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

[RayTheFirefly]

Just want to weigh in on the "I have kids and they hate WS" thing I prepped my kids 2 and 4 for Epcot (and all the parks). We always spend one day in WS and one in FW. My kids love both. My DD's favorite park is Epcot. She loves trying all the different foods. Talking with the CMs from around the world, getting her passport stamped, watching the shows, meeting characters etc. They know it won't be a ride heavy day it will be about exploring the countries and learning about the world. If you make it fun it is fun!

I'm legitimately curious as to how you spend a whole day in just FW. What all do you do?

 

[Admiral01]

Well hopefully since the Frozen craze is so just that - crazy -, they'll try a little harder on this one. And since they sort of tried to help the DCA Mermaid, they must be aware of the reception of the Mermaid ride as a whole. Maybe they'll use it as a learning experience.

Trying to be positive here, people.

The problem is that they don't need to try harder, and WDW knows that. All they need to do is slap Frozen all over Norway and you will have parents and little kids lining up to ride. It doesn't need to be high quality because it has the name "Frozen" attached to it.

 

[DisUniversal]

IMO Test Track 2.0 looks pretty cheap. The old environmental rooms and the robots were much better than the empty scanning rooms there now. Also remember that part of Frozen's budget will be used on the M&G, store and maybe the bakery and restaurant as well. Plus unlike Test Track there will be animatronics so that will cut into even more of the budget. $75 million will go pretty fast and not all of it on the ride.

If they can't do something amazing with $75 million, they need to just out of the theme park business...and by amazing, I mean better than the total crap animatronics they have in the Little Mermaid ride over at NFL. They look like they had a budget of about $75 thousand.

 

[RandomPrincess]

I'm legitimately curious as to how you spend a whole day in just FW. What all do you do?

Well we don't spend the "whole day". Normally that is our sleep in day (thanks FP+) and then we will have dinner at WS or one of the nearby resorts and call it an early night.

 

[Cesar R M]

Jim Hill article on Frozen ride:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jim-h...-the_b_5835170.html?ncid=txtlnkusaolp00000592

He seems to be confirming that the ride system will not change and the changes to load/unload talked about here.

one step to the front, 3 steps back.. nice job disney lol

 

[Cesar R M]

There was no jab there. It was merely a recognition that that information came as an insider rumor, and had not been officially confirmed by the company.

you're not fooling anyone, daddio.

 

[Wikkler]

she then proceeded to sing her a song in Moroccan. My cousin was mesmerized. The girl then brought her a piece of paper and wrote her name in Moroccan.

"Moroccan"...

 

[ABQ]

"Moroccan"...

It's like Frenarabic? Maybe?

 

[Wikkler]

The most likely language was Arabic, but Berber is likely, too.

 

[spacemt354]

Just for kicks:

2009 Space Mountain refurb: ~$12.3 million

2012 Test Track refurb: ~$60 million

2014 Malestrom and pavilion refurb: ~$75 million

If $75 million is for the ride and surrounding elements as rumored, I'd wadger that, maybe, $25-35 million of that will be used for the actual ride.

With that info, my new guess? Just like NFL it will look astethically pleasing, the area will be inviting, but the ride will lack in quality.

Bummer.

 

[erasure fan1]

Jim Hill article on Frozen ride:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jim-h...-the_b_5835170.html?ncid=txtlnkusaolp00000592

He seems to be confirming that the ride system will not change and the changes to load/unload talked about here.

So when it came time to cash in on another film based on another Hans Christian Andersen tale, Disney was determined not to make the same mistakes that it had made with Ariel when it came to Anna & Elsa.

So instead, just make all new ones!

 

[jt04]

Just for kicks:

2009 Space Mountain refurb: ~$12.3 million

2012 Test Track refurb: ~$60 million

2014 Malestrom and pavilion refurb: ~$75 million

If $75 million is for the ride and surrounding elements as rumored, I'd wadger that, maybe, $25-35 million of that will be used for the actual ride.

With that info, my new guess? Just like NFL it will look astethically pleasing, the area will be inviting, but the ride will lack in quality.

Bummer.

And likely wrong. But at least you are on the record.

 

[RayTheFirefly]

And likely wrong. But at least you are on the record.

What about that estimate do you think is wrong/what is the correct amount? Just curious.

 

[Mike S]

Saw this on Facebook

While listening to the Guardians of the Galaxy soundtrack I was inspired to make this.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Sure. Until official confirmation was given by the company, it was still a rumor. Just like it was an unconfirmed rumor when an 'insider' stated that they were going to totally remove Norway from the pavillion and officially make it an 'Arendelle' pavillion. Insider rumors are awesome, but they aren't confirmed until the company confirms them. The insiders actually benefit from this take on it because they are allowed to save face with the understanding that sometimes companies change their plans.

When the majority of the pavilion is going to be about Arendelle, it is hard to continue to take jabs at @pheneix. The rumors have been rather spot on and there is little reason to doubt reported figures.

 

[EdC]

Between my two kids, I have taken them to Epcot at every age from 11 months to 10 years old. Neither of them has ever been bored. They will find interesting what you make seem interesting to them. Sometimes it takes significant effort on the part of the parents. But when I see my 3 year old gleefully smiling through Reflections of China or my 10 year old adventurously exploring the winding paths in Morocco, it’s worth it.

But society used to be about exposing children to new ideas and new horizons, instead of slavishly giving them whatever they want for fear of the slightest tantrum. Parents used to say 'eat your vegetables', now they ask 'would you like more candy?'.

I'll make this simple. If I'm giving Disney a couple grand, I'm not going to do what I do in my own community and online. My kids sow the ground with the vegetables that they eat and care for the chickens that the eggs they eat come from. We are not going for the purpose of seeing the over idealized versions of these countries.

Walt Disney's world didn't have the same technology as today and you needed to have the World Showcase to show the world to people, I get it. You couldn't get close to the same thing back then. Today you are able to teach and show so much from your own computer. It does require significant effort, just as if I were doing so in Epcot. But I don't have to pay to see the history or culture that Disney wants me or my kids to see. I also don't have to limit it all to one day out of every several years.

So folks, it's not you, it's me. And I'm fine with that.

 

[Matt_Black]

I'll make this simple. If I'm giving Disney a couple grand, I'm not going to do what I do in my own community and online. My kids sow the ground with the vegetables that they eat and care for the chickens that the eggs they eat come from. We are not going for the purpose of seeing the over idealized versions of these countries.

Walt Disney's world didn't have the same technology as today and you needed to have the World Showcase to show the world to people, I get it. You couldn't get close to the same thing back then. Today you are able to teach and show so much from your own computer. It does require significant effort, just as if I were doing so in Epcot. But I don't have to pay to see the history or culture that Disney wants me or my kids to see. I also don't have to limit it all to one day out of every several years.

So folks, it's not you, it's me. And I'm fine with that.

EXACTLY. That was the point I was trying to make several pages back.

 

[MichWolv]

I'm legitimately curious as to how you spend a whole day in just FW. What all do you do?

I've spent plenty a "whole day" in Future World, except for dinner and Illuminations. Want the rundown? OK.

Arrive at opening. Get Test Track FP. Ride Soarin'. Bathroom break (happens a lot). Coffee at Fountain View. Flying pigs in Innoventions. Grab Mission Space FP. See Jammitors (they really are very good). Use Test Track FP. Look at cars post ride (my kids love climbing in them, don't know why). Sum of All Thrills in Innoventions. Bathroom break. Spaceship Earth. Sunshine Seasons for lunch. Living with the Land and Circle of LIfe. Grab Soarin' FPs. Living Seas with Nemo. Turtle Talk. Get in trouble for splashing when trying to touch stingrays. Lots of quizzes and playing on computers in Seas exhibits. Watch dolphin window show. Laugh at manatees (I just think they're funny). Bathroom break. Imagination. Captain EO. Whine about when imagination was better. Bathroom break (why didn't you go 45 minutes ago when the rest of us did? I didn't have to go then.). Use Mission Space FP. Ellen's Energy Adventure. Test lab in Innoventions. Use Soarin' FP. Dinner reservation at 7:30, then illuminations.

 

[Gomer]

I'll make this simple. If I'm giving Disney a couple grand, I'm not going to do what I do in my own community and online. My kids sow the ground with the vegetables that they eat and care for the chickens that the eggs they eat come from. We are not going for the purpose of seeing the over idealized versions of these countries.

Walt Disney's world didn't have the same technology as today and you needed to have the World Showcase to show the world to people, I get it. You couldn't get close to the same thing back then. Today you are able to teach and show so much from your own computer. It does require significant effort, just as if I were doing so in Epcot. But I don't have to pay to see the history or culture that Disney wants me or my kids to see. I also don't have to limit it all to one day out of every several years.

So folks, it's not you, it's me. And I'm fine with that.

But that’s a different argument. It’s not that your kids are too young to enjoy Epcot then. It’s that you choose not to enjoy it and prefer other things on your vacation more. Which is all fine and dandy.

But that doesn’t mean Epcot has to change to meet the needs of your vacation. There are three other parks (and growing…unfortunately) without edutainment. Some of us prefer the Epcot style on our multi-thousand dollar vacations to the alternative. Unfortunately, people telling Disney that their kids “can’t” enjoy it was all the guest feedback they needed to justify plopping in the money generating machine known as Frozen.

I may be able to find any of the information provided by epcot on the internet for free. But I and my kids enjoy it enough at Epcot to be willing to pay for it. Same reason I still pay to go to the movies when I can watch the same thing at home. I pay a premium for the experience. You don’t have to, but I do wish Disney would leave both in place instead of only offering one.

 

[baskinthemagic]