Outpost to be rethemed?

castlecake2.0

castlecake2.0

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Heard some interesting information that “Refreshment Outpost” may be headed for a new theme. It’s become apparent that it’s “no where in particular Africa” look is in bad taste compared to the more fleshed out national pavilions surrounding it. It’s most likely to go the showcase plaza route with generic “transportation depot” look but nothing is confirmed so far.
 
UNCgolf

UNCgolf

Well-Known Member
castlecake2.0 said:
Heard some interesting information that “Refreshment Outpost” may be headed for a new theme. It’s become apparent that it’s “no where in particular Africa” look is in bad taste compared to the more fleshed out national pavilions surrounding it. It’s most likely to go the showcase plaza route with generic “transportation depot” look but nothing is confirmed so far.
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It's about time.

Africa has much better representation in Animal Kingdom, and as you said, it's not very good optics to have a generic Africa outpost surrounded by actual national pavilions. Putting in an actual pavilion there would be better, of course, but this should be an improvement over what currently exists.
 
Animaniac93-98

Animaniac93-98

Well-Known Member
castlecake2.0 said:
Heard some interesting information that “Refreshment Outpost” may be headed for a new theme. It’s become apparent that it’s “no where in particular Africa” look is in bad taste compared to the more fleshed out national pavilions surrounding it. It’s most likely to go the showcase plaza route with generic “transportation depot” look but nothing is confirmed so far.
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I feel like this is a case of the solution being worse than the problem.

I get giving Africa a half-baked "pavilion" is lame, but the last thing the new Epcot needs is more generic.
 
D

doctornick

Well-Known Member
Nubs70 said:
Africa is a continent not a country IIRC
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True. But, there's nothing saying that a pavilion at Epcot needs to be themed to a country as opposed to a region and/or continent.

Granted, I think the specific optics for having a (Sub-Saharan) "African Outpost" in World Showcase is poor and is something that does need to change. But once upon a time, there was (for example) going to be a Scandinavia pavilion encompassing multiple countries before Norway specifically was developed. And that would have been fine. And when Germany was built there was not a specific country of Germany (it was West Germany and East Germany at the time).

My point being that World Showcase does not have to be limited to having only country specific pavilions. I don't think that a Sub-Saharan Africa would be an ideal option to start such a trend, but something like a Caribbean pavilion, South Pacific pavilion, Southeast Asia pavilion, Eastern Europe, etc. could be possible and acceptable.
 
TikibirdLand

TikibirdLand

Well-Known Member
MisterPenguin said:
Replace it with two festival booths and seating representing actual countries or people of Africa, rather than selling American snack food.
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yeah, nothing says, "You're an important country", like a food booth rather than a pavilion. I realize that western Africa couldn't (or wouldn't) cough up the money for a real place in WS. :rolleyes:

I remember an EPCoT video where Alex Haley was talking about the new pavilion coming to WS. So, there WAS a plan. Guess the countries wouldn't pay up.
 
MisterPenguin

MisterPenguin

President of Animal Kingdom
Premium Member
TikibirdLand said:
yeah, nothing says, "You're an important country", like a food booth rather than a pavilion. I realize that western Africa couldn't (or wouldn't) cough up the money for a real place in WS. :rolleyes:

I remember an EPCoT video where Alex Haley was talking about the new pavilion coming to WS. So, there WAS a plan. Guess the countries wouldn't pay up.
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Other countries (Greece, Australia, Belgium, etc...) get representation that way... a very minor way, but at least they get Honorable Mention.

At least with booths dedicated to a specific culture (and the countries/cultures represented could rotate), we don't have the casual insult of an "African outpost."

Imagine if there was an equivalent American outpost in Animal Kingdom and it was a gas station quick-mart that served burgers themed to BBQ ribs and Maine Lobster.
 
TikibirdLand

TikibirdLand

Well-Known Member
MisterPenguin said:
Imagine if there was an equivalent American outpost in Animal Kingdom and it was a gas station quick-mart that served burgers themed to BBQ ribs and Maine Lobster.
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Not sure there's a comparison. From what I can tell, nearly 2/3 of AK is dedicated to Africa (albeit fictional towns/areas), from The Oasis, Discovery Island and the Africa section itself. I don't think that's an excuse to shrink the continent down to a couple of food booths. I don't like what they're currently doing either. The video clearly shows they had better plans; failed plans that allowed this to exist for more than 35 years. I've seen on these boards the position that they built a whole parks around Africa. No, no they didn't. But, I guess that, since they plopped Arendelle in the middle of Norway, maybe the "outpost" is good enough. :rolleyes:
 
MisterPenguin

MisterPenguin

President of Animal Kingdom
Premium Member
TikibirdLand said:
Not sure there's a comparison. From what I can tell, nearly 2/3 of AK is dedicated to Africa (albeit fictional towns/areas), from The Oasis, Discovery Island and the Africa section itself. I don't think that's an excuse to shrink the continent down to a couple of food booths. I don't like what they're currently doing either. The video clearly shows they had better plans; failed plans that allowed this to exist for more than 35 years. I've seen on these boards the position that they built a whole parks around Africa. No, no they didn't. But, I guess that, since they plopped Arendelle in the middle of Norway, maybe the "outpost" is good enough. :rolleyes:
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Well, at one time the Norway pavilion was going to be a multi-national pan-Scandanavian pavilion until stuff happened. So, there is precedent for a regional approach.

And insert here a rant of the evils of the hegemony of nationalism and borderism in which national borders drawn by happenstance (mostly wars) have come to define a people rather than more natural bonds of lineage, language, and culture; including how such borders have disrupted millennia of natural migration and immigration of humans whether seasonally or permanently.

World Showcase is a tribute to 18th century geo-political enshrinement of national sovereignty as the successor of monarchy... which doesn't mean it's much better...

It's a small world... of strictly enforced borders of parochialism.

/end rant
 
Epcot82Guy

Epcot82Guy

Well-Known Member
I see the problem with the African-centered theme (as minimal as it is). I actually wonder if they redid it into a more pan-national Traders or something. Have it represent many nations not showcased in WS with small items, a more "International" style, etc. Then feature Festival favorites at the dining outpost. Something to make it more open or broad vs "Africa".
 
Bocabear

Bocabear

Well-Known Member
Communicora said:
Ahh some good Vietnamese food would be a welcome addition to EPCOT! Bun cha gio grab and go? Yes, please!
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A couple of very nice Thai/ Vietnamese/ Indian grab and go counters ...and then build some covered tiered waterside seating there...
It would sure beat the heck out of Coca Cola vending and banging drums...
 
Poseidon Quest

Poseidon Quest

Well-Known Member
Communicora said:
Ahh some good Vietnamese food would be a welcome addition to EPCOT! Bun cha gio grab and go? Yes, please!
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I wouldn't be so optimistic. Lotus Blossom Café seems content to represent Chinese food with Disney's equivalent to Panda Express. Not that I dislike the food, but any new international representation in this current era of Disney would be a bastardization.
 

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