News Remy's Ratatouille Adventure coming to Epcot

[MisterPenguin]

Wait wait wait, who is the Site of Doom?!

See...

A site without journalistic standards run by Tom Corless who often makes himself unfriendly to many powers that be, including WDW, whom he declared war on. Google will guide you the rest of the way there.

 

[HauntedPirate]

I thought I had read here that there may be a fountain but not the same one as in WDSP? Maybe I'm thinking of something else, but someone who knows more can chime in and correct me if I'm misremembering.

I'm fine with a more generic fountain for the Epcot replica of Rat, it fits with the more generic area overall than what they pulled the ride from in Paris.

 

[tribbleorlfl]

We've been through this before, but Norway's culture and essence are only used in the most superficial ways. Sure, there's rosemaling touches, characters have stereotypical names, roofs have steep slopes, and there's that one song that nobody really remembers, but those could easily be swapped out for in almost any location that has winter. Nothing about those elements drives the story; they're all purely surface-level. It's not hard to imagine Studio Ghibli telling the same basic story in a distinctly Japanese setting, for example.

I'd even take it one step farther and say that the vaguely Scandinavian setting works against the story's impact. Sure, the villagers are surprised by unseasonable winter weather, but once they have a chance to break out the warm clothes they already own, they adapt pretty seamlessly. Think how much more shocking and impactful Elsa's same powers would be in a setting with only warm weather, like the open-air thatched huts of Moana's beach.

Frozen really has no meaningful connections to Norway, nor do most of Disney's fairy tale films with their respective settings. Sure, they have little flourishes in the background to make them look a little different from the one prior to it, but none of it really ends up steering the story itself. But that's part of their wide-ranging long-lasting appeal: the stories being told are so universal that the setting doesn't matter; they work for a wide variety of audiences.

There's a reason that these are the films that keep being watched by generation after generation. They work on a basic archetypical level that continues to speak through the ages. But those archetypes don't really have anything to do with their settings, which is why it's so frustrating to see them being used in lieu of something unique that speaks to the diversity of the world's culture, as the park claims to celebrate. Instead of celebrating something unique to a location, we increasingly get a bland universal stand-in with only a tenuous connection to what makes that setting special.

For what it's worth, I thought the exhibit in the stave church showcased the cultural connections in a way that really fit World Showcase well (far better than what I've seen of the BATB sing-along lobby). It highlighted the art, architecture, music, and customs that were represented in the film, highlighting how they were used as inspiration for aesthetic design. The trouble was it seemed like such an afterthought with all the other Frozen influence in the pavilion that it felt more like a desperate plea to fit in, than a genuine educational experience.

And I think I also mentioned this before, but as someone of Scandinavian decent (my grandfather was Norwegian and my grandmother Swedish), I think I speak with at least a tiny bit of authority on the matter. Many of the people in my extended family groups (on Facebook and Ancestry) quite like Frozen and appreciate the subtle nods to Scandinavian culture, as well as the renewed interest in tourism the film brought. The cultural references were respectful and not treated as jokes. My grandfather watched Frozen on DVD almost every day with my daughter prior to his passing, while he loathed Maelstrom.

The ironic part of your take is when you say Frozen only touches on Norwegian culture in the most superficial ways, the same exact statement applies to World Showcase itself, even classic EPCOT Center. Every single pavilion is such a sanitized, cursory and anachronistic representation that's little more than a mall store and food court kiosk. Presently a quarter of the pavilions don't even have an exhibit, let alone an attraction. There's so much more to these countries than flag t-shirts and imported beer.

While I'd prefer no IPs in EPCOT, to be honest, I don't think FEA, Rat, Poppins or 3C/Coco dramatically draw away from the cultural representations of the WS nations when the pavilions themselves don't do a particularly good job at realistically depicting them, either.

 

[MisterPenguin]

I thought I had read here that there may be a fountain but not the same one as in WDSP? Maybe I'm thinking of something else, but someone who knows more can chime in and correct me if I'm misremembering.

I'm fine with a more generic fountain for the Epcot replica of Rat, it fits with the more generic area overall than what they pulled the ride from in Paris.

There's definitely going to be a fountain. It's in the artist concept and the foundation has been laid.

Whether it's exactly like Paris's, I don't know. I guess it will be.

 

[Disney Analyst]

 

[HauntedPirate]

Looking like it will be a copy of the fountain in WDSP.

 

[Disney Analyst]

Looking like it will be a copy of the fountain in WDSP.

that’s how I’m seeing it also.

 

[Epcot82Guy]

Having just seen them live, I have to say those facades look really out of place, especially next to the real building facades next to them. It's a bad design choice, even more so in person IMHO.

 

[brihow]

Having just seen them live, I have to say those facades look really out of place, especially next to the real building facades next to them. It's a bad design choice, even more so in person IMHO.

But did you view them from the skyliner or the ground? I have no doubt they look out of place from the skyliner, but they are clearly intended to be viewed from the ground, where you will be able to see much less of them and at a much different angle.

 

[Epcot82Guy]

But did you view them from the skyliner or the ground? I have no doubt they look out of place from the skyliner, but they are clearly intended to be viewed from the ground, where you will be able to see much less of them and at a much different angle.

Both. I agree you likely won't see much from the pavilion back area. But so many people will see if from the Skyliner and International Gateway. That had to be part of the equation (or should have been).

 

[lazyboy97o]

But did you view them from the skyliner or the ground? I have no doubt they look out of place from the skyliner, but they are clearly intended to be viewed from the ground, where you will be able to see much less of them and at a much different angle.

Part of the reason for the attraction’s ridiculous placement is to provide a view for the Skyliner.

 

[Epcot82Guy]

Part of the reason for the attraction’s ridiculous placement is to provide a view for the Skyliner.

And it could have been a nice asset. And I'm sure many will just gloss over it. But it's up there with Riviera in questionable design choices to me. And it totally muddles the story/theme of the pavilion.

 

[justintheharris]

But did you view them from the skyliner or the ground? I have no doubt they look out of place from the skyliner, but they are clearly intended to be viewed from the ground, where you will be able to see much less of them and at a much different angle.

How dare you suggest we not meet our complaint quota!

 

[Little Green Men]

Both. I agree you likely won't see much from the pavilion back area. But so many people will see if from the Skyliner and International Gateway. That had to be part of the equation (or should have been).

They will probably be covered by trees and such to hide certain elements

 

[Epcot82Guy]

They will probably be covered by trees and such to hide certain elements

Not sure I understand your point. I meant you can very much see the facades from IG and Skyliner. So those views would have been part of the equation as much as on the ground in that part of the pavilion.

 

[matt9112]

As you point out, many IP's can work for the pavilions, Frozen was the biggest stretch, but people love the ride so... alas...

Pinocchio would be perfect for Italy... can they create a modern version of the classic Fantasyland Dark ride? I think it would be well received.

Im fine with the ip but that ip deserved so much more a ground breaking headliner....not a reskinned 80s "thing" but your right everyone loves it disney wins again.

 

[montyz81]

When is this expected to open?

 

[MisterPenguin]

When is this expected to open?

"Summer 2020"

 

[IveBeenJack]

Anyone else question some of the design and theming choices here? Like why go to all the bother of theming the bottom section near the substation, if they are not going to enclose the substation from guest view.

Then just wondering if @marni1971 or any other members can definitively say that the green outside structure is part of the queue (overflow), as it definitely indicated that from the permits. And then if the black-topped building are the toilets, then why did it require a sort of second level. Very strange. Also is there no concern that this space won't become a nightmare for bottlenecks, if there isn't a secondary exit out of the courtyard?

i

 

[lazyboy97o]

Anyone else question some of the design and theming choices here? Like why go to all the bother of theming the bottom section near the substation, if they are not going to enclose the substation from guest view.

Then just wondering if @marni1971 or any other members can definitively say that the green outside structure is part of the queue (overflow), as it definitely indicated that from the permits. And then if the black-topped building are the toilets, then why did it require a sort of second level. Very strange. Also is there no concern that this space won't become a nightmare for bottlenecks, if there isn't a secondary exit out of the courtyard?

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I’ve questioned lots of design decisions (shocking, I know).

With noresearch to confirm, there may be access and clearance requirements for the electrical equipment. It’s more a justification for a problem that is a result of the lousy location.

The green canopy structure is the overflow queue.

The “black-topped building” is the crêperie. The restrooms were moved and now face the attraction.

There is only one, long way in and it’s the same as the one long way out.