Norway not happy with Disney wanting to replace Maelstrom with Frozen ride

[Planogirl]

It's the 2nd largest aquarium tank in the world.

Isn't that just the overall tank and not just the small portion allotted to the dolphins though?

 

[AndreaA]

It's the 2nd largest aquarium tank in the world.

Not true. At best, it is third:

http://newsfeed.time.com/2012/12/05/the-worlds-largest-aquarium-opens-in-singapore/

and even then, I doubt that Disney is calculating ONE tank's volume but instead all combined.

And even THEN, it's still the most boring aquarium I have ever seen. The viewing areas are tiny, the coral reef is concrete, the number of species is unimpressive and yes, the dolphin tank is just sad.

Do you think LWtS stands up to ANY of these even if Disney's water calculations are correct?

http://www.touropia.com/largest-aquariums-in-the-world/

 

[flicx]

This doesn't make sense - I just bought some designer perfume at Norway last weekend and the designer - Geir - was there signing the products sold. Pretty sure profits are going to his company with commission going to Disney. And his company is Norwegian and since he is Norwegian, he pays taxes in Norway - Norway and it's citizens are definitely benefiting from sales of Norwegian products in the stores. It is all connected.

Plus there is a tourism benefit to these pavilions. It encourages people to visit Norway.

Many Norwegian and Norwegian-ish companies sponsored the original pavilion in the 80s. You can still see the signs throughout - like SAS and Norwegian Cruise Line. I still think Norway and these companies are getting a free ride in terms of advertising and should put in more money though corporate sponsorships, Norway's tourism bureau, etc to update the pavilion since there is a benefit to Norway.

But that is up to them to decide. And seems like what they are deciding now - does the benefit of the pavilion out way the cost to update?

I agree with some previous comments that perhaps this model of relying on sponsorships just doesn't work that well?

Of course some Norwegian companies are gonna make a little
. That's a given, however Disney is making all the gate. How many million visitors was that last year. To be honest with you I think EPCOT and World Showcase are a shell of what they once were. I hold Disney itself responsible. They are still playing the milk everything we can out of the parks and add as little as possible route. Time to make Epcot a top shelf park again!!!

 

[jco_direwolf]

There is no reason for Norway to part with such a large sum of money to a theme park in a completely different country. Why should they want a stake in something that, most likely, sees small returns for them?

Large sum of money?

$9m is only about 0.07% (Less than 1/10 of 1%) of Disney Parks revenue for LAST YEAR. To put this in personal terms IF you earn $100k per year (picked only to make the numbers simple), it's about $70 to you. To me $9m is a lot of money, to a country who's GDP is $515B, or a company that made $14.1B from theme parks and resorts alone not so much.

As far as small returns. Just looked it up on the official Norway Tourism site. They claim tourism brought 33.3B KNO ($5.3B US) into the country in 2012 (last year they have numbers up for.)

Really I'm having a hard time seeing where $9m is "such a large sum of money". Seems to me $9m is a deal, for a small bump in numbers for 2013/14

 

[Reddog1134]

Has anyone mentioned this idea yet?

Convert Blizzard Beach to Frozen with Olaf as the park mascot.

 

[DisneyKidds]

Walt's concept was to expose people to various cultures so that more understanding and harmony could grow between the Earth's people.......However, can we keep to the original goal of the WS?

The Epcot we have is NOTHING like the E.P.C.O.T that Walt envisioned and wanted. Not saying that is good or bad.....just saying that ruining WS and the Norway pavilion with a Frozen ride wouldn't be the thing that took away Walt's vision.

 

[JoshuaShaw]

Large sum of money?

$9m is only about 0.07% (Less than 1/10 of 1%) of Disney Parks revenue for LAST YEAR. To put this in personal terms IF you earn $100k per year (picked only to make the numbers simple), it's about $70 to you. To me $9m is a lot of money, to a country who's GDP is $515B, or a company that made $14.1B from theme parks and resorts alone not so much.

As far as small returns. Just looked it up on the official Norway Tourism site. They claim tourism brought 33.3B KNO ($5.3B US) into the country in 2012 (last year they have numbers up for.)

Really I'm having a hard time seeing where $9m is "such a large sum of money". Seems to me $9m is a deal, for a small bump in numbers for 2013/14

Context.

You're right. $9 million dollars is a drop in the bucket when compared to Norway's coffers. Hence, why I contrasted it with what they get in return from visitors to the Norway pavilion. While I readily admit I don't have the numbers to support the argument in one direction or another, I would be very surprised to learn that the Norway pavilion in EPCOT is directly, or indirectly, responsible for much of the tourism that happens in Norway. If you have data that directly correlates EPCOT visitors with Norway tourism, by all means, I'd love to see it. As it stands, $9 million is large amount of money for a country to give to another country's theme park with no transparent return.

That said, I hope Norway complies. I'd love to see the pavilion get some love. As for the Frozen remix...

 

[OnSpaceshipEarth]

I agree. Cheap and lazy - a bit of a ongoing theme recently.

It doesn't fit in the world showcase and if they want a Frozen attraction it more appropriately belongs in DHS which could really use it or else MK.

Not only that, but Frozen is the biggest animated film of all-time...surely that warrants an all-new state-of-the-art attraction?!?!

 

[bellazachmom]

Has anyone mentioned this idea yet?

Convert Blizzard Beach to Frozen with Olaf as the park mascot.

THIS!!

What a GREAT idea!!!

(and it explains how/why the "sudden snow storm" suddenly struck Florida!)

 

[jco_direwolf]

The Epcot we have is NOTHING like the E.P.C.O.T that Walt envisioned and wanted. Not saying that is good or bad.....just saying that ruining WS and the Norway pavilion with a Frozen ride wouldn't be the thing that took away Walt's vision.

Experimental - they do experiment with EPCOT
Prototype - umm not much prototyping if you ask me
City/Community = not a City, might be a community if you include those of that love EPCOT online.
Of = ...
Tomorrow = not really much tomorrow in there either any more. Use to have WorldKey booths, but now I have a smart phone.

Yes, not to mention the park (EPCOT Center) was NEVER Walt's idea. EPCOT was the Florida project, it was a designed, planned and managed community.

 

[lacy1101]

This doesn't make sense - I just bought some designer perfume at Norway last weekend and the designer - Geir - was there signing the products sold.

Is that the stuff that smells sooooooo good when you exit the ride into the gift shop? I almost sprung for some of that on our last trip, but changed my mind when I found out the cost. Would love to have some though . . .

 

[clsteve]

I don't think that most would mind a bit of Disney-fying however the rumor is that Norway would in essence vanish and become a fake land of princesses and that has some people upset. The Frozen characters being around in some way isn't so bad but them taking over is or at least I think so.

Yep, that's really the issue isn't it? Disney shifting the overall focus of WS. On one hand, it seems like nothing but a money grab from Disney. From their perspective, why not see if you can get 9 mil from one of the richest per capita countries in the world?

If I was Norway, I'd call their bluff. It's not like tourism in Norway is going to crater if the Pavilion becomes "Frozen". Besides, a strategic shift like that throws a monkey wrench into many of Disney's big EPCOT money makers: like F&W. I mean, what food do you sell from a fictitious country? which fictitious vineyards do you highlight? Which fictitious Celebrity Chefs do you bring over for those add-on, pricey break-outs?

Norway's full of smart people - They should just tell Disney to take Norway off of it if they "Freeze" the Pavilion. Then what's Disney going to do with one fictitious Country among all of the "real" Countries - turn the UK Pavilion into "Sword in the Stone" Pavilion...??? - Morocco into "Aladdin Pavilion"......???

 

[Manders77]

I have no issues with Frozen in Epcot/ Norway. If they did convert it, and it was open by the time we visit next which is October 2015, I'll have to add Epcot as one of our park days. If nothing new is there we are skipping Epcot altogether. My DD loves frozen. We barely spend half day at Epcot. Last visit we did Nemo, turtle talk, looked at the aquarium rode Mexico boat ride 5 times and Maelstrom once. I asked DD what she wanted to do and she wanted the boat ride in Mexico again and again. We also ate at Akershus. That's it, kids weren't tall enough for Soarin. I know I'm in the minority on that issue. Epcot just doesn't entertain my kids so we go half day or skip it.

 

[Aurora0427]

Totally agree with the poster who suggested replacing Belle & crew with Anna, Elsa, and Kristoff at Akershus. You could keep several of the other princesses on as well, as "guests" of Anna & Elsa so there's enough characters to go around. But the Frozen characters have more ties to Norway than any of the other princesses that are already there. Cha Ching.

 

[swebb0310]

Food for thought- who's to say they will take away what makes it Norway? To be honest, there hasn't been an attraction or location that the imagineers have touched in the last 10 years that I haven't liked what they have done. I mean, Rapunzel's bathroom is amazing... And it's just a bathroom!
I figure there is no sense in getting upset until it's done. I would feel pretty silly if I got angry at something like this, and then realized that they did a great job of incorporating the movie into Norways pavilion. (Note: not calling anyone silly.... Just sharing how I would feel.) I want to wait and see when details start being released.

 

[speedo]

Time to make Epcot a top shelf park again!!!

I agree 100%!

Is that the stuff that smells sooooooo good when you exit the ride into the gift shop? I almost sprung for some of that on our last trip, but changed my mind when I found out the cost. Would love to have some though . . .

Yes it is really nice and yes it is a splurge, but it was fun meeting Geir - wish I could have taken him home with the perfume. He is definitely easy on the eyes

 

[surferdave]

Not only that, but Frozen is the biggest animated film of all-time...surely that warrants an all-new state-of-the-art attraction?!?!

Hey, careful.....the party line around here is still that it's a fad that will soon blow over. In fact, the Disney Hipster Too Cool for School position these days is to hate the movie.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I might get in trouble for this a little bit but I don't hold back.

world showcase is all about showing the world. getting rid of a ride that shows Norway and its past and present for a frozen ride would be a step in the WRONG direction. Don't get me wrong a frozen ride would be a great investment for disney but epcot is not a place for it. maybe in hollywood studios where they need something new and the new frozen summer fun will not last past summer and after that all hollywood will be is a park with rides and disney is much more then that

Personally, I think that ship sailed when they turned Akershus into a Princess meal. As I recollect, forgive me as it may be a false memory, but I don't think the Norwegian cast members were happy with that change either.

Not sure what will happen--but it does seem precedence has been set for Norway to be something other than a representation of the Country of Norway. And we still miss the Viking ship. :-/

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

With all due respect, what's different about it?

Norway has seen an increase in tourism and benefited from Frozen.
Forks, WA has seen an increase in tourism and benefited from Twilight.

Is Forks, WA approaching Twilight and demanding to have a say in the script? Only then would it be comparable. Producers have a say when they pony up the cash to get the film produced.

If Norway wants a say--the fact that the Pavillion is named Norway isn't enough to permit them that say.

 

[Aurora0427]

Personally, I think that ship sailed when they turned Akershus into a Princess meal. As I recollect, forgive me as it may be a false memory, but I don't think the Norwegian cast members were happy with that change either. Not sure what will happen--but it does seem precedence has been set for Norway to be something other than a representation of the Country of Norway. And we still miss the Viking ship. :-/

I can't imagine there would be that big of a demand for dining in Norway without princesses. I'm a decently adventurous eater, but even I probably wouldn't eat at Akershus more than once without princesses. Many people probably wouldn't even try it without Belle & the girls. So if the Norwegian cast members were unhappy about the princess dining being added back in the day, they were goofy.