As Disney CEO and Chair Bob Iger has stated, the company plans to capitalize on the success of the biggest animated hit in Disney’s recent history – Frozen. In the parks, that means summer festivals at Disney’s Hollywood Studios and a new attraction and meet and greet coming to the Norway Pavilion in EPCOT.
Behind the scenes, Disney’s Imagineers are working hurriedly to bring the first full scale Frozen attraction of any Disney theme park to Walt Disney World. “Frozen Ever After” will be a boat ride through Arendelle with multiple encounters of Elsa, Anna, Olaf, Sven, and Kristoff. Also a part of the ride will be those mini snowmen, the snowgies. The ride takes place during the “Winter in Summer” celebration.
While at D23 Expo, lucky attendees of the Disney Parks and Resorts presentation saw Walt Disney Imagineering’s Kathy Mangum reveal both the official attraction logo (above) and the first concept art featuring an interior scene from the attraction.
The logo looks nice with its Nordic designs and the hint of winter in there. In the concept art you see Elsa, Anna in the same outfits they had in the Frozen Fever short. Olaf, of course, has a bouquet of flowers. I don’t see his micro-climate though. I hope he’s not melting.
Disney previously release another piece of concept art shorting the interior of Elsa’s ice castle.
We’re also getting our first look at the exterior of the Royal Summerhus, which will be the meet and greet area for Arendelle royalty Queen Elsa and Princess Anna.
“We’re also expanding the Norway pavilion with the addition of the Royal Summerhus – a charming cabin where guests will be able to meet Anna and Elsa,” the Imagineer said. “This cabin is based on an actual historic log cabin in Norway. In fact, in order to make sure we get the character and detailing right, we just 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.
“We’re confident that this attraction will bring more guests to the Norway pavilion and increase their interest and knowledge of Scandinavian culture,” said Mangum. “Just as the World Showcase was intended to do.”
Interesting how Mangum focused on making sure the exterior is well themed to the Norway look and feel. It will essentially form a much larger pavilion, basically UK or France sized out of what was a smaller footprint. How do you feel about having more Norway in the parks, even if it’s to house a new Frozen meet and greet?
Still very unhappy about the frozen theme. Little girls are the only ones who will benefit from the changes.
Should have been in the studios instead.
Looking forward to it. About time we had something new in World Showcase.
It doesn’t matter how much they keep harping on the Norwegian influence, it’s out of place.
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