in Less Than Five Minutes (caution: this one will really stir up memories; it's focused solely on Future World)

Spaceship Earth circa 1986 (With Walter Cronkite!) -- Part 1

Spaceship Earth circa 1986 -- Part 2 ("Let us go forth and fulfill our destiny ... on Spaceship Earth!")

"El Rio del Tiempo" Ride Through

"Maelstrom" Ride Through

An Update

Back in January, I detoured from my usual discussion of EPCOT Center to reflect on The Walt Disney Company's horrible decision to move the annual shareholder's meeting to New Orleans.

Many of you commented (both publicly and, even more so, personally by e-mail) that this move really should be taken at face value as Disney's efforts to bring attention and business to the New Orleans area, ravaged in 2005 by Hurricane Katrina.

The Associated Press reports today that this year's Walt Disney Company Annual Meeting of Shareholders was attended by ... 400 people.

Now, bear in mind that last year in Anaheim, Disney attracted (according to the AP) "several thousand" shareholders. Sure, it's true that Disney "webcast" this year's shareholder's meeting, but since there was no opportunity for interaction, the result wasn't much different than reading a transcript of the proceedings.

Could it be that the miniscule attendance in New Orleans is exactly what Disney wanted? What, then, are they running away from?

Could it be that they don't want to discuss the downsizing, outsourcing and selling-off of the theme parks? That they really don't care to get into a conversation about ABC's dramatically plummeting ratings? Could they be a little embarrassed by Bob Iger's $15-million payday?

Or is it, simply, that they are finally letting the "little guy" know that we really, frankly, don't matter? Sure, they want tens of thousands from each of us for a Disney Vacation Club "membership," and have put a sales kiosk everywhere (including EPCOT's Future World, above) but your resort toilet. But what about those who invest the same amount in shares of the company then expect an opportunity to voice an opinion about how the company is being run? Well, you're just plain out of luck.

Sorry to digress from the EPCOT discussion -- just thought it might be worth following up on my original post.

The Promise of EPCOT

At 11 a.m. on Oct. 24, 1982, EPCOT Center officially opened to the public.

Huh? What about Oct. 1, you say? Well, that was indeed opening day, but "The Grand Opening Dedication Ceremony," as Disney called it, came two weeks, two days later. Participants received a lovely souvenir booklet commemorating the ceremony.

It contained the words below. I find these fascinating to consider in light of many discussions I've had with readers about whether Disney "gets it" when it comes to EPCOT and its theme parks. Those debates will not be settled by remembering these words. However, the following inarguably reflects what Disney publicly said about why EPCOT was built, what it means and how it reflected on the entire Disney company.

At a time when Disney's public comments tend to be focused on things like on EBITDA, return on shareholder investment and analyst opinions, it doesn't hurt to remember how Disney used to approach their theme parks: with a sense of excitement, enthusiasm and a little bit of mystery:

IN CELEBRATION

Some twenty years ago, long before the opening of Walt Disney World, Walt Disney envisioned a place where the greatest feats of human imagination and invention could be communicated to the benefit of all people. He called his idea "EPCOT" -- the Experimental Protoype Community of Tomorrow -- for he wanted to present alternatives and possibilities for a better life ahead.

From the beginning, Walt Disney World has been planned, constructed and developed with Epcot concepts in mind. Futuristic designs and technologies have been put into action as a matter of policy -- monorail and linear induction power transportation systems, a solar-powered office building, state-of-the-art waste treatment processes, the first all-electronic, fiber-optics telephone system, and much more. Then, too, since 1971 Walt Disney World has been host to the world -- 130 million people from 100 nations have visited this community.

Now we have a way to bring real focus to the importance of creative and futuristic processes and the value of friendship among nations. EPCOT Center is a permanent World's Fair of imagination, discovery, education, and exploration built with the help of leading American and international industries and with the cooperation of a number of governments. The Grand Opening and Dedication of EPCOT Center is a milestone. Walt's greatest dream is now a reality.

Walt Disney Productions

And Another One Gone ...

It's one thing for Disney to shutter an attraction whose success has been dubious (well, Horizons notwithstanding!) ... but it's quite another when Disney suddenly announces that it's going to close down one of the most popular attractions in a theme park.

That's what has happened with L'Originale Alfredo di Roma Ristorante, which has been a mainstay of EPCOT Center (and Epcot) dining since 1982.

Seeking, it would seem, to continue erasing all traces of what made EPCOT Center such a special place, Disney management has announced that Alfredo -- where fettucine Alfredo originated ... well, at least in its Rome location -- will close on Aug. 31. When I read this report on Mouseplanet.com, I was flabbergasted, and when I checked with friends at Disney, it was confirmed.

No one can explain why.

No one believes for a moment that the restaurant company was unhappy with the business it enjoyed at EPCOT. No one believes for a moment that guests felt they'd like to see another character dining location (after all, there are already two "Italian" character dining expereinces at Walt Disney World).

This one is a head scratcher, and a genuine cause for sorrow. If you'd like more information about it, including a telling cast-member "cheat sheet" from Disney that promises Alfredo's will be replaced with a "strategic partner" (groan), visit John's site, TheDisneyBlog.com.

L'Originale Alfredo di Roma Ristorante will be sorely missed at EPCOT. Its authentic Italian dining was one of the highlights of many a visit to the theme park; its immersive experience was one of the prime examples of what EPCOT Center did so well.

And this latest announcement, until someone can offer a plausible explanation, just smacks further of an insatiable greed Disney has to homogenize its parks, get more money (from both vendors and guests) and dishonor anything that has a history, legacy and creative success.

Arrivederci, Alfredo ... it was a most wonderful 24 years, 11 months. You will be sorely, tremendously missed!

Reflections of EPCOT

I've received a lot of great mail, much of it eloquently written, passionate and incredibly observant, some of it slamming me and other readers for being too critical of what is, after all, "just a theme park."

Nonetheless, of all the letters I've received, none has had the impact of the one below. So, I'm going to do something I've never done in the year that I've been writing EPCOT Central: I'm going to turn over the site to a reader.

This 19-year-old reader wishes to remain anonymous, and of course I'll respect that request. I'm reprinting his letter exactly as I received it (no spelling corrections, etc.), with the exception of putting a few paragraphs in boldface; I thought these were particularly noteworthy observations.

The letter may not be the most perfectly written nor contain the most original observations. What struck me most is that it offers the observations of someone who wasn't around when EPCOT Center existed, and who falls within the target demographic (teenaged male) that Disney is trying to reach with the "revised," thrill-heavy incarnation of EPCOT.

I'll say no more. Enjoy.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

"I have been to Epcot in 1996, 2004, 2006, and 2007. 1996 was my first experience and a great year for both old and new EPCOT....2004 was a bit of a "shock" but 2006 and 2007 have allowed me to discovered the wonder of Epcot or EPCOT Center in my own non touristy disney freakish way!

"To begin is by saying I simply have no idea why I like.....if not love EPCOT. I think its a blessing that humans can find joy in all sorts of things. Since I am an artist, while I enjoy sports, art, culture, and just plain learning is what I'm out for. I want to learn something new each day, discover something new, etc. The world is a gaint backyard and we all must make our baby steps from the back patio to the swing set!

"1996 was my first visit to Walt Disney World (WDW). I was 9 years old. My parents had been a few times before. I was also going with my 6 year old sister. Epcot (then called that officially in 1996) was the first park we went to because we stayed at the Boardwalk.

"It was amazing. Simply amazing! My entire family enjoyed it, though my Dad wanted more thrill rides. I feel so blessed now that I could saw both old and new rides. I never got to see Communicore or World of Motion, but wonders of life, journey into imagation, and horizons were still there!

"By the way speaking of Innoventions, while I have problems with the 1998 Innoventions: The Road to Tomorrow, let us not forget that the original 1994-1998 Innoventions was very much like an updated Commincore. In 1996 during WDW's 25th Anniversary, Innoventions still used the crisp, cool, and simple Communicore colors. The plaza though by then filled in and with red neon lighting, still retained a huge portion of the original Communicore look. Many of the exhibits followed in the spirit of Communicore, except for some home entertainment, etc, but even the floor to ceiling windows were used, etc.

"But looking at Epcot now....it's a loss to me. Is Epcot truly the red haired step child of WDW? Perhaps it is. Why doesn't the Disney company care? Why don't they want to branch out like their founder, Walt Disney did with participation at the world's fair and his proposal for EPCOT/Progress City? WHY MUST THE DISNEY COMPANY CHUCK DOWN OUR THROATS NOTHING BY STEREOTYPICAL MAGIC AND PIXIE DUST?!

"EPCOT, EPCOT Theme Center, and finally what became EPCOT Center....dared to be different, bold and new. Sure parts of Future World were boring and not appealing to some audiences, but look....SOME audiences...not MOST...not ALL.

"There is no reason why some attractions couldn't have been refreshened, updated, or changed in the EPCOT spirit with new technology. Why is Future World becoming Today World/Character extravaganza....and why is World Showcase becoming carnivale del princesses and foreign birds?!

"I think the wand says it all......'we don't care anymore'....or 'we don't know what to do'...damn I hope that wand comes down....not only would it symbolize beauty has returned to SSE...it would be a step forward in the right direction!!! The large Innoventions signs have already been removed...replaced by smaller signs....one can only wonder if 'The Most Inspiring Place on Earth' will enter a new age of EPCOT influential progress and leave the mellenium celebration finally behind!"

Salt on the Wound

Reader J.Gall sends this little news item, which appeared on Allears.net, as well as other locations.

Remember, folks, EPCOT head Brad Rex made it clear that there are no plans to mark the milestone 25th anniversary of the landmark EPCOT Center (which it once touted with the immodest tagline above), but ...

Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex Celebrates 10 Years
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex is celebrating its 10th anniversary in March 2007.
Opened on March 28, 1997, the 220-acre complex hosts more than 180 sports events each year, including Tampa Bay Buccaneers training camp, the NBA Pre-Draft Camp, AAU National Championships and the Pop Warner Super Bowl. Many of the biggest stars in sports have competed or trained at the complex, such as PGA Tour golfer Tiger Woods, Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning and Olympic soccer star Mia Hamm.
More than 30 sports are played at the complex, from football, baseball and basketball to paintball, martial arts and wheelchair rugby. The complex includes weight training equipment and facilities, locker rooms, athletic training facilities, classrooms, office space and media facilities, as well as serving as the headquarters for most sporting events at Walt Disney World Resort.

EPCOT: It's Not Easy

There's an increasingly common refrain being heard around EPCOT Central with regard to new attractions like The Seas With Nemo and Friends and the upcoming revamp of El Rio del Tiempo. It goes something like this: No one wants to see that boring, unsuccessful Epcot return because it was a failure and, hey, at least the Imagineers didn't screw these things up as badly as they could have.

I don't buy it.

EPCOT Center was totally unique and unprecedented. If its mix of education and entertainment wasn't as popular as Disney might have hoped right off the bat, over time the success of EPCOT Center became more apparent, even as Disney was allowing the "future" and its representations of the world around us to grow increasingly stale with neglect. So, they took the easy way out, bringing more than a bit of the Magic Kingdom into EPCOT Center, ultimately giving up on most of the original concept of the theme park ("theme" being an operative word; otherwise it's just a, um, er, "Disney park") and making it fit Disney rather than Disney fit it.

The thing is: EPCOT ain't easy.

It wasn't easy for the public to understand, it wasn't easy for marketers to sell, and clearly it wasn't easy for Imagineers to maintain it.

The best things in life aren't easy. Except giving up on them.

But that's what Disney seems to have done with EPCOT. Now that the "Disney Parks" marketing theme has taken hold, the only interpretation I can come up with is that Disney no longer feels each park's individual theme is important. To the current theme-park management regime, it doesn't matter if it's EPCOT, California Adventure, Disneyland, Magic Kingdom or whatnot -- a ride or attraction will be added if it simply fits the notion of a "Disney experience." And that experience is narrowly defined: Happy, fun, with lots of cute characters.

What's wrong with that, then?

Nothing, if you buy into the idea that Disney is selling a commodity at its parks, an experience that is better off for sameness, not for uniqueness.

Interestingly, the leader of one of America's biggest, most ubiquitous "brand-oriented" companies recently went on the warpath about exactly the same sort of mindset that is taking over at Disney. Starbucks Chairman Howard Schultz worried in a memo that recent management decisions "have lead to the watering down of the Starbucks experience, and, what some might call the commoditization of our brand." (Wall Street, not surprisingly, reacted negatively, once again proving that they don't really care how a business is run, just that it makes money at all costs.)

The same might be said about Disney and, in particular, its theme parks -- and, specifically, in my view, EPCOT. It's increasingly similar, distressingly so, to other Disney theme parks. What made it truly special and unusual -- its intensity of theme, its focus on "non-Disney" ideas -- has been replaced by a bland sameness. It's become about making kids happy and thrilling teens.

Whether that happened by design or accident is debatable, but the result is the same: It seems Disney doesn't want to try with EPCOT.

Getting people to understand what EPCOT is trying to accomplish, fighting against the perceptions (amusingly depicted in a famous Simpsons episode) that EPCOT is "boring" in its attempts to mix education and entertainment, are not easy things to do. They require much more thinking, much more seat-of-the-pants decision making without the benefit of guest surveys, than any single project in Disney's entire portfolio.

To be successful, EPCOT requires near-constant maintenance and care. It demands that its pavilions and attractions be updated on an incredibly frequent basis in order not to become stale and outdated.

It's the kind of effort I'm afraid Disney has proven too many times in the past decade or so that it is just not capable of providing.

But let's assume it could. Let's assume that Tom Staggs and his financial management group agreed to divert, say, $75 million a year (about the cost of one mid-range movie) specifically to EPCOT, specifically earmarked for the refurbishment of individual pavilions on a rotating basis. Every 16 months, say, Universe of Energy (with or without a sponsor) would be renovated to reflect current thinking on energy exploration and consumption. The Land would receive new narration almost constantly. Spaceship Earth would actually keep up with the pace of communication development, and showcase in its final act not what is, but what might be. Audio-Animatronic figures would be replaced regularly. World Showcase films would be in near-constant production.

This would require massive amounts of work, enormous labor costs and frequent reviews of attractions to ensure that they are living up to the vision that Disney (theoretically) has for EPCOT.

But the result ... wow. The result could be that guests are encouraged to visit EPCOT once every couple of years, to understand that the park will be constantly changing, to recognize that as they mature in their entertainment tastes, EPCOT will be there for them.

With the right attention and care, EPCOT could be one of the most extraordinary places to discover, enjoy and explore in the entire world. It could once again be marketed and sold to the public as Disney's grand experiement, something that, no matter where in the world you go, you'll never find duplicated.

It could be fantastic.

But it would take a lot of work and a lot of effort. It wouldn't be easy, not by a longshot.

I just don't think Disney has it in itself to do it.

I hope someone there proves me wrong.

Another One Bites the Dust

The atmospheric charm of El Rio del Tiempo will be sorely missed once the zany antics of the Three Caballeros finally come to the Mexico Pavilion. And based on the report I read over at Miceage.com, there could hardly be a ride concept that’s further from EPCOT Center’s origins than this one.

Quoting from Miceage:

“More details are emerging regarding the changes at Epcot’s Mexico pavilion, as
news has emerged that the Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros will
cruise along the former rout of El Rio del Tiempo when the attraction reopens on
April 2.

“It seems that the trio are scheduled to stage a reunion
concert in Mexico City when Donald Duck disappears to tour the country. That
leaves Jose Carioca (the parrot) and Panchito (the Mexican charro rooster) to
try to track him down.”

Granted, we've known about this for a while, but these latest details show just how little Disney cares to create something great, when it could create something "Disney." The history, culture, art and people of Mexico apparently aren’t good enough on their own, it takes funny Disney characters to make Mexico interesting and fun for a five-year-old.

If you watched the Oscars on Sunday night, you saw brilliant Mexican filmmakers and artists whose films and talents were honored as among the best of the year. Mexico has an astonishingly vibrant creative community – but in Disney’s mind, the best way to create something people will “like” in Mexico is to put colorful Disney characters into it.

Perhaps I should stop making suggestions, offering critiques and presenting observations about what could be done to return the theme of Epcot to its former glory. As I pointed out to a reader in an e-mail today, “Disney Parks” are now what they’re called, not “Disney theme parks,” and that distinction makes all the difference. There’s no need for a theme to draw people in when they’re already spending thousands of dollars to stay on property. Gone are the days when the Disney parks each needed something unique and utterly different to make people feel it was worth their time and money to visit. Nowadays, they’re all just “Disney parks,” lower-case-Epcot included.

Yes, indeed, based on this news about El Rio del Tiempo, I may very well stop commenting and wishing and dreaming for some changes at Epcot ... I should, I think, just start finally mourning the complete loss of EPCOT Center instead.

I miss it already.

Defining Disney

On one hand, it’s the most profitable strategic move that The Walt Disney Company has made in the last 10 years. On the other, it’s one of the most disturbing to longtime fans:

It's the decision to narrowly define the “Disney brand” as something primarily for kids, emphasizing Disney’s animated characters and focusing on the ideas of “dreams” and “magic.”

Disney has, inarguably, one of the most valuable and instantly recognizable brand names in the world. It’s strange, then, that its management team would be spending so much time doing exactly the opposite of what’s being done with most entertainment brands: Instead of expanding and re-defining “Disney” for many audiences, the company has been making its audience smaller, honing in on a specific age group that, increasingly, is its focus above all else.

EPCOT Center is one of the most visible examples of what has happened with Disney’s “brand” identity.

But today’s Disney has no room for a concept like EPCOT Center, which isn’t about pixie dust, fairies, princesses or computer-generated characters. Of course, that doesn’t mean Disney’s not trying to shoehorn those things into EPCOT ... they are, and quite emphatically.

The strange thing is, Disney’s management represents the increasingly limited definition of “Disney” as an advancement, trumpeting itself as the role model that the entire entertainment industry should follow when developing a “brand management” strategy. It’s strange because it represents such a retreat from two or three decades ago, when the name “Disney” wasn’t limited by images of saucer-eyed princesses and happy fish.

In the late 1970s, 10 years or so after the death of Walt Disney, the company realized it had painted itself into a corner. If it wasn’t G-rated and filled with pixie dust, it wasn’t “Disney” – and, wisely, management decided that wasn’t good enough.

Walt himself had long moved past animated movies and children’s entertainment (though, truth be told, it was never made just for kids) as the core of his business. In his final years, he was looking to the revenue that would be generated by Walt Disney World to fund some pretty amazing ideas, things like the PeopleMover, the Monorail and EPCOT.

Of course, they had their roots in Walt’s fascination with futurism, and it’s anyone’s guess how they would have fared. The point is that they weren’t “traditional” Disney efforts. Nor were such groundbreaking offerings as the Animatronics-filed rides that were being built at Disneyland.

These were revolutionary ideas that moved far beyond simple entertainment, and in the process they moved the “Disney brand” far beyond its roots. By the time Walt died, “Disney” could define itself any way it wanted to. And, perhaps surprisingly, that concept didn’t die out when Walt did.

One need look no further than EPCOT Center to see that. Not only were the themes of EPCOT Center different than anything Disney had ever attempted, but the mere idea of finally expanding Walt Disney World was, in effect, the most visible effort of Disney to define itself whatever way it wanted. The non-character-based resorts, the creation of the Disney-MGM Studios and the Animal Kingdom parks, the subsequent design of DisneySea (first in California, then in Tokyo). Not even considering the non-park advancements made in the 1970s, 1980s and very early 1990s, Disney did something pretty remarkable:It made clear to every single person who experienced these creations that “Disney” simply meant quality, integrity, excitement, creativity and inspiration. It didn’t need to rely on Mickey and the Gang for its future – Disney would decide how it would be seen by the public.

The theme-park creations of the 1980s and 1990s were particularly notable for their focus on “non-Disney” theming. Granted, the movie-based park used the “Disney” name, but anyone who visited the park through the late 1990s could tell you that what made it truly remarkable and memorable was how “non-Disney” it was.

The same went for EPCOT Center. I’ve noted time and again how remarkable EPCOT was for not taking the easy way out – it had a theme, a difficult one to explain, and it carried out that theme in everything it offered. True, within a few years of EPCOT’s opening, Mickey, Minnie, Goofy and Donald could be found roaming the park; but that was really “lip service” to those guests who wanted something Disney in it. By and large, and much to its credit, EPCOT Center refused to be defined by “Disney” … quite the contrary: “Disney” was being defined by how far beyond its traditional boundaries it would allow itself to stretch.

All that has changed. Whether it was a result of the 1995 acquisition of Capital Cities/ABC Inc., whether it was a result of Disney’s near single-minded determination to hire its managers only from top-tier MBA schools, whether it was caused simply by a growing American tendency to define concepts in the broadest possible strokes, I don’t know. But something changed.

Disney no longer tries to perpetually redefine and grow the “Disney” name. Anything with the Disney brand has to make room for Mickey and Pals, for lots of smiles and happiness, for families and wholesomeness.

On its own, this wouldn’t be terrible – except that this crazy notion that anything without mouse ears somehow isn’t Disney creeps in to everything at the parks, including EPCOT. Every shop in World Showcase is filled with basic Disney merchandise, rather than wares from the home country. New rides and attractions must have a “Disney” component to them. (Though, blessedly, Mission: Space didn’t get Mickey-ized.) It’s as if Disney doesn’t trust its guests to understand that the true spirit of Disney has nothing to do with characters or “magic” (despite what the marketing materials insist), it has to do with a unique spirit of adventure, discovery and optimism.

Twenty-five years ago, EPCOT Center represented what Disney was: a company that, despite some creative struggles, was attempting to re-define itself and bring to the public creations that would withstand the test of time, that would allow the company to grow in bold new directions, even while honoring its past; a company that could design new experiences that would stand along side the tried-and-true classics, resulting in a creative arsenal unprecedented in the entertainment industry.

Twenty-five years later, Epcot represents what Disney has become: a company that, despite financial success, has little interest in being innovative and exciting, that wants simply to trade off of its past successes and turn creative efforts into merchandising opportunities.

It’s too bad we’ve come so far that we’ve started to go backward.

Dare to Dream ...

Head on over to Re-Imagineering for some potentially wonderful news from the inside. It appears that the blemish on EPCOT's face (of the sort that often strike 25-year-olds, if we're to be allegorical about it) may finally be going away. Hip, hip ... well, let's not say that last word until we see it for ourselves!

But if all goes well, the days of stooping, leaning, craning and kneeling to "fudge" photos of Spaceship Earth's beautiful geosphere, like the one above, may be numbered.

Guest Comments

I’ve heard anonymously (as in, I know who they are but they will remain absolutely anonymous) from a few Disney executives and park employees who say they read EPCOT Central frequently. Many thanks!

Recognizing that not everyone reads all of the comments that are posted, I wanted to highlight some of the most interesting comments that have been posted to the site in the past few weeks. Think of it as a “public service” for you busy executives who are too busy to read all of EPCOT Central – but, I hope, not too busy to be out there walking the park and seeing it through a guest’s eyes.

On EPCOT’s lack of a 25th anniversary celebration:
As a former manager at Epcot for 4 years and someone who was at working at WDW for during the 25th Anniversary celebration as well as being a member of the opening management team for Disneyland Paris in 1992 I think this is a disgrace. Epcot will always hold a special place in my heart and if Disney does not want to recognize it, it is their right, but their are many of us who toiled day after day year after year to make it one of the best places to go and to make sure we lived up to Walt's dream and vision every day!

On EPCOT’s spirit:
Epcot should emphasize that the future is what we make it. We can either let it be run by cynicism and self-doubt, or we can fill it with optimism and creative energy. I prefer the latter.

On the “shrinking” of EPCOT:
I appreciated the comment that someone made about the physical size of Epcot, and particularly about Future World. That aspect of size also relates to the pavilions/attractions, especially in the initial versions. In many of the pavilions... SSE, Energy, the (Living) Seas... there was so much space for each attraction that you couldn't help but have an immersive experience. And with a large amount of space, you had a lot of time to experience the attractions in the pavilion... even if it was just a long ride like SSE.

Contrast that with Mission:Space, and you see how the elements of an immersive experience are abandoned. Most of the interior seems to be the queue; then you have a four-or-five minute ride and that's it.

On EPCOT and adulthood:
there's so much to love at epcot. it's hard to believe as a child i didn't fully enjoy the epcot experience. i couldn't appreciate it more now.

On the “new,” thrill-heavy EPCOT:
Disney is pushing excitement. It is overwhelming. I remember being very excited as a child, but it was more in hopes of experiencing everything. It was more constrained so the excitement came from within. Now, it feel forcefed. It is certainly exciting, but it is not simultaneously relaxing. I feel worn out, not worn out but very satisfied.

On the changes to Akershus in the Norway pavilion:
I was at Epcot on 2/14/07. My husband & I always loved the Norwegian restaurant and were horrified to find that the princess dining has taken away our beloved mashed rutabaga and tomato herring while almost doubling the lunch price since our last trip in 2004. The boat ride was operating, but the trolls were unable to say, "Back! Back! Over the falls!" Norway is my favorite pavilion, and I love the movie so very much. I wish that they would maintain this area and return it to its former glory.

On other recent changes to EPCOT:
During my last visit to WDW, my time at Epcot depressed me, both emotionally and visually. Adding Nemo to The Living Seas and putting a giant television in place of Horizons (no matter if it is a nod to a previous Tomorrowland attraction) doesn't capture the imagination that the original attractions did. Regardless of how the audience's tastes and attention spans have changed, a dissipated focus on Disney's part allowed the notion that business wags could come in and "fix" something that wasn't broken.

World Cinema

In 2006, The Walt Disney Company spent good money to produce and/or distribute such cinematic gems as The Santa Clause 3, Step Up and The Wild. Together, the domestic (U.S.) gross of these movies was $187 million, meaning that approximately 30 million people saw them. Put another way, on average, 10 million people went to see each of these Disney movies.

Disney thinks nothing of spending millions on a movie in order to make a very little bit of money. Despite razor-thin margins, Disney churns out movie after movie … except, that is, the movies that more people see than any other: Its theme park productions.

Since opening its doors in 1982, EPCOT has greeted some 250 million visitors from around the world. Assuming just 50 percent of them visited any individual attraction, it’s safe to bet that more than 100 million people have experienced the movies that represent the World Showcase countries of Canada, France, Norway and China.

Yet, in that 25-year span, only one of those movies, The Wonders of China, has been updated, perhaps owing to the fact that Disney ultimately realized it had to acknowledge the sweeping social and political changes that have taken place in one of the company’s most significant regions of international investment. Undoubtedly, Disney’s decision to spend a few million bucks to update the China film came not from a deep creative need to present an up-to-date look at the country, but out of a desire to impress Chinese officials, with whom they desperately want to do more business.

If it were solely a creative decision, then Disney would have been much more aggressive in updating the films throughout World Showcase over the years. Despite the fact that more people have seen these movies than all but a handful of its own Walt Disney Pictures releases, Disney has shown no interest in investing in this area of its theme-park business. (Note: I realize the photo on this blog entry is of the Germany pavilion, which does not contain a film, but it was one of the better World Showcase photos I've taken!)

Take, for instance, the little-seen film that follows the Maelstrom ride in Norway. It is painful to witness how few people actually bother to sit in the theater for this five-minute travelogue. It’s a shame, because the movie is, by and large, a beautiful experience. Then again, it’s also often laughable. Clearly made in the late 1980s, the Norwegians it depicts sport ridiculously big hair; work on clunky, old-fashioned computers; and look like they just walked out of a Robert Palmer video. Frankly, it’s embarrassing, particularly because the film’s basic idea is that Norway’s people are at the heart of its rich spirit.

The lovely Circlevision 360 film O Canada! is equally uncomfortable … and that’s speaking as an American; I can only imagine how Canadians feel. The movie was made in 1982, which means it’s older than probably half of its viewers. Judging Canada on the basis of this movie, no one there uses a computer or cell phone; Toronto’s skyline is woefully tiny; all Canadians drive massive, old-fashioned cars; and Canadians have less fashion sense than my grandmother.

France fares little better, save for the fact that Impressions de France spends most of its time on landscapes and less on cities. Well, then again, there is that entire section on the Monaco Grand Prix. I expect Steve McQueen to pop out of one of those cars at any second. With so many European Formula One fans visiting (heck, Disney sometimes even sponsors Formula One cars!), there’s a bit of explaining to do about the images seen in the movie.

Then there’s the fact that most of these films sport visible copyrights. Yes, Disney very plainly puts up on the big screen for all to see: “© MCMLXXXII Walt Disney Productions.”

Now, back to the first point: If Disney, as a company, can spend, say $35 million on prints, advertising and marketing for a movie like Stand Up, which 10 million people in the U.S. will see, couldn’t it spend one tenth of that amount to update its EPCOT films every couple of years?

Perhaps Disney doesn’t realize the importance of these films to the World Showcase experience at EPCOT. The architecture of each World Showcase pavilion, the dining experiences and the cast members who inhabit them are absolutely the heart and soul of this area of EPCOT, but right behind them are the attractions that guests can experience. Only three of these attractions – The American Adventure, Maelstrom and El Rio del Tiempo – are ride-through experiences; the rest rely on films to convey the spirit of their host countries. (Norway has both.)

Imagine if The Walt Disney Company itself were being represented by a movie that was 25 years old: We’d see plans for EPCOT Center and Tokyo Disneyland being readied, production on Something Wicked This Way Comes touted as an example of Disney’s big-screen prowess, and perhaps a description of the “new” Fantasyland at Disneyland.

I somehow doubt Disney would allow itself to be presented in such a fashion, yet it doesn’t seem to care that entire countries and cultures are being represented as if they haven’t changed in a quarter of a century. It’s as if the digital revolution never happened, as if there have been no changes in society worth depicting in 25 years.

When it built EPCOT Center 25 years ago, Disney took on a responsibility to ensure that the theme park remained ever-changing, fresh and exciting. One of those responsibilities is to the host countries – whether they are officially sponsored or not – that it presents in World Showcase. Just because its current managers didn’t themselves decide to build and open EPCOT doesn’t mean they are any less responsible for it.

Chillingly, I have received word that O, Canada! is indeed due for a new film … one starring a comic whose height of popularity came around the time EPCOT opened. Yes, that means we’re in for another movie that, instead of trying to bring insightful illumination and showcase the beauty of a country and its people, we’ll be treated to another quick-to-age “comedy” routine as we’ve seen at the Universe of Energy and the Imagination pavilion.

Is it possible that seeing 1976 Buick LeSabres and polyester apparel on screen is better than the alternative, which is another desperate attempt to be “fun” instead of simply letting EPCOT do what it does best: inspire, amaze and (go ahead, shudder at the word) educate?

Each year, Disney blows through literally billions of dollars to keep its movie business competitive. It seems hard to believe that a few million dollars out of Disney’s overall budget couldn’t be shunted over to the theme parks division each year, where they could be used to ensure EPCOT remains fresh, vibrant and exciting, offering guests a reason to return and re-discover year after year.

Of course, that would assume that the people who manage EPCOT actually care about doing such things, about ensuring that the park lives up to the very high bar that was set for it 25 years ago. I’m not sure that’s the case. Every week, it seems, there’s an astonishing new IMAX film opening at the science center down the street from my house. Someone enjoys making these movies, and, based on box-office results, millions of people enjoy seeing them. Someone understands there’s a market for these movies.

Someone, perhaps, but apparently not Disney.

EPCOT's 25 ... and No One Seems to Care

That’s the attitude that the Walt Disney Company and EPCOT’s own Brad Rex seem to be taking when it comes to commemorating the 25th anniversary of this remarkable place.

In a recent interview on Allears.net, Brad said there’s no public celebration planned for EPCOT come Oct. 1, 2007.

It’s alternately astonishing and par for the course these days.

Let’s recall that 25 years ago, Walt Disney Productions had one simple goal when it came to opening EPCOT Center: Make sure every man, woman and child in the United States knew the name “EPCOT.” That incredibly far-reaching goal signified the importance that Disney placed on EPCOT, not just as the first addition to Walt Disney World, but as a harbinger of what was in store for Disney in the future. EPCOT was the most important project that Disney had ever taken on.

It was also, of course, the most important project to the company’s founder. Though he clearly never intended it as a theme park, Walt Disney felt EPCOT would be his lasting mark upon the world, his attempt to make his life meaningful beyond the world of entertainment. It was a monumentally important task for him, one that fate would not allow him to achieve.

That Disney’s management felt strongly enough about Walt Disney to at least try to bring his final project to life in some way that at least captured the spirit and intent of Walt’s ambitions spoke volumes about their determination to make the company grow, prosper and thrive while also upholding the ideals and vision of its founder.

Today’s Disney, of course, bears almost no resemblance to the company Walt Disney founded. That’s fine, in its way, but with each passing year, with each new egocentric, “industry-styled” executive that comes on board – each person who insists that The Walt Disney Company will bear his or her mark, founder be damned – there’s less and less “Walt” in the “Disney.”

Given the direct ties between Epcot (née EPCOT Center) to Walt Disney, given that the welcome announcement that played every day for years at EPCOT Center directly referred to Walt Disney, given that every paycheck these executives cash has their founder’s name on it … wouldn’t it be possible at least to acknowledge the important role that EPCOT played in the company’s history?

Or is it just too embarrassing to admit that today’s thrill-driven, hyperactive, cartoon-filled Epcot bears less and less resemblance with each passing day to anything even close to what Walt had dreamed?

Is the lack of a 25th-anniversary celebration for EPCOT a tacit acknowledgement that the theme park that sits in Walt Disney World today is a pale reminder of its proud history?

Disney celebrates anniversaries like nobody’s business. Walt Disney World (that is, The Magic Kingdom) got a fifth, 10th, 15th, 20th, 25th and 30th anniversary celebration. Disneyland has had an anniversary party as long as I can remember (with each fifth year that passes). Tokyo Disneyland? The same. Disneyland Paris? You bet.

So, how come Disney can’t celebrate the silver anniversary of its most unique, most daring, most astonishing theme-park invention? Could it be that Disney is so embarrassed by what EPCOT has become (or, sadly, by what it used to be) that they just want everyone to forget?

EPCOT Center was a revolutionary, radical, meaningful project – to the world and, importantly, to the history of The Walt Disney Company. Not only did it try to bring to reality the last great vision of Walt Disney, the man, but it proved that it was possible to expand Walt Disney World, paving the way for every “expansion” theme park that followed in its footsteps.

EPCOT Center means a great deal to a great many people. Unfortunately, those people don’t seem to be in charge of the park or of Disney.

Please, Brad and Bob and Jay and whomever … EPCOT Center means more than you may realize. Seeing how its 25th anniversary comes during the "Year of a Million Dreams," surely there's room for one of those to be the final dream of some guy called Walt.

How EPCOT Could Change the World

I’m serious about that title. Thanks to the many, many people who have written to me, both inside and outside of The Walt Disney Company, Imagineers and fans alike, I’ve heard some fascinating, passionate, beautiful and funny stories about how EPCOT Center changed their individual lives.

I know that there are many “entertainment purists” out there who believe that Disney’s theme parks should do no more than entertain and amuse guests, and I appreciate those arguments. From the start, Disney positioned itself first and foremost as an entertainment company, and in his dying days even Walt Disney realized that it was going to be difficult, if not impossible, to get American industry and government leaders to buy into his forward-thinking vision of EPCOT, the City.

When the concept of an EPCOT Center theme park got underway, the socio-political climate of the United States was eerily similar to today:

* The U.S. was engaged in an overseas war that had virtually no public support;
* The American president had lost the respect of his citizens;
* The government was mistrusted and, in 1976, underwent a partisan overhaul;
* Environmental (then called “ecological”) issues were top of mind, particularly the damaging effects of industrial and automotive pollution in major American cities;
* Technology began moving at a mind-bogglingly rapid pace;
* Violent behavior was on the rise, leading to high-profile assassinations and assassination attempts;
* The role of entertainment was increasingly questioned for its ill-effects on children.

It may seem like none of this really relates to EPCOT Center ... except that every creative endeavor is a product of its times. The climate that gave rise to EPCOT Center was one in which adults were trying to make sense of the tumultuous period they had just experienced, when they were wondering if the social and political ills that seemed to exist on a global scale had any solutions at all.

EPCOT Center was not intended to make sense of it all, nor to simply educate youngsters. It was a remarkable attempt to spotlight some of the key issues of the day and underscore three important points: 1) Though complicated, they were subjects that could indeed be understood by anyone, at least at their most basic levels; 2) American industry was working to find solutions to the problems of our world; and 3) People around the world are connected by their differences and by their desire to work together to improve our common future.

It wasn’t all hype. All of the publicity and marketing initiatives in the world wouldn’t have mattered if, at its heart, EPCOT Center didn’t send a message that people who lived in the 1970s and 1980s were desperate to hear – a message of hope and understanding and optimism.

As sophisticated as EPCOT Center was when it opened in 1982, its audience quickly grew that much more sophisticated. And is it any wonder? Even as EPCOT Center promised a “wired” world (before we used that term) in which information could be shared at light speed and people could learn about any issue almost instantaneously, Disney failed to do what it took to make sure EPCOT Center kept up. EPCOT told us the world was moving ever more quickly, but EPCOT itself failed to keep pace.

Ultimately, when it came time to re-think EPCOT Center for a new generation (an exercise that, frankly, Disney should have had a team working on constantly, with an appropriate budget to ensure that EPCOT remained at the leading edge of technology and ideas), Disney got lazy.

Just as it’s far easier to move furniture around in your living room than to repaint your entire house, Disney figured if they prettied EPCOT Center up a little, no one would realize that the ideas it was serving up were about 10 years out of date.

As time passed, those ideas got older and older, until many of them seemed downright antiquated. No one could watch the films in the Universe of Energy without thinking about the Exxon Valdez or Chernobyl disasters. No one could visit Horizons and not muse how far we were, at the dawn of the 21st century, from the future that was once envisioned.

And yet ... the subjects were never any less relevant.

Perhaps, dare I say it, never more relevant?

When it’s difficult to make sense of what’s happening in the world, to keep up with developments from Japan, Korea, Washington or Mars, there’s once again a place for an experience that reminds us that our planet and its issues are ripe for us to explore, to debate and learn about.

When more and more surveys tell us that people around the globe are increasingly concerned about the world in which they live, there’s room for them to discover that they don’t have to just accept things as they are – that the future is theirs to make.

EPCOT Center blended its sunny, Disney-style optimism with an implicit believe that people wanted to know more about their world.

Back then, there were only two Disney theme parks in Florida and the choice seemed stark: the cheery cartoon world of The Magic Kingdom or the more serious-minded EPCOT Center.

Now that there are four theme parks, two water parks and myriad entertainment opportunities in Florida, it doesn’t seem far-fetched or unreasonable to examine whether EPCOT could fill an important niche. After all, local science centers around the country are enjoying record attendance – clearly, there’s a need and a desire to learn, and be entertained while doing it. (If those local venues can master this balance, can’t Disney?)

There will always be people who disdain a bit of awareness and insight, who resent being offered anything other than a thrill and laugh around every corner. Those people have plenty to choose from around Walt Disney World.

For the others, those who feel their world is a little confusing, EPCOT could be a place that offers them hope that they can contribute to their own futures.

EPCOT Center was a product of its times. The times don’t seem to have changed that much, and the ideas behind that revolutionary theme park have never been more meaningful.

It’s a shame that cartoon characters are so much “easier.”

EPCOT’s designers and managers have a remarkable opportunity to look at the world today and update EPCOT’s core attractions – and revitalize the park’s efforts to live up to the ideals set forth in its dedication plaque.

The world we live in needs someone to help explain it, even to the smartest and most aware. We need to be reminded that there is much left to discover, much left to accomplish, much left to see – other than high-velocity centrifuges, cartoon “Mexican” ducks and talking turtles.

Our real world is more fantastic, more astounding than anything Disney or Pixar could create, and we are privileged to live in it. That’s the sort of message that resonated 25 years ago in the midst of great tension and unease in society. It’s the sort of message that could resonate again.

Given how many people were inspired by an EPCOT that was more clear on its overall intent, I think that inspiration could return. EPCOT has the opportunity to amaze and excite people, not just thrill them. It has the opportunity to get them to think and reflect, not just laugh and giggle. One person at a time, one experience at a time, EPCOT could again be a most remarkable place that encourages people to dream big and act accordingly.

One person at a time, I believe, EPCOT could change the world. It’s a ridiculously lofty ambition ... but, then again, no one used to dream bigger than Disney.

Used to.