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

[Sped2424]

This is not just Team Disney Orlando. Walt Disney Imagineering should have enough creative strength to argue for the parks. The problem though is that in such a poisonous environment something like this is an easy sell.

That kind of thinking seems to get you on the bench over at wdi, they gotta make a living sadly and if this is the only way they are allowed to actually imagineer I don't put that much blame on them. Artistic integrity is important, but as is getting paid and keeping your paycheck. Not saying this is right, but it is how the company runs wdi sadly. It's a sucky situation, but it's one the company heads are creating, not WDI.

 

[Mike S]

To be fair if Tony baxter had his way The little mermaid would have had a ride much early and far better than it does now.

So much better than what we got, but what else can you expect from Tony Baxter.

 

[twilight mitsuk]

It's getting late and I'm getting cranky and fed up with this whole Frozen thing, so here's my proposal. Iger, turn everything you can into some Frozen ride, M&G, dining, shopping, whatever, until you get this out of your system and squeeze every last Frozen dime out of every parent's hand. That means Frozen lobbies in all the resorts. Have Elsa step on the water in the moat and freeze it at rope drop in the MK. Then have her run through stroller alley and turn the water in IASM into ice, do the same for Splash Mountain, which becomes the MK version of the Matterhorn ride at DL, and the river around Tom Sawyer's Island. Just make sure she doesn't freeze the water fountains or toilets or that will be the first and last time this happens. Do the same in the other parks. Tear down the BAH (sob) and make that spot the best M&G and sing-along you can. Take the space vacated by both AFI and American Idol for a big Frozen skating rink. Freeze Echo Lake as part of the opening ceremony for DHS. Freeze Kali River Rapids and the lake around Everest. Because it is becoming apparent that until you can get Frozen out of your system, anything needing any refurbishment is in danger of being Frozen. Those of us who have had it up to our eyeballs with Frozen will be more than happy to avoid WDW until you've gotten your Frozen out and everything has been turned back to the WDW we know and love. And in the meantime, you've found the perfect spot for an excellent Frozen attraction in either the MK or HS and have built it. I'm suggesting the spot formerly occupied by IASM (let's pack it up and send it back to DL); just make sure you've figured out how to handle the TSM sized demand this attraction will generate before you open it. Of course, that means that many of us on this site are going to have to find something else to complain about. Wait, isn't Avatar scheduled to open in 2017? Or the lack of Star Wars Land.

Doesn't IASW already exist at disneyland

 

[Mike S]

Aside from what's been mentioned...

The score, particularly Vuelie featuring Cantus and Heimr Arandalr (spelling?) are based heavily on existing Norwegian pieces (Norwegian composer Frode Fjellheim is given a co-credit on the score).

Norway has the largest Catholic population of any Nordic country; in Frozen, while overt references are taken out, you can clearly see a bishop presiding over the coronation ceremony.

The sauna, touched on briefly in the Oaken scene, is also a fixture in Norwegian cultures, as it is in other Scandinavian countries.

And, I don't know where I saw it, but a Norwegian who saw the film drew parallels between it and Norway's historical dealings with foreign powers, most notably positing that Weselton and the Southern Isles are analogues of Sweden and Denmark.

All this proves to me is that Disney did their research really, REALLY well. The quality of their movies has only been going up and I am excited for Big Hero 6. This doesn't change my opinion on the placement of this ride and how wrong it is.

 

[LAKid53]

That's a fair point; still, even though Catholics make up only 5% of Norway's population, roughly, I associate the country with Catholicism pretty much on the strength of St. Olaf, the saint most likely to come back to life and throw a beating on me if I speak ill of him.

Ah, but Norway came to Rome late, in 1030 AD after the death of Olaf, the king not the snowman. Didn't realize that the structure is very similar to the English Church, since the missionaries were Anglo-Saxon; never picked that up in my studies of the Church. I don't think Olaf will give you a beating - no one in this modern day would consider any of the Scandinavian countries Catholic - Lutheran, but not Catholic. And he was long gone by the time the Lutheran Reformation started in Norway. I would say to be aware of Martin Luther, but since he didn't believe in the communion of saints....

 

[LAKid53]

Doesn't IASW already exist at disneyland

Then give it to Paris, Hong Kong or somewhere else. It was part of the 1964 World's Fair attraction Walt built, so it had to have ended up at DL after the fair closed, since MK didn't open until 1971.

 

[RSoxNo1]

So over a year to convert Maelstrom?! What the heck could possibly take so long?

Building a handful of animatronics is my guess.

 

[FigmentsFangirl]

[/QUOTE]


Anyhow back on topic. Did anyone correct my ride building thought in answer to @GoofGoof ?

Besides, what they're doing is an OVERLAY; apparently it sounds temporary at best according to my mother. If it is perm, then they're gonna need more than 15 months work time, plus the ride shut down during the entire period. If you ask me they need to actually make the area bigger than it is. Way too cramped at the moment.

 

[celluloid]

The sad things are, even if we look aside from all of the movie tie ins being in the wrong park, or the fictional story inspired by real culture taking over a ride it should not as well as take away the fact that the ride has been an original fan favorite creation of the resort since its opening...we are still getting a weak product.

We have not had an original ride system/concept for EPCOT since Mission Space. That means there has not been an original ride vehicle to take guests into or through a story in over ten years. That is an entire decade of just rethemed/revamped attractions or clones only.

We have two years to look forward to what they do with the space given. They can do some creative things for sure but ultimately, like Test Track we know that it will have the same ride dynamic. There is not a lot of wonder or as much anticipation to see the new because we know what the ride's vehicles and its motions will do.

A pretty sad state for any leading theme park in the industry.

 

[Cesar R M]

My buddy and I are 36 year old men. We've had more discussions about how much we love Frozen than anything else this year. Part of the reason that it's made over a billion dollars world wide and counting is precisely because it appeals to a wide audience, kids and adults alike.

If only GOTG had this much hope.
Id rather have GOTG ride and stuff than Frozen overdone garbage.

 

[yensidtlaw1969]

Yes. Exactly. Disney is a business. They are making a business decision to make money where money can be made. That's exactly what businesses do.

I would argue that any truly great business cares about more than simply making money where it can be made. The themed entertainment industry is at it's best when something that can make money is used in a way that serves the content and it's context. Putting Frozen in World Showcase will make money, but serves thematically neither the movie nor Epcot. Disney built it's reputation in doing both. It's unfortunate to see them choose not to live up to it. They could easily make money for years off of a newly built attraction built from scratch where it belongs, in Fantasyland, and in doing so spare The Maelstrom attraction and the further thematic disruption of Epcot.

 

[SirLink]

All this proves to me is that Disney did their research really, REALLY well. The quality of their movies has only been going up and I am excited for Big Hero 6. This doesn't change my opinion on the placement of this ride and how wrong it is.

No it doesn't The Snow Queen poem is never set in Norway. They managed to subvert a classic tale hardly the want of praise.

 

[Mike S]

No it doesn't The Snow Queen poem is never set in Norway. They managed to subvert a classic tale hardly the want of praise.

I was mostly just talking about their research on Norway but you are right.

 

[Jose]

18 months is the expected construction time?

 

[Lucky]

Based on their announcement...

"The new attraction, which replacesMaelstrom, will take our guests to Arendelle and immerse them in many of their favorite moments and music from the film."

...it sounds like the attraction will be much more about 21st century American pop songs than about Norwegian history and culture. Nothing wrong with that, IF it were located anywhere else on property.

 

[Jose]

Considering that TLM ride at DCA took 23 months to be completed, I think this will not be just an overlay.

 

[ryan1]

Considering that TLM ride at DCA took 23 months to be completed, I think this will not be just an overlay.

That was Cali, at WDW it takes 18 months to build a pair of bathrooms.

I hope you are right but I wouldn't count on it.

 

[Jose]

That was Cali, at WDW it takes 18 months to build a pair of bathrooms.

I hope you are right but I wouldn't count on it.

we'll see they've had 9 months to imagine this ride...

 

[Matt_Black]

No it doesn't The Snow Queen poem is never set in Norway. They managed to subvert a classic tale hardly the want of praise.

It's not the first time. In the original stories, Aladdin is Chinese, and Kaa the snake is a friend to Mowgli. It's Disney. Calling them out that Frozen deviates too far from the source material is a bit... well, I don't know.

Seen as Big Hero 6 doesn't take place in Japan one would hope that they wouldn't cram them Toons in Japan...

The comic explicitly takes place in Japan, and the characters are all based on Japanese pop-cultural archetypes. In fact, I think the main reason the film doesn't take place in Japan is to make it more appealing to the lucrative Chinese market, as China and Japan don't really get along.

 

[Tinkerbell 8]

Okay so I didn't feel like reading thru all 72 pages, but does anyone know anything about the new ride? I'm assuming that its not just going to be an overlay since its not re-opening until early 2016. I'm still on the fence about this, although I enjoyed Malestrom I think it desperately needed atleast a refurb and until I see concept art or hear more about what is planned I won't pass judgement. I am a little upset that I won't get to ride this one last time before it closes.