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

[wdisney9000]

Just joined the forums after lurking on here for a few years, so hello!

I'm honestly excited for something new to come to Epcot.

While, I agree that Frozen has no business in Norway, let alone Epcot, I think if done correctly (in which it most likely it'll shoehorned inside the current attraction), it'll be a hit and it'll also separate crowds a lot better.


This will be a good distraction, and it won't only benefit Epcot crowd wise, but the other parks as well.

Everyone is going to be flocking to the Frozen Ride, thus causing the crowds to disperse deeper into the park, leaving FW more abandoned that what is already.

This seems to be a common emotion. The, "I dont think Frozen fits, but Im excited to have something new in EPCOT" claim is basically excusing Disney and their lack in keeping the parks fresh and now your settling for mediocrity. Thats the message they will get. "Just throw something in the parks every few years and they will shut up". As far as crowd dispersal, I dont think we will see any major relief because they are not ADDING anything. Sure, more people will be at Norway but the queue will only hold so many people and FP+ will allow people to move around until its their time to ride. The only way this will affect the other parks is that Disney now feels more confident in building less than stellar attractions and putting them wherever it will be cheapest. Welcome to the boards, B. Please dont take my post as some sort of attack either, I assure you it is not, and I love Mad Men so your name makes me like you.

 

[BigTxEars]

I know right! It's like how foreign countries are basically just shopping malls with food courts that don't sell burgers and fries. Disney rulz yall!

What are the education aspects of WS? For every educational aspect there is there are 4 retail or food offerings. Other than 4-5 very small displays in Mexico it has no educational aspects for example. It's a area full of food, booze (yeah!) and shopping.

EE at AK has more educational value in the queue area than any of the countries in WS IMO.

WS is a money making area of a for profit park system, as a money making entity is should be run as one. A huge number of guest want Frozen content, Norway is a good fit for that in WDW's opinion so they are responding to guest demand. It make business sense as most guest at WDW associate Frozen with Norway.

But we all know for some (and I am not referring to you at all) on here anything that WDW does is bad (either stupid or greedy) and worthy of beating them down for. So this is yet one more example of something to beat down Disney about. That's fine but then they have to try and drag anybody who disagrees with them into the beating as well. It's just silly and egotistical to me.

 

[fngoofy]

They have a reindeer in Frozen.... That's close enough... They'll rename the petting zoo in Rafikis Planet Watch and it'll be called Rafiki's Frozen Interactive Funland and put a reindeer or two in there to sell it.

Sven's, not Rafiki's. Someone wasn't paying attention during Marketing101 (justsayinsall.)

 

[Betty Draper]

Didn't Ms. Crofton state that the park's original purpose is long gone and the new purpose is based more on discovery rather than futurism and culture?

I'm not sure where I heard that.

- B.

 

[Cesar R M]

What point are you making? Because the point that I made was that if a country (or company from within the host country) is not willing to fund updated for a World Showcase pavilion, Disney will do whatever it wants with it...and in this case it's to add a ride based on a movie that is set in the host country. Why would Disney spend money to promote Norway if Norway isn't willing to spend the money? Instead Disney will promote it's own property while sticking with the pavilion's theme. It may stink from an "Epcot Purist" point of view, but it makes pretty good business sense. The parks are supposed to be used as co-marketing opportunities after all.

Ahem, doesnt Disney already get money from the park entrances?
What does the other countries needs to do ? also foot every cost so Disney's EPCOT is entirely free for TDO and TWDC in therms of operating cost?

This debate is now reminding me a lot on the cable debate on the net neutrality.
People are already paying money to get what they want to see online, but the greedy com companies now claim that the other companies should PAY to have their content available on their networks.

 

[BigTxEars]

I agree in that Disney has been slowly stripping away what Epcot is. Future World is pretty much a lost cause. But inertia has mostly kept the purpose of the World Showcase in tact.

I really don't think the purpose of the WS is a matter of opinion. It's there in its name. It is showcasing the cultures of the world. Frozen is in no way reflective of the culture of Norway despite the fact animators used the country as inspiration for the fictional world they created.

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

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. This Frozen move is just more selling of merchandise. Or maybe I am doing it wrong, when I go to museums I never end up eating as much or buying as much crap as I do at WS

 

[BigTxEars]

None of the opening day World Showcase pavilions were funded by the governments of the countries represented. Most of them were sponsored by corporations from the represented countries; however, the Canada and China pavilions had no sponsors and the original CircleVision films in these pavilions promote their respective countries.

What were the recent talks between Norway and Disney in reference too?

 

[Cesar R M]

Are you calling Mr Staggs a liar?
"From the moment we screened the film several months before its release, we were inspired by the possibility of bringing this great story to life for our guests. Frozen Summer Fun LIVE! has been extremely popular, and now we’re looking forward to doing even more to allow our guests to experience the “Frozen” phenomenon."

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

 

[misterID]

I understand that people are upset, and I can respect their opinions. But from a business stand point, I understand Disney wanting to capitalize on this huge hit. Everyone says Frozen belongs in MK. But MK does not need the attendance bump- it is the #1 visited theme park on the planet. That leaves AK, HS, and Epcot. AK makes no sense and they are focusing on the night aspect of the park in order to make it a whole day experience. So, AK gets glowing plants from Avatar and a night show. HS is a great fit for frozen, but I think when we see their vision for Star Wars and maybe Pixar properties and how they hope to change the park, then maybe it will make more sense as to how it does not fit their vision. This leaves EPCOT. I understand people not wanting to see Maelstrom touched, but from Disney's side, I can see how they would want to update a ride in desperate need of attention and cashing in on a lucrative property before the excitement wanes. It completely changes the vision of EPCOT. I'm sure time will see Ratatouille in France, Aladdin ride in Morocco, etc. I agree with other posters that when EPCOT was conceived the idea of a world's fair was more exotic and intriguing than it is now. People travel much more and technology has changed how we much we know about other cultures. If adding beloved characters to EPCOT enables DIsney to breathe new life into a park struggling to find an identity, then I'm okay with it. I think it could be fun to see Disney characters with exciting rides added to world showcase. I think they can still teach about cultures but also make changes. None of have seen the Frozen ride. Maybe it will discuss Norwegian culture to some standpoint. And maybe it won't. I think I've come to terms that the EPCOT of the 80's is no more....It doesn't mean that the vision cannot change to become something educational and culturally significant while also embracing animated hits. Do you really see Disney announcing a new Norway ride or Germany ride that explores the country and has no tie-in to intellectual properties. Nope. Not the world we live in anymore. So, where does Disney go with EPCOT? Let it rot so we can enjoy how it's always been. I say bring on the change.

EPCOT isn't in dire need of an attendance bump. It's the second most popular park at WDW and one of Disney's most visited parks. AK and DHS need the bump. MK needs added compacity. This was a cheap solution to place a Frozen attraction in the parks, and so poorly thought out that it's going to cause massive congestion in WS. If any part of EPCOT had an identity crisis it's FutureWorld, not WS, and they had ample space and availble refurb ready projects to help create an identity and construct a fantastic new E-ticket.

Lets not be naive, this isnt a move to help EPCOT, it's all about that new giftshop they'll be building in Norway... along with an overlay attraction.

 

[lebeau]

What are the education aspects of WS? For every educational aspect there is there are 4 retail or food offerings. Other than 4-5 very small displays in Mexico it has no educational aspects for example. It's a area full of food, booze (yeah!) and shopping.

EE at AK has more educational value in the queue area than any of the countries in WS IMO.

WS is a money making area of a for profit park system, as a money making entity is should be run as one. A huge number of guest want Frozen content, Norway is a good fit for that in WDW's opinion so they are responding to guest demand. It make business sense as most guest at WDW associate Frozen with Norway.

But we all know for some (and I am not referring to you at all) on here anything that WDW does is bad (either stupid or greedy) and worthy of beating them down for. So this is yet one more example of something to beat down Disney about. That's fine but then they have to try and drag anybody who disagrees with them into the beating as well. It's just silly and egotistical to me.

 

[lebeau]

Didn't Ms. Crofton state that the park's original purpose is long gone and the new purpose is based more on discovery rather than futurism and culture?

I'm not sure where I heard that.

- B.

Apparently the new, new purpose is cartoons.

 

[misterID]

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.
Not to mention the paid guy,s who invade forums they cant control to say. And repeat the same circle-j action of "anything produced by Disney is better than sliced bread" to skew opinions.

Of course with this system, he will NEVER see the people who really wants a better Disney.

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.

 

[lebeau]

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

The Snow Queen was written by a Danish author. American animators then adapted that into an American movie.

The only connection to Norway is that when it came time to design the look and feel of the landscape, they flew to Norway for inspiration. Saying that is a "representation of the Scandinavia culture" is a pretty huge stretch.

 

[Mr. Peabody]

What were the recent talks between Norway and Disney in reference too?

Norway and Morocco are the only pavilions in which the governments of the actual countries were sponsors. That was not the purpose of my post. The China and Canada pavilions were not sponsored, yet they promote their respective countries and not Disney movies. The opening-day sponsors of the other pavilions were businesses that wanted to sell merchandise or food/beverages. The point is that the theme and creative direction of World Showcase has always been primarily dictated by Disney itself.

 

[Lee]

I'm not ok with the "at all costs" stance...I don't want to see nothing happen at Epcot just because we want any change/addition to fit the original vision of the park to a "T".

I disagree entirely.
I'd rather ride Maelstrom, as it is now, for 20 more years than see Frozen (or any animated feature) get shoehorned in.

It doesn't belong, and no ridiculous "It's business" or "Arrendale is like Norway" arguments will make it so.

 

[Mike S]

And that's a fight worth fighting.

Fight the good fight. Believe what is right.

He didn't say Mystic Manor level, he just said the ride system.

My bad.

So you basically just told three tween girls about the plan to put a Frozen attraction in Norway and they immediately complained that Frozen doesn't belong in Norway? Did they also go on and on about Epcot's purpose?

Methinks that children give a reaction that is based on what the adults feed them.

Sounds like good parenting to me.


Also, @Lee is a very trusted source here and he's said the budget for this refurd is somewhere in the $75 million range compared to Tokyo who's getting something for $450-500 million. Just to put this in perspective, I remember reading that the Mermaid ride cost $100 million. So subtract from that and we have our Frozen ride. This doesn't give me any shred of confidence for a quality ride.

 

[misterID]

What are the education aspects of WS? For every educational aspect there is there are 4 retail or food offerings. Other than 4-5 very small displays in Mexico it has no educational aspects for example. It's a area full of food, booze (yeah!) and shopping.

EE at AK has more educational value in the queue area than any of the countries in WS IMO.

WS is a money making area of a for profit park system, as a money making entity is should be run as one. A huge number of guest want Frozen content, Norway is a good fit for that in WDW's opinion so they are responding to guest demand. It make business sense as most guest at WDW associate Frozen with Norway.

But we all know for some (and I am not referring to you at all) on here anything that WDW does is bad (either stupid or greedy) and worthy of beating them down for. So this is yet one more example of something to beat down Disney about. That's fine but then they have to try and drag anybody who disagrees with them into the beating as well. It's just silly and egotistical to me.

Education isn't the right word (and it's edutainment, btw ) it's sophistication. Like DisneySEA has and WS used to... And no, this isn't complaining for complaining sakes. If anything in these 90 pages should tell you is that the feeling about the values and purpose and meaning of WS and EPCOT is real and genuine. It almost feels like a Disneyland crowd.

I'm sure all of these anecdotal "surveys and Frozen demanding guests" would have much preferred a real Frozen attraction and would have taken it anywhere. These imaginary (okay, theoretical) desires has nothing to do with EPCOT and WS.

 

[Betty Draper]

Apparently the new, new purpose is cartoons.

This seems to have been the case for a while now; I think it first started when Timon and Pumba took over Symbiosis.

Then again, JII and Kitchen Kabaret always had cartoonish characters running amuck, but they also weren't based on existing IPs.

Let's face it, Epcot was just "dumbed down" in the 90's (eg. EEA vs. UOE; TT vs. WOM; H vs. MS; LS vs. TSWNAF) and it's going to continue to go down the slippery slope unless someone in management or Burbank decides to step up.

- B.

PS. Sorry about the abundance of acronyms.

 

[pumpkin7]

wouldnt matter as all that stuff could and would be moved, that is one of the expansion pads for a future pavilion, but since thats never going to happen they should have been using it for frozen, instead of norway etc.

Oooo... it was meant to be a joke! I did know they had room for expansion of other countries

 

[BrerJon]

A Mystic Manor level attraction would be well above what SeaWorld built.

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.