Farewell Maelstrom

[SBETigg]

INTERCOT on FB/Twitter/Instagram has some good pictures of Maelstrom. I was feeling nostalgic looking at them yesterday.

[Stu29573]

I still just don't get this. Even my wife, who isn't nearly as much of a Disney geek as me said, "Why didn't they put that in Fantasyland? The World Showcase is supposed to be like a worlds fair!" I told her that argument has been made again and again, but no one listened (that mattered). On the other side of the coin, my five year old granddaughter will probably love it....IF they don't go "C&C*" on us.

*Cheap and Cheesy

[ajwgroomer]

I'll miss the narration the most.

I'll miss the narration too! We were so lucky to get to ride it one last time last week but I'm still so sad they're closing it. So stupid!

[lawgirl]

This makes me tear up! Maelstrom was one of my all-time favorite rides. I remember being a little girl when it opened, and it was the coolest thing. I LOVE the mural and the flags, and it breaks my heart!

I have one of the best Disney stories there...I went with my sister and her best friend for their senior trip. We had a blast, had park hoppers, and everything was perfect. One night we were making our way around the world, all dressed up, and the line was pretty long for Maelstrom. We were near the entrance debating what to do, and the cute Norwegian guy at the FP entrance said "Hey girls, Mickey said he was expecting you. Come on in." (in his cute accent!). It was the best. We were giggling the whole way through.

Oh, Disney! Why did you have to "Let it go"!?

[masonlovesdisney]

ah man...you brought tears to my eyes with this one.
I am only 20, but have such fond memories of this ride. As a child (i know im not far out), this was a ride that my family would ride multiple times. One of my favorite rides to this day, and just thinking about it being gone brings a tear to my eye. I just want that feeling one more time, that i had as a child, being scared to death that we were actually going over backwards. I would long for that.

Farewell, Maelstrom. You will be missed.

[TheVBs]

INTERCOT on FB/Twitter/Instagram has some good pictures of Maelstrom. I was feeling nostalgic looking at them yesterday.

Thanks! I'll have to look at those.

[Speedy1998]

I have got to ask. When the last boat pulled out, did the sound track still say "You are not the first to pass this way, and you will not be the last!"

[Altair]

I have got to ask. When the last boat pulled out, did the sound track still say "You are not the first to pass this way, and you will not be the last!"

They didn't change that for the last boat. You can also see the last ride on youtube.

[Main Street Jim]

Long live the high seas adventure. In memory, I thought it would be fun for folks to post either what they'll miss, or a good memory of the ride.

Good memory:

I was at EPCOT with one of my friends from high school in 1988 on Opening Day for the attraction. He was leaving for the military the following week. We were both like, "Finally! Another RIDE in World Showcase! Hope it's not like Mexico (right next door...:P " Even though it was a "boat ride", it was nothing like El Rio del Tiempo. This was a "thrill ride" in EPCOT Center! At the time, there were no "thrill rides" at all at the park. And only the four other attractions that were so...well, I *loved* all of them, but, my friend wasn't as into Disney as I was.

[Daisy'sMom]

Its just wrong. Is World Showcase doomed to be a character land? I agree more can be done and should be, but I just don't see why we have to be immersed in princesses all over Disney World.
I am heartbroken.

[natedog24]

I feel like WDW is simply giving people what they think they want... That old Henry Ford quote comes to mind: "If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses"

Disney probably spends a TON of money on market research for these decisions, and likely the answers they are getting are "more princesses, more character interaction, MORE FROZEN"... However, the powers that be need to realize that most of the time, people don't know what it is they'll truly want because they can't think outside of the box...

[Crow]

Yes, and before that they would try very hard to make you stay for the film. I kind of felt sorry for them as people dodged and weaved to get past them.

yea. but most times lately the doors would just be open...
I liked showing off the hidden mickey..Viking with the mickey ears on the wall as you board the boats

[QueenElsaOfArendelle]

i'm a little excited for the frozen ride, but they should've just built a new building to put it in!

[RavsRuleDisney!]

Yup - another one of those throwback, nostalgic, simple kinda rides you take a bit for granted until BAM!! She's gone. We always made a point to jump on this ride every trip....Gonna miss the little Viking on the boat in the mural wearing his "ears" and the narrators great baritone voice (wonder to heck who that was-anyone??). And peeking out at the park for a sec when you make the turn was cool....was cool. Hopefully they put a bit of old time Imagineering magic and know-how to make an enjoyable ride.

[texas211]

Yup - another one of those throwback, nostalgic, simple kinda rides you take a bit for granted until BAM!! She's gone. ...

For the same reason, we'll miss Living w/ the Land when they take it out.

[Main Street Jim]

i'm a little excited for the frozen ride, but they should've just built a new building to put it in!

...and at Studios.

The "country" of Arendelle cannot be visited in real life. It's *fictional*. Keep the "fictional" kingdoms OUT of EPCOT. World Showcase is meant for guests to experience "real-world" culture (or, at least as close as Disney can get us - technically speaking).

However, as we all know by now, it's all about the almighty dollar - and, Frozen *is* what's hot right now.

On the other hand: I don't know how long the franchise *will* be "remembered". Take for example, Cars/Cars2. I bet by now a lot of folks have forgotten what the first movie was even about - or, better yet, the second one. It was a popular franchise, for a time - and seeing Lightning McQueen and Mater in the parks *was* pretty cool. Heck, there's even a whole Radiator Springs "land" in California Adventure. Why not expand on the popularity of Anna and Elsa and add to Studios? the park *could* feasibly be expanded to the south (toward Osceola Parkway). Besides adding "Star Wars Land" to Studios, why not capitalize on Frozen and add a whole 'nother land to a desperately-hurting park?

[Gator]

While I'm not opposed to the Frozen attraction coming at all, I will certainly miss Maelstrom. On my second and best trip to WDW, Norway sorta became "My" pavillion. The ride, the gift shop, the Geir scents, the stave church, the waterfall, the trolls, and Akershus. It made me want to go to Norway. Maelstrom was my son's very first ride at WDW and so it was special to me, not so much to him. Not that Maelstrom was the best ride in the world - it wasn't by a long shot. I will miss it and I'm glad I have it on lots of home video footage.

[Kaps]

We rode this every visit. It was a nice break from just walking through the countries. Hope they do something decent with the space and not shutter it forever just to save a few. Have to admit would not watch the movie anymore been there done that

[WiltonJohn]

Our family too rode this every visit over the years. Sad... sad... sad. It will be sorely missed.

Some call this progress.

best,

.................john