Frozen ride replacing Maelstrom?

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asianway

asianway

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Ok, Im gonna say it...why all the love for Maelstrom? I remember the first time I rode it at the height of EPCOT Center, being utterly disappointed. And the movie to me was more boring than the others in WS even in '88.

When you have SE, JII, WOM, Horizons, WOL, LTTL, KK, Living Seas, Communicore, I mean, Maelstrom kinda sucks. Do people just like it by default cuz theres so little there now?

Trackless Frozen ride? Now that may be enough to get me back to the side of the pixie dusters.

#sorrynotsorry
 
WDWFigment

WDWFigment

Well-Known Member
asianway said:
Ok, Im gonna say it...why all the love for Maelstrom? I remember the first time I rode it at the height of EPCOT Center, being utterly disappointed. And the movie to me was more boring than the others in WS even in '88.

When you have SE, JII, WOM, Horizons, WOL, LTTL, KK, Living Seas, Communicore, I mean, Maelstrom kinda sucks. Do people just like it by default cuz theres so little there now?

Trackless Frozen ride? Now that may be enough to get me back to the side of the pixie dusters.

#sorrynotsorry
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I think you hit the nail on the head. I enjoy Maelstrom, but only because it's quotable, campy fun for which I have nostalgia. I can set that aside and look objectively at Maelstrom...and realize it's not a good attraction. Even in terms of promoting Norway, it's pretty poor.

At the end of this year, the US Disney parks will be the only ones not having rides utilizing the trackless ride system. The ride system has been around since 1998 and is truly a game-changer in terms of experience (well, except for Aquatopia...but consider that a growing pain). And yet we still don't have it here?!
 
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doctornick

Well-Known Member
asianway said:
Ok, Im gonna say it...why all the love for Maelstrom?
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Is there an "unlike" button? What's not to like about Maelstrom -- it's a great ride that takes you on an adventure that visits various aspects of Norway's culture/history. There's Odin and trolls and vikings and polar bears, a distinct backwards park. It's always been one of my favorite experiences in Epcot.

Yes, the post-ride film sucks though.

If anything, I think Maelstrom should be a template for more World Showcase rides. YMMV.
 
Gabe1

Gabe1

Ivory Tower Squabble EST 2011. WINDMILL SURVIVOR
doctornick said:
Rapunzel is a massively popular princess. I don't think the film's popularity is going to wane to any appreciable degree. Or, to put it another way, I would think that the film will be popular enough for years to warrant getting its own attraction.

Speaking of which, I might as well re-mention a plan I think would work out great for WDW: Build an It's a Small World attraction in World Showcase on one of the empty plots, together with a DL-style facade that can be used for a light show in the evening. IASW fits in perfectly with the WS and would increase the ride count for Epcot, which needs it.

Then use the gutted IASW building (I'm assuming you move all the AAs and such to Epcot for the new ride) and make that water ride space into a Tangled ride. A water ride makes since given the boat/flying lantern scene, it would be located right next to the existing Tangled bathrooms, and it would put in a ride that thematically fits better to the medieval Europe Fantasyland motif.

Both Epcot and MK get new rides, for the cost of roughly one new ride. Themes strengthened. Everyone wins.
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Hmmm...Rapunzel is more popular than one of Walt's original attractions? Wonder how gutting IASW for Rapunzel, yet another princess themed attraction, would go over with the majority of Disney fans. Disney is getting slapped around already for so many attractions for the young that are not gender neutral or geared to boys.
 
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ptaylor

Premium Member
The big problem of course would be who is paying for it. The only things that get built at Epcot are those paid for by a third party. Who is going to do that at Norway for Frozen?
 
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doctornick

Well-Known Member
Gabe1 said:
Hmmm...Rapunzel is more popular than one of Walt's original attractions? Wonder how gutting IASW for Rapunzel, yet another princess themed attraction, would go over with the majority of Disney fans. Disney is getting slapped around already for so many attractions for the young that are not gender neutral or geared to boys.
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Um, I did not suggest getting rid of IASW, I said to move it to Epcot where it fits in thematically. If anything, given that IASW originated in a World's Fair -- and Epcot is basically a permanent World's Fair -- it would finally be in the ideal place. And then it could have the proper facade like in DL.

WDW would still have IASW, just in a different place. I think most Disney fans would be thrilled to have IASW in Epcot and have a new Tangled ride in MK.
 
Gabe1

Gabe1

Ivory Tower Squabble EST 2011. WINDMILL SURVIVOR
FrankLapidus said:
Disney have fallen into the habit of short-termism. I don't disagree with a lot of what you say but Disney don't think in this way anymore, Avatar is indicative of that. Its why rumours about Imagination! receiving a Phineas & Ferb overlay or the Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse being re-themed to the Fairies franchise are easy to believe, an appreciation for the company's classic tradition and innovation is being eroded by an obsession with franchises and bleeding the latest trends dry.

For what its worth I do believe that Tangled and Frozen could be regarded as classics in years to come because I think they've both very good films but there are proven classics in the Disney library that have barely any or no presence in the parks and are largely ignored.
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I so agree with your analogies. I'm getting up there in age and have been going to DL and then WDW for 45+ years been going since I was 18 months old. I've seen some attractions through the years become dated because of as you put it short-termisum. Like that word! Even really loving Frozen I'm still in favor of waiting it out along with Tangled to see if the little girls several years from now are still in love with these princess movies. Some judge by the popularity of a meet and greet, me not so much, it is easy to pull a princess out and rotate the latest, greatest princess in when popularity starts to fade. Right now Frozen and even Tangled are still fresh in the mind of little girls. Give it 5-7 years when a new generation of princess movies release, the little girls might move onto the newer princesses like they have moved to the Tangled and Frozen Princesses. Little girls are fickle consumers.
 
Magenta Panther

Magenta Panther

Well-Known Member
Maelstrom is a ride with real atmosphere and a kind of eerie magic associated with Norway and Nordic lore. It's a gem. The only complaint I have is that there aren't MORE such country-related rides in Epcot. I've been pounding the drum forever for a Beatles Yellow Submarine ride in Britain. That could be epic.

Anyway, I love Maelstrom because it's - well, it's pretty awesome given its limitations. I'd hate it if it got replaced by Frozen. I think a Frozen ride would be pretty neat, but I think such a ride belongs in New Fantasyland, if anywhere. There's still more land available in that area, isn't there? (I don't have the geographic know-how of some of the more adept Disneyphiles here). In fact, think of it...an ice castle (only a full-sized one instead of the forced-perspective toy castle at Be Our Guest) dwelling in the midst of the heat and humidity of Florida. An irresistible incongruity if there ever was one...
 
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Magenta Panther

Magenta Panther

Well-Known Member
doctornick said:
Um, I did not suggest getting rid of IASW, I said to move it to Epcot where it fits in thematically. If anything, given that IASW originated in a World's Fair -- and Epcot is basically a permanent World's Fair -- it would finally be in the ideal place. And then it could have the proper facade like in DL.

WDW would still have IASW, just in a different place. I think most Disney fans would be thrilled to have IASW in Epcot and have a new Tangled ride in MK.
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But what about Tangled would make it a good ride? The film has a lousy villain, and no story arcs that support a ride system like, say, Peter Pan or Alice (no soaring over London or slipping down a rabbit hole). I suppose you could have a ride where you jump on a hank of hair and get pulled up a tower or something... :p
 
raymusiccity

raymusiccity

Well-Known Member
taz0162 said:
I could support some small touches of Frozen to this ride. It was good movie. Keeping with the historical theming of Norway and adding a few Frozen aspects would be a great addition. I wouldn't have Olaf singing about Summer though.
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It may have been in an earlier article that Maelstrom is going down for a 48 hour refurb. The Trolls will have their noses replaced by carrots so that they can show their Disney Side !
 
FitzherbertFreak

FitzherbertFreak

Well-Known Member
doctornick said:
Historically, there was two different attraction options for Japan that were considered: A bullet train across the Japan countryside, including views of Mt. Fuji (and possibly an encounter with Godzilla). And a Carousel of Progress type ride except the stage rotated around the seats. I think the existing empty show building in Japan was for the latter.

More recently, Martin mentioned that they have plans for a Japan dark ride (don't know if it is the bullet train idea or not) but aren't willing to built it without a sponsor footing most of the bill.
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Why does everything have to be "correct?" I cannot just state my opinion?
 
michmousefan

michmousefan

Well-Known Member
ptaylor said:
I would say 99% of guests go on Maelstrom because they are desperate for a ride in World Showcase. If there were other choices it would not be so popular.
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WS (as well as Epcot in general) does need more rides-- not reskinned or replaced ones. A Frozen attraction, on the expansion pad between Norway and Mexico (accessed via Norway, of course), would be great IMO. Bonus: it would also allow TDO to build a new princess restaurant that could be permanently "hosted" by Anna and Elsa... and thus freeing up the Akershus to be reborn as a more upscale Norwegian/Danish restaurant. I'd like to eat there now, but I'm just not gonna bother with the hordes of little princesses swarming about. I bet that's not a very nice dining experience, judging from the frequent lines of grumpy parents in the line outside.
 
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