Rumor: EPCOT New Countries Coming!

[Another Voice]

Or an island country (Aruba, Jamacia, ohhh I wanna take ya down to Kokomo)

A Caribbean pavilion was suggested at one point - it became the motel instead.

The Equatorial Africa pavilion was going to be funded by Disney - not only had the land been cleared, but both shows had been completed (including an introductory film with Alex Haley). It was one of the first things Eisner cancelled when he took over the company. He didn't want Disney to "waste" any more at EPCOT Center.

It's rumored that Isreal was dis-invited when the Moroccan Ministry of Tourism showed up with a check in hand. Another Eisner move.

There are only a few international companies that have shown interest in World Showcase. Fuji Film would have loved to have sponsored the 'Mt. Fuji' expansion at Japan - but Kodak was none to pleased to loose their special relationship with Disney. Nestle had been offered a Swiss pavilion (complete with Matterhorn), but that offer was dropped when Kraft bailed out of 'The Land'.

 

[blancosofhollywood]

I think the addition would be fantastic... and something new for all us Disney Freaks!!

 

[raidermatt]

Isn't that a Saudi Prince?

Yes, Prince Al-Waleed. He has a significant stake in EuroDisney, and The Four Seasons. Quite a coincidence that The Four Seasons was able to strike a deal to buy and lease land within WDW so it could build its resort.


As for World Showcase, as Mr. Horsecollar pointed out, Disney hasn't added a country in nearly 20 years, so its pretty clear they are holding out for external investment that hasn't been materializing. Unless Disney is actually changing its policy and is investing in WS themselves (which I would support), then the money needs to come from a government or sponsor.

So, while I'd like to see pretty much ANY new country added, I'm not going to hold my breath.

If I had my choice though, I go with:

Russia
India
Greece
Brazil, Argentina or Peru
Egypt
Spain or Portugal
Australia
New Zealand

 

[Another Voice]

Unless Disney is actually changing its policy and is investing in WS themselves...

Which gets really sad when you realize that Disney spent more to make and market Underdog than it would have cost to design, build and operate a World Showcase pavailion or two.

 

[EUROPACL]

The only Epcot country with a heavy-duty financial participation by another country's government is Morocco. I think Norway had a Norway-sponsored national tourist desk for a time. Otherwise, the sponsorships have been limited to some corporate participation, such a beer brands served at restaurants, some outsourced restaurants, and the Mitsukoshi department store company in Japan. Originally, Coca Cola and American Express sponsored the American Adventure.

On the other hand, the Disney Company undoubtedly wishes that national governments and foreign companies would eagerly invest in new and existing World Showcase pavilions. But that hasn't been happening, so World Showcase has not seen any new countries since Norway in 1988 -- almost 20 years ago.


There's a big difference between capturing the culture (architecture, art, food, and music) of place and celebrating its government. Epcot can do the former without doing the latter.

For example, when Epcot opened in 1982, the real Germany consisted of two countries -- communist East Germany (which shot its own people if they tried to escape) and thriving West Germany. Disney wisely did make such a distinction. It was simply Germany at Epcot. Eventually, the two German governments reunified, and the disgusting policies of East Germany ended.

I wasn't really sure if it was country or company based...if it were Country (goverment) based you could see the problem with some of the countires in Africa. That is all that I was really getting at.

 

[Another Voice]

Actually, most "countries" in EPCOT never had a sponsor. If my off-the-cuff memory serves me right, the exceptions were 'The American Adventure' which was jointly sponsored by American Express and Coca-Cola and China which was run by a "unique" private company created for the pavilion. Most of the rest of the pavilions' "sponsors" were the companies that leased the main restaurant space - Mexico, France, Japan (they also had the retail). There were a few individual shops here and there (like the Twinings' Tea in England I think), but that was about it. Other deals amounted to little more than "give up a check and we'll put up your sign".

The whole concept that "we can't build it enless someone else pays for it" was a decree from Eisner. He hated EPCOT Center, thought it was a waste of money, and refused further capital investment. The only way around it was to get full on corporate sponsorships - United Technologies for 'The Living Seas', MetLife for 'The Wonders of Life', the Ministry of Tourism for 'Morrocco'.

The sponsorship plan makes sense for a $100-$200 million dollar Future World pavilion but, face it, a place in World Showcase is like a shopping mall. It's some decorations around shops and restaurants - and with the mark-up Disney puts on food and merchandise, they can afford gold plated plumbing fixtures in the bathrooms if they wanted. If properly run, a pavilion generates mountains of cash from the first days it's open.

But it's a matter of priorities. It's much better to have Wilder Hogs - The Second Road Trip earn $20 million in one weekend than it is to have an India Pavilion earn $300 million over twenty years. The money thrown away on Disney Mobile and SoapNet has to come from somewhere. It comes from you - the WDW guest.

 

[mjy]

I wasn't really sure if it was country or company based...if it were Country (goverment) based you could see the problem with some of the countires in Africa. That is all that I was really getting at.

TOTALLY off topic, I realize, however I have to tell you that you really got me with that "bug" avatar of yours.

I thought I had a bug crawling on my monitor!

 

[EUROPACL]

Actually, most "countries" in EPCOT never had a sponsor. If my off-the-cuff memory serves me right, the exceptions were 'The American Adventure' which was jointly sponsored by American Express and Coca-Cola and China which was run by a "unique" private company created for the pavilion. Most of the rest of the pavilions' "sponsors" were the companies that leased the main restaurant space - Mexico, France, Japan (they also had the retail). There were a few individual shops here and there (like the Twinings' Tea in England I think), but that was about it. Other deals amounted to little more than "give up a check and we'll put up your sign".

The whole concept that "we can't build it enless someone else pays for it" was a decree from Eisner.

Yeah I blame Eisner for puting that in my head. You see so many product placements these days I question where I'm at some times. Its like the first Ghostbusters movie all over again.


...btw the bug got me the first time I saw it too and my last avatar of Dave Chappelle got me in trouble so....

 

[bookgirl2632]

Being half Spanish, I would love to see Spain in the WS. I've been saying this for years. To eat paella, chorizo, and empanada in WDW would be heaven!

As for the other countries mentioned, many of them are great ideas. But I don't think that we'll ever see Australia, India, or any African nations in WS. Why? Because of Animal Kingdom. India and Africa are already well-represented in AK and I suspect Australia will become more prominent there as well. I just don't see them being featured at WS.

But I'd love to see Spain there, as well as Russia and Greece.

 

[FortWildernessLoopy]

Off Topic - Another Voice, FYI, Its now just Epcot center instead of EPCOT. Something to do with losing a battle in court over the name/acronym. Technically speaking, it no longer stands for anything. Stupid huh?

 

[ChrisFL]

Off Topic - Another Voice, FYI, Its now just Epcot center instead of EPCOT. Something to do with losing a battle in court over the name/acronym. Technically speaking, it no longer stands for anything. Stupid huh?

no, it's Epcot, instead of EPCOT Center

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Off Topic - Another Voice, FYI, Its now just Epcot center instead of EPCOT. Something to do with losing a battle in court over the name/acronym. Technically speaking, it no longer stands for anything. Stupid huh?

FortWildernessLoopy,

Actually, it's now branded as Epcot (not "Epcot center"), but when it opened, it was EPCOT Center (not just "EPCOT").

Please present evidence that the branding change had "something to do with losing a battle in court over the name/acronym." It's true that US trademark law favors unique nonsense words over acronyms, but Disney was never involved in "a battle in court" over the name EPCOT Center.

When Another Voice wrote, "He [Eisner] hated EPCOT Center, thought it was a waste of money, and refused further capital investment," it was a perfectly correct use of the term "EPCOT Center." That was the name of the park when Eisner came to Disney, and it continued to be the name for many years. I'm not vouching for the accuracy of Another Voice's statement (although Eisner's actions lend credibility to the statement), just for the correctness of his use of "EPCOT Center."

For the 25th anniversary of the park, Epcot is selling "EPCOT Center" merchandise in the shops.

 

[Another Voice]

There's a limit to how much I am willing to dumb down my Disney experience. The company may think its guests so stupid that they required a giant hand and wand to tell them which park they were in, but I can handle that nicely. And while Disney chooses to destroy every bit of what made Walt Disney World a unique destination, I choose to remember a time when the company had pride, aspirations and ideals.

EPCOT Center was a grand idea about what WDW could become. It’s also how I choose to view WDW. I choose to see monumental attractions, innovation and a respect for guests -- a place that caters to a wide variety of interests, tastes and desires.

The lower case represents to me nothing but lowered expectations, cheapness of effort, and a basic disrespect for the traditions of the company and for the company’s guests. The lower case is a princess in every restaurant and a fifty foot Woody outside every cheap motel. That’s not a place I want to go to.

 

[barbeml]

To eat paella, chorizo, and empanada in WDW would be heaven!

And maybe a Tapas Bar!

 

[flyinglizard]

Yes, I remember seeing a TV special about it with James Earl Jones presenting it. I've heard rumors that the reason it wasn't built was due to the political problems facing parts of Africa at the time

I think the special that you remember was the opening of EPCOT Center, featuring Danny Kaye. The host describing the Equatorial Africa Pavilion was Alex Haley, author of "Roots". Political problems aside, there was no entity to sponsor (=giving money to Disney) the pavilion.

 

[hopey1kenobi]

I can see why they would want to add Spanish speaking countries as Hispanic/Latinos are now the largest minority in the US. I think Spain would be a wonderful addition to WS as it has a rich cultural history and Spanish food is at the forefront(sp) of cuisine at the moment.

Other additions I would like to see:
Greece
Israel(know that one is not going to happen)
Australia
Russia
India
Peru
Thailand
Czech Republic
Turkey


I would love to see more African counties, but as the counties them self help fund the pavillion I doubt that would happen.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

I can see why they would want to add Spanish speaking countries as Hispanic/Latinos are now the largest minority in the US. I think Spain would be a wonderful addition to WS as it has a rich cultural history and Spanish food is at the forefront(sp) of cuisine at the moment.

Please keep in mind that the OP's post about Spain and Argentina going into the space that is now the Output is just something that somebody heard.

I would love to have a Spanish restaurant (paella, anyone?) and an Argentine restaurant (steak and Malbec, anyone?) as part of pavilions representing those countries. But I'm not going to hold by breath for an official announcement.

Other additions I would like to see:
Greece
Israel(know that one is not going to happen)
Australia
Russia
India
Peru
Thailand
Czech Republic
Turkey

Yep. Those could all be very good additions to Epcot. I would also add Brazil and Egypt to the list. However, if World Showcase adds any new country, it will probably have more to do with corporate sponsorship than with what country would make a great addition.

I would love to see more African counties, but as the counties them self help fund the pavillion I doubt that would happen.

As explained earlier in this thread, the World Showcase pavilions are not funded by the governments of the countries (Morocco is a notable exception).

 

[MJMcBride]

I don't see a real need for a Spain myself considering its European. Argentina would be interesting. I would personally love to see an India and/or Egypt with its rich history. Greece, although European also, would be fun. Brazil would be great.

The long dead rumors of Costa Rica and Malayasia could be revived I suppose

 

[swilphil]

Argentina is a good fit, but I don't see the need for Spain. I'd rather see India, Greece, Australia or Russia. There's enough European influence already.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Argentina is a good fit, but I don't see the need for Spain. I'd rather see India, Greece, Australia or Russia. There's enough European influence already.

"There's enough European influence already," so you want to see Greece, Australia or Russia added instead??

Greece is geographically in Europe and Greece has a European culture. In fact, the culture of ancient Greece significantly influenced the culture of all of Europe.

Australia is, of course geographically about as far from Europe as you can get, but Australia's main culture is a result of the British colonial expansion.

Although the Russian Federation extends across Asia, the vast majority of population of Russia is geographically in Europe (west of the Ural Mountains). St. Petersburg and Moscow (the capital) are in Europe. And, overall, Russia has a European culture.

I'd be happy to see Spain added to World Showcase.. Actually, I'd be happy to see any additional country added, including any of the countries listed in this thread.