The ride

No matter how wonderful the architecture is at the Norway Pavilion, the entire perception of this section of the World Showcase is different now. It’s the Frozen area, and King Olav V wouldn’t be that upset if he knew the reason why. Sure, Frozen’s based on a fictional place rather than a real city in Norway, but the impact is the same. Tourism in Norway has skyrocketed in the wake of the movie’s release. Disney even offers extended cruises to this part of the world now…and they sell out.

With Frozen spiking the popularity of the Norway Pavilion, Disney park execs didn’t have much choice. They knew that Maelstrom, the existing attraction here, was a wonderful celebration of Norse mythology, which is for my money the greatest mythology ever created. Maelstrom was one of the hidden gems at Epcot or really the entirety of Walt Disney World. It rarely had a wait, had a signature moment when the boat reversed course, and provided a wonderful break during a hot day at the World Showcase.

Maelstrom had to go.

In the same space where Maelstrom once existed, Disney now offers Frozen Ever After, an extremely good attraction that celebrates all the high points of the movie in a way that also honors Walt Disney. He loved building rides as set pieces. Frozen Ever After is the best one in recent memory. The ride design offers several iconic moments from the movie, all of which build to that seminal moment when Elsa belts out the unforgettable song, Let It Go. Where Maelstrom once reversed course, Frozen Ever After now gives people a chance to hear that much more of the song. It elevates and celebrates the most popular new Disney song of the 21st century, and it still delivers many of the same highlights that Maelstrom once had.

Frozen Ever After is a masterpiece of ride design and the singularity that draws otherwise uninterested people to the Norway Pavilion.

The Norway Pavilion started with grand ambitions about introducing Americans and other world travelers to the people and customs of King Olav V. For more than a quarter-century, it worked wonderfully in that way. Then, a single movie changed everything. Today, this pavilion still offers most of the touches that honor its culture. It simply does them through the filter of Anna and Elsa. Because of this single alteration, it’s now arguably the most popular pavilion at the World Showcase, not bad for a country with a population of 5.2 million.