Frozen ride replacing Maelstrom?

[rael ramone]

Aside from money which is always the biggest issue,, instead of replacing Maelstrom they have a perfectly good expansion pad between Norway and Mexico. They should be building a Frozen area/ride into that space and not turning Norway into a purely princess pavilion with a princess ride etc. They have already created havoc with the meetngreet chuffed in there. They need to expand into more space next door not continue to keep doing this stuff with no care for guest flow. Theres too many people anymore.

Surely Imagineering would like to use that expansion pad for such a project like the rumored princess meetngreet (dont you agree Martin? or..), (personally Id like to see a new country there but lets face it thats not going to happen) but I guess TDO and managment wants to pay as little as possible if at all on brand new concepts. Cheaper to take out something thats there and cram it in. And yes the Frozen characters should be in Akershus if they must have them at all, this princess overkill is really annoying, especially in what use to be my favorite pavilion.

Didn't 'the spirit' say there are at least thoughts, if not outright plans, to use the expansion pad as a 'princess pavillon'?

Mixing the 'Sheltered Princess & Family' and the 'World Showcase Drunk' into one area sounds ever so MAGICal...

 

[SirLink]

To all dead set against characters in WS-what about a Snow Whites Scary Adventures added to Germany(let's not bring Rhine River Cruise into this) or Pinocchios Daring Journey added to Italy? Curious it anyone's opinion is different for the classics

No and no. If Disney wanted to add those, Snow White to DHS, Pinocchio to Storybook Circus area.

 

[SirLink]

Hey, I really liked that movie! It was interesting enough, and hardly long enough to bore anyone. The only way it could put someone to sleep is if they were already unconscious...

Now, The Living Seas was indeed in need of an update and refurbishment. While they did a better job integrating Nemo than I was actually expecting, it wasn't the direction they should have went in Future World.

At least they didn't chose Little Mermaid like on those Project Gemini plans called for.

 

[SirLink]

Didn't 'the spirit' say there are at least thoughts, if not outright plans, to use the expansion pad as a 'princess pavillon'?

Mixing the 'Sheltered Princess & Family' and the 'World Showcase Drunk' into one area sounds ever so MAGICal...

At that point they might as well build Denmark and attach a Little Mermaid/Frozen/Ugly Duckling meet, greet and as Spirit would add -grope. Attached to a Story of Hans Christian Andersen ride. At least thematically/culturally it would be relevant but even still that would kinda be given out to kids.

 

[Prototype82]

Like Von Drake Teaching about Energy or Mulan taking guest through China her home teaching facts.

No. For the love of Walt, no.

 

[michmousefan]

Staying away from where a Frozen attraction should go if and when it were ever built, when you look at the numbers, the success of the movie cannot be denied.

Talking strictly by domestic numbers, as of Thursday, January 2nd, it had made $277 million. That already makes it the second highest grossing Disney animated film (non-Pixar) of all-time. The Lion King's overall box office take is about $422 million. But in it's initial run it made $312 million. Over the years due to IMAX and 3D re-releases it has added another $110 million. So when looking at initial runs in theaters, Frozen has a good chance of becoming the highest grossing Disney animated film ever.

Yes, due to high ticket prices and the premiums placed on seeing a movie in 3D, box office numbers nowadays may be badly inflated, but still, those are impressive numbers. It certainly is the biggest hit Disney Animation has had on their hands in years.

It might not be dumb on their part to add something to their parks based on this movie sooner rather than later, beyond a set of bathrooms.

The good box office news for Frozen continues, as it's projected to be the #1 movie of the weekend (in its 7th week of release!) with a domestic cume that should go above $300 million by the time the numbers come in on Sunday. Only thing that might stop that -- heh heh -- is some of the wintry weather that we are expecting in the midwest on the weekend. But $300 million is a huge number, and you'd have to think that the Lion King initial release record number is soon to be eclipsed.

And knowing Disney, where is the press release announcing that "Frozen 2" is in development?

 

[Prototype82]

Why replacing one of only TWO rides in World Showcase? I would love to see rides added to other pavilions. Hopefully they'll make successful movies taking place in Japan or Morocco in the future...

There's no way the Moroccan government would be foolish enough to allow a Disney character based ride in their pavilion. They actually care about their country's identity.

 

[tl77]

I think if Disney was to change Maelstrom into Frozen they'd find the cheapest, easiest, approach, basically like adding Ellen DeGeneres to Universe of Energy. Have some kind of preshow/enhanced queue with the Frozen characters, add AA Frozen characters to the existing Maelstrom and have Kristen Bell redo the narration, and then swap out the end film that people walk passed now with the Frozen girls tour of the actual Norway

...anyway that'd be my bet for a 18 month referb

 

[rd805]

I think if Disney was to change Maelstrom into Frozen they'd find the cheapest, easiest, approach, basically like adding Ellen DeGeneres to Universe of Energy. Have some kind of preshow/enhanced queue with the Frozen characters, add AA Frozen characters to the existing Maelstrom and have Kristen Bell redo the narration, and then swap out the end film that people walk passed now with the Frozen girls tour of the actual Norway

...anyway that'd be my bet for a 18 month referb

you mean 36 month right?

 

[imagineer boy]

I am so sick to death of seeing perfectly fine Disney rides being putrefied with marketable Disney characters being forcefully vomited all over them. Seriously, whatever happened to original rides an attractions? Oh wait that's right, if they don't have marketable pre existing Disney characters plastered all over them, then the ride won't be as safe and marketable. Therefor, it needs to be marketable so I can make money and provide my starving family with a five story luxury yacht. I always forget the fundamentals of business sometimes....

 

[Turtle]

I want a Frozen ride in the backstage area in-between Gaston's Tavern and Little Mermaid.

 

[WDWLover#1]

Let's just say they're not gonna do another Little Mermaid-do a ride two decades after a really popular film comes out. Would'nt be surprised to see a frozen ride of some sort in the next two years

 

[yensidtlaw1969]

Fact aside that Disney should certainly be building new attractions in Epcot rather than replacing or revamping them and calling it a day, I can see why some feel this would be a natural fit:

That said, it took me 2 minutes on my iPad to make this. I'd much rather see them build something from scratch than take the easy way out, especially if the easy way is at the expense of the existing Maelstrom.

 

[Big C 73]

I've said it, many others have also EPCOT Center does not need further destruction of its identity. The attractions in World Showcase as well as Futureworld are not meant to include Disney franchised characters, they are meant to entertain and educate without the inclusion of Disney characters. That is what sets or set EPCOT Center apart, it created a Disney edutainment experience and developed new ideas without the implementation of characters. It also persuades one to develop new ideas and visualize an optimistic stance on the world and the future. If I want to meet Olaf or Cinderella I will go to The Magic Kingdom.

 

[The Empress Lilly]

It already is though when they build an attraction its a fusion of Disney as they interpret the country.

This!

WS already is the Disneyfied version of these countries. There is no more need to add a Disney toon to a Disney France to make it 'Disney' than there is to put mouse ears on Belle to make her a 'Disney' princess.

 

[The Empress Lilly]

Fact aside that Disney should certainly be building new attractions in Epcot rather than replacing or revamping them and calling it a day, I can see why some feel this would be a natural fit:

That said, it took me 2 minutes on my iPad to make this. I'd much rather see them build something from scratch than take the easy way out, especially if the easy way is at the expense of the existing Maelstrom.

Nice work and well done.

The actual addition of that would be an insult to Norwegian culture.

In the AA, should we replace Benjamin Franklin by Buzz Lightyear and have him talk about American culture with Mark Twain?

 

[The Empress Lilly]

I'm amused when people act like the Seas were better before the refurb. It was empty, with no ride (which wasn't anything to write home about when it was operational) and no one gave a damn it was there.

Sorry, that place is full of people every time I go now.

The Seas was problematic. But the solution to that was not to add more problems, but a good solution.

They should've revamped the Seas with a ride based on the actual ocean. Instead of cartoon fish that ruin FW's theme as much as Mission: Space would ruin the theme of DAK's Africa.

 

[Mater_Disney]

Normally, I would wish to keep characters out of World Showcase rides. However, I am aware that Maelstrom is incredibly inaccurate on Norwegian folklore and history. If it isn't obvious enough to the average US citizen, I have heard complaints about it from someone who goes to Norway quite frequently and is well educated on Norwegian culture, past and present. Consequently, I would prefer something connected to Frozen than a ride which is incorrect. Is there really any harm that drawing kids to the area of Disney which contains more educational value? Kids aren't going to enjoy a ride that feels like a history lesson. Disney has had lots of plans drafted for new rides in World Showcase (bullet train, anyone?), but didn't have the funds to go through with them. Changing the theme of a ride costs a lot less than adding one (not saying that this revamp will happen; I doubt it will).

 

[tl77]

you mean 36 month right?

Is the rumor now 36 months? In that video with Jim Hill he said 18 months

 

[valleyfan]

I think they should get rid of the Haunted Mansion and make another meet and greet area and a princess themed restaurant.........NOT!!!!!