EPCOT: The flawed theme park of two halves

EPCOT isn’t just one theme park, it’s secretly two stuck together. The designers couldn’t figure out whether to make it a theme park of tomorrow, or a world showcase. Join us as we explore yesterday's theme park of tomorrow and visit the world (condensed down into 11 small pavilions)!
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[@marvinrichardson1618]

Epcot Center was so amazing when it opened in 1982. The attractions in Future World were amazing, top of the line attractions that could not be equalled. I really miss Horizons; greatest dark ride ever created.

[@coasterbot]

Oh I can imagine!

[@davidfrischknecht8261]

I grew up in the 80s and 90s, so I still call it Epcot Center.

[@camikelly2356]

Good video, Harry! I'm glad you're not afraid to put your honest opinions on the internet. I went to EPCOT for the first time in December 2009 with my middle school chorus. Originally, I was not looking forward to this park, but ended up loving it in the end! I also went back January 2012 with my mom and two of her friends, and I still loved it a lot. I love the different countries, scientific experiences and theming, and the food, especially the funnel cake I got in 2012. I hope to ride Guardians someday.

[@coasterbot]

Some of the park is really nice and I wish it did itself justice, but man it's so flawed. Guardians is amazing, I hope you get to ride it soon too!

[@lanadelate]

It’s legit impossible to ride ride I missed both of the lines😭😭😭

[@MattMcIrvin]

I've actually spent more time at Epcot than at any other Disney park, but I still haven't ridden most of the old classic dark rides, because I spent most of that time going around with my daughter playing the "Phineas and Ferb"-themed alternate-reality game that existed in World Showcase at the time--she greatly preferred that to riding rides, period. It was diverting. I think the proliferation of non-IP original rides in the 1970s and 1980s happened more or less by accident: it was simply because Disney didn't have a lot of hit properties in that time period. At the movies, they were in their post-Walt, pre-Disney-Renaissance slump era. But the theme parks benefited from that.

[@EnoughRhetoric]

I love the 3 Cabellaros really ride but I have little kids and it’s for them. Reviewing it as anything other than that would be like reviewing a kids section of a standard amusement park as being non-thrilling. Glad you enjoyed Living with the Land. It’s my favorite non-thrill ride.

[@user-jz7ny1qc6j]

The whole thing where you have to reserve rides and can't just go when you want to sounds way too much like needing a fully planned out daily itinerary, which is something I never want to do for a vacation. Having to preplan every little part of the day doesn't sound like vacation to me

[@joeeeee256]

Totally agreed, EPCOT's IPs really take away for me

[@Shag471]

I wish you could’ve experienced Epcot CENTER, the original concept for this park. It was amazing.

[@coasterbot]

Me too

[@joshuabutner3495]

I agree with everything you said outside of Spaceship Earth. I actually really enjoy it. The scenes show the history of communication which is why it ends in a garage which I believe represents the creation of Google. I do, however, agree that the ride system isn't great.

[@scottpmn65554]

You nearly lost me with the Spaceship Earth slander... just about pulled it back with the Living with the Land praise 😂 great video!

[@coasterbot]

Ha ha what a roller coaster of emotions! Some rides just don't 'click' with me at all, do you know what I mean?

[@scottpmn65554]

@CoasterBot absolutely! I think my feelings towards the 'classic' Epcot rides like SSE are heavily grounded in nostalgia

[@Paolo8772]

My heart goes out to you and yours; I hate getting scammed. My plan this year was to visit Florida for the 1st time for Universal Islands of Adventure, Busch Gardens Tampa, Seaworld and the two Fun Spot parks but not one Disney park. But even That's already too much expensive for me right now, especially when I discovered Epic Universe will be opening in 2025 I changed my plans and decided visit Florida in late 2025 or early 2026 and do Cedar Fair this year instead, especially since I did Six Flags last year with the two SFGAs and Canada Wonderland the year before. So I then planned to do K.I. and Californias Great America in May/June but then I discovered that Carowinds is all weekdays from April 11th 14th, so I'm booked to fly from Vancouver to Charlotte tomorrow for four nights at Comfort Inn Fort Mills South Carolina, closest to the southern gate and 2nd closest to the northern gate of Carowinds for my 1st ever visit! The flight and hotels are cheap this time of year, so I can hopefully save enough $ to afford to visit King's Island sometime in early June or Late August (and you may remember I've already visited Cedar Point in May 2018). I hope to somehow figure how to be part of your best coasters of 2023. I love you're content: Thanks for posting!

[@coasterbot]

I hope you get to visit all of those parks, that sounds awesome! I'm hoping to visit a few parks on the East coaster of the States next summer. Thanks for enjoying our videos!

[@Paolo8772]

@@coasterbot Sounds fantastic! I managed to lap Fury 325 97 times in the three full days and a four hour last day there before catching an Uber to the airport, as well as Intimidator 19 times, Afterburn 13 times and Copperhead strike 14 times, Hurler, Ricochet, Carolina Gold Rusher and Nighthawk each once in the back (except Ricochet). All the other coasters were closed but it was a perfect trip that went off without a hitch. Fury 325 and Steel Vengeance are the two best coasters I've ridden, and my two biggest bucket list coasters are The Voyage and Velocicoaster.

[@camikelly2356]

COASTER BOT If you go to any of the theme parks in Georgia, please let me know since that’s where I live and I’ve always wanted to meet you and Zoe.

[@skatealex1]

Spaceship Earth is one of my favorite Epcot rides. Reminds me of classic Epcot

[@SteveAndAlexBuild]

You forgot to mention future world is currently a massive construction site and just a dull ring around the construction boards being ruined by Moana ! 😫. That dam app and the reservation system is to be blunt… total shite and it completely ruined our 10 th and last time at Disney last September / October ( the bloody hurricane didn’t help either 😔). Old test track was so much better than the trionifyed version. Absolutely blown away by guardians but could only get on it once 😢. Love the honest review 👌🏼🧱👍🏼

[@RollerbazAndCoasterDad]

Nothing like watching a great video about a theme park low on our likely list

[@Tesmig]

This is honestly one of my favourite series you have ever done. I can’t wait for the animal kingdom one

[@sirbossk]

I agree with pretty much all of your criticisms of the park. The World Showcase carries the park hard as everything about Future World is either outdated or didn't fit the park, and even then the IPs dilute some of the World Showcase for me. I really wanted to like the park more but it's kind of a mess. I feel like every part of the park comes with an asterisk. Only thing I'll say is that I think the two halves of EPCOT actually fit nicely together, at least conceptually. The idea of the park is that it's a sort of permanent world's fair and they both contribute to that. Execution is what's really killing the park's cohesion.

[@coasterbot]

The idea is great, as you said. Similar to you, I really wanted to enjoy EPCOT more but man it's just so flawed. Who knows, maybe it'll improve in the future...

[@coasterswithmwah]

This video was so good! I love how raw and honest your opinions are!

[@brianmacdonald7297]

When I visited World Showcase a decade ago, I did wonder about the cultural appropriation and how the cast members feel about it. Then I stumbled across the replica of Independence Hall, and I'm a Philadelphian, so that...makes it kind of...OK? (Not really, no.)

[@matthewthedude146]

My girlfriend and I just visited Epcot yesterday we had the same sentiments you had about them, they’re all outdated but guardians of the galaxy was an amazing ride was definitely worth the almost 7 hour wait in virtual queue.

[@adamtrue7691]

I found Epcot better than hollywood studios last time I went. Epcot was spacious, interesting and we had a great time/memories Hollywood Studios was overcrowded, small, 3 hour queues, not fun

[@jakeplayz24910]

When is the voting gonna return I want to vote

[@joshw0013]

Plz talk about gold reef city South Africa’s biggest theme park and the rollercoasters Anaconda and tower of terror they have good histories

[@5MadMovieMakers]

Is a schmore a German cookie / biscuit?

[@coasterbot]

I don't think so, I think schmores are classically American!

[@5MadMovieMakers]

@@coasterbot ah well we've got S'mores which is a graham cracker with hot marshmallow and chocolate, short for "Some More" because we eat a lot of it

[@motrydooto1698]

Love this stile of video!! Very unusual!

[@coasterbot]

Thanks! :)

[@katherinezimmerman6997]

Edit: Apparently there was a KZbin glitch. Thanks to CoasterBot for responding and clarifying! Wow, my comment was deleted because I slightly disagreed with your take? I like your channel, but that feels disrespectful.

[@coasterbot]

Hey, I didn't delete your comment. Sometimes KZbin holds it for a review (due to strong wording?) but I can't find it there either. Please post it again if you can!

[@katherinezimmerman6997]

@@coasterbot Got it, no worries. I didn’t think it had any strong wording, just a disagreement about Spaceship Earth and a recommendation of Yesterworld’s in depth look at the history of the ride (which is definitely worth a watch). I also noted the interesting history of countries’ sponsorship of their World Showcase pavilions (I think Defunctland did something on that, but it might have been Yesterworld again). In any case, I greatly appreciate the response, so thank you!

[@sleepy1507]

UK gang!

[@ZachGrabas]

Spaceship earth is just a giant golf ball, and you cannot convince me otherwise.

[@LordDragox412]

Wrong shape of the dimples, giant golfers would hate it.