Merchandise at Epcot Norway is bad taste

[joel_maxwell]

Sadly, Disney puts out what sells... and Princess merch sells more quickly than Helly Hansen

weird. i said the same thing to sam friday night..... i bet they dont sell to many jacket with fleece lining in orlando.

question: how much contoll does the country have over what goes in the gift shop?

 

[Slowjack]

???
That's not true, because after the first event (receiving the first dollar above your original dollar), condition 1 is no longer true, because you have more than one dollar. Plus the condition "rich" is not defined by a discrete value.
But i suppose that's your point of course... there IS no clearly defined boundary.
What's that argument that all the pundits and talking heads on cable news like to spout? Yeah, the "slippery slope", as much as i hate that argument, i'm afraid that you're right, and it actually applies here.

Our good friend over at Epcot Central posted this, this morning:
"Epcot is inspired by Walt Disney's creative vision. Here, human achievements are celebrated through imagination, wonders of enterprise and concepts of a future that promises new and exciting benefits for all."
Now, the World Showcase countries with their crafts, architecture, music, dance, food, and culture definitely celebrate "human achievements" through "imagination". But how does a princess meal do this?

Right--the issue exists because "rich" has no fixed boundary. The first rule is there because I teach some math (it's the form of an inductive proof)--it's a "base case." So you start with 1 dollar, you're not rich, then you add a dollar, add a dollar, add a dollar...

It's not exactly the same as a slippery slope. Generally, slippery slope says that if we allow A to happen, which might be okay, B is more likely to happen, which is bad. What I am talking about is that A and B and C, etc., might be fine on their own, but if you do enough of them, you will have crossed the boundary somewhere. It's like how eating one big piece of cake isn't going to make you overweight if you aren't already. But if you eat lots and lots of cake, one big peice at a time, eventually they will make you overweight. So feel free to support my argument even if you oppose the slippery slope!

Anyway, yeah, I agree about the Epcot vision. I would never ask that Epcot stay the same as it was in the 1980s. But I hope that when changes are made they meet the original spirit. What I love about Epcot, why it is my favorite, it that it's dedicated to optimism, and imagination. I mean, the theme of the park could be summed up as: our world today is an amazing place, and tomorrow will be better than today.

 

[Main Street USA]

I was under the impression that all but one or two countries had stopped paying Disney to have their country represented.

 

[JeffH]

I'll talk a little slower then...

imagination, imagination, imagination...gee, imagining that you are dining in a castle with princesses; your daughter imagining that she is a little princess. Sounds like they've added quite a bit of imagination to the Norway pavilion.

"Renting" a costume for your little girl?!? Don't really think that would work:
1) my little girl would want to keep her costume
2) a lot of the meaning would be lost (It's not her princess costume)
3) Oh, and I'm not so cheap that I'd make my daughter wear a costume wore by other girls to save a few bucks.

I really don't know what kind of point you are making here. <snip>I guess you are saying the Epcot before didn't have enough to interest small children.

.
Bingo:sohappy: That would be true. Yet somehow adding ONE special event for our little princesses in the WS somehow heralds the end of the world.

But, that Viking ship

I didn't say I didn't care about it, I was only noting that the Viking ship wasn't there when Norway 1st opened, so it couldn't be referenced as part of the original Norway. Although it was no big whoop (as a play area), it shouldn't have been closed. But if it was left open, then "purists" would be complaining how the kids playing in it somehow disrespects the Viking's history or something like that.

Then...we can't blame Disney for the merchandise sold in Norway because the country runs the pavilion, and Disney only gets a small piece.
But...we have to be glad the pavilion is still open, because the country no longer contributes? So...Norway or whoever has pulled sponsorship but still gets most of the profits?

I don't think any of us knows all the financial details, but when a sponsor pulls out, a pavilion (at Epcot) is in danger of being closed. Maybe Disney now gets all of the profits, but the profits (from all those sweaters) don't pay the bills?

Honestly it sounds like you are willing to grab for anything to excuse Disney.

Willing to grab for anything, ME? No, my point was that no one has a point...it is THEY who are grabbing for anything to make something as benign as the selling of princess outfits to support a princess meal (and halloween) from an insignficant shop that barely sold anything to begin with as somehow foreshadowing the fall of the world (showcase).

Nothing has changed except that they added a little imagination, a little "royalty" to their restaurant dining...and made it convenient for a parent to make a meal extra Disney special for they dd, making the meal special for the whole family, because all I know is when my daughter is really happy, I am really happy.

Oh, by the way, I'm part Norweigian myself.

 

[JennyTablina]

This does kinda suck though look on the bright side, if theres Disney stuff in some of these stores it'll get in more customers that may of considered the shops not worth their time.

Though it is a shame for some countries, part of the fun was all the bits relating to those countries. Japans my fave, ACTUALLY full of Studio Ghibli stuff, manga and traditional stuff. I could just get lost in that store for hours.

Might snag that Totoro backpack next year :lookaroun (anyone know if Disney still sell em?)

 

[figmntal95]

I went to Norway tonight and I saw in the last room of the merchandise section after you come off the ride, it was all filled up with Princess outfit stuff and what else. It was not this way earlier this year. I thought this was very bad taste and an insult to the Norwegians , especially considering this is their country's largest exhibition anywhere I believe. Why do we need a major section of it filled with random disney stuff which is made in CHINA no doubt, by young people making less than 5 dollars a day. Its dispicable. AND ITS AVAILABLE ANYWHERE ELSE. I understand there is the Princess Storybook Breakfast there in the morning, but this one meal in the morning is not enough to justify putting cheap Disney products in a world showcase where merchandise from one's own country should be proudly displayed throughout, in my opinion. If you feel the same, I encourage you to speak out.:wave:

i remem ber every time i got off the ride, there was all this creepy viking crap and i just went recently, and most of it was gone

 

[majortom1981]

hmm

I was there begining of september and the viking stuff and really expensive sweaters were still there.

 

[tink81]

For the poster who heard the Three Caballeros were coming to Mexico, I saw them at the Characer spot between Mexico and Norway on Sunday...