Changes coming to Norway Pavillion

[Wizzard419]

The development, if I recall, leaned hard on the countries (governments and companies based there) to sponsor their pavilions and it was sold as a means of promotion of tourism to the various countries. Since the countries wanted to show as much as possible you ended up with a lot of film-based things. Since there was no measurable bump (and no realistic way to track the efficacy) the sponsorship contracts didn't get renewed. Throw in that the internet is now a better way to meet the same goal and it costs ways less, and you can see why the WS is a garbage fire when it comes to new development.

There is space to add a few countries, but they would be just as dull as the rest of them. If they wanted to add an E-ticket, odds are good that you would basically have the entire space just be the ride and queue with no room for dining or cultural landmarks. Plus, I would imagine the other countries (including the US) would take issue with a new country with a ride that draws attention away from everyone else.

One of the problems is that the EPCOT concept was stupid, it sounds great on paper "Lets make an educational park where we focus on civics and science". The problem is that people are at your resort for vacation, they aren't interested in the benefits of fracking. Additionally, the educational materials presented are so shallow that even if you wanted to learn, you would be hard pressed to come away with much.

[jlpeaches255]

I have not read all of the comments but I will jump in anyway. Can't really decide how I feel about this one. WS is one of my absolute favorite places and I do tend to spend the most time there. Especially when I can go without the kids...and there is the problem, as others have mentioned. Bored kids can make these amazing pavilions unbearable! Through the years I have done many different things to help my kids look forward to the culture and countries before we have even boarded the plane. It helps, a little. The Perry the Platypus adventures help, a little. But they are kids and they want characters and rides. They want to ride Maelstrom only because it is there. I never thought of it the way theBIGyowski put it before but he is absolutely correct, there is no story. That is what Disney does best in their attractions, a story.
And then there is the other thing...Frozen is huge. Beyond huge. One or two of you may know of my own absolute obsession with Frozen.
However, what even I would HATE to see is a cheesy story with Olaf popping up at random intervals just to drawn in the younger crowd.

[elfy18]

Have Elsa and Anna officially moved to the Magic Kingdom now or are they still in Norway? We were there in January and didn't even make it to WS.

As for the Maelstrom, I could see the appeal of adding a Frozen element. Though I adore the ride as it is, my daughter at age 3 was a bit frightened of the trolls, but still enjoyed the boat ride. I think if Frozen were added then we wouldn't be riding anything else in the park! She is all about Frozen and I really like the movie as well.

Then again, I am still not a fan of the addition of Jack Sparrow or Barbosa to Pirates of the Caribbean, so I'm not sure I would completely be on board (ha!) with changing the Maelstrom.

We wants the redhead!

[Sharonofwindham]

I have not read all of the comments but I will jump in anyway. Can't really decide how I feel about this one. WS is one of my absolute favorite places and I do tend to spend the most time there. Especially when I can go without the kids...and there is the problem, as others have mentioned. Bored kids can make these amazing pavilions unbearable! Through the years I have done many different things to help my kids look forward to the culture and countries before we have even boarded the plane. It helps, a little. The Perry the Platypus adventures help, a little. But they are kids and they want characters and rides. They want to ride Maelstrom only because it is there. I never thought of it the way theBIGyowski put it before but he is absolutely correct, there is no story. That is what Disney does best in their attractions, a story.
And then there is the other thing...Frozen is huge. Beyond huge. One or two of you may know of my own absolute obsession with Frozen.
However, what even I would HATE to see is a cheesy story with Olaf popping up at random intervals just to drawn in the younger crowd.

I really have got to see this movie!

[fancyfeet]

[quote="Wyntuck"]Change Maelstrom to be more about Frozen rather than Norway in general, and then change the movie at the end to feature a film about the myths and legends of the Scandinavian countries. Thor and other Norse gods, trolls, etc. would be fun, especially if they had 3 or 4 different stories to tell. Little animated films coupled with live action telling where the stories came from would be fun.

Oooh, I'm intrigued. Not that I don't love the Maelstrom ride now but having Frozen worked in and having a film about the myths and legends sounds like it could be pretty cool! I wonder if any Imagineers are reading these forums!!

[Wyntuck]

Wow, I don't even remember writing that post above, but I went back and checked. Sure enough! That might be a cool new thread. "Posts you've written in the past that no longer reflect what you think today".
Bottom line, people affix memories to experiences, and if you visited the Norway pavilion (or any Disney attraction) during a happy time in your life, of course you don't want to see it changed. I liked the Norway ride, but everything needs freshening up now and then.

I also don't remember the film at the end of Norway being "borderline offensive". But sometimes I think my offensiveness meter is not calibrated the same as most other people's. It seems odd to me that the more coarse and crude pop culture becomes, the more offended people seem to get at the most innocuous subjects.

[kelpseaweedkelp]

They should just make it a Thor ride. More staying power. Frozen is....pretty boring. <gasp!>

[Sharonofwindham]

Pretty much all of the pavilions suffer from the same "tour bus" viewpoint, they don't show life or even modern culture. Just old crap that people saw in movies 70 years ago and expect to be true.

Well wait a second... it's true that the pavilions are pretty cliche in a lot of respects, but Disney also did a lot to try to be as authentic as possible. The Morocco pavilion was supervised by the architect for the king (prince? something royal) of Morocco himself to ensure its authenticity. It is called the World Showcase, so they're going to showcase the things about their countries that most people enjoy. I, personally, wouldn't go to Kyoto so I could hang in a modern apartment and just do what people like me do. I would want to experience the history and cultural differences, and see the traditional architecture. So that the pavilions are a little cheesy is ok - even expected. My daughter didn't go to London, Paris, and Madrid to go to McDonald's and play video games in another language. She went to "see the sites" and experience aspects of another culture somewhat different from our own. Having the pavilions highlight the differences rather than modern culture that is, truth be told, just the same as our own with minor differences, just makes sense.

Very, very well said cy1229. Love World Showcase just the way it is! I certainly do not want modern day realism of any of these countries thrown in my face at WDW. I also don't think cartoons belong in WS regardless of how big of a money maker they are.

[Sharonofwindham]

Wow, I don't even remember writing that post above, but I went back and checked. Sure enough! That might be a cool new thread. "Posts you've written in the past that no longer reflect what you think today".
Bottom line, people affix memories to experiences, and if you visited the Norway pavilion (or any Disney attraction) during a happy time in your life, of course you don't want to see it changed. I liked the Norway ride, but everything needs freshening up now and then.

I also don't remember the film at the end of Norway being "borderline offensive". But sometimes I think my offensiveness meter is not calibrated the same as most other people's. It seems odd to me that the more coarse and crude pop culture becomes, the more offended people seem to get at the most innocuous subjects.

Isn't that the truth!!!!

[cy1229]

... Love World Showcase just the way it is! I certainly do not want modern day realism of any of these countries thrown in my face at WDW. I also don't think cartoons belong in WS regardless of how big of a money maker they are.

Totally agree about the cartoons. It's all downhill from here.

[kelpseaweedkelp]

... Love World Showcase just the way it is! I certainly do not want modern day realism of any of these countries thrown in my face at WDW. I also don't think cartoons belong in WS regardless of how big of a money maker they are.

Totally agree about the cartoons. It's all downhill from here.

AGREED.

[theBIGyowski]

The only thing that should be 'Frozen' in EPCOT is a margarita.

Saw someone tweet that last night...and it made me chuckle.

[Marty Moose]

I like the idea of a ride based on a new movie. And Frozen certainly has captured everybody's interest so I can understand Disney cashing in on that.

Now that's out of the way, the World Showcase isn't the place for it. We're supposed to be experiencing, learning about, celebrating different countries from around the world there. Put Frozen in the Studios or the New New Fantasyland. My 2 cents.

[Belle1082]

The only thing that should be 'Frozen' in EPCOT is a margarita.

Saw someone tweet that last night...and it made me chuckle.

That is the best tweet I've ever heard! I love it and totally agree!