Frozen ride replacing Maelstrom?

[Mike S]

My main problem with Maelstrom has always been that the whole ride is "Vikings, and trolls, and mythology", but then it drops you down a waterfall into a room with an model of an off shore oil rig? that's the grand finally to Vikings and trolls show? That final scene should be like a Norwegian Valkyrie carrying souls off to Valhalla or something... some big spectacular, visceral, conclusion to the mythological journey we've been on.

What about a Viking ship being attacked by the Kraken? It is a Norwegian sea monster after all.

 

[aladdin2007]

I wonder if they will keep the viking boats as they are, or change the color etc. I hope they keep the look as it is. Just wondering off top of my head lol.

 

[aladdin2007]

Also, he was the BOMB in Phantoms, yo.

I'll look into that one, thanks.

 

[Mike S]

I wonder if they will keep the viking boats as they are, or change the color etc. I hope they keep the look as it is. Just wondering off top of my head lol.

I've been wondering that too. If this really is a cheap refurb I could see them keeping the current boats even if they wouldn't fit anymore.

 

[Fox&Hound]

If they go really cheap, I hope people complain and let Disney know. But, it will probably be a huge success just because of the movie. Sadly, Frozen deserves more than this and so does EPCOT.

Not a fan of Maelstrom at all but also not a fan of Disney doing things on the cheap. Why can't they expand behind the ride? Isn't there cast member parking back there?

 

[Bairstow]

My main problem with Maelstrom has always been that the whole ride is "Vikings, and trolls, and mythology", but then it drops you down a waterfall into a room with an model of an off shore oil rig? that's the grand finally to Vikings and trolls show? That final scene should be like a Norwegian Valkyrie carrying souls off to Valhalla or something... some big spectacular, visceral, conclusion to the mythological journey we've been on. Instead there's this abrupt change of tone, and it tries to make some "real", literal, intellectual point, but it really comes off seeming kind of dumb, basically the ride ends by telling you "the Norwegian people don't just believe in trolls... they drill for oil too"... gee really? Maybe this weak ending is why people feel the ride is too short. Maybe the documentary style movie at the end should cover all the literal stuff, and the ride should just stick to being fun... and if they could figure this out for all the WS pavilions, find some strong visuals and catchy music from each culture, they wouldn't need to cram cartoon characters into WS to make it seem more fun

I actually really like the Maelstrom finale.
It jives really well with the whole flow of the attraction, which repeatedly oscillates between "real" adventures (Vikings, polar bears, waterfalls) and fantastical ones (magical masks, trolls, more trolls).
The juxtaposition of the viking explorers and their adventures with the roiling sea beneath the drilling platform is meant to impress upon the rider the idea that the courageous spirit of the Norwegians of old is present in the men who brave the perils of the North Sea today. "Norway's spirit has always been big, always been... adventure."

It surely had more impact when it first opened and the North Sea room was an effects showcase, with lots of fog, more splashing water, and "real" lightning striking the oil rig via a large tesla coil mounted in the ceiling.

 

[The Empress Lilly]

I wish I could like this twice... I think "If You Had Wings" should be the template for any attraction they add to World Showcase, "a stylized sightseeing tour with a catchy sound track", that's basically what all the best Disney rides are anyway. PotC, Haunted Mansion, Small World aren't like 2 hour motion pictures that are trying to tell some elaborate story, they're like music videos, they have really strong visuals, great music, and some simple premise can give the attraction some context, and sustain itself for about 5 minutes, like "all the birds sing words, and the flowers croon... in the Tiki Tiki Tiki Tiki Tiki Room" or "we have 999 ghosts here... but there's room for one more" that's all you need to know to enjoy those attractions

"Rohdeitis" is like doing the exact opposite of what makes the classic rides great, it's basically omitting any kind of stylized entertainment value or memorable music... and trying way to hard to convince the audience this stuff they are seeing is really "real", or being way too literal with the subject matter.

My main problem with Maelstrom has always been that the whole ride is "Vikings, and trolls, and mythology", but then it drops you down a waterfall into a room with an model of an off shore oil rig? that's the grand finally to Vikings and trolls show? That final scene should be like a Norwegian Valkyrie carrying souls off to Valhalla or something... some big spectacular, visceral, conclusion to the mythological journey we've been on. Instead there's this abrupt change of tone, and it tries to make some "real", literal, intellectual point, but it really comes off seeming kind of dumb, basically the ride ends by telling you "the Norwegian people don't just believe in trolls... they drill for oil too"... gee really? Maybe this weak ending is why people feel the ride is too short. Maybe the documentary style movie at the end should cover all the literal stuff, and the ride should just stick to being fun... and if they could figure this out for all the WS pavilions, find some strong visuals and catchy music from each culture, they wouldn't need to cram cartoon characters into WS to make it seem more fun

Awesome post!
I think the sponsors of the Norwegian pavilion insited they be represented for their petrodolla...erm krones. And so we were stuck with that weird oil rig that I think nobody appreciates but they themselves. Not the designers, not the riders. Not that an oil rig is off-limits itself - Exxon gave us one too in the Energy Exchange. But that one felt fitting, in a hands-on exhibit space. But on a short ride showcasing Norway? Most Norwegians do, in fact, go about their daily lives a 1000 miles removed from any North Sea oil platforms. (Even if their product pays for their excessive standard of living, grrr)

At Maelstrom the rig feels sudden, indeed, as you say, an abrupt change in tone. You simply can't do too much in such a short ride. I wish the designers would've opted for a more cohesive story, more focused. Like your music video analogy. That works so much better if you don't have ten to fifteen minutes at your disposal. Wish they would've just gone with the trolls and mythology and left modern Norway for the post-ride movie or an exhibit.

 

[Mike S]

It surely had more impact when it first opened and the North Sea room was an effects showcase, with lots of fog, more splashing water, and "real" lightning striking the oil rig via a large tesla coil mounted in the ceiling.

There was lightening When was that removed?!?!?!?!

 

[Bairstow]

There was lightening When was that removed?!?!?!?!

Good post from a while back:
Expand it for video.

I thought we settled the telsa coil debate, there was a telsa coil in the ride its a myth that its a myth if you will. they removed it a while ago here is proof Image from a debate on this site dating back to 2005, and martin's video has a little section about the telsa coil in his tribute to Norway. I believed the suits had it moved out of fear of what could happen or the fact that its cheaper to just remove the effect and have it be a pole with a strobe light. Also the telsa coil was never brought back and to this day has never been back.

And the video @marni1971 did, for the telsa coil go to the 25:55 minute mark and then watch, or watch the whole video its great really. But you can definitely tell there is a difference from the previous effect to the one after. Also there is an imagineering book that covers the whole Tesla coil thing I believe with images to, I need to snap the page next time I see it.

 

[Mike S]

Good post from a while back:
Expand it for video.

Thanks for that, didn't say when it was removed though.

 

[Matt_Black]

I'll look into that one, thanks.

No, don't. That line was a reference from Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back.

 

[Admiral01]

If they go really cheap, I hope people complain and let Disney know. But, it will probably be a huge success just because of the movie. Sadly, Frozen deserves more than this and so does EPCOT.

Not a fan of Maelstrom at all but also not a fan of Disney doing things on the cheap. Why can't they expand behind the ride? Isn't there cast member parking back there?

I agree that Frozen and EPCOT both deserve more. I do like Maelstrom, and this change is just a cheap idea.

 

[Matt_Black]

You know, getting a Frozen overlay doesn't prevent future stuff from coming. The Little Mermaid and BatB shows in DHS didn't prevent attractions in MK.

 

[Mike S]

You know, getting a Frozen overlay doesn't prevent future stuff from coming. The Little Mermaid and BatB shows in DHS didn't prevent attractions in MK.

It does however prevent Norway from having a ride that actually fits in World Showcase.

 

[Sped2424]

You know, getting a Frozen overlay doesn't prevent future stuff from coming. The Little Mermaid and BatB shows in DHS didn't prevent attractions in MK.

Well it does prevent a frozen ride going anywhere else in the parks sadly.

 

[englanddg]

Well it does prevent a frozen ride going anywhere else in the parks sadly.

And that is one of the best reasons why an overlay there is not the best idea.

I think a Frozen miniland would be fantastic tucked in behind the Circus with an entrance that takes you through a winding mountain path that takes you back past Gastons and over to the empty area behind Magic Kingdom drive. It would still be inside the Berm, and there is plenty of space for them to construct WDWs version of the "Matterhorn" along with a Frozen dark ride and even draw upon some other properties to keep building out Fantasyland.

 

[Sped2424]

And that is one of the best reasons why an overlay there is not the best idea.

I think a Frozen miniland would be fantastic tucked in behind the Circus with an entrance that takes you through a winding mountain path that takes you back past Gastons and over to the empty area behind Magic Kingdom drive. It would still be inside the Berm, and there is plenty of space for them to construct WDWs version of the "Matterhorn" along with a Frozen dark ride and even draw upon some other properties to keep building out Fantasyland.

Yes yes and yes^ all of this is a far better idea than doing a cheap overlay where the film just does not belong.

 

[englanddg]

Yes yes and yes^ all of this is a far better idea than doing a cheap overlay where the film just does not belong.

I know many would say that Expedition Everest would be the WDW version of "matterhorn", but they are completely different rides (even with similar theming). I think it would also help if they did a "mountain / frozen" style area back there because the easily visible treetops sortof ruin parts of the vistas at NFL...Mountains in the background would work perfectly.

So...why not build Matterhorn, or something very much like it, and make it a coaster like Matterhorn and you get to see Elsa's ice monster and other Frozen themes ALONG with a dark ride that's done in the spirit of Marc Davis, a complete experience, instead of mediocre plastic looking animetronics surrounded by spinning cardboard cutouts (like at Little Mermaid)...

 

[Matt_Black]

Well it does prevent a frozen ride going anywhere else in the parks sadly.

Tell that to Toy Story.

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

I agree that the overlay idea in Norway just does not do service to the mega hit Frozen is.........Why try and limit a attraction on Frozen in the limited space of the maelstrom?

Frozen really deserves its own E ticket attraction, even a land, but not in Epcot. I am not saying the Iger bean counters may not go ahead and replace the Maelstrom n the cheap, I am just hoping they do not.

Time will tell.


AKK