Should Epcot get "Meet the World"?

[Alpoe001]

A Japan pavilion is one of the original World Showcase pavilions and had been in planning since the late 1970s. Many attractions have been proposed for the pavilion and one show building was built, but left unused. Meet the World was one planned attraction and was a clone of the attraction Meet the World that was once at Tokyo Disneyland.[1] But because management thought that the Japanese film's oversight of World War II might upset many Veterans, it was dropped. The show was so close to opening, the show building and rotating platform was built but then unused.

I personally love AA shows... and the Japan Pavillion needs a good attraction. I would go see this attraction if it was available.

Meet the World was an attraction at Tomorrowland in Tokyo Disneyland from 1983 until 2002.
It was a show which explored the history of Japan over the course of 19 minutes, focusing specifically on the history of Japan's engagement with the outside world. The show featured an animated crane explaining Japanese history to a young boy and girl from Yokohama. The show featured dialogue between a number of audio-animatronic figures (including Sakamoto Ryoma, Ito Hirobumi and Fukuzawa Yukichi) and a movie screen in the background. Park guides and maps said "explore Japan's heritage in an incredible time-travel adventure!"
The show was presented in a rotating theater, similar to the Carousel of Progress at Walt Disney World and previously at Disneyland However, they were designed in the opposite way. In Tokyo, the audiences sat in the rotating theather inside with the stages built around them, whereas, in the Carousel of Progress the audience sits in the rotating outside with the stages being the center of the building. Meet the World's layout meant less audience capacity but a larger stage area, while Carousel of Progress's format has more capacity but smaller stages.
Meet The World featured a title song by the Sherman Brothers.

The films of the attraction would need to be updated and modernized - especially the children("hosts").

But Epcot in general needs more attraction!

[TDLFAN]

While I am all for EPCOT getting more worthy, non thrill, rides and shows.. my answer to this is NO.
Meet the World was planned for EPCOT but never materialized due to sponsorships as far as I know.. but the problem is that "Meet the World" didn't present a realistic view of Japanese history, therefore, it came off as a condesencing attraction that presented the japanese as close minded and unwilling to open up to the rest of the World... or at least, do so with reservations. That may not have been the way the show was designed but that is the way it came off in the end, reason why it was not the most popular show in the TDL park. Of course, it was a good thing that this show didn't make it to EPCOT because the mostly western audience at WDW would see this and believe every second of it.. which would be a sad representation of the japanese people, culture and history. The most accomplished society in the World deserves better that "Meet the World".

You want a good atraction there? then built the Fuji coaster planned during the Disney Decade. It would be better received by today's standards of guests who are more into the short term thrill rather than to really "sit down and learn something" kind of guest. God forbid!

[goofystitch]

I've never seen Meet the World as I have never been to Tokyo Disneyland, but Epcot is my favorite park and I would love to see the return of AA-based attractions.

What if Disney could recycle the theater concept and show elements, such as the AA figures, but create a new show or storyline that is a better representation of Japanese culture and people? I would love to see something like that added to Epcot.

[MickeyMoose]

I would love to see the high speed train ride in Japan. Kinda like O Canada, but you sit in a train and look out the window and see Japan.

[Alpoe001]

Originally Posted by goofystitch

I've never seen Meet the World as I have never been to Tokyo Disneyland, but Epcot is my favorite park and I would love to see the return of AA-based attractions.

What if Disney could recycle the theater concept and show elements, such as the AA figures, but create a new show or storyline that is a better representation of Japanese culture and people? I would love to see something like that added to Epcot.

exactly... I doesnt have to be the same show as was presented in Tokyo. But I think an attraction like this would benefit the Japan Pavillion.

Originally Posted by MickeyMoose

I would love to see the high speed train ride in Japan. Kinda like O Canada, but you sit in a train and look out the window and see Japan.

Although I like the idea of the bullet train... it is an idea that was presented over 100 years ago at the Paris Exposition in 1900 known as the "Siberian Railway" - granted it would utilize newer technology.

[aimster]

Originally Posted by goofystitch

I've never seen Meet the World as I have never been to Tokyo Disneyland, but Epcot is my favorite park and I would love to see the return of AA-based attractions.

What if Disney could recycle the theater concept and show elements, such as the AA figures, but create a new show or storyline that is a better representation of Japanese culture and people? I would love to see something like that added to Epcot.

Meet the World really didn't have many AA's in it. It was more film-based. Joe has a video of the show on his website (along with some photos):

Meet the World - Tomorrowland - Tokyo Disneyland - Joe's Tokyo Disney Resort Photo Site

[Fukai]

Meet the World was not just a rerun of the Carousel of Progress: it mixed animation projected onto a scrim with the AA figures, but it didn't work as well as it should.

In addition, the history of Japan was entirely whitewashed--I was shocked when I saw it, and could imagine what the backlash would have been had it opened in Epcot.

It really wasn't a very good show.

[Alpoe001]

Originally Posted by Fukai

Meet the World was not just a rerun of the Carousel of Progress: it mixed animation projected onto a scrim with the AA figures, but it didn't work as well as it should.

In addition, the history of Japan was entirely whitewashed--I was shocked when I saw it, and could imagine what the backlash would have been had it opened in Epcot.

It really wasn't a very good show.

But your missing the point... if it did make it to Epcot, it would be updated - I dont think Disney would transplant it as is... the video portions are so 80's.

[Crispy]

"Meet the World" was actually planned and built for the Japanese Paviliion at Epcot. If you have a copy of the hardcover "preview" book that was published prior to Epcot's opening, it is in the book as an opening day attraction for Epcot. Tokyo Disneyland was being planned and built at the same time and Disney decided to send it off to Tokyo instead of installing the already completed attraction it in Epcot, which is one of the reasons it was out of place in Tomorrowland at Tokyo Disneyland... it was a last minute addition.

The situation reminds me of much of the same thing that happened with "The Mickey Mouse Review." After seeing the Florida attraction at Disney World, the Japanese businessmen funding TDL insisted that their theme park include a version of the attraction. They were a little dismayed when Disney crated up the original 1971 version and installed it at DL.

The Monsters Inc ride now occupies the space at TDL where "Meet the World" previously sat, so I am not sur how much from the original show was saved or still exists. I would love to see a Carousel Theatre type show return to a Disney park. At one time, there where three Carousel Theatre shows operating at the Disney parks: America Sings at DL, Carousel of Progress at WDW, and Meet the World at TDL.

Cris

[tasman]

Wasn't there some controversy about the way WW2 and the events leading up to it were not mentioned, especially in context of the large number of veterans living in Florida?

Anyway...my favorite unbuilt concept for the Japan pavilion is the one where guests sit in a bullet train carriage and see images of Japan go past the windows...as if they were travelling themselves...an nice variation on the circle-vision movies.

The attraction I would like to see the most would be a dark ride based on one of Miyazaki's films. Since Disney has a working relationship with him, this would be a good fit...something representative of the culture of the country, created by someone with an association with Disney.

The Fuji coaster I really don't care for...from descriptions it sounds like a fairly forgettable thrill ride.

[aimster]

Originally Posted by Crispy

The Monsters Inc ride now occupies the space at TDL where "Meet the World" previously sat, so I am not sur how much from the original show was saved or still exists.

From what I know, the entire show building was demolished to make way for Monsters Inc.

Originally Posted by tasman

Wasn't there some controversy about the way WW2 and the events leading up to it were not mentioned, especially in context of the large number of veterans living in Florida?

WW2 was pretty much glossed over in the attraction (almost like it never happened), which would NOT have gone well here in the States.

[goofystitch]

Obviously, most of the sets and things from Meet the World would have been destroyed, but I'm sure they saved the AAs. Disney is notorious for recycling them. Although I thought there were more AAs in Meet the World than there actually are. But the rest of the stuff was probably destroyed in Disney's typical ruthless manner.

I like the train car concept as well. That would be neat and probably wouldn't take up too much room.

tasman said: "The attraction I would like to see the most would be a dark ride based on one of Miyazaki's films. Since Disney has a working relationship with him, this would be a good fit...something representative of the culture of the country, created by someone with an association with Disney."

As a big Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli fan, I would love that. I think a great idea would be Totoro characters showing you around Japan, possibly in dark ride style. While I don't think the average Epcot guest would be familiar with the films, Totoro is somewhat of an icon and if the attraction was more about Japan, it could work well. That way guests wouldn't need to be familiar with the characters, in the same way that one doesn't need previous knowledge of Figment to enjoy Journey into Imagination (if anybody actually does enjoy the modern version).

[Alpoe001]

Originally Posted by tasman

Wasn't there some controversy about the way WW2 and the events leading up to it were not mentioned, especially in context of the large number of veterans living in Florida?

basically because the attraction didnt throw Pearl Harbour in the guests faces. too heavy of a presence of this would make it more of a propaganda film.

The World Showcase attractions are supposed to be about the culture of the pavillions countries. Just because the Japanese Navy bombed Pearl Harbour doesnt mean that alll Japanese felt the same way (it was this kind of thinking that made the internment camps)... and what we did Hiroshima was the biggest pay back. So why do we have to spotlight any of it?!?!?!?

[TDLFAN]

I honestly do not remember anything related to the WW2 in that show.. not even a "glossed over" reference.

[goofystitch]

Does there even need to be a reference? Was the show about the history of Japan? Or the culture of Japan? If its about the history, then its a big part of it and belongs there, but if its about the culture, then why should they mention it? The culture of Japan isn't about how many wars they have faught in or what side they were on.

Edit: I just reread the info about the ride, and in my opinion, a 19 minute show about Japan's history with the outside world should have mentioned their involvement in WWII. It didn't need to be very in depth, but it should be mentioned.