Once upon a time, the great golden dome taught us about the inner workings of the body, in many interesting ways more than one. This blog brings you attraction history, reviews, and also possible Imagineering theories on how to bring the pavillion back to its former glory (one way or another). A source of memories, or a chance to look forward into the future... call it what you will!
Sorry guys, no write long time, and after some activity elsewhere, it is time I suppose to consider a look back at one of Epcot's current niche attractions, and a little about its history so far.
Last time Habit Heroes was mentioned on this blog (this is true!), it was when it was being blacklisted for its unintentional backlash towards the wide belted community (for lack of a generalised PC term), especially under issues of body image, bullying and even a failure to convey the message of keeping healthy – it was a rather viral campaign blogged around the web less that one tear after the attraction's soft opening. More obscurely enough (and this counts as shameless bluffing), the sweeping to light of day of Epcot's previous attraction equivalents, making for a conversational chaser with regards to what could have improved Habit Heroes from there. Hence the shameless bandwagon post here.
And now, one year on under loads of tweaking, there has been a tremendous overhaul between the two attractions as far as anyone has concerned. Believe it or not, only one YT user has provided video evidence of the previous attraction that has raised a few eyebrows (and loads of tempers), and next to it, the newer one.
Habit Heroes 1.0
Habit Heroes today
As obvious, they did lay off the duelling duo Callie Stenics and Will Powers, along with the extensive cast of villains personifying the common bad health habits (in which a brave contributor has managed to restore them here, here and here), as previously featured on the former multiple-role player game site. Now they have put together an entirely new cast of heroes each representing a positive healthy habit as follows: Agent Fuel representing nutrition, Agent Quench representing hydration and Agent Dynamo representing physical activity and drive. The villains in question are reduced to diminutive pests by comparison, but some reckon they do a better job at representing the consequences of neglecting good health habits represented.
What's more, the blueprint of the attraction is prominently displayed in the second incarnation of the attraction, and especially where things used to be. Here's the image comparing these differences:
Two blueprints and how we supposed it went. Any questions?
As far as it goes, the notable difference is that there is a little more interaction-involvement with the cast members compared to the previous show, and in this case, the end of the attraction involves a little more than a beginners scavenger hunt around Epcot, each involving the good habits featured. While mixed reviews persist pertaining to the latest incarnation of the pavilion (just not the same without the villains) all that matters is that Habit Heroes has finally wormed their way back into visitors hearts after under a year of correction.
Of course, as this blog still keeps the attraction predecessor Wonders of Life in its memories, it would have only been fair to have it bring back the pavilion from the dead (or at least save it from its eventual demise). Now that Habit Heroes has gotten over its weighty hurdles, what more can we ask?
In that case, let's offer some brains back into the workforce!
Okay, kidding here. But there's a lot of things going on at the moment, so best bet is to stay tunes. If there's a burning issue you want to discuss, please leave a comment to this article or shoot off an email, I'm happy to hear it from you. All ears. At ease!
I'm going to apologise for the long long delay in blog posting due to numerous circumstances beyond blogmaster control, such as a record dip in inspiration levels and other holiday priorities. However, some work was done offline to ensure that Wonders of Life Eterna won't be neglected, especially after holiday break; hopefully, some refinements will be completed and posted for most to see. Due to the abnormally long date distance between the holiday season and the date of this short notice posting, but since then, here's some food for thought. Flash back to when Habit Heroes was opened last year in February 2012, but ironically called foul for misinterpretation of the health message (such as the assumption of the exterior being an indicator of health), at that time, WOL4EVA wrote a breaking news article, included an opportunity letter (while others write about body image, WOL4EVA wrote giving awareness to Wonders of Life's message) and provided some food for thought in case something was left behind. (Yup, definitely left behind.) Nowadays, there is word that Habit Heroes may have been fully retooled (see notes from an investigator giving a teaser summary – spoiler alert, actual attraction subject to change), and for some reason, it sounds like what Wonders of Life would have deserved, fully deserved, to potentially have brought it back to life (well, a little too late for that now. *sniff*) But only time will tell how the public will react. And that is probably all that this short announcement will have in offer for now. Stand back for more updates to kick off the new year, and here's hoping you enjoyed the holiday season, and the head start of this happy new year!
Welcome again, readers. Today in Footsteps, we have dug up another exhibit of interest, this time, centered in downtown Alabama, at the Gulf Coast Exploreum. The exhibit in question is one called "My Bodyworks", which is one of the human body exhibits in focus.
The "My Bodyworks" exhibit, opened in January 2009, is a high-tech look at the human body, in an interactive, hands-on and engaging way. According to the Gulf Coast Exploreum's official site, the interactive hall contains 50 custom designed exhibits to dazzle a wide range of audiences. The main game of the exhibit isn't just hands on edutainment, but also in an interactive manner, as the site describes:
From the 12-foot-tall beating heart to augmented reality, science meets fun at every turn. Each exhibit reveals information about anatomy, nutrition or exercise. Learn more about the skin you're in and how to live life to the fullest with healthy choices.
Head to Toe: An interactive scanner, allowing guests to get to know the body's systems at a glance.
This, along with other exhibits, is demonstrated at the 3:57 minute mark
Interiorwise, it feels like a large, futuristic laboratory, one that MET Biotech would have bawled over if it wasn't for sponsor cuts (but enough with the jealousy element). Here's a lowdown of the exhibit stations at a glance:
The BeHealthy stations, which encourages everyone to test their physical activity skills within a range of activities in a fun and engaging way. Whether through jump tests, upper muscle strength or flexibility tests (such as the Dance Dance Revolution, Cardiac Style game), through to measuring blood pressure and volume, and even an exercise activity to see how long it would burn the calories in (example given) a cheeseburger! As part of the interactivity experience, visitors would record their results on the activity cards, and they would be traded for your personal health profile.
My Beating Heart, a 12 foot tall illuminated heart model, designed to display the signs of cardiac arrest in a biomechanical manner. The premise is the heart is seen beating normally, but during a simulated blood clot, it works harder and faces cardiac arrest. A monument of borderline 'creep factor', but at the same time, a head on look on the heart as it functions. Also, augmented reality cards allowing the virtual inspection of the heart's exterior, functions and many components and valves, forming the secondary heart of this cardiac exhibit.
My Beating Heart: The interactive heart display
Head to Toe Display, (seen further upwards) which is a spectacular 'window to the innards', via a movable screen to scan a life size representation of the body, delving into five of the body's well known systems (skeletal, muscular, cardiopulmonary, nervous and digestive); users can touch the screen and switch from one system to another, to view text based/video based information on the organ of that system.
Ernest G DeBakey Virtual Surgery Center, a high tech surgery simulation center covering more than a selection of surgical procedures, from a virtual heart bypass, knee replacement surgery, blood vessel repair with laser-beam tools, and even endoscopic surgery techniques.
The Ernest G DeBakey Virtual Surgery Center, home of some of the most innovative surgery simulation displays.
Along with these exhibits, there is also a BioLab, appropriately named as it is a fully functioning laboratory, where visitors can participate in some interesting experiments, and view some entertaining demonstrations. At any time, five different experiment procedures designed for visitors to explore health and biology in a hands on manner in its different sections (the body, medicine, health, nutrition, fitness), and has covered a range of themes covered bi-monthly (cited on the website including "...Human Body Systems, Health & Nutrition, Physical Fitness, Human Growth & Aging, Immunology, Microbiology, Human Anatomy..."). On-stage demonstrations also allow visitors to serve as volunteers as part of each explored topic. Healthy cooking demonstrations, virtual lab visits and workshops have also happened there.
A glimpse of the BioLab, with a set of exercise racers (visitors get to race against a skeletal model to understand how their skeleton works)
The reason why I managed to bring this up as part of the Footsteps series is that there is an interesting allusion to the Frontiers in Medicine, one that would have been the biomedical premise bearing similarities to another exhibit on EPCOT territory, The Living Seas. Of course, while we already have a laboratory within EPCOT borders (the one situated in The Land in charge of managing the garden), it would be interesting to have a laboratory setting when it comes to approaching the topic of advances in medical technology. Add to the amusement or touring aspects of Body Wars (or a similar niche ride with that biomedical factor, original development permitting) and you have yourselves, yet again, part of a possible new lease on Life. After describing and analysis of the exhibit components, it is interesting how innovative "My Bodyworks" appears, and hence is an excellent contender in the Footsteps section of this blog.
Here are some source links of where some of the information was quoted or referenced from, along with some other pages for further reading or research:
If you have any experiences pertaining to visiting the exhibit, whether from anecdotes or memories or even a few pics, feel free to mention them in the comments below. If you enjoyed this post, feel free to check back other articles within the Footsteps section, and if you know of a great health or human body exhibit worth researching (or free-promoting!) feel free to drop a line!
Breaking news at this hour (give or take) and all too well we have heard of Barney's controversial campaign stealing Disney characters, starving them into plus size and placing them in plain sight in their advertising campaigns. Health advocates are worried about the messages such adverts give to the kids; some are even doubting whether Disney even took part in this advertising campaign. Since the Habit Heroes fiasco (in which WOL4EVA even drafted a letter for others to adopt and send), here are two of my reactions towards the campaign...
A petition is going around, in which it is accessible via this link [Change.Org/minniemouse] and even a hashtag movement sparking links to the campaign under #OccupyBarneysNY (very fresh) and #SkinnyMinnie (however, WOL4EVA doesn't condone illegal or jeopardising activities whatsoever.) All I'm saying is that body image, no matter how strong an issue is, is still a hot issue in current society whatsoever. All I'm saying is that instead of focusing on the exterior as a barometer of good health, people should've looked at their insides and used their heads for once...
^ Most likely to convulse screaming in his tomb...
Of course, what about a hot piece of activism while we're at it? Wonders of Life was a successful legacy in Epcot's attempts at a health pavilion, and did excellently at capturing the minds of the youth (and youth at heart) in its prime. Another petition is doing the rounds in which you can access here for signing, spreading and even advertising (use hashtags such as #FreeBuzzy and #GenKnowledgeDisapproves, or even #HelpWOL.) Tweeps, it's your turn to get into the battle and start spreading the word about these two petitions!
Good luck to you all... Buzzy will count on you...
Welcome back readers, and after the recent EPCOT30 wash of festivities, this has inspired me to write a post pertaining to the Well and Goods gift store, considered a part of Wonders of Life's array of facilities. For most of you who have been there somewhere in the brink of the 90s, you may recall that the Well and Goods store has been selling typical souvenir trinkets (namely shirts and hats) and oftentimes it sold athletic and sporting items (items such as golf balls and baseballs were commonly sold there too). Typically the Well and Goods store ran from 1989, until closing somewhere in 2004.
Of course, while Well and Goods was successful in catering to the active-lifestyle fond guests visiting the pavilion, there was something rather lacking in the merchandising department that could have catered to much more...
