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Great Piggy Bank Adventure Coming to EPCOT Center’s Innoventions

The one exhibit at Walt Disney World’s EPCOT Center that’s closest to the original spirit of the 1955 version Tomorrowland is Innoventions. In 1954 Walt Disney didn’t even start construction on Tomorrowland until 6 months were left until opening. So he had to make do with a lot of exhibits sponsored by corporations with an eye on tomorrow. Today Innoventions is the place where industry leaders can showcase their latest technological advancements that will bring us together into the future.

Disney just announced the next exhibit scheduled to open at Innoventions and it’s “The Great Piggy Bank Adventure” (now if that’s not a perfect Tie-in for the Muppets, I don’t know what is, but alas, no Muppets involved as far as I can tell). The topic at hand will be basic savings and investing concepts for families and the the importance of saving money responsibly.

Being responsible with our money is certainly a theme we can all stand to hear a little more of these days, but does it rise to the level of an Innovention? Perhaps the Bank of Main Street at Disneyland would have been a more appropriate place for this, but alas that’s being converted into a store. What do you think?

The full press release is below the cut:

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EPCOT Flower & Garden Festival Set to Bloom Next Weekend

An elaborate “Cinderellabration” topiary and an environmentally friendly Green Garden bring fresh springtime flair to the 16th annual Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival, presented by Disneynature, March 18-May 31, 2009. Amid a colorful tableau of flowers, plants and topiaries, Walt Disney World guests of… Read More »EPCOT Flower & Garden Festival Set to Bloom Next Weekend

End may be near for GM’s sponsorship at EPCOT

General Motors is in the red and leaking money faster than a fleet of speeding Corvettes burn through gas. Last week the papers even ran a story saying that financial auditors may be forced to declare the company ‘not a going concern’. Needless to say,… Read More »End may be near for GM’s sponsorship at EPCOT

Tutto Italia Ristorante at Epcot celebrates Carnival of Venice

The Carnevale di Venezia (Carnival of Venice) has arrived at the Tutto Italia Ristorante, located in the Italy pavilion at Epcot! During the Carnival, a specially priced dining menu will be available to guests February 23 to March 4 Venice’s Carnival began in the 11th… Read More »Tutto Italia Ristorante at Epcot celebrates Carnival of Venice

Promotions at WDW, first signs of reorganization

The Orlando Sentinel has some of the first details of how the newly reorganized executive levels of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts will look. Erin Wallace gains more responsibility and Jim MacPhee moves up as well. Erin Wallace, who has been the senior vice president… Read More »Promotions at WDW, first signs of reorganization

Family Flies over Disney in Balloon as part of YOMD prize packet

On Jan. 28, 2009 an 80-foot-tall hot air balloon, shaped like Epcot’s Spaceship Earth icon, floated above the Magic Kingdom carrying the Birkett family, of Scottsdale, Az. The special flight was one of the dreams awarded as part of Disney Parks’ 2008 Year Of A… Read More »Family Flies over Disney in Balloon as part of YOMD prize packet

Disney’s next generation theme park entertainment, already here?

The BBC has a great story examining how two of the most recent attractions to open at Walt Disney World point the way toward future development from Walt Disney Imagineering. Disney sees current and future generations of youth who are already so inter-mediated with video games, texting, MP3s, video downloads, and 3-D movies (sometimes all at the same time) that they’re afraid standard attractions just won’t be enough to inspire repeat visits down the line.

“The emerging generation expects more immersive, personal and interactive experiences in every facet of their lives,” says Bruce Vaughn, chief creative executive of Walt Disney Imagineering.

The two attractions the article looks at are Toy Story Midway Mania and Kim Possible. TSMM takes the ‘video game’ experience and brings it into the parks in a very Disney way. While Kim Possible is one of the first examples of how Disney can build an attraction using overlay technology. No need to expand the footprint of the park, just intertwine the experience with what is already there.

Sure, WDI can continue to pump out the heart pumping thrill rides like Expedition Everest or new entertainment environments like The American Idol Experience, but really, so can anyone these days (usually with the help of laid off Imagineers). What will set Disney themed environments apart in the future are overlays (or an even more exciting technology called Total Immersion, but that’s coming well down the line).

Just about exactly 8 years ago, I wrote a short story for LaughingPlace.com (unfortunately, the second page of it appears to have gone missing, so I rescued it from the Internet Archive Wayback machine (woo hoo) and have included it in full below the cut) forecasting where this overlay technology might be heading in the future. If it seems familiar, that probably means you’ve used a Pal Mickey before. It also gives you an idea of how long these ideas percolate in Imagineering before making it into the parks. Additionally, I’m almost finished with a novel by Vernor Vinge called “Rainbows End” which takes this overlay concept to the umpteenth level and extends it worldwide via a combination of future social networking and an economy based on themed design and role play.

I think it’s important to remember that it all comes back to quality story telling with the type of rich detail that Disney knows how to intertwine with entertainment. If Disney keeps their eye on that, the technology is just another color on their canvas.

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Quick Disney World Update

A couple quick bits of news from Walt Disney World: Kim Possible officially opens Jan. 28 at Epcot American Idol will debut Feb. 14 at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. (Although Annual  Passholders can sign up for a preview) DisneyWorld.com has received a fresh paint job with… Read More »Quick Disney World Update