Attractions Of The Past: Maelstrom

Disney World is all about keeping Walt Disney’s original vision of progress alive throughout all Disney parks. Walt knew that the parks as he originally designed them could not stay that way forever and that change would be inevitable. Because of this, there are several attractions of the past that have closed or seen major changes throughout the years. Maelstrom was an attraction that was originally in EPCOT’s Norway pavilion. It first opened in 1988 and set out to celebrate Norwegian culture and educate guests. The attraction eventually closed in 2014 to make way for the new attraction: Frozen Ever After. Despite its closing, Maelstrom was a popular attraction that guests loved. Let’s take a look back at Maelstrom and explore what made so many guests enjoy it for so many years.

The Concept

The concept for Maelstrom began in the mid-1980s when imagineers began brainstorming for an attraction that would reside within ECPOT’s Norway pavilion. The original idea for Maelstrom was a mythical journey through Nordic tales and lands. The attraction even had a name: SeaVenture. However, this idea was scrapped after the attraction’s sponsors wished for a ride that would inspire more tourism to Norway. Thus, the attraction began its transformation into a tour of Norway’s lands with a little bit of Nordic mythology intermixed.

The Attraction

Maelstrom was a boat dark-ride during which guests boarded a Viking ship and explored Norway. Guests passed scenes of Polar Bears, fishing villages, Vikings, trolls, and even an oil rig. During the scene in which guests come face-to-face with trolls, the boat travels in reverse and enters a partially exposed outside area, and eventually plunging down a mild 28-foot drop. Guests were dropped into the oil rig scene and then traveled to the end of the attraction where they disembarked into a fishing village. Here, guests had the option to stick around for a 5-minute film: The Spirit of Norway. The goal of this film was to inspire guests to visit the beautiful country and promote tourism.

Attraction Changes

Throughout Maelstroms’ 26 years of operation, it never saw any significant changes or upgrades. Guests loved that the ride remained the same with many guests memorizing the opening line: “You are not the first to pass this way. Nor shall you be the last.”

Closing

An announcement was made in fall of 2014 that Maelstrom was to be closed and replaced with a new Frozen attraction. Some guests criticized this decision stating that it took away from EPCOT’s spirit of education and exploration, citing Maelstrom to be a beloved classic attraction. Others were welcoming of the change and excited to see Frozen have its own attraction.

Frozen Ever After

In 2016, Frozen Ever After opened to the public. The attraction used the same ride vehicles, track system, and layout as Maelstrom. This included the boat traveling in reverse, and the drop. Frozen Ever After remains open to this day and continues to delight guests with its charming ride through the world of Arendelle. Guests can see characters like Anna, Elsa, Olaf, Kristoff, and Sven, and even watch as Elsa sings her iconic song: “Let it go”.

What are your thoughts on Maelstrom? Do you prefer it to Frozen Ever After? Let us know in the comments below!