10 Things You May Not Know About Frozen Ever After

1. Bringing Frozen to the Parks

The attraction’s origins actually go all the way back to September 12, 2014, when Chief Operating Officer Tom Staggs announced the new attraction on the Disney Blog. In the announcement, Staggs reflected back on Walt Disney’s promise that Disneyland would never be completed, and that this idea still holds true today, inspired by the film that “…captured the hearts and minds of people around the world.” The new attraction would replace the Maelstrom attraction in Epcot’s Norway pavilion, and would immerse Guests in the world of Arendelle with the help of beloved scenes and songs from the film. (Maelstrom would close permanently on October 5, 2014.)

2. A Snowy Celebration

The backstory of the attraction is that you are invited to the Summer Snow Day Celebration, in honor of the day that Princess Anna saved her sister Queen Elsa with an unselfish act of true love. The royal reception takes place inside the ice palace.

3. Meet Anna and Elsa

In addition to the attraction itself, the pavilion also features the Royal Sommerhus, where you can meet Anna and Elsa. According to Portfolio Creative Executive Kathy Mangum, “…This cabin is based on an actual historic log cabin in Norway. In fact, in order to make sure we (got) the character and detailing right, we…sent our project team to Norway on a research trip to study the country and its cultural arts and crafts in person, just as the film team did.”

4. Keeping True to the Spirit of Norway

And indeed, Walt Disney Imagineers did travel to Norway for architectural and design research, specifically visiting the Detli House in Sverresborg and the Open Air Museum of Cultural History in Trondheim.

5. Memorable Music

Composers Bobby and Kristen Lopez created new lyrics for the cherished Frozen film songs, and all of the original voice talent from the film returned and recorded dialogue and songs for the attraction.

6. Back and Forth

The attraction makes use of the same ride mechanism used for Maelstrom, which includes a 28-foot drop at the end, and conveyor belts underneath the water that propel the log boats backward on their way to the final plunge.

7. A New Village

However, there was a slight change in the location of the boarding area. The new boarding area is now located in what used to be the unloading area for Maelstrom (which also served as a waiting area for the Norway film). Maelstrom’s unloading area was designed to evoke a Norwegian fishing village, and you can still see many of those details today. But you’ll also find lots of new additions, such as a quick trip through Oaken’s Tokens. Take a peek at the small window that leads to the sauna. You’ll get on occasional glimpse of Oaken himself peering through the steam-covered window!

8. The Northern Lights

Also, be sure to keep your eyes open for the Northern Lights shimmering off in the distant sky, as well as the many lanterns hanging throughout the village, many of them sporting the distinctive Frozen snowflake. And yep, you’re going to see that snowflake several more times in your journey ahead!

9. Oh Sven!

The Audio-Animatronic figures for the attraction feature the improvements in facial animation that were first used on the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, which opened in 2014 at the Magic Kingdom. Speaking of facial expressions, keep an eye out for Sven’s look of confusion when he gets his tongue frozen to a post!

10. Animatronic Advances

The Audio-Animatronics are also the first ever all-electric Audio-Animatronics, with previous Audio-Animatronics using either pneumatics or hydraulics.