Consistently calling attention to the arbitrariness of themed entertainment makes it seem like you don’t take it seriously. You were perfectly fine with the BAH, and since Main Street was lacking in knobs and tubes the whole illusion is kitsch, and thus there is no reason to draw the line anywhere; there’s no reason to care about anything as long as there’s a contrived pretence to suitable theme. As long as it’s “showy”. Frozen is fine because hell, it looks enough like Norway. Am I getting that right?
We all have preconceptions about the project because it’s just obvious what it is. Frozen is not perfectly appropriate for WS because most fans can see past the lustre and observe, as RedSox pointed out, the piecemeal devolution of Epcot into Magic Kingdom South. You’re welcome to be okay with that, but it is what it is. Epcot was so complete in 1982 that you can imagine a “constitution” for what that park was based on its dedication, its content, common themes, and the continuing additions that characterized the park for its originality. IPs aren’t evil, but they’re not original, and they’re incongruous to the vision of Epcot devised by the second generation imagineers. That is fact.
However I’m not accusing you of being wrong because all you’re essentially saying is, “who cares? theme parks are theme parks, truth is subjective, get a grip people.” You can argue that reinforcing standards of authenticity over practicality has a basis in lunacy, I mean who will really notice the transition from steam to diesel? Well it’s funny you acknowledge that toddlers wouldn’t appreciate Parking Lot Frozen because of a red flag in their subconscious. You can call it whatever you like, but history proves that the same sensation takes off when creators are insane about the details. Look at how successful shows like Mad Men are, Matthew Weiner is obsessive about getting the period right among letters, magazines, mastheads, stamps, things NO ONE will ever pick up on. Look at the special features for Lord of the Rings for all the intricacies and hidden symbols in every article of clothing, in the architecture, the weaponry. Things that are so subtle they’re practically invisible to the eye….and look, it’s one of the most beloved franchises of all time. Theme parks are a show business, and this is how show business works. No one knows there’s steam in that train…and yet, it’s there.
So while we “purists” are hypocritically ignoring the missing knobs and tubes, we’re aware of the moving parts. How every trivial rite or detail, as insane as it looks on paper, is necessary to make the greater “it” what it is. Even if that thing is a highly romanticized environment bordering on fiction, themed environments are created by having a story, getting the details right, and sticking to both like glue. That’s how you suspend an audience’s disbelief. Frozen will be a transgression from Epcot’s story, an enjoyable experience if it’s good enough to make us forget where we are. When you walk up to “Frozen Ever After” in a pavilion that’s meant to mimic reality however (not to mention a different country), the suspension of disbelief will be shattered immediately.
I hope this doesn’t just sound stupid to you. There’s an art to themed entertainment that’s as delicate and as sophisticated as what matters in high concept films, maybe even art films. You might call us crazy…and we might call you Philistine12.
(I always skip the birds and the bears too)
