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EPCOT was designed as and should always remain a permanent World's Fair. It's a park designed for learning about the world and exploring the future not riding through fictional lands on a boat. The characters themselves in World Showcase aren't really that bad but they're transforming an entire pavilion, shifting its focus from Norwegian folklore to Olaf and friends which is a huge mistake. Tokyo Disneyland has planned their own Frozen expansion and its going where it belongs, in Fantasyland.
I just got back from WDW and have been there multiple times. World Showcase, to me, was something like a permanent World's Fair. It was about culture and education. Even the food and the national servers was educational, but fun. Frozen is not educational...it is an expansion of the Magic Kingdom into Epcot. Like the Fast Pass Plus, this change is all about Disney increasing revenue. Each of the four parks should have their own identity, and the proposed change will break this down. Future World has also been dumbed down...Nemo in Living Seas, Ellen in Energy. Very sad.
I totally agree! I have been visiting the Disney Parks in California a Florida for over 30 years now and Epcot was always one of my favorites because it was a change from the other parks. I also loved the relaxed and educational aspect. It is a very sad situation and perhaps if enough people complain about the change it will continue to be "EPCOT" not "Epcot Amusement Park."
I feel as if some of Future World changes are ok, as long as the educational integrity isn't compromised which in Ellens Energy Adventure thats really not the case. However almost ALL of Future World desperately needs an update The Imagination, Energy, and Seas pavilions have really not aged well and could use some attention. Honestly I think Disney should spend their time ensuring Future World continues to live up to its name rather than modifying World Showcase.
When I heard about the change I couldn't believe it. Epcot has been my second favorite park next to the Magic Kingdom. I think Walt Disney would turn over in his grave if he saw the dismantling of the Cultural World of Disney. I have been going to Disney Parks since the early 70's and so enjoyed the special atmosphere and experience of Epcot as a complement to the fantasy world. Destroying the current cultural atmosphere of Epcot is a huge, huge mistake. I can definitely agree with some updating but not destroying Epcot. What are they going to do next turn the globe into a symbol of PIXAR!
I think Disney missed the point here. Epcot World Showcase is a collection of venues from around the world, each representing a "host" country. Canada, Mexico, Japan, Morocco, UK, etc. The concept has always been that each represents and displays the history and culture of its particular host. In the case of Norway, the Maelstrom ride did just that, introducing many of its visitors to the history and culture of Norway. Frozen...as popular a film as it may be, is still just that...a film. How a fantasy...having little or no basis in actual fact, and being generally Scandanavian in its scope, can hope to represent the cultural aspects of Norway, completely escapes me. If it was my place to make the final decision, I would have Disney's planners and imagineers sit down and reconsider the choice they made.
World Showcase is beyond stale and needs a pick me up. Maelstrom was never a very good attraction. I say, bring on the Frozen. More details on my opinion...
http://stephenkg.blogspot.com/2014/09/a-maelstrom-of-response-to-frozen.html
Last summer I finally got a chance to go thru the Story of Norway exhibit and it was fascinating. to see the things I had studied in grade school 50 yrs ago was great. Epcot is about education thru entertainment. It does not need tons of movie/character rides.
Bad idea Disney. Adults need Epcot.
My wife and I are also well past the age where Frozen is high on our list of favorite movies and we stay away from the Magic Kingdom most of the year for that very reason. The Magic Kingdom is for the kids and we understand that. We only go there at Christmas time or for the Halloween Party. We go to Epcot most of the time because it is not over run with little kids and strollers. If Disney takes Epcot away from us, there will be no sense in renewing our Annual Passes. We don't really need those to go to Animal Kingdom a couple of times a year. I understand that change is NOT a bad thing, but to change the flavor of th World Showcase for a movie tie in is just plain short term thinking. I have seen the movie and I do not see a long life for it. What would a Frozen II movie be about, One sister freezes things and the other doesn't. Not much of a plot line.
i like the world show case how it is. its supposed to be geared towards adults and its culture. theyre gonna start making it all kiddie ish. and theyre gonna end up playing frozen out. i think this is a bad move.
I am 65 years old. I am not at all interested in FROZEN either as a movie OR an attraction at my favorite park EPCOT. This is just my own personal opinion. But, then again, I'm old so I'm just going to "let is go". Just saying.
While I would enjoy it if world showcase was to open earlier, I dread bringing frozen to EPCOT world showcase because I think the focus should be on the countries, their cultures, thier people and their beauty. I think putting frozen in shifts the focus of the Norway pavilion from the actual country of Norway and on to a ficticious land and fictious people. I do not believe this was the purpose for which world showcase was created.
I agree, it could be the start of more movie and character tie-ins.
Could 'Ratatouille' the ride be next for the Paris Pavilion? Looking at Google earth there does appear enough space for it! :-0
My 10 year old LOVES Epcot...she also loves FROZEN....so permanently adding this to her favorite park is her dream!! I think people will deal with the change (like it or not)...but I am pretty sure Disney is looking out for the changing interest of it's fans as well as the business side for them...no doubt Frozen is a huge attraction & if that makes people buy more tickets to visit Epcot...the more they will spend at this park. The original reason I was to post was to comment on the ironic comment of "only a restaurant" in Norway...which happens to be the Princess Meals...I know many people go to Epcot/Norway for this experience...Characters Sell!
We were there in early April soon after the meet and greet began. Even then, the crowds were strong throughout the entire park anytime after noon. Epcot was always a place to admire the flowers and fauna in addition to the rides, countries, etc. I personally would hate to see all that go.It is important for us all to get a feel for other countries and their heritage.
I have been going to DISNEY every year since 71. I think this is a mistake. I love the movie but the one thing I appreciated about Epcot was you were emerged in the experience of the pavilions. The characters if they were there were outside of the pavilions for the most part. I think Disney has sold themselves out on this decision. I love Beauty and the Beast but would not want to have some attraction related to the movie in the French pavilion. I agree maelstrom had to go but not replaced with this.
improvement I love the culture but I think epcot will get more people they don't have much now. and I used to not be a big epcot fan lately I have my son is 9 and that's his 2nd fav park.people just cant handle change.
Considering Disney die hards hate change most of the people against the change are just part of every announcement Disney makes. Many want Indian Jones to stay, sorry stale gotta go, 20,000 leagues, sorry stale gotta go. Frozen is a huge success and if you think it's going away quickly you haven't met Belle, Arial, or the characters from Cars and Toy story. It is a place we all want to feel like a kid again or as it was when we were kids, but the next generations have no interest in that. The parks must evolve to exist and flourish, the sooner we embrace that and discover "it's a whole new world!" the more you will enjoy.
As a Disney die-hard myself, I can say that your claim isn't true. There are many changes that I've been in favor of.....but this Maelstron-to-Frozen one is NOT one of them, and for valid reasons. World Showcase is a place to educate people on the culture and history of various countries of the world, and that's what Maelstrom does. To tear that down in favor of some fantasy story is an insult to the purpose of the Norway pavilion in and of itself. A fantasy story should have its attraction put in Fantasyland.....where it belongs.
It isn't really about not liking Frozen. It's more about the choice of venue for the ride. As with Aladdin, Belle, Arial, Peter Pan, etc., the better location for this would be in Fantasyland, or elsewhere in the Magic Kingdom. Even Disney Studios would be a better choice, if for no other reason than that parks association with movies.
I am not a fan of Frozen and would not like to see it in Norway. I like Maelstrom. And I like the crowd as it is in Epcot. I have only been there a few times when there was a huge crowd. I love Epcot and the countries. Please do not put Frozen in Norway!!!
I believe Disney with all the land they have acquired should start building and making plans for a Frozen theme park on their land. If built it would and could be phenomenal. If you build it they will come! It is to overpowering for EPCOT Disney already proved it.
I think it's a great idea myself. Since Disney World and Disneyland were both created with children in mind I think it's selfish and I might add presumptuous for adults to insinuate that they know what's better or to dictate to the specialists what is a mistake just because they didn't like the movie. Guess what....you're outnumbered. Change is normal for Disney and although Maelstrom was okay I think a trip through Arendelle would be an improvement.
You are wrong as far as Disneyland is concerned. Walt Disney created Disneyland as a place that both adults and children could go to and enjoy themselves, after spending many Saturdays with his daughters at amusement parks sitting on a bench while the girls went on rides. Since Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom was modeled after Disneyland, The same can be said for Disneyworld.
Just FYI.....Disney was not created with just children in mind. Walt came up with the idea of Disneyland to be a place where children AND parents could enjoy themselves equally. That's standard Disney history. Walt hated going to parks where only children could ride the rides and the parents had to stay on benches and just watch their children without being able to participate and enjoy themselves along side their children. Epcot has always been an educational theme park. It started out as a vision Walt had in making a self sustaining city and after his death, the company built a theme park to reflect the future and to celebrate other countries. It was not built with the intention of doing movie tie-ins like Magic Kingdom.
I love the film, but it actually has very little to do with Norway. The name Arendelle does not sound Norwegian at all, the names Anna and Elsa is more Swedish than Norwegian, and the valley looks more like Switzerland than Norway... I am Norwegian, and I was ashamed of the old and outdated film that was shown in the Norwegian pavillion, but this is NOT the way to improve it! I wish Norwegian authorities would understand the value of having a new film presenting Norway as the great tourist attraction it really is, but they were not interrested... I hope this is not the start of a change of the wonderful atmosphere in Epcot.
I realize I'm in a minority, but I HATE "Frozen". I think it's one of the worst Disney animated films and I hate every song in it. (And this coming from someone who's a fan of Aladdin, Beauty & The Beast, Peter Pan, etc...etc....). It's an insult to the purpose of World Showcase to put a "Frozen" ride in there, instead of in Fantasyland where it belongs.