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

[Nick Pappagiorgio]

To be fair, I never really got much "Norwegian culture" out of the old ride, either. Trolls and oil rigs... that's about it. Will there be a video after the ride in the old theater? "Olaf explains how Norway provided ideas and inspirations for Frozen"?

I heard they gutted the theatre. Mythology is an essential part of a country's culture, for Norway it was trolls, and they wanted it to be more clear that oil was a focal point of their economy. It was how they decided to present their culture to American audiences. In any case even if you didn't get much culture you got a lot more than the American culture you will be exposed to in 2016.

 

[flynnibus]

To be fair, I never really got much "Norwegian culture" out of the old ride, either. Trolls and oil rigs... that's about it.

Listen to the narration

 

[MadMax11]

To be fair, I never really got much "Norwegian culture" out of the old ride, either. Trolls and oil rigs... that's about it. Will there be a video after the ride in the old theater? "Olaf explains how Norway provided ideas and inspirations for Frozen"?

To be fair, you can't tell the story of Norwegian culture to modern times without discussing offshore drilling. It changed everything for them. It's why they're as prosperous a nation today as they are. With only so much space and only so much time, an offshore rig is absolutely a necessary component.

I'm from Houston and meet people from Norway all the time. All are people with energy/oil related jobs. All of them talk about the impact of offshore drilling on their nation. It's gigantic.

What we're getting in exchange for any sense of culture is a retelling of a movie we allllllllll saw. That's great for Fantasyland, imo...but falls short in EPCOT.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

What we're getting in exchange for any sense of culture is a retelling of a movie we allllllllll saw. That's great for Fantasyland, imo...but falls short in EPCOT.

Look I get it. I prefer Maelstrom and am as sick of Frozen oversaturation as much as the next guy. What I can't wrap my head around is the way some people are taking it as a personal insult... an affront to their precious EPCOT. To those people, I say "get with the program." EPCOT never existed and EPCOT Center ceased to be over 20 years ago. What we have today is Epcot. Epcot is not an Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow, nor is it a never ending World's Fair. It's a Disney theme park. And a wildly successful Disney brand linked to Norway by even the slimmest of thematic threads is going to manifest itself in the Norway pavilion of that Disney theme park.

The Portuguese have a term, saudade, that describes a sorrowful or melancholic longing for something that will never return. That longing is often for a past that never was, and that's how some people talk about Epcot. As the great American poet William Joel said, "the good old days weren't always good, and tomorrow ain't as bad as it seems."

 

[englanddg]

Look I get it. I prefer Maelstrom and am as sick of Frozen oversaturation as much as the next guy. What I can't wrap my head around is the way some people are taking it as a personal insult... an affront to their precious EPCOT. To those people, I say "get with the program." EPCOT never existed and EPCOT Center ceased to be over 20 years ago. What we have today is Epcot. Epcot is not an Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow, nor is it a never ending World's Fair. It's a Disney theme park. And a wildly successful Disney brand linked to Norway by even the slimmest of thematic threads is going to manifest itself in the Norway pavilion of that Disney theme park.

The Portuguese have a term, saudade, that describes a sorrowful or melancholic longing for something that will never return. That longing is often for a past that never was, and that's how some people talk about Epcot. As the great American poet William Joel said, "the good old days weren't always good, and tomorrow ain't as bad as it seems."

Because it slowly strips away (along with pretty much every decision since the mid to late 90s made there) the essence of what made the park unique and different.

You are correct, it likely will never return to the themes of the past, but in this case, they are placing a fantasyland ride into World Showcase. Yeah, Nemo in Seas, ok...that could have been done much better than it was (I actually don't mind character involvement). But, it still at least has SOMETHING to do with the sea.

Frozen has NOTHING to do with Norway (tenuously "based" on it or not). It is being shoved in there, and that is the affront.

If it's done well, done with care, the complaints will go away. If it's done in a gaudy fashion that destroys or turns the entire pavilion into Arrendelle, then it breaks the entire theme of World Showcase, and they may as well just rename it Fantasyland 2.0.

 

[bhg469]

Look I get it. I prefer Maelstrom and am as sick of Frozen oversaturation as much as the next guy. What I can't wrap my head around is the way some people are taking it as a personal insult... an affront to their precious EPCOT. To those people, I say "get with the program." EPCOT never existed and EPCOT Center ceased to be over 20 years ago. What we have today is Epcot. Epcot is not an Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow, nor is it a never ending World's Fair. It's a Disney theme park. And a wildly successful Disney brand linked to Norway by even the slimmest of thematic threads is going to manifest itself in the Norway pavilion of that Disney theme park.

The Portuguese have a term, saudade, that describes a sorrowful or melancholic longing for something that will never return. That longing is often for a past that never was, and that's how some people talk about Epcot. As the great American poet William Joel said, "the good old days weren't always good, and tomorrow ain't as bad as it seems."

Its not EPCOT as much as it is a disgrace to world showcase. Its largely free of cartoons and fantasy. You really have to hunt for any disney related IPs when you're there with the exception of Belle M&G outside of France. I really enjoy that the culture there was not about disney movies because frankly I never have and never will love any of the movies that much. I did however love exploring world showcase and having at least a little bit of an escape from the cartoon atmosphere.

Its nothing against Frozen or its fans, its just the consistency that I hate to see go away.

 

[sedati]

This discussion has me trying to think of the earliest cartoon segment (original animation created specifically for the park) and I think it might be the circular Figment scenes following the time-lapse scene. Then when the Living Seas opened, there was the Atlas animated film in the Sea Base. Wonders of Life had Goofy, but I think that was re-used animation, but certainly the pre-show for Cranium Command was a great and original. Symbiosis then had the Lion King makeover.
Was there anything on opening day? I remember some screens above the World Key Information center showing some type of animation, but I think they were more like moving slide shows. Communicore?

 

[lazyboy97o]

Look I get it. I prefer Maelstrom and am as sick of Frozen oversaturation as much as the next guy. What I can't wrap my head around is the way some people are taking it as a personal insult... an affront to their precious EPCOT. To those people, I say "get with the program." EPCOT never existed and EPCOT Center ceased to be over 20 years ago. What we have today is Epcot. Epcot is not an Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow, nor is it a never ending World's Fair. It's a Disney theme park. And a wildly successful Disney brand linked to Norway by even the slimmest of thematic threads is going to manifest itself in the Norway pavilion of that Disney theme park.

The Portuguese have a term, saudade, that describes a sorrowful or melancholic longing for something that will never return. That longing is often for a past that never was, and that's how some people talk about Epcot. As the great American poet William Joel said, "the good old days weren't always good, and tomorrow ain't as bad as it seems."

EPCOT Center wasn't a Disney theme park?

 

[Siren]

Violin? Really really I will leave you and your destroyed vision of WS alone in this thread.

LOL. You are so funny to me and my vision of World Showcase and Epcot is not "destroyed", it's realistic. So, sorry if reality bothers you.

 

[Siren]

Ultimately it all comes down to the $$. A lot of people still don't visit Epcot because they don't think the kids are going to find it interesting. This basically guarantees that people are going to pay the extra $ or spend the extra day to see the Frozen attraction, similar to how Universal put Harry Potter in both parks to get people to pay for both parks.

As Lee Cockerell says: "Daddy can't say no to the little princess"

Wow!!! Great logical post!

How different is shoehorning frozen into maelstrom than pretty much everything universal has done in the last 5 years not named Harry Potter? Take something unpopular, gut the building, add in newer, fresher IP to the same building, await while WDWMagic rants about how quickly you're way better than WDW these days.

I just don't see why everything has to be a D-ticket/E-ticket. Half the board says that adding garbage like Pixar Place to HS is a better solution than adding a 3rd track to TSM... yet, replacing Maelstrom with a Frozen themed dark ride isn't an upgrade? Because apparently Frozen should get sooo much more? What should it get? What does Frozen deserve? Peter Pan is 2:45, Winnie the Pooh is 3:08, Snow White's Scary Adventures was 2:25 and everyone acts like those were the greatest thing ever. They gave you a 6 minute Under the Sea and everyone says it sucks. So it's not length. Aladdin doesn't have anything but a spinner, Lion King doesn't have a ride. They gave you a mine train that lacked duration but managed to give you a fun/tame coaster with a new animatronic style, and you all said it wasn't long enough. So for anything to matter it needs to be an E-ticket, and for some reason, it needs to jump over Avatar and Star Wars in terms of the E-ticket agenda.

They're replacing Maelstrom with an improvement over Maelstrom and it should just be left at that. Just because it's Frozen doesn't mean it deserves it's own land yet or its own E-ticket yet... and if they spent eons developing a Frozen E-ticket everyone would complain about how Disney didn't used to base their best attractions on movies.

Amen!!!!

So your opinion is the only one that matters, no one else's is valid. Got it.

Thank you so much!!! I just can't take any more whining about this ride or Epcot.

I think you're right about the theming issue, but I'm not upset about the change. I like Frozen and I'll wait to pass judgment on it until the ride opens.

I totally agree with this!!! Great comment!

No, no, they had the oil rig, remember? Because when you think of Norway, you think "oil rigs".

Good point, and it is also important to note that Norwegian officials did not want Norway to be associated with the trolls but Disney insisted -- so the oil rig was a compromise.

I'm going to precursor what I'm going to say with this... I am a huge fan of the original Epcot Center and an advocate for the original idea. However, times change. Attitudes change. Guests change. Therefore, parks need to change. I wholeheartedly believe that if Epcot were to open today in 2015 as it did in the 80's, it would not be popular at all. Can you imagine what the millenials would think of a theme park wher they had to learn?! The horror! Again, having said that, I'm not sure that changing Epcot's entire identity to an IP-centric park is the right path either. All I know is, I love Epcot. It's my favorite park. It alway has been my favorite park, and it needs LOTS of TLC. Do I think Frozen is a good fit for Norway? Meh. I think I'll be upset if the ride sucks. If they do a nice job, and it's a "plus" over the Maelstrom, then I'll be happy. I don't think that the addition of this ride marks the end of Epcot's vision. I do however think it means that Epcot is changing, and it might not be for the worse.

It just gets enormously tiring to come on the forums day after day and read the same complaints about Disney losing original visions and WDW doesn't do anything worthwhile any longer. We get it, things are different now, and we want them to go back to the way they were. Will they? Who knows. I just don't know why we can't be kinda, sorta excited that Disney is taking a (tired) ride that was left largely untouched or changed in decades, and turning it into something people actually want to ride. It may be like trying to shove a square peg into a circular hole to make it "fit" thematically, but I'm in the mindset that at least they're doing SOMETHING. Epcot will never be what it once was. So if it takes some IP's to get some fresh rides and fill the empty buildings, I'm sorry, but my nostalgia can take a back seat.

This is so logical and an all around exceptional post!!!

So we can't have World Showcase without Maelstrom? As tucked away as Maelstrom was in the Norway pavilion, changing the signage to Frozen doesn't thematically change World Showcase at all. The trolls in Frozen are no less real than the trolls of Maelstrom. Trolls aren't real. Norway is in the news a lot for religious conflicts amongst its population, but Norse gods sure aren't involved. Vikings aren't still "prowling the water's edge" in Scandanavia. There's more "real mexico" in tres caballeros than there was "real Norway" in Maelstrom. If the first thing you saw when you transitioned from FW to WS was a big fake Elsa's castle, sure, you'd have a great point. But it's not even the first thing you see when you cross into the Norway pavilion.

If you take out the oil rig/village at the end and the movie, Maelstrom could have legitimately been a Fantasyland ride.

Maelstrom wasn't unpopular if you're comparing it to Gran Fiesta Tour and the current incarnation of FIgment, but I wouldn't venture to call it popular or a great success by any stretch. Jaws wasn't unpopular either? But if you can easily make it better, why not do it?

I totally agree!!! Maelstrom was hardly popular and it was always walk on whenever I was there. Maelstrom didn't start to get busy until Disney added it to FP+. If the ride was remotely popular, Disney wouldn't have shut it down. So, don't cry now...

2 Floridians, an Irishman, a guy from Kentucky, and a puerto rican forming a celtic band and representing Canada isn't very thematically appropriate either, but no one seems to have a problem begging them to come back and replace the loggers.

LOL. This is just too funny and so very true!!! Well said!

Well, that was just too easy for me!!! My work here is done, thanks to these super smart guys. Yay!!!

 

[CaptainAmerica]

EPCOT Center wasn't a Disney theme park?

Those were too separate points. The first, stop living in the past. The second, it's really not a big deal in the grand scheme of things. I'll let my Disney pals explain.

 

[bhg469]

Wow!!! Great logical post!

Amen!!!!

Thank you so much!!! I just can't take any more whining about this ride or Epcot.

I totally agree with this!!! Great comment!

Good point, and it is also important to note that Norwegian officials did not want Norway to be associated with the trolls but Disney insisted -- so the oil rig was a compromise.

This is so logical and an all around exceptional post!!!

I totally agree!!! Maelstrom was hardly popular and it was always walk on whenever I was there. Maelstrom didn't start to get busy until Disney added it to FP+. If the ride was remotely popular, Disney wouldn't have shut it down. So, don't cry now...

LOL. This is just too funny and so very true!!! Well said!

Well, that was just too easy for me!!! My work here is done, thanks to these super smart guys. Yay!!!

You're spinning your very bald tires by quoting everyone that suits your myopic opinions.

The Canadian music point alone was refuted perfectly by several people and you chose to ignore that.

We get that you can't stand not having cartoons everywhere you walk or high brow entertainment anywhere on property.

 

[Skippy]

I am curious to see if the line outside Frostrom ever reaches the swarms of guests trying to finish up their world tour with tequila in Mexico. I can already picture the family friendly 'drink around the world' experience that Disney is going for in the WS.

 

[HauntedMansionFLA]

Seeing it's a year away. Will people even care about Frozen any longer?

Well, mini - Frozen is on before the Cinderlla movie, they announced Frozen 2 is being developed and probably another Mini-Frozen movie will be on before the new Beauty and The Beast with Emma Watson. It depends if there is another movie that takes attention away from it. ( like Star Wars )

 

[DisneyGentleman]

Another interesting example of a "Frozen makeover" via reddit. Note the "7 Princess Shapes".

 

[MotherOfBirds]

This is a sickness.

 

[DisneyGentleman]

This is a sickness.

Just wait for the makeover of the "Frozen" Margaritas in EPCOT. You heard it here first!

 

[bhg469]

Another interesting example of a "Frozen makeover" via reddit. Note the "7 Princess Shapes".

Ugh...

 

[Ginzuishou]

I'm excited to see the ride when complete!

 

[wdwmagic]

There is now a dedicated thread for construction work.

Norway Pavilion Frozen construction