Maelstrom->Frozen Maelstrom's FINAL voyage *IS* Oct 5 - CONFIRMED

This would be a good life lesson for some just like Kellymouse5 said. I have tried to get my family to go on with no luck. Now we may not have an opportunity in Nov.
If you have an opportunity, take it. You may not have the same opportunity in the future. There are no guarantees in life.

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What makes me nervous is the trolls. I love the trolls on the Norway ride but they are nothing like the cute an lovable trolls in the movie Frozen. I hope they do not change the trolls. I like that World Showcase is just that - a world (not movie) showcase. I think they should keep movie/character representation at a minimum in this section (aka - not too much Frozen please - just a hint)

We love the ride, but itā€™s the movie that follows that needs the update. We typically just walk through the auditorium at the end, but the last time we sat and watched. Adding elements of Frozen and the movie having a better tie-in to the ride would make more sense.

Iā€™ll start by saying I am NOT a fan of changing Maelstrom into a ā€œFrozenā€ ride; yes, it needs some updating, but I think it should remain rooted in traditional NORWEGIAN culture, not in a fictional culture with vague Scandanavian overtones. But if itā€™s going to happen, there are two extremes: (1) leave it mostly as is, but stick a few cheap Frozen characters in here and there, and (2) completely gut it down to the ride system and build a whole new ride with a whole new narrative. If they are going to make this transition, I REALLY hope for the latter. I fear, given the recent Disney track record, coupled with the relatively short time frame, what we will get will be closer to the former.

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I read the following on a facebook community page about Epcot:

The international program Cast Members at the Norway Pavilion have been informed that attractions and merchandise positions at the pavilion will not exist beyond the end of September. CMā€™s with contracts in October and beyond are being offered transfers and training in Food/Beverage. Recruitment for Fall/Winter attractions/merchandise has been canceled.

Has anyone else heard this? Sounds like much more than a refurb! I am beginning to suspect it will no longer be a Norway pavilion but possibly a Scandinavian pavilion like what was originally considered. Especially after Norway declined Disneyā€™s request to contribute financially to the pavilion.

Interesting! I hope whatever they do isnā€™t too much of a disruption!

Th is is/was my favorite pavilion. By far. If this is true, I will miss it dearly. I already switched my epcot day from sept 28 to 26 to ensure I get to experience it. Will be getting extra pix/video now just in case. Thanks for the heads up that it may not just be a ā€œfrozenā€ superficial change. :frowning:

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My heart is breaking at the thought of losing this pavilion! I have a photo of my kids from every single trip standing next to the troll. DS16 always gets me Laila here. I am even taking him and his brother on Disneyā€™s Norwegian cruise for his Senior trip before he goes off to college because that pavilion is so dear to our hearts. It is taking everything in me not to book a last minute trip just to visit the pavilion one more time! We just left WDW July 8th and of course visited and rode Maelstrom but our next trip isnā€™t until October 10th and my obsessive, compulsive, addicted self is screaming ā€œJust one more time please!!!ā€. Talk me off the ledgeā€¦ I really hope I am overreacting and reading way too much on the subjectā€¦

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With the entertainment changes happening at Epcot, I was very lucky to make this switch because Iā€™ll now get to see MoRockin, Fife&Drum, & OffKilter too. Also will get to do CoP, PhilHarmagic & Astro, all of which re-open on 9/28. Serendipity for a change.

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ā€œRumorsā€ from folks with ā€œinside informationā€ over in the WDWMagic forums are that it is going to be an 18 month ā€œrefurbā€ of the ride. In that amount of time, they could strip the show building down to itā€™s shell and start from scratch inside - or they could strip it down to the existing ride system and build an entirely new ride around it. It will be interesting to see what/when an official Disney announcement will beā€¦

Iā€™ll be there in 6 days. Iā€™ll try to sneak some information out of the norwegians working there. Iā€™m hoping theyā€™ll be more inclined to tell a fellow norwegian whatā€™s going on over thereā€¦ :wink:

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Tusen takk. Or since Iā€™m half-Swedishā€¦ Tack sĆ„ mycket.

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Maelstrom is available again. Report from @WendyWelcher_go_com last night.

Looks like Maelstrom closing/refurb is delayed! FPP available thru Sept 30th. Oct 1st shows standby only, Oct 2nd it isnā€™t on the list.

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Drag queen polar bears? Iā€™d invest a FPP in that!

I am going in mid October and was wondering if anyone knew (or heard a rumor) as to whether this will impact the Norway bakery? We have lunch planned there one day, and am hoping to still be able to go.

Right now, they have re-opened FPP through Oct 5th. In fact they have added 2-3 days a day now for 3 days straight. Hopefully this will continue through mid October!

Some recently ā€œleakedā€ concept artā€¦

Looks to me that they are taking the cheap route on the refurbā€¦

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Bwahahahaha you are evil @bswan26!

Here you go:

No dates given, so we now know the ā€œwhatā€ if not the ā€œwhenā€.

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Even though I knew it was coming, reading the blog post still hurt :frowning: