Norway Viking ship to be demolished [Archive] - The DIS Discussion Forums

Brian_WDW74

11-25-2008, 08:57 AM

JeffM

11-25-2008, 09:04 AM

Are they making a newer version of it in it's place. Doesn't say much in the document.

DogDawg

11-25-2008, 09:47 AM

Last time I was there you could not go on it - before it was a play place for kids. Anyone know why?

Condorman

11-25-2008, 10:47 AM

Disney has filed paperwork to demolish the Viking ship at the Norway pavilion in Epcot. You can see the Notice of Commencement here:

https://officialrecords.occompt.com/recorder/eagleweb/downloadMultiDoc.jsp?parent=DOC353S14644

It was cool for the little kids to play on when it was open, but otherwise serves as a setpiece. Hate to see it go, but they'll probably open up another giftshop or concession stand to hock more overpriced, faux-Scandinavian wares. Let me know when they file to demolish the African Outpost. Then I'll get excited that something magical is happening.

WendyinNC

11-25-2008, 11:30 AM

Last time I was there you could not go on it - before it was a play place for kids. Anyone know why?

I was curious about this also. My kids loved to play on the ship. I was very disappointed that the couldn't play on it the last time we were there.

doconeill

11-25-2008, 11:57 AM

I believe the ship had deteriorated pretty badly, which is why they stopped allowing the children to play on it.

Jessfrogger88

11-25-2008, 12:06 PM

Maybe they will expand the very small rest room in Norway?

schmitty

11-25-2008, 01:47 PM

Its been closed for a couple of years. I heard it was a safety hazard but who knows.

ThurlFan

11-25-2008, 02:34 PM

Maybe they will expand the very small rest room in Norway?

I'm thinking DVC kiosk

:headache:

DC7800

11-25-2008, 05:30 PM

I heard it was a safety hazard but who knows.

A safety hazard by any reasonable - even overly cautious - standard, or only a safety hazard as defined by the Disney legal department? There's a huge difference.

DogDawg

11-25-2008, 09:14 PM

I must say it was lame either way. The tartan surface around it suggested a play area but there wasn't much for kids to play on when it was open. The fact they are getting rid of it is good IMHO since that means something new and beats a "set piece". no matter what it is DD

daber

11-26-2008, 08:15 AM

I'm thinking DVC kiosk

:headache:

And I was thinking it would be another character meet and greet area!

jfinke

11-26-2008, 10:11 AM

And I was thinking it would be another character meet and greet area!

How about another shopping area? I hear there is a real lack of them around the property. :rolleyes1

kittychatalot

11-26-2008, 02:20 PM

How about another shopping area? I hear there is a real lack of them around the property. :rolleyes1
lol! That is too funny!:rotfl:

jfinke

11-26-2008, 02:55 PM

I am sure that there is a way to convince the Disney public that the vikings were really the first pirates... pirate: arrgghhhh...

Maybe they can sell Blood Eagle do it yourself kits!! :scared1:

King Triton

11-27-2008, 12:21 AM

Might as well. It couldn't float worth a darn. :sail:

Fast Pass

11-27-2008, 04:59 PM

I know! It another souvie shop for products made in China!

mitros

11-27-2008, 08:38 PM

Last time I was there you could not go on it - before it was a play place for kids. Anyone know why?

On 3 seperate occasions, we saw small children fall on the deck, off the ropes, and down the ramp. Then they all began bawling. I'm willing to bet lawsuits were filed after each of those incidents, and Disneylaw required it to be taken down.....:sad2:

KYMickey

11-27-2008, 08:55 PM

I'm sure the lawyers were involved in one way or another. People these days will soon for a skinned knee or a scratch and will win in court and get millions. Yet people who were really injured lose or get nothing! Our legal system is very very screwed up!

MJMcBride

11-29-2008, 08:32 AM

I would like to see a playground area here. Could still be viking themed. Or perhaps troll forest themed. Something for little kids though

schmitty

11-29-2008, 12:10 PM

A safety hazard by any reasonable - even overly cautious - standard, or only a safety hazard as defined by the Disney legal department? There's a huge difference.
Dunno. Kids always jump off the ship so thats probably the main safety concern. My brothers and I never got hurt playing on it but the playground at Fort Wilderness where I got stitches is still there.

mitros

11-29-2008, 08:42 PM

I would like to see a playground area here. Could still be viking themed. Or perhaps troll forest themed. Something for little kids though

They also used to have a teeter totter {see-saw?} next to the ship, but they got rid of that as well.

KYMickey

11-29-2008, 09:30 PM

They also used to have a teeter totter {see-saw?} next to the ship, but they got rid of that as well.

Haven't you heard, all children's playground equipment has been declared unsafe! All playgrounds have to be dismantled in the next year. This ruling was made by the Federal Product Safety Commission. :rotfl2:

MJMcBride

11-30-2008, 09:24 AM

They also used to have a teeter totter {see-saw?} next to the ship, but they got rid of that as well.

hopefully they put something there

mitros

11-30-2008, 10:48 AM

hopefully they put something there

Unfortunatley, as of 2 weeks ago, there is still nothing there. Perhaps they will renovate that whole area once the viking ship is gone. :confused3

MJMcBride

12-02-2008, 02:25 PM

Unfortunatley, as of 2 weeks ago, there is still nothing there. Perhaps they will renovate that whole area once the viking ship is gone. :confused3

I just think its a good spot for a little playground type thing on trolls or vikings. Nothing that costs much

Mr. & Mrs. Smith

12-02-2008, 05:40 PM

I don't think it's a big loss. At first, though, I thought you meant they were getting rid of Maelstrom. Then I would be upset! I love riding it with my DH who screams like a little girl when the boat goes backwards.

ThurlFan

12-04-2008, 04:23 PM

I was hoping to get some last pictures of the ship this week but the area was already walled off.

SorcererDonald16

12-06-2008, 09:23 PM

I don't remember the exact placement of the viking ship, but isn't it right by the seating area for Kringla Bakery? Maybe they're going to expand that. That'd be my guess, anyway, based on how crowded that area usually is.

Dr. Hans Reinhardt

12-07-2008, 01:58 PM

Long live the ship.........

http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z222/vmaxinid/100_0389.jpg

raidermatt

12-08-2008, 08:06 PM

I believe the ship had deteriorated pretty badly, which is why they stopped allowing the children to play on it.

Just normal wear and tear, but yes there were some issues.

Anything will deterioriate in the Florida weather if you don't maintain it and Disney chose not to maintain it.

The fact they are getting rid of it is good IMHO since that means something new and beats a "set piece" no matter what it is

Unfortunately, something leaving does not always mean something new is coming.

And yeah, who needs set pieces anyway. It's not like Disney parks are supposed to be like movies or anything.

DogDawg

12-12-2008, 08:25 PM

And yeah, who needs set pieces anyway. It's not like Disney parks are supposed to be like movies or anything.

I guess I missed the Disney feature with the roting viking boat next to the smallish restroom and popular smoking area .....

denyd

12-16-2008, 03:11 PM

I will greatly surprised if whatever goes in that spot doesn't have some type of revenue generation in mind (DVC, Food Cart, Cheap Stuff cart, etc). To put something of value there might run the risk of reversing the current trends of declining by degrees and let's see just how many pennies we can squeeze out of them before they stop coming back. pirate:

Horace Horsecollar

12-16-2008, 03:49 PM

I will greatly surprised if whatever goes in that spot doesn't have some type of revenue generation in mind (DVC, Food Cart, Cheap Stuff cart, etc).
I'll be surprised if they put in anything other than landscaping.

mitros

12-16-2008, 04:10 PM

syko

12-17-2008, 08:24 AM

They have put landscaping there, looks nice, went past yesterday.

Sorahana

12-17-2008, 12:20 PM

I'm thinking DVC kiosk

:headache:

LOL probably.

DancingBear

12-18-2008, 07:37 AM

It's unfortunate that they just allowed this to rot and now it's one less little "plus" that's gone. If nothing else even after they shut it down as a play area I was able to take my son there (after going through the exhibits in the Stave Church--anything with swords is a hit!) and ask him to imagine sailing across the ocean on such a small ship.

Andrew Bichard

12-19-2008, 08:58 AM

Perhaps they could could build a restaurant serving authentic Norwegan food - but without the Princesses!

Andrew

DancingBear

12-19-2008, 09:30 AM

Perhaps they could could build a restaurant serving authentic Norwegan food - but without the Princesses!We really enjoyed Akershus when it was a real Norweigan smorgasboard/koldtboard. (Or at least a reasonable facsimile without lutefisk).

Mr. & Mrs. Smith

12-19-2008, 09:49 AM

We really enjoyed Akershus when it was a real Norweigan smorgasboard/koldtboard. (Or at least a reasonable facsimile without lutefisk).

I always thought it was weird that they chose to make that location a character restaurant. Of all the places in WDW, why there, I wonder.

KYMickey

12-19-2008, 10:15 PM

I always thought it was weird that they chose to make that location a character restaurant. Of all the places in WDW, why there, I wonder.
My guess would be they put characters there to attract more people. It has to be relatively easy to get a reservation there and many times you could just walk in and eat (one of the reasons they enjoyed it!). After adding the princesses it's become much more popular especially for families with young girls. A good example of marketing at its best.

foodrocksluver

12-20-2008, 10:53 AM

Perhaps they will build a stage and have Kurt Nilsen :lovestruc perform on a daily basis...

...If only...

Claire L

12-20-2008, 12:37 PM

Perhaps they could could build a restaurant serving authentic Norwegan food - but without the Princesses!

Andrew

Now there is a good idea :thumbsup2

Claire ;)

TDC Nala

12-20-2008, 03:03 PM

I always thought it was weird that they chose to make that location a character restaurant. Of all the places in WDW, why there, I wonder.

It wasn't popular enough as a regular restaurant, and it's the most "medieval" looking restaurant they could find, so it fit the princess format best.

DancingBear

12-21-2008, 07:49 AM

My guess would be they put characters there to attract more people. It has to be relatively easy to get a reservation there and many times you could just walk in and eat (one of the reasons they enjoyed it!). After adding the princesses it's become much more popular especially for families with young girls. A good example of marketing at its best.No, it's a good example of abandoning theming.

Claire L

12-21-2008, 01:13 PM

No, it's a good example of abandoning theming.

Totally agree as it is no longer themed with anything to do with Norway let alone Scandinavia!

:rolleyes:

Claire ;)