Disappear, Disappear!

By: Jennifer Romano

The Walt Disney Company recently announced that the Maelstrom in Norway will be re-done as a Frozen attraction. The last day of operation for Maelstrom will be October 5th. There have been quite a few people who have spoken out in opposition to this change, but Frozen isn't going to go away any time soon. There has been no information as to whether this will just be an overlay of Frozen theming or if the attraction will be completely rebuilt. As it stands right now, there is definitely not enough room at Maelstrom for a queue to accommodate all of the Frozen fans who will flock to this attraction. Also, where will the character meeting area be located? Again, there is definitely not enough room to fit a queue for this either. Disney has assured fans that the pavilion will remain open during construction. I can only assume that Norway will expand into some of the backstage area that is not already in use, or perhaps, the inside of the ride building will be gutted and completely redone. For now, we can only speculate.

The Maelstrom is one of the few rides in the World Showcase, and I definitely think it is dated. However, the purpose of the World Showcase is to educate people about the world. With a Frozen attraction that is set in a fictional place, I am not quite sure how that education will continue at the Norway pavilion. With any change at WDW, I am immediately concerned that we'll end up with something horrible like the Tiki Room Under New Management. Many Disney fans share this same concern, and this is especially the case with theming so much of the parks to Frozen. It seems like this is a bold move. Will Frozen still be this popular in two or three years? Maybe, but something else may have taken its place by then. Personally, I have seen so much Frozen everything lately, that I am really spent on the entire franchise. However, there is no lack of little Princess Anna's and Queen Elsa's walking around WDW right now. As with any new Disney endeavor, I am going to take a wait and see approach. What are your thoughts on Frozen coming to Norway?

-DPB