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

[Magenta Panther]

I was just at Disney last month. The line to ride Maelstrom was huge! Clearly it is a very popular ride right now. If you're gonna change a ride, why not Matterhorn at Disneyland instead?

Walt is rolling over in his grave. Epcot is exactly the wrong venue to put a Frozen attraction. Frankly, it's disrespectful to Norway to celebrate and promote a fictional town at an attraction in a park that was ideally designed to educate (well, at least a little).

And what happens in 3 years, or 10 or 20 years when Frozen becomes a ho-hum attraction.

Changing the Matterhorn to a Frozen ride would probably cause a more violent reaction. It's too much of an icon, and a Walt original. Plus it's still a lot of fun. I remember when Michael Eisner was going to replace "Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln" with the Muppets. He backed off of that REAL quick.

Unfortunately, for all of its simple charms, Maelstrom is not the Matterhorn. It's not an icon. Just a fun ride in probably the most atmospheric area in WS. It didn't stand a chance against the greedheads at Disney...

 

[FigmentsFangirl]

12. Shows the true amount of disdain for the confirmation of this project.

I keep forgetting timezones. My bad

 

[PhotoDave219]

Not quite what I was going for. Just saddened. I love the World Showcase as it is. I'm not looking forward to the change.

Yes, it's sad but part of Disney is a perpetual change. I personally don't like it because they're changing at the frozen. I think that's a waste because I don't see this being bad crazy popular in 2016. I think it's foolish and a waste of money. I think there are better ways to boost attendance at Epcot then taking a kids ride & retheming it.

This starts and ends at the office of Tom Staggs. Thank him, blame him, which ever. I guarantee you your opinion will be dismissed if it is different from his.

 

[BigTxEars]

Then Walt is rolling over for a number of reason in WS, this past June my 11 year son bought a shirt in Mexcio at WS....says on the front" I (picture of a taco) Mexico" now I would guess that is not something to swell nation pride in Mexico. Nor the giant pretzel on the Mickey ears in Germany for that matter. I would think WS is about fun and education, in that order.

Walt was not one to shy away from making a buck. No shame on the current Disney's part for trying to capitalize on such a hot commodity as Frozen. I certainly would if I were them. You are right the Frozen craze will die down but I do not think that will effect the ride. Lots of rides at WDW are popular and based on older movies or shows.

 

[Monkee Girl]

Poor Walt's been an underground gyroscope since 1982.

Wait a minute!....




I thought....he was.....FROZEN!

 

[DarthGrady]

46 pages In less than 12 hours.

Personally, I think the backlash comes in with it being "frozen" rather than an update/refurb/other change.

To the Epcot fanbois, where were you when original shows were being cut/closed? Where what your righteous indignation then? (I realize it's past their bedtime)

All in all.... It's a theme park. It's a kiddy ride in a theme park.

It's not curing cancer. It's not bringing world peace. It certainly has nothing to do with Walt Disney. It didn't open in 1982 and it wasn't that good an attraction.


And Philadelphia is still the birthplace of America.

EPCOT fanboy here, still awake.

I was just as upset when they destroyed other great rides. Horizons, WOM, TLS, JII. Need more acronyms? How about WOL?

All much better than the bilge that replaced them. Or in the case of WOL, being left to rot in place.

The problem is that no-one at Disney seems to care about the vision for which EPCOT was originally built. They just keep destroying the great original attractions and replacing them with low-rent, mindless drivel.

 

[PhotoDave219]

I loved those guys, the music was awesome; every time I pass a group of either Redcoats or Bluecoats in Assassin's Creed III I'm reminded of them and how well the drummers do it in perfect timing.

You have two weeks to see them.

Their last day should be around September 27. Could be as early as the 25th.

 

[PlutoHasFleas]

Then Walt is rolling over for a number of reason in WS, this past June my 11 year son bought a shirt in Mexcio at WS....says on the front" I (picture of a taco) Mexico" now I would guess that is not something to swell nation pride in Mexico. Nor the giant pretzel on the Mickey ears in Germany for that matter. I would think WS is about fun and education, in that order.

Walt was not one to shy away from making a buck. No shame on the current Disney's part for trying to capitalize on such a hot commodity as Frozen. I certainly would if I were them. You are right the Frozen craze will die down but I do not think that will effect the ride. Lots of rides at WDW are popular and based on older movies or shows.

Two words: Progress City

 

[FigmentsFangirl]

Then Walt is rolling over for a number of reason in WS, this past June my 11 year son bought a shirt in Mexcio at WS....says on the front" I (picture of a taco) Mexico" now I would guess that is not something to swell nation pride in Mexico. Nor the giant pretzel on the Mickey ears in Germany for that matter. I would think WS is about fun and education, in that order.

Walt was not one to shy away from making a buck. No shame on the current Disney's part for trying to capitalize on such a hot commodity as Frozen. I certainly would if I were them. You are right the Frozen craze will die down but I do not think that will effect the ride. Lots of rides at WDW are popular and based on older movies or shows.

For pure example, Carpets of Aladdin, or Splash Mountain, both of those {IIRC} are based off movies. and POTC was based off the RIDE itself.

 

[FigmentsFangirl]

You have two weeks to see them.

Their last day should be around September 27. Could be as early as the 25th.

Saw them just over a week ago {actually exactly a week ago today. left Epcot, went to DHS, had dinner at Contemporary, and then headed north to home}

 

[PlutoHasFleas]

Wait a minute!....




I thought....he was.....FROZEN!

Grrr... Even jokes like this upset me. I've seen his grave and memorial garden. It's a beautiful, inspiring place.

 

[CDavid]

Oh? What have you heard? What are your people telling you? Because my people tell me it's the bottom of the barrel want to comes to Epcot.

Not that I'm doubting you (surprises me, however, Maelstrom would be below Mexico in popularity) but what's the hourly capacity for Maelstrom? Based in number of guests riding per hour, Midway Mania would be one of the least popular attractions in all of WDW, and we all know that doesn't paint an accurate picture.

 

[BrerJon]

As for parenting, parents shouldn't give their kids everything they want just because they beg you for it. Kids don't generally have very good taste and gravitate towards things that are bad for them (further instigated by corporate propaganda). It's a good parent's responsibility to question whether they should just turn a blind eye and feed their poor tastes.

What a great post. One of the reasons WDW is in the state it is can be put down to the role of the parent changing from being the one who sets boundaries, serves as an example, and tries to teach their kids how to make their way into the world, into being little more than a servant, bowing to their every whim and tantrum, buying them whatever they ask for, and making sure they never, ever cry about anything.

And then they'll wonder why those kids can't get jobs when they graduate and employers find they can't function in the real world.

I always think that Disney parks should be a place where adults get to be kids, but also kids get to be adults (cowboys, astronauts, world explorers etc.). That latter part seems to have been forgotten as everything has become juvenalised.

 

[Monkee Girl]

EPCOT fanboy here, still awake.

I was just as upset when they destroyed other great rides. Horizons, WOM, TLS, JII. Need more acronyms? How about WOL?

All much better than the bilge that replaced them. Or in the case of WOL, being left to rot in place.

The problem is that no-one at Disney seems to care about the vision for which EPCOT was originally built. They just keep destroying the great original attractions and replacing them with low-rent, mindless drivel.

Grrr... Even jokes like this upset me. I've seen his grave and memorial garden. It's a beautiful, inspiring place.

Awe...I have a very big respect and love for Walt. But even I couldn't resist.

 

[PhotoDave219]

EPCOT fanboy here, still awake.

I was just as upset when they destroyed other great rides. Horizons, WOM, TLS, JII. Need more acronyms? How about WOL?

All much better than the bilge that replaced them. Or in the case of WOL, being left to rot in place.

The problem is that no-one at Disney seems to care about the vision for which EPCOT was originally built. They just keep destroying the great original attractions and replacing them with low-rent, mindless drivel.

Yeah nobody give a crap about those.

You screaming about all these attractions that nobody ever went to, that just reinforces managements point.

Besides, last I checked the living seas are there. Because in the end, it's all about the fish. There's no real difference between the sea cabs and the current attraction. Both of them take guests through the attraction to see fish.

Figment? That's been a walk on for 20 years. Horizons? I'll give you that one… That was nice attraction. Although the last time I was on it, I was eight years old. World of motion? It may be an unpopular opinion, but test track is a much better choice.

I'd really like to see if you have any numbers that can back up your assertions. Preferably in financials and revenue.

 

[FigmentsFangirl]

Yeah nobody give a crap about those.

You screaming about all these attractions that nobody ever went to, that just reinforces managements point.

Besides, last I checked the living seas are there. Because in the end, it's all about the fish. There's no real difference between the sea cabs and the current attraction. Both of them take guests through the attraction to see fish.

Figment? That's been a walk on for 20 years. Horizons? I'll give you that one… That was nice attraction. Although the last time I was on it, I was eight years old. World of motion? It may be an unpopular opinion, but test track is a much better choice.

I'd really like to see if you have any numbers that can back up your assertions. Preferably in financials and revenue.

Only once do I remember having a wait to get onto Figment. {said 10 minute wait, ended up waiting almost 30 minutes} Since then waits {for me} always said five minutes or less, and normally I walked right up to the guy who normally said to me "How many two ? Row {numberhere}"

 

[BigTxEars]

EPCOT fanboy here, still awake.

I was just as upset when they destroyed other great rides. Horizons, WOM, TLS, JII. Need more acronyms? How about WOL?

All much better than the bilge that replaced them. Or in the case of WOL, being left to rot in place.

The problem is that no-one at Disney seems to care about the vision for which EPCOT was originally built. They just keep destroying the great original attractions and replacing them with low-rent, mindless drivel.

I think part of the issue is in the old days you saw things at Epcot you could not see anywhere else, that captured and kept peoples attention. Now with the internet that is simply not true anymore. It's a tougher market to grab peoples attention these days.

If Epcot does not change to fit into the society that goes to it it will become irrelevant IMO.

 

[FigmentsFangirl]

Awe...I have a very big respect and love for Walt. But even I couldn't resist.

I have a deep respect for him too, and even I could not resist breaking down laughing at your joke, thank you; you put a smile on my face today {honest truth too} I was in a down mood, that perked me right up

 

[BigTxEars]

For pure example, Carpets of Aladdin, or Splash Mountain, both of those {IIRC} are based off movies. and POTC was based off the RIDE itself.

Peter Pan and Twilight Zone come to mind as well. Heck someday some kid will ask his dad "Who is Aerosmith"

And Splash Mountain is based on a movie dead and buried....very buried....

 

[PlutoHasFleas]

Besides, last I checked the living seas are there. Because in the end, it's all about the fish. There's no real difference between the sea cabs and the current attraction. Both of them take guests through the attraction to see fish.

Except the cleverly placed/themed HD TVs that show the Nemo scenes block over 75% of the original viewing windows....

However, I love the projections with the real aquarium at the end! I wish they would have done that through out!