Comments on: Will we actually get a 25th Anniversary at Epcot after all? http://www.mouseextra.com/2007/07/10/will-we-actually-get-a-25th-anniversary-at-epcot-after-all/ Feeding the Disney fixation daily Sun, 23 Nov 2008 10:04:10 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: Biblioadonis aka George http://www.mouseextra.com/2007/07/10/will-we-actually-get-a-25th-anniversary-at-epcot-after-all/#comment-1675 Biblioadonis aka George Thu, 12 Jul 2007 19:34:22 +0000 http://www.mouseextra.com/2007/07/10/will-we-actually-get-a-25th-anniversary-at-epcot-after-all/#comment-1675 Now...a parade celebrating all of Future World's current pavilions with a nod to the older ones might be fun. But... Where would it run, and Can you imagine a float at the Magic Kingdom with a Toad float. I can't. The backlash would be horrendous! Now…a parade celebrating all of Future World’s current pavilions with a nod to the older ones might be fun. But…

Where would it run, and
Can you imagine a float at the Magic Kingdom with a Toad float.

I can’t. The backlash would be horrendous!

]]> By: Raidermatt http://www.mouseextra.com/2007/07/10/will-we-actually-get-a-25th-anniversary-at-epcot-after-all/#comment-1667 Raidermatt Thu, 12 Jul 2007 03:23:57 +0000 http://www.mouseextra.com/2007/07/10/will-we-actually-get-a-25th-anniversary-at-epcot-after-all/#comment-1667 Ah, ok, that makes more sense. It's been 25 years since opening and about 10 since any serious updates/changes started, so I agree there has probably been a fair amount of "guest turnover", though I also agree it's difficult to really guage how much. It was just that I've seen people argue elsewhere that Epcot wasn't very popular in the beginning because of various reasons, so when I read your original post I thought things were going down that road. Thanks for the clarification. If we do assume the Epcot anniversary doesn't mean a lot to most guests, then it does follow that it wouldn't make a lot of sense to spend money on stuff like parades just for that purpose. Let those who care buy some merchandise. But I do think Epcot could use a parade in general. I wouldn't want another version of the "character parade" that runs at all of the other parks, but either a Tapestry of Nations revival or something else creative would be a real plus I think. Ah, ok, that makes more sense. It’s been 25 years since opening and about 10 since any serious updates/changes started, so I agree there has probably been a fair amount of “guest turnover”, though I also agree it’s difficult to really guage how much.

It was just that I’ve seen people argue elsewhere that Epcot wasn’t very popular in the beginning because of various reasons, so when I read your original post I thought things were going down that road. Thanks for the clarification.

If we do assume the Epcot anniversary doesn’t mean a lot to most guests, then it does follow that it wouldn’t make a lot of sense to spend money on stuff like parades just for that purpose. Let those who care buy some merchandise.

But I do think Epcot could use a parade in general. I wouldn’t want another version of the “character parade” that runs at all of the other parks, but either a Tapestry of Nations revival or something else creative would be a real plus I think.

]]> By: biblioadonis aka George http://www.mouseextra.com/2007/07/10/will-we-actually-get-a-25th-anniversary-at-epcot-after-all/#comment-1662 biblioadonis aka George Wed, 11 Jul 2007 18:19:05 +0000 http://www.mouseextra.com/2007/07/10/will-we-actually-get-a-25th-anniversary-at-epcot-after-all/#comment-1662 Thanks for the link to the stats. When I re-read my post, I realized I ommitted part of a phrase. When I said: Early Epcot/Future World attractions were not experienced by a lot people; I meant to say that they were not experienced by a lot of people that are visiting the parks *today*. I would feel pretty safe in arguing that most daily visitors started coming to WDW in the past 10 years or so. Of course, there is no way for this to be accuratley known by us...so it is still up for contention. I just don't see a parade being a real money maker. Shirts, posters, mugs...stuff that we could take home and enjoy. Thanks for the link to the stats. When I re-read my post, I realized I ommitted part of a phrase. When I said:
Early Epcot/Future World attractions were not experienced by a lot people; I meant to say that they were not experienced by a lot of people that are visiting the parks *today*. I would feel pretty safe in arguing that most daily visitors started coming to WDW in the past 10 years or so. Of course, there is no way for this to be accuratley known by us…so it is still up for contention.

I just don’t see a parade being a real money maker. Shirts, posters, mugs…stuff that we could take home and enjoy.

]]> By: Raidermatt http://www.mouseextra.com/2007/07/10/will-we-actually-get-a-25th-anniversary-at-epcot-after-all/#comment-1655 Raidermatt Tue, 10 Jul 2007 23:21:39 +0000 http://www.mouseextra.com/2007/07/10/will-we-actually-get-a-25th-anniversary-at-epcot-after-all/#comment-1655 Yeah, I think we're looking at merchandise, some banners, maybe a guest speaker or two, stuff like that. Honestly, as long as they are publically acknowledging the date as a date of great significance (Disney-wise), I'm pretty much ok. Anything else is just marketing and isn't necessarily genuine. I did want to comment on the idea that not many people saw those early Future World attractions. If you look at the attendance figures, http://www.geocities.com/hopemax.geo/wdwattendence.htm, it looks like about the same number of people saw those early Epcot attractions as see the new Epcot attractions. Attendance at the resort went up 10-12 million in the years after Epcot's opening, and thats pretty much about what Epcot is estimated to get today. That doesn't mean I want all the pavilions turned back, but it is some interesting data. Yeah, I think we’re looking at merchandise, some banners, maybe a guest speaker or two, stuff like that. Honestly, as long as they are publically acknowledging the date as a date of great significance (Disney-wise), I’m pretty much ok. Anything else is just marketing and isn’t necessarily genuine.

I did want to comment on the idea that not many people saw those early Future World attractions. If you look at the attendance figures, http://www.geocities.com/hopemax.geo/wdwattendence.htm, it looks like about the same number of people saw those early Epcot attractions as see the new Epcot attractions. Attendance at the resort went up 10-12 million in the years after Epcot’s opening, and thats pretty much about what Epcot is estimated to get today.

That doesn’t mean I want all the pavilions turned back, but it is some interesting data.

]]> By: Biblioadonis aka George http://www.mouseextra.com/2007/07/10/will-we-actually-get-a-25th-anniversary-at-epcot-after-all/#comment-1654 Biblioadonis aka George Tue, 10 Jul 2007 18:45:12 +0000 http://www.mouseextra.com/2007/07/10/will-we-actually-get-a-25th-anniversary-at-epcot-after-all/#comment-1654 I think the strength of an Epcot celebration would be in Future World. World Showcase really hasn't changed too much. But seriously, would it draw crowds? Early Epcot/Future World attractions were not experienced by a lot people. So ,the chances of making money are slimmer than a general Disney magic parade. It is probably going to be limited to a book (if they can do it in a few months) or just logos on shirts, pins and hats. I think the strength of an Epcot celebration would be in Future World. World Showcase really hasn’t changed too much.

But seriously, would it draw crowds? Early Epcot/Future World attractions were not experienced by a lot people. So ,the chances of making money are slimmer than a general Disney magic parade.

It is probably going to be limited to a book (if they can do it in a few months) or just logos on shirts, pins and hats.

]]> By: John Frost http://www.mouseextra.com/2007/07/10/will-we-actually-get-a-25th-anniversary-at-epcot-after-all/#comment-1653 John Frost Tue, 10 Jul 2007 14:00:14 +0000 http://www.mouseextra.com/2007/07/10/will-we-actually-get-a-25th-anniversary-at-epcot-after-all/#comment-1653 Before Brad Rex made his earlier pronouncement of "no celebration" there were rumors that Epcot would be receiving a new parade. I wonder if the work on that effort could be revived in time for the 20th anniversary. I think they would have to avoid the world showcase area as much as possible since the Food And Wine festival takes up so much square footage now. Before Brad Rex made his earlier pronouncement of “no celebration” there were rumors that Epcot would be receiving a new parade. I wonder if the work on that effort could be revived in time for the 20th anniversary. I think they would have to avoid the world showcase area as much as possible since the Food And Wine festival takes up so much square footage now.

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