Russian pavilion in the works for Epcot?

A pavilion representing Russia may be back on track after an extended hiatus, according to a new Jim Hill Media report. Citing insiders within Walt Disney Imagineering in Glendale, CA, Hill reports that the plans for a Russian pavilion at Epcot, originally laid out as part of Michael Eisner's "Disney Decade" plan from 1990, have changed substantially since their original inception, but are back on WDI's active projects board. Late last month, Disney/ABC signed a multi-year television deal with Russian state broadcaster Channel One, and according to the report, one of the stipulations of the deal was the revival of the Russian pavilion for World Showcase. "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,' Hill reports. Speculation suggests that the superpower wants a design that is more similar to Norway, which has helped persuade throngs of WDW visitors to visit the charming country, but we'll likely know more after Disney CEO Bob Iger's speech at this year's shareholder meeting.