EPCOT- do you think it needs a new thrill ride?

I'm not sure if there is a formula for this, I'm sure there is, but we didn't talk about it. If you are at Magic Kingdom and voice comes over the loud speakers then announces the park hours have been extended, that means Disney decided that you aren't going to experience X number of attractions that day in the normal hours. I think it's like 6 attractions that you are guaranteed for MK to get your money's worth.

Wow!! That's awesome!

I agree, don't really think a thrill ride would "fit" in the WS. Maybe something in FW. Updates and changes are give and take. If Spaceship Earth was ever taken away I would be devastated... It's something I just have to do. The Soarin update should be awesome.

I love WS but a new section (or 2) would be awesome. The movies are dated and I mostly skip them and just take in the shopping and the food/drink selections.

Yes!!!

DH and sons are whooping over this idea. I don't watch it, but I've knitted enough scarfs, socks, and make too many tardis kleenex box covers!

I agree with those posting that EPCOT needs something new for sure. Not necessarily a roller coaster or thrill ride. But wasn't Soarin' about the last "update" this park has received in some time? Another country would be awesome and I'm sure there have been many discussion & threads on what that country should be.

I had a think about this - now that Disney own two of possibly the biggest licences in recent years (Marvel and Star Wars), how about integrating something Marvel into Epcot? This could be a trip through innovation using Stark Industries, showing how innovation has driven society forward over time, ending with a view of the (Marvelised) future?

Star Wars belongs in the Studio park, you have a non-Disney licence in Avatar at Animal Kingdom and most things Disney (obviously) at Magic Kingdom. Marvel needs somewhere to go and through innovation and Iron Man, this seems a suitable fix - to me in any case...

Sid Man - I really like the idea of the trip through trip through innovation utilizing Stark Industries and the Marvel tie in now that Disney owns the license. Perfect for Future World at EPCOT and I'm sure a thrill ride around Iron Man, etc. would be great!

Imagine an animatronic Tony Stark introducing a World's Fair attraction about how great technology is before being pulled along a ride through time by different versions of Iron Man with narration by Pepper being interrupted by TS in his usual manner...that would be pretty awesome! As I understand, Disneyland has an innoventions attraction based on Iron Man - it can't be that hard to translate it to Florida?

Universe of Energy could be re-fitted to an adventure in time and space with The Doctor - assuming the BBC and Disney ever got an agreement going! The Doctor could recruit everyone in the audience to be his companions for the time of the ride - don't worry, the TARDIS will hold all of you...it's bigger inside than it looks! That could be a true voyage through time and space, incorporating some of the dinosaurs from Ellen's adventure but sufficiently different enough from Spaceship Earth to allow both to co-exist.

Great Marvel idea Sid Man!!!! AHHHHH if RDJ would just show up!!!!!

Doesn't Disney have some kind of agreement with BBC to sell Doctor Who merch in the UK pavilion?

That is a great idea for an Iron Man attraction, Sid Man. The Marvel-Universal contract probably complicates things so the way I interpret the deal, your idea sadly is a no go.

Here's some info about the contract:
http://www.themeparkinsider.com/flume/201406/4061/

Yeah. However, with the announcement this week of the Guardians of the Galaxy preview in DHS, it seems that SOME Marvel characters might be allowed. I think the best bet at this point, however, would be something focusing on the forthcoming Big Hero 6, as it appears the characters and story have been changed substantially and would be different enough from the comics to skirt the issue entirely. (Doesn't hurt that the word "Marvel" hasn't appeared on any of the early advertising yet.)

Most likely, I'm thinking that come November one or two of the characters might be meeting at the Japan Pavilion.

Not arguing either way since Maelstom is quite tame either way and any ride upgrade there would need a new traffic pattern anyway...so there is time. I wold love to see a Tardis phone box just on the path outside UK!
I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the labyrinth idea for Alice! Anythiing that gives kids more of a connection with the country to me, would make Epcot more family. How many children have read the original Mary Poppins or the rest of her books? How many kids have heard or read AA Milne? (and not Disney's version?) That's part of the culture to me! A ride would just make this more attractive to younger kiddos.

Yes, they do! I've bought Dr. Who gear there before, but a little bit of merchandise is a lot different than bringing a whole attraction.

Wouldn't that make it easier for them to discuss a possible attraction if Disney did want to explore that opportunity?

That is a shame...assuming Disney/Marvel were no longer able to negotiate a new contract with Universal. I'd love to see Iron Man and Future World together or The Fantastic Four incorporated in somewhere with their use of elasticity, fire, invisibility and rock to explain different theories in a fun way.

I'd never say never...Disney has a way of getting its own way and with Universal seeming to concentrate on Harry Potter, this might be a way of leveraging a bit of leeway into the contract

PS I've never seen any DW merch at WDW...I must be looking in the wrong places! But I'd agree, selling is one thing but agreeing to have a moreorless permanent attraction on site at WDW might be a whole different game.

Disney and Uni will eventually settle. Uni's contract only focuses on the comic versions, meaning there limited in what they can do update wise, and those attractions are valuable real estate that they might want to use for something else in the future ("What's that? JK is working on a Potter spin-off? CHA-CHING!")

As far as Dr. Who merch, check out the Toy Soldier store in the UK Pavilion.

I sure hope it happens but I'm not sold it will.

Isn't it a glass half empty/glass half full argument in a way? Yes, Uni is limited in terms of updates but at the same time, Uni gets to keep Marvel Superhero Island, meaning basically, no Marvel characters in the Disney parks in the near future. I've been told that the contract expires in 2050 and I would think Uni will hold on to it until the very last day of the deal. Disney may have to pay more to get Marvel characters and attractions in the Disney parks than they did to acquire Marvel in the first place!

First, that only applies to Florida Disney parks. Disneyland has had Thor and Captain America meet guests, Disneyland Paris has had Spider-Man meet guests, and Hong Kong Disney is getting an Iron Man attraction. Now, as far as no Marvel characters in Walt Disney World parks? Well, obviously that's not entirely true as, as mentioned above, Disney has announced that they will be running 3D previews of the Guardians of the Galaxy at DHS in the Sound Studio building. So technically we're going to get Marvel characters in a Walt Disney World theme park in a matter of weeks.

I understood Disneyland LA also has the Innoventions attraction with Iron Man armour on display - is this where they're running the meet-and-greets?

This could run as a separate thread in itself, couldn't it...? In fact, is there a thread on how the Disney parks appear to manage their 'external' licences?

Well, Marvel isn't an external license; Disney owns it lock, stock, and mutant.

Disney can not have characters represented by IOA in there parks, that's why IOA have the big character cut outs everywhere, I assume universal never thought GotG would get made by disney, also big hero 6 is a marvel comic book, again no representation at IOA though, I don't think Wdw will ever see, iron man, Spider-Man, Thor, the hulk, the fantastic four or the x men inside it's gates.

Also as per thread topic, Epcot does not need another thrill ride, the park is about education it's like saying " you what the NYC natural history museum could use a roller coaster" or "wouldn't Buckingham palace be better with a simulater" wdw provides families with a rounded vacation, attractions, fun, thrills, education, romance all these things can be found on property in one place or another but not all have to be in the same place at the same time,

Someone on facebook said that Epcot rumors are that the whole park will close down for a redesign but I don't think Disney would do that.