EPCOT Remy's Ratatouille Adventure coming to Epcot

[Sir_Cliff]

Or - have adjusted the story so Remy was going to teach you how to make Ratatouille. (and, to drive merch, have you enter through the artist's loft where they are animating Remy's upcoming "How to Make Ratatouille and other French Classics" cookbook - when you get (figuratively) pulled into the animation. And, then sell said cookbook in the shop.)

To me at least, a ride based around making ratatouille doesn't sound all that fun. One thing that strikes me about the original Mexico and Norway rides as well as the planned Germany ride is that they kind of fell into the same trap as the original Future World in all being more or less the same type of ride. In Future World, they were mostly slow-moving rides showing the past and potential future of their topic, whereas in World Showcase they were all boat rides through the past and present of the country. I think there is a place for something that is not so didactic but which celebrates an aspect of the culture of the country, such as this cartoony journey through French kitchens. FEA is a different case in that, whatever you think about the ride itself, it is fairly clearly focussed on celebrating Frozen rather than anything to do with Norway.

 

[MisterPenguin]

Of the 3 world show case rides. 1 is bilingual, 1 has a small amount of Spanish mixed in, and 1 takes place in a made up country that speaks English.

If we include all of EPCOT, i think there is a little Whalish in Nemo.

Not to mention the Greek, Latin, Arabic, Hieroglyphics, and Cro-Magnon!

And whatever trash language being spoken in the Canada pavilion.

 

[Centauri Space Station]

And whatever trash language being spoken in the Canada pavilion.

French?

 

[Epcot82Guy]

To me at least, a ride based around making ratatouille doesn't sound all that fun. One thing that strikes me about the original Mexico and Norway rides as well as the planned Germany ride is that they kind of fell into the same trap as the original Future World in all being more or less the same type of ride. In Future World, they were mostly slow-moving rides showing the past and potential future of their topic, whereas in World Showcase they were all boat rides through the past and present of the country. I think there is a place for something that is not so didactic but which celebrates an aspect of the culture of the country, such as this cartoony journey through French kitchens. FEA is a different case in that, whatever you think about the ride itself, it is fairly clearly focussed on celebrating Frozen rather than anything to do with Norway.

You are honestly telling me that if the story was changed from - you going into a generic French building, along the rooftops so Remy can make you dinner as his special guest and he then laments what dish to make (and then all heck breaks loose as he tries to make that dinner) - to - you entering into an artist's loft where they are illustrating Remy's cookbook and then you walk around the rooftops where you learn Remy is going to teach you how to make Rattatouille (and then all heck breaks lose as he tries to collect all the ingredients and pull his lesson together) - you would find it fundamentally different.

I certainly can't speak to you personally - but I know most people who enjoy the characters don't even know the story. They just want to see the characters. (Much like most people think FEA is a retelling of the film like most FL rides - when it's actually not by its story.) I'm also not saying the above attraction would be great for those of us who loved Epcot's earlier mission. But, it would at least be focused on something French/French culture vs. solely focused on a Disney character who just so happens to be French (looking at you BatB sing along).

And, as I have said before, I actually would get behind this if they full transformed the story of World Showcase to be countries around the world that inspired some of our favorite Disney characters - with each country having a character anchor. While I don't personally love that, it would at least be one consistent story for the land. The mishmash I hate most and feels the most "un-Disney" parks-wise.

 

[Epcot82Guy]

Not everything in World Showcase needs to be culturally enlightening/educational in order to be thematically fitting. Weren't they going to build a Mount Fuji rollercoaster at one point back in the day? That would have brought absolutely nothing of educational value, though it would have been great fun to ride.

I actually agree with this. The edutainment approach had limits that weren't necessary. My point is rather that the attractions should focus on the country and its real world culture - with characters (if used or needed) being ambassadors/hosts/participants for that. Instead, the characters are the focus - which is why these rides are being cloned or have been cloned from fantasy-related areas in other parks across the world.

Maybe Guardians can help paint a clearer picture. The edutainment rumor we hear about Guardians where it is maybe tied to an outer space World Showcase pavilion would be a huge problem, because it's fantasy - even then being used to try and do some tiny bit of edutainment. On the other hand, if the first pre-show was effectively Stan Lee telling you about how he uses real world settings and science as inspiration create Marvel Characters and their stories ("Take for example, World Showcase here in Epcot - I could take the idea of an alien race wanting to showcase their culture and take us on an adventure to the beginning of the planet" - and you then enter that comic.) It's small - but it ties the pavilion to the real world, real world creativity and real things.

In short, Epcot should remain focused on the real world. It doesn't have to be educational - but at least inspiring (which I think is true for many Disney attractions, Epcot or otherwise). And, the characters should be inserted into the real world (even into a romanticized version of it). What we're seeing instead is Epcot turning into some weird blend of fantasy and reality so we can add attractions that exist solely as vehicles for characters, sacrificing a cohesive overall theme for each land/Neighborhood - let along the park itself. That's the issue IMHO.

 

[Sir_Cliff]

You are honestly telling me that if the story was changed from - you going into a generic French building, along the rooftops so Remy can make you dinner as his special guest and he then laments what dish to make (and then all heck breaks loose as he tries to make that dinner) - to - you entering into an artist's loft where they are illustrating Remy's cookbook and then you walk around the rooftops where you learn Remy is going to teach you how to make Rattatouille (and then all heck breaks lose as he tries to collect all the ingredients and pull his lesson together) - you would find it fundamentally different.

I certainly can't speak to you personally - but I know most people who enjoy the characters don't even know the story. They just want to see the characters. (Much like most people think FEA is a retelling of the film like most FL rides - when it's actually not by its story.) I'm also not saying the above attraction would be great for those of us who loved Epcot's earlier mission. But, it would at least be focused on something French/French culture vs. solely focused on a Disney character who just so happens to be French (looking at you BatB sing along).

And, as I have said before, I actually would get behind this if they full transformed the story of World Showcase to be countries around the world that inspired some of our favorite Disney characters - with each country having a character anchor. While I don't personally love that, it would at least be one consistent story for the land. The mishmash I hate most and feels the most "un-Disney" parks-wise.

I guess I just don't see how the proposed storyline would necessarily be better. The current ride makes sense in terms of a rat being chased through a kitchen. I'm not sure how the stakes could be equalled or improved if the storyline was Remy having trouble making ratatouille in his kitchen or even how it would particularly fit better into WS.

 

[Epcot82Guy]

I guess I just don't see how the proposed storyline would necessarily be better. The current ride makes sense in terms of a rat being chased through a kitchen. I'm not sure how the stakes could be equalled or improved if the storyline was Remy having trouble making ratatouille in his kitchen or even how it would particularly fit better into WS.

I don't know that it helps that much. But, it's at least some attempt at making it fit in Epcot and the World Showcase story. And it would throw a tiny bone for those who care about such things not to the detriment of those who enjoy it. For me, the story was stupid in Paris and felt like a silly short (as are many newer attractions) - so the story didn't add much to this ride and really reduces re-ride. You can see everything you need to in a couple of laps. I'm not saying my change would modify that really in any way, but the story of the ride isn't some great accomplishment of storytelling. So, to further sacrifice the story of the land for that is very disappointing.

 

[LittleBuford]

I actually agree with this. The edutainment approach had limits that weren't necessary. My point is rather that the attractions should focus on the country and its real world culture - with characters (if used or needed) being ambassadors/hosts/participants for that. Instead, the characters are the focus - which is why these rides are being cloned or have been cloned from fantasy-related areas in other parks across the world.

Maybe Guardians can help paint a clearer picture. The edutainment rumor we hear about Guardians where it is maybe tied to an outer space World Showcase pavilion would be a huge problem, because it's fantasy - even then being used to try and do some tiny bit of edutainment. On the other hand, if the first pre-show was effectively Stan Lee telling you about how he uses real world settings and science as inspiration create Marvel Characters and their stories ("Take for example, World Showcase here in Epcot - I could take the idea of an alien race wanting to showcase their culture and take us on an adventure to the beginning of the planet" - and you then enter that comic.) It's small - but it ties the pavilion to the real world, real world creativity and real things.

In short, Epcot should remain focused on the real world. It doesn't have to be educational - but at least inspiring (which I think is true for many Disney attractions, Epcot or otherwise). And, the characters should be inserted into the real world (even into a romanticized version of it). What we're seeing instead is Epcot turning into some weird blend of fantasy and reality so we can add attractions that exist solely as vehicles for characters, sacrificing a cohesive overall theme for each land/Neighborhood - let along the park itself. That's the issue IMHO.

I don’t view the attraction as a vehicle for characters. In Paris, I experienced it with a friend who’d never seen the film; she loved it. It’s a fun, zippy ride through a Parisian kitchen from the perspective of a rodent. What’s not to enjoy?

 

[mergatroid]

I guess I just don't see how the proposed storyline would necessarily be better. The current ride makes sense in terms of a rat being chased through a kitchen. I'm not sure how the stakes could be equalled or improved if the storyline was Remy having trouble making ratatouille in his kitchen or even how it would particularly fit better into WS.

Agreed. I thought the idea was that the restaurant they've newly opened there is supposedly the one in the ride? So after the ride you can eat there if you wish. I'm not sure the percentage of people riding who micro analyse every part of the story to such a degree is going to be that high or how the story of him trying to make a meal would improve it. That's not a criticism of the alternate suggested story-line which I believe would work equally well, I just don't see it adding more to the overall experience. An interesting concept and discussion though.

 

[lazyboy97o]

To me at least, a ride based around making ratatouille doesn't sound all that fun. One thing that strikes me about the original Mexico and Norway rides as well as the planned Germany ride is that they kind of fell into the same trap as the original Future World in all being more or less the same type of ride. In Future World, they were mostly slow-moving rides showing the past and potential future of their topic, whereas in World Showcase they were all boat rides through the past and present of the country. I think there is a place for something that is not so didactic but which celebrates an aspect of the culture of the country, such as this cartoony journey through French kitchens. FEA is a different case in that, whatever you think about the ride itself, it is fairly clearly focussed on celebrating Frozen rather than anything to do with Norway.

Repetition is a problem with pretty much any theme. How many attractions are a variation of “And then something goes horribly wrong”? Why not stay more rooted in the actual cultures? Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure, even with Remy being a cook, is still largely justified by its setting.

You are honestly telling me that if the story was changed from - you going into a generic French building, along the rooftops so Remy can make you dinner as his special guest and he then laments what dish to make (and then all heck breaks loose as he tries to make that dinner) - to - you entering into an artist's loft where they are illustrating Remy's cookbook and then you walk around the rooftops where you learn Remy is going to teach you how to make Rattatouille (and then all heck breaks lose as he tries to collect all the ingredients and pull his lesson together) - you would find it fundamentally different.

That sounds incredibly contrived. It’s not just that you become a rat but now you become an animated rat in a cookbook that has come to life. That’s a lot of setup that has to be conveyed and the whole entering the cookbook doesn’t really have any payoff for why that has to happen. Just jumping to a cooking demonstration would be simpler but not much more than lip service to an idea. The main portion would still be the chaotic running around.

 

[Animaniac93-98]

I think we can all agree that if we could make a ride out of any Disney movie, Ratatouille would be far from any of our first choices.

There's only so much you can do with the subject matter to make a compelling ride though experience.

 

[Sir_Cliff]

Agreed. I thought the idea was that the restaurant they've newly opened there is supposedly the one in the ride? So after the ride you can eat there if you wish. I'm not sure the percentage of people riding who micro analyse every part of the story to such a degree is going to be that high or how the story of him trying to make a meal would improve it. That's not a criticism of the alternate suggested story-line which I believe would work equally well, I just don't see it adding more to the overall experience. An interesting concept and discussion though.

I think the presence of the restaurant at WDSP is a definite bonus, but the ride doesn't necessarily hint you're about to go eat in the restaurant they open at the end. In other words, I don't think you'd exit the ride at Epcot expecting to see the restaurant there based on how the ride ends.

I think we can all agree that if we could make a ride out of any Disney movie, Ratatouille would be far from any of our first choices.

There's only so much you can do with the subject matter to make a compelling ride though experience.

I don't know that I agree with that! I guess it's reasonable to dispute whether a Ratatouille/IP attraction is suitable for World Showcase and the execution of the concept, but basing a ride on being a rat scurrying through kitchens or other Paris settings is actually a pretty good idea for an attraction. One of the more straightforward examples of where you can create a ride within the world of the film without falling into the book report trap and possibly a more successful way of doing what they were trying with Snow White in making you the character.

 

[LittleBuford]

I think we can all agree that if we could make a ride out of any Disney movie, Ratatouille would be far from any of our first choices.

There's only so much you can do with the subject matter to make a compelling ride though experience.

If we’re talking about attractions for the France pavilion specifically, I don’t agree. Ratatouille and The Aristocats seem to me about the only suitable choices.

 

[lazyboy97o]

I think we can all agree that if we could make a ride out of any Disney movie, Ratatouille would be far from any of our first choices.

There's only so much you can do with the subject matter to make a compelling ride though experience.

Jãn Våljean’s Tôtallÿ Misęrable Adveñture: The Ride — 3D!

 

[castlecake2.0]

So over in the Permit thread @danlb_2000 found this gem, hoping it might be for behind rat?

 

[Magic Feather]

So over in the Permit thread @danlb_2000 found this gem, hoping it might be for behind rat?View attachment 596863

My gut says it’s for Play/Guardians, but it would be really nice if it ended up being for Rat.

 

[castlecake2.0]

My gut says it’s for Play/Guardians, but it would be really nice if it ended up being for Rat.

I guess my theory is you’re never going to be able to hide the box with a berm, and most of it is out in the parking lot anyway. There is an area between Play and Space that needs some landscaping but I don’t think that’s a big enough project to have to call in a vendor. That leaves Rat. I’m trying to wish this into existence lol. We shall see. I laugh every time I see the two single toothpick trees they planted behind the Rat wall and called it a day. I know it’s impossible to hide all the backstage views from the Skyliner, but at least make that area look pretty.

 

[James Alucobond]

I guess my theory is you’re never going to be able to hide the box with a berm, and most of it is out in the parking lot anyway. There is an area between Play and Space that needs some landscaping but I don’t think that’s a big enough project to have to call in a vendor. That leaves Rat. I’m trying to wish this into existence lol. We shall see. I laugh every time I see the two single toothpick trees they planted behind the Rat wall and called it a day. I know it’s impossible to hide all the backstage views from the Skyliner, but at least make that area look pretty.

I do very much hope you're right, but I'm hesitant to be hopeful because it's already been stated previously that they proceeded with Ratatouille and the Skyliner with full awareness and acceptance of the subpar backstage views. My immediate thought was definitely the area between PLAY! and Mission: SPACE.

 

[castlecake2.0]

I do very much hope you're right, but I'm hesitant to be hopeful because it's already been stated previously that they proceeded with Ratatouille and the Skyliner with full awareness and acceptance of the subpar backstage views. My immediate thought was definitely the area between PLAY! and Mission: SPACE.

I wonder if feedback changed their mind? I can only hope lol. @ToTBellHop have you heard anything?

 

[lazyboy97o]

Building a berm at Ratatouille would likely require a new South Florida Water Management District permit.