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I feel that Spanish is really too close to Italian. If the park wants to revamp the Italian area then Spain would be the most appropriate. I would be very happy with a Scananavian or Russian hamlet. These regions of Europe are very unique compared to Western Europe.
 
CoastercamelRPh said:
I feel that Spanish is really too close to Italian. If the park wants to revamp the Italian area then Spain would be the most appropriate. I would be very happy with a Scananavian or Russian hamlet. These regions of Europe are very unique compared to Western Europe.
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And see, I think Russia is a poor fit BECAUSE it's not Western European. It's Eastern European. I know, New France isn't even on the continent, but I think it works because of it's tie-in to France.

If it were up to me, Spain would be added as a new hamlet, and you MIGHT retheme New France to a viking camp.
 
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DoctorMoneyMD said:
And see, I think Russia is a poor fit BECAUSE it's not Western European. It's Eastern European. I know, New France isn't even on the continent, but I think it works because of it's tie-in to France.

If it were up to me, Spain would be added as a new hamlet, and you MIGHT retheme New France to a viking camp.
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And that, in my opinion, is where the park fails. BGT isn't locked to one geographical region of Africa, so why keep BGW that way? The park does have the land to add 4-6 countries, depending on size, so who's to say that we won't eventually get more countries.

200th post!
 
BG Europe Fan said:
The park does have the land to add 4-6 countries, depending on size, so who's to say that we won't eventually get more countries.
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Um, you realize that would be doubling the park, right? I don't think there's enough land for 4-6 more countries. Maybe two.

However, I think that at the time period that the park is set in, Western Europe and Eastern Europe were just completely different. Western Russia tried to emulate Eastern Europe, so that might be pulled off, but the rest just doesn't fit the theme of the park. The park was started with "The Olde Country" as its theme, which was Eastern Europe, and when the park has expanded and themed with this in my mind, it has been their best work. I think a Scandinavian Viking land could work because of their immense mythology, but many Western European cultures would clash with the integrated vibe the park has produced, something not present at BGT. Sure, those African countries are very different, but the feel at BGW is specifically Eastern European.
 
Franco said:
BG Europe Fan said:
The park does have the land to add 4-6 countries, depending on size, so who's to say that we won't eventually get more countries.
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Um, you realize that would be doubling the park, right? I don't think there's enough land for 4-6 more countries. Maybe two.

However, I think that at the time period that the park is set in, Western Europe and Eastern Europe were just completely different. Western Russia tried to emulate Eastern Europe, so that might be pulled off, but the rest just doesn't fit the theme of the park. The park was started with "The Olde Country" as its theme, which was Eastern Europe, and when the park has expanded and themed with this in my mind, it has been their best work. I think a Scandinavian Viking land could work because of their immense mythology, but many Western European cultures would clash with the integrated vibe the park has produced, something not present at BGT. Sure, those African countries are very different, but the feel at BGW is specifically Eastern European.
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I take it you didn't see this thread or this post. The park has more land than they lead you to believe. Like I said before, and highlighted above, the park could add 4-6 countries depending on thier size. I also think you got your east and west mixed up.
 
I did get my east and west mixed up, eh? It was when I mentioned Western Russia, that's what threw me. Oh well, point still made, albeit poorly and delivered in an uneducated manner. And I do know that they own all of that land (by the way, that looked like very intensive research you did; I commend you for your commitment to nerdy passions), but I've always gotten the feeling the park would never really use that land and double their size. They've constructed the park so that the Rhine and the area of convergence for most of those coasters is the heart. If they suddenly expanded out past the site of 2012, I think they'd have problems maintaining the focal point of the park that they seemed to have worked so hard to preserve. And if they do have plans to expand, then I don't understand removing attractions for newer ones. So, while what you said may be technically accurate, my statement was intended to convey that I don't believe the park would add 4-6 countries, even if they were small. Though I do think the park should add more countries, I also think they should be wise as to what locations to add them in.
 
Franco said:
...And I do know that they own all of that land (by the way, that looked like very intensive research you did; I commend you for your commitment to nerdy passions)...
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Thanks, it wasn't exactly easy finding it. I have the same type of info on KD, have started gathering info on Dollywood, and might do some more, I'm just not sure yet. I should just start a site to gather this type of info on parks.

Franco said:
...but I've always gotten the feeling the park would never really use that land and double their size...
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True, but we're still not sure what Blackstone plans to do with the parks in the long term.

Franco said:
...And if they do have plans to expand, then I don't understand removing attractions for newer ones. So, while what you said may be technically accurate, my statement was intended to convey that I don't believe the park would add 4-6 countries, even if they were small. Though I do think the park should add more countries, I also think they should be wise as to what locations to add them in.
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It's more wishful thinking than anything. I'm with you though on removing attractions, that does really make no sense.
 
Franco said:
However, I think that at the time period that the park is set in, Western Europe and Eastern Europe were just completely different. Western Russia tried to emulate Eastern Europe, so that might be pulled off, but the rest just doesn't fit the theme of the park.
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Here we are.

Russia wasn't even considered part of Europe by the old Europeans. Russia was Russian. Peter the Great wanted badly for Russia to BECOME European, and so he pushed for that during his life time. Still, Russia has an identity crisis between partly European and exclusively Russian, and whatever that internal debate has produced, it certainly isn't Western European.

I think if you attempted to put Peter's Russia in the park, no one would recognize it because it doesn't look "Russian" enough. If you went ahead and put the classic Russian motifs in the park, I just think the clash would be too much.
 
I stand by Norway. Disney pulls old school Norway off amazingly.

epcot-norway-b.jpg
 
BG Europe Fan said:
And Germany and Italy don't?
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If you're referring to the Fest Italia and New Oktoberfest areas, I think they do. But they are sort of saved, IMO, by the fact that they are part of larger more traditional places. In general though, I'd say the theming in those two areas is less than ideal, so their existence isn't a go-ahead, at least to me, to build something else that doesn't really fit in.

That said, if they did decide to add a Russian part of the park, it's not like I'd throw up or anything. It just not something I would do.

Spain. Nordic areas. BAM.
 
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I'm a huge chunk of pure Norwegian, so Norge all the way!

The food is awesome, the mythology will provide endless inspiration, and there is nothing like a Norwegian Christmas.

Trolls! I would die to see trolls in BG. I need grass on the roofs too.

I vote myself Project Manager.
 
Since the park has only "re-themed" areas instead of actually "expanding" for the past 25 years, I always viewed the new country topic through that lens. That being said, I still think the most feasible areas for the park to change would be New France = Scandinavia and Festa Italia = Greece.

I think the case has been made for Scandinavia/Norway/Holland. As for Festa = Greece, my thought would be that the upsides are that you could keep the major attractions in place. Apollo would keep it's name. Change RR to something to do with the river Styx or something. La Cucina would make a killer Greek cafeteria (and would add an awesome new cuisine option to the park). You'd have to build some sort new structures in the center, but I think for the most part you could put some columns on the facing of some of the existing stuff.

But all in all I think it'd be pretty easy. I also think it would flow well with San Marco. And I'd really like to see a single theme tie that area together. Festa is, IMO, a mess.
 
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RocketChk said:
I'm a huge chunk of pure Norwegian, so Norge all the way!

The food is awesome, the mythology will provide endless inspiration, and there is nothing like a Norwegian Christmas.

Trolls! I would die to see trolls in BG. I need grass on the roofs too.

I vote myself Project Manager.
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Julenissen, the gnome gift-giver > All
 
My wife and I were talking about this thread at dinner tonight, and she made a great point about the Russian hamlet idea. She basically said that the reason she didn't think it was a good fit is because it is just too foreign. I know that sounds strange, since the whole park is supposed to be "foreign" in the sense that it's European, but really, all of the countries that exist there now (Germany, Italy, England, Ireland, Scotland, France, Frontier) have strong roots right here in America. Those cultures and architectural styles are present all around us all the time...in our stories, our cuisine choices, and, for most of us, right in our very blood. With the exception of a few settlements in California (and a ton of NY immigrants since '91), Russian culture just hasn't had that strong of a showing Stateside, and that sets it apart from the other countries that are represented at BGW, and would likely cause a Russian hamlet to not gel and stick out like a sore thumb.

Sharp observation, I thought.
 
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True, though you left out Alaska :dodgy:, I just wanted to throw out there something different than sterotypical Europe. It would also make the park look more like a rippoff of Europa Park.
 
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