Josh Gad Wants Disney to Add Another Country to the EPCOT World Showcase

Comments for Josh Gad Wants Disney to Add Another Country to the EPCOT World Showcase

Josh Gad

Credit: Vanity

53 Comments

  1. Phillysub

    Sure, give Disney ANOTHER reason to increase prices

    1. Katharine

      Yea Bob Paycheck is great for the Disney company 👎👎👎😡😡😡🤮

      1. Zeek

        Yeah and I would like Disney to make good on all the promises it’s made so far first.

    2. Craig

      So what you suggest they stop adding new content and fun things to do because you’re worried about prices?

  2. TotalDramaDisney

    I’m still waiting for them to add Greece so we can FINALLY have a Hercules ride! Or at least a place to buy Megara merch!

    1. CJ

      I’d like Greece to be added (make some room over at Italy), might as well add Hercules to EPCOT since it’s turning into a Disney IP Showcase.

      1. Anthony C

        sadly world pavilions are paid for by the country it represents. This is why it has been so long since a new one has been added. Disney has actually been wanting to add Greece for at least 2 decades, but Greece has had no interest so it stalled. I mean they even had a hotel designed around it, but ended up becoming Pop Century.

        OH. I did a Google and aparently Greece is now campaigning FOR a Pavillion now!

    2. Trying to enjoy disney

      Greece or Spain would be great! And yes I think Columbia Would be nice as well.

    3. Amber

      Yes! My friends and I were just talking about this! Italy has a big open space next to it and Greece with it’s blue roof tops would be beautiful! The food would be new and different!

  3. Gojiraruiz91

    Doesn’t make sense since Mexico is already very similar in culture, language (obviously) and landscape. Plus, where would they place it in Epcot? Where’s the real estate? Lastly, increased prices? No thanks.

    1. CJ

      Plenty of space if Team Disney Orlando got rid of the China Pavilion ( 🤫 don’t tell Pooh 🐻 Xi Jinping , must not insult him or else Team Disney Burbank will lose 💰 !)

      I would welcome an annexation to Japan Pavilion for Singapore, Thailand Pavilion.

      Cheapskate Chapek is going to raise the prices, might as well make him earn a reason to.

      1. Keshia

        We could could really piss off Xi Jinpooh and add Taiwan in some of the place where the China exhibit used to be

    2. Al

      EPCOT actually has room for 6 more countries.

    3. Ramzi

      Spoken like someone who has never visited Italy or Greece. It’s totally different than tacos and tequila son!
      Lol

    4. TotalDramaDisney

      I mean, theoretically, they COULD build new pavilions across the way from the old ones that would best thematically complement each other. Like, for example, they could build Spain across from Mexico, India across from Morocco, Greece across from Italy, and so on. And if not, they could turn the swath of land between China and Germany into a new country.

  4. Shell

    No no no…Stop with the movie themed rides at EPCOT .. The rides in the EPCOT countries were supposed to teach us a bit about the country. The point was lost when they changed Maelstrom to Frozen and now with Remy. They are good rides but being a part of the movie/story is what Magic Kingdom is for. EPCOT is becoming just another Magic Kingdom 🤦‍♀️.. I love both parks but for the reasons they were made.

    1. CJ

      I DO miss the original EPCOT (like Tomorrowland? there’s an emphasis on Technology, Transportation, Agriculture, Sea Exploration, Space Exploration).

      EPCOT to me should be a permanent World’s Fair with an understanding that changes would be made to reflect “what will be the future” or if a Country didn’t want to sponsor a Pavilion, so Countries can be switched out (an exception? Imagination, but that would be my wish to “put Figment back in EPCOT”)

      WDW is turning EPCOT into Disneyland’s Tomorrowland (a bad example of dumping one intellectual property on top of another until it’s awful!)

      Put the Walt back in Disney!

    2. Chris

      Exactly. The attractions at each pavilion should educate on the culture of the region. But hey, if that sort of thing is not interesting to today’s folks, then turning EPCOT into another mindless theme park might get them a few extra bucks.

    3. Lisa

      Amen! As a first generation Norwegian in this great country I found it incredibly insulting that they stripped Norway of its film and added a cartoon of a fictional place with all of its fictional characters. What about learning about the culture and landscape of the country which was the original reason the the various lands were built?
      For everyone wanting a new country go back in time and research and you will see that there had to be an agreement between the country and Disney that involved money from the country in question to sponsor an Epcot land so I think it is a little more complicated than some imagine

      1. Anthony

        Calm down lol

  5. Amy

    Yes, please, and a showcase from Africa, other than Morocco. But I agree, save IP rides for Hollywood and Magic Kingdom.

    1. CJ

      Africa is underrepresented at EPCOT ….. I’d welcome an Egypt Pavilion and a Congo Pavilion! I’d also frown if Chapek shoved Tarzan, as well as Aladdin, onto these Pavilions.

    2. Mike M

      There’s already an African showcase over at Animal Kingdom that is bigger and more authentic than whatever Ebcott could construct in their tight spacing

      1. Phyzzi

        I think Epcot is struggling with its soul right now in a “worst of all worlds” kind of way. The Walk of Mostly Europe and North America feels more like a time capsule of late 70’s views of the world and Yesterday Land is worth its own rant and I hope the current Epcot construction leads to something that makes Disney feel like they can overhaul Tomorrowland also.

        They definitely need to pick an actual country in Africa for Epcot. Right now they have a little patch of somewhat African themed vendors and musical instruments but no actual country and it’s by far the most insulting thing they could do to represent an entire continent. I personally would think a S. Africa pavilion would be great, as it is (at this point) a lovely country and stable democracy, but I would be happy with several countries from Africa.

        On that note, it is a bit strange that India doesn’t have a spot on the world showcase, given that it holds a significant fraction of the world’s people. Maybe they could take some chunks out of the UK showcase for that.

        I also have to say that Greece or at least some Eastern Block European nation would also be a lovely addition.

        And yes, it would be Lovely to have a South American country in the world showcase as well. Should that be Columbia? I don’t know… I personally would probably opt for Argentina, but Encanto was a great film and if that’s what it takes to get a “spot on the map” then I would love to see some love there too.

        For all that, it’s not that Disney is actually bad. Galaxy’s Edge and Pandora, as well as much of Animal Kingdom are a testament to the skill and ability of imagineers to create breathtaking immersion (though no, putting half the people of the world in “Animal” Kingdom and not the walk of the worlds is not sufficient representation, it’s racism). Disney (the company) obviously can do better, they just need to actually commit to it.

        As for whether Disney the Company has lost the soul of Disney the man, maybe they should build a museum for Disney the man for all the people who are concerned about that and let the rest of us enjoy a modern resort built to entertain and inspire, rather than pushing half century old relics as “modern” or “tomorrow”.

        1. mike

          Need more Central and South American countries also so all the illegals crossing the border will have a place to spend all the money Bidens going to give them! When they refurbish Shanghai & Hong Kong, China will there be Muslim and Wuhan and Tiawan representation. The NBA is probably already there!

  6. MAC

    Next country needed to add should be GREECE, long overdue.

    1. Ian

      I’m pretty sure that Josh’s Disney overlords just told him to float the idea of an Encanto ride out there.

  7. Mark

    I know I can’t be the only person who has gotten off Gran Fiesta/ Three Caballeros in Mexico and was like…”Why haven’t they re-imagined this as ‘Coco’ yet?”

    1. Delight

      Wow yes coco would be great!

    2. ProfessorShank

      Leave Tres Caballeros alone. I will shank you if they change it to that awful Coco movie.

    3. Phyzzi

      They have added a lot of Coco theming to the Mexico pavilion and updated Tres Caballeros in a way that highlights Donald more as a silly gringo than the white guy who brings Mexicans together. The whole pavilion is clean and colorful inside and feels like one of the highlights of “The Walk” now (as opposed to what it was like in the late 90’s which was pretty bad except for the glass work). Coco is at least distinctly Mexican though, unlike other IP that makes it into The Walk.

      Anyway, whatever. The Walk has always been a weird mix of “who picked this?” and I wouldn’t personally mind more IP as long as it came with some justification for what is represented where, and some updates that meant most of the content wasn’t too outdated to be taken seriously (especially in the age of the internet and reasonable and affordable VR).

  8. John logan

    Nope. No need for anymore IP inspired rides.

  9. Griffin Haley

    Josh better not be talking about Bruno 🤣

  10. Tom Johns

    Well, as I understood it, each country was supposed to be sponsored in part by the country it was representing. I’m with the people that suggested Greece. Mykonos would be great! There is enough room to add another country, as they originally had planned for more that there are there now.
    The rides were supposed to be about the country not a Disney character. But, I have no problem with the Frozen, Ratatouille, Three Caballeros or even the Canada show. I do wish they had gone ahead with the “Rhine river ride” at Germany. They still could. The space is there. Japan was supposed to have a ride like the Matterhorn. A big Hero 6 ride would be cool.
    But, to me, EPCOT is still my favorite Disney Park. I would go just for the festivals and the shows.

  11. Paula

    Hi! My family and I are ALL for an Encanto ride & experience!!!
    As a natural born Colombian woman, it would be a thrill to visit the land where my ancestors and current day family reside!!! It would very much bring alot of emotional and nostalgic feelings!!!
    Colombia is such a beautiful and well kept country, and it’s not just because I am partial to my country…it’s simply worth every opportunity to bring about a culture and land of lots of loyal love and people!!!
    We hope that it comes to be, what a real treat for everyone to see and experience a small part of my birth home!!!🤗🥰

    1. ProfessorShank

      Or go to Colombia. With the prices that Disney is now asking, it’ll be a lot cheaper to just go to the actual country. Lol

  12. CJ

    I’d be happy to see an expansion of the United Kingdom Pavilion (you really do need to be respectful and split it into England 🇬🇧 Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Wales 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 and that would require an expansion).

    Wow , EPCOT has no Ireland 🇮🇪 representation? Even Walt Disney would be ashamed of that (fyi I wouldn’t partition a Nor. Ireland here, nor at the United Kingdom Pavilion).

    I prefer each Country’s Pavilion to be a representation that does not require Disney intellectual property (maybe a few exceptions? but mostly I’ve always looked at it as a permanent World’s Fair).

    I just don’t want EPCOT to turn into Disneyland’s Tomorrowland (it’s been a cluster of one intellectual property dumped on top of another intellectual property – looks awful).

  13. JoshGadIsAFag

    Well, if a potential future celebrity like Josh Fagg says they should consider it…maybe it’s worth consideration for ignoring.

  14. Katharine

    If this happens can we PLEASE leave Splash Mountain ALONE!!!! I’m down for the new area but leave a classic ALONE!!!!

    1. ProfessorShank

      No, Splash Mountain needs to be black. Everything needs to be black.

  15. Dave B

    Would we be able to buy ALL of Colombia’s major exports in the pavilion?

  16. I would love to see Brazil or Argentina headed to the Epcot Greece is nice too but they should always expand because that’s what Disney does I’m an advocate fan of Disney and always will be I’m 77 and I’ve been to Disney probably 40 times or more and I love the place thank you.

  17. Sue

    Originally the idea of Epcot was to experience those countries cultures by presenting rides, movies, museums and shows from those countries. I refuse to ride Frozen; the old Viking ride was better.
    There is no need for the movies to be incorporated into the countries as it defeats the purpose.
    Also back in the day, there were plans for a Spain pavilion between China and Germany, but it never materialized.

  18. RoC

    Can we have Machu Pichu first? I want the ride into Izmas laboratory, or may a demon llama ride. I could see the merch table for Columbia selling “nose candy” to the kids, you know, candy shaped liked noses.

  19. HeatherS

    I would settle for an “Olaf Presents Encanto” short

  20. Gayle

    We don’t need anything else making the prices go up even more. I realize there are cultures that are missing but you know Disney will pass that on to us. The prices at Disney are already making a lot of people want to never go back. If they change and add a country, then they will have to add all countries. Where will it end? Then the prices will be so high that only the rich will be able to afford it.

  21. Stevie

    Gee, how about adding Poland?
    They could then build a flume ride where you sit in a Golumpki and while wearing 3D Pierogi shaped glasses, you speed through the evil Kielbasa Kings factory!!!
    Good Grief…..

  22. It Doesn't Matter

    I really didn’t think the movie was that good. ⭐½

  23. Frsn

    Just think when mr Disney said this is a place that every one can afford to come to ! Well it’s a lie now the cost is going up there stock is going down what more can I say

  24. Pjreid

    Why should anyone care what Josh Gad wants?? He’s just an actor.

  25. Bob

    First off, Encanto was an average movie at best and there are plenty of Disney fans who’ve stopped.talking about it. Great animation and acting cannot save a poorly written story.
    Secondly, is Gad gonna sponsor Colombia himself or? He must not understand how that works at Epcot. They aren’t going to just add a country, though I wish they would. The countries are ‘sponsored’ by the real countries in order to be showcased.

    1. TotalDramaDisney

      What are you talking about? It was an awesome movie, and fans can’t STOP talking about it!

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