STOP PRESS: Habit Heroes defeated. Plan B!

To date, thanks to an overwhelming response from the public, Habit Heroes has admitted defeat and gone underground. While it was a great exhibit and while it had the technology to heal the wound Wonders left behind, it'll undergo extensive treatment for reasons too heartbreaking to mention. However, for those ready to take the next step, see the previous blog post for another way to take action.

WOL4EVA will remain on the alert on this issue until further notice, due to a shortage of ideas. Please stand by.

STOP PRESS: Discrimination chews fat on Habit Heroes, No sympathy for Brain Pilot

In case you missed it, a new updated version of Habit Heroes is online at the time of this update for over six months, so here are some meandering over here

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**CLARIFICATION NOTICE**
Welcome back readers, and for those who come across this page, please note that the following blog post was written on full-on hair trigger, out of a mixture of emotions, and probably taking a different turn on the 'oust Habit Heroes' movement (this time, not just citing mental conditioning and body image issues, but to reignite Wonders of Life's role in Epcot's history now at risk of being upsurped by its fallen successor.

It seems that while Habit Heroes has the technology to get everyone into getting fit and picking up health habits, it seems that not everyone is enjoying the exhibit for what it's worth.

According to a news article from the Huffington Press, it seems that these 'fallen heroes' may be psychologically hitting kids with bricks. Prognosis? Discrimination. While this was literally uncalled for (I sympathize with the Mouse and they didn't mean to hurt anyone), there are people in the wide belt (no, literally) who have had their feelings hurt thanks to how the exhibit portrayed them. Even this article from Epcyclopedia has picked it up. Even now, dieting blogs, and even health professionals are even prepared to pick up their lighters and igniting an Occupy Movement against the Habit Heroes.

Epic Brain Fart, or Stroke of Bad Luck?

Apologies for the title, but behind every Epcot pavilion, there's bound to be something worth raising eyebrows – interesting secrets and mind-boggling trivia (that is), or even 'urban legends' behind the pavilion and it's attractions. In this tradition, the Wonders of Life pavilion is no exception. Of course, some 'urban legend' tales about the pavilion, despite being hard to believe by itself, would prove a little fascinating to even believe that it may have happened.

One example of an 'urban legend' tale from the Wonders of Life was, in a sorrowful ironic twist of fate, the loss of a four year old girl aboard a ride on Body Wars (thanks to an undiscovered heart condition) in May 1995. Seventeen years on, we express our condolences.

Moving on, and we now focus on Wonder's iconic attractions (no brainer to work it out), but this time, on a seldomly quoted 'brain fart' mentioned by a few guests and even a cast member during their deployment in Wonders during its heyday (make that 'failday'?) Just because Cranium Command was a successful take of the way the brain interacts with the body, doesn't mean it had done so without a few brain farts along the way...

Meet and Greet? You Gotta Be Stitch-ing Me!

Welcome back, readers, and I'm apologising beforehand for readers not accustomed to character invasions in EPCOT (well, ironically after the Wonders of Life started it first!), but a random though popped up in my mind with regards to character meet and greets (that is, if it were allowed in my hypothetical resurrection of WOL) - who we might expect to encounter, and in which location and setting? Still a very touchy subject by broad fan discussion standards, but in this imaginative pondering of this eyebrow-raising thought bubble, let's assume we do so...

...never mind the reactions... But let's start off with a few suggestions, as mentioned in a forum post provided below:

...but if it were up to me, I'd retheme the entirety of the pavilion to appear like you're inside a human body... lots of kinetic blood moving through tubes, electrical impulses moving through out the ceiling, a very low steady heartbeat, exhibits all over the place explaining body functions (not unlike the old hands on exhibits), and a food court in the "stomach". Leave an updated Cranium Command in the "brain" as the headliner and you've got yourself place people would want to visit.

Bathrooms would, of course, be found in the bladder.And a Meet & Greet with Stitch in the colon.

From Krack, "What to do with WoL?", post #3

Sure, sure, that would not be glamorous in a sense... after all, you can appropriately say that Stitch is probably the star with his own right to edge on the gross side (don't get me started on the nose-pick stunt!) However, this somehow reminds me of a cuddly, snuggly piece of concept art done prior to the blog, starring the alien experiment couple, somehow in an Innerspace getaway...

Sneek Peek, piece four by ~RabidLeroy on deviantART

...okay, enough. Now you've got your drift about the only good thing about a meet and greet in this manner, then perhaps it would be far wiser to have him in the exploration suit shown above. Probably a little similar to the slim body-fitting suits that Dr. Cynthia Lair would have been seen wearing, and probably to have a few in the audience drooling... *sigh* "...Braddock, we need a mop."
Aside from the cleanup, we'll focus on another character candidate that could probably raise some ideas. In the past, Body Wars served as the future equivalent of the medical facility, this time for touring purposes. But assuming we give Stitch and the galactic head honchos (if we assume so) the authority to have room for themselves, then it would be far wiser to consider saying hi to someone in charge:

Oh boy...

Apparently, I have my reasons. Assuming that WoL would end up with an Innerspace/laboratory theming area that would probably (and similarly-wise) fill a niche for Body Wars and Frontiers, it could be wise to consider a 'wandering-encounter' with the evil-genius scientist. In a lab coat. Of course, in this way, that would definitely give guests a possible role model in the scientific discovery behind the body's secrets, and yet Epcot management might as well have overlooked Dr. Jumba as a possible candidate for the right character to fill this spot. If done correctly, you would as well find Dr. Jumba mostly in the Frontiers sections at most.
But enough with scattering blue fur all over the topic of meet and greets. According to the What's Next for WOL survey, over half of the respondents don't necessarily approve of having a character play host for the pavilion. Be it lucky that Stitch hasn't gotten his name in the survey, and I hope nobody's getting any ideas about it. Anywho, let's give this topic a little more space and go ahead another one that's plaguing my cranium into confusion until now...

Footsteps - Sportsworks exhibit

To the bloggers new to reading the blog, welcome. And for those who are here following the blog on its various research and travels, welcome back. In Footsteps, we investigate a selection of exhibits outside EPCOT territory... which, for some apparent inspirational (and unintentional) reason, decided to follow in the footsteps of the Wonders of Life pavilion. And this first article issue will cover a particular exhibit which, must I confess, is apparently one closest to my resident city from where I am writing. Where in the world is the exhibit I'm writing about?

Image at  http://recollections.nma.gov.au/issues/vol_1_no_2/commentary/museum_victoria/  

It's in here, at a science museum somewhere in the city of Melbourne, Australia, which I'd like to introduce you to ScienceWorks. Basically, the ScienceWorks museum, as with the case of other science and hands-on museums some of you may have been to, appear to be very popular with school children, and I can recall going there within my primary school grades 5 and 6 individually. My last trip so far there was in 2007, when an exhibit on the science of movie special effects and the use of animatronic components in films was going on. Also, for overseas readers in Australia, and particularly the Melbourne area, who can recall visiting the museum as a kid (or most likely a parent) would have took notice at some of the changes in coming subsequent visits. Exhibits come and go, but believably for variety reasons, this could mean that EPCOT is not necessarily alone on the changes (for either negative or positive reasons... either  way.) But enough about the visit nostalgia...

The entrance to Scienceworks' niche attraction of Wonder's Fitness Fairgrounds exhibit, Sportsworks
[Photo found here]

As part of its array of 'permanent' exhibits, Sportsworks largely focuses on the science of human physiology behind one of our well known pasttimes and current activities - sports. And keeping in touch with the hands-on element that we see in some of Wonder's fitness related exhibits (Fitness Fairgrounds, Coach's Corner...), Sportsworks has manages one step further (and larger) with a selection of various activities related to fitness, exercise and sports in general. For instance, Sportsworks has a selection of fitness test activities, which allow visitors to test their abilities - their balance, lifting, tugging and jumping, etc. abilities. Last time I visited with my family (awww!), I recall picking up a leaflet which allowed you to fill in the results, and what you did after filling them in, you fed them into a computer and it would calculate the results.

Just some of the hands-on exhibits in Sportsworks.
In fact, school programs revolve around the museum. Photo seen on  http://museumvictoria.com.au/about/mv-news/2010/school-partnerships-at-scienceworks/ 

The west exhibit entrance, with the skeletal cyclist model suspended in midair; snowboard simulator and other displays. Photo seen on http://www.flickr.com/photos/nove_hartanto/1003537672/

Visitors have the opportunity to race against one of Australia's iconic athletic sprinters in sports history, Cathy Freeman.

 Also, with regards to the other activities on offer, there are some interesting activities. for instance, the interactive jogging track (while dated by technological standards) allows visitors to test their sprinting skills against well known track athletes. Other hands on activities include the rock climbing wall, and even simulation games to do with kayaking, snowboarding and (last time I glanced), an immersive game where users play 'goalie' and defend their soccer goalpost by catching the soccer balls as they fly by. How's that for stimulating?

From local news article slideshow, "Fun and Chaos at Scienceworks", accessible at http://www.abc.net.au/local/photos/2011/09/05/3310304.htm

But enough about the description. What I discovered during the research that Fitness Fairgrounds and Coach's Corner, by today's standards, would have literally fainted in comparison to Sportsworks from one of Australia's iconic science museums. It's actually confirmed, thanks to personal experience as a kid (regardless of where it is) that these hands on exhibits are popular with kids, young and old. Had Wonders hung on for much longer, let alone be raised back to life, it would prove plausible to consider a similar setup for the new look Fitness Fairgrounds and Coach's Corner sections. 

Of course, apart from the science of the body, the exhibit actually gives visitors another kind of education - mathematics, measurement and the technology behind sports. In fact, the fitness activity tests included a height and weight chart for statistical purposes. From there, visitors have estimated, counted and measured their way into the fitness activities, even making their way into school programs. Oh, the far cry when EPCOT once was graced by local schools in its heyday...

...moving on. However, this exhibit isn't the only one that demonstrates science behind sport, physiology and everything else in this category. Believe it or not, depending on where the last time you visited a science museum was, you may have encountered a sports exhibit similar to this one. The Carnegie Science Center in Pittsburgh of the US, has a similarly titled sports exhibit in the science center - Highmark Sportsworks, and there is an entire gallery of photos from the exhibit opening if you're curious.

Also, some more information over at  http://www.carnegiesciencecenter.org/exhibits/highmark-sportsworks/   

And that actually is it for the first run of Footsteps, ready for another lap for another type of exhibit. If you're interested in what could have been the next steps to frame up the fitness corner of a WOL gone by, feel free to stop by over at:

• Possibilities: A Greater Race Ahead, following the interactive jogging track activity similarly mentioned here

For the visitors on this page, I shall leave you with a question:

"If you have recently been to a sports exhibit in a science museum, where was it, what was its name, and how was it for you?"

Simply leave a heartfelt, nostalgic or interesting answer, (or even a creative response) in the comments section BELOW. Anywho, for those reading this, I would like to give thanks, and I recommend you stay tuned for the next post within WOL4EVA.

Until next time, readers!