‘Frozen Ever After’ in Epcot News & Rumors
‘Frozen Ever After’ is an attraction opening in June 2016 at Epcot in Walt Disney World. Disney officially announced that Maelstrom in Norway at the World Showcase will be replaced by a Frozen attraction.
Disney has set an official date for the attraction to open, and it is June 21, 2016. (Additionally, it’s rumored to be soft-opening by June 17, 2016–the same day as Soarin’ Around the World.) Once Frozen Ever After officially opens, expect the Norway pavilion to open at the same time as Future World. The adjacent Royal Sommerhus, Anna and Elsa’s new meet & greet location, will also open on June 21, 2016.
Starting June 21, the Norway Pavilion will open at 9 a.m., along with the Future World area of Epcot. FastPass+ for Frozen Ever After will be available for booking starting May 21, and you will want to be up early ready to book if you’re traveling this summer, as these will be the hot FastPass+ to score.
The attraction will likely be a Tier A FastPass+ attraction, giving Epcot 3 highly coveted top selections in Test Track, Frozen Ever After, and Soarin’ Around the World. Given its lower capacity as compared to Soarin’ and Test Track, we’d recommend using FastPass+ on it. Alternatively, making a pre-opening ADR for Akershus would and rope dropping Frozen Ever After would be a good alternative. We’ll update our 1-Day Epcot Ideal Day Plan to reflect this. Expect Frozen Ever After wait times to exceed 120 minutes for much of the summer, so yeah…you’ll definitely want a plan.
Once FastPass+ become available for Frozen Ever After, we’ll also update our Guide to FastPass+ at Walt Disney World post, too. Basically, what you should know is that Frozen Ever After will be the best and most highly sought-after FastPass+ in all of Walt Disney World. Capacity for this attraction is low and demand is very high, which will be a recipe for it “selling out” of FastPass+ as soon as that 60-day window opens.
Want some more info about the new attraction? The new ‘Frozen’ attraction will take our guests to Arendelle and immerse them in many of their favorite moments and music from the film. The pavilion will also include a royal greeting location where Anna and Elsa can meet our guests.
To date, few details have been released, but the Wall Street Journal offered a sneak peak at the attraction, and it should be noted that the italicized text below could constitute spoilers, as it is basically a scene-by-scene description of the ride through:
“Once [guests] board their logs, ‘Frozen Ever After” riders will first see goofy snowman Olaf and equally goofy reindeer Sven setting up the Winter Festival premise.
Next is a stop at Troll Valley, where Grandpappy Troll tells a gathering of children the story of how Anna and Kristof met, before the log goes up a ramp to find Olaf again, singing a song while ice skating, right next to Anna and Kristof, who are singing with their friend Sven.
Behind a set of doors is the moment any visitor is sure to be waiting for: Elsa, on a balcony, singing “Let It Go” in her ice castle. It’s the centerpiece of the ride…and it features elaborate effects to create simulated snow crystals soaring around the room.
Visitors will next ride by Marshmallow, the giant, formerly evil snowman from “Frozen” and his miniature Snowgie pals…
Marshmallow himself yells “Let It Go” in time with Elsa’s song before the log travels through a mist cloud and reaches the final scene, which includes fireworks and a wave from Elsa, Anna, Olaf, Sven and Kristof.”
Imagineering creative executive Kathy Mangum, who oversees the Walt Disney World Resort, informed the Wall Street Journal that Maelstrom had been gutted, with only the original water flume track remaining, and the attraction otherwise being re-made from scratch.
With that, here’s our original post written prior to the announcement of ‘Frozen Ever After’ that predicted a Frozen attraction coming to Norway, and what we’d like to see happen if one came…
There was a time when Disney characters in World Showcase seemed less likely than pigs flying or…uh…certain ‘things’ freezing over. Well, it seems Epcot’s Norway is about to be Frozen over. Maelstrom closed in 2014 to make way for a Frozen attraction, which would essentially be a quick conversion of Maelstrom into a Frozen attraction, rather than an entirely new attraction in its place.
These plans have already proven quite divisive among Disney fans. The consensus among EPCOT Center fans is that Maelstrom should not be replaced by anything-Frozen, which is not set in Norway and is disrespectful to World Showcase. Fans of the addition are generally excited about anything coming to World Showcase, which has had plenty of restaurants and shops added over the years, but hasn’t seen a new attraction since Maelstrom in 1988.
I’m a big fan of movies, and one thing that really fascinates may is how the critical consensus of a film can radically differ from the audience consensus. In terms of Disney attractions, I think the same often happens in terms of the fan consensus versus the average guest consensus. Many Disney fans have expressed frustration regarding the Frozen Ever After announcement in the last couple of years, but my guess would be that the general public largely won’t notice or won’t mind Frozen in Norway at Epcot.
The biggest objection I see from many Disney fans with regard to Frozen in EPCOT Center is that Frozen isn’t set in Norway, and as such, isn’t a perfect fit. Having witnessed the trajectory of Epcot over the past dozen-plus years, I don’t think ‘perfect fit’ is really a realistic measuring-stick anymore. Nowadays, we aren’t learning about the depths of the oceans in Future World, we’re joining a surfer-dude turtle as he looks for a fish.
We aren’t exploring the future of energy…we’re presented a decade-plus old, biased view of it. There’s scarcely a single pavilion in Future World that does justice to its topic. Beyond Future World, World Showcase has also seen the introduction of characters, and those characters certainly do not accurately represent their host countries. Frozen may be set in a fictional location, but for better or worse, it’s about as accurate to Norway as Beauty and the Beast is to France or Mulan is to China.
Moreover, Maelstrom itself isn’t exactly the most representative or compelling showcase of Norwegian culture. I’d hazard a guess that Frozen has done far more for Norway’s tourism industry than Maelstrom ever has, plus Norway has definitely embraced Frozen. There’s plenty in Frozen that is an accurate portrayal of Norway.
Check out The Art of Frozen, which features photos from the film team’s research trip to Norway and shows some striking similarities to background art and designs from the film if you want further proof of this. It discusses how the art team for the movie pulled from the Norwegian village of Balestrand in terms of architecture and design, utilized the Norwegian patterning style of rosemaling to give texture to costuming, and the parallels to Norway’s untamed wilderness. Frozen may not be technically set in Norway, but it’s certainly “inspired by” Norway.
I am not saying this to try to justify it as being close enough–there is no changing the fact that Frozen is not set in Norway–it’s set in a fictional country. I think it was a mistake for EPCOT Center to deviate from its original mission, but that new course was set in the mid-1990s. It’d be crazy to pretend this is the first instance of Epcot going off-theme. Rather, it’s a sad trend that has been ongoing for two decades. I just hope we get a high-quality attraction out of this that makes some effort at fitting into World Showcase.
Rather than going for the low-hanging fruit and doing a CliffNotes version of the film, it would be great to see a tour of Norwegian culture and heritage, hosted by the characters from Frozen. Many Disney fans would still grumble over the presence of characters in World Showcase, but I think just as many would be satisfied if the attraction makes an earnest effort to showcase authentic culture, and does so in a way that will captivate kids. Take guests through fjords and encounter polar bears, musk ox, mosses, and trolls based on Norwegian folklore, explaining the significance of each. Bonus points here for not phoning it in with the ‘condense a movie into 5 minutes’ ploy.
I have very little faith that Disney will actually make the attraction respectful to actual Norwegian culture, but I think doing so would do a lot to blunt a lot of the outcry over the prospect of a Frozen attraction, which is actually set in a fictional country (and there are no two ways about that, regardless of how much of Frozen is ‘inspired by’ Norway), moving into World Showcase.
Just because the precedent is there and Frozen isn’t as awful of a fit as some are arguing doesn’t mean it’s a good fit. Although EPCOT Center broke from its mission statement in the mid-1990s, I’m still one of the crazy few who hopes for a return to form. Epcot isn’t beyond the point of no return. Part of me thinks that with a couple of changes here and there, Epcot could again be the park that captured the minds and imaginations of countless guests and really redefined what a theme park could do, with lofty ambitions for a park that fused education with entertainment.
Maelstrom did not age well and was overdue for a replacement, but Frozen in its place is another nail in the coffin of EPCOT Center for those of us who remember that ambitious, concept park.
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Your Thoughts…
What do you think of adding Frozen to Norway in World Showcase? Which additions would you like to see instead of this? Any other placemaking ideas for Epcot? If you have any other tips or ‘Armchair Imagineering,’ please share in the comments!
i wonder how it affects viewing experience with the plexi glass
I have mixed feelings personally.. I’ll flat out say- I’m 25. I went to the parks roughly 4-5 years in a row when I was under 10 because my dad’s company had a conference there each year. I didnt go for over a decade and finally have been frequenting a lot in the last two years and am continuing, because of runDisney events.
That out of the way– I went to all of the Epcot attractions as a child… Yes they’re educational, but when compared with rides at the other parks, they could still hold their own in the 90s but now? They’re almost all too outdated. A nice break from the heat, but kids want something more interactive and that looks new and modern. While I wish/hope the Frozen ride to be fairly educational (Even with a summary that doesn’t imply it will be, perhaps there will be some educational aspect?) there IS the gallery nearby to see the influence of the country on the film… And I think Epcot definitely needs new attractions to boost interest. If this attraction and the updates to other rides showed a major jump in park attendance, I’d be inclined to think it means future improvements will definitely be made, and other rides could get some TLC or a revamp. So long as they keep the street shows in Epcot (which I honestly think are the big seller.. Could spend days watching them while snacking) I don’t think the heart of the Epcot will really disappear… As mentioned, most won’t even notice Frozen has a ride, because so much of the park will remain the same.
How do soft openings typically work? Is this an all-day thing or off and on throughout the days leading up to the official opening? I really don’t want to give up our MK fastpasses to go back to Epcot the day after we’re there because we also have hard to get MK ADRs made too, on FEA opening day…
It depends on whether there are issues. Sometimes it’s on and off, sometimes it’s all day. I’ve heard Frozen Ever After was having issues that were causing a delay in the construction, and if those problems still exist, it could be an on and off thing.
“The Hobbit” and “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy were written by a British author who probably never went to New Zealand. Yet, the success of those films were a huge boost to tourism in that country – even though the books or film had nothing to do with New Zealand! Like you said, the artists of “Frozen” were inspired by Norway! Given the complaints here, Epcot should also remove Mary Poppins from England, Belle from France, Jasmine from Morocco, etc. I, for one, welcome the attraction and can’t wait to see it!
Fyi Mulan is actually based on a real person from china.of course some of it is made up.
I might be making a wildly unpopular statement, but I think “updating” EPCOT by remodeling or returning to retro attractions is sort of missing the point. Adding things we enjoyed as a child back to Future World does not bring in the new generations; it simply makes us super happy with nostalgia.
I agree that trying to integrate entertainment and education is a great goal, but children today yawn at watching technology work for itself. These need things more current and more interactive. I’ll risk putting my money where my mouth is for a second with one of my ideas I had for a student while walking through EPCOT:
In the Art of Animation building you can meet Disney artists; I love watching them draw on paper or in Photoshop, but these are older technologies for modern animators. In the Innovations building, if I had an unlimited budget, I would try to connect these two worlds.
First, there needs to be artists working on Cintiq computers–which are amazingly futuristic in their own rights–AND what the real artists are already using. It’s a matter of moving these artists out into the public area. These artists can be doing 2D, and 3D animation to actual Disney movies. Connect their work to large video screens mounted high up and people will be drawn in to watch the progress–this has been proven repeatedly with street artists for decades and seems to be a universal characteristic of humans.
Finally, set up a row of computers where children can create a cartoon character, put on a motion capture suit and animate their character with their own body. Capture this animation on a short mvp file and sell the digital copy sent directly to email.
I have quite a few of these ideas from watching and wishing for my own students, BUT, they are ridiculously expensive. Since the Innovations building doesn’t draw much of a crowd, it’s not likely that an actuarian is going to consider that a budget priority.
My husband and I are headed back to Disney World in December… I’ve been many times since childhood and have somehow never experienced Maelstrom – and yet my favorite park is Epcot, so I don’t know how that happened! I guess I missed my chance… We tend to spend quite a bit of time in the World Showcase, so (yes, very selfishly) I’m concerned that this will bring unbearable crowds to that area!
Knowing that Maelstrom is going away makes me sad. I’m a traditionalist in that I loved EPCOT Center. I’d love to see some of the old rides brought back, perhaps more modernized. I loved the old music (Imagination and The Land music always made me smile). I enjoyed Frozen, and I’m like Tom, if it’s going to hit Epcot, then a tour of Norway ride with the characters would be the best way to do it. I don’t mind the characters invading Epcot, but I would like to see it done in a way that respects the country they supposedly represent. Meet and Greets are fine, and some character representation in the attractions would be okay if it’s done in a way that represents the country as well. And for the record, adding Nemo to the Living Seas just ruined that attraction. I miss the Hydrolator and SeaBase Alpha. About the only things I like about Seas now are the aquariums and manatee exhibit.
What is going to be done with the old pavilion that had Body Wars, etc.?
I’ve always enjoyed Maelstrom. In many ways it was an older type of ride that was not supposed to afford the same thrills as those in future world and the other parks. I have no problem with a Frozen ride, though my preference would have been to add it into the Fantasyland makeover (yeah, it’s done, but I’m sure the Imagineers would be able to make it fit without any problem). Of course, now that they’re going to work on rides in the World Showcase, how about updating the ride ride in Mexico? Will we be seeing the Ratatouille ride that recently opened in Disney France brought into the World Showcase?
Interesting that a lot of readers have indicated that they are tiring of Frozen. There was an interesting piece recently published discussing Disney’s unpreparedness for the popularity of the Little Mermaid and how they were not going to lose the opportunity with Frozen. In time, the Frozen craze will settle down and everyone will be used to the changes in Norway. We will then get up in arms about some other changes the Mouse made to the parks (can you believe they got rid of Mr. Toads ride!!!).
RIP Maelstrom. I’ll miss you. I’m just disappointed that I never spotted the viking who was wearing the Mickey Mouse ears.
P.S.: Arendelle IS Norway, not a fictional country. People need to stop making up such ridiculous stories and excuses just to defend Maelstrom.
Sorry but think the frozen attraction is a really bad idea . It’s not that I am totally against the attraction I just think it will be in the wrong theme park , it is definitely a Magic Kingdom type of attraction . The attraction of Epcot and world showcase is because it is totally different from the Magic Kingdom . Surely, people don’t want to see the same thing in each park ? World showcase is fab and I really think an attraction that this would cheapen the whole experience .
I disagree. Frozen is PERFECT for Epcot. The whole “put in MK or DHS” argument is stupid, useless and nothing more than a convenient excuse to put it down.
I totally agree with you Sharon! In my opinion Epcot blends learning, culture and fun while the Magic Kingdom is purely fun–which is exactly where Frozen should have been built. I will definitely miss Maelstrom and its introduction to Norway (and the movie it presented afterwards). The World Showcase was to give you a taste of their culture and NOT to promote a movie!
Tom,
I am sad that I will not get to experience Maelstrom as I’m not going to Disney until October. From your post on it I gathered it was just too goofy not to miss, unfortunately my turn will never come. But I think Frozen is a good choice, albeit not Norwegian, but my daughter’s and I love the movie. I couldn’t agree more with you that it’s probably done a lot for Norwegian tourism. Looking forward to Frozen one of these years.
Maelstrom could use some updating but not by a Frozen replacement. How about changing a few things at the end of the ride and then a Frozen character hosted 3D movie about the neighboring country of Norway? We always enjoy the movie but after so many years, it was crying out for something new. Very few people stay for it and they have resorted to leaving the doors open for “walk thrus”.
In my humble opinion, if Walt Disney would somehow be alive today, he would not be pleased at what his parks have become. Maybe the Magic Kingdom, but not the other 3 parks. His vision of quality and entertainment is definitely not alive today any more than he is.
EPCOT was his dream and vision. If he saw today what it has become, I think he would order it closed and completely re-done to something close to what he originally intended. When Walt died, many of the original planners of the park decided that his “vision” was not commercially viable and went in a completely different direction than what he intended.
Don’t even get me started on the so-called “Disney” Channels. They are and embarrassment to his legacy.
Stop pretending to know what a dead guy would or wouldn’t want.
I am sad to see Maelstrom go. It has a campy fun to it that I’ve enjoyed for many years. I’ve been going to Disney for many years, particularly about 5-6 times in the last 4 years, and I have not seen a single change to Epcot that I can remember, so I’m ok with this closure. (Other than Starbucks!) It’s a good way for Disney to get more kids into Epcot as well.
Tom, I am definitely on board with a new country in Epcot, and Brazil is a great choice (especially given the extraordinary amount of tour groups that I see there every time I go). Disney has a lot of work to do on their parks so I can’t imagine any updates to Epcot in the next 10 years. They certainly have more than enough room to build and expand Epcot.
Maelstrom may be open a bit longer than initially rumored at least. Up until this week I could not select a fast pass for it past Sept 27. Now I have the option to book it for any day of my trip through Oct 3.
I’ve said it before, Frozen needs to go in MGM. Its already established there with the Frozen Summer party and MGM is in the biggest need of new rides. Redo the Animation building to a Frozen area, add a ride and meet and greet there. It will help to balance out the park once Star Wars gets added AND it fits better than in Epcot.
The ride length is too short to do Frozen justice anyway and it will only let down fans of the movie by not giving them a “wow” attraction.