Out with the Vikings, in with princess

[RandomPrincess]

Well Frozen used to be "The Snow Queen" and is still loosely based on it which is a Russian fable? I know there are multiple versions.

The Snow Queen was written by Hans Christain Anderson who was from Denmark.

 

[Sped2424]

So three days ago the Stave church at Norway in Epcot got closed down and all signs of there being a viking exhibit in there is now gone. It seems like Disney is putting the Princess Anna from Frozen into the stavechurch instead of the gift shop. This means the end of the authentic Norwegian viking exhibit thats been there for about 10 years.

See that is a decision that is not okay, was the viking room a major exhibit? no. But it was a piece of the larger puzzle that fit quite nicely. To be honest I did not know you could enter the place, until about 2 weeks ago, and when I found the door opened it felt like magic. Standing in their my friend left me cause she felt it was creepy, I felt like any minute those vikings would start moving, it was awesome. Now there will be a line to enter what used to be a cool public chilling place. At this rate they might as well just shut Norway down and do what I think the inevitable will come too. Of course I assume they are waiting to see how well the film does.

 

[willtravel]

So three days ago the Stave church at Norway in Epcot got closed down and all signs of there being a viking exhibit in there is now gone. It seems like Disney is putting the Princess Anna from Frozen into the stavechurch instead of the gift shop. This means the end of the authentic Norwegian viking exhibit thats been there for about 10 years.

Do you know if the viking exhibit was moved into Norway pavillion?

 

[willtravel]

If she ends up being as popular as Merida and Rapunzel she may never move

Another meet and greet?

 

[The Empress Lilly]

The Snow Queen was written by Hans Christian Anderson who was from Denmark.

Quite right!

It's spelled Andersen though. Danish surnames end in sen, where Norwegian (and through Norse, English) more commonly uses son. But hey, being Danish is sorta Norwegian, so might as well put him in the Norway pavilion, who knows the difference, right?

~ Next year, a Brothers Grimm Snow White exhibit in the French pavilion, and a Charles Perrault Cinderella one in Italy! ~

 

[Sped2424]

The most famous version is by Hans Christian Andersen, who's Danish.

small correction Andersen wrote the story himself, its not because it was the most famous, its simply a danish fairy tale. Russia did do a popular animated feature for it though back in the day.

 

[Garbageman]

My cool and quiet place is lost forever.

 

[Matt_Black]

small correction Andersen wrote the story himself, its not because it was the most famous, its simply a danish fairy tale. Russia did do a popular animated feature for it though back in the day.

I stand corrected. I thought that Andersen collected stories and put his own spin on them, like the Brothers Grimm.

 

[NowInc]

...and the sad part is that it will be more popular now as "frozen" and will most likely trigger similar things being done all over.

 

[aladdin2007]

Keep it up Disney, might as well just add a starbucks in place of the movie while your at it!... This is exactly why Norway needed to come back on board as a sponsor with funding, but Disneys rates/terms are so astronomical I dont blame them for not agreeing to Disneys inflated ego and terms.

Instead of the ridiculous princess meals in akershus with characters that have nothing to do with Norway, why dont they just put the Frozen characters in there instead. At least it would be more fitting.

The meetngreet take overs continue. I guess this means that fantastic viking statue is going to be removed out front too and replaced with some type of princess crap.

 

[Disneyhead'71]

Denmark is not in Norway. That's like saying that Gaston's is in England. It is that kind of attention to detail that really sets Disney apart.

 

[Sped2424]

Denmark is not in Norway. That's like saying that Gaston's is in England. It is that kind of attention to detail that really sets Disney apart.

The film isn't being set in Denmark, they are giving the film a Norwegian influence.

 

[Neverland]

To clarify, Frozen is very loosely inspired by The Snow Queen. That is, there is snow. And there is a queen. And that's about it. The fictitious country it takes place in (called Arendelle) is heavily influenced by Norway and Norwegian traditional fashion and culture.

That said, I was cool with them putting Anna and Elsa in Norway (I'm one of those people who thinks it's really cool to see characters in movie-like environments), but I'm not sure how I feel about the M&G being in the stave church... Like many others here, for me it was a quiet, cool place to chill for a minute. I was hoping they'd put an M&G in the grassy area by the bathrooms, where the Viking ship playground used to be.

 

[Cmdr_Crimson]

I don't know if anyone has seen the artwork for the movie at DHS animation building. The movie also features Trolls in the film....Hmm now what ride features trolls that prowl de waters edge?

 

[doctornick]

Putting princesses in WS makes EPCOT less Disney, not more. Not to mention, turning Norway into princessland is rather belittling of Norway and its people. If there were a World Showcase in Japan, would Americans appreciate it if the American Adventure were given over to a Hello Kitty breakfast and a Honey-booboo exhibit?

Wouldn't Hello Kitty go in the Japan pavilion for that analogy to work?

 

[willtravel]

...and the sad part is that it will be more popular now as "frozen" and will most likely trigger similar things being done all over.

If they add princesses to Maelstrom.....

 

[MarkTwain]

So I guess since Norway no longer sponsors the pavillion, WDW can do whatever. Is this going to be like a promo area? Or permanent display?

Yep. Because unless a country sponsors their own pavilion, then Disney has absolutely no responsibility to uphold its cultural and intellectual value.

(not criticizing your post, more just Disney's line of thinking)

 

[LivverLou]

So, I have a question about this. If they put the Frozen meet and greet in the Stave church, where are they going to fit all of the people who will wait. Since it's such a small area inside, the line will come out of the building but it would be in the way of either the cafe or the bathroom area...just wondering

 

[Funmeister]

Denmark is not in Norway. That's like saying that Gaston's is in England. It is that kind of attention to detail that really sets Disney apart.

Kind of like putting Nemo themed rooms at Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort even though it took place in AUSTRALIA!

 

[Magenta Panther]

Ahhh, crap.

Look, I love the Disney princesses. But I love Maelstrom as well, and the entire Norway exhibit in Epcot, and that was because Norway has an eerie magic all its own. I love the Stave Church and the exhibit therein. This news about a "Frozen" takeover bums me out. Especially since "Frozen" looks like reindeer butt in my opinion...