Frozen Attraction Coming to Epcot - Replaces Maelstrom

[Basket Mommy]

October 5 is now the last day Malestrom will be opening with the new Frozen attraction targeting early 2016 for opening.

Aw, seriously? We're going down right before Thanksgiving. I was hoping to get to ride Maelstrom one more time. Sigh.

I love Frozen, and I have thought that Norway (and really, World Showcase in its entirety) has needed an update for awhile, but I did love Maelstrom. I even loved the movie afterwards when I had time to sit and watch.

So, never met Kenai and Koda at that little rocky-mountain area just up from the totem poles?

Or that dragon from Mulan in the China pavilion? Or Belle/Beast in France? The characters are already there. Just no actual theming inside the pavilions, really. Unless you count Donald in Mexico.

[buzznwoodysmom]

Only the ride is changing along with the meet n greet area. The rest of the pavilion will stay Norway without much changing.

Oh good! I hope so. DH likes the Helly Hansen shop, and love to get my "Norway" perfume (Laila).

I am not a fan of character attractions in WS. I am also not a huge fan of "Frozen". The movie was good, but I just don't get all the hype. Needless to say I would have preferred the attraction stay away from going the "Frozen" route.

[Melanie]

But putting the other characters mentioned here into France, Canada, China, etc. would be 'strange'? Beauty and the Beast has been out for 23 years. So let's just now incorporate it into France's theme? I think they haven't because they know it wouldn't really work, and they've known that's not what Epcot is truly about. That's what's so odd and misguided about throwing a Frozen theme into Norway, and it's sad the PTB are only seeing dollar signs. But dare I say only us diehards care, and we are the minority. Sad, but true.

RIP Maelstrom. I love the ride, and I even love the film. And pulling up into the little Norwegian village will always be a early Epcot memory for me!

[Melanie]

The characters are supposed to be just "visiting" from their country, or who you'd find there if you went to the "real" country.

Right! And I'm fine with that. I've always thought it was a cute touch. I remember when Epcot had NO characters (except the creepy oversized 'dolls' from each country ). There was a bit of outcry when they were introduced there, but overall, how they've incorporated the meets has been nice, IMO.

I honestly don't even mind Donald, Panchito and Jose in Mexico. Do I think they could have done a better job with that refurb? Absolutely! But as far as them being in the attraction, for some strange reason it doesn't bother me. That's old school Disney, not something that's riding a huge high at the present time. Only time will tell, and I'm sure Anna & Elsa will always be popular (as all the Princesses are), but I doubt the Frozen high will last forever. I'm just kind of flabbergasted they are basing an attraction of this magnitude on it. Where's our Monster's Inc. swinging door coaster/attraction?

Disclaimer: I like Frozen. A lot.

[Disney Doll]

Man, we've got some negative nellies here.

We don't even know what this will be yet. They may do an amazing job. It's one ride not the entire pavilion and let's be honest, the current Maelstrom ride is way outdated. I have this sneaking suspicion that there is more to Norway than cruise lines, fishing, trolls, and early 80's hairdos. Maelstrom is not the best way to teach your kids about their family ancestry. It's an entertainment attraction and it's old. I love it, I really do. It's been around since I was a kid and the nostalgia is strong, but logically I know this is a good move for Disney. I will be sad to see Maelstrom go, but I am looking forward to a new Frozen themed ride next year.

[PirateLover]

Lucky for Canada, I can't think of any Disney movies that take place there...

I think Brother Bear was Canada?
ETA: my internet was going extremely slow and I did not see all of the other responses before my post. Carry on.

[texas211]

I said this was a done deal months ago - there were those who chose not to believe me.

Vindication....

Congratulations, you were right, the cancer is spreading..

[Melanie]

(Although every time the Armies bring out their ritual chant of "Wheresourdoorride, wheresourdoorride?"--the one they've long since forgotten WHY they keep asking for after thirteen years, they just do--I always keep having to ask the same question:
How exactly do they envision we're supposed to ride a door? Do they think we're going to cling to it by our knuckles for dear life, like Mike & Sully did in the movie?)

Seriously? Whatever. It can be done. No where have you seen me saying I want to 'ride a door,' nor do I expect to ride a door. The door scene in 'Mike & Sulley to the Rescue' at California Adventure is amazing.

You'll get over it.

And you know nothing about me.

[Sam&Alex&Josh'sMOM]

Can we just ask not to be dumped from Arrendelle to PERFUMELAND. I have to beg every time I get off Maelstrom to be let out at the entrance and explain that perfume store makes me physically ILL. Seriously, that store is so small, and that smell is SO strong. I love the ride, I love the trolls, I would love to spend time in the rest of the store with my family, but that perfume just wafts over Fills my head and makes me want to ... well you get the idea. I will take a ride that ends in a crowded room of a meet and greet ANY DAY over smelly perfume!

[Tearin_it_up]

The Lion King is over 20 years old now and it's live show in Animal Kingdom just received a nice new pavillion, even when the Animal Kingdom opened it was 4 years old.

Nemo found his way into the Living Seas about 3 years after the movie?

Hey maybe Wall-E still has a chance

[BrerGnat]

Man, we've got some negative nellies here.

We don't even know what this will be yet. They may do an amazing job. It's one ride not the entire pavilion and let's be honest, the current Maelstrom ride is way outdated. I have this sneaking suspicion that there is more to Norway than cruise lines, fishing, trolls, and early 80's hairdos. Maelstrom is not the best way to teach your kids about their family ancestry. It's an entertainment attraction and it's old. I love it, I really do. It's been around since I was a kid and the nostalgia is strong, but logically I know this is a good move for Disney. I will be sad to see Maelstrom go, but I am looking forward to a new Frozen themed ride next year.

This is the most logical argument for this change I've seen and I totally agree with you. Maelstrom is laughably outdated and irrelevant as a testament to Norwegian culture. At this point, Norway (the country) doesn't even seem to have any interest in their pavilion at Epcot, so why not turn it into a Frozen attraction. The basic ride won't change much, just the scenery.

In any event, if in the future, Frozen becomes irrelevant, it will be easy for Disney to transform the ride into something else. This will refresh that pavilion and bring more guests over that way, and that will end up being good for WS as a whole.

[MizMissy]

I'm sad to see it go, but at least I have the limited edition commemorative t-shirt to remember it by.

[Melanie]

This will refresh that pavilion and bring more guests over that way, and that will end up being good for WS as a whole.

Not sure if refresh is the word I'd use, but it does seem to be the go-to word from Disney PR right now.

And while I don't appreciate being called a 'negative Nelly,' I get it. Like I said before, only the diehards care, and we are very much the minority. But we do have a right to express our opinion. The pavilion will be mobbed, no doubt, and of course I'll check it out. But the majority of the time, I'll be on the opposite side of WS with my Carl's Combo listening to Off Kilter. Wait, what's that? Lumberjacks. Gotcha.

[Melanie]

Can we just ask not to be dumped from Arrendelle to PERFUMELAND. I have to beg every time I get off Maelstrom to be let out at the entrance and explain that perfume store makes me physically ILL. Seriously, that store is so small, and that smell is SO strong. I love the ride, I love the trolls, I would love to spend time in the rest of the store with my family, but that perfume just wafts over Fills my head and makes me want to ... well you get the idea. I will take a ride that ends in a crowded room of a meet and greet ANY DAY over smelly perfume!

I TOTALLY agree. There are times it's given me a headache.

The Lion King is over 20 years old now and it's live show in Animal Kingdom just received a nice new pavillion, even when the Animal Kingdom opened it was 4 years old.

But it's been there, and it's popular, and it's in AK. I'm only referring to incorporating characters into the World Showcase attractions.

[Susan A]

I'm glad we decided to ride it last October.
I wonder if they will keep the movie at the end.
And, I bet there will be lots of frozen merchandise available as you exit!

[PirateLover]

World Showcase is pretty popular for almost half of the year now. Food and Wine and now Flower and Garden which has become mini food and wine keep that place hopping with adults. In fact this board has seen many complaints of drunks and how they don't want their kids in a party atmosphere. I'm sure those types of complaints will only increase. Future World needs the help more desperately, IMO. All I can hope is that other parts of Epcot will also receive some love soon.

Frozen is here to stay whether certain people like it or not. In fact it seems to me that it's only continuing to gain popularity. I know as a kid I hung onto my love for the 90s flicks like Little Mermaid(technically that was 80s)
and Beauty and the Beast for many, many, years. In fact I don't know that I ever stopped loving them. I was just as excited to meet Gaston and participate in Story Time with Belle as the 7 year olds

[Tekneek]

It takes a powerful imagination to turn Epcot into a generic theme park with no sense of focus or mission. This change was so predictable that people were talking about it as soon as the movie got big.

[Imalismom]

Ah, but I find this very interesting

Disney has offered Norway the opportunity to pay roughly $9 million to update and maintain the pavilion as a promotional platform for the country -- instead of the hit movie.

and Norway is giving WDW the cold shoulder....

[PirateLover]

Although one joke I like to needle shallow, posing fans with is, "You liked Frozen so much? Okay:
Explain why.....WITHOUT fan-quoting one of the song lyrics. No "For the f*rst t*m* in f*r*v*r", no B**ld*ng of Sn*wm*n, and on pain of death, no, no, NO, uttering of the Three Vile Words. One lyric, and you're disqualified."
(Oh, but that's because you were struck by the story and characters so much, it'll be easy for you! It's not because of anyone being a Broadway fangirl obsessed with karaoke'ing the CD soundtrack, or anything!)

Me, I can explain why I liked Wreck-It Ralph--because, of course, there weren't any songs in it--I can explain why I liked Tangled, because I've forgotten all the songs that were in it, and I'm reasonably comfortable that I can explain why I liked, say, Aladdin, and how it took me on a whole new.....erm, thing.

Oooh kaaay.... I like Wreck it Ralph too. I like Frozen but I don't defend it as the be-all end all. Parts of the story were weak. Characters were under developed. But for me, the songs DO make or break a Disney movie. And when I say it's here to stay I'm mainly talking about the kids and the marketing. Not a commentary on the quality of the film. I have little cousins who just can't get enough after a year of this. As an adult I grew to love some of the movies in a different way, but as a kid I didn't care. It was all about the characters and the songs for me.

[Imalismom]

I like Frozen so much, because for the first time, the "princess" did not have to depend on the "prince" - the "princess" did it all on her own. And.. every girl needs to know that they can indeed "make it on their own".