Frozen Attraction Coming to Epcot - Replaces Maelstrom

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:thumbsup:

Disney Doll;2433487 wrote: Man, we've got some negative nellies here. :secret:

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 It's one ride not the entire pavilion and let's be honest, the current Maelstrom ride is way outdated.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. :thumbsup:

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 Maelstrom is laughably outdated and irrelevant as a testament to Norwegian culture.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.

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

BrerGnat;2433494 wrote: 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. :beer: :pipes: Wait, what's that? Lumberjacks. Gotcha.

Sam&Alex&Josh'sMOM;2433492 wrote: 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 :ack: 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.

Tearin_it_up;2433493 wrote: 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.

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!

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 :blush:

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.

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....

EricJ;2433509 wrote: 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.

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".

PirateLover;2433513 wrote: ...but as a kid I didn't care.

If the parks were going to be built based off of what I liked most about Disney films at that young of an age, it would have been one massive tribute to Kim Richards with Doc Terminus and Hoagy peddling their snake oil in Passamaquoddy-land.

Hey EricJ, how's that crow you are now eating buddy? Want to apologize to John and I? Finally going to admit you were wrong and we were right? I'm waiting, once you get done with your rants that is (what happens when you are 100% totally wrong, and now wind up with egg on your face)...

Some of us knew this was happening months ago... Some of us told you so... You are welcome Intercotees for getting this news MONTHS ago...

Guess some of us do know exactly what we are talking about after all huh John?

Oh no! Looks like my DSs will not be riding maelstrom anymore. They really enjoyed the ride. However to quote DS10 (going on 40) [in regards to the frozen buzz, at his 4yo cousin's end of the year show ]- "this is what happens when a lame movie becomes popular". So I don't think he will want to do it let alone wait long to ride it either.

Please remember that this topic is a "family" topic, and that Family does not treat family bad.

It is not needed, nor is it called for.

Please do not make me (or any other moderator) delete comments that are personal attacks.