Blue Sky Rumor: Ride coming to UK Pavilion?

[MommaBerd]

MR. TOAD. ROLLER. COASTER.

YES!!!!

 

[mikepizzo]

Well, Tony Baxter has his plans he developed for a Mary Poppins dark ride - and they say at Disney an idea is never truly gone, just put away

Not sure it is needed or where it would go but I think that would be cool

The things I would give, and do, to be able to work in the Disney Archives...

Also, where exactly would this hypothetical ride go?

 

[rteetz]

The things I would give, and do, to be able to work in the Disney Archives...

Also, where exactly would this hypothetical ride go?

There is a video online somewhere of Tony going over his Poppins ride.

We don't know yet. If it happens it is said to be a smaller ride not something of the magnitude of ratatouille.

 

[jknezek]

I will admit we often just slide right past the UK. It's beautifully done, but once you've wandered around in there for a few minutes, there is nothing left. And while I like fish and chips, my wife doesn't, so there isn't a whole lot else on the menu in the UK. But does it need a ride? If France gets one, I think it does not. I don't think the World Showcase needs to be drowning in rides. Maelstrom was neat, and balancing it with a ride on the other side is probably a good idea. Especially now that all of Norway has been drowned under the Frozen IP. (No, not bringing up the Mexico ride, which even with the 3 Amigos overhaul is more a gentle joke on our southern neighbors than a decent ride. But it does help beat the heat for a few minutes!)

Personally I'd rather ride money be spent in the front of EPCOT, which is desperately in need. If you are going to do anything with the World Showcase, add Brazil or a different South American country. Or India, Australia, or Israel, although I understand that is a complicated political question as Morocco and France have both threatened to withhold support if that happens, or at least did a few decades ago. But I don't see the need to make World Showcase into a heavy ride area. It has a different attraction. Let Future World and the empty (Horizons, Body) or dying (Imagination, Innoventions, Energy Adventure) pavilions be revitalized.

 

[Spacedog1975]

I do wonder how much more foot traffic the rest of a pavilion gets when it has an attraction beyond shops and eateries. I would think a ride in particular would boost interest & sales.

 

[mikepizzo]

I will admit we often just slide right past the UK. It's beautifully done, but once you've wandered around in there for a few minutes, there is nothing left. And while I like fish and chips, my wife doesn't, so there isn't a whole lot else on the menu in the UK. But does it need a ride? If France gets one, I think it does not. I don't think the World Showcase needs to be drowning in rides. Maelstrom was neat, and balancing it with a ride on the other side is probably a good idea. Especially now that all of Norway has been drowned under the Frozen IP. (No, not bringing up the Mexico ride, which even with the 3 Amigos overhaul is more a gentle joke on our southern neighbors than a decent ride. But it does help beat the heat for a few minutes!)

Personally I'd rather ride money be spent in the front of EPCOT, which is desperately in need. If you are going to do anything with the World Showcase, add Brazil or a different South American country. Or India, Australia, or Israel, although I understand that is a complicated political question as Morocco and France have both threatened to withhold support if that happens, or at least did a few decades ago. But I don't see the need to make World Showcase into a heavy ride area. It has a different attraction. Let Future World and the empty (Horizons, Body) or dying (Imagination, Innoventions, Energy Adventure) pavilions be revitalized.

I do agree with you on most points, but I think we should keep in mind that EPCOT opened in 1982. The world was much bigger back in 1982 and the World Showcase allowed people the opportunity to get a glimpse (albeit a Disney-fied version) of a country they probably thought they would never be able to see.

As time went on, the world became smaller. Travel to these places became more feasible and the internet allowed users to virtually visit these countries.

So what do they do? Keep a theme that doesn't hold people's attention anymore? Change the area all together?

If they keep the world theme, there needs to be some kind of draw to get people, with their kids, interested in exploring these pavilions. I'm not saying slap IP all over every pavilion, but why not tuck certain Disney IPs in the corners of each pavilion. I think about the Winnie the Pooh and Tigger meet in the UK. That's all the way in the back of the pavilion. If they at least had a character meet in every single pavilion it would help. Make the people explore to find it. I can't lie, the Figment Scavenger Hunt brought me to areas of each pavilion I've never been to.

Kind of blows my mind that I can't meet Gepetto and Pinocchio in Italy.

 

[rteetz]

Kind of blows my mind that I can't meet Gepetto and Pinocchio in Italy.

Other than special events are those two every out? It's amazing Disney doesn't have some of these rarer characters out more. People go nuts for the non regular characters.

 

[mikepizzo]

Other than special events are those two every out? It's amazing Disney doesn't have some of these rarer characters out more. People go nuts for the non regular characters.

Pinocchio used to meet out at the flag pole on Main Street from time to time (I met him there May 2014). I also met Pinocchio during a Character Palooza at a later visit. I met Gepetto at an EPCOT Character Training session a couple visits ago.

But no, they don't meet regularly anymore, unfortunately.

 

[LadyD]

Other than special events are those two every out? It's amazing Disney doesn't have some of these rarer characters out more. People go nuts for the non regular characters.

A friend of mine who was a character a few years back said those rare characters usually come out (other than special events) when they're doing trainings, park is particularly busy, high character staffing levels, etc. I don't quite understand why they limit them like that, but I guess you have to have your Mickey, Minnie, Princesses, etc fully staffed before you get some of the more "obscure" characters

 

[jknezek]

I do agree with you on most points, but I think we should keep in mind that EPCOT opened in 1982. The world was much bigger back in 1982 and the World Showcase allowed people the opportunity to get a glimpse (albeit a Disney-fied version) of a country they probably thought they would never be able to see.

As time went on, the world became smaller. Travel to these places became more feasible and the internet allowed users to virtually visit these countries.

So what do they do? Keep a theme that doesn't hold people's attention anymore? Change the area all together?

If they keep the world theme, there needs to be some kind of draw to get people, with their kids, interested in exploring these pavilions. I'm not saying slap IP all over every pavilion, but why not tuck certain Disney IPs in the corners of each pavilion. I think about the Winnie the Pooh and Tigger meet in the UK. That's all the way in the back of the pavilion. If they at least had a character meet in every single pavilion it would help. Make the people explore to find it. I can't lie, the Figment Scavenger Hunt brought me to areas of each pavilion I've never been to.

Kind of blows my mind that I can't meet Gepetto and Pinocchio in Italy.

See, this is the thing. I don't think the World Showcase is failing to hold attention. I just don't think it draws enough people in and of itself to keep EPCOT afloat. Given the clientele of WDW, WS needs FutureWorld, whereas a good FutureWorld could stand on its own without the WS. But right now, FutureWorld is on shaky legs, and so EPCOT as a whole is on bad ground. But if you fix FutureWorld, attendance goes up, and people do go to the WS. It's the adult part of the day. The food and drink part of the day. The part of the day kids suffer a bit, but only after they had fun up front and get to have fun again after they take that one lap that is for the parents.

In addition, I think Disney has done a great job with special events and food and drink in that area, and that keeps it pretty attractive to a large subset of visitors. Food and Wine is a massive success. As is drinking around the world, and the new Art event went over well. The WS is not for the stroller crowd, certainly, but it needs that crowd to make it a success, and that is where FutureWorld is falling down.

Fix FutureWorld and the WS benefits whether it gets new rides or not. Let FutureWorld continue to degrade and fail, and WS, even with another ride or two and a veneer of characters everywhere, isn't enough to make EPCOT work.

 

[WDWFantasmicFan]

Well, Tony Baxter has his plans he developed for a Mary Poppins dark ride - and they say at Disney an idea is never truly gone, just put away

Not sure it is needed or where it would go but I think that would be cool

 

[Madonna3]

I would love to see a ride in the UK pavilion. Ever since they added frozen in Norway, I think they should add a Disney movie ride in every pavilion that takes place in that country. A Mary Poppins ride would be great or what about an Alice and Wonderland ride.

While I would like to see every country have some sort of attraction that teaches culture by perhaps using Disney characters, I do not believe every pavilion needs a ride per se.

 

[Madonna3]

See, this is the thing. I don't think the World Showcase is failing to hold attention. I just don't think it draws enough people in and of itself to keep EPCOT afloat. Given the clientele of WDW, WS needs FutureWorld, whereas a good FutureWorld could stand on its own without the WS. But right now, FutureWorld is on shaky legs, and so EPCOT as a whole is on bad ground. But if you fix FutureWorld, attendance goes up, and people do go to the WS. It's the adult part of the day. The food and drink part of the day. The part of the day kids suffer a bit, but only after they had fun up front and get to have fun again after they take that one lap that is for the parents.

In addition, I think Disney has done a great job with special events and food and drink in that area, and that keeps it pretty attractive to a large subset of visitors. Food and Wine is a massive success. As is drinking around the world, and the new Art event went over well. The WS is not for the stroller crowd, certainly, but it needs that crowd to make it a success, and that is where FutureWorld is falling down.

Fix FutureWorld and the WS benefits whether it gets new rides or not. Let FutureWorld continue to degrade and fail, and WS, even with another ride or two and a veneer of characters everywhere, isn't enough to make EPCOT work.

Epcot is an adult park. Truly it is. You can argue that it has rides that appeal to younger audiences and kidcot stops, but at the end of the day, that is an adult park.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

The destruction of Epcot would then continue...

However on this one...they would have to demolish millennium village...and they certainly haven't gotten enough revenue out of a 19 year old temporary structure yet. That's big bucks from conventioneers who aren't paying.

 

[Whatsthegoodword]

I do agree with you on most points, but I think we should keep in mind that EPCOT opened in 1982. The world was much bigger back in 1982 and the World Showcase allowed people the opportunity to get a glimpse (albeit a Disney-fied version) of a country they probably thought they would never be able to see.

As time went on, the world became smaller. Travel to these places became more feasible and the internet allowed users to virtually visit these countries.

So what do they do? Keep a theme that doesn't hold people's attention anymore? Change the area all together?

If they keep the world theme, there needs to be some kind of draw to get people, with their kids, interested in exploring these pavilions. I'm not saying slap IP all over every pavilion, but why not tuck certain Disney IPs in the corners of each pavilion. I think about the Winnie the Pooh and Tigger meet in the UK. That's all the way in the back of the pavilion. If they at least had a character meet in every single pavilion it would help. Make the people explore to find it. I can't lie, the Figment Scavenger Hunt brought me to areas of each pavilion I've never been to.

Kind of blows my mind that I can't meet Gepetto and Pinocchio in Italy.

Not piling on you, but I've heard this over and over and it just rings so hollow to me. For the average person, the world is NOT smaller than it has been. The average American will never leave the USA in their lifetime. WDW visitors are certainly better traveled than the average guy, but I'll bet that more than half of the folks in the park on any given day will never cross the ocean. ...and the internet is supposed to be a viable stand-in? HA! That's crazy.

If the World Showcase is a little stale to folks, it's because it hasn't been updated basically since it opened. That has nothing to do with people's ability to travel. Heck, I love to travel overseas, and I've been many times - but the WS is my favorite part of WDW...

 

[lockedoutlogic]

I do agree with you on most points, but I think we should keep in mind that EPCOT opened in 1982. The world was much bigger back in 1982 and the World Showcase allowed people the opportunity to get a glimpse (albeit a Disney-fied version) of a country they probably thought they would never be able to see.

As time went on, the world became smaller. Travel to these places became more feasible and the internet allowed users to virtually visit these countries.

So what do they do? Keep a theme that doesn't hold people's attention anymore? Change the area all together?

If they keep the world theme, there needs to be some kind of draw to get people, with their kids, interested in exploring these pavilions. I'm not saying slap IP all over every pavilion, but why not tuck certain Disney IPs in the corners of each pavilion. I think about the Winnie the Pooh and Tigger meet in the UK. That's all the way in the back of the pavilion. If they at least had a character meet in every single pavilion it would help. Make the people explore to find it. I can't lie, the Figment Scavenger Hunt brought me to areas of each pavilion I've never been to.

Kind of blows my mind that I can't meet Gepetto and Pinocchio in Italy.

I agree with you...as some would remember: I've said the Internet killed Epcot about 100 times around here...

But what crap to put generic, magic kingdom Type rides in there to placate mentally lazy parents AND children.

 

[mikepizzo]

Not piling on you, but I've heard this over and over and it just rings so hollow to me. For the average person, the world is NOT smaller than it has been. The average American will never leave the USA in their lifetime. WDW visitors are certainly better traveled than the average guy, but I'll bet that more than half of the folks in the park on any given day will never cross the ocean. ...and the internet is supposed to be a viable stand-in? HA! That's crazy.

If the World Showcase is a little stale to folks, it's because it hasn't been updated basically since it opened. That has nothing to do with people's ability to travel. Heck, I love to travel overseas, and I've been many times - but the WS is my favorite part of WDW...

But now this is a choice...not a restriction. What kind of options for international flights were even around in the 80's?

I just looked online, I tried to think of "middle of America" so I chose Lincoln Nebraska and decided to look at March 29th travel dates. You can fly from Lincoln to Paris for $573 per person and then fly back a week later for $641. $1214 per person round trip. Through AirBnB you can stay right in Paris for $52 dollars a night.

So not accounting for food or other entertainment, a couple can travel from Lincoln, Nebraska, stay in Paris for a week, and fly back for less than $3,000.

Listen, I was born in 1990, so I can only go by the data I can find online. I found an article that stated:

According to the Wall Street Journal, the average round trip domestic ticket in 1980 cost $592.55. Even with bag fees, water fees, oxygen fees and whatever other fee Spirit charges, the average cost in 2010 was $337.97. The moral of that story: you get what you pay for.

I'm not trying to convince you otherwise, I'm just trying to show why I have the position I do.

 

[FastPasser]

they would have to demolish millennium village...they certainly haven't gotten enough revenue out of a 19 year old temporary structure yet.

I'm not sure I'm interpreting this as you meant it, but are you thinking that the World Showplace, formerly the Millennium Village, is seldom used?

The flexible membrane covering of the complex should be removed because the interior space is really showing it's age due to constant use over the past 17 years. Hopefully it will be replaced by a larger permanent type structure.

 

[danikoski]

I'd love to see a rotating museum type exhibit set up in the UK pavilion of like great British icons...You could do Dr. Who for a year or two, then the Beatles, then something on Downtown Abbey or the Monarchy, or on Castles, or Stonehenge...There are just so many things that could be rotated through that would draw folks in.

 

[ElyseInWonderland]

I'm solidly in the camp that not every pavilion needs a ride. In fact, I like some of the ride-free pavilions best because they're less likely to be crowded and have more room for shops, restaurants, and places to just sit and enjoy the scenery.

I would love the UK pavilion to get a show/presentation in the same vein as "O Canada", which I find entertaining. It's educational without being a travel brochure. With so many Americans being Anglophiles, I think it would be popular (and probably less expensive to build than a ride.)