Epcot on the rise! 2 Tipboards of Fun!

[KNRG]

So, I was sitting around pondering the wonderfulness of Epcot (yeah, I do that frequently) and I realized something...

Epcot now has 2 Tipboards - and for good reason. When "Gran Fiesta Tour" opens in April replacing El Rio del Tiempo in Mexico there will be yet another attraction in Epcot with a (possibly long) line.

Even on NYE, they just switched Tipboard to say "See Time" for Mexico because it was a fluke of a day rather then really tracking the wait time. Now, because it will regularly hold a line, they'll have a whole new item to add to the roster of items to follow and update every few minutes.

They've added a lot of attractions like that at Epcot in the last few years! Plus, with the rise of crowds in general, a few old "never a wait" attractions have ended up becoming tipboard wait time regulars too.

So, they've got the main tipboard - it lists everything in the park. Usually World Showcase is "See Time" or "No Wait" except for Maelstrom. Now, "Gran Fiesta Tour" will be a sizeable wait because it looks like it will be a pretty cool little ride.

Busy busy Epcot. It needs these two tipboards to keep he masses informed (plus, the "Welcome to Epcot, the time is currently...." message on the Future World exclusive one as it cycles has a weird calming reassuring effect on people).

Going back in time, all these attractions have made their way to tipboard by rennovation/addition:

Gran Fiesta Tour
Nemo and Friends
Living with the Land (yup, it got updated)
Turtle Talk
Soarin
Mission: SPACE

And by the crowds these attractions which used to never be waits (always walk on) became "tipboard noteables"...

Spaceship Earth
Maelstrom
Universe of Energy
Circle of Life (used to never be on tipboard even)
Journey into Imagination with Figment

And of course, you always needed tipboard for Test Track. Considering that Spaceship Earth has a pending rennovation coming up, things are going to be getting even mroe interesting soon.

Heck, American Adventure has a new film segment coming and Canada has a new film all together coming. And Tipboard lists Turtle Talk but stil can't figure out a decent way to measure it's wait time, so it always lists "See Time"

Wait - I forgot "Character Connection" which is becoming "Character Spot" as a permanent feature in the unused West Communicore building that was a restaurant (construction just started) and that's even on tipboard!

GAH! Epcot needs another tipboard already!

[gardener14]

What does "see time" mean?

[KNRG]

Pretty much "We have no idea - go ask a CM stationed outside the ride." but it fits in the little space the digital tipboard has for wait times. Also, for a show, it can be directing you to look at a show schedule.

There are other various possible messages too.. So here's a list:

Wait time - short times (10mins) in green, while long (120mins) are in red.
No Wait and See Time are green.
Delay or Down in red, means the ride is brokendown or has some sort of technical difficulties.
Closed in red, means closed for the night, many Future World attractions close prior to the rest of the park
Refurbish or Refurbishment in Teal will tell you if a major attraction is being rennovated.

[Jennifer]

Epcot is a great park. I think two tip boards are only really needed during peak times of the year though. When we go over Christmas, the park is pretty packed, but attractions like Figment still had only a 15minute or so wait. When we went in November, there were really no waits on most attractions (test track not included).

It is a great park though, my favorite out there.

[KNRG]

Well, during the last 2 months this was roughly how things looked at Epcot during the peak hours (12-3pm)


Soarin - 120
Test Track - 90
M:S - 60
Nemo - 45
Spaceship Earth - 30
Living w/ Land - 30
Maelstrom - 20
Turtle Talk - 20
Energy - 10

Plus all the shows that run on their timed schedules and El Rio coming back online soon as "Gran Fiesta." Considering how slow January and Febuary are, they need them just to get through March and April

[KNRG]

Epcot is a great park. I think two tip boards are only really needed during peak times of the year though. When we go over Christmas, the park is pretty packed, but attractions like Figment still had only a 15minute or so wait. When we went in November, there were really no waits on most attractions (test track not included).

It is a great park though, my favorite out there.

Oh, also the second tipboard really is moreso to keep people aware of what's going on in Future World in general when they enter Future World East. Future World West is "pavilion" based so people will spend a long time exploring a single pavilion, whereas Future World East is attraction - attraction - attraction right next to each other. Lots of people coming and going - so it's a high traffic area.

Plus add that it's the main CM entrance by Test Track, and you figure out why they chose to place it there.