Day 491: Make a Change

Day 11 of the Disney Photo Challenge: A picture of the thing you wish you could change about the parks. 

Blast from the Past: 

Something I would change about the parks...hmmm. This is a lot harder than you think. 

I guess something that I wish was different is Epcot. It was such an amazing park back on its opening day almost 30 years ago, and since then it's gone through so many changes, many of which aren't exactly great. Most of the opening day attractions are either completely gone or changed. Actually, the only attractions that still resemble the original on opening day are Spaceship Earth, Living with the Land and slightly the Universe of Energy. 

World of Motion has been replaced by Test Track, which is now once again being updated (I really hope it's open when we go, but there's been talk that it won't be...), Horizons has been replaced by Mission Space. The Living Seas is now "The Seas with Nemo and Friends" and has been dumbed down (don't get me wrong...I love Nemo, but there's just something different about it now...it's not as educational). The imagination Pavilion was changed, taking out the classic addition of "Dreamfinder." Communicore has been changed to Innoventions. The Land has several changes...the movie has been changed (although it hasn't been since The Lion King came out...and I can see it being updated, because it's not obviously stuck in the 90's, but the Lion King idea will probably stay the same), Soarin' has taken over the area that used to house "The Kitchen Kabaret" and then "Food Rocks." Living with the Land has been updated, but has stayed fairy similar to how it originally appeared. Club Cool, which needed an update badly, has been given one, but there's just something different about it when you don't have a giant snowplow out front. And finally, the Wonders of Life Pavilion has been closed altogether, now only used for special events. Even my Spaceship Earth has been changed...taking out some of my favorite portions of the ride and replacing it with an interactive program, which is...unique and amazing in its own way. But there's just something missing when the City of Tomorrow and the hope of the future doesn't follow you out of the ride. 

Epcot was a truly amazing park, and I'm not saying that it's not anymore...it still very much is, but I just wish Future World hadn't changed so much. Everything has been dumbed down, making it easier for people to understand. You know, back in the 80's, people understood very easily what everything meant, and now people can hardly figure out things as simple as the history on Spaceship Earth. And this is why I try to spend some time in one of my favorite locations in the park each trip...the Jumping Fountains that, until recently, even I had forgotten about. I hope those fountains never leave, because it's just one of the things reminding us of the city and the community that Walt had envisioned in his last public appearance. 

"We call it Epcot. Spelled E.P.C.O.T. Experimental Prototype Community Of Tomorrow."

Back to the Future: 

I try to figure out my current answer before I go back and look at what I said two years ago generally, although sometimes I remember what they were. This time I honestly don't remember what I said though, so I'm going to go ahead and give my answer as it is right now:

If I could change one thing about the Disney Parks, it would most certainly be the number of characters you can meet, along with the selection. I understand that it's really difficult to care for all the costumes and constantly have the staff to pull something like that off, but you have no idea how sad I am that I always missed the Long Lost Friends weeks last year.

I mean, most of my own favorite characters can generally be found somewhere in the parks, and I'm more excited every single day about meeting characters in January with my friends, but there are a few I wish would be easier to find all the time.

Namely Flynn Rider.

I know, I know. You're reading this saying "But Lizzie! You've met Flynn!" and yeah, that's very true, but it was honestly by accident. He's not out every day, and for the most part at Disney World he's not there at all. So finding Flynn was like...HUGE. On that topic, I honestly just think that all the Princesses should meet with their Princes. I mean, we all love us some Phillip and Naveen for sure, right?

Plus I really want to meet Olaf. Someone, please...figure that out for real. And Kristoff, who is in the parks right now for Frozen Summer Fun. God, I would love to meet Kristoff.

Have a magical day!

(Note: This blog post was written on August 19).

Day 488: Long Gone

Day 8 of the Disney Photo Challenge: A picture of the ride you miss the most. 

Blast from the Past: 

Why are all of these questions so hard? 

For this one I think I'm going to have to say Horizons in Epcot. I don't remember much about this attraction, but I remember enough to know that I enjoyed it as a kid. 

Horizons was a ride where it took you through technologies of the future, ideas that we haven't even thought of beginning to explore. Things that now we are able to do...like grow crops in the desert. Then there are ideas of living underwater, and the class of children on a field trip are able to play with a sea lion. And finally, ideas of what it might be like to live in Space...and this is really the only part I remember. There's a little boy who has lost his shoe and they are trying to leave for the day, but his shoe is off floating...due to the lack of gravity. He's also got his teddy bear, floating quietly in space near him. It was said that the ride is a futuristic continuation of Walt Disney's Carousel of Progress, and if you have had the chance to see both, you can very easily notice the similarities, including the daughter from the famous World's Fair attraction...and the loveable dog, Rover. 

The ride closed in 2001 for good after a long struggle without a sponsor, and was soon after replaced by Mission Space. But I'll always remember the kid in space who lost his shoe.

Back to the Future: 

I completely agree with my past self. I do miss Horizons, but I think I'm going to have to expand a bit here.

In March, I had the chance to explore in the Wonders of Life Pavilion, or at least, what used to be the Wonders of Life Pavilion. I haven't been in there in years, so it was a new adventure to see what was still there and remember what used to exist versus what was there now. Unlike Horizons, I do have quite the firm memory of Wonders of Life, but it brings about a larger topic.

I miss all of the old Epcot. It's not to say that Epcot isn't, well, Epcot, but there's a certain aspect missing now. The Seas isn't the same, although it's getting better, and Dreamfinder is long gone in the Imagination Pavilion. No one really remembers Kitchen Kabaret anymore, and while I love the current version of Spaceship Earth with all my heart, I can't help but feel a bit sad about the loss of the attraction I loved as a child.

So that's my answer: I miss the old Epcot. Where everything was about exploring what the future had to offer.

Have a magical day!

(Note: This blog post was written on August 19).