Expanding Epcot’s Educational Exhibits

It may seem kind of counter-intuitive to what most people think about theme parks in general, but one of the things that makes Epcot special is the rich, educational experience that it has to offer guests as they explore all of the facets of discovery that the park has to offer.  And yet even with as many great opportunities that already exist between Future World and the World Showcase around Epcot, any true innovator knows that we can always do better…

Environmentalism for the 21st Century
I don’t really need to remind anyone that I’m a huge fan of Ellen’s Energy Adventure, but let’s face it – the current film is going on 15 years old!  And I’m certainly not saying that we need to replace this attraction altogether, but maybe just tweak it a bit – add a nice post-show area to the end of the pavilion where guests can interact with different types of alternative energy models or something.  Frankly, this would be a fantastic place to put Bill Nye’s talents to use because he could create some fun, little demonstrations (kind of like Innoventions?) that capture people’s attention and really get them thinking about energy in their own lives, how much of it they consume themselves every single day, and maybe also highlight conservation methods because that’s not really addressed in the movie.

Hint, hint, Mickey – this would also be a great place for Disney to kind of toot its own horn with regards to the conservation initiatives that they’ve taken all around the Resort as a whole, too!

Health is Important!
With 1 in 3 adults in the United States obese and nearly 20% of children falling into that category as well, education about our own bodies is vital and the currently abandoned Wonders of Life pavilion seemed like the perfect avenue to expand awareness of how the marvel that is the human body actually works, not to mention things we need to do to take care of it!  This area should be so much more than just an inconvenient festival center for Epcot’s special events twice a year – instead, use it to teach people incredible things that they didn’t know about their own bodies, like how vital organs like the brain, heart, and lungs work; make games out of simple exercises to encourage parents to exercise with their kids instead of watching from the sidelines; preach healthy eating, vices to avoid, and ways to live a long life, because as an overweight guy myself who’s desperately trying to beat back a decade’s worth of careless indiscretions, every little bit helps!

Ironically, this is precisely what this pavilion used to do, but sporadically it was just closed with no explanation.  So open it back up again already!

Embrace the Digital Community
Although I do think that the Project: Tomorrow exhibits at the end of Spaceship Earth are neat in their own regard, I think Disney could do more to acknowledge and embrace the idea that the Internet is a major part of our everyday lives these days, and given their global presence with both such a wide array of features around Walt Disney World and also many locations around the globe, this could be another neat opportunity both to showcase online technologies while also promoting themselves at the same time.  Picture a large, interactive area where guests can digitally visit other places around the resort in real-time – maybe check-in with Mom, who might be lounging around the pool back at the Beach Club, or fly over the Hollywood Hills Amphitheater while Mickey is battling Malificent at the climax of Fantasmic over at Disney’s Hollywood Studios!

Take it a step further and guests could check out their favorite attractions at Disney parks as far away as Disneyland Paris or even Hong Kong Disneyland, or possibly even traverse time itself to see what Main Street USA might look like four months from now when Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party is in full swing on Christmas Day!  Mix in the ability to allow them to share snapshots of their digital journey around the world with friends and family via Twitter, Facebook, and their own blogs, and not only have you created a very cool in-park experience to make guests eager for tomorrow and the rest of their trip, but also an organic marketing machine completely driven by your fans at the peak of their enthusiasm – while they’re still on vacation in the middle of all the magic!

Being one of Disney World’s most popular parks, Epcot has both a privilege as well as a unique responsibility to give guests an enjoyable experience that’s not only fun and exciting, but also one that encourages them to think and ask questions and grow from that experience along the way.  Don’t be afraid to teach people things – they flock to Epcot because they want something different, so dare to give them something that they can take with them long after they head back home…