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When is EPCOT going to add another country?!
- Thread starter BippityBoppityMagicHour
- Start date
Matt_Black
Well-Known Member
Hey, maybe the Australia pavilion could have a Circle Vision film directed by that great Aussie filmmaker....
No Name
Well-Known Member
World showcase is slightly overdue for a new pavilion, I agree.
They doubled the size of Norway and replaced Maelstrom with the Frozen ride, which both ruin a lot of the intergrity of World Showcase. So I don't see any new country being added anytime soon.
I voted for Spain though.
They doubled the size of Norway and replaced Maelstrom with the Frozen ride, which both ruin a lot of the intergrity of World Showcase. So I don't see any new country being added anytime soon.
I voted for Spain though.
Goofyernmost
Well-Known Member
Well, in my opinion, they have given up back before they changed the name from EPCOT to Epcot. An acronym to a name. That's was the proof that they no longer recognized the original purpose of the park. It took them a long time to finally act upon it, but, they started with Mexico, found a little backlash, but, that died out. Now they have Frozen. There has been a lot of backlash on that, but, that too will die down and the anticipated popularity of the attraction will only serve to reinforce their decision. I think that they will still attempt to maintain the external look of World Showcase and to a fairly obvious degree, the worlds fair theme, however, they will now be free to add things that 20 years ago would have been unthinkable. M&G's will be around for as long as that particular fascination lasts. Like everything else it will die down eventually and the next new big thing will show up.
Goofyernmost
Well-Known Member
UncleFastpass
Active Member
Maybe,sure maybe but look magic kingdom hasn't had a major refurbishment/ expansion since wait......well AK hasn't had a major refurbishment/ expansion since......ok well studios hasn't.....downtown Disney is getting pretty tired oh wait,hmmm wonder what might be next?
Brad Bishop
Well-Known Member
The dumb thing to me is that finishing/adding the countries to Epcot seems like a super-easy win for them.
If they finished Germany with the Rhine River ride and then did the same with the UK (Thames River ride) and added Switzerland with the Matterhorn and Japan with Mt Fuji, they'd nail it!
These aren't pie-in-the-sky things but things that they have plans for and just never acted upon. If they did this and then fixed Future World (which is another topic) people would think, "Holy <expletive> EPCOT is AWESOME!"
Matterhorn and Fuji would get you thrill rides which actually belong. UK and Germany would get you some family rides (maybe overplaying the water aspect a bit).
They wouldn't have to move roads or carve out anything special (except the odd-trailers that they park on the non-countries - those would have to be moved). It really just seems like an easy win for them.
If they finished Germany with the Rhine River ride and then did the same with the UK (Thames River ride) and added Switzerland with the Matterhorn and Japan with Mt Fuji, they'd nail it!
These aren't pie-in-the-sky things but things that they have plans for and just never acted upon. If they did this and then fixed Future World (which is another topic) people would think, "Holy <expletive> EPCOT is AWESOME!"
Matterhorn and Fuji would get you thrill rides which actually belong. UK and Germany would get you some family rides (maybe overplaying the water aspect a bit).
They wouldn't have to move roads or carve out anything special (except the odd-trailers that they park on the non-countries - those would have to be moved). It really just seems like an easy win for them.
P_Radden
Well-Known Member
Disney Parks in conjunction with Walt Disney Imagineering could hold a public poll for which country to build next in World Showcase. Then if they really wanted to be freaking awesome, Disney could accept fan submissions for the design of the new pavilion & attractions within it. Sort of make it a competition. Then keep doing this once every 3-5 years so that it becomes a fun thing to look forward to for park fans, Annual Pass-holders & DVC Members (I'm sure they could fit in another exclusive lounge in World Showcase). If they did this every 3-5 years starting in say 2018, for each of the 7 remaining pads, this would go on until at least 2039-2053, keeping World Showcase vibrant for many decades to come.
Expansion Pads in Red
Ride Additions to Existing Pavilions in Green
UK Pavilion Expansion also in Green
New Frozen Meet & Greet in Blue
Expansion Pads in Red
Ride Additions to Existing Pavilions in Green
UK Pavilion Expansion also in Green
New Frozen Meet & Greet in Blue
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P_Radden
Well-Known Member
If they can pay for a freaking Frozen M&G, TWDC could pay for new countries.
Why is 7 out?
I know that. You know that....
Your pad seven is deemed too close to the marina now. Pyro and gas.
JDL30
Well-Known Member
Yes but this is Disney of 2016 and they are unlikely to add any ride to an existing pavillion without it being IP driven. I think Ratatouille had the most legs to be added to France (mainly as they've spent the money developing the ride, and as France already stocks a LOT of Ratatouille merch).
Mexico may get an upgrade to Coco IF it is a hit. Germany would need something with a German related IP to get its ride. Maybe the UK will get Mary Poppins if the new Emily Blunt sequal is successful.
Essentially imagineering in today's Disney is down to two questions 1) how do we extend the IP beyond the movie? and 2) how to sell a ton load of merchandise - not saying I agree with it, but that seems to be the current culture
Goofyernmost
Well-Known Member
Just a thought here, but, if Disney were to pay for a new, specific, country to be represented in World Showcase, what kind of backlash would come about from the countries that paid massive amounts of money to be included. Even if they are no longer paying into it, they were instrumental in creating the showcase to begin with. It would seem like a slap in the face to those that footed the bill for representation even if it was over 30 years ago. That is one of the main reasons why I feel strongly that there will never be another one added unless they can convince a country to cough up the cash for it. It would make it seem like the money invested years ago was completely wasted because now it appears that it has no value at all.
Secondly, wouldn't it also seem a slight to the counties (and there are plenty of them) that Disney didn't pick to showcase? I don't see it happening, but, I do see Disney, Disneyfying the area to bring traffic back to that part of the park for more then just to buy something or to eat and drink. Therefore... Mexico and Norway. Those with no attractions within, be it movies or shows, will eventually be targeted. Nothing disappointed me more then to try and spend some time in Japan only to be confronted mostly by Pokemon! Very unimpressive to me.
P_Radden
Well-Known Member
So 6 expansion pads it is... if we pretend the BAT isn't there.
P_Radden
Well-Known Member
I don't like the idea of IPs in WS either but I'm not gonna let that scare me out of being open minded towards WS expansion and additions.
IDK what disney should do as far as financing new countries. Frankly they probably don't have a clue either so that's why none have been added. I do wish it was as easy as them just footing the bill themselves with having a nation support them in some form of sponsorship agreement that is mutually beneficial for both.
Cowboy Steve
Well-Known Member
Only Morocco was partially paid for by and design influenced by an actual government. The other countries were partially financed with donations by industry/companies from or with significant business interests in a specific country. And while those corporate donations helped with the cost - Disney still bore a certain amount of the financial burden.
The modern technological era we currently live in has forced Disney to stray from the original concept of EPCOT. When EPCOT first opened in 1982 the world was still 10 years from the tech boon of the 90's... If EPCOT's 'Future World' stayed true to it's original mission - what future themed technology would they showcase? Heck when I visited EPCOT for the first time in 1983, it was a 'miracle' to have Star Trek type motion sensing doors that magically opened when you walked near them. Back then, outside of EPCOT, there were pressure sensors in the floor in front of the doors that opened them. Today dang near every retail store in the country has motion sensing doors... lol. What technology can we experience at EPCOT that couldn't be experienced anywhere else? How many space themed attractions can you have?
And the 'World Showcase'... back in the 80's it was still expensive to fly commercial airlines. Now thanks to cheap flights and the internet the world is an incredibly smaller place. While there would be some interest in a new showcase country, the ROI would take forever. World Showcase wasn't designed to have thrill rides as their attraction... they were intended as cultural representations of their respective country. The new Frozen ride at the Norwegian pavilion (and prior to that, all the Finding Nemo themed 'Living Seas' stuff) shows the new direction management at Disney has decided to take the WS... and I can't say I'm all that trilled about it. But, to their credit, it is building a certain buzz for EPCOT - something it really hasn't had in a while.
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Princess Leia
Well-Known Member
I still think that a water ride through a country with a rainforest would be nice. But with Brazil and Venezuela being financially unavailable, I'm not sure what country would step up. Maybe Peru or Chile?