Norway College Program kids alerted to pavilion closing?

[declansdad]

I am really not bothered by this. I wouldn't put Frozen's story up there with the Disney movie greats but I thought the music and art design were both fantastic, and the sentiment and characterization resonated with people.

Norway is a pavilion that, after thoroughly exploring it once, I never really bothered with again beyond a check-in at Maelstrom each park visit, which I tended to just ride because it was the only ride in World Showcase. The post-show film was more entertaining for spotting outdated things than it was for the content anymore.

I realize I am sitting in the unpopular opinion corner, but it just doesn't bother me if they put in movie tie-ins. This is Disney World, after all. I have been wishing for a long time that they'd put The Great Mouse Detective in the UK pavilion...

That can really be said about all the pavilions. I love walking around the World Showcase, it is a beautiful spot. But they are really nothing more than gift shops and they don't represent the true cultures of the countries, at least not the present day culture.

 

[lugnut33]

I know this is stupid, but my favorite spot in Maelstrom is at the end when you get out of the boat and there is that little town.

 

[declansdad]

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.

 

[declansdad]

I've come to terms that Disney is going to do whatever they want to do even if the majority of guests don't like it. I definitely don't agree with it as anybody who frequents these boards knows that the execs have not exactly been making the best decisions lately.I think as long as the pavilion is still called Norway or even switch to the broader Scandinavia name I'll tolerate it.Because the World Showcase is the World Showcase and there's no such place as Andarelle or whatever its called,yes I haven't seen the movie.If they put a Frozen overlay on Maelstrom,at least make up some tie in to Norway and have it make sense.

Disney conducts a massive amount of market research. This DisBoards are a very small minority in their customer base. Simply because most people in this thread are against the idea doesn't mean the majority of guests are against the change.

 

[Donaldfan81]

Disney should capitalize on frozen because of its popularity I agree but don't go and make a fictional land shoehorned into world showcase. Also as a side now a few pages back there was talk about penguins. Penguins do not live north of the equator at all so they wouldn't be near Norway ever. OK back on topic. If disney can be so fast to add more frozen stuff, how come it takes so long for everything else they do? NFL took way to long. The rumors about avatar land and star wars things make it seem like that will be forever from now.

 

[Angel Ariel]

Just because some may not like *this* change doesn't mean they "just don't like change."

I'm actually not entirely against a frozen overlay.if they.can.accomplish it and leave the pavilion intact as they did in mexico. Making the entire pavilion frozen, imo, takes away from what WS is about...that is my issue with it.

Yes, there is lots of alcohol and gift shops in WS, but there is.more than that in the people and performances.

 

[canyoncam]

I know this is stupid, but my favorite spot in Maelstrom is at the end when you get out of the boat and there is that little town.

I think that's the coolest thing too.

 

[morethananyonex]

I don't like Frozen mania in the middle of WS, and I don't like the what this may lead to for other countries as well.

But that aside, my biggest issue with this if it's true is they are replacing a fairly popular attraction at a park that is already in need of more headliners, with what will likely be an attraction that draws crowds like crazy. WHY WHY WHY would they not expand instead of replace, especially in Epcot? The same Epcot with the big empty building in Future World, and the oh so popular Captain EO (that can conveniently be reserved 60 days out!). It's not like the theme fits well in World Showcase, or it would be more out of place in Future World. Maelstrom isn't the most exciting attraction around, but to me it makes absolutely no sense to renovate an attraction, likely keeping capacity the same but increasing popularity, in a park with big time capacity issues rather than adding to the capacity there.

I don't remember what it feels like to be excited for new additions coming to WDW.

 

[Jennasis]

Would it be too much to hope that they refurb Maelstrom and ADD a Frozen attraction as well??

 

[Planogirl]

I'm surprised to see so many negative comments about World Showcase. Of course it doesn't really represent the countries in a realistic way but in a typical, cleaned-up, all is perfect Disney way. That doesn't mean that there aren't little touches of realism.

I am familiar with much about Norway and love talking to the CM's. I love the little traces of Norwegian food too, even the not always fresh lefse.

 

[pd1138]

I loved the Norway pavilion and the restaurant BEFORE it was changed to character dining. I also bought Dale of Norway sweaters in the gift shop. The prices weren't too much more than the internet and I loved the selection. I spoke with the CMs working there when i bought my sweaters (2 different trips) and they commented that mostly Europeans bought them since they were cheaper here than at home! I am bummed it will be closed for our trip coming up. My 2 cents, leave world showcase as it was before, a showcase of world cultures and food. But, I know many who say they do not take their kids to epcot because to them it's boring. Disney knows that which is why they have been adding character M&G at almost all the countries now. Granted they are trying to tie them into the counties ex Mary Poppins in England, etc, but world showcase has been evolving for some time. They probably added the character dining to Norway since at the time it was one of the least popular restaurants! Disney is responding to what the majority probably want. Similar to corporate America, I think Disney isn't looking at the long term, they are looking at what will bring in the dollars now.

 

[JoshuaShaw]

Would it be too much to hope that they refurb Maelstrom and ADD a Frozen attraction as well??

 

[ttintagel]

Disney knows that which is why they have been adding character M&G at almost all the countries now. Granted they are trying to tie them into the counties ex Mary Poppins in England, etc, but world showcase has been evolving for some time. They probably added the character dining to Norway since at the time it was one of the least popular restaurants! Disney is responding to what the majority probably want. Similar to corporate America, I think Disney isn't looking at the long term, they are looking at what will bring in the dollars now.

Yeah, I've got no objection to simply adding a Frozen M&G there, since it could be argued that royalty from another (albeit fictitious) Scandinavian country could conceivably be visiting Norway. Heck, the Donald Duck M&G in Mexico is explained away by him being there to visit his friend Panchito, with whom he has an established history. (Sure, it would be nice if Panchito was out there with him, but I can still rationalize it.) Heck, even making Akershus into an Anna and Elsa character meal wouldn't bother me, for the same reason (it would actually make more sense than all the "foreign" princesses that are there now).

But removing Norway stuff in favor of fictitious-cartoon-country stuff is going too far.

I agree with those who would like a Frozen attraction, but would like it to be a whole new addition, somewhere else in the parks.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

If they add a Frozen meet and greet, they need to refurbish the pavilion so it can handle the lines and not have people standing in China. It's thought that is part of the reason for the refurb, to install a place that can handle a meet and greet without having it overwhelm the entire pavilion AND neigboring ones.

 

[JoshuaShaw]

If they add a Frozen meet and greet, they need to refurbish the pavilion so it can handle the lines and not have people standing in China. It's thought that is part of the reason for the refurb, to install a place that can handle a meet and greet without having it overwhelm the entire pavilion AND neigboring ones.

Maybe that's where the Maelstrom refurb comes in. It won't be a Frozen attraction, it will become a queue for a meet & greet.

 

[stinkpickle]

I know this is stupid, but my favorite spot in Maelstrom is at the end when you get out of the boat and there is that little town.

Same here. The kids were mad that they couldn't open the little doors.

 

[Jennasis]

The little village is so dang adorable isn't it?

 

[mightyparagon]

Last I knew, they were going to take the Helly room and do it over as a Frozen meet and greet. That would condense the shop into the front room and the Laila room. I though they said the troll room would go, too.

No one has said anything about doing away with the shop altogether. But certainly they would need fewer people.

But: that construction was supposed to start in July, and nothing has been done yet. Just people walking around before opening and talking in groups. And that was a couple of months ago.

 

[Planogirl]

The real thing is nice too.

 

[Jennasis]

Purty! But I can't get there without flying...and flying and I don't do so well LOL!