Confirmed Closing Date for Maelstrom?

[WDWoptmist]

I'm not a huge fan of Maelstrom and think it needs an overhaul but it shouldn't be Frozen...World Showcase has done so well keeping out movie or character based attractions and keeping it about the countries themselves. Yeah Mexico has the Three Cabelleros but its still all about Mexico. Not so much if but when Frozen takes over thats pretty much it for Norway it will just become Norway FEATURING FROZEN on the park guides :/ hope they upgrade the attraction but keep it about Norway

 

[Susan Savia]

Sounds like yet another ride is going to be ruined, just like Spaceship Earth, Imagination etc...

 

[GLaDOS]

Has anyone been able to make FP+ reservations for te ride after oct 1st???

FP+ is not available for the attraction from Sep 28 on

 

[HollyAD]

I think ANY Frozen attraction belongs in MK. However, MK doesn't need anything to boost attendance. This would be a bigger draw for kiddies to EPCOT.

 

[lazyboy97o]

I think ANY Frozen attraction belongs in MK. However, MK doesn't need anything to boost attendance. This would be a bigger draw for kiddies to EPCOT.

Why does the park need more to distract kiddies from its message?

 

[righttrack]

I am not in favor of this change at ALL.

I don't even understand how they think the Norway Pavilion can handle the type of crowds a Frozen attraction would accumulate. One would think they'd have to gut a lot of the pavilion/ride to make room to handle the crowd.

This

You've got a decent sized queue there but even it gets overwhelmed for an old boat ride. Bring in Frozen, and you'll have people running from the gate to here. Going to be interesting...

 

[BigTxEars]

I can understand some folks being upset about this but from an objective view it makes sense for Frozen to be in Norway. The crazy ongoing popularity of the movie has brought more exposure to Norway than they have had since their boys were raiding the coast of England and Ireland back in the day. They would be foolish to not take advantage of it IMO. I too hope its done well, I would think it will be.

 

[mf1972]

just when Norway was done with the big crowds the meet & greet was getting

 

[mf1972]

In light of this news, I came up with a mathematical equation. Norway - maelstrom + frozen = Norway needs more alcohol.

 

[Ariel484]

In light of this news, I came up with a mathematical equation. Norway - maelstrom + frozen = Norway needs more alcohol.

Potato vodka from Kringla is your friend.

 

[PhilharMagician]

They re-themed El Rio Del Tiempo to the Three Caballeros back in 2011-ish.

So now instead of getting a glimpse of Mexican history and culture, we follow Donald Duck chasing/sexually harassing cute Mexican women while Panchito and Jose try to corral him for the "big show".

It's pretty terrible...even worse if you're like me and you ride it with with a pair of friends who happen to be Mexican-American. Awkward alert...

You have heard the quote time flies? Well it does and the 3 Caballeros update was back in 2007.

I hope this Frozen tie-in is not true. Maelstrom is quite popular as it is and during the busy times in Epcot, Norway is a disaster with the queue extending into the courtyard. What would then happen to this area with Frozen's insane popularity?

The El Rio Del Tiempo update was done because prior to the Three Caballeros many days there was no line in the queue and many boats running empty. Maelstrom clearly is not in the same boat. (pun intended) Capitalize on Frozen somewhere else!

 

[mf1972]

Potato vodka from Kringla is your friend.

sounds like a plan

 

[RandomPrincess]

What will happen to the trolls?

Frozen has trolls

 

[Wildflower]

Has anyone been able to make FP+ reservations for te ride after oct 1st???

Personally, nope. We'll be there 10/10-15 and not showing a single day of it.

 

[Mr Anderson]

You have heard the quote time flies? Well it does and the 3 Caballeros update was back in 2007.

I hope this Frozen tie-in is not true. Maelstrom is quite popular as it is and during the busy times in Epcot, Norway is a disaster with the queue extending into the courtyard. What would then happen to this area with Frozen's insane popularity?

The El Rio Del Tiempo update was done because prior to the Three Caballeros many days there was no line in the queue and many boats running empty. Maelstrom clearly is not in the same boat. (pun intended) Capitalize on Frozen somewhere else!

Oh man, I can just imagine trying to walk around World Showcase, and being blocked by a wall of people standing there like buffoons waiting in line for Frozen, refusing to make way for anyone trying to get by. We've already seen evidence of kids & parents going so crazy over Frozen that Disney has had to change rules (hello post-Anna & Elsa M&G Magic Kingdom Rope Drop) so I ask you all, what fresh h-e-double-hockey-sticks is THIS going to bring? Ugh, this is going to be ugly.

 

[FettFan]

I think ANY Frozen attraction belongs in MK. However, MK doesn't need anything to boost attendance. This would be a bigger draw for kiddies to EPCOT.

Yeah...retarded kiddies who sit in front of an idiot box/panel for hours on end.
To quote Voltaire, "He ain't using his brain, he's just watching TV."


Epcot is supposed to be a celebration of communities....about learning about a bigger world than what we are regularly exposed to. That's why I didn't complain when they put Kim possible and Perry the Platypus in WS; in each of those instances, kids were encouraged to actually explore each country, looking for clues and such. Those events supported Epcot's overall theme of building a better worldwide community.

And while I complain about the Three Caballeros taking over El Rio, at least the ride still somewhat showcases Mexico...even if it's overrun by cartoon birds. This is in complete contrast to Frozen, where all aspects of Norway's history and heritage would presumably be stripped away to make way for yet another rendition of 'Let it Go'.

Ultimately, integrating Frozen into Maelstrom proves two things:
1. DisneyCo does not care about Epcot's mission statement and will throw anything and everything under the bus in order to wring another dollar out of park guests. (Presumably while rubbing its hands together with a devilish sneer towards "those suckers")

2 Disney doesn't really care about Frozen enough to give it a proper treatment in the parks....Frozen is Disney's goose laying golden eggs, and unfortunately Bob Iger and Co. have all got knife sharpeners.

 

[dadddio]

I AM LITERALLY CRYING.

I really hope that you are literally misusing the word literally.

 

[dadddio]

Didn't even know the were closing it. Did they reveal what they're replacing it with?

They haven't even 'revealed' that they are closing it down or that it is being replaced with anything. (Although they totally are doing both. )

 

[eeyoremum]

I don't like the ride in Norway, it needs an update. I however don't think Frozen is the way to go however, I have not seen the movie so don't really have the right to comment. I am basing my opinion onthe butcher job they did to the Mexico pavilion (IMO).

 

[dadddio]

Ultimately, integrating Frozen into Maelstrom proves two things:
1. DisneyCo does not care about Epcot's mission statement and will throw anything and everything under the bus in order to wring another dollar out of park guests. (Presumably while rubbing its hands together with a devilish sneer towards "those suckers")

How does replacing Maelstrom with a Frozen-themed ride necessarily go against Epcot's mission statement?

"Epcot Center celebrates human achievements and innovation born from imagination. It is a showplace dedicated to entertain we hope, with a purpose. Our goals for EPCOT Center are quite clear, we want to first entertain, then inform and inspire all who come here and above all, to instill in our guests a new sense of belief and pride in mankind’s ability to shape a world that offers real hope to people everywhere in the world."​