Epcot Review, Walt Disney World's 2nd Theme Park | Should the Park Have Added IPs? 

Great Review, I’ve been waiting for this one- the last WDW park left for you to review is Magic Kingdom, right ?

The last time I was at WDW was in 2017, and at that point, Hollywood Studios was pretty much the automatic weakest park because half of it was shut down for construction and only a few rides were even operating. Epcot was the next weakest, because of the sad, dead-mall vibe of its entire front half... but World Showcase was still terrific in a way that you couldn't really get elsewhere even at Disney World. You got the sense even then that it was the park for grownups, with its lower emphasis on rides, periodic festivals and excellent food and booze options. The notion of it being an alternative to world travel that's available at home is a bit out of date, since today actually going to the countries depicted at Epcot can often be cheaper than a Disney vacation, but the sights and sounds and tastes are still great. It sounds as if they've made some valiant efforts to revive the old Future World, and I respect that, though budget cuts and COVID did some damage to those plans. I visited pre-Guardians, but a thing I like about the rides that were there is that they were pretty much all in the thrill range that my family was willing to share with me. My daughter was younger at the time and had a weird childhood animatronics-phobia so I haven't seen much of the classic dark rides there. But Soarin' and Test Track are classics, and Test Track (along with Big Thunder Mountain Railroad) is right at the upper limit where it's as thrilling as a ride can get without repelling my wife and kid. I like sharing the experience.

Biggest wasted potential in a theme park in all of Florida, maybe even the world. It would be an amazing place to be if Disney had stuck to their guns and kept the world's fair theme of the park front and center. Now it just feels like a bunch of whatever with occasionally good stuff.

Haven't been to Disney for years. But $30 just to park??? That's ridiculous. I thought $20 was a ripoff last time I was there.

It's sad how much my love has declined for Disney World. I was enamored by the parks as a kid and even a teenager but the constant IP tie-ins and complete lack of care for thematic cohesiveness (as well as their outright detheming going on throughout the property) have degraded them into feeling less like an escape from reality and more like a soulless corporate junkyard only suitable for the smallest of children or the biggest of Disney adults. This, as opposed to something classier and far more immersive & original like Phantasialand which I would chop off a finger to visit. I think Disney vastly overestimates the benefit of IP. I know for a fact that anytime my dad sees an attraction based on a property he doesn't care about, he immediately loses a bit of interest and asks if he would "get it" still. I think it drives more mature minded adults like myself away from the parks who are tired of the constant capitalism hellscape we live in. I'm trying to relax and escape the real world on vacation, as someone who loves the art of a themed ride I want to be immersed in new adventures, not ride a screen based motion simulator that recaps the events of whatever lame marvel movie has came out most recently. Does nothing for me. I get so upset because I see die hard Disney fans (in the way I used to be) who seemingly don't share this sentiment at all. I'm over here crying about the beautiful concepts of the future that Walt Disney presented and they're busy going "OHHH LOOK ITS MIKEY MOUSE!! OMG ITS A CHARACTER I RECOGNIZE FROM THE MCU! LET ME BUY SOME MERCH!" and I realized none of them really experienced Disney in a deeper emotional sense like I did as a kid. IPs have their place but Disney has completely lost it. I did an entire university thesis paper once breaking this down and was the only one in my class to get a 100 on my presentation. My classmates even said they were depressed by the time was done.

I'm of two minds when it comes to the current state of Epcot. I acknowledge that with the recent opening of World Celebration Gardens, that the park transformation is now "complete". On one hand, I'm fine with that. There's plenty of attractions and experiences now, but the Imagination pavilion continues to suffer. The now 20 year old ride has fallen victim to neglect, and the Magic Eye Theater is home to only dull Pixar shorts that one can enjoy at home. Guardians is both an incredible ride, and a technological feat, but I stand by the opinion that it does not belong in Epcot. That is why there's such a conflict in my mind. The park has a lot to offer, but I don't like how they've strayed from the edutainment premise. I agree with you about Test Track's exterior. They should remove that scaffolding facade. The architecture of the transportation pavilion is great enough on it's own.

I'm just sad they don't have a science museum with a user-programmable Kuka arm ride, that was such a wild thing for a Disney park to have

oh i thought epcot was just the ball and i was questioning how all that stuff fit in there

I'm very much a pessimist on EPCOT. I got to experience it in its hay day in the early 90s as a kid and it blew me away. Horizons, World of Motion and original Journey into Imagination were genuinely phenomenal. I'm talking Pirates of the Caribbean level good. Also, some of the IP use has not only been tacky in my opinion but sometimes even culturally insulting (e.g. Aladdin in Morocco, Frozen in Norway...etc.) I still love some things about the park. Spaceship Earth has always been great. World Showcase is still amazing despite Disney's resentment of the area. But EPCOT sometimes makes me sad. Okay, there is my negativity. Sorry.

I'm okay with some IPs in World Showcase since there are many more ways to absorb the cultures in those pavilions and they are somewhat appropriate for the pavilions they're in (Now it's world celebration or something right?) but in what used to be future world, I really don't think we need any more of those. That area is about human achievement, and I feel that that the presence of IP's diminishes that slightly. Either add original characters like in the case of figment, or none at all. Something like Guardians imo should have gone to Hollywood Studios, where IPs make a bit more sense. Regarding thrill rides, I think they should only be added where it sense. Space? Makes sense, but I guess it should have coexisted with horizons. Cars? Makes sense. Test Track just needs an update, which it is getting. Imagination is getting pretty stale, and I don't know why nothing has been done with it in recent years.

Beverly was so disgusting my first time trying it. Now, I have developed a taste for it. I would even say it's good now. The one from China seemed to keep getting worse. Mission Space was such a unique ride experience. I loved it so much. I did both sides multiple times and couldn't get enough. I thought for sure that Soarin or Frozen would be my favorite ride in the park, but Mission Space took it.

Beverly is legitimately one of my favorite sodas. It makes me sad to hear people dunk on it. I wish I could drink it literally anywhere outside of Epcot.

I went to Epcot for the first time a few weeks ago and it was amazing! Especially going as an adult, the world showcase was a terrific place with tons of great food and drinks! I also loved rides like test track and Guardians! This park has so much to explore with tons of hidden coves and plenty of beauty! Excited to hear your thoughts!

Epcot Superfan right here! I love the food and smells of Epcot. Germany makes me extra hungry. I have been loving the Disney content and I love the selfies with the characters towards the end. Speaking of Disney content, will there be a video about the mysterious Club 33 soon? Some of the enthusiasts also cone conspiracies as well. Wink Wink

Currently My Least Favorite Park In The Disney Chain

For me, Epcot is my least favorite out of the four Disney World parks. I think it has some of the best food but I'm more of a ride person and the other parks have better rides. I haven't ridden Guardians yet though. It's still fun but the worst park at Disney World in my opinion.

I love this park! Cosmic Rewind and Test Track are so cool, and the ride collection is decently stacked, I love you shedding light on this park’s positives

Even though it doesn't have the best rides, it's my favorite park at WDW.

Epcot is probably one of the most controversial park in the world, because everyone has a different opinion on it. For me I think it’s the second best WDW park, and 4th in Orlando.

We have seen test track on a cloudy day with a 25 minute wait.

will you do the other parks as well?

24:22 never thought I’d hear that about theme park food.