Disney confirms 'Frozen' makeover coming to Epcot's Norway Pavilion

[spacemt354]

Norway is about Norway. You can get a nonstop flight out of JFK to Oslo for about $550 if you're lucky! Perhaps people should stop trying to get their "culture fix" by spending 20 minutes in a 0.004 square mile pavilion in walt disney world

It's not about a culture fix. It's about respecting the integrity of a nation in a pavilion that is meant to showcase that nation. Whether guests learn everything about the culture during the visit is immaterial and frankly impossible. But that's not the point.

 

[wdwfan757]

It's not about a culture fix. It's about respecting the integrity of a nation in a pavilion that is meant to showcase that nation. Whether guests learn everything about the culture during the visit is immaterial and frankly impossible. But that's not the point.

Oh really? I always thought the World Showcase was designed to get you to spend money on food and drinks? Good to know that the Stave Church is being bulldozed for an Olaf statue, school bread is gone for ho-hos with in plastic labeled with anna's face, and akershus is being torn down, rethemed, and will now sell lean cuisine meatballs instead of kjottkake.

I just think there's so much exaggeration going on in the thread. Half the sky-is-falling crowd wants to paint this as the impending end of world showcase, as if mary poppins prancing around isn't the first thing guests see coming from the international gateway or if a wrong turn through the streets of britain won't take you straight to Winnie the Pooh and Tigger. There are a few pavilions that really give you a strong vibe of the country they represent... Morocco comes to mind, China comes to mind. The others have never been much more than restaurants and stores. Germany is nothing but food and drink, Japan is nothing but a giant store and really low quality sake. I love impressions de france and give them some credit for some of the authenticity lurking on France's menus, but overall WS pays much more homage to making money than it does nations traditions and cultures outside of the holiday storytellings and the daily acts and shows at the pavilions (which Norway never even had)

 

[JoseLorenzo]

This doesn't suit the Epcot concept at all.
Epcot is about learning from different cultures and technology.
This isn't meant for Epcot, though I like the idea of Frozen attraction I think it's an offense to Norwegian people to represent their culture with a Frozen miniland, I mean Norwegian culture goes far beyond that.
But I can't have an opinion though, I don't work at Disney and I don't know anything about their plans.
I hope they won't regret it afterwards though

 

[aladdin2007]

It's not about a culture fix. It's about respecting the integrity of a nation in a pavilion that is meant to showcase that nation. Whether guests learn everything about the culture during the visit is immaterial and frankly impossible. But that's not the point.

this.

 

[wdwfan757]

This doesn't suit the Epcot concept at all.
Epcot is about learning from different cultures and technology.
This isn't meant for Epcot, though I like the idea of Frozen attraction I think it's an offense to Norwegian people to represent their culture with a Frozen miniland, I mean Norwegian culture goes far beyond that.
But I can't have an opinion though, I don't work at Disney and I don't know anything about their plans.
I hope they won't regret it afterwards though

I could see how it could be offensive to Norwegian people, and I agree that it doesn't fit the original intention of Epcot as detailed by Walt before Epcot was even built. But honestly, what have you ever learned about a country from a WS pavilion without a show or a direct interaction with cast-members? Epcot clearly isn't anything remotely like what Walt had envisioned, and I'd argue that for the most part, World Showcase does little to teach people about cultures. I don't think Maelstrom taught anyone anything. I don't think Tres Cabelleros does either. It's predecessor did, but no one liked that either.

 

[lazyboy97o]

I could see how it could be offensive to Norwegian people, and I agree that it doesn't fit the original intention of Epcot as detailed by Walt before Epcot was even built. But honestly, what have you ever learned about a country from a WS pavilion without a show or a direct interaction with cast-members? Epcot clearly isn't anything remotely like what Walt had envisioned, and I'd argue that for the most part, World Showcase does little to teach people about cultures. I don't think Maelstrom taught anyone anything. I don't think Tres Cabelleros does either. It's predecessor did, but no one liked that either.

Teaching doesn't just mean being able to pass a test. Inspiring people to seek out more information is all part of teaching people. Just interacting with different peoples impacts perceptions of the world. it seems like the next thing you are goin to do is be one of those people who wrongly says there are reasons that World's Fairs don't happen any more.

 

[wdwfan757]

Teaching doesn't just mean being able to pass a test. Inspiring people to seek out more information is all part of teaching people. Just interacting with different peoples impacts perceptions of the world. it seems like the next thing you are goin to do is be one of those people who wrongly says there are reasons that World's Fairs don't happen any more.

And how does swapping Maelstrom for Frozen and giving Norway a meet-and-greet change any of that?

 

[lazyboy97o]

And how does swapping Maelstrom for Frozen and giving Norway a meet-and-greet change any of that?

There is no longer a point of inspiration regarding Norway. There is no point to themes if some pastries are enough to create an experience.

 

[wdwfan757]

There is no longer a point of inspiration regarding Norway. There is no point to themes if some pastries are enough to create an experience.

But the architecture is all the same, the people working there are the same, the stave church is there to inspire? They had no daily acts before the frozen invasion. They have lost nothing that all but one of the other pavilions never had. So where is the impact on the inspiration, since you vehemently believe there used to be inspiration there? The inspiration was in maelstrom? I'm not being a jackass, i'm honestly asking if you felt that the inspiration was in Maelstrom. I dont know that seeing Maelstrom would inspire you to seek out more about Norway, because you wouldn't find much of Maelstrom if you were to forego one night's cost for a lake view room at polynesian for the cost of airfare to norway.

 

[bhg469]

And how does swapping Maelstrom for Frozen and giving Norway a meet-and-greet change any of that?

People are eluding to it being a rehash of the movie, like little mermaid.

If that turns out to be false I'll be the first to admit it isn't completely a disaster. If it is... well then Norway is really just a piece of history in epcot.

 

[Mr. Peabody]

Oh really? I always thought the World Showcase was designed to get you to spend money on food and drinks? Good to know that the Stave Church is being bulldozed for an Olaf statue, school bread is gone for ho-hos with in plastic labeled with anna's face, and akershus is being torn down, rethemed, and will now sell lean cuisine meatballs instead of kjottkake.

I just think there's so much exaggeration going on in the thread. Half the sky-is-falling crowd wants to paint this as the impending end of world showcase, as if mary poppins prancing around isn't the first thing guests see coming from the international gateway or if a wrong turn through the streets of britain won't take you straight to Winnie the Pooh and Tigger. There are a few pavilions that really give you a strong vibe of the country they represent... Morocco comes to mind, China comes to mind. The others have never been much more than restaurants and stores. Germany is nothing but food and drink, Japan is nothing but a giant store and really low quality sake. I love impressions de france and give them some credit for some of the authenticity lurking on France's menus, but overall WS pays much more homage to making money than it does nations traditions and cultures outside of the holiday storytellings and the daily acts and shows at the pavilions (which Norway never even had)

Many of us who don't like the idea of Frozen in World Showcase have been complaining about all of these issues for years. We haven't forgotten about those issues just because the Frozen Pavilion is currently in the news right now.

Also, Norway did have a daily music act, Spelmanns Gledje, several years ago before it was axed.

 

[wdwfan757]

Is it really Disney's duty to have a year round World's Fair without the support of the nations its supposed to represent? Isn't the intent of a World's Fair for the countries to promote themselves? I'm fully aware of the falsity behind the "frozen is here because norway didn't pay their bills" rhetoric, but with that said, it's hard to feel bad for Norway being unfairly represented by a disney intellectual property on disney's florida property if Norway doesn't want to invest in their own image at WS. Without the investment, it isn't a World's Fair. It's Disney World taking you on a tasty photo tour with some solid films, some great acrobats, and now, some chainsaws.

 

[lazyboy97o]

But the architecture is all the same, the people working there are the same, the stave church is there to inspire? They had no daily acts before the frozen invasion. They have lost nothing that all but one of the other pavilions never had. So where is the impact on the inspiration, since you vehemently believe there used to be inspiration there? The inspiration was in maelstrom? I'm not being a jackass, i'm honestly asking if you felt that the inspiration was in Maelstrom. I dont know that seeing Maelstrom would inspire you to seek out more about Norway, because you wouldn't find much of Maelstrom if you were to forego one night's cost for a lake view room at polynesian for the cost of airfare to norway.

Themed experiences are not just any one component. Nobody is saying Maelstrom was a gold standard, but it still came from a larger whole about a cultural experience.

Is it really Disney's duty to have a year round World's Fair without the support of the nations its supposed to represent? Isn't the intent of a World's Fair for the countries to promote themselves? I'm fully aware of the falsity behind the "frozen is here because norway didn't pay their bills" rhetoric, but with that said, it's hard to feel bad for Norway being unfairly represented by a disney intellectual property on disney's florida property if Norway doesn't want to invest in their own image at WS. Without the investment, it isn't a World's Fair. It's Disney World taking you on a tasty photo tour with some solid films, some great acrobats, and now, some chainsaws.

Disney once saw themselves as being a leader. An organization that inspires others. Sponsorships were a necessity of being able to achieve a monumental undertaking, not a written in stone rule. Government sponsorship is NOT the norm in World Showcase.

 

[Mr. Peabody]

Is it really Disney's duty to have a year round World's Fair without the support of the nations its supposed to represent?

It's not their duty, but it's part of the reason many of us became Epcot fans in the first place. World Showcase was successful for years operating this way before the cartoons invaded.

I'm fully aware of the falsity behind the "frozen is here because norway didn't pay their bills" rhetoric, but with that said, it's hard to feel bad for Norway being unfairly represented by a disney intellectual property on disney's florida property if Norway doesn't want to invest in their own image at WS.

Government sponsorship is the exception, not the rule, in World Showcase. Morocco and Norway are the only pavilions that ever received any sponsorship money from the governments of their respective countries. Furthermore, the Norway Pavilion has not had a sponsor since 2002.

 

[Bocabear]

It's not their duty, but it's part of the reason many of us became Epcot fans in the first place. World Showcase was successful for years operating this way before the cartoons invaded.


Government sponsorship is the exception, not the rule, in World Showcase. Morocco and Norway are the only pavilions that ever received any sponsorship money from the governments of their respective countries. Furthermore, the Norway Pavilion has not had a sponsor since 2002.

and let's face it, it is a theme park...they are making a profit off everyone through the turnstiles... Disney can well afford to refresh and build attractions without sponsorship.

 

[Wikkler]

Okay, let's say they were to rip out the rides from the other countries and replace it them disney IPs... then Mexico would then have 2 table services restaurants, 1 counter service restaurant, a tequila bar, a couple of indoor things for kids to do, a couple of shops for adults to visit, and a cartoon ride... and the other countries wouldn't change at all because they didn't have rides to rip out in the first place.

So let's also replace the American Adventure with "DuckTales."

Spoiler: ...

woo-oo.

 

[bhg469]

and let's face it, it is a theme park...they are making a profit off everyone through the turnstiles... Disney can well afford to refresh and build attractions without sponsorship.

But they can also succeed by doing the bare minimum.

And that's what we typically will get, hence the fully reduced mine train.

 

[TomHendricks]

I just left a message at the Norwegian consulate for the Ambassador. I want to know his country's official position on this change. Im not kidding, I really did.

 

[wdisney9000]

Regardless of culture, food and beverage sales, education, Frozen, how you feel about Epcot, etc etc, its still a very slipper slope that the company is on in terms of how future projects may possibly be undertaken.

Will "acting on a hot IP" or vague connections be sufficient enough reason to allocate smaller budgets and/or place attractions in areas that offer less obstacles in construction? Will "good enough" become acceptable for a company whose standards of quality were once far past "good enough".

 

[sshindel]

I just left a message at the Norwegian consulate for the Ambassador. I want to know his country's official position on this change. Im not kidding, I really did.

We here at the Norwegian consulate thank you for your inquiry. Our ambassador has sadly never heard of this Ecpot that you mention, but promised to look into it at his first convenience. As a note, it may take him quite a while to respond to you, as he is really quite busy these days due to the increased tourism to our beautiful country. Thank you again for your interest in Norway, where you can always build a snowman if you want.