Bob Chapek Confirms Disney Will Overhaul Epcot

[Cesar R M]

The forums seem to be one member short today.

Wait, they did finally ban the troll?
or he left?

 

[Cesar R M]

Winter is coming ? Or Ironman ?

 

[Cesar R M]

Is that not an opinion? I recall you dismissing opinions yesterday (your reply to @RSoxNo1, post #627).

Elsas ice castle , which was one of the most prominent settings of the movie was inspired by some ice hotel in Canada, not Norway. How does Norwegian inspired rooftops and clothing trump that? My point was that if you choose to use locations visited by the Disney team, be sure to list them all, not just the ones that suit your argument.

Not to mention the whole source of the Ice queen story is not exactly focused on Norway.

Spoiler: Impopular opinion

And again, I still remember that the whole Disney defense on "arendelle is an anglo version of a real town, its inspired in a town named arendal!"(etc..etc..) was when frozen fans actually were all "hey there is a town named Arendal!(not Disney).. maybe they got inspired like that". Funnily.. "Arendel" doesn't look ANYTHING similar to what that appears in Frozen.

 

[Tony the Tigger]

Here's a quick fix idea for WS:

For all the undeveloped pads that are sitting unpavilioned between the existing 'countries'... develop them into picnic parks (temporarily, of course, until new national pavilions or attractions are built.) Then, you can move all the festival kiosks in there. Have some seating and shade... no more eating on a garbage can!

^This. Solid idea. Temporary and easily changed as needed. So many people buying food from kiosks, so little seating/tables. Eating on garbage cans is

 

[Cesar R M]

Let's be honest, World Showcase rides have never really been a true depiction of their respective countries. Mexico, do all all Mexican's play trumpet and a member of a mariachi band? There are more stereotypes on that ride than I can count. Maelstrom had fictitious Trolls. While Frozen is a stretch to say it represents Norway as a country, its really not a stretch for World Showcase.

as a Mexican.. the Mariachis are a HUGE part of our culture.. every single town has them, and they perform constantly for whatever excuse you find (be holidays, be personal stuff like a birthday). They are REAL and they are part of the country.
Please tell me what "part" of Norway does Anna and Elsa represent?

Now let's take another notch further..The Mayans, Aztecs, etc.. had folklore and gods(still a huge part of the culture), same with other groups that lived in Mexico. They are real too in terms of stories and folklore, hence why the trolls do fit in world showcase in Norway. Because they are part of their folklore and beliefs.
Do the weird completely out of character super friendly trolls that sing and get you married.. that now are in the Frozen ride at Norway actually represent the folklore? Id have to ask a Norwegian person about this.

It's always easier to justify something after its said and done. I would however be very interested in knowing how someone would justify putting Frozen in Epcot as opposed to say, the Magic Kingdom, in the first place. This is probably what happened.

Boss: Jenkins! I need you!
Jenkins: What is it sir?
Boss: Frozen is a huge hit for us. We need it in the parks ASAP to capitalize on it.
Jenkins: OK....we could do Anna and Elsa meet and greets...
Boss: OK good start...but I'm thinking BIGGER! It's own attraction!
Jenkins: Oh nice, sir! We could build it a really neat place in Magic King--
Boss: Jenkins don't be stupid. We don't have time for that...Something else.
Jenkins: ....Well, we could try and retrofit it somewhere inside Magic King--
Boss: Jenkins! Enough with the Magic Kingdom talk...we have three other languishing parks to worry about.
Jenkins: Well, Animal Kingdom is out...what about Hollywood Studios?
Boss: No...we're already destroying half of that park...It must be Epcot! World Showcase! Norway!
Jenkins: But sir, the movie doesn't exactly take place in Norw--
Boss: JENKINS! I've had enough of your sass. Its close enough. No one will know the difference.
Jenkins: OK....so what does the ride need?
Boss: Anna, Elsa, Olaf, and Kristoff....Oh, and that song "Let It Go"...what else?
Jenkins: ....what else is there?
Boss: What about that big snowman?
Jenkins: OK, him too.
Boss: Brilliant! Jenkins you're a genius! I can't wait to see this! Don't let me down. You have six months.

5 months later.. Jenkins committed suicide. "cant let it go..cant let it go... no more!" read his last note.

 

[MisterPenguin]

Here's how I feel about it...

 

[Cesar R M]

And it's been tough to get a fast pass ever since.

Well, the only "NEW" thing in Epcot is either THAT.. or Soarin'.. and Soarin' had big lines always too.

 

[Cesar R M]

It's possibly their most popular IP of the moment (in this galaxy anyway)

It deserved so much more and not to be used as a tool to try to fix a park that needed something else.

Well.. Marvel's GOTG deserved more than TOT's reskin as well.

So.. Thats Disney's techniques in the last years.. "shoehorn, reskin, rehuse"
not "expand".

Jimmy got soul!



Got one last month, had low expectations (but no bias against) and was pleasantly surprised. Hope you enjoy it!

Didnt Jimmy changed camps and sold his soul to Universal now (aka shares)?

 

[Cesar R M]

Here's a quick fix idea for WS:

For all the undeveloped pads that are sitting unpavilioned between the existing 'countries'... develop them into picnic parks (temporarily, of course, until new national pavilions or attractions are built.) Then, you can move all the festival kiosks in there. Have some seating and shade... no more eating on a garbage can!

We could also use some indoor performing theaters...

This is actually an excellent idea. They could also put "tents" to make shows of respective countries that do not fit inside the pavilions.

 

[marni1971]

Just think if Marti never decided to push the too parks together. FW would not exist today!

There's a little bit dramatic licence in that. As World Showcase (the park) was under decelopement at the TTC so was the Future World Theme Center roughly where Epcot it today. They both existed, just not in the same location.

 

[Earl Sweatpants]

From a business standpoint, MK doesn't need it. Epcot did. I would've made the same decision, regardless if it was only 95% perfect and not 100%.

I'm looking forward to more rides and characters in Epcot world showcase. I was always surprised there weren't more.

View attachment 182984

Magnet from Epcot Italy. Wouldn't have purchased one without some Disney reference.

I agree 100% that Epcot needed something. Just not that.

For the record, I'm by no means a Frozen fan, but even I feel that if FEA is the best they could aspire to do with the property (so far), then that's just sad.

 

[P_Radden]

There's a little bit dramatic licence in that. As World Showcase (the park) was under decelopement at the TTC so was the Future World Theme Center roughly where Epcot it today. They both existed, just not in the same location.

Hold up. I always knew they were originally planned as two separate parks, but I thought they were always planned to be adjacent to one another. So you are saying WS as a stand alone park could have been placed near the TTC?

 

[marni1971]

Hold up. I always knew they were originally planned as two separate parks, but I thought they were always planned to be adjacent to one another. So you are saying WS as a stand alone park could have been placed near the TTC?

WS was planned to go next to the TTC originally. The Futureworld Theme Center was roughly where the park ended up. Then they moved closer to each other in various versions until they merged circa 1977 IIRC. I'm at work at the mo or id post some art.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Hold up. I always knew they were originally planned as two separate parks, but I thought they were always planned to be adjacent to one another. So you are saying WS as a stand alone park could have been placed near the TTC?

EPCOT: Origins — The Tripartite Plan, 1975 | Progress City, USA
Progress City, USA has a number of articles on the development of EPCOT Center under the EPCOT: Origins title.

 

[Horizons '83]

as a Mexican.. the Mariachis are a HUGE part of our culture.. every single town has them, and they perform constantly for whatever excuse you find (be holidays, be personal stuff like a birthday). They are REAL and they are part of the country.
Please tell me what "part" of Norway does Anna and Elsa represent?

Now let's take another notch further..The Mayans, Aztecs, etc.. had folklore and gods(still a huge part of the culture), same with other groups that lived in Mexico. They are real too in terms of stories and folklore, hence why the trolls do fit in world showcase in Norway. Because they are part of their folklore and beliefs.
Do the weird completely out of character super friendly trolls that sing and get you married.. that now are in the Frozen ride at Norway actually represent the folklore? Id have to ask a Norwegian person about this.



5 months later.. Jenkins committed suicide. "cant let it go..cant let it go... no more!" read his last note.

To each their own, if you think that is an accurate depiction of your culture than great, but from my eyes I see nothing but stereotypes which is fine, because its Disney not fact.

 

[wdisney9000]

To each their own, if you think that is an accurate depiction of your culture than great, but from my eyes I see nothing but stereotypes which is fine, because its Disney not fact.

If the stereotypes are "fine", what is the problem? If you google "Mexican Culture" and then look at the image results, it looks basically like Gran Fiesta Tour.

 

[Castle Cake Apologist]

To each their own, if you think that is an accurate depiction of your culture than great, but from my eyes I see nothing but stereotypes which is fine, because its Disney not fact.

Are you from Mexico? Because if not, this post really comes across as you trying to tell an actual Mexican citizen that he's wrong to think the Mexican pavilion is an accurate representation of his culture. I think he would know.

 

[Princess Leia]

Here's how I feel about it...

View attachment 183034

I wish they'd bring back the Viking ship that was outside the pavilion. I used to love climbing all over that thing.
http://www.lostepcot.com/vikingship.html

 

[montyz81]

Here's how I feel about it...

View attachment 183034

your last comparison is really the only one Disney Leadership care about.

 

[montyz81]

There's a little bit dramatic licence in that. As World Showcase (the park) was under decelopement at the TTC so was the Future World Theme Center roughly where Epcot it today. They both existed, just not in the same location.

According to Marti's book, they were literally pushed together. Is that not right? I know he's a writer and all but that seemed like it was fact.