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

FigmentsFangirl

Well-Known Member
Yeah I sang along, but pretty much under my breath cause I sing like crap....unless I drink some beers and sing Dwight Yoakam songs, then I sound pretty awesome. :)
I sang along with every show, loved it each time, the snow effect at the end made it even more fun {I'd make a pun about th snow effect making it cooler, but the jokes most likely get me killed in here}
 

xdan0920

Think for yourselfer
True it is a valid discussion, but can we keep the name calling out ? Last night I can understand, it did get quite tense indeed, {52 pages in 12 hours!!} But after going to bed and getting up and just getting back here another nine pages and the thread's degraded into name calling. That is what saddens me, people cannot keep things civil and keep name calling out

To which I now have a question; the heck is a EPCOT fanboi ??

That's because anyone who thinks this is a good idea is an ......

Truly.

You think Maelstrom stinks? And Frozen Rulez? (I sorta do) that's cool. This decision still sucks for you. Frozen is getting a cheap out attraction in a place it has no business being. And we all get a net gain of exactly 0 attractions. Sweet.
 

flynnibus

Premium Member
Is that the case? I was always under the impression it was NOT set in Norway but rather a fictional place that looked like/was inspired by the landscape of Norway. Sort of like how Aladdin is set in a place that looks like Morocco but does not actually take place in Morocco.

Like many stories... they take a place and make it fictional as it helps isolate the piece from the constraints of reality and history. The film is set in a fictional Scandinavian in what looks like a late 18th to 19th century kingdom - whose landscape is decidedly Norwegian. The film makers have even cited Norway as the inspiration and reference material.

The notion of is it a REAL kingdom/city or not is not really all that important.
 

BigTxEars

Well-Known Member
That's because anyone who thinks this is a good idea is an ......

Truly.

You think Maelstrom stinks? And Frozen Rulez? (I sorta do) that's cool. This decision still sucks for you. Frozen is getting a cheap out attraction in a place it has no business being. And we all get a net gain of exactly 0 attractions. Sweet.

I am not sure I remember anyone on here who said they disliked Maelstorm, much less that it sucked. Just some who are not going to miss it all that much Like I said I am fine with the current ride but if I had to choose I will take the makeover as I think the ride could use one. There is lots of Frozen dislike on here, not much for Maelstrom from what I have read. Did I miss it, this thread moves fast so I could have!
 

flynnibus

Premium Member
No no, I am not saying that Frozen is ABOUT Norway, just that it is set in Norway, and based on the culture. Never said anything of Frozen being about Norway. never said anything of the sort

So having it based on Norway makes it fit and relevant for world showcase how?

Should we put Indiana Jones the last Crusade the Ride in the Germany pavilion? It's characters are based on Germans you know... and has scenes based in Austria/Germany!

As we've said repeatedly... the setting doesn't dictate what the tale is really about or really what it projects. Aladdin is set in a fictional middle eastern arab kingdom... yet none of us would select Aladdin as a piece to represent or Saudi Arabian culture or be iconic of their culture, history, people. And Frozen is the same.. being set in a Norwegian setting does not make the film a suitable anchor for a WORLD SHOWCASE Pavilion.
 

Pirate665

Well-Known Member
I was having a discussion about this last night over some dinner with friends from work. We actually tried to transport ourselves back to the late 80's and think about Little Mermaid. Basically, we determined if the management of today were back then, Little Mermaid more than likely would have been put in TLS. It would've been a great move business wise, spruced up the area and brought in more visitors. And there'd still be the same level of arguing over that decision.

We talked about it for a good long time and really, we got into a nice debate over the whole thing about it. And if WDWMagic Forums had been around I think we might have been making the same points. None of us could've seen the staying power of Mermaid back then. I'm not justifying a bad decision (trust me I'm not, I hate Frozen and EPCOT is the favourite park [see my post on it's 25th anniversary were I had it tattooed on me]) but I can see all the temptations there.

I think if they had the choice to move it, it'd move to MK, but MK just had a massive makeover and I think the fallout from basically shuttering it back up in mass sweeps for another so soon would not be wise. I want it out of DHS, but there's talks about keeping it. I don't think it could fit anywhere in DAK, so best bet was Epcot and Norway. So, oh well.

I just wish it'd hurry up and pass. I'm gonna go ride Maelstrom tomorrow and have a good weep. It was a running joke with my ex over the "you've come this vay before..."
 

misterID

Well-Known Member
Am I blaming the guests? Or a insignificant portion of Disney fanatics on a Disney forum? Let's be 100% clear here, the people on Disney forums DO NOT represent the typical Disney guest.

As noted in a seperate thread, any non-Disney site reporting the news is receiving a whole different crop of feedback.

The average Disney guest seems to believe Maelstrom is totally dispensible and should go. A proper attraction is not hapening because most tourists have demonstrated content without seeing one.
I'm not upset about Maelstrom. I don't mind the overlay for several reasons. I'm kind of tired of holding onto the principles, or the legacy of WS when TDO doesn't care and decided to keep it a mall. I think Maelstrom represents an IP free level of originality that EPCOT used to have. A sophistication that eroded and eventually showed up in Japan in DisneySEA (they still have characters though and no one seems to mind!). It's a sad slow, depressing descent for some fans.

I sort of went numb after Imagination and Horizons were destroyed. There's a reason people are upset. EPCOT is my favorite park. I grew up there. I feel protective over it. But I know when the battle is lost. It's reasonable to understand why people are upset.

I just got back from Disney. I don't know what the difference between the fanatics and average guests is, to be honest. There is a BIG difference between the (nearly... or maybe really) demented apologists and enablers who will swallow any crap TDO gives them and fight to the death of how great it is and how grateful you should be for them to give it to you...even though most times they fail to realize TDO didn't want to give it to them... like the often referenced Fantasyland expansion that TDO intended to be a princess M&G (I'm being serious) and had to be dragged kicking and screaming by Anaheim to do it.
 

TDF

Well-Known Member
The report said the ride would be open by early 2016 (so give Disney their usual extension period given the extra time they usually take when it comes to opening new attractions), and we're probably looking at a mid-to-late 2016 opening. Sound like a healthy amount of time for a new ride to me.
Impressive Disney. Let’s make this happen.
 

flynnibus

Premium Member
Snow, Oaken's lutefisk and a few design choices for landscape and clothes etc. If this argument sounds weak and pathetic it's because it is.

There are many things in the film that are sutblely norweigan... the shopkeeper scene is the one scene in the whole film that really makes me feel like it's Norway. Not because of the litefisk alone, but in the character himself and his mannerisms. It's so fitting of the personalities you encounter there and their values.

There isn't really anything to debate when it comes to if the film is supposed to be set in Norway or scandanavia in general.. it doesn't matter honestly. What makes it such a horrible fit is the tale and film have nothing to do with projecting anything about Norway -- it's history, people, values, or culture.
 

FigmentsFangirl

Well-Known Member
I do not think a petition will work; Frozen isi Disney's new nest egg, they're going to get as much as they possibly can from it moneywise. I do not think a petition to get them to keep Maelstrom will be helpful.
 

GoofGoof

Premium Member
If the film is not set in Norway it's at least inspired by Norway. From The Disney Park Blog:

"We’re excited for the Frozen attraction, too, Matthew. While we
don’t want to give away the whole show, we’re well aware that what
people love most about Frozen are its heartwarming story, the wonderful
characters the film brought to life, and the amazing music throughout
the film. The attraction is designed to let guests experience and
immerse themselves in all those key elements. And we think it’s a
natural fit to locate the Frozen attraction at Epcot’s Norway Pavilion,
which showcases the country that helped inspire the film."

I think this explains their thinking on why the ride fits in Norway.
 

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