Norway College Program kids alerted to pavilion closing?

[clsteve]

I love WS but I also think it is very low on culture and high on gift shop and food and liquor sales. I think that if people are considering WS an educational experience, they need to get out of the country more and go and experience real culture.

Bottom line is, people just do not like change of any kind.

I think people like the fact that WDW offers distinct experiences for all ages - it's their main strength.

Nobody is debating that Disney should not capitalize on Frozen, they'd be silly not to. But, there already is a Park dedicated to the world of Fantasy, and make-believe kingdoms, and castles, and magic, and princesses.

Breaking that separation between experiences and morphing WDW into one big Magic Kingdom is not something many find attractive.

 

[Jennasis]

I love WS but I also think it is very low on culture and high on gift shop and food and liquor sales. I think that if people are considering WS an educational experience, they need to get out of the country more and go and experience real culture.

Bottom line is, people just do not like change of any kind.

Food IS a part of culture.

Bottom line for me is that some people think Disney can do no wrong.

 

[JoshuaShaw]

The poster was talking about Frozen the movie, not Disney World.

Check again:

I really don't think any of us are the target audience -

kids will be thrilled to have Frozen in Norway.

"Frozen" refers to the movie. "Norway" refers to the EPCOT location. Hence, the entire topic this thread is discussing.

 

[MaryKatesMom]

Now people are justifying Frozen going into World Showcase because it will appeal to kids. So? Does everything have to be about kids or more specifically mostly girls?

Not that that would really matter in our case. DS enjoyed Epcot at every age so it is possible for kids to have fun doing something that doesn't involve princesses.

There is a mindset by some WDW fans that every attraction should be geared toward every age because Walt wanted a family park. That is why TSMM is so hyped up over RNR. Everyone can get on it. However, I think this line of thinking has narrowed the target audience away from Teens. I did a split stay 7 nights WDW and 3 nights Uni/IoA at Portofino Bay.

I made a point to look around and see who was where WDW is packed with families with small children and Uni/Ioa has a higher percentage families with tweens/teenagers. Probably because by that age they have read the entire HP series at least once. Not to mention there are way more thrill rides and frankly I don't mind at all being the bag lady. If my family is having fun that is fine with me. I am still on vacation. I am still "with" them.

If it's not going to be avail at Norway, I saw Laila perfume/body collection at DTD last month. I think was at TrenD over by WoD.

Ask for a new bottle when you purchase. About 5 years ago I grabbed one off a table and when I got home it was rancid. Last month I picked up a bottle but specifically asked for a recently arrived shipment.

 

[Planogirl]

I think people like the fact that WDW offers distinct experiences for all ages - it's their main strength.

Nobody is debating that Disney should not capitalize on Frozen, they'd be silly not to. But, there already is a Park dedicated to the world of Fantasy, and make-believe kingdoms, and castles, and magic, and princesses.

Breaking that separation between experiences and morphing WDW into one big Magic Kingdom is not something many find attractive.

This is what so many here seem to ignore. The Disney parks have always been about theming. If they didn't bother with that then they would just run amusement parks much like many other companies do. When they start putting up attractions on the fly just because something is popular and they ignore whether something actually fits into the theme then they are playing around with that amusement park concept.

Frozen should have a new, huge attraction. In this case the attraction will be tiny, likely done on the cheap and will detract from an area's theming. Not good IMO.

 

[disneyjunkie]

Will this also be the end of School Bread?

I hope so. I was really looking forward to trying school bread. My son and I each took one bite and couldn't toss the rest into the trash fast enough.

 

[over50visits]

We will miss the original restaurant (what a delight of foods and staff), and the people working there. They are such wonderful folks, and the country is a gem. Maelstrom is a rich ride.

I'm sorry to see the World Showcase will include a fantasy country I'm a bit surprised at Disney doing this, as the walk through the nations has been iconic to EPCOT.

 

[clsteve]

This is what so many here seem to ignore. The Disney parks have always been about theming. If they didn't bother with that then they would just run amusement parks much like many other companies do. When they start putting up attractions on the fly just because something is popular and they ignore whether something actually fits into the theme then they are playing around with that amusement park concept.

Frozen should have a new, huge attraction. In this case the attraction will be tiny, likely done on the cheap and will detract from an area's theming. Not good IMO.

It just seems like another, almost knee-jerk, reaction without any strategic oversight.

I can't help but think that it's a way to artificially and tactically boost EPCOT attendance in the short term. MK doesn't need that boost and adding more Frozen there just increases the attendance disparity between it and the other WDW Parks. The tactical Frozen overlays at DHS this summer have worked, so I can just picture how it went in the Burbank Exec Offices:

"How can we boost EPCOT attendance Right Now....!?!?

"Frozen!! We need more Frozen.....!!"

"But, it doesn't really fit anywhere..."

"Bah! Norway has snow and ice and the Norwegians are way too nice and polite to do anything - put it there!" "Frozen!! We need more Frozen.....!!"​

 

[FlightlessDuck]

Don't the countries pay the bill for these refurbs in World Showcase? Or was that just the original construction?

 

[Planogirl]

Don't the countries fit the bill for these refurbs in World Showcase? Or was that just the original construction?

Supposedly none of them have any involvement now except Morocco. At least that's what I've been told.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

If they are actually removing the Norwegian citizens working there on visas, then I think it's pretty clear that it won't be Norway anymore. However the quote in the first post says they will be transferred to other positions while the refurbishment is going on. Apparently the restaurants will not be closing because they are being offered training for positions in Food/Beverage so it appears that the refurbishment applies to Maelstrom and the stores. It doesn't say that the Norwegians won't be coming back.

I do think there will be a Frozen overlay in Maelstrom, a meet and greet and a new shop that sells Frozen merchandise exclusively.

 

[jtowntoflorida]

Do you have any kind of vision of how they might incorporate the characters and still keep true to Norway? I'm trying to come up with some ideas but I can't see how they will add in Anna, Elsa, Olaf, Sven, or Kristoff and still keep the trolls, which is the main part of the ride, or the first part about how they have always been one with the sea so look first to the seafarer. If you have an idea of how they might be able to accomplish this, please put my mind at ease by telling me your ideas. I just love those trolls. My family has even named them.

One could argue that A&E's parents are now "one with the sea" so maybe they could recreate their trip across the ocean.

I'm just kidding. This is the part where I admit that I've never been on Maelstrom (on each of our trips, it was either closed for refurb, broken down, or the wait was too long and we missed our FP return window) so I have no dog in this fight.

This is also the part where I don my flame-proof suit and admit I don't really get the love for the WS. It's all fake and it's just a bunch of gift shops. That being said, I do have a love of history and nostalgia, and just because of that I think the WS should be limited to actual real-life places.


HOWEVER...has a total closing of Norway actually been confirmed? I know FP+s for the ride aren't available, but has anyone reported cancelled ADRs or the like that would actually give some support to the rumor that the whole pavilion is being closed so that it can be transformed into Arendelle?

 

[FidFam]

This is also the part where I don my flame-proof suit and admit I don't really get the love for the WS.

It's a place to walk and drink for a few hours and settle my mind after a day at WDW with the kids while they nap in the stroller - that's where my love of the WS comes in to play

 

[Angel Ariel]

This is also the part where I don my flame-proof suit and admit I don't really get the love for the WS. It's all fake and it's just a bunch of gift shops.

I don't think the numerous performances put on throughout the day all over WS are fake or gift shops. They are cultural performances put on by the people of that culture, and they are wonderful. DH and I still haven't seen them all. I particularly enjoyed all of the storytellers around WS at Christmas time, and wish we had had time to see them all when we were there n 2007.

 

[Bellanota]

to answer the question about ADRs being cancelled.. the answer is no. Mine is still there. No word yet that its been cancelled and I have seen other ADRs pop up while searching for better times over the past few weeks.

I really think this is alot of people getting spun up before anything has offically been put out by Disney. Is something coming? Most likely, but are they totally replacing Norway? Who knows... i doubt it but only Disney knows for sure. I see them just working A &E in the same way they working Aladdin in only maybe on a slightly larger scale. Time will tell and getting all sad or mad now isnt going to change anything.

 

[JoshuaShaw]

This is also the part where I don my flame-proof suit and admit I don't really get the love for the WS. It's all fake and it's just a bunch of gift shops.

Wait...that isn't the real Eiffel tower?

 

[Pfau]

my ADR for January is still there.

 

[JennaDeeDooDah]

my ADR for January is still there.

And it looks like they are still able to be made for February. I'm really hoping all of this is just rumor stuff and not actually happening.



Now, addressing World Showcase being nothing more than restaurants and gift shops... does no one think about the performers? I personally can't get through a WDW trip without seeing World Showcase Players (them yelling out "Free beer" and then commenting that will get everyone from Germany to come over cracks me up every time), Off Kilter, Serveur Amusant, and Sergio. And I loved The Ziti Sisters, as well. I also truly love talking with the international cast members at many of these pavilions. I have found Norway, as well as Germany and Morocco, to have some of the friendliest and most fun cast members. I really enjoy my time in World Showcase.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

It's all fake and it's just a bunch of gift shops.

The drinks and food are real...thank goodness

 

[Jennasis]

The drinks and food are real...thank goodness

And people.