Disney confirms 'Frozen' makeover coming to Epcot's Norway Pavilion

[iamrandy]

Disney sent an e-mail to all Disney travel specialists(my wife is one) and it said 10/05/14 will be the last day Maelstrom will be operating and the new attraction/meet&greet should open in early 2016.

 

[Mike S]

Well obviously Fantasyland would be the best option, that's a no brainer. But where, "EXACTLY"?

Would you take out a ride there as well? The Speedway? Barnstomer? Or try to fit it somewhere else?

The circus tents, going beyond the current berm behind LM and B&tB up to the railroad tracks or even a better use of the old Snow White space.

 

[ABQ]

Holy smokes, a disparaging comment made it onto the blog page, how long till it's removed:
Michael from NC on September 12th, 2014 at 2:58 pm
I strongly disapprove of replacing a ride about the history and folklore of Norway with one about a fairy tale that has nothing to do with Norway.

I also wish you would stop dragging out that Walt quote to justify changes that you know will be unpopular.

Quoting myself, vanity is not typically my strong suit, but just to point out that the blog has removed this comment.

 

[Cesar R M]

I find this rather comical. As I dined in a restaurant last night from my childhood that is making a comeback in my area now, a family of 5 sat at the table beside us. The three children were all little girls between 5 and 10 if I had to guess. Let It Go came over the speakers and all three gasped while saying "oh no not this song again, I am so tired of it." To which the parents said "I guess it is a good thing we did not buy those costumes they wanted a few months ago for Halloween." All three did the typical little kid head nod in agreement. I looked at them, laughed, and said "AMEN!"

I honestly think they have overburned the whole Frozen thing already. The more they burn it, the more it will disappear quickly.

 

[Disney Analyst]

I wonder if they can expand the ride itself.

 

[FutureCEO]

This ride better be very immersive and include some innovation otherwise I will probably be let down by the replacement to Maelstrom

Maelstrom isn't a great attraction either. What a slam on Norway culture though.

 

[lazyboy97o]

The problem is that far too many people found it boring. They complained that there was nothing to do. They complained that there were no characters. Disney just gave the masses what they wanted. Sadly more people seem to like flea markets over art gallerias and museums.

The idiot nephew was an idiot when it came to theme parks and this was his position on not just the EPCOT Center, but also Disneyland and the Magic Kingdom. All three theme parks were doing just fine and the new ones did great too before this notion finally started strangling the parks in the wake of the Euro Disney fiasco.

 

[Cesar R M]

omg, Frozen III - Still Frozen. That's hilarious! Btw, I don't like the idea and would like Epcot to stay the adult park of WDW.

so, its going to be...

Frozen
Frozen II - Still Frozen
Frozen III - Undeniably Frozen

???
then a spinoff of Olaff
Frozen IV - Toasted in the Caribbean
Frozen V - Return of the Trolls
Frozen VI - The revenge of Hans

 

[MichWolv]

Based on the alterations, I'm not so sure. Since 1995, what have they touched in Epcot where the end result was better than the original? Journey into Imagination? Horizons? Wonder's of Life/Body Wars? World of Motion? Living Seas? Odyssey restaurant? El Rio del Tiempo? Ice Station Cool (or whatever it was called)? Off-Kilter to a lumberjack show?

Soarin over Food Rocks.
New O Canada over old O Canada
Seas w/ Nemo over The Living Seas (although just barely)
Sum of All Thrills over the little plastic robot factory (although I like the robot guys, too)
Imagination 3.0 over Imagination 2.0 (of course, that was after the disaster of killing Imagination 1.0)
Via Napoli over empty space
Train garden over empty space
Club Cool over Ice Station massively out of place stupid-looking exhibit
And I'll even go Test Track over World of Motion, although I miss World of Motion.
And since you said since 1995, Off-Kilter over what was there before 1997.

 

[Wildflower]

another negative one made it through (mine did not):
48
Alexander on September 12th, 2014 at 3:05 pm
I wish so badly I could ride Maelstrom again before it closes. The loss of this iconic Epcot attraction, which celebrated the myths, folklore, and history of a land and its people in a way that is fun and accessible to all ages, will be devastating to the central mission of World Showcase and of Epcot in general. I know the company’s mind is made up, but it is truly saddening.

....aaaaaand it's gone already......

 

[Matt7187]

All I have to say...

 

[BrerJon]

Not sure if it's already been mentioned, but just received word October 5th, 2014 is the last day of operation for Maelstrom. New attraction expected to be completed by "early 2016".

2016? Thats lightspeed for TDO! I hope they don't over exert themselves.

 

[Alektronic]

Sunday October 5 is the new closing date., it will be the last day of operation . Monday October 6, Maelstrom will be closed forever

 

[Wildflower]

Holy smokes, a disparaging comment made it onto the blog page, how long till it's removed:
Michael from NC on September 12th, 2014 at 2:58 pm
I strongly disapprove of replacing a ride about the history and folklore of Norway with one about a fairy tale that has nothing to do with Norway.

I also wish you would stop dragging out that Walt quote to justify changes that you know will be unpopular.

this one also looks to be gone??

 

[Andrew C]

2016? Thats lightspeed for TDO! I hope they don't over exert themselves.

If 2016 is correct, that is not going to be just an overlay...

 

[Oriolesmagic]

Soarin over Food Rocks.
New O Canada over old O Canada
Seas w/ Nemo over The Living Seas (although just barely)
Sum of All Thrills over the little plastic robot factory (although I like the robot guys, too)
Imagination 3.0 over Imagination 2.0 (of course, that was after the disaster of killing Imagination 1.0)
Via Napoli over empty space
Train garden over empty space
Club Cool over Ice Station massively out of place stupid-looking exhibit
And I'll even go Test Track over World of Motion, although I miss World of Motion.
And since you said since 1995, Off-Kilter over what was there before 1997.

HOW DARE THEE! Ice Station Cool was great. Heck, they should have just themed that to Frozen.

 

[Cesar R M]

....aaaaaand it's gone already......

wow.. that was fast..

 

[boufa]

Someone said Disney is trying to hide an "unpopular decision" Are you that ignorant that you think that Disney is going out of its way to make "unpopular" decisions?!?!?! They are making a decision that will please the extreme vast majority of their guests. Maybe not the people who are stuck in 1982 and think that the original bricks are the only right ones.

If Disney didn't think this would make people happy, and bring in business, then guess what, they wouldn't have done it. YOU as dedicated loyal fans are in the extreme vast minority. Things change people... themes change, directions change, times change... accept it, or have a heart attack at a young age. Maelstrom sucked. It was slightly better than poor at best... but because it's old everyone loved it.

My first trip to Epcot was in 1985, and I am certain that several of the movies playing in the world showcase still are!!!! OMG I skip every one of them. Nothing says Camada quite like martin short and bagpipes?!?!? Personally I think they need to make a lot more "unpopular" decisions, and clean up a huge chunk of that park. Not restore it to its former dated glory, but actually develop the park into something worth seeing.

Maybe I'm the only one who DOESN'T find it awesome that I know every word to every show, movie, and attraction in that park.

 

[ABQ]

this one also looks to be gone??

Yeah, I commented about that a few minutes back here, but this thread is growing so fast I can't keep up. Funny how they axed at least 4 comments at once, I didn't see them all, but the total went from 50 to 46 swiftly.

 

[BrerJon]

Education in Epcot had a long and storied life, but today slipped away quietly after a long slow decline in health.

Post of the year!