Animated Characters at EPCOT World Showcase. Like or Dislike?

[Coheteboy]

From another thread:

There's the two [attractions] you mention in The Living Seas, The Environmental Fable thing in The Land, and apparently the 3 Caballeros being added to Rio del Tiempo.

I think that's it for now. Unless you count the wand on SE.

The "cartoon" characters have been branching out into virtually all areas of every park, but that's another issue.

I do agree with Tasman that Epcot's purpose and direction have become muddled.

Which made me wonder how everyone feels about cartoon characters presence at EPCOT. Frankly, I never had an issue with it but that may be because I've only been there twice in my entire life... so I really can't see the progression for better or for worse.

The last time I was there, I was able to see the environmental fable in THE LAND with the Lion King characters. I thought it was a nice little film. I also really enjoyed Cranium Command.

But now with the addition of Finding Nemo over the Living Seas, which I'm 100% happy about and also word of the Three Caballeros in the Mexico area, is there a fear that EPCOT is becoming too disney for its own good?

I'd like to read some of your answers before I chime in... especially since I'm hardly an expert on EPCOT.

[kcnole]

As long as they are there to help reinforce the mission of Epcot I don't mind. Timon and Pumbaa did that quite well in the circle of life movie as they helped to teach us about environmental frienliness. From what I have heard of the 3 cabellero overlay I have hopes that they will do the same thing as they did from the movie. That they will be touring mexico with us and pointing out some nice things about the country.

I have a harder time justifying Nemo however and that's a shame because it could have worked better. I like the ride, I think it's a very good quality ride. The problem is that it doesn't fit the mission of Epcot. It would fit better in Fantasyland. And its sad because it could have been worked to fit the mission. Instead of just having a story about finding nemo, it could have been changed so that Nemo and his friends take us on a tour of the ocean and teach us fun things about the ocean while experiencing some fun things along the way.

It still can be worked so that it fits just by changing the end and having Nemo to encourage us all to learn more about the ocean in the main pavilion. Then have several educational areas about the ocean which are hilighted by various Nemo characters. It can work, it just remains to be seen whether anyone at Epcot gets it enough still to make it work.

[FrumiousBoojum]

It makes good business sense. As long as it works, I don't mind.

[ZeekSlider]

I have nothing against characters in the World Showcase, or Epcot in general, provided they are done correctly.

Before the Living Sea became The Sea with Nemo, it was a really good way to get people into the pavilion. It did what it was suppose to do and is still doing, but with an angle that gets people in the door. The only thing I don't like is the name change.

The Three Caballeros as characters that walk around the Mexico pavilion are also fine, but to make a ride that destroys the cultural introduction (or cliff notes as is the case for some areas) don't seem right. The River of Time does need an overhall, but not one that involves plopping in a character franchise that is not only fading into obscurity but unwarrented. Just because it worked for The Living Seas doesn't mean it will work everywhere else.

Hell, even the Kim Possible thing where you jump all over the World Showcase doing missions was a better intergration! At least it didn't totally transform the WS into something that it wasn't.

[kcnole]

But I think the 3 cabelleros will work there if it's done with them guiding us through various locales and histories of Mexico. If it's just a find donald ride through a mexican scene then I'll be perturbed by it, but if they're using the characters to teach us then it works great.

[toonaspie]

It's good for the kiddies...I suppose.

[Coheteboy]

As long as they are there to help reinforce the mission of Epcot I don't mind. Timon and Pumbaa did that quite well in the circle of life movie as they helped to teach us about environmental frienliness. From what I have heard of the 3 cabellero overlay I have hopes that they will do the same thing as they did from the movie. That they will be touring mexico with us and pointing out some nice things about the country.

I have a harder time justifying Nemo however and that's a shame because it could have worked better. I like the ride, I think it's a very good quality ride. The problem is that it doesn't fit the mission of Epcot. It would fit better in Fantasyland. And its sad because it could have been worked to fit the mission. Instead of just having a story about finding nemo, it could have been changed so that Nemo and his friends take us on a tour of the ocean and teach us fun things about the ocean while experiencing some fun things along the way.

It still can be worked so that it fits just by changing the end and having Nemo to encourage us all to learn more about the ocean in the main pavilion. Then have several educational areas about the ocean which are hilighted by various Nemo characters. It can work, it just remains to be seen whether anyone at Epcot gets it enough still to make it work.

Makes a lot of sense, thanks for the reply. Epcot is ultimately about learning and I didn't realize the Finding Nemo lay over for the ride was more 'entertainment'.... but you know, as long as the rest of the pavillion is educational, it should be a good balance.

Soarin' is more for entertainment, though it's good to see landscapes of CA, etc.

[BigPigletFan]

I think it's done well. The characters each have the "home" areas, Character Connection is the BEST "meet and greet" location for the classic characters in the entire resort, and it helps to keep the park "kid friendly" for all of those parents who think Epcot isn't fun for their kids!


But then again... I love the characters! Especially Aladdin at Morocco!

[Phonedave]

As long as they are there to help reinforce the mission of Epcot I don't mind. Timon and Pumbaa did that quite well in the circle of life movie as they helped to teach us about environmental frienliness. From what I have heard of the 3 cabellero overlay I have hopes that they will do the same thing as they did from the movie. That they will be touring mexico with us and pointing out some nice things about the country.

I have a harder time justifying Nemo however and that's a shame because it could have worked better. I like the ride, I think it's a very good quality ride. The problem is that it doesn't fit the mission of Epcot. It would fit better in Fantasyland. And its sad because it could have been worked to fit the mission. Instead of just having a story about finding nemo, it could have been changed so that Nemo and his friends take us on a tour of the ocean and teach us fun things about the ocean while experiencing some fun things along the way.

It still can be worked so that it fits just by changing the end and having Nemo to encourage us all to learn more about the ocean in the main pavilion. Then have several educational areas about the ocean which are hilighted by various Nemo characters. It can work, it just remains to be seen whether anyone at Epcot gets it enough still to make it work.

They had such an opportunity for edutainment here. It could have been Nemo is lost, and your looking for him and you use clues - learning clues - to find him. Or what I really like, Mr. Rays classroom. The movie has classroom scenes built into, how much more of an edutainment opportunity do you want dropped in your lap. I think it would have fit the EPCOT spirit a lot better.

-dave

[DMof2]

I like seeing the characters in Epcot but the last two trips to Epcot we didn't see enough

I think as long as it fits the "theme" it's ok in Epcot-

[mikeland]

The characters bring a smile to everyone, so why not? As long as it's done in moderation.

[lazyboy97O]

I see no problem as long as it fits entirely. Donald Duck, no matter how he is dressed, doe snot fit in the Mexico Pavillion. Why not put Mickey in some Chinese dress and dance him around the China Pavillion, etc? What I see no problem with is the face characters in their nations of origin.

[Monkey joe]

I thought Donald Duck was on vacation in Mexico in the Three Caballeros. Also I am glad Epcot got rid of small world characters it had back in the day.

[kcnole]

I see no problem as long as it fits entirely. Donald Duck, no matter how he is dressed, doe snot fit in the Mexico Pavillion. Why not put Mickey in some Chinese dress and dance him around the China Pavillion, etc? What I see no problem with is the face characters in their nations of origin.

Go watch the 3 cabellero movie and then come back and tell me he can't fit. The movie was wonderful and was a great travelogue on Mexico. I think it'll work just fine as long as they keep the main focus of all the characters on Mexico.

[Speedway]

I love meeting my favourites in their home town.

I have a fantastic picture of Mulan in front of the Temple of Heaven at China. Now where else is Mulan in the resort? In front of the Chinese Theatre at MGM? Oh great. Lovely for faux, tongue-in-cheek Chinese worshipping, but this picture looks so awesome because I'm with a Chinese character in an authentic Chinese setting.

Same goes for Belle. I have a photo with her in the French library. I think they are awesome places for characters as long as we remember that the characters are a bonus, and that the main draw is the authenticity of the replication of the countries.