FOUR YEARS?! EPCOT Overhaul Honest Review
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- čas přidán 9. 06. 2024
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Coming up, World Celebration Debuts at Epcot after over four years of construction work, the Luminous nighttime spectacular premieres in the World Showcase Lagoon, and walls come down at the Walt Dreamer’s Statue, which quickly gathered a queue of fans over an hour long. This is Mickey Views News, your source for Disney news!
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00:00 Intro
00:35 Walt the Dreamer
03:57 World Celebration
15:01 Luminous
22:23 Additional News
23:07 Credits
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Directed By: Brayden
Thanks for Watching and Have a Magical Day! - Zábava
![Spaceship Earth [Its Creation and Design]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/iGdYf9eOwbE/mqdefault.jpg)
5 years…. Disney built a fancy garden - Universal builds a whole park, hotels, new infrastructure.
Um, the center of epcot was not the only construction project Disney worked on in the last five years.
@@citizenofcorona8783um, it was closed off for 5 years so basically yes.
Yuuup
Very very true, it isn’t because Disney can’t build things like they used to, it is because they don’t want to build things like they used too, the current leadership and board are too cheap
i wouldn’t even call it fancy tbh
5 years for a garden, ugly purple chairs, rust themed benches (wtf?!), and a statue. Honestly, the fountain was way better for me. Also, the fact everything is already breaking is nuts. Disney has truly lost its way.
Yes! I agree! They have lost the magic and its not coming back they have wrecked everything. I counted 14 things they took away! It's so tragic!
Yes, I even heard a reporter got rust on their shorts/pants. Let us see how many people sue Disney for messing up their clothes.
@@ItsHayes so true!!!!
Actually when you go the Disneyland in Asia, parks and open spaces are very much part of the parks and are very much needed spaces to relax and rest
Taj Mahal has a garden in front and statues…
That planter in the middle of world celebration really needs to be a fountain. I’m am an architect and that’s pretty easy to see that it was a budget cut. A fountain there would add some dynamic movement and sound that would elevate the ambience around the space.
There was a giant musical fountain in that area of the park, but it was removed for this project.
I am not an architect (although my son is) and I can see they needed something more dynamic.
there was a fountain there. It would operate 6-7 months out of the year because for the shield factor durring the fall and winter months.
Finally saw it in person and totally agree!
@@JTabor1976 that’s a good factor to consider, however judging by the size of the planter I don’t think it would be large enough to have a lot of overspray on windy days. But I didn’t run calculations on it.
"Put a fountain in it and make it kenetic!"
Nailed it 100% about the fountain. Make a mini version that lights up and shoots up in different patterns to match the show happening on Spaceship Earth. Seating all around it so you can sit and watch. Seemed like a no-brainer.
What I find most disappointing is that the architecture style they are going with isn’t timeless. I thought the whole purpose of new Epcot was to find a design that last forever. Just like how original Epcot felt like a trendy 80’s shopping mall, this Epcot feels like a 2020’s trendy 5-over-1 apartment complex. Right now I actually really like, but it’s disappointing knowing how fast it will fall out of fashion.
E. P. Community Of Tomorrow
Why is it modeled so much after today?
Disney is now like Starbucks and Apple... trading on brand name and no quality or value for the dollars spent.
Meh, Apple still provides a high quality product. It’s just more of the same… but it is high quality IMO
Aka, another corperation.
disney has truly butchered epcot. i cannot believe they did this to the only epcot we have.
You know what, that's the saddest part. We don't even have an Epcot japan to fall back on at preserving the theming and vision of the original.
@@longrua1231
Epcot Japan theming? What do you mean?
@@lemonrealsqueeze6826
You know how the japanese park being known as the last place with any sort of adherence to walt's dream and ideal instead of parading his corpse for marketing purpose.
That's why they didn't change splash mountain to appeased special interest group.
Imagined if we have an epcot equivalent over in japan, literally every ride would have been preserve till today.
They have cheapened and basically wrecked the EPCOT experience while raising prices to go to the Park. It is no longer worth the time nor the money. Totally agree, they should have just upgraded Illuminations.
Epcot was my favorite park because of the futuristic vibe and uniqueness. Now it looks like a 70s shopping mall with soon to be food trucks. 😢
Thank you for continually being unafraid to say what most of us are thinking. It can’t be easy with all the Disney shills jumping down your throat. People like them are a big part of the reason Disney’s in decline these days.
I agree. It’s weird to me how there are shills who act as though Disney can do no wrong and that anyone speaking constructive criticism is a hater when the biggest fans are the ones who care enough to critique. Apathy from former fans is far worse because they don’t care anymore. The shills are more like cult members than fans.
@@josephbrown9685 That’s a great point, the shills will call Brayden a “hater” but it’s clear that this is his passion and he’s critical because he cares so much, as many of us watching him do too.
My Daughter and Granddaughter are both long-term cast members at Disney. I am a pass holder. And I can tell you the budget cuts are painfully evident throughout the parks. Magic Kingdom Christmas Decorations are so lackluster, that it appears they did not try at all. And overall, I see things as degrading. There are fewer street performances, and the Magic Kingdom parades are shorter and less frequent. Any place they can cut cast members, they are. Now I hear they are shutting down the Indiana Jones show and will replace it with something that requires far fewer actors. All with the idea of cutting costs. The result is a less than exciting experience and guests will soon start finding alternatives to Disney. It is simple, you cannot keep raising prices and reducing quality and think that will me a model of success.
Yet I doubt any of the execs have taken any cuts in pay.
@@DOSU490🫰👏👏
I like Universal a lot better already for the simple fact they have express passes. It was so disappointing to tell my son we could not go on most of the Disney rides because we did not book them at 6 AM with Universal you pay a price and you could go on the same ride 6 times. I was so tired of trying to book rides at Disney. It’s such a letdown and I know it’s always been that way, but before we went when it was just me and my wife, we did the stupid lines for no reason now with the son it’s disappointing the way you have to book rides, I had a lot more fun at Universal this year than I did at Disney. The best thing about Disney now is their hotels as I still really like their hotels but the theme parks I don’t know why they don’t do an express pass that you could purchase like universal they charge you for anything else anyway
@@hannah_epithe dream lights also didn’t work with the projection shows they do on the castle. Which I actually like and people think they don’t take effort but projection mapping the castle is actually a lot of work😭
@@hannah_epiThey used to have dancers on Main Street and a band. Maybe they still have them sometimes. I don’t know, but I wouldn’t say they’ve never had anything besides the quartet.
I get where Disney is going with this Epcot overhaul. You can’t “Dream of a better tomorrow” unless TODAY sucks 😂
"Keep dreaming cause that's all you're gonna get". hahaha
😂
I think having Walt a bit to the side makes it great for photos with Walt. It places you in the center of the photo. I can picture Walt enjoying the idea of making the "guest" the center of attention.
I agree, too bad she butchered that explanation 😂
I'm in total agreement with his placement, it feels more natural and completely organic. Like Walt waltzed in and took a seat to take in the sights on a whim.
When you say it like that it makes a lot of sense, more than what the Disney lady said. I think there's just a difference of interpretation of what the statue is / was supposed to be. I think some people were thinking of it as a "weenie" of sorts, a notable piece to echo spaceship earth, in which case they would want it to be centered. But what it is is a statue / photo op, so the off centeredness makes sense because of what you said.
Sadly though, the statue of Walt is up on a platform that guests in wheelchairs can't access. So no pictures next to Walt for wheelchair guests. What a newbie fail!
@@kpbarbee Wow that's awful. I see now, it's like the platform was built as an afterthought since Walt's feet didn't meet the ground - instead of building a lower bench/seating area that suited the statue. Disney really never even considers people with disabilities it seems except for attractions. Those lights with those huge lumps of concrete at the bottom are another example.
14:00 Walt always asked imagineers to "plus it" in some way. The new center core has not been plussed- losing that big climate controlled space (and a water feature) is a minus.
They really should have used the same design mentality as the entrance: go back to the original design concept but modernize it.
I don't understand the outdoor spaces. Has anyone in Disney engineering or architecture ever been outside in a Florida summer? The mess that they came up with for Woody's Round Up eating area is terrible. Florida summers are super-hot. I would like to be able to sit down in a cool area for a bit and eat our HIGHLY overpriced food.
@@dennygay6154Toy Story Land in general is absolutely unbearable in the summer, like the surface of Mars. This dawned on me when I brought my niece and nephew this past December and thought, hmm, I don’t actually hate Toy Story Land, it’s actually pretty cool, what’s different this time? 😂
The EPCOT overhaul has been a disaster on the whole, with the only bright spots being the entrance plaza and Cosmic Rewind, which is fun despite being misplaced. Disney only has one chance to right the wrong here: blow fans away with the new Journey Into Imagination
Even Cosmic Rewind was botched -- way too many riders get motion sickness and vomit around the exit stairs.
Are you sure NOW is the best time for Disney to start messing with Journey into Imagination? If they do, we might end up with something WORSE than what's already there.
@@LakeHowellDigitalVideo if you get motion sickness in Cosmic Rewind you shouldnt ride any roller coaster, by far one of the most mild coasters on the body, it is pretty chill
@@LakeHowellDigitalVideo I dislike any crazy roller coasters. Cosmic Rewind was a very easy roller coaster. Lots of fun, not squeamish at all. I didn't see anyone vomitting or sick when I rode. Everyone had smiles on their faces when leaving.
@@LakeHowellDigitalVideo yea people that are prone to motion sickness will get motion sickness on that ride but most everyone else is fine, it is a very smooth roller coaster you don’t even really realize you are going 61mph at one point
1000% agree with everything. 4 years for lazy, cookie-cutter garbage. This is why Disney is in panic mode. All creativity and innovation has left the building and fans are picking up on it. Sales are on a downward spiral.
A planter and some benches... wow.
I have seen a lot of shows in my life and nothing in the whole world can hold a candle to illuminations reflections of earth. It made me tear up and gave me goosebumps! It was the most magical show ever! The introduction, the music , the fireworks the world globe!!!! Breathtaking!!!!
Oh, how I would love to go back to 2001 and once again enjoy the Tapestry of Dreams parade and then cap off the night watching Illuminations.
Did you ever get to experience Tapestry of Dreams or Tapestry of Nations?
@ronbloomberg hello! No I never got to see Tapestry of dreams parade. Was that breathtaking?
Illuminations was awesome!
@@meganruchwatercolors7186
It was beautiful....
Tapestry of Dreams was a celebration of the visions and dreams of children and the legacy of Walt Disney.
Children's voices float in the air throughout the parade telling us their dreams for the world. The parade begins as the three DreamSeekers dance down the parade route with their DreamCatcher - an enormous interactive "float" which the guests can play as it "collects" their dreams. The parade which follows is a "visible dream," in which ideas, images and emotions are evoked through a series of extraordinary puppets.
In developing the music for "Tapestry of Dreams," the creative team looked to the wonder, delight and simplicity of a child's vision: the attempt was to rekindle in all of us, young and old, the excitement and purity of those dreams. Walt Disney understood this energy and put it to use in everything he touched. We hope we are following in that legacy.
Alan Bruun
Show Director
Only reason why it would take you 5 years to complete a garden is if you planted the trees and watched them grow
I was in Disney during September, last time I was at EPCOT before September was 2015. I was shocked at how awful the situation is there. The Connections Cafe felt much like a modern Starbucks (funny enough there is one in the cafe). There was nothing special about it. Felt very much like as a modern Starbucks like I said and a bland, uninspired, not unique structure. Where are the imagineers!? Where are the past Disney magical touches to everything built. The new things being built don’t represent anything EPCOT is supposed to be. It’s modern-corporate Disneys attempt at improving the park
Contrast that to the relatively simple, yet well received outdoor updates to Toontown and Downtown Disney at Disneyland, which may very well end up as "timeless" as Main Street and Fantasyland. (yes, they've had some execution issues at Toowntown, but the design is solid.) The new DVC villa building also looks great. Generally pulling the Disneyland hotel into a more interesting architectural direction.
That's because it was a starbucks. So sad that so much space was devoted to a trendy and idiotic revenue center.
It is because people in charge thing that the past is bad - It needs to be canceled and replaced.
I think the new "Imagineers" just don't have an imagination anymore.
If they would have built the EPCOT they originally showed in concept art we would all be very happy and amazed, however we got the budget cut, severely scaled back version of the “new” Epcot and it just plain sucks, another ho hum project done with current leadership, but hey at least they got all the lights to work for a solid 24hrs before those all started going out….SMH 😂
Now that Disney is so wrapped up in private equity that also happens to enjoy the real estate business im surprised they have not tried to implement a real EPCOT in some desert in Dubai for millionaires 🤣 (it would be very cool to see someone try to make an actual city based off Walt’s idea though ideally not blackrock 😂 )
The original concept art had an elevated terrace, but considering what happened to Champlain Tower it was probably unsafe. Possibly a shortage of skilled construction crews for Disney scale projects since they're all at Universal.
@@damnimloomin Well they have the new planned community in Palm Springs, so I wouldn't be surprised if we see more of these across the country/world.
The office park Garden that took 4 years and a billion dollars was supposed to be a VIP super VIP garden in the sky like something out of the hunger games. They were going to have VIPs and the rich view the fireworks and attend luncheons in the elevated garden above all the little people crawling around down below.
Disney really dropped the ball with these changes. Really feels like the unique character of EPCOT is gone.
Universal is going to build an entire state of the arc theme park in the same time it took EPCOT to made insignificant changes.
With a giant fountain show lol
Not a good comparison. building a brand new venue is wildly different that renovating a location that is still open to guests.
@Iceykitsune Yes, good point. An entire theme park is exponentially harder because you need permits for absolutely everything. You can see how quickly the minions land went up and how quickly dreamworks land is going up.
No one talks about how quickly those are happening because the speed of Epic Universe is even more impressive. Plus they are building another regional theme park in Frisco TX. And they are building a park in the UK. All of these projects will take less time individually even though most are happening simultaneously.
I love Disney, I'm going to disneyland on Monday. But the truth is the truth.
@@GTNover Except that Epic universe doesn't have to worry about getting materials and equipment in without damaging the rest of the park or blocking off segments to guests.
@Iceykitsune Yes, there are advantages and disadvantages to each. But it's obviously harder to construct an entire themepark than redo fractions of a park. Look at how quickly minions land went up. Look at how quickly dreamworks land is going up. Even super nintendo world, an entirely new type of interactive land, took less time than epcot. You're just being biased towards disney to defend the length of construction in epcot.
I was a Guest Relations host and VIP Tour Guide based at Epcot from 96 to 2003, a great time when the magic still could be felt! I was excited for the Epcot “overhaul” as proposed in the concept art but as we all know they over promised and under delivered. That is never a good thing. Epcot was about discovery and obviously I support “change” but the changes are often taking far too long to deliver uninspiring aesthetics. I agree with Brayden, four years to unveil an ugly planter amidst a sterile mall-like courtyard that is out of balance just feels messy. Disney used to be about exceeding expectations. The Fountain of Nations was iconic and deserved a proper replacement. I feel like people (certain Disney personalities) just wanted to make a name for themselves with this overhaul rather than staying true to the foundations of Epcot.
Good run down. I 100% agree about the lack of seating compared to Disneyland. I was an AP at DL prior to moving to Orlando and my first reaction was the lack of seating and Disney World parks. You don't see a lot of folks at Disneyland using trash bins for surrogate tables to eat food, because there's adequate seating.
Those light pole bases are a lawsuit waiting to happen.
Terrible idea
Especially if people keep tripping on it. It's a matter of time.
Another newbie fail, like putting Walt up on a platform so guests in wheelchairs can't have their photos taken with Walt. Totally underwhelming...
they have taken many years to slowly destroy EPCOT....Disney continues to be LOST
Exactly!
Not replacing the Fountain of Nations with another fountain is analogous to designing a car & choosing to leave out its tires. Moving water adds kinetic energy to a setting, including a nice suburban office park. Which is what the World Celebrations Gardens remind me of. If there's nothing wrong with that, it shouldn't have taken years to build & complete. NASA giving a forewarning to EPCOT: Houston, we have a problem.
Especially considering they had the infrastructure below to do just that and chose not to! It makes everything all like a personal attack on guests.
4 years construction for park bench
BRING BACK THE “FOUNTAIN OF NATIONS” DISNEY !!! You have all kinds of water features at Moana’s but can’t put a fountain in World Celebration area ?! Make Epcot the “Worlds Fair” it once was please.
Agreed!
It's not in the google breakroom budget, How about a new Microwavei instead? lol
Agreed
Hooray! We got a Cooter Planter.
At this point I just want to see more rides in Epcot
I second that.
Not just more rides but rides done within a reasonable amount of time
@@ains73275 years is reasonable in Disney Time
@@ains7327ESPECIALLY if they are going to dust off some blueprints from other parks and slap it in somewhere lol
You deserve more and you should ask for more... we all should. We should not let self-serving execs run the Disney magic into the ground. WCDB
my favorite thing about universals strategy is that they don’t even announce something until it’s broken ground or even deep into construction. nothing is promised that won’t get built
it looks cool at night (maybe what they were going for in Pandora at night), but during the day it (when the park is actually open) it just seems like a modern park you would see anywhere. Most infuriatingly is how could this have possibly taken 5 years.
I think it sucks at night too. Basically the same technology people have in their homes and backyards. Yawn
The problem is Disney has so severely cut the evening hours, that as soon as the fireworks are over, all of the concessions close and cast members start whisking people out of the park. If EPCOT was open for an additional hour, more people could enjoy the night lights.
@@kkrautdang you must be rich cause I never went to a house where the backyard looks anywhere close to those 😂
4 YEAR courtyard! Hot Dang!
Universal could have built all of that in less than 6 months
And Disney can pay for it! Lol
fact
💯. They have to pay the remainder of Hulu percentage!
Just look at how fast Epic Universe is being built! They were pushed back by Covid but began construction in March 2021 and a lot of the rides are already in testing!
Universal has surpassed Disney in creativity, motivation and id argue in quality as well.
I have always complained about lack of seating at WDW, especially as I got into my senior citizen years.
The lack of shade and seating at ALL of WDW is a clear egregious disregard for the health and comfort of those that are elderly or disabled. Notice how all the rocking chairs that used to be around Frontierland and Mainstreet have all disappeared save a few. It's disgusting.
And the lack of shade seating. My biggest complaint. And it's unacceptable that people need to eat on top of garbage cans because of the lack of tables and seating.
Whoever designed this mess should be fired immediately. It’s embarrassing how low Disney has gone. As a dvc member, this “overhaul “ is completely unacceptable and a joke.
Where. Is. the. Shade? Yeah the pin pavilion thing was weird, but it provided at least SOME shelter from the sun.
He gets the point every time !! Disney should hire this guy
The fact half the lights have failed already is genuinely appalling
Wonder why the fireworks in Luminous look soooo good? Simple....Erick Tucker!...the fireworks mastermind behind Reflections of Earth!
The entire overhaul from start to finish has seemed like a massive regret for Disney. Originally they regretted starting the project now that they have half assed it, it feels like they regret not going for the original plan lol its the perfect example of why the company is failing but the new show gives me hope they might actually be willing to try and fix the issues not just focus on the next Quarter and the stock price. I really feel like Disney would be better off going private but they need a visionary to lead it with a real imagination! Disney desperately needs a ceo to be like Walt to let the imagination guide the ship and the money will come. People are starved for fresh ideas and a return to good value for money with a quality focus not mass production of copy and paste lol
They need to revise the Georgia O'Keefe planter.
Wink wink
Ill never see it any other way now.😮
🤣🤣🤣talk about the elephant in the room
The new area at Epcot’s old Future World’s Communicore is exciting as a Starbucks Cafe facade! And boring as the Moana’s all wet path to nowhere. Sincerely?! I am missing that old Giant Fountain a lot!!!!
Been waiting for this one. The 'center' has the imagination of any mall in America.😢
Yup! I was one who tripped on those. I was like, why would they do that! Kids are going to be tripping all the time over them. Guaranteed they will change that.
These recent changes in Epcot are par for the course with Disney parks recently. Not bad changes, just underwhelming time and time again.
I’m not sure what you mean recently. This is the first underwhelming thing they’ve done recently imo. Galaxy’s edge, Toy Story land, guardians, New France area, Pandora have all been great overall
@@uhhhhhhh4040 I think Tron and the Galactic Starcruiser fit into the underwhelming category for their own reasons. I'm sure the hotel was cool but it was literally unobtainable for anyone who wasn't wealthy. Tron I enjoy, but it took them forever to build it and it was a copy/paste of an existing coaster.
@@stanfordite1 right……… cause that’s definitely gonna happen
@@stanfordite1yeah sure you are. That’s why you’re arguing on the internet cause you’re in the military and family in congress. YES IT ALL MAKE SENSE NOW. You do you man lmao. Pathetic
Disney needs to keep EPCOT open late. It's better at night, and it leans more adult. As an adult (who's not a big drinker. I'm not talking about partying) I'd much rather have that park to go to at night for a lot of reasons; the weather, possibly less kids, the parks take on a more cozy feel with ligjts, and there's more options for dining. There's no reason why that park can't be open until midnight or later.
I was a landscape designer before retirement; that project, including the synched lighting, is a 6 month project.
Only if my crew installed it, the lighting would work.
And be more interesting.
I wonder what they were going to do in this space? They clearly put the breaks on something more expensive.
@@Imzadi There is concept art that shows a much more exciting project.
I don’t understand how they can get away with this with their stock holders. At this point, Disney execs are flim flam con artists.
@@DOSU490 Unfortunately, the stockholder side will be thrilled if they spent less money. The only way to get them to try harder is continue criticising to the point to where public opinion reflects that they're lazy and people actually stop going to the parks. As long as their revenue is up they're going to keep taking shortcuts. Maybe Epic Universe will be a wake up call for them.
@@DOSU490 Unfortunately, the stockholder side will be thrilled if they spent less money. The only way to get them to try harder is continue criticising to the point to where public opinion reflects that they're lazy and people actually stop going to the parks. As long as their revenue is up they're going to keep taking shortcuts. Maybe Epic Universe will be a wake up call for them.
Epic Universe will be the thing that finally sinks their park profits. Watch them panic and pump billions into big park projects from 2026
I guess it’s what we’ve come to expect from Disney - disappointment😞
REALLY lame that they ditched the fountain. WTF were they thinking?! Oh yeah..."cost savings", I'm sure...sigh.
Basically they did little or nothing. Most towns have nicer parks then what they have built. Again this is designed by stock holder cheap money.
Nobody ever mentions how downhill the shops have become in the various countries in World showcase
It’s giving every Starbucks I’ve ever been to… those take like 6 months to fully build including the actual shop structure 😆
Getting rid of Fountain of Nations was just wrong and just not upgrading Illuminations was just a big missed opportunity for Epcot. Disney acts like they've forgotten how to use their brain.
Totally agree, update Illuminations and keep the Fountain of Nations. So simple.
Good thing they can bring back Epcot Forever whenever needed!
What a beautiful thumbnail that shows exactly what an “upgrade” we got.
I agree Brayden, the center should have been a fountain. The old fountain was one of my daughter's favorite things when she was a little girl. As far as Luminous, I liked it, but there's too much narration. The nighttime shows should be music with a little dialog, not dialog with a few songs. However, as I recall, Harmonious also was choppy in the beginning and they tweaked it, so maybe this will improve as well. We'll see.
I miss the fountain too😢
it took 4 years…wow. oh well, what are ya gonna do? the honest truth is, disney is cheaping out a lot lately. thanks for this video. the forky flash was the best part. 😂
I agree.
Many years ago now I remember with fondness when Disney changes were so exciting that every video he created here on Mickey Views had Brayden exclaiming "Wow!"
I miss those days..
Can’t get away for that Disney vacation, or can’t afford it this decade? Just go to your local Starbucks’ outside bench, and pose for a picture, post it on social media saying “Hello from EPCOT!”
Love the fountain edits. You are exactly right. People generally like plussing the parks. But as said on the Imagineering Story, "it's gotta be as good if not better than what was there before, you can't take away. Our guests know when they're being shortchanged". In hindsight, the propaganda of that doc is quite humorous. They really laid out the Imagineering philosophy in public to then just ignore it going forward.
It's been so fun to watch this channel grow!
The explanation of walts placement was not the easiest thing to listen to. The area is nice, mostly the lighting features, but we need attractions. Overall it's a nice to look at.
I've noticed most of their newer PR cast members are SEVERELY underqualified and lacking the necessary skills for those positions.
Knowing what Walt wanted to do there… watching what the company did… I would keep him as far as possible, I see that statue and I think he would think “Seriously??… some F’in’ plants and a drawing on the floor? That’s it?” I’m sorry that statue looks great but makes me sad.
Disney is almost there with Luminous, all they have to do is keep the new lights and pyro but bring back IllumiNations soundtrack.
what amazes me is experiencing these innovations in the 90s. It was mind blowing and state of the art and I cherish the memory. Seeing these same innovations done 30+ years later is pretty unremarkable however.
Terrific, transparent, honest review!
After hearing that Imagineer speak, I can see why things aren't going so well for Disney.
Yeah right.😢
What happened to people?
Epcot center was wonderful. Universe of energy, the living seas, world of motion, horizons .. omg .
Yes! Total Chipotle vibes! You’re so right.
I am literally literally ROFL at the "baby with the bath water comment". So true 😂
Brayden, outstanding job!!! As always, excellent coverage and great analysis of EPCOT’s updates! Keeps up the great work!! Will stay tuned for more!
I agree with you about the center, giant planter. Reminds me of the miss with the poly reception area, which still looks cheap and lacks any poly feeling that once was their.
Every Time I have a point to make, you make it before me! That’s why you’re the best Brayden!! Great job as always.
You are NEVER negative. Your reviews and evaluations of company behavior is always constructive, honest, and spot on! That’s not being negative. That’s being truthful, loyal fan!
I heard that the music was not working this morning in this area. The music in Luminous is a mashed up mess
Fountain was so nice I miss that
Brayden, you are spot on with your review. I was there yesterday with my daughter. Other than the statue, seating, and lighting it was shockingly plain and lackluster. We said the identical comments about the center planter. So disappointing. They should have just updated what was already there. So many bad decisions one after the other. I’m a passholder of 25 + years. I guess younger generations won’t know what they missed in the EPCOT that I knew and loved.
Epcot was my Dad's FAVORITE PARK!!!! He would Love this!!! He loved Science, technology etc.
Hello Brayden, I've always enjoyed your perspective! As a long-time Disney fan living near Tampa, I find your insights spot-on. While I'm excited about the Epcot revamp, especially the additional seating areas, I can't help but wonder about the central area replacement. I've been inspired by attractions like the Bellagio Fountains in Vegas and wonder if something similar could have been explored. I'm genuinely curious about Disney's decision-making process at the corporate level. It seems like recent changes, such as the Splash Mountain retheme and the Epcot updates, may reflect an imbalance between leaders' visions and fan expectations. What role could a more fan-focused decision making process play? ( i.e. focus groups or even anecdotal information gathered in the parks)The creations of DVC run of the mill hotel style buildings on Bay Lake and the Grand Floridian, while may resonate with some; to me sorely miss the Disney quality mark. I like to look to the Disney Springs creation in the recent past as a fantastic project! The brick by brick attention to detail , cohesive theming, and immersive experience showcase Disney's commitment to creating memorable spaces is still alive and well. However, it's interesting to see how new leadership is handling budget considerations and allocating those across various projects..Keep up the stellar work ; your updates are fun to watch and feature real journalistic reporting blended with your opinions - opinions that I resonate with. I absolutely love it, and I hope you keep up the inspiring work! It would be wonderful to link up with you sometime in the parks.🔥🔥🌶🌶💯💯
The “Eye of Sauron” planter is a joke… I live in SoCal, even our open air malls like the Americana and the Grove feature large fountains / ponds with dancing water features.
I agree with you! Not being happy with a change does not mean that we don’t like change. They cut so much and left us with gardens after years of walls and hope!
So agree with your comment about seating and shade - Florida in summer is crazy hot. People need shade, some place to sit and cool off. I can't even go in the summer any more.
Braden, I dare you to have a good long visit to the Disney parks in Japan. I really think you will have an amazing time and feel at home with all of the effort and detail they put into the parks there. What Disney is doing with Epcot and WDW in general is embarrassing in comparison.
Someone who has been to Tokyo Disneyland Resort over a dozen times I definitely agree.
I think mixing this tech with illuminations would be the perfect solution.
Really appreciate your comments. The Forky overlay was hilarious! We agree that the creative and Disney plussing that used to be the case would have meant that when things are replaced they are replaced with better things not even simply replacing with something as good. That idea seemed to go way when Rohde left. Disney will have a lot more competition when the 3rd Universal gate comes on line. Rather than reacting with "whatever" they should be more forward thinking and plan on increasing the wonder again.
I was just at Epcot yesterday and saw all this for the first time. While the Walt statue and new light package around the area are nice it still seems lacking without a fountain. The lights are already having problems working properly and the rusty towers area is abandoned. The Moana walk though was pretty neat but I see it breaking down in due time. The fireworks show had great pyrotechnics and a good message but the music was so generic and forgettable. None of this needed to take five years to complete and there's still some walls up for a new pavilion in the celebration area.
Just got back from a weekend trip, spending a lot of time in Epcot as a big fan of the park. I do have some constructive criticism, but they are EASY fixes. First, I agree that the fountain is needed as soon as possible to replace that planter. World Celebration is so bland right now and needs something dynamic during the day for nice pictures. Second, I liked Luminous, but it's still third in my ranking of nighttime shows. The original songs in the beginning and end are FANTASTIC (you'll be singing them for days), but the cover songs in the middle fall flat. My suggestion would be to cut out the singing and narrating in the middle of the show and use the instrumental versions of the songs. We all know the lyrics to many of these songs and will sing along anyway :)
I was so excited about Epcots new Graden I went to my computer and book my room at Terra Luna Universals new hotel that is now booking for Epic Universe 2025 also booking is Stella Nova. These new hotels look futuristic and the room kind of look like the rooms from the Star Curser but these rooms are only $160 a night. 😅
What they really should have done for the center was put in a show fountain/splash pad combo. Doesn't have to be anything big. Just something to put on an aquatic show and be a place for the kids to play in. What would be even cooler would be to put in interactive elements in the fountain for the kids to play with.
Love your videos. Very well documented and very informative. You are a good professional. Bravo!
The hoohah planter to replace The Fountain Of Nations. That is a definition of what Disney has become.
4yrs for a garden and some benches. Yep. 4yrs. No fountain, no real personality except at night. Meanwhile, Uni builds a new park and 3 hotels. I just don't get it. It's nice to have somewhere to sit and relax, though. I agree on that. But how about some food and drinks? How about something interesting, besides good old Walt? -sighs- I give up.
Here’s why it took 4 years
Imagineers: we have a plan
Executives: great but we’re gonna budget cut it by a lot
Imagineering: Now we don’t have the money necessary for our plan. We have to chance it
Repeat that process multiple times
I really enjoyed Luminous as well, I didn’t care for the downer in the middle about being alone and losing someone, but other than that was great. Watched it from Norway and it was a great view.
Yes, Brayden! Can't agree more about the new area in Epcot. Thank you for keeping it real.
This is rough. No idea what they’re thinking…a once great company now takes years to build a mediocre garden while universal builds an innovative theme park in less time?!!! It’s actually sad.
Not gunna lie... bring back the fountain in the middle of EPCOT. Moana is boring and the new center is too. Disney is messing up left and right.
Disney wants ip in parks. Moana is here to stay
Moana isnt that bad. I understand epcot is NOT for IPs but... well... moana is a nice experience
It looks to me that corporate politics are severely killing Disney, and it's not what you think. Because of CEO shakeups, layoffs, and potential takeovers, Disney is just stalling at every corner. The parks division has been practically abandoned despite being the biggest moneymaker for the company. What we are witnessing is a pinnacle moment, in the same way when Esiner nearly killed Disney. Basically, once Iger picks his successor & successfully averts this crazy ass proxy war from shareholders, we might finally make it out of this "dark age".
They need a new theme park of villians
Even in Chicago suburbs, a local most popular outdoor mall that has a year around fountain that would be more impressive than what was done now. Of note the fountain is NOT seasonal, but has heated water that does not freeze! The fountain will stop upward water jets at some cold temperature... Disney never did domething like that. Water all runs down a circlr patern track that would havr been impressive for Epcot, getting something new like the jumping fountsins were in 1983! See Oakrooķ Mall Fountain, Illinois.
I do agree with you young man. After all the time those walls stood I would have thought Disney was going to show me the "Wow Factor". But instead they gave me an intrance that looks like I'm checking into the local Radison Inn. Saying Disney cheaped out seems like an understatement.
I have been checking CZcams constantly every day for this video specifically 😅❤ YAY