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

[Mike S]

No offense but that is what it was, I was asking what it is today. It's changed over the decades, this recent move is not a departure from those previous changes. Although we don't have time machines if we did they would be at Epcot I guess

So previous mistakes justifies more mistakes? Tell me, if a kid was failing in school would it be ok for them to continue down that path or fix those grades? Epcot is failing its theme right now. Disney should fix it, not worsen it further.

 

[HatboxGhost]

Who threatens to kill people over a theme park attraction?

 

[flynnibus]

Carlsberg beer is Danish.

And is one of the great crimes of the existing pavilion...

It's like going to a Microbrewer and ordering a Budweiser in a can.

Like Germany, Norway has a history of regional breweries.. and each major city has it's local beer. And their beers are fantastic in that they never seem to leave a hangover compared to american beers

Alas in all the beer consolidation that has happened over the last decades - few are independent anymore and almost all are owned by the megacorps - but are still sold.

Aass, Ringness, Hansa are the Bud/Coors/Miller of Norway.. but all so welcome!

 

[lebeau]

Was that an answer?

The conceptural ideal of a education WS is great and one that would simply be awesome to see, the reality is that it's a huge very well themed retail area.

Using Mexico as a example (it's the first country we always go to) what is the educational aspect of it?

Using Japan (my favorite area of WS) what is they far the largest area there? That awesome giant retail store.

Seriously? You don't see the educational value of recreating world cultures?

I took French in high school for four years. We took a field trip to the local 5-star French restaurant La Maisonette. That was an educational experience. The teacher brought in a crepe maker and we had authentic crepes. I had couscous for the first time in that class. Yes, we were eating. And it was educational.

You shouldn't need the educational aspects of a world showcase explained to you. It is right there in the name of the place. You completely loose that when it stops being about real culture and becomes about cartoons. I really shouldn't have to explain that.

No it's not, borders do not stop cultures very well. All across the world cultures cross them, always have and always will. Look at Belgium and France for example, large areas of both countries along their border share common cultural aspects. Texas and Mexico is a example I am very well versed in

Wow. No idea what point you were trying to make. Who was talking about borders? I wasn't. I was talking about genuine Norwegian culture vs. a ride based on an American cartoon based on a Danish fairy tale.

But none of that really matters, the vast majority of WDW guest relate it to Norway. WS is not museum, flawless historical accuracy is not their job. Pleasing their guest is, and their guest by and large are demanding Frozen at this point in time.

I have yet to see one person argue that WDW should be a museum. That's the argument you and several other Disney apologists would like to have. Most of us would welcome change in Epcot. Update Maelstrom? Yes, please! Put a Frozen ride in Magic Kingdom or Hollywood Studios? What's taking so long? It's a no brainer. Yes, Disney World should change. So you can put that tired argument in a box until someone makes the ridiculous claim that Disney World should be a museum - something no one will ever say.

Is there a demand for Frozen? D'uh. Disney has been embarrassingly slow to address the demand for Frozen. Yes, there should be a Frozen attraction at Disney World. Yes, Maelstrom and the World Showcase should be updated over time. But this is not the way to do those things.

 

[lebeau]

As far as "edutainment" goes, it's nice to have, but it's not necessary in today's society. Technology and culture have changed significantly in the past 30 years. Now, if you want to know about Norway or China or wherever, you can do a google search. There is a plethora of resources available if you have the desire.

Because a Google search is the same thing as actual experience.

Yep, no need for education! We have the internet.

 

[jakeman]

And is one of the great crimes of the existing pavilion...

It's like going to a Microbrewer and ordering a Budweiser in a can.

Like Germany, Norway has a history of regional breweries.. and each major city has it's local beer. And their beers are fantastic in that they never seem to leave a hangover compared to american beers

Alas in all the beer consolidation that has happened over the last decades - few are independent anymore and almost all are owned by the megacorps - but are still sold.

Aass, Ringness, Hansa are the Bud/Coors/Miller of Norway.. but all so welcome!

I always try and make sure I acknowledge that I'm not drinking a Norwegian beer if I partake (which I don't often because there are better and more culturally authentic beer elsewhere).

Wait...we just agreed on something...

 

[prberk]

Its amazing to see that this thread has so many postings, and Im happy to see that the majority of peope are against a remake of the Norwegian classic Maelstrom to be a full on Frozen ride. I have been working against this from the moment I heard it, and while the hope to stop Disneys plans to remake the ride is gone, its my hope and goal that the ride will be done in a correct way (after seeing what happened to Mexico and Test Track, Im scared...). My goal is now that Disney dont make this to be a 100% Frozen ride without Norway ties in it, that would be a disgrace... And I hope we can make sure Disney will be remembering what Epcot and the World Showcase is about.

I see some people say like "What will we loose? A polar bear and an oil rig?" and that the Norway ride is nothing like Norway. I beg to differ, while everyone agrees the ride is short, its a good 4 minute dive into Norway. Even though I like to say it showcases Norway on steroids... It starts of with going back in time and the viking god Odin invites you to take a tour to find the "Spirit of Norway", then its off to see vikings, trolls, arctic areas, Norwegian fairytale castle "Soria Moria", polar bears, puffins, Norwegian fjords and nature, then to the oilrig which represent the oil age that made Norway the rich industrynation it is today, then lastly into a calm Norwegian harbour based on "Karmøy" og "Skudeneshavn"... Personally I love this ride too much, Im sad to see it go. We are loosing something indeed.

I cant agree to some posts denying the link between Norway and Frozen. The filmmakers from Frozen spent a well 2 weeks time in Norway travelling around to get inspiration to make the movie. Though Hans C. Andersen is from Denmark, the story is fictional and not based in Denmark. The filmmakers decided to go for Norway as Denmark dosent really have anything impressive naturewise. The city of Arendelle is based on the Norwegian south coast city of Arendal, while most buildings in Arendelle is taken from Bergen, which also has the most amazing fjords. In the movie there are several things that reminds me of Norway: trolls, rosemaling, bunads, rune-language, the opening song is made by a Norwegian and sung by a Norwegian choir, lutefisk, architecture, names, the stave church Elsa gets coronated in, Akeshus Fortress, Kristoff and the sami culture, northern lights and so on... I do love the Frozen movie, and Im very proud of the work they did with it.

Im not so happy that they will tear out the Norwegian stuff and make it all Frozen.
I hope people will tell Disney that there should still be Norway in Norway.

Thanks for posting this. As much as the rest of us can say we like or dislike what is or isn't happening, the opinions of actual Norwegians are the only ones that really count, as they're the ones whose pavilion is being altered.

I cannot agree with you more, @spiritofNorway, and thank you, @BrerJon, for calling my attention to this most important post. I really hope that some of the folks from the company who "troll" (pun intended) this site do see this post. How can anyone be more dead-on?

I think he is fair in his assessment of "Frozen" as being good to Norway in the film, and having a connection; but also in the need for the Norway pavillion to continue to be more about Norway than about "Frozen." I think that Norway is one of the most unique and uniquely educational pavilions in all of World Showcase. The ride itself attracts more folks than a shop would, and you come away learning something about a culture that doesn't otherwise get overexposed on TV.

It seems like there should be a way to add a "Frozen" ride, even to Norway, without taking away the cultural part of the Norway pavillion. I personally, though, would build the 'Frozen" ride elsewhere, while "plussing" the Norway pavillion for added attention (yes, even maybe with a character appearance but in a dignified way). They could simply do something like, "Experience 'Frozen, the Ride,' at Walt Disney World's Hollywood Studios Theme Park; then Kristoff and Sven invite you to experience a little bit of their home of Norway right here in America, at EPCOT"... in an advertising campaign that goes back to the whole resort experience that was intended, with some synergy (to satisfy the MBAs who love that word) and yet some distinction between the missions of the parks.

 

[WondersOfLife]

I dunno about you guys.. But I really want this Venezuela artwork to come true. This looks beautiful and seems like it would be an amazing, larger "indoor-outdoor" pavilion similar to Mexico o-o

Sorry, off topic.

 

[WDWVolFan]

Holy crap...so much animosity on this thread and on the GMR one...

 

[prberk]

As far as "edutainment" goes, it's nice to have, but it's not necessary in today's society. Technology and culture have changed significantly in the past 30 years. Now, if you want to know about Norway or China or wherever, you can do a google search. There is a plethora of resources available if you have the desire.

Because a Google search is the same thing as actual experience.

Yep, no need for education! We have the internet.

Ding! Ding! Ding!

We have now determined that school and field trips, and in fact, travel itself, are all outdated. We can learn everything we need to know about history, and even human interaction, on the internet.

Why even bother having the International Program participants? Just have kiosks at the pavilion that let us choose the experience we want to see. No need to talk to a real person and maybe interact with someone from that culture, when we can have them on Facetime if we want. Or better yet, Siri knows everything. No need for authenticity.

In fact no need for EPCOT at all. Just close it down and post everything on the internet.

And I take you one step further: No need for a theme park at all. You can design your own rollercoaster online and ride in the virtual world, and never really interact with any negative influences -- no lines, no fussy people, no sunburn... Just sit in our lounge chairs and experience everything on a screen in front of us!

Wait a minute, that sounds familar. Seems like I have seen that before. Umm, in "Wall-E"! And wasn't that an allegory with a warning for us about your very argument?

All I am saying is that, as wonderful as technology is, it is at best only a tool. The physical experience of education AND entertainment, especially one that allows us to go to a "new place" and talk to real people cannot be replaced entirely. (Even EPCOT cannot replace visiting the real Norway, but it can be a great taste of it in a way that the Internet could never be.)

 

[prberk]

duplicate post

 

[Matt_Black]

Because a Google search is the same thing as actual experience.

Yep, no need for education! We have the internet.

A google search is a start. No different than using the index of a book. Well, SOME difference- indexes don't usually need a "safe search" option.

 

[Californian Elitist]

Who threatens to kill people over a theme park attraction?

Crazy, obsessed, yet passionate Disneyland fans. I know DL fans who would rather see the whole place close than it be kept open with misguided direction (such as putting things in the park that don't belong).

The Lincoln/Muppet idea was scrapped. It could have been due to the outrage of the fans or maybe they decided to do away with the idea on their own. I posted this because I see a lot of the same passion in some of the WDW fans here. I can't blame people for wanting to see EPCOT kept wholly to its original concept, if not, as much as possible.

That's all I'm going to say in this thread.

 

[prberk]

A google search is a start. No different than using the index of a book. Well, SOME difference- indexes don't usually need a "safe search" option.

The problem is that you used the Google search argument to say that the educational value was no longer valid. In truth, they complement each other. EPCOT and physical experience, especially including real people from the countries and representative attractions and environments, offer something that a Google search does not replace (any more than EPCOT itself replaces real travel).

So, there is room for both, and EPCOT's value as "edutainment," if done well, is still great as its own starting point. For Google, you generally start with something you are searching for on purpose. With EPCOT you likley encounter something nice that you would never have known to search for. Both are good starting points.

 

[lebeau]

A google search is a start. No different than using the index of a book. Well, SOME difference- indexes don't usually need a "safe search" option.

That's a complete retraction of your earlier statement, is it not?

 

[minsmk]

On no way man! Frozen put it's cold boot up Ralph's booty!

Are you kidding me? I cry at almost every Disney movie. During Frozen I might have teared up during Let It Go out of an artistic standpoint.. But not any other times.

But Wreck It Ralph, that movie hit very close to home. I was bullied really bad as a child (Like Vanellope..) and I always felt like I was the "Bad Guy" because I never seemed to agree. So to me WIR was more relateable and I cry at the end... Every.Single.Time.

Tangled is even better, I cried my eyes out at the end of that one. It's beautiful and I'd rather get a tattoo of the sun that Rapunzel paints then a Let it Go tattoo.

Now I shouldn't be judging a movie on how much I cry, but IMO it means that you relate to the movie and an emotional connection with the characters has surfaced in a hour and a half/two hours.

 

[lebeau]

Are you kidding me? I cry at almost every Disney movie. During Frozen I might have teared up during Let It Go out of an artistic standpoint.. But not any other times.

But Wreck It Ralph, that movie hit very close to home. I was bullied really bad as a child (Like Vanellope..) and I always felt like I was the "Bad Guy" because I never seemed to agree. So to me WIR was more relateable and I cry at the end... Every.Single.Time.

Tangled is even better, I cried my eyes out at the end of that one. It's beautiful and I'd rather get a tattoo of the sun that Rapunzel paints then a Let it Go tattoo.

Now I shouldn't be judging a movie on how much I cry, but IMO it means that you relate to the movie and an emotional connection with the characters has surfaced in a hour and a half/two hours.

Will people think less of me if I confess I cried during the Making of Frozen special?!?

They will?

Darn.

 

[Pocahontas]

Are you kidding me? I cry at almost every Disney movie. During Frozen I might have teared up during Let It Go out of an artistic standpoint.. But not any other times.

But Wreck It Ralph, that movie hit very close to home. I was bullied really bad as a child (Like Vanellope..) and I always felt like I was the "Bad Guy" because I never seemed to agree. So to me WIR was more relateable and I cry at the end... Every.Single.Time.

Tangled is even better, I cried my eyes out at the end of that one. It's beautiful and I'd rather get a tattoo of the sun that Rapunzel paints then a Let it Go tattoo.

Now I shouldn't be judging a movie on how much I cry, but IMO it means that you relate to the movie and an emotional connection with the characters has surfaced in a hour and a half/two hours.

Tangled and Wreck-It Ralph are 100x better than Frozen.

 

[Mike S]

I cannot agree with you more, @spiritofNorway, and thank you, @BrerJon, for calling my attention to this most important post. I really hope that some of the folks from the company who "troll" (pun intended) this site do see this post. How can anyone be more dead-on?

I think he is fair in his assessment of "Frozen" as being good to Norway in the film, and having a connection; but also in the need for the Norway pavillion to continue to be more about Norway than about "Frozen." I think that Norway is one of the most unique and uniquely educational pavilions in all of World Showcase. The ride itself attracts more folks than a shop would, and you come away learning something about a culture that doesn't otherwise get overexposed on TV.

It seems like there should be a way to add a "Frozen" ride, even to Norway, without taking away the cultural part of the Norway pavillion. I personally, though, would build the 'Frozen" ride elsewhere, while "plussing" the Norway pavillion for added attention (yes, even maybe with a character appearance but in a dignified way). They could simply do something like, "Experience 'Frozen, the Ride,' at Walt Disney World's Hollywood Studios Theme Park; then Kristoff and Sven invite you to experience a little bit of their home of Norway right here in America, at EPCOT"... in an advertising campaign that goes back to the whole resort experience that was intended, with some synergy (to satisfy the MBAs who love that word) and yet some distinction between the missions of the parks.

Kristoff and Sven in the Norway pavilion? That actually makes sense. Unlike the girls I doubt they would attract 4-5 hour lines that clog the pavilion. Plus I've never had a problem with the M&G's in World Showcase since they're off to the side and aren't the main focus. Plus they teach where each character comes from (except Aladdin in Morocco).

 

[RayTheFirefly]

http://hellogiggles.com/disney-frozen-ride

"Everything we know!"

AKA nothing.