World Showcase?

[k5thbeatle]

Two questions:

Even if they wanted to does WS have space for more countries?

Has Disney ever made an official statement regarding whether adding more countries to WS would ever be considered?

 

[Robo]

Even if they wanted to does WS have space for more countries?

Yes.

Has Disney ever made an official statement regarding whether adding more countries to WS would ever be considered?

Certainly no "official statement" about "never" adding another "country."

A few statements about "possibilities" of adding more... (and even a few additonal attractions at the exhisting ones) but
no "official announcement" or timetable about "actually building" a specific other "country."

 

[princess aurora]

I'm not sure they could space wise or would want to add more and I'm sure the current countries would not give up their current location. It's already such a huge amount to walk, adding more countries would only intensify that.
I'm sure they have ideas though of how to update/improved the WS area in the future. Those crafty immaginears are always thinking up something. Now that Everest is complete I wonder what the next big thing is? Well since it takes years to come to fuision I'm sure whatever it is is already in the works. Maybe it's for EPCOT though they have gotten test track and mission space in the last several years.

 

[Robo]

Maybe it's for EPCOT though they have gotten test track and mission space in the last several years.

And I read something about some HANG-GLIDING thing they might have, too.




As far as more walking in WS, the space for additional countries would still be around the WS lagoon as they are now.

But if you mean more walking while VISITING any new WS attractions, well sure.

 

[princess aurora]

oh yes silly me that hang-gliding thingy!
I would love more countries but I find it hard enough to get around the world now (with kids).

 

[sarahlovesmickey]

I would love it if they added one or two more countries...not sure which ones, but it would be nice!!

 

[Equidae]

Well, they could get rid of the African Outpost and put another country in, since the outpost isn't really a pavilion like the others. There is some space between the pavilions as they are, but it would be tight to get another one in. Viewed from the back, the pavilions are pretty packed together and what is left is used by other back-stage buildings (breakrooms, parking lots, etc). They did have the Millenium Village several years ago with more countries (Brazil, Israel, etc) and that was pretty cool. I would love them to bring that back (as it is, that building is a huge convention and private function place).

 

[twoprincesses]

i think russia would be a nice country to add... the architecture is different from any other. Oh and greece too... a replica of the parthenon (sp?) would look great.

 

[Robo]

Viewed from the back, the pavilions are pretty packed together and what is left is used by other back-stage buildings (breakrooms, parking lots, etc).

Yes and that's exactly where they built the "Soarin' " theaters structure.

Don't think that Epcot WS is by any means "Full" or packed.

If you look at satellite images, you see lots of areas that are filled with just TREES around the WS lagoon.

Here's a link to a VERY LARGE jpeg showing this.

http://www.disneypix.com/Multimedia/Satellite/EPCOT_Full.jpg

It takes a while to download (or you can Google for other smaller images).

 

[Equidae]

Thanks for the photo. It took me a while to get oriented from that angle. I've been behind World Showcase many times, in many of the backstage buildings, and it just didn't strike me that there was a ton of room for more pavilions. Maybe if they broke the semi-circle path around the water, but I don't know how aesthetic that would be. A lot of those trees are landscaping trees so that one country isn't very noticeable from another. From my view, it looks like there COULD be room at the African Outpost, maybe something small between Japan and Morocco and where the Millenium Village building is (that thing is huge!). Anywhere else would just be to tight I would think and ruin the illusion between countries. That's just my opinion though, nothing official, so take it as it is worth. As it is, I don't think they have any plans to add. It would be cool to see some other countries represented (Australia, Greece, Egypt, Brazil, etc).

 

[Robo]

From my view, it looks like there COULD be room at the African Outpost...

You may not have seen THIS (its very interesting):

http://www.laughingplace.com/News-ID115070.asp

Epcot's WS has really never been "fully" realized.

There was a lot of talk about (the aforementioned) Russia pavilion.

And even a "Mount Fuji" ride (ala the Matterhorn) added to Japan.
Maybe that might reduce the need for so MANY of those Japanese DRUM "concerts" [da-BOOM, da-BOOM, da-BOOM, da-BOOM, da-BOOM, da-BOOM, da-BOOM, da-BOOM, da-BOOM, da-BOOM... heard across the whole WS park]


But these ideas have not become more than discussions, AFAIK.

As to how to "fit" more into the "semi-circle"...
Imagine (for instance) the "Greek Parthenon" sitting up on a "hill" in the distance, with an inviting archway leading to an intriguing pathway as an "entrance".

 

[Equidae]

No, I hadn't seen it. Just because something hasn't been realized with Disney Imagineering doesn't mean it will be. I was just pointing out that there isn't a ton of space to make more pavilions, maybe another one, but not a bunch.

 

[MJMcBride]

You may not have seen THIS (its very interesting):

http://www.laughingplace.com/News-ID115070.asp

Epcot's WS has really never been "fully" realized.

There was a lot of talk about (the aforementioned) Russia pavilion.

And even a "Mount Fuji" ride (ala the Matterhorn) added to Japan.
Maybe that might reduce the need for so MANY of those Japanese DRUM "concerts" [da-BOOM, da-BOOM, da-BOOM, da-BOOM, da-BOOM, da-BOOM, da-BOOM, da-BOOM, da-BOOM, da-BOOM... heard across the whole WS park]


But these ideas have not become more than discussions, AFAIK.

As to how to "fit" more into the "semi-circle"...
Imagine (for instance) the "Greek Parthenon" sitting up on a "hill" in the distance, with an inviting archway leading to an intriguing pathway as an "entrance".

The one pronlem I have with this article is the big stink it makes that Africa is not represented in World Showcase. Last time I checked Morocco was in Africa.

 

[Equidae]

The one pronlem I have with this article is the big stink it makes that Africa is not represented in World Showcase. Last time I checked Morocco was in Africa.

Great point!

 

[Robo]

The one pronlem I have with this article is the big stink it makes that Africa is not represented in World Showcase. Last time I checked Morocco was in Africa.

Well, I think THAT'S what the article talks about.

AFRICA is a CONTINENT not a country, and all of the individual countries and "kingdoms" and the like consider themselves "separate" from each other.
(That's probably right. We consider the US separate from CANADA and MEXICO).

When Epcot was first built, I think they thought that there could be some sort of "coalition/cooperation" between many of the countries of Africa, but I guess it just didn't work out.

 

[Equidae]

Well, I think THAT'S what the article talks about.

AFRICA is a CONTINENT not a country, and all of the individual countries and "kingdoms" and the like consider themselves "separate" from each other.
(That's probably right. We consider the US separate from CANADA and MEXICO).

When Epcot was first built, I think they thought that there could be some sort of "coalition/cooperation" between many of the countries of Africa, but I guess it just didn't work out.

No, it is right that they like to think of themselves as separate. North America consists of more than Canada the US and Mexico, and we all KNOW we are different countries with different goals and governments. I've known people from Malawi, Kenya, Swaziland, to name a few, and they all think of themselves not so much as African, but from their own countries. That's another topic though.

So, that said, what does this have to do with the land available to build new pavilions in EPCOT? Ok, so they were planning on Africa, but built Morocco and Norway instead.

 

[Robo]

So, that said, what does this have to do with the land available to build new pavilions in EPCOT? Ok, so they were planning on Africa, but built Morocco and Norway instead.

Something obviously has set you off, so I guess I'll just back slowly away and hope you have a nice day.

 

[Equidae]

Um, sorry? I was just asking why in a thread about there being room to build more pavilions you start saying why there isn't an African pavilion? Sorry if you think I am 'set off', to the contrary. I'm just wondering where a new pavilion could be put, not why there isn't an African pavilion, especiallt when a whole section of AK and a resort are dedictated to Africa already.

 

[Robo]

Um, sorry? I was just asking why in a thread about there being room to build more pavilions you start saying why there isn't an African pavilion? Sorry if you think I am 'set off', to the contrary. I'm just wondering where a new pavilion could be put, not why there isn't an African pavilion, especiallt when a whole section of AK and a resort are dedictated to Africa already.

Its so hard to read the "emotion" of raw type in these forums.
It can be interpreted so many ways.
I thought YOU thought I was trying to "force" an opinion on you.

Oh well, BYGONES!

---------

There was SUPPOSED to be a "full-sized" African pavilion constructed where the current African "Coca-Cola Stand" is now.
So... there was (is?) ROOM for an African pavlilion, that has never been BUILT.

An earlier post mentioned this African Pavillion idea and I knew of this further information.
I thought it was interesting that:

A. there was some back-story to this "non-pavilion"
B. the space for that pavilion is as yet, unused.

 

[k5thbeatle]

Great article! (And the author prints an apology that he errored in the fact that Morocco is indeed in Africa)

Now with AK & AKL an African pavillion would be somewhat redundant. Is another country in the plans...who knows for sure?

One thing that is interesting in the laughing place article is the need to have a sponsor for such a new attraction/pavillion.

My own opinion is that WS is finished as is. I don't mean that they won't make improvements and such but I am sadly skeptical for a true expansion. It's all about the money folks!