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

[BrerJon]

I agree with you. But I'm being a realist at this point. Until Iger is gone and there is a regime change, those are our options.

The guy behind all this, Tom Staggs, is likely going to be CEO after Iger, so I think we've got a *very* long wait on our hands for the tide to turn!

 

[Mike S]

Ratatouille is a trackless, but has gotten some bad reviews because it relies extensively on screens and static props, instead of animatronics. If Frozen is video screen based, and just Toy Story Mania without a track, it still won't be that great.

It's not the ride system that makes people love Pooh and Mystic, it's the animatronics, effects, and unique way in which that system immerses you in the world. So while it would be good to have a trackless in WDW, it's no guarantee of quality.

And that's exactly what I would want for Frozen. The ride system just makes sense because sled+ice=gliding.

 

[devoy1701]

The guy behind all this, Tom Staggs, is likely going to be CEO after Iger, so I think we've got a *very* long wait on our hands for the tide to turn!

absolutely...so let's take what we can get because they're never going to give us what we want. I mentioned earlier that I am willing to travel to other Disney Parks to experience true vision of a Disney park, themed immersion, and great cutting edge experiences. At this point for WDW, I'll settle on just not being bored with stale offerings or having them close more guest areas.

 

[BrerJon]

Yes, but it will be an up charge themed toilet. Pee with a Princess for just $50. While Elsa and Anna sing that unforgettable song you and your kids can Let it Go down the toilet and Olaf's cute carrot nose is the toilet handle. Not to leave out the boys you can have a ing contest with Kristoff. Hans' face is on the urinal cakes, hit it just right and Sven "talks" to you. In both boys and girls restrooms the trolls will sing Fixer Upper as you look at yourself in the mirror.

That sounds way too much value for money for Disney. Snowman themed toilet paper and a tiny pot of Frozen hand soap on the way out is about as much as guests could hope for I think!

 

[Betty Draper]

And that's exactly what I would want for Frozen. The ride system just makes sense because sled+ice=gliding.

But they'll most likely retain the flume and add some elaborate backstory that Elsa somehow gained the ability to thaw ice, thus creating a magical river through icey Arendelle.

Trust me, they'll come up with anything just to save themselves a few bucks.

- B.

 

[Mike S]

But they'll most likely retain the flume and add some elaborate backstory that Elsa somehow gained the ability to thaw ice, thus creating a magical river through icey Arendelle.

Trust me, they'll come up with anything just to save themselves a few bucks.

- B.

Wasn't really talking about this ride but a hypothetical Frozen ride that uses the trackless ride system. And to the bolded, this makeover is proof of that.

 

[flynnibus]

Well, Staggs also is part of the problem and is to blame.
Having an insane guerrilla PR system that automatically cleans for ANY NEGATIVE COMMENTS from the Disney media, certainly helps to maintain the circle of mediocrity.

Do you goto www.coke.com and expect to find hordes of content about how people hate Coke? The blog is a marketing outlet - nothing more. It is NOT a neutral or open engagement portal. It is NOT a community site. No one should be shocked it doesn't allow two way comms - that's not its purpose.

 

[misterID]

Ratatouille is a trackless, but has gotten some bad reviews because it relies extensively on screens and static props, instead of animatronics. If Frozen is video screen based, and just Toy Story Mania without a track, it still won't be that great.

It's not the ride system that makes people love Pooh and Mystic, it's the animatronics, effects, and unique way in which that system immerses you in the world. So while it would be good to have a trackless in WDW, it's no guarantee of quality.

From what I've seen, and it might be different in person, I'm not really impressed. But I think TSM blows and this looks way better than that. I'll say that much.

 

[BrerJon]

I mentioned earlier that I am willing to travel to other Disney Parks to experience true vision of a Disney park, themed immersion, and great cutting edge experiences. At this point for WDW, I'll settle on just not being bored with stale offerings or having them close more guest areas.

Yeah, I know what you mean. Although I consider WDW my 'home' park, and the one I have the most emotional investment in as it was the one that affected me most as a kid, I am lucky enough to get to travel to overseas parks quite a lot, so lots of my frustration isn't about experiencing things myself, but about all those people who are missing out on the good stuff despite paying through the nose, when it would be so easy to deliver a top quality product everywhere.

 

[flynnibus]

btw, it also says that travel to Norway has tripled since the release of the movie, and that hotel bookings are up 30%. Looks like Norway was given the option to update the Pavilion and keep it true to the "theme of The World Showcase" but hasn't been willing to. So why would we NOT expect Disney to refresh the offerings with their own intellectual property. A lot of the reason the "failure of Epcot" in recent history has been from lack of corporate funding in Future World and funding from countries in World Showcase. TDO could probably do a better job of trying to secure those sponsorship, but again, the other option here is for them to continue to shudder offerings because of lack of funding.

The flaw in your thinking is.. that the WS concept stemmed from the sponsors.. and therefore without them Disney should turn to their own ideas. The original WS concepts and designs were DISNEY'S ideas - not the sponsors. Disney turned to other people to try to pay the bills - but the concept and what to showcase were Disney's ideas. So the idea that Disney should abandon those ideas.. is basically says Disney should abandon its own ideas.

And your cites of stats.. you may want to double check.

 

[jensenrick]

Mark Hickson: Rumor is they will completely gut the building and expand the show building backstage and use the new ride system that is now in use at Hong Kong’s Mystic Manor.

awesome, looking forward to that

 

[BrerJon]

I wonder.. when did stagg said this? 3-4 months after the explosion of popularity?

He said it on Friday, so more like nine months after peak Frozen.

 

[Cesar R M]

I can promise you, for a fact, Staggs has nothing to do with creating the "PR plant system". It was around way before he was... And he knows the real feelings about the decisions/product.

I just wonder how big is the PR system.

Do local mangers in each park literally "sweep" most of the complains so they look pretty to the higher ups?
Then these local managers use these flawed statistics of park approval and complain levels to promote themselves to bigger positions?

 

[Cesar R M]

The guy behind all this, Tom Staggs, is likely going to be CEO after Iger, so I think we've got a *very* long wait on our hands for the tide to turn!

some people say Staggs is the best option between him and Jay "Cut Down Everything" Rasulo.

 

[flynnibus]

Frozen is a representation of the Scandinavia culture, of which Norway is a part.

Please list out scandinavian culture elements showcased in Frozen.

WS is showcasing the countries but I just don't see it being done from a education angle, it about selling food and merchandise to me

Does the word EXPOSURE mean anything to you? Just because they are selling you something in the end - doesn't make it just a retail experience.

There used to be more culture stuff.. until they decided to cut that entertainment out because apparently it's too highbrow for what people want these days from Disney.

 

[Cesar R M]

Do you goto www.coke.com and expect to find hordes of content about how people hate Coke? The blog is a marketing outlet - nothing more. It is NOT a neutral or open engagement portal. It is NOT a community site. No one should be shocked it doesn't allow two way comms - that's not its purpose.

blog != main site. you're comparing apples to oranges.
Blog is supposed to deliver news, progress in a more personal approach. Thats what a blog is for.

the comparison you're trying to make makes no sense, coke.com should be compared to https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/ as they're main pages. not blogs.

 

[BrerJon]

Education isn't the right word (and it's edutainment, btw ) it's sophistication. Like DisneySEA has and WS used to...

Sophistication. That's *exactly* it. There should be things for intelligent kids and adults, not just mass market character stuff for kids, and getting blind drunk for the adults.

I dream of the day WDW gets something like Fortress Explorations - an amazing Tom Sawyer type play area, but in every section you learn a bit more about the renaissance, Galileo, astronomy, navigation... it's hugely informative to all ages, but kids love it. It's superficially a kids playground, but it oozes sophistication - like Horizons, like World of Motion... that's what Epcot needs more of, but is sorely lacking.

 

[Mike S]

some people say Staggs is the best option between him and Jay "Cut Down Everything" Rasulo.

Staggs or Rasulo. It's almost like choosing between these two.

 

[flynnibus]

blog != main site. you're comparing apples to oranges.
Blog is supposed to deliver news, progress in a more personal approach. Thats what a blog is for.

the comparison you're trying to make makes no sense, coke.com should be compared to https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/ as they're main pages. not blogs.

The blog is nothing more than a section of the corporate web presence. A format to spread news in a dolled up format that the audience is familiar with. Since you want to split hairs.. the Coke 'blog' is here - http://www.coca-colacompany.com/coca-cola-unbottled/

The blog is simply marketing formated in a specific format for that audience - it is NOT a community site and anyone expecting anything but marketing spoon fed out.. is a sucker. It is not community outreach, it is not community participation, it is not a fan organization -- it is a marketing outlet aimed at direct outreach to online readers.

 

[dstrawn9889]

Staggs or Rasulo. It's almost like choosing between these two.
View attachment 65888

so now its that way, huh?