epcotexplorer:

WestCOT: What Could Have Been, What Could Be

Given the fact that Disney California Adventure celebrated it’s 11th anniversary yesterday, and is on the brink of being a totally refreshed park, at least in terms of (large) offerings, now is a time as good as any to discuss some of the original plans for the Disneyland Resort… and possibly what they could mean for Walt Disney World, and EPCOT. 

Originally, Disneyland was supposed to follow the Walt Disney World model of acquiring a second park and have it based in exposition, technology, and world culture. A second EPCOT, this park would have taken the original layout of the park, amended it for size constraints, fixed some of the problems of the original, but still relied on the same basis in showmanship and theme. That’s the crux of the issue, in my mind. 

WestCOT was to feature a 300 foot tall gold geosphere, double the size of Spaceship Earth, and dubbed SpaceStation Earth. Future World would have been contained in one massive building at the foot of it, and would have featured less topics than the original Future World of the east, but would have allowed for more connections between topics, and perhaps, more attractions because of it.  The World Showcase planned for WestCOT is the World Showcase of a expansionist’s dream for Walt Disney World. Featuring several planned nations for EPCOT Center, such as Russia, Egypt, and Equatorial Africa, ideas would have been made a reality. Also of note, a “World Cruise” would have linked all of these nations with one lavish and thematic boat ride around the lagoon they were situated on. 

This, of course, is excuse enough for any native of Florida, or subsequent frequent visitor to retort angrily, and want these offerings to come to EPCOT, the original, first.

And I wouldn’t blame them… if I didn’t think that eventually these additions would have eventually found a home in Florida too. 

In my mind, it’s inevitable that the attractions and improvements for WestCOT would have been duplicated for EPCOT Center simply by nature of how the Walt Disney Company works. 

Reliant on brand and on franchises, and yes, even on synergy, adding a “second” EPCOT to the roster of Disney’s parks and offerings would solidify it’s place amongst the other bevy of entities Disney has a image based on. If EPCOT/WestCOT suddenly became more than just a singular park in Florida, and appealed to more people, it would require updating. These updates, would thusly be applied for a larger audience, but focused on a narrowed topic- The topics expressed in a EPCOT/WestCOT park. Essentially, they would be in line with what the park actually needed in terms of modernization, as opposed to the changes made in the 90’s that changed it fundamentally in attempts to modernize. Essentially, keeping the format and feel of EPCOT Center, while making the content exist within that mold. CommuniCore’s change to Innoventions comes to mind as an example of how form, function, and content were all drastically changed, and in this case, without matching the park around it. 

With WestCOT/EPCOT as a definable franchise in Disney’s domain, EPCOT in Florida would no longer be a niche market in which investment is sent to, hesitantly. It would be something more akin to a Magic Kingdom, where certain type of offering is thought up, created, and sent to both, bettering both of the parks.

A caveat, though. Would this homogenize some of the basic topics and differences between resorts? Yes. Would this make Walt Disney World a tad less unique in the fact that it is the ONLY Disney resort, worldwide, to boast such a unique, daring, and entertaining show case. Yes. 

But at the same time, it saves EPCOT from itself, gives it new purpose and direction. I think that’s a wonderful thing. WestCOT might just be a idea, pushed back, for now, but it will always represent a smarter direction for the whole company.

Fitting, given the lofty subject matter it can showcase.