It’s a busy time at Walt Disney World, and expansion will be rampant in the next three years. Disney is investing serious dollars into all four parks, which hasn’t always been the case. That’s especially true at Epcot, which needs a serious upgrade to reach its past glory. But are the Disney’s choices the right ones? That’s the big question when we look at the upcoming changes. On the latest episode of The Tomorrow Society Podcast, Tim Grassey of the E-Ticket Report joins me once again to dive into all the recent announcements on Epcot’s future.

It’s refreshing that Disney is focusing on improving Epcot, though Guardians of the Galaxy seems like a strange fit. Tim and I discuss if adding the roller coaster has any connection to Epcot’s overall theme. We also dive into the Ratatouille attraction and other possible changes to World Showcase, including a new China film. Our final topic looks at Pandora and how Imagineering sidestepped the challenges of the Avatar brand when building that land. It provides a cool model of how to use IP effectively without being constrained by it.

Tim is also part of an exciting new podcast that tackles Imagineering concepts in an interesting way. Marty Called premiered several weeks ago with a blue-sky conversation about improving the Carousel of Progress. Along with his co-hosts Gary Hall and Josh Fenton, Tim pitches ideas for a realistic ways to update the beloved attraction. I’m excited to see where this podcast goes next; it’s a nice change of pace from the many shows covering Disney news.

During this extensive podcast, Tim and I also discuss the following topics:

Does Disney have a clear idea of Epcot’s theme and how it differs from other parks?

Is there any way to explain the reported exorbitant cost for the Guardians coaster?

How do we feel about the rumors of a new World Showcase pavilion for Brazil?

What makes Pandora succeed despite the lack of excitement for its IP?

Can Disney fix the capacity issues that are creating long lines in Pandora?

Show Notes

Check out Tim’s work at WDW Theme Parks and follow the site on Twitter.

Follow The E-Ticket Report on Facebook, Twitter, and iTunes.

Learn more about Marty Called on Facebook, Twitter, and iTunes.

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