Something interesting is happening in EPCOT’s Norway Pavilion, and Disney Adults are absolutely split about it.
Norway Pavilion
We’ve been noticing a pretty interesting pattern lately when it comes to Frozen Ever After, and honestly, it’s splitting Disney fans right down the middle. Some folks are avoiding the attraction like the plague until everything is said and done, while others are making it their mission to squeeze in one last ride before the doors close. Here’s what you need to know about this whole situation.
The Two Camps of Disney Adults
Right now, Disney Adults visiting EPCOT are falling into one of two very distinct categories when it comes to Frozen Ever After. The first group is actively skipping the attraction altogether, choosing to wait until all the upcoming changes are complete before they experience it again. They’d rather see the finished product than ride the current version, knowing it’s about to get a major upgrade.
Frozen Ever After
The second group is taking the complete opposite approach. These guests are prioritizing Frozen Ever After above almost everything else, determined to get that last ride in before the attraction temporarily shuts down. For them, it’s all about experiencing the original version one final time before it changes forever.
What’s Happening to Frozen Ever After
Here’s the deal. Frozen Ever After will temporarily close for refurbishment on January 26th, 2026, and it’s expected to reopen in February 2026 with some pretty exciting updates. The Anna, Elsa, and Kristoff Audio-Animatronics figures are getting a complete overhaul, and this isn’t just a minor touch-up.
Frozen Ever After animatronics (EPCOT)
When Frozen Ever After first opened, these figures were actually groundbreaking in the world of audio-animatronics. This was the first ever Disney ride to include all-electric audio-animatronic figures, and it was also the first to combine electric motors with 3D printing technology. For their time, they were incredibly innovative and represented a huge leap forward in what Disney could accomplish with their characters.
The Inspiration Behind the Updates
The new updates will take inspiration from the advancements seen in the figures at World of Frozen in Hong Kong Disneyland. If you’ve seen videos or heard about what they’ve accomplished over there, you know that the technology has come a long way since Frozen Ever After first debuted. These improvements will help usher in the future of audio-animatronic technology, and this will be the first time we’ve seen it used in Disney World.
Hong Kong Disneyland Animatronics
The goal with these new updates is to bring a more true-to-film look for Anna, Elsa, and Kristoff. Think more realistic movements, better facial expressions, and an overall appearance that more closely matches what we see on screen. It’s going to be a significant improvement that brings these beloved characters to life in a whole new way.
Which Camp Are You In?
So whether you’re team “wait until it’s perfect” or team “one last ride,” we totally get both perspectives. There’s something special about experiencing an attraction one final time before it changes, but there’s also something exciting about waiting to see the finished product in all its glory.
©Disney
No matter which camp you fall into, this refurbishment is shaping up to be a pretty big deal for the Norway Pavilion. Stay tuned to DisneyFoodBlog for all the latest updates on when Frozen Ever After reopens and what the new figures look like in person!
REMINDER: A Huge Change Is Coming to Magic Kingdom SOON
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We are in a 3rd camp. We will ride Frozen Ever After at every EPCOT visit, all based on the wait time. There are limits. We are not awaiting the complete upgrade to the attraction. What places us in this 3rd camp is that we regularly hope for the return of Maelstrom, which we enjoyed a great deal.
There’s another group of Disney adults that want maelstrom back
I don’t have a WDW trip before the refurbishment. I just went in December of 2025 with my parents. Honestly I am glad that this ride is getting refurbed. Animatronics are so much better!
We are in the camp of we’ll ride what is there when we’re there! We too miss Maelstrom. Perfectly happy to have a Frozen attraction, just sorry that getting anything new at WDW seems to always mean losing something existing.
I think they should prioritize seeing the Frozen Sing-Along at HS rather than the ride at EPCOT.
As the Disney song says”let it GO” the maelstrom is not coming back and just thinking about it ages me LOL!
We were there in late November and went to Epcot Dec. 1st. We had the extra magic hours that day when the park stayed open late. We didn’t even try to ride that ride. We have only went on it twice since it opened. The first time we waited and waited to get on it, so long that I almost fainted from the heat, and then the ride shut down. We had already waited so long that we waited for the ride to be back in operation. It’s a cute ride, but it was so short that it was definitely not worth the long wait. To wait 15 or 20 minutes would be my max. I would however, wait for 2 hours to ride the amazing Gaurdians of the Galaxy ride! That ride is absolutely the most thrilling ride at Disney World, hands down!
In describing how the animatronics were so groundbreaking when they debuted, you forgot to mention one of the most important differences, and the reason for this next upgrade. They have projection faces, not real,sculpted animatronic ones, which to many also looked weird.
In describing how the animatronics were so groundbreaking when they debuted, you forgot to mention one of the most important differences, and the reason for this next upgrade. They have projection faces, which to many looked very weird.