How Is The Norway Pavilion These Days?

[jhaig]

Now that Maelstrom has disappeared, what is there to do in Norway anymore? Is the gift shop still open and has it remained unchanged?

 

[Robo]

Akershus Royal Banquet Hall is also open.

 

[jhaig]

Is it a ghost town with only Akershus and the gift shop?

 

[Sdobek]

There are some CMs standing around to shoo you away from the closed Maelstrom entrance.

The Kafe is still open for school bread and troll horns.

 

[TwoRoos]

It's never a ghost town in Norway because of the ten thousand people always lined up to get into Akershus! I went in the gift shop a few weeks ago and it seemed very similar to me as in past trips. One section of the gift shop (right by the food section) has all Frozen merchandise.

 

[Disneylover99]

Gift shop looks the same to me. Crowded. Bakery is great and crowded too. Business as usual minus Maelstrom.

 

[kaetra]

Is the Agent P mission is still available as well?

 

[prune1977]

Is the Agent P mission is still available as well?

Yes it's still available.

 

[prune1977]

When we were there in January I didn't notice a lot of changes to Norway other than Maelstrom being closed. Now I understand them putting Frozen there as film is based in Norway but its a fictional country which I dislike immensely. I don't mean Norway is fictional but rather Arendale. I just don't like that theyre putting in a fictional country when WS was supposed to be about real countries from around the World.

 

[MolonLabe]

When we were there in January I didn't notice a lot of changes to Norway other than Maelstrom being closed. Now I understand them putting Frozen there as film is based in Norway but its a fictional country which I dislike immensely. I don't mean Norway is fictional but rather Arendale. I just don't like that theyre putting in a fictional country when WS was supposed to be about real countries from around the World.

I have to agree 100% on this.

However it's very inexpensive (relatively speaking) to change out some overlays than to build a new attraction.

They aren't changing the actual ride itself, just the scenery. It's a cheap way for them to send attendance at Epcot through the roof. I want to say 8 million less people visit EP per year compared to MK.

Disney is doing things on the cheap, the Little Mermaid ride is proof of that. I couldn't believe how bad it was and going back really made it stand out how pitiful they design was. I hear they have changed the lighting, so you can't see how bad of a job they did. I'll be seeing how that works out soon enough.

In any case, my girls experienced Disney more already than most people do in their entire lives, so if this is our last trip it's not like it's going to negatively impact us. The US/IOA/Sea World trip a few months ago proved we can have just as much some where else.

 

[DebbieB]

I have to agree 100% on this.

However it's very inexpensive (relatively speaking) to change out some overlays than to build a new attraction.

They aren't changing the actual ride itself, just the scenery. It's a cheap way for them to send attendance at Epcot through the roof. I want to say 8 million less people visit EP per year compared to MK.

Disney is doing things on the cheap, the Little Mermaid ride is proof of that. I couldn't believe how bad it was and going back really made it stand out how pitiful they design was. I hear they have changed the lighting, so you can't see how bad of a job they did. I'll be seeing how that works out soon enough.

In any case, my girls experienced Disney more already than most people do in their entire lives, so if this is our last trip it's not like it's going to negatively impact us. The US/IOA/Sea World trip a few months ago proved we can have just as much some where else.

From the picture I saw, they completely gutted the ride building. So it's not just a change of scenery.

 

[MolonLabe]

From the picture I saw, they completely gutted the ride building. So it's not just a change of scenery.

That's different than some imagineers have/had said.

It will be interesting to find out which is the case.

There is no doubt they are desperately trying to pump some life into an otherwise neglected park.

 

[Dan Murphy]

http://wdwnt.com/blog/2014/12/photo...frozen-ride-at-epcot-is-more-than-an-overlay/

 

[MolonLabe]

http://wdwnt.com/blog/2014/12/photo...frozen-ride-at-epcot-is-more-than-an-overlay/

From the article:
"These photos are the first real proof that at least the entrance and exit of the ride will be vastly different from Maelstrom."

I remember the entrance and it would have needed a huge revamp for the queue.

I'm more concerned about the rest. I'd also look for the "movie" room to be revamped into a gift shop as well and that would be a complete tear down too.