Why EPCOT's Norway Pavilion Will Be CROWDED in 2026

A long-awaited change is coming to EPCOT’s World Showcase in 2026, and many Disney Adults are likely to crowd the pavilion for the first time in forever…

Let It Go scene in EPCOT’s Frozen Ever After

Since Frozen Ever After opened nearly a decade ago, the ride based on the 2013 Disney film has been one of EPCOT’s most in-demand attractions, somewhat to the chagrin of longtime fans of the dearly departed Maelstrom like myself. However, even I – who rode Maelstrom on every trip I took to the park for over 20 years – enjoy the adventures on Anna and Elsa. However, many fans have had one major complaint about the ride’s animatronics, that has only gotten louder over time.

When the attraction first debuted, the animatronic figures of Elsa, Anna, and Kristoff featured on the attraction were revolutionary. At the time, they were the first Disney animatronics to be completely run on electric motors and the first to be manufactured using 3D printing techniques. However, there was one thing about their design that some took issue with: Their faces.

Frozen Ever After

See, instead of using traditional sculpting for their heads, the characters’ faces were instead projected using animation. While some liked this look, seeing it as true to the original animation, others felt the approach was very uncanny valley, giving them a “creepy” bulb-headed look.

Frozen Ever After

The … unique heads have only stuck out more over the last decade as more advanced animatronics like this on Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, and especially the Hong Kong and Tokyo Frozen rides have combined the smooth, electronic movements of the Frozen animatronics with remarkable sculpted faces.

Frozen Ever After in Hong Kong

That’s why many fans rejoiced in 2025 when Disney announced that the Anna, Elsa, and Kristoff animatronics at EPCOT would be receiving upgrades similar to the highly regarded figures from the Hong Kong version. The updates are scheduled to be installed in 2026.

Elsa in her ice palace at Hong Kong Disneyland

Disney fans who have been complaining about the Frozen Ever After animatronics can finally let it go as Elsa, Anna, and Kristoff are going to be upgraded! Stay tuned to AllEars for more on Disney World’s upgrades.