The Letter

So, it occurs to me that I never really referenced my letter to Mr. Fitzgerald. Brief backstory- Retro Disney World posted an open letter to Tom Fitzgerald upon being named new Creative Director at Epcot. I posted a comment with an idea, which was well-received. I later decided that an actual letter would be even better.

Thus, the transcript, which garnered me "Treasured Guest" status :) ...

Dear Mr. Fitzgerald:

First and foremost, I want to congratulate you on being named the new Creative Director for Epcot. Your passion and vision is much needed and appreciated.

There are three things in life that I am passionate about: my spouse, baseball and Walt Disney World. As a child, I developed a special place in my heart for EPCOT Center. I’ve always been fascinated with computers and the possibilities for the future. At the same time, I’ve always been one who believes in paying tribute to the past.

Of course, EPCOT Center was a place to showcase new ideas and concepts. Nowadays, Epcot seems less focused on the future and more focused on today’s commercialism opportunities. I cannot argue with the results. There is both good and bad in the present-day Epcot, of which I am sure you are well aware.

The way I see it, the powers-that-be have created a unique dichotomy with Epcot over the years. There is a generation of people like myself who grew up loving the original incarnation of EPCOT Center. There is a part of us that wishes we could turn back time and look back at tomorrow from a 1980’s perspective. Therein lies the dilemma. We want Epcot to return to its roots. However, by doing so, it would go against those same ideals and expectations. Walt Disney himself once stated that Epcot would be ever-changing and would never truly be completed. Thus, time marches on.

I believe I have the perfect solution, a way to please everyone by bringing together the old and the new. The Wonders of Life building has been conspicuously vacant for many years, with the exception of its seasonal occupancy during the International Food & Wine Festival. We can use a portion of that remaining space to pay tribute to past Epcot attractions, while using another portion to showcase future possibilities.

I think of it as a museum where we can explore past Future World exhibits like Horizons and World of Motion, as well as previous incarnations of Spaceship Earth and The Living Seas. Guests can look back by seeing old artifacts, ride films, and so on.

At the same time, we can showcase new attractions and additional countries by using scale models and preview films. Guests can give their opinions on each potential development, much like a test audience for a upcoming flick. From there, you could make minor changes if you see fit, based on guest surveys.

I believe that words like “classic” and “retro”, while serviceable, have become clichéd. Any place imagined for the confines of Walt Disney World needs to be special. In my opinion, words like “classic” and “retro” can limit the uniqueness of the whole experience. A new attraction containing both the best of EPCOT Center’s past and the hope for Epcot’s future would bridge the generations. It would give birth to a fusion of worlds and ideas. Thus, I believe the name Fusion Center is most appropriate for this project. 

Fusion Center would be that ever-changing world of old and new. You can cycle through past exhibits on a monthly or seasonal basis. For example, you could showcase The Land’s Kitchen Cabaret during the International Food & Wine festival. In the summer, you can do a special tribute to World of Motion to coincide with the release of new automobile models for the coming year.  This would keep guests coming back to revisit more of yesteryear.

I think there should be a large portion dedicated to Horizons. It is universally lauded by those who were around to experience it. Its demise was unfortunate. Frankly, it was a favorite of many adult guests, including yours truly. Since Horizons was the one attraction that encompassed all of the original Future World themes, I believe it should be featured prominently in Fusion Center at all times.

The theater that is currently home to The Making of Me during Food & Wine can show other films throughout the rest of the year. Guests can once again see the introductory short for Seabase Alpha or the original EPCOT Center preview film, A Dream Called EPCOT. Showtimes can be posted outside or online.

Speaking of films, I miss the EarthStation videos. I would love to see them on display somewhere inside Fusion Center.

Guests can listen to some of the old EPCOT Center music throughout the attraction. Perhaps you could play “We’ve Just Begun to Dream” along with several other motifs as people approach and enter the building. Inside, they could be treated to other classics like “Tomorrow’s Child” and “New Horizons.”

That bridge to the future – what if it was a tunnel or a corridor? Perhaps the Rainbow Corridor? Connecting the glory of yesterday with the ideas of tomorrow may require a little imagination! The Rainbow Corridor can act as a physical bridge to those future displays.

Perhaps we can once again enjoy the beauty of Robert McCall’s painting, The Prologue and the Promise. I can think of nothing better and more appropriate for Fusion Center’s exit atrium. It is the ultimate example of linking yesterday with tomorrow.

I’m certain that you have a vision for what Epcot should be going forward. Whatever your goals are, and whatever your future plans entail, I wish you all the best and I look forward to visiting Epcot soon. In the meantime, I ask you to please consider this proposal. The old mantra still holds true – we’ve just begun to dream. With your help, hopefully Epcot will have a place where passionate, lifelong guests can also begin to remember.

Thank you for your time!

Best regards,
Brian Scala

p.s. – My apologies for the duplicate mailings. I wanted to be sure this reached you well, so I sent it to both Epcot and Walt Disney Imagineering headquarters.