Maelstrom may be one of the best loved attractions in Epcot. This family-friendly adventure located in the Norway pavilion takes guests on a mysterious boat ride through the turbulent Scandinavian seas and the swamps inhabited by mythological creatures. Since it’s opening in 1988, Maelstrom has become a cult classic but the latest rumor hotbeds leave guests wondering – Is Maelstrom closing?
At the present time, the rumors are leading everyone to believe that Maelstrom will close on September 28, 2014 as the Fastpass+ does not indicate any availability beyond this date. I personally know it’s not available since I tried to get a Fastpass for it for my upcoming trip to Epcot either on September 29th or October 1st and it isn’t even listed in the attraction area on the My Disney Experience app. Sadly, it may only be a matter of weeks before this ride closes for good and only 1 day before my arrival.
According to insiders, Disney has requested that the Maelstrom attraction be updated by the country of Norway in order to promote their country in an updated way, but Norway has been reluctant to continue funding the pavilion. The rumors keep leaning towards the fact that if Norway fails to pay for the refurbishment of the attraction, that Disney would take matters into their own hands.
Of course, this is all speculation, but rumors swirling on the internet say that Maelstrom is closing to make way for a new themed attraction based on the Frozen phenomenon. Frozen is based on the fictional Scandinavian town of Arrendale and adding this attraction to Norway would give a huge boost to the Epcot park that Disney is trying to make more family friendly but many feel it would better served in a different area other than the World Showcase, which is based on culture and education.
Since Frozen hit the theaters, Walt Disney World has been forced to quickly implement the characters into their parades, permanent meet and greets and into their merchandise inventory but not without problems. The movie phenomenon has created many issues for the parks and forced Disney to increase the availability of the characters from the movie. Early on, Elsa and Anna were present in the Norway pavilion thus creating a mad rush to the pavilion by families with little girls dressed in their Anna and Elsa dresses. When Anna and else were moved to the Magic Kingdom it caused the longest lines in the history of Disney attractions, reaching upwards of 300 minutes for a meet and greet. Even the “rope drop” procedures were changed to keep guests from rushing to the Princess Fairytale Hall for the chance to meet the coveted characters. Disney has also experienced issues keeping Frozen merchandise on the shelves as it sells out faster than any other themed items.
Currently Disney has added Frozen Summer Fun Live to the Hollywood Studios park to keep up with the demands of their guests. The Frozen Summer Fun Live events include an ice skating rink, a parade and a nighttime Frozen fireworks spectacular. Most feel that a “Frozenland” would be best either in the Magic Kingdom or in the Hollywood Studios where it is currently drawings hundreds of thousands of people who want to build a snowman. With Frozen being the highest grossing film since Toy Story 3, reaching over $400 in domestic ticket sales during its theater run, it makes sense that Disney would need to make room for their latest cash cow, but where Maelstrom is concerned, not many fans are not willing to “Let it Go”.
Stay tuned as the story unfolds!
Visit www.capturing-the-magic.com for a preview of the stunning coffee table book, Capturing the Magic and purchase your copy today.
- Happily Ever After Fireworks Dessert Party - 08/06/2017
- Bon Voyage Adventure Breakfast Review - 07/21/2017
- 2017 Epcot International Food & Wine Festival Marketplaces - 07/12/2017
Recent Comments