Big changes in the UK Pavilion!

[Derek]

News just in - and I can assure you it's not that widely known and hot off the press...

The UK is to have an Attraction built in January.
It will replace the shop 'Pringles of Scotland' and so far is planned to be a walk through attraction with a replica of the Crown Jewels and a waxwork figure of Princess Diana. Possibly (bear in mind this is in very early stages of imagineering) Audio Animatronics will feature.

The stores in the Pavilion are also due to change - the sports goods from Pringles will move, and the Crown & Crest may alter to feature British film memorabila from James Bond etc.

Hope you all find this news as exciting as I do!

Take care folks.

Derek.

[Planogirl]

This looks good to me as long as they don't change the tea shop too much. :) Thanks for the news.

[Sarangel]

It'd be nice to have something besides shops in the UK pavillion. OK, I'll conceed that there is a lovely garden and stage for the band there, but not much else. Let's all hope that they actually get to imagineer something & not just shove stuff in there...

Sarangel (So.... I'm getting a little cynical in my old age)

[April76]

I think that would be a very nice addition to the UK -- it would give folks something more than just shopping and bring a little bit of the UK that many of us would never have had a chance to see.

I do love sitting and listening to the band in the evening -- they are terrific!!!:bounce:

[vernon]

Please tell me the Princess Di figure is a joke????

Let the poor woman ( and the rest of us) take a break.

[daber]

I was hoping for the return of Mr. Toad's Wild ride, or maybe a Mary Poppins attraction. Oh well. Seeing a reproduction of the Crown jewels is better than nothing.

[isnkr]

I hope this won't affect the Rose and Crown....there is nothing better than having a Harp Lager as your next to last beverage in Beer's around the world....:jester:

[HorizonsFan]

... or your second, depending on which way you start!

[Ricola]

Or your second AND next to last, depending on your capacity! :D

[Derek]

No, unfourtunately the Princess Diana figure is for real, some of you may have seen it before as it was featured in the Scottish exhibit, it dispayed the Lochcarron tartan created especialy for Diana by the Scottish company.

When featured in the proposed UK attraction the figure will be wearing a Dress previously worn by Diana (bought under an assumed name by Disney at the auction of all her wardrobe).

If anyone does know the assumed name I'd love to know it!

Derek

[d-r]

We always end at the UK, start in France.

DR

[doombuggy]

Wow, this sounds great! I would love to see a crown jewels exhibit! My aunt moved to London last March (her job transferred her there) and I want to go visit her next year for the Queen's 50th. I am afraid she may not stay the two years, though, as she does not like her job there. This would be the next best thing! Thanks, Derek!:earsgirl:

[Dave@BWVandVB]

I don't know what you folks from the US think when you see things represented as "American" when you go abroad but being from the Northern part of the UK EPCOT's version with pearly kings & queens is a nightmare. I guess most people know of London and it's attractions but PLEASE, even the Londoners would baulk at these people. As for a Princess Diana model, strewth, I like the royalty and was very sad when that fateful day came around but let her rest in peace.

[Ricola]

Personally, being from the US, I'm a little put off by the way things "American" are represented at WDW. (;))
I guess if we have to have twitching dead presidents, and orchestrally enhanced odes to ourselves (see EPCOT) a dead princess in a questionably obtained gown isn't that out of place. The lines of "Good Taste" seem to grow pretty faint when they travel through Disney Property...

Personally, I'll skip Princess Di(e)and the Dead Presidents in lieu of the living replica of the 3/4 still living Beatles, and a passable facsimile of a half-and-half. (As I was once told by an Irish friend, the Guiness doesn't travel all that well :) )

And I'll be back again next year to marvel over how silly some of it is... :) :) :)

[paulde177jb]

I wonder of whoever runs the UK in EPCOT has only ever seen the UK from Mary Popiins & thinks Dick Van **** has a good accent.....

[Hnymoon@Dixie]

I agree daber,
Bring in Mr. Toad!!!

[Ona]

I have to agree with the other people who are fed up with this bizarre representation Disney has of the UK. I would be absolutely horrified if they brought in Princess Diana. If those of you in the north of England feel it to be a misrepresentation of your culture, imagine how us Scots, the Wesh and those from N.I feel?

Not that I think Pringles was a glowing portayal of Scotland, but if that is going to go, then there is absolutely nothing in the so-called "UK" pavillion that does show a little of Scotland.

I was also bamboozled by the appearance of a Scottish pavillion last year in Millenium Village. Perhaps I am mistaken, but is Scotland not part of the UK?????

I think the Disney needs to make a decision; either rename the current pavillion, 'Ye olde England' or introduce at least some aspects of the other nations within the United Kingdom.

P.S. Sorry for going on a bit but this reallllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllly irritates me.

Ona:)

[BRERALEX]

ONA you are so correct I've been to disney about twenty five times. Sunday will be my third time this year, and umm i just asked my brother and gf and all 3 of us just thought of the pavilion as England and just England.

IMO they arent doing justice to the other countries

[jfap]

I Think Eisner sold Mr. Toad on EBAY!!

[Ricola]

Too bad we can't sell Mr. Eisner on ebay.

[Banzai]

Its a step in the right direction!

[Tartan Tigger]

HERE HERE ONA. WELL SAID!

[Barb]

I like the idea! I'd like to see ALL of the countries get some sort of attraction. So, this is a step in the right direction. I would prefer some sort of ride attraction, but this will do for now. And, like the others, I'm just not sure about the Diana thing. Hasn't everyone had enough yet?

[eleanor]

Please not Diana.

[Derek]

Let me reassure a few people posting on this board that the UK Pavilion is not all bad, infact it still remains one of, if not THE most popular pavilion(s) around the World Showcase.

Firstly, I have it on good authority that most changes that are implied in the Pavilion are either suggested by, or at least passed by, the CM's that work the pavilion - all of whom stem from all over the UK - not just England. Many Brits compain abput the 'Costume' worn by the UK Representitives, and how it doesn't represent the UK accuratley. The problem again stemmed from the UK's richly diverse cultures - WDW was not prepared to create 4 different costumes - the Red & Black costume for the Welsh, Kilts or Scottish Dress, and N. Ireland's famed Green, so researched (and I emphasise researched, Disney doesn't just pick these things out of a hat) into a costume that was worn across all 4 regions. What is portrayed is as follows;
The Men of Food and Beverage and Merchandise & Attractions both wear a Costume worn by Milkmen across the UK in the late eighteenth century.
The women of Food & Beverage wear a Costume described as Serving Wench - typical of the Seventeenth century, and for Merchandise, again from the eighteenth century, a Milkmaid.

Some good points have been made on this board, but sometimes we forget that the UK's history is so fruitful, and that although the Pavilion attempts to represent everybodies images of the UK, it's virtually impossible to encompass everything.

Next time you're in the Pavilion, take a deeper look - chat to one of the CM's - take in the architecture of Tudor lane and the like, enjoy the culture that is represented, and then see what you think.

[Ricola]

I agree with you, Derek, after a fashion.

The UK pavilion is a "sampling" or a caricature, depending on your point of view, of the UK itself. All the other pavilions are the same way. I personally think that a lot of the character of Germany is missed by the pavilion at epcot.

I do think that the rumoured Diana exhibit is in poor taste, but that's just my opinion. I don't really want to see the World showcase turned into some sort of lurid Wax Museum.

[Luv2Roam]

How is Disney going to work around this refurbishment and their guests? Is only part of WS UK going to be closed down at a time?

[firen'ice]

Lets face it the representation of all of the pavillions is off, (I'm from Canada and I've never seen anything as sad as the movie. I hate Ann Murray singing!URGGHH!) But we all have to remember that it is a representation and not the real thing It would be very hard to convay an image of a country in a little pavillion. I've been to many of the places in the pavillion, they are all "off" a bit. But I love every minute I'm there. You'd think the only store we had in Canada was Roots and we all lived in Igloos! I really enjoy going to my own country's pavillion and talking to everyone (I like to bring Timmy's coffee to the homesick CM there). Can't wait to go back. I believe that what ever Disney does will be in good taste and interesting for Guests.

[Derek]

Hello Dear! how are you doing? You must be very busy since you are not keeping us updated with these wondeful changes that are happening! As an ex cast member I'd love to know what is going on!!!! Give us some more juice!

[Beachangel]

Sure, they stripped Diana of her royal title and now they want to put a waxed version of her on display. Just great.

James Bond stuff....just what we needed...I thought the pavillons were supposed to represent the country.........James Bond doesn't do it for me.........

[Safari Steve]

I liked the Scottish portion of Millineum Village. Aside from it being full of GORGEOUS women, (my friends and I think that MV should have been called 'It's a Hot World After All'), The scientific achievements/golf is just fun aspect was really neat. I wouldn't mind seeing something similar added to the UK Pavillion. Bring on the Lasses! (and those accents... Oy!!)

[Douglas Dubh]

When I was a freshman in college, I met a red-haired girl who was born in Scotland and moved here when she was in elementary school. We were at a party, and the more she drank, the more noticable her accent was.

I love my wife, but I sometimes wish I had pursued that girl a little bit harder.

[Ona]

So all you American guys like our Scottish accents do you? That's nice to know;) .

Tee hee, Ona.:D

[Douglas Dubh]

I don't know about all American guys, but those of us who had a grandmother of Scottish descent do.