Are Meet & Greets Influencing Disney/Pixar Film Development?

[RyGuy]

Seeing all of the recent info coming out about Frozen, Big Hero 6 and the Dia de los Muertos film, I keep wondering whether one of the factors going into these films are how the characters can be plugged into Disney Parks, particularly Epcot.

I've taken my kids to Epcot twice now and since they are still young (and short), we've spent most of our time collecting autographs in World Showcase: Mulan in China, Snow White in Germany, Aurora, Belle and Beast in France, Aladdin and Jasmine in Morocco, and Mary Poppins and Alice in the United Kingdom.

I know sometimes Donald Duck from The Three Caballeros hangs out in Mexico, but there aren't characters (to my knowledge) in Norway or Japan. I'm wondering whether thinking along the lines of, "Ooooohhh! We can put these characters in this Pavillion" figures into their decisions to green light a film? It's just interesting that two of the pavillions (Norway and Japan) are ( or are close enough to) the settings of two of these films and the third one (Mexico) doesn't have a strong character (not that Donald isn't strong, but you can meet him elsewhere at Epcot and most of the public knows little about The Three Caballeros).

As for the 3 pavilions I didn't mention - Italy, Canada and the American Adventure, I thought at one time Pinocchio was in Italy and Kenai/Koda did meet and greets in. Canada (we just haven't seen them when we were there).

I could be completely off base, but seeing how Michael Eisner wanted Brother Bear so Disney could sell plush bears, I wouldn't put it past them.

[SWillie!]

This is an interesting observation. I doubt its the driving force, but it's certainly very convenient that the next two films have spots ready and waiting for them. Knowing Disney though, they'll probably totally ignore how perfect that would be and instead put Frozen in Magic Kingdom and BH6 in Hollywood Studios.