Its offcial Tom Staggs announces maelstrom replacement

[rteetz]

He Disney parks blog today has announced a frozen attraction will indeed replace maelstrom.

"When Walt Disney promised that Disneyland would never be completed, so long as there is imagination left in the world, he made a promise to our guests that we take seriously at all our locations around the world. This year, one particular product of imagination — Disney Animation’s blockbuster hit “Frozen” — captured the hearts and minds of people around the world and gave us a new opportunity to make good on Walt’s pledge.
We’ve made “Frozen” a part of the guest experience in a number of ways already and our guests have both loved them and asked for more. So I’m pleased to say that we’re starting construction at Walt Disney World Resort on a brand new “Frozen” attraction at the Norway Pavilion in Epcot. The new attraction, which replaces Maelstrom, will take our guests to Arendelle and immerse them in many of their favorite moments and music from the film. The pavilion will also include a royal greeting location where Anna and Elsa can meet our guests. We think these “Frozen” elements are great compliments to the Norway Pavilion, which showcases the country and region that inspired the film."

He also announces that the characters will make appearances in the Christmas parade this year.

http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2014/09/frozen-attraction-coming-to-epcot/

 

[rteetz]

He also announced that Elsa will run the fireworks during Christmas time, she will turn Cinderella castle into a ice palace...

 

[snoopy352]

How unfortunate. Just went from six rides at Epcot to five now for our family.

Worse, it's a waste of time and money to take an already existing ride and transform it into a "new" one instead of CREATING a new one to ADD to a park that needs another.

 

[rteetz]

How unfortunate. Just went from six rides at Epcot to five now for our family. Worse, it's a waste of time and money to take an already existing ride and transform it into a "new" one instead of CREATING a new one to ADD to a park that needs another.

Welcome to Disneys business plan of saving as much money as possible...

 

[umichigan10]

As Steve Carrell once said in the office:

NO! GOD NO, PLEASE GOD NO!!!!!!

 

[Skywise]

He also announced that Elsa will run the fireworks during Christmas time, she will turn Cinderella castle into a ice palace...

I hope Mickey gets to come along for the castle lighting still...

What does it mean "Else will run the fireworks during Christmas Time"? Are they changing out Holiday Wishes for something else?

For that matter if their homebase is in the Norway portion of Epcot (where people of all ages can learn about the real life culture and rich history of the people of... Arendelle...) why doesn't she just take over Epcot altogether as the exciting retheming of Epcot into Fantasyland III where Arendelle can sit next to the Jedi Temple and Stark tower...

(Update, just read the article - I don't see anything about the fireworks, just that she's doing the castle lighting (without Mickey looks like) and that they're extending Frozen into the holiday season. Maybe they'll keep the frozen fireworks through the holidays?)

 

[Skywise]

Welcome to Disneys business plan of saving as much money as possible...

It's not exactly a bad idea... Just wildly throwing out numbers, you can probably increase Epcot attendance by several orders of magnitude by just reskinning an attraction. It makes no sense to build a whole new "Frozen" ride which could take YEARS only to have it ready just as the phenomenon dies out.

It's not Disney - This is the state of American business today. A true visionary leadership would've fast tracked a dark theme ride 3 months ago based on existing ride plans and then pushed the construction crew for completion by Christmas or late winter. In fact, I'll go further and say it's downright STUPID that Disney doesn't have a plot of land in a fallow state at MK to be turned into a ride at a moment's notice to capitalize on a hit like this. Parks are no longer synergy'd to the entertainment division which, if you think about it, is a complete misunderstanding of Walt's TRUE vision.

 

[rteetz]

I hope Mickey gets to come along for the castle lighting still... What does it mean "Else will run the fireworks during Christmas Time"? Are they changing out Holiday Wishes for something else? For that matter if their homebase is in the Norway portion of Epcot (where people of all ages can learn about the real life culture and rich history of the people of... Arendelle...) why doesn't she just take over Epcot altogether as the exciting retheming of Epcot into Fantasyland III where Arendelle can sit next to the Jedi Temple and Stark tower... (Update, just read the article - I don't see anything about the fireworks, just that she's doing the castle lighting (without Mickey looks like) and that they're extending Frozen into the holiday season. Maybe they'll keep the frozen fireworks through the holidays?)

I was just basing it off the photo I should have worded it better than she will run the fireworks but I'm sure some fireworks will be used in her castle lighting thing.

 

[cdatkins]

It's not exactly a bad idea... Just wildly throwing out numbers, you can probably increase Epcot attendance by several orders of magnitude by just reskinning an attraction. It makes no sense to build a whole new "Frozen" ride which could take YEARS only to have it ready just as the phenomenon dies out.

Yeah, kind of like Avatar-land

 

[wallrock]

Interesting that no date is specified in the article. Makes one wonder if this is an announcement that an announcement will be forthcoming about how the pavilion will be transformed.

 

[Tink2Day]

He also announced that Elsa will run the fireworks during Christmas time, she will turn Cinderella castle into a ice palace...

Seriously??
Maybe at Halloween but they're actually kicking Cinderella out of her own Castle

 

[Alice Royal]

Petition to save Maelstrom:

https://www.***********/p/the-walt-disney-company-and-george-kalogridis-and-bob-iger-save-maelstrom#

 

[tazadd0420]

Never did like maelstrom. May be in minority on the board, but looking forward to frozen ride. Of course I feel bad for everyone that really liked maelstrom. Looking forward to the 3 hour wait.

 

[circus4u]

http://money.cnn.com/2014/09/12/med...aign=Feed:+rss/money_topstories+(Top+Stories)

CNN Money article

 

[gaf314159]

I'm not a fan of this. It's not consistent with the theme of Epcot, which is supposed to be educational. If I go to the Norway pavilion, I want to learn about Norway and its culture. I don't want to go there and ride a Frozen ride and feel like I'm experiencing a blatantly cross promotional attraction, and learn nothing about Norway. No doubt it will make a lot of money, though. Sorry, I'm a little bitter because I have Scandinavian heritage, and I like to see a representation of Norway when I go to Epcot.

 

[OnSpaceshipEarth]

So I'm guessing that it will still use the same ride track?

 

[rteetz]

Petition to save Maelstrom: https://www.***********/p/the-walt-disney-company-and-george-kalogridis-and-bob-iger-save-maelstrom#

Good luck it ain't gonna happen

 

[rteetz]

Interesting that no date is specified in the article. Makes one wonder if this is an announcement that an announcement will be forthcoming about how the pavilion will be transformed.

I have heard anywhere from 12-18-24 months

 

[Planogirl]

I have to stick to my promise to no longer go to Epcot. It's too bad, I used to really like the place. I hope that those looking forward to it enjoy it but I'll remember the Norway pavilion when it was actually Norway. That's better for me.

Won't the area be awfully small for a Frozen attraction? I can't imagine where people will line up.

 

[mcd2745]

I have heard anywhere from 12-18-24 months

In a reply to one of the comments, Staggs said the new attraction is "targeted to open by early 2016".