Frozen Ever After Updates Coming to EPCOT in Early 2026

[scrappinginontario]

I'm guessing many will be excited by this announcement!

Frozen Ever After Updates Coming to EPCOT in Early 2026​

Nearly a decade after the attraction’s opening, Frozen Ever After will receive big updates in early 2026, including all-new Audio-Animatronics. While the Anna, Elsa, and Kristoff Animatronics used ground-breaking 3D printing and projection technologies when the attraction first opened, Walt Disney Imagineering has since re-invented its Animatronics. Examples of this can be seen at Tiana’s Bayou Adventure at the Magic Kingdom and Frozen Ever After in Hong Kong Disneyland.

There will be no more “glowing” faces at Frozen Ever After; guests will be able to enjoy their favorite Frozen characters in a new, life-like way. Disney has not yet released Frozen Ever After’s refurbishment schedule, but we’ll keep you updated as soon as we learn the official closure and reopening dates.

 

[VGCgroupie]

I haven't seen if this requires an extended shutdown for refurb. Does anyone know?

 

[fatmanatee]

I haven't seen if this requires an extended shutdown for refurb. Does anyone know?

No specifics announced yet.

 

[DWillowBay]

Rats! I was hoping they had seen the error of their ways and were going to bring Maelstrom back. Back. Back. Over the falls!

 

[Djm_in_buffalo]

Closed January 26, 2026, with ‘plans to reopen in February 2026’. Unless they, without a doubt, plan on reopening before the crowd influx for Presidents’ Day holiday (compounded with Mardi Gras), their timing decision is disconcerting to me.

On a personal / subjective level, we’re going 2/11-21, and it remains to be seen if my 5-year-old daughter will be able to go on a favorite ride from 2024. At minimum, this closure has caused us to rearrange our plans for Epcot days and put them towards the end of our stay, to account for a few more potential days of closure.

Objectively, why?! This is a non-emergent issue that at minimum has been on their radar since Hong Kong’s Frozen Ever After opened more than 2 years ago. Why not schedule it for lowest of the low season?

Particularly given the list of rides/attractions WDW-wide that will be down / gone at the same time (yes, I understand that a couple of things may have been added to take their place, but it’s still a net negative for that holiday week, before considering the potential of Frozen also being down): Animation Courtyard, Big Thunder, Buzz Lightyear, Dino, Rock’n, Tom Sawyer.

 

[PolyRob]

Closed January 26, 2026, with ‘plans to reopen in February 2026’. Unless they, without a doubt, plan on reopening before the crowd influx for Presidents’ Day holiday (compounded with Mardi Gras), their timing decision is disconcerting to me.

On a personal / subjective level, we’re going 2/11-21, and it remains to be seen if my 5-year-old daughter will be able to go on a favorite ride from 2024. At minimum, this closure has caused us to rearrange our plans for Epcot days and put them towards the end of our stay, to account for a few more potential days of closure.

Objectively, why?! This is a non-emergent issue that at minimum has been on their radar since Hong Kong’s Frozen Ever After opened more than 2 years ago. Why not schedule it for lowest of the low season?

Particularly given the list of rides/attractions WDW-wide that will be down / gone at the same time (yes, I understand that a couple of things may have been added to take their place, but it’s still a net negative for that holiday week, before considering the potential of Frozen also being down): Animation Courtyard, Big Thunder, Buzz Lightyear, Dino, Rock’n, Tom Sawyer.

I’m so sorry this may negatively affect your trip, but late January is one of the lowest crowd seasons which is why Epcot had to add Festival of the Arts.

Disney World waited to take FEA down because it was initially a separate ride purchase like Guardians. It didn’t want to lose money to swap out animatronics even though imagineering and park operations were begging for it. Fast Forward to Test Track being down. Now that a major tier one is back online, another major tier one can go down after the holiday season.

 

[VGCgroupie]

We will be at Epcot Feb 9th. Fingers crossed for a swift reopening!

 

[Disneylover99]

Particularly given the list of rides/attractions WDW-wide that will be down / gone at the same time (yes, I understand that a couple of things may have been added to take their place, but it’s still a net negative for that holiday week, before considering the potential of Frozen also being down): Animation Courtyard, Big Thunder, Buzz Lightyear, Dino, Rock’n, Tom Sawyer.

Last year during that time, both Test Track and Grand Fiesta Tour were down for refurbs at Epcot so it makes sense that a different ride is scheduled for refurbishment that time of year.

RocknRoller coasters last day is March 1st, so that should be open for you.

 

[Djm_in_buffalo]

A primary gripe of mine is the lack of clarity. Are they attempting to thread the needle and have it down for only late January into very early February, or TBD, into/beyond the mid-February holiday week, which is a top 5 for crowds on the year?

Which brings me back to, yes, late-January is a lull. But, mid-February is the opposite. If they’re very confident on threading the needle, why not announce the expected reopen, and if they’re not confident, why not do it during a prolonged lull, since it’s a non-emergent issue? A week or 2 “slow” time in January, or a 2+ month “slow” time in August, September, and some of July/October.

Also: thank you for letting me know on Rock ‘n’! When I read it, it was numeric month reference on when it closes, and for whatever reason, I processed the “3” as a “2”.

Hope all have a great day!

 

[Genie+]

A primary gripe of mine is the lack of clarity. Are they attempting to thread the needle and have it down for only late January into very early February, or TBD, into/beyond the mid-February holiday week, which is a top 5 for crowds on the year?

Which brings me back to, yes, late-January is a lull. But, mid-February is the opposite. If they’re very confident on threading the needle, why not announce the expected reopen, and if they’re not confident, why not do it during a prolonged lull, since it’s a non-emergent issue? A week or 2 “slow” time in January, or a 2+ month “slow” time in August, September, and some of July/October.

Also: thank you for letting me know on Rock ‘n’! When I read it, it was numeric month reference on when it closes, and for whatever reason, I processed the “3” as a “2”.

They don’t like committing to a specific reopening date.

I wish they were more transparent but they are in a tough position. If they say Feb 7 because it’s expected to be a 1-2 week job, and an unforeseen delay stalls it to 3 weeks, then guests complain about being disappointed because they carefully planned their trip to include this ride. In the other direction they could build in a buffer, but then how far out should they allow? Too little and they still run into the same issue as above, too far out and it’s setting the wrong expectations. The unique nature of these attractions makes it hard to predict how many things may not go as planned. So they just give a general window, like in this case February.

It’s frustrating sometimes but after living through the wait and postponements of Rivers of Light and Space220 I’ve learned to accept it lol.