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

[mousehockey37]

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.

Disney blew their chance with Tangled. The bathrooms are nice, but if planned correctly, we could've had the Snuggly Duckling restaurant!!!! That would've fit in perfectly, but... oh well... it's a potty stop instead.

 

[mousehockey37]

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.

A fad you say?

One can only hear Let It Go so many times... I can't stand to even hear it once...

I can just forsee, as probably you can, that at some point, the Disneystore Outlets are going to be inundated with Frozen merchandise, all marked down to drastically reduced prices... why? It just wasn't "cool" anymore...

The lines to meet A&E will be on par with the other princesses, the skating rink will disappear, and they'll have their little corner of a park that they call home.

 

[dbramer]

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.

This!

Before the princesses arrived, I didn't even consider eating at Akershus. The bakery is another story, altogether, though.

 

[Aurora0427]

This! Before the princesses arrived, I didn't even consider eating at Akershus. The bakery is another story, altogether, though.

OMG, that bakery is to DIE for!

 

[Aurora0427]

Disney blew their chance with Tangled. The bathrooms are nice, but if planned correctly, we could've had the Snuggly Duckling restaurant!!!! That would've fit in perfectly, but... oh well... it's a potty stop instead.

Where in the world are the Rapunzel bathrooms???? I totally missed this! All 5 trips since Tangled was released!

 

[swebb0310]

Where in the world are the Rapunzel bathrooms???? I totally missed this! All 5 trips since Tangled was released!

In Fantasyland, by the entrance to liberty square on the side near haunted mansion. You can see the tower, and at the base is the most beautiful bathrooms I've ever seen!

 

[ArwenMarie]

Last August, I was talking to a Norwegian guy working in the gift shop at the register as my kids were buying stuff. I asked him if he liked it here.

All he told me was how much he hated Orlando, that it was too hot, it's a miserable place to live, he missed winter and skiing and how he couldn't wait to go home and was counting the days.

Eh, I say Frozen it up.

 

[pixiepurls]

http://www.dailyfinance.com/2014/07/24/frozen-norway-disney-epcot/

Whats really weird is norway has been my favorite for YEARS. I go every year and we ride it a few times. My husband even asked me 2 nights ago "why do you like that ride, its boring" I was like WHAT! I had no idea he didn't care for it. I always go see the giant troll in the shop and catch a quick glimpse of the DALE OF NORWAY clothing I can not afford (I am a knitter so I adore it) and norway is a must stop in Epcot for me personally well before A&E. I loved the little A&E Shop addition we saw in December and picked up an Anna dress.

 

[Planogirl]

We ate at Akershus often before the change and it never seemed to lack customers. Does anyone actually know any figures about how the restaurant did or are these just assumptions?

 

[yankeepenny]

Has anyone mentioned this idea yet?

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

you know somebody in a WDW suit reads thru here.

If they do this I will HATE YOU.

You and those *&^$$*(($#%&*( blue toys, and treats, and the rest of the &($$@#% merchandise.

 

[Aurora0427]

In Fantasyland, by the entrance to liberty square on the side near haunted mansion. You can see the tower, and at the base is the most beautiful bathrooms I've ever seen!

I am totally checking these out next time. Can't believe I've missed the Rapunzel bathrooms. LOL

 

[PlainJane]

Last August, I was talking to a Norwegian guy working in the gift shop at the register as my kids were buying stuff. I asked him if he liked it here.

All he told me was how much he hated Orlando, that it was too hot, it's a miserable place to live, he missed winter and skiing and how he couldn't wait to go home and was counting the days.

Eh, I say Frozen it up.

I grew up in a city that is a tourist attraction. I recently moved to the city, in a different state, that my husband grew up in. It's not nowheresville by any stretch of the imagination, but there is less to do here, and I prefer back home.

People ask me frequently why I moved here, moving from where I'm from to here does not compute with the locals (people will almost have bewildered looks). I try to always be kind. I'll say that I miss the beach, and the winter is colder than I would like, but that the area has a lot of outdoor attractions to be enjoyed once summer and fall arrive.

That CM sounds like a rather negative fellow to me.

That said, the CM's I've encountered in Norway (that I can recall) have always been very nice and the only complaint I've heard is that the food at Arkenhus' breakfast isn't authentic.

I would prefer Disney to keep the pavilion authentic to Norway, though I would be OK with the sisters taking guests on a tour of the country, as opposed to the make believe one (as has been mentioned earlier in the thread). It would be wonderful if they would update the movie (the ride is fine to me), and for that matter all of the WS movies. I don't think redoing the movies once every 30 years would hurt the bottom line too much.

 

[si-am]

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.

Akershus was my favorite restaurant before the princesses, and I'm not what you'd call an adventurous eater, really. I won't eat there now, though. Too many changes, and I don't have kids so no need to meet characters.

Back when it was a buffet, though, it was so good.

And I can totally understand cast members being unhappy that their country was singled out to be princess-fied. I'd hate that, too, if I went overseas to represent the USA, only to find that the pavilion had been changed to diminish our culture and history. Not goofy at all.

 

[BigAlsGal]

Why all the dissing on the grand first tour? Lol. That song stays stuck in my head the rest of the day. I love it.

 

[Suzie13]

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.

yes they should get rid of one of the shows they've been running forever *cough* beauty and the beast *cough* and put that on instead. The songs are good enough to merit their own show in Disney's MGM(HS)

 

[sonofanarchy]

Why all the dissing on the grand first tour? Lol. That song stays stuck in my head the rest of the day. I love it.

Grand Fiesta Tour?

Before, it was an accurate, if dated, representation of Mexico. Now it's just a silly Donald Duck cartoon.

 

[BigAlsGal]

Grand Fiesta Tour?

Before, it was an accurate, if dated, representation of Mexico. Now it's just a silly Donald Duck cartoon.

Sorry I typed fiesta. Stupid phone. I still like it. It might not be a history lesson but it's a must do for me.

 

[over50visits]

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.

I disagree absolutely. For so many years, no visit to WDW was complete with a meal at Akershus. Authentic food, in a beautiful reproduction of a Norwegian castle, and CMs who ere a delight to talk to. The food was far from the Americanized food at many of the other countries at EPCOT. Now that little bit of authentic international setting/cuisine is lost. We loved the setting and menu so much, we went to the Princess meal there once without kids and were so disappointed that the food was no longer unique and the CMs there were, well, trained to move us in and out after eating our "steak and potatoes" and meeting the princesses.

Now they want to take a ride that presents a lot of pride in the country of Norway and change it to a cartoon adventure.

We will miss Norway.

 

[Suzie13]

Gotta say that I agree with this. Epcot is AT MOST a half-day park for us. Often, we skip it altogether. I honestly don't understand those who rate it as their favorite park.

The FutureWorld section is just plain sad. Somehow I managed to miss that it's all funded by various companies (which explains the dearth of attractions) but seriously, if more companies didn't chip in, the Disney should have stepped up to the plate to fill the gap. Both Futureworld pavilions are far less impressive than our local Boston's Museum of Science or even the Boston Children's Museum! The aquarium is ridiculously small and I feel badly for the poor dolphins in that small and totally boring tank. Living With the Land is basically the only exhibit that remains interesting and relevant.

Having done the WS a couple of times, I have to say it's a total snore and I absolutely LOVE everything about Chinese and Japanese culture, but I certainly didn't learn anything in those pavilions other than the fact that HelloKitty really is a force of nature in Japan. The only interesting parts are the occasional performers here and there.

All that to say that if Disney wants to rejuvenate the place by "Disney-fying" it a bit, then more power to them.

So if you don't understand something, then it must not be right?? I don't get all the fuss over animal kingdom or this frozen thing. I don't remember Disney lavishing millions on the lion king right after it came out. What is there, two attractions for it and they're both shows. Correct me if I am wrong but no rides so really what you find sad others find fun. I find animal kingdom boring while others can spend days and days in it. I am not wrong and they aren't wrong however at least animal kingdom keeps some sort of theme. I don't believe the solution to epcot is to make it magic kingdom 2. Some of us want Disney to do more with it and still keep the theme of the park and to actually keep what they're doing with it steady. I mean they advertise it as more adult then they do something like this??? Okay. Believe me I think they should update the park and put more future stuff in it, with more up to the date tec. I for one always found that interesting but then again I was a geek as a kid and still am. I really want epcot to keep with it's theme and make up it's mind on what direction it wants to take with itself. A more adult/educational park or a fantasy land?? Frozen is out of place in epcot.

Frozen belongs in MGM or magic kindom. Hopefully MGM because that park is going downhill.

 

[Aurora0427]

Akershus was my favorite restaurant before the princesses, and I'm not what you'd call an adventurous eater, really. I won't eat there now, though. Too many changes, and I don't have kids so no need to meet characters. Back when it was a buffet, though, it was so good. And I can totally understand cast members being unhappy that their country was singled out to be princess-fied. I'd hate that, too, if I went overseas to represent the USA, only to find that the pavilion had been changed to diminish our culture and history. Not goofy at all.

I disagree, but I don't think there's a way to prove either opinion wrong without changing the restaurant back and seeing what happens. I'm not saying it wasn't a wonderful restaurant beforehand, I'm just not sure it would fill the way it does now without princesses. With all due respect, I don't believe adding princesses to Akershus diminishes Norwegian culture & history. I think that's being a little over sensitive. Interesting comment made by a PP regarding the Norwegian CM hating Orlando, WDW, etc etc. We were there in February and none of the CM's seemed particularly enthralled. Maybe they were sick of the Anna & Elsa insanity. Either way, I love Norway and hope they can work it all out without become Frozenfied completely.