Thursday, February 25th, 2010
Just like leaving every attraction, Disney lead us right into a gift shop this week. With a tease about a “special announcement” last week. They did a Twitter press release and launched a line of Captain EO retail products. That’s a disappointment for all the fans East of Anaheim. The hope was that they were going to bring the attraction back to EPCOT as well. I promise I’ll stop by the gift shop afterward.
Saturday, February 20th, 2010
Disney announced today that along with the opening of Captain EO at Disneyland on Tuesday they are making a “Special Announcement” about the 3D movie early next week. Can it be that they are listening to the many fans who have asked that the attraction get a new life again at EPCOT? We can hope.
Official Reopening Date Set for ‘Captain EO’ Featuring Michael Jackson « Disney Parks Blog.
Wednesday, January 27th, 2010
Disney has announced that an authentic pizzeria is under construction and will be opening at the EPCOT Italy Pavilion in the Fall of this year. The new 300-seat restaurant will have traditional Florentine architecture, vaulted-ceilings and outside dining. It will feature authentic Italian dishes and pizza from wood-burning ovens. Taking it one step further toward authenticity, one of the special touches at the Epcot location will be the water imported from a source where the composition most resembles water used in Naples, Italy. It will be used to make the dough as authentic Italian as possible. I’ve been told that the water really makes a big difference. Even New York style pizza isn’t the same without New York water.
The family-style pizzeria will be a welcome addition. Hopefully the prices will be family-friendly. There hasn’t been a good pizza alternative since the restaurant in Future World closed. It’s now occupied by a character greeting area.
Saturday, December 19th, 2009
But, for now, you may have to go to California to experience it. Disney just confirmed that the classic musical spectacular will return for an exclusive, limited engagement at Disneyland park beginning in February 2010! Twenty-three years ago, at the height of his phenomenal entertainment career, Michael Jackson joined forces with Disney to create “Captain EO,” a groundbreaking 17-minute 3D film experience directed by Francis Ford Coppola and produced by George Lucas that was featured at Disneyland and EPCOT from 1986 – 1997.
It’s time to bring the Captain back to EPCOT as well. “Honey I Shrunk The Audience” is woefully out of date. The 3D is weak. The attendance is as well. For that fact, why stick to just one film anyway? Why not also schedule “Magic Journeys”? There is nothing in the theater that would prohibit that.
Monday, September 14th, 2009
EPCOT is the third most visited theme park in the country but it’s evidently not getting any extra attention in the just announced expansion and upgrades that will appear over the next three years at the Magic Kingdom, Disneyland, Hollywood Studios and even California Adventure. The latter under-performing park is getting the most attention. Perhaps rightly so.
There is promise in some of the new things coming to Florida. The updated Star Tours with 3D sounds enticing. The promise of offering a ride like none other (right now) there is some fear that the prequel era storyline might be a bit tired. It seems that the technology itself could lend itself to a more varied slate of experiences. Why couldn’t the simulator have a few different story lines? Even one Starspeeder could be left as-is with the original story as it is presented right now. After all, kids yet old enough to ride (or even not yet born) could enjoy the experience as much as the millions who have already memorized all of the Captain Rex dialogue. (”Mine too.”)
But I’d like to suggest some attention to some of the ignored areas at EPCOT. First, the former Wonders of Life pavilion. Perhaps they can use the same new Imagineering and technologies from Stare Tours II and economically reincarnate the simulators in Body Wars. Or how about Cranium Command in 3D… or 6D with something for all the senses? It’s an opportunity for experiences that could breathe new life into it and bring back the wonder that’s missing right now.
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