Disney’s Frozen Ever After ride, which opened in 2016, is one of Epcot’s most popular attractions. Based on the hit animated film Frozen , the journey features scenes from the 2015 film and animated short, Frozen Fever . There are no height restrictions, and the ride is understated enough that just about anyone can enjoy it.
The ride and after
Frozen Ever After replaced the Maelstrom attraction in the Norway pavilion at Epcot, using the same tracks and vehicles. The revamped promenade takes passengers on a journey to Arendelle for the celebration of winter in summer. Stops along the route include Queen Elsa’s Ice Palace and North Mountain. The royal sister, Queen Anna, is also on the trip, and so is everyone’s favorite comic snowman Olaf.
The animatronic characters are pretty well done. An Olaf ice skating is especially agile. Anna and Elsa are animated using images that are projected onto their dimensional faces. Imagineering uses the same concept in other attractions like The Little Mermaid and Seven Dwarfs in the Magic Kingdom. Frozen Ever After includes a thrilling cover of “Let it Go,” the film’s signature song. The route, which ends with a fall backwards (relatively soft), is quite short.
After the trip, guests can meet Anna and Elsa at their “Royal Sommerhaus”. When Disney World began offering meet and greet with the Frozen gang, wait times quickly increased to five hours. The parks have since introduced My Disney Experience and allowed guests to book character greetings when booking FastPass + passes. There isn’t as much demand to meet the characters now that the movie has been out for a few years, but they remain popular. If your kids (or you) absolutely have to meet royal sisters, take advantage of the advance planning program.
Frozen as part of the Epcot pavilion in Norway
The Frozen ride is based on the Epcot pavilion in Norway. Typically, the pavilions in the park have depicted the stories, architecture, landscape, and cuisine of their countries. Young people from each of the countries work in the pavilions and perform live artists representing the culture of each country.
Norway was not one of the original pavilions at Epcot, but it was added in 1988. To date, it is the only pavilion in the theme park with fictional characters representing some of its cultural entertainment.
It’s interesting to note that when Epcot first opened, Mickey and his cartoon friends were kicked out of the park. Disney wanted the world’s fair / educational entertainment park (the first to deviate from the Disneyland model) to have a unique identity. Epcot exclusive characters Figment and Dreamfinder added lightness to the Imagination pavilion, but the rest of the park took on a more serious tone. With Disney incorporating Frozen characters into the mix, it’s clear to what extent Epcot has evolved from its original vision.
A Guardians of the Galaxy walk is scheduled for Future World park.
Meet the ‘Frozen’ characters at other Disney parks
At Disney’s Hollywood Studios, guests can meet the characters in For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration. Olaf is also available for photos and greetings at the movie theme park. Princesses also appear in the daily Festival of Fantasy Parade in the Magic Kingdom.
Clearly, the movie is a gift that continues to give at Disney World. Like the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando, fans are crazy about “Frozen.”
