To paraphrase Al Jolson (the immigrant son of a Russian Jew) : “You ain’t heard nothin’ nyet ! “
How many of you recall the Disney Decade? That grandiose expansion for the theme parks that Michael Eisner announced back in January of 1990? One of the real highlights of this event was Michael revealing that the Imagineers had a Soviet pavilion in the works for World Showcase.
Mind you, at this press conference (which was held at the Disneyland Hotel) Eisner wasn’t exactly long on details when it came to this proposed Epcot addition. In an interview with the New York Times, Michael admitted that the Walt Disney Company had only just begun negotiations with the Soviet Union. And as for the pavilion itself, a company spokeswoman explained that ” … ”We only have vague renderings, onion domes, spires, that kind of thing.”
But WDI continued development of this project. And over the next year, a handful of renderings of the Soviet pavilion did eventually emerge from Glendale. As did a brief description of this proposed Epcot addition:
Imagineering has recenty completed blue sky concept work on a Russia Pavilion for World Showcase. Marqueed by the spectacular onion domes of St. Basil’s Cathedral, it will feature the spellbinding attraction, “Russia – The Bells of Change.” This innovative theatrical experience will combine Audio-Animatronic characters, animated sets, film, and a live actor to surround guests with the personalities, achievements and volatile history of this vast land. Also planned for this new pavilion is a ride-through attraction inspired by one of Russia’s best loved folk tales, “Ivan and the Magic Pike.”
According to the original construction schedule, site prep of the project was supposed to have begun in late 1997 / early 1998. With the pavilion itself and all of its rides, shows and attraction not opening to the public ’til October of 1999.
Yeah, if all had gone according to plan, Epcot’s Soviet pavilion would have been a fitting finale for the Disney Decade. Given the thousands of people who have asked — ever since EPCOT originally opened back in 1982 — why World Showcase didn’t have a Soviet pavilion … For the Imagineers to finally deliver the goods here would have been one hell of an accomplishment.
Copyright 1991 Disney. All Rights Reserved
Unfortunately, the Soviet Union itself collapsed in 1991. And given that the Russian economy slid into the toilet in 1998 … Well, that meant that Disney was unable to find a Soviet corporation with deep enough pockets to cover the cost of constructing this World Showcase addition. Never mind underwriting the Soviet Pavilion’s operating costs for its first 10 years. Which is why this eagerly anticipated project wound up gathering dust at 1401 Flower Street.
Well, what a difference a decade makes. Russian’s economy is booming right now. And given that this country’s rapidly expanding middle class has lots of disposable income … That makes the Soviets (More importantly, their offspring) a prime target for the Walt Disney Company.
Mind you, Mickey has been slowly advancing on the Russian front for 17 years now. But over the past three years, the Mouse really stepped up its efforts. Take — for example — that elaborate event that Walt Disney International staged right in the heart of Moscow back in December of 2005. Where 2000 Russian children and their parents partied with Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty and Snow White inside of one of the ballrooms at the Kremlin Palace.
Then in March of 2006, the Mouse named Marina Jigalova-Ozkan to be the managing director of the Walt Disney Company (Russia). This Harvard Business School graduate was put in charge of seeking out new business opportunities for Disney within that country. And late last month, Marina delivered in spades. Ms. Jigalova-Ozkan was part of the team that actually persuaded Russian state broadcaster Channel One to sign a multi-year deal with Disney-ABC International Television. This then gave Russian state television the right to show numerous Disney-produced movies, animated and live action series.
And the way I hear it, one of the incentives that Disney used to close the Channel One deal (Which would now give the Mouse access to tens of millions of TV viewers that the company hopes to quickly turn into Disney fans) is that the corporation promised to revive the Russian-pavilion-for-World-Showcase project. Turn that proposed Epcot addition into a huge Soviet showcase.
And indeed — based on what WDI insiders have been telling me since just before Christmas — the Russia pavilion is now back up on WDI’s active projects board. It’s actually one of the projects that managers mention these days whenever they interview would-be WDI recruits. Saying things like ” … we’re going to need to hire lots of new artists to help design Epcot’s new Russia pavilion.”
Copyright 1991 Disney. All Rights Reserved
Which — FYI — suggests that the pavilion that WDI designed back in 1991 (You know? The one that was inspired by St. Basil’s Cathedral?) may be chucked in favor of a brand-new pavilion that better reflects the Russia of today. That oil-rich nation that’s anxious to prove that it’s once again a super power.
Of course, given what Premier Vladimir Putin has been up to lately, there are going to be those who won’t be all that enthusiastic about the idea of Epcot adding an Russian pavilion to its World Showcase line up. But given that the Walt Disney Company is determined to strengthen its ties with this newly affluent nation (As Andy Bird, president of Walt Disney International put it: “Russia is a priority country [for Disney right now.] We see the potential for growth for several years down the line”) … What Moscow wants, Disney will try and deliver.
And from what I’ve been hearing, what Moscow wants is a World Showcase pavilion similar to Norway. Which — since it opened back of June of 1988 — then convinced tens of thousands of WDW visitors to plan a trip to this lovely Northen European country. Reportedly Russian officials are hoping that a similar sort of pavilion at Epcot would have the same sort of positive impact on tourism.
Now as for a construction timeline for this recently revived project … Sorry, folks. That information’s under very tight wraps right now. Though I have heard whispers that Bob Iger may allude to this proposed World Showcase addition at this year’s shareholder meeting when he talks about everything that the Walt Disney Company is doing right now to strengthen its ties with the Soviets.
But what do you folks think? To borrow a phrase from Ian Fleming, will you greet the Russians with love should they set up shop along the shores of World Showcase Lagoon over the next few years? Or given Premier Putin’s recent activities, will you say “Nyet” to visiting this proposed Epcot addition?
Your thoughts?