Wonders of Life

[Fflewduur]

I was recently at Walt Disney World with my family & noticed that the Wonders of Life pavilion was closed. I believe it may simply be a seasonal operation thing, but the place looked so quiet & forlorn...does anyone know if it has reopened/will reopen? Or is it suffering a lingering 20,000 Leagues/Horizons-style demise? I know MetLife ended their sponsorhsip a few years back...

I didn't realize until this trip how much of the original Future World is no longer around. The Universe of Energy & Journey Into Imagination have been extensively retooled & Spaceship Earth has been modified. Horizons is gone. Test Track & Mission Space are newer additions. The Living Seas was not part of the original lineup. The Land is possibly the most static of all Future World attractions--don't think that boat ride through the hydroponic gardens & aquaculture tanks has changed much!--but Kitchen Kabaret has become Food Rocks has become Soarin', and I'm fairly certain the Land's film has changed as well. Wonders of Life would be the sole remaining untouched Future World attraction...makes me feel sad. (And old.)

[jwa1107]

JimHillMedia reports it is closed indefinitely and speculates a Pixar attraction is going to replace it.

"But what about 'Wonders of Life?," you query. Well ... This Future World pavilion will be opening for the very last time next month (December 2005). Just so Epcot can better handle the seasonal crowds. But then after that ...

Well, there had been some talk that the future of this Future World pavilion might be tied to Disney's new deal with Pixar. That -- as part of its new distribution deal with the Mouse -- this computer animation studio might work with the Imagineers to set up a Pixar showcase inside this theme park. This plan would involve retheming WoL's old "Cranium Command" & "The Making of Me" shows and "Body Wars" simulator attraction into new rides, shows and attractions that would be based on "The Incredibles," "Monsters, Inc." and "Cars."

more is here
http://www.jimhillmedia.com/article.php?id=1756

[Fflewduur]

Thanks for the tip & the link. It's a fascinating idea...although I'm not sure what a Pixar showcase would have to do with Future World's theme.

The factory flyaround on the Monsters, Inc. DVD struck me at first viewing as a fabulous basis for a park attraction: it'd be one way to put those Body Wars simulators to use without shipping them off to Asia!

[Fidget1234]

that;s gonna be awesome.

[Kram Nebuer]

Thanks for the tip & the link. It's a fascinating idea...although I'm not sure what a Pixar showcase would have to do with Future World's theme.

The factory flyaround on the Monsters, Inc. DVD struck me at first viewing as a fabulous basis for a park attraction: it'd be one way to put those Body Wars simulators to use without shipping them off to Asia!

Ummm...Pixar...computer animation...future of animation...Epcot's Future World...Pixar in Future World makes perfect sense to me (what with Nemo already dominating The Living Seas, which was supposed to go to Ariel and friends in the original Project Gemini plans). Body Wars can easily be adapted to any Pixar film (A Bug's Life would be awesome! And reminiscent of the original attraction's point of view), but I can't see Cranium Command or the other stuff being adapted...Darn, now I wish to go back again and see the pavillion one last time...

[AwallaceUNC]

WoL needed to close (or at least be drastically changed). The entire building felt extremely out of date, no one went to it when it was open, and its biggest draw-- Body Wars-- is no good these days. It's a giant waste of space, so Disney made the right decision in realizing that it's day has come. I do hope they open a new pavilion with an Epcot-worthy theme there. A whole Pixar Pavilion? That's getting a little crazy and it really will start to over-Pixarize Epcot (something I haven't seen as too problematic before, even with the addition of a Nemo attraction and rumors of a Monsters, Inc. upgrade to UoE).

-Aaron

[Fflewduur]

Ummm...Pixar...computer animation...future of animation...Epcot's Future World...Pixar in Future World makes perfect sense to me

I wasn't trying to be obtuse...

Most of the other Future World attractions have some "edutainment" angle at work, something that gives the citizen-consumer a peek into the world of tomorrow or an unexpected look at today--at least that's been part of the governing philosophy. Nemo, by happy coincidence, crosses over easily into The Living Seas, but I don't know what Buzz & Woody might have to teach me (or the Incredibles, for that matter). I could easily see some sort of insect-intensive pavilion, but wouldn't that make more sense over at Animal Kingdom? And if it were to become an exhibit about computer animation...well, in all honesty I'd rather see it over at the Studios park where it belongs (and where the Animation tour feels rather hollow these days).

All I'm saying is, if Pixar's presence at Epcot is to continue to grow I hope it fits the surroundings.

[MinnieMe]

...Darn, now I wish to go back again and see the pavillion one last time...

Same here!! I loved Cranium Command (as dated as it was) and am sad that I won't be able to see it again!! However, Body Wars I never did care about. I'll be glad to see that turned into something else.

All I'm saying is, if Pixar's presence at Epcot is to continue to grow I hope it fits the surroundings.

I agree with this- I didn't really like the Nemo touch in the Living Seas but at least it fit. (Although I loved the Talk with Crush thing!). They need to find a really great way to tie the Pixar stuff in w/ Future world if that's what they plan on doing!!

[singerguy04]

I hated body wars, it always made me kinda sick for some reason so i'm glad to see this get changed. i really don't see what exactly they are going to do there.unless maybe then turn it into a few different rides. California Adventure was installing a Monster's Inc. ride while i was there last summer so it's a pretty sure bet that this will be one of the things moving in. A Incredibles ride and a Cars ride are the only other things that they could really add to the space.

The Incredibles could be in the body wars ride and you could be following the family in a specially made car or something that would protect you from the evil doers. then you could "help" them defeat whoever is bad and save the say.

I have no clue what you could do with cars since it hasn't been released and everything would seem very much like Test Track. Then again maybe they are planning on re-tooling Test Track since it'll be right next door to the new Pixar Pavillion...

[Fflewduur]

Oo! Oo! What they OUGHT to do...is turn Body Wars into a Tron attraction!