New pavilion coming to Epcot and it's not a real country

[rteetz]

Stitchkingdom.com and people from wdwmagic.com have basically confirmed a new pavilion is coming to the expansion pad next to Norway.

The pavilion... Arrendale... A 13,000 square foot building. Permits have been filed this is supposed to open in 2016 as well.

http://www.stitchkingdom.com/disney-frozen-epcot-74041/

The website is down at the moment due to high traffic hopefully will be back up soon.

The permits for the building have been filed and it seems to be called the frozen meet and greet building. The building is described to house an attraction, and a restroom.

 

[DanBoris]

"The project includes the following: construciton of a 13,000 +/- sf building that will house a Disney guest attraction and a women's restroom; construction of a 2,000 sf modular type building to replace a similar building demolished for the project; construction of two small parking lots that have a total of 18 parking spaces; relocation of piping and mechanicl equipment associated with a beverage dispensing kiosk; modification and addition of sidewaks and platners; new underground utilities; modification o the existing restoom in teh Norway attraction building"

 

[rteetz]

"The project includes the following: construciton of a 13,000 +/- sf building that will house a Disney guest attraction and a women's restroom; construction of a 2,000 sf modular type building to replace a similar building demolished for the project; construction of two small parking lots that have a total of 18 parking spaces; relocation of piping and mechanicl equipment associated with a beverage dispensing kiosk; modification and addition of sidewaks and platners; new underground utilities; modification o the existing restoom in teh Norway attraction building"

From what I'm reading this building is about half the size of a regular pavilion maybe a little bigger. It's basically a big meet and greet location and restrooms. Definitely not something I and I would assume many want in world showcase.

 

[rteetz]

Another thing to note is a well known poster on wdwmagic known as spirit mentioned this in November 2013 just as rumors of the frozen maelstrom ride started.

 

[luisov]

Mhm, I think it's just an expansion for the Frozen ride. Maelstrom is way too small to house a decent Frozen attraction and a bigger line, so it would make sense to expand the place. I'd be quite surprised if they end up building an actual pavilion.

 

[wareagle57]

What the heck!? If they are building an entire new pavilion for a freaking fictional land, why did they have to close down one of the few popular rides Epcot had!? I love Frozen, and enjoyed all of the Frozen stuff I saw at HS while I was there, but this makes me mad.

 

[DanBoris]

Mhm, I think it's just an expansion for the Frozen ride. Maelstrom is way too small to house a decent Frozen attraction and a bigger line, so it would make sense to expand the place. I'd be quite surprised if they end up building an actual pavillion.

No, this will not contain any part of the ride. It is just a M&G area and new restroom.

 

[luisov]

No, this will not contain any part of the ride. It is just a M&G area and new restroom.

13,000 square foot for a m&g and a restroom though? I mean, isn't Maelstrom itself smaller than that? Oh well, I guess it's not that big after all.

 

[wallrock]

What the heck!? If they are building an entire new pavilion for a freaking fictional land, why did they have to close down one of the few popular rides Epcot had!? I love Frozen, and enjoyed all of the Frozen stuff I saw at HS while I was there, but this makes me mad.

Did you think that the plan was something different? I've mentioned before that by putting Frozen into the Norway pavilion it basically means the end of the concept of World Showcase and the idea of what made the Epcot theme in the first place. It started slowly with Nemo going into the Living Seas and Donald Duck going into the Mexico pavilion. Now comes the full blown cartoon setting in Norway, or what will be left of it. If this proves profitable more of these types of 'enhancements' will come to the other pavilions.

 

[rteetz]

Did you think that the plan was something different? I've mentioned before that by putting Frozen into the Norway pavilion it basically means the end of the concept of World Showcase and the idea of what made the Epcot theme in the first place. It started slowly with Nemo going into the Living Seas and Donald Duck going into the Mexico pavilion. Now comes the full blown cartoon setting in Norway, or what will be left of it. If this proves profitable more of these types of 'enhancements' will come to the other pavilions.

Well at least the Mexico ride takes you through mexico and is about mexico. The frozen ride will be a fictional land set in a place like Norway. But yes I agree WS is changed forever.

 

[ThurlFan]

13,000 square feet is slightly smaller than a Chuck E. Cheese restaurant.

Regardless, this is bad news.

 

[Planogirl]

This only solidifies my decision to never enter Epcot again. I have wonderful memories of a great park and I'd like to keep them that way.

So far it appears that the "doom and gloom" crowd were right. Unfortunately.

 

[fannatic]

Correction: According to an Orlando news channel, which they say has been confirmed by Disney, Maelstrom will become the new meet and greet area while the new building will house the new attraction. The new show building is said to be as big as a mansion.

 

[joelkfla]

Correction: According to an Orlando news channel, which they say has been confirmed by Disney, Maelstrom will become the new meet and greet area while the new building will house the new attraction. The new show building is said to be as big as a mansion.

I don't know which way is the truth, but don't trust local news outlets to be 100% accurate. They have a tendency to get things a but jumbled.

 

[dundey]

I also hate the changes that continue at Epcot. What was always my favorite park, and I'm sure the same is true for many adults is going to be gone for good.
It's a shame.

 

[dwbrewster]

For everyone that says they will "never go back to Epcot" because of something like this, I anticipate that at least 2 or 3 families with little girls will be entering. Does it change Epcots original intent? absolutely but it was destined to change eventually.

 

[dwbrewster]

Also, just to point out that this construction should have been expected, it was announced on the Disney Parks official blog months ago. http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2014/09/frozen-attraction-coming-to-epcot/

 

[DanBoris]

Also, just to point out that this construction should have been expected, it was announced on the Disney Parks official blog months ago. http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2014/09/frozen-attraction-coming-to-epcot/

But at that time most people assumed the M&G would be park of the existing pavilion and not totally new construction on this scale.

 

[DanBoris]

Correction: According to an Orlando news channel, which they say has been confirmed by Disney, Maelstrom will become the new meet and greet area while the new building will house the new attraction. The new show building is said to be as big as a mansion.

Not sure if you are making a joke or not but this info is incorrect. The permits for this part of the project clearly state it's a M&G:

It going to be around 13,000 sq ft, Haunted Mansion is around 37,000.

 

[OKW Lover]

Thanks for the two pictures you posted DanBoris. Can you share the link that you found the originals at?