Ratatouille in Epcot

[Otterhead]

As respectful as it may be done, no country/nationality wants to be boiled down to pretty much anything.

Except that they did, back in the day. The Mexico boat ride was created at the behest of the Mexican tourist agency, who requested a Dia de los Muertos version of "It's a Small World" and sent the Imagineers a bunch of old tourist movies of cliff divers to work with. And Japan was perfectly happy encapsulating their country in a proposed bullet-train ride. Having been to "American" restaurants in Japan that served spaghetti and hamburgers as the quintessential American experience, I found it charming and silly, just like any capsule summary ends up being

 

[AEfx]

Except that they did, back in the day.

Yes they did, back in the day. That's the point. World Showcase wouldn't have been built today.

I'm not sure how anyone can have missed it - the world has changed. For better or worse, cultural sensitivity - particularly by large corporations like Disney - has changed things to quite a degree from the early 1980's. Generalizing anything about a culture, or even just seeming cultural appropriation, is something they just can not afford to do.

I mean, do you think this would fly today?

 

[Otterhead]

Generalizing anything about a culture, or even just seeming cultural appropriation, is something they just can not afford to do.

Well, they can, when they do it right. The entirety of Animal Kingdom is outright cultural appropriation done well, down to exact reproductions of African and Himalayan street signs on the walls. The proposed Equatorial Africa pavilion, created with Alex Haley, could've been a very respectful look at a culture. We've gotten nervously oversensitive in the past 30 years about offending a culture, but it can still be done with sensitivity and respect. Creepy doll people were never a good idea, even in the early 80s!

 

[marni1971]

Except that they did, back in the day. The Mexico boat ride was created at the behest of the Mexican tourist agency, who requested a Dia de los Muertos version of "It's a Small World" and sent the Imagineers a bunch of old tourist movies of cliff divers to work with. And Japan was perfectly happy encapsulating their country in a proposed bullet-train ride. Having been to "American" restaurants in Japan that served spaghetti and hamburgers as the quintessential American experience, I found it charming and silly, just like any capsule summary ends up being

Japan was also happy agreeing to Meet the World originally. Had that happened and it was still open today it would have been a cultural and political disaster.

 

[CanadianGordon]

I'm looking forward to seeing what the future brings.

 

[Mike S]

I'm looking forward to seeing what the future brings.

Not me...

 

[rle4lunch]

hey, they wrapped up Norway's whole culture with an oil rig and cruise ship. wait, what?? you mean they have more history than that?! oh yeah, they have three headed trolls with stereotypical accents worthy of a bad cartoon.

the united states equivalent would be something like a boat running into a rock, an angry mob of puritans burning/hanging/drowning teenage witches, followed by a final scene of Cinderella's castle and the mcdonald's arches. then the after movie would be an infomercial for a smoothie machine and a wind farm showing how far we've come as a nation, then dumping us out into an over-scented yankee candle shop filled with pumpkin pie spice and warm apple pie aromas to capture the 'spirit of america' and to give us an instant headache. gag.

I, for one, HATED maelstrom. it was a value engineered joke of a ride, shoehorned into a building that it shouldn't have been in, given a storyline that made absolutely no sense whatsoever, and, oh, just plain sucked. there was nothing enjoyable about that ride, other than laughing at the audacity of it actually being built by Disney in the first place.

 

[DznyRktekt]

ignored..

 

[Fox&Hound]

And that's what the problem is, on the cultural sensitivity front. No matter what they pick as a "basic introduction" would be controversial at this point. As respectful as it may be done, no country/nationality wants to be boiled down to pretty much anything. Just imagine it from an American perspective - how would we feel if Japan had an "American Ride" - do you think we could really come to a satisfying list of show scenes that would "represent" us?

Oh could you only imagine? I picture this: your vehicle is a Ford truck. The show scenes are: back yard BBQ, wheat fields, NASCAR, NYC, WDW, and then just videos of cats riding Roombas.

 

[Sans Souci]

And that's what the problem is, on the cultural sensitivity front. No matter what they pick as a "basic introduction" would be controversial at this point. As respectful as it may be done, no country/nationality wants to be boiled down to pretty much anything. Just imagine it from an American perspective - how would we feel if Japan had an "American Ride" - do you think we could really come to a satisfying list of show scenes that would "represent" us?

Yes. I understand where you're coming from, especially in today's atmosphere.

I do feel in the right hands it could be done, though. I know The American Adventure is 30 minutes long and I know it's a "home grown product," but that thing has been so sanitized. It dances around the ugliness in our past--Manifest Destiny, Trail of Tears, Slavery and Slave labor. Yet, it is a feel-good attraction. I am guessing someone talented could create a "highlight reel," or maybe introduce us to a myth. I am not sure, I will leave it to someone more creative than I am. LOL

Holistically, what I loved about Epcot Center was that everything presented was introductory. At worst, someone was merely entertained. At best, a kernel was planted in a kid's head that made her or her want to learn more about what they'd seen on vacation. I wish it could continue in that vein.

 

[Matt_Black]

I do feel in the right hands it could be done, though. I know The American Adventure is 30 minutes long and I know it's a "home grown product," but that thing has been so sanitized. It dances around the ugliness in our past--Manifest Destiny, Trail of Tears, Slavery and Slave labor. Yet, it is a feel-good attraction. I am guessing someone talented could create a "highlight reel," or maybe introduce us to a myth. I am not sure, I will leave it to someone more creative than I am. LOL

Nobody wants to spend their vacation watching a show about genocide and chattel slavery. At least, I hope they don't.

 

[Sans Souci]

Nobody wants to spend their vacation watching a show about genocide and chattel slavery. At least, I hope they don't.

Yeah, that's my point...

 

[Cesar R M]

Almost everything proposed as a new build is IP. For better or for worse. Some is very substantial. I've said it elsewhere EPCOT Center is dead. Let's just hope Epcot v3 is better than v2 ended up.

But what if V3 ends being fantasyland v2? or "Magic Kingdom's overflow park".

 

[Cesar R M]

AHHH gotta love blind assumptions, you have no idea of my ethnicity, no I am not of Hispanic descent but my wife and children will be.

Assumptions of what? you quoted me talking about Epcot when you were talking about Radiator Springs and comparing it to rides that shouldn't have to be in worldshowcase.

I really don't feel any ride that would last 5 mins can truly show the culture of any country.

Was not talking about "culture" or edutaiment. Was talking how Donald had little to do with Mexico, regardless of a movie itself.
Also the ride was part of a pavilion. A small part of a group of things that did show the most classic or steretyped and well known parts of a country.

no I am not of Hispanic descent but my wife and children will be

I dont remember asking, insulting or somehow mentioning your wife or children in the equation, nor your descent or ethnicity.
For someone who complain about blind assumptions, you sure did an Olympic jump into that. Not only that, but skew what I wrote to fullfill whatever agenda you want to portray.

I don't think a single ride can truly encapsulate a given country's culture. I do think it can be used as a basic introduction that culture; sort of like a stepping stone to inspire and encourage further exploration of that culture. I think that was what the original Epcot was all about.

Exactly!

 

[Sir_Cliff]

Except that they did, back in the day. The Mexico boat ride was created at the behest of the Mexican tourist agency, who requested a Dia de los Muertos version of "It's a Small World" and sent the Imagineers a bunch of old tourist movies of cliff divers to work with.

That's not really true. Disney did try to get support from the Mexican government, but they ultimately only ever got a token contribution and developed the ride themselves. They did hire an artist with Mexican American heritage to oversee the creation of the ride, though.

 

[marni1971]

But what if V3 ends being fantasyland v2? or "Magic Kingdom's overflow park".

Then it will have failed.

 

[Cesar R M]

hey, they wrapped up Norway's whole culture with an oil rig and cruise ship. wait, what?? you mean they have more history than that?! oh yeah, they have three headed trolls with stereotypical accents worthy of a bad cartoon.

the united states equivalent would be something like a boat running into a rock, an angry mob of puritans burning/hanging/drowning teenage witches, followed by a final scene of Cinderella's castle and the mcdonald's arches. then the after movie would be an infomercial for a smoothie machine and a wind farm showing how far we've come as a nation, then dumping us out into an over-scented yankee candle shop filled with pumpkin pie spice and warm apple pie aromas to capture the 'spirit of america' and to give us an instant headache. gag.

I, for one, HATED maelstrom. it was a value engineered joke of a ride, shoehorned into a building that it shouldn't have been in, given a storyline that made absolutely no sense whatsoever, and, oh, just plain sucked. there was nothing enjoyable about that ride, other than laughing at the audacity of it actually being built by Disney in the first place.

I actually laughed very loudly at that description.. but then... if the Parks weren't as patriotic as they were...Id imagine they would be doing exactly that (if the Park was in Russia or other country not tied directly with the USA I mean..)

I still love the American's pavilion show. A marvel of engineering.

Nobody wants to spend their vacation watching a show about genocide and chattel slavery. At least, I hope they don't.

Id imagine that would have been built on Dismaland if they were serious about a real theme park themed to doom and gloom and the worst of the world.

 

[aladdin2007]

hey, they wrapped up Norway's whole culture with an oil rig and cruise ship. wait, what?? you mean they have more history than that?! oh yeah, they have three headed trolls with stereotypical accents worthy of a bad cartoon.

the united states equivalent would be something like a boat running into a rock, an angry mob of puritans burning/hanging/drowning teenage witches, followed by a final scene of Cinderella's castle and the mcdonald's arches. then the after movie would be an infomercial for a smoothie machine and a wind farm showing how far we've come as a nation, then dumping us out into an over-scented yankee candle shop filled with pumpkin pie spice and warm apple pie aromas to capture the 'spirit of america' and to give us an instant headache. gag.

I, for one, HATED maelstrom. it was a value engineered joke of a ride, shoehorned into a building that it shouldn't have been in, given a storyline that made absolutely no sense whatsoever, and, oh, just plain sucked. there was nothing enjoyable about that ride, other than laughing at the audacity of it actually being built by Disney in the first place.

get your facts straight, it was not shoehorned in (frozen was), the building and pavilion was designed for Maelstrom from the beginning..but like the next poster said, ignore.

 

[Otterhead]

Disney did try to get support from the Mexican government, but they ultimately only ever got a token contribution and developed the ride themselves.

Sorry if my post suggested otherwise. That's exactly true. As I understand it, they kept trying to get Mexico to get involved, to no avail. When they were getting close to the deadline, Mexico basically said "well, we like Small World, why not do that? Oh and here's some crappy old tourism movies, have fun" and they had to run with what they had.

 

[Sir_Cliff]

Sorry if my post suggested otherwise. That's exactly true. As I understand it, they kept trying to get Mexico to get involved, to no avail. When they were getting close to the deadline, Mexico basically said "well, we like Small World, why not do that? Oh and here's some crappy old tourism movies, have fun" and they had to run with what they had.

Well, my understanding was that Disney did send someone down to Mexico to shoot the footage used in the Acapulco/Tulum segment. All of the stuff filmed in the first section with the pre-Columbian dancers, though, was done in LA.