"The Spirit of NorVay!" or (Did Vikings Record Pod Casts?)

Bad nerd, no blog updates!!!

Those close to me know in the last few years I've become a big fan of pod casts. Of course there are a couple of Walt Disney World casts that I subscribe & listen to but there also a number of completely unrelated pods of which I am a faithful follower.
One of my favorite pod casts (hosted under filmmaker Kevin Smith's Smodco banner) which has literally become appointment listening for me every Wednesday night (okay, sometimes Thursday – I have kids. They’re so needy!) is a show called Team Jack.

Team Jack is hosted by the wryly funny and endlessly interesting Jack Morrissey. Jack has a love for movies, especially popcorn flicks with aliens and robots and supernatural beasties and things that go boom that rivals my own. The title of the pod cast, if you're wondering is drawn from a direct connection Jack has to the Twilight film series. (Get it? Team Edward, Team Jacob, Team Malfoy, um, Team Vader, etc.)

Okay, I'm kidding. I admit I’ve seen them all. Personally, I’m Team Charlie, Bella's long-suffering dad. I’m a father of one (and soon to be two) little girl (s) so I can only imagine his internal struggle with that brooding brat. Screw the guy that sparkles.

What does this have to do with Disney? Nothing, except that while seemingly unplanned and I'd even guess unremembered by the host himself, in at least one-third of the Team Jack pod casts, something Disney parks or Disney film related has been brought discussed. Not always correctly, but whatever. I’m not gonna get all Disney Fanboy. And it’s mostly Cohen’s fault anyway . . .

But this week on the show, the subject of Norway came up. Since this is a blog for Disney Fanboys I will clarify that at first they were in fact discussing the country of Norway. However the conversation took a sharp & unexpected turn when Jack himself brought up the Norway pavilion at Epcot and specifically Maelstrom!

I love when my worlds collide and I hear non-Disney peeps start speaking my language. And when I heard my pal Jack start talking about one of my favorite Epcot attractions, it was music to my ears. But sadly, the guest on his cast had no idea what Jack (and his faithful sidekick Matty Cohen) were talking about. He'd never even been to Epcot, let alone seen the Norway pavilion and discovered Maelstrom there, waiting to take him on a trip through Norwegian history and lore.

However, perhaps saddest of all is that I know he's not alone. I know people who travel to WDW regularly that didn't even know Maelstrom was back there until I hipped them to it. Hell, I've still got friends who don't know there's a ride in that big silver golf ball either (let's be honest, I don't really consider them friends!)

But knowing Maelstrom and the Norway pavilion are grossly overlooked, I wanted to post a little something to raise awareness, if you will. It's a short ride, but fun and well worth the wait. I scoured YouTube and found the best (which is by no means great) on-ride video as a taste of what the attraction offers.

And next time you're in World Showcase make sure you actually go into Norway. There's also a killer bakery and a shop full of some really cool Norwegian souvenirs,treats, and gifts (and yes, now Thor action figures as well. Disney's going to make that Marvel purchase pay off anyway they can!) There's also a pretty killer little bakery if you've got a sweet tooth. And of course, the star of the show here is the kicked-up Disney dark ride on water, Maelstrom. Be prepared to travel back in time, up a waterfall, and come face-to-face with creatures you're certain don't exist. But remember what comes up, must go down . . . and sometimes backwards.



"Back! Back! Over the falls!!!"

After all, the spirit of Norway has always been and always will be adventure!






Oh, and by the way . . .

If you're a pod cast fan, or like to hear inside tid-bits about Hollywood and the business of show, go to iTunes and subscribe to Team Jack. You'll find it, believe me. Look for a cartoon logo of the Emperor from Star Wars, T-Rex from Jurassic Park, and host of other ComiCon icons.
http://smodcast.com/channels/team-jack/