Frozen Ever After opening day

mimitchi33

mimitchi33

Well-Known Member
NearTheEars said:
Well, after finally getting to ride it, about an hour and a half after breakdown, I can say I was fairly pleased.
As it's been said before, the AAs are truly awesome.

The backward portion is lacking theming. It's OK at first, but then essentially turns into a dark hallway. If any corners were cut with this redo, this was it.

It's nice that the ride is longer now, and I was a pleasantly surprised that there was a finale scene after the former oil rig room. I hadn't watched any ride videos in order to avoid spoilers, so I didn't really expect it.

Did I learn anything about Norway? No.
Did I enjoy it? Yes.
Do I still miss Maelstrom? Very much.
Did this IP deserve an expansion in a different park? Absolutely.
Did I hear a guy explaining to his wife that Frozen took over the former Sweden ride? Unfortunately yes.

P.S. The meet and greet expansion was beautifully done.
Click to expand...
I'm gladdidn't notice it was longer than Malestrom. Then again, I don't remember anything about it except that the boat felt cramped.
DisneyFans4Life said:
The issue with this ride is that they're using the wrong version of the song. Norway is about vikings...vikings are tough and raw...like this song:

Click to expand...

And if the ride were more accurate, Anna and Elsa wouldn't be queen and princess, they would be female vikings like Astrid from How To Train Your Dragon!
 
dgp602

dgp602

Well-Known Member
AndyMagic said:
If there is one thing Frozen Ever After proves its that the classic Disney dark-ride formula not only still works but that even in 2016, it can still charm and impress riders. I hate where the ride is located. I hate that the capacity is terrible. I hate that Imagineering was hampered by an existing ride system and layout. But I think it's safe to say that the ride itself is a return to form. All the talented people who made the best lemonade imaginable out of a pile of rotten lemons deserve heaps of praise and free reign to design their next ride with zero constraints.

None of this changes the fact that this ride should have never been built in Epcot with these kind of capacity constraints but it gives me hope that when Iger and some other toxic management eventually exit stage left (or fall into a trap door "Turn Off the Dark" style), we'll have a lot of quality product to look forward to.
Click to expand...

Totally agree with your take on the location. But, as the dad to 2 girls, this ride was a home run. The AA's are outstanding. Which leads me to this question: When I rode Little Mermaid in MK the following day, the final scene there is quite similar to Frozen. Eric and Ariel are standing there waving goodbye as you past by, just as Elsa and Anna do in Frozen. But the difference in the AA between the two rides is night and day. Eric and Ariel look like the standard AA's from 30 years ago. Correctly if I am wrong, but isn't Mermaid roughly only 5 yrs old? Did AA's advance that much in that short of a time frame? And would it be possible to begin to systematically replace the old style AA's with these new ones? Using the Mermaid ride as an example, how hard and expensive would it be at the next refurb to replace the old Eric and Ariel with the new style AA's?
 
Biff215

Biff215

Well-Known Member
dgp602 said:
Totally agree with your take on the location. But, as the dad to 2 girls, this ride was a home run. The AA's are outstanding. Which leads me to this question: When I rode Little Mermaid in MK the following day, the final scene there is quite similar to Frozen. Eric and Ariel are standing there waving goodbye as you past by, just as Elsa and Anna do in Frozen. But the difference in the AA between the two rides is night and day. Eric and Ariel look like the standard AA's from 30 years ago. Correctly if I am wrong, but isn't Mermaid roughly only 5 yrs old? Did AA's advance that much in that short of a time frame? And would it be possible to begin to systematically replace the old style AA's with these new ones? Using the Mermaid ride as an example, how hard and expensive would it be at the next refurb to replace the old Eric and Ariel with the new style AA's?
Click to expand...
Mine Train was the first significant use of the projected faces, which did come after Under the Sea was open. I'm not sure the new style would work for a traditionally animated character though, they were definitely going for a different look. This has been discussed elsewhere, and it's really a matter of personal opinion whether these new AA's could be used in every attraction.

Even if it worked, it would be rather expensive to upgrade. Ariel's pitfalls go beyond the AA's unfortunately.
 
mimitchi33

mimitchi33

Well-Known Member
Actually, Radiator Springs Racers in California Adventure was actually the first ride to use the AA's with projected eyes, and it opened the same year as Mermaid.
 
Goofyernmost

Goofyernmost

Well-Known Member
Mike S said:
Buzz Lightyear had a projected face before it was cool. Going even further back, Madame Leota.
Click to expand...
Speaking of which, I was wondering, since we are allegedly all Disney Park Fans, if there is anyone in our circle that has ever noticed the tombstone for Leota just before you enter the Mansion? And if so, how many have never seen what happens to it if you watch it long enough?
 
Mike S

Mike S

Well-Known Member
Goofyernmost said:
Speaking of which, I was wondering, since we are allegedly all Disney Park Fans, if there is anyone in our circle that has ever noticed the tombstone for Leota just before you enter the Mansion? And if so, how many have never seen what happens to it if you watch it long enough?
Click to expand...
One of the things I've noticed since my earliest memories of Magic Kingdom and I think there's plenty of people here that also know about it.
 
Goofyernmost

Goofyernmost

Well-Known Member
Mike S said:
One of the things I've noticed since my earliest memories of Magic Kingdom and I think there's plenty of people here that also know about it.
Click to expand...
I don't know your age or when you started going to WDW, but, the tombstone I'm talking about hasn't been there that awful long. I'm thinking 10 or so years. It wasn't there when I started to go there and for quite a few years after that. It was never publicly noted, by Disney, and it was only by chance and timing that you would have noticed it. I know that I have personally pointed it out to hundreds of people over the years, and they are always surprised. That's why I was curious as to the extent that it might be a situation for many people. I'm not assuming that they don't know, I just wonder how many do know about it and for how long.
 
Mike S

Mike S

Well-Known Member
Goofyernmost said:
I don't know your age or when you started going to WDW, but, the tombstone I'm talking about hasn't been there that awful long. I'm thinking 10 or so years. It wasn't there when I started to go there and for quite a few years after that. It was never publicly noted, by Disney, and it was only by chance and timing that you would have noticed it. I know that I have personally pointed it out to hundreds of people over the years, and they are always surprised. That's why I was curious as to the extent that it might be a situation for many people. I'm not assuming that they don't know, I just wonder how many do know about it and for how long.
Click to expand...
Imagine that, and I thought it's always been there.
In 2002 Madame Leota got a tombstone in the cemetery outside The Haunted Mansion in Walt Disney World. Her epitaph reads: "Dear sweet Leota, beloved by all. In regions beyond now, but having a ball." Madame Leota's face appears on the front of the tombstone and it periodically shifts and opens its eyes.
Click to expand...
http://disney.wikia.com/wiki/Madame_Leota

I guess I never really looked on those early trips to see it not there. My memories of the parks are much clearer from the late 90's onward. The rest of my knowledge of WDW comes from research and info from people who experienced it before I did. My age isn't really a secret as it's in my profile. 23. I guess I started going right away as my mother already loved the place.
 
Jeremy Geertsema

Jeremy Geertsema

Well-Known Member
mimitchi33 said:
Actually, Radiator Springs Racers in California Adventure was actually the first ride to use the AA's with projected eyes, and it opened the same year as Mermaid.
Click to expand...
Sebastian in Little Mermaid used to have projected eyes but doesn't anymore. I think they removed it in the last refurbishment. Kinda sad, it's a nice detail.
 
Biff215

Biff215

Well-Known Member
Goofyernmost said:
Speaking of which, I was wondering, since we are allegedly all Disney Park Fans, if there is anyone in our circle that has ever noticed the tombstone for Leota just before you enter the Mansion? And if so, how many have never seen what happens to it if you watch it long enough?
Click to expand...
My daughter has been obsessed with that tombstone since she was 2 (she'll be 8 next week). As the crowds shove in when the doors open, we must look crazy to others as we try to get a glimpse of her with her eyes open. Always fun to check it out.
 
RSoxNo1

RSoxNo1

Well-Known Member
Looking to make Fastpass reservations and there is no availability for Frozen Ever After on September 19th, 60 days out. If anyone thinks capacity isn't a problem, you're delusional.
 
DisneyDreamer08

DisneyDreamer08

Well-Known Member
Our 60 days opens up on Monday. I'm a little nervous about this one. Even if we go at rope drop, I want to have a FP as well. I know there have been days the ride has broken down and only FP people have been allowed to ride. And if we do get on using stand by, having a FP means hopefully my daughter can ride twice.
 
Kylo Ken

Kylo Ken

Local Idiot
It's interesting to hear that people are having trouble getting a fastpass for this ride 60 days out. I was able to get one 30 days out with no problem.

I think this time around I will wait in the stand-by queue since I am interested in taking in the atmosphere. Besides, the stand-by line at TT is much more brutal imo ;););)
 

Register on WDWMAGIC. This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.

Back
Top Bottom