Why Disney World Got Rid of Maelstrom

EPCOT has seen so much change as it nears the end of its transformation.

The EPCOT transformation is finally nearing its completion. But what if we told you that perhaps the EPCOT transformation truly started nearly a decade ago? We’re talking, today, about one long lost, beloved Nordic ride that is no longer part of EPCOT and why Disney World said its goodbyes.

EPCOT has been given new unified neighborhoods– World Nature, World Discovery, World Celebration, and World Showcase. New attractions like Journey of Water and Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind have debuted. And CommuniCore Plaza and Hall are nearly ready for festivals.

While we love how EPCOT is being brought into the present times (and even into the future), this idea of re-imagining EPCOT might have begun before 2020. Back in 2014, a very popular Nordic ride closed for good– Maelstrom. Maelstrom was where present-day Frozen Ever After currently takes you on a boat ride through the country of Arendelle (Norway Pavilion).

Maelstrom was a beloved ride for being the only shoot-the-chutes water flume ride AND because it told the history of Norway, Norwegian fishing villages, and the god Odin. The ride was true to the EPCOT spirit of educating us about countries and cultures in a way no one but Disney could, through enjoyment and play.

The ride zoomed backward after a group of trolls put a ‘spell’ on you then turned forward again before plummeting down a 28-foot drop. And at the end of it all you were exited into a theater that showed a 5-minute film called The Spirit of Norway. The whole ride focus was on what EPCOT was there to do– give people an opportunity to experience other cultures.

However, the ride which opened in 1988 had begun to look a bit dated, and the video was certainly not holding up to the improvements of today’s films.

Against many fans’ pleas, Disney decided to shut down Maelstrom in 2014 to have it replaced by Frozen Ever After in 2016. At that point, Disney was starting to re-imagine EPCOT and planned to add more IP-based attractions.

Back in 2014, there was almost no Disney intellectual property in the park in the form of attractions with characters from Disney movies. Disney had realized the fame and popularity of the Frozen movie and saw how run down and old Maelstrom was getting, so they chose to remove the ride with history and culture from the pavilion. (Could this be considered the real beginning of the EPCOT transformation?)

Now, this IP-based ride takes you through the story of Frozen, but there are still remnants of Maelstrom left behind. While Frozen Ever After is a completely new theming, the ride track is still pretty much the same. It is still a slow-moving boat, plume ride that plummets you down the same drop.

The issue many people had with this re-theming was that it was taking away from EPCOT’s original purpose -– to educate and enlighten people, World’s Fair style.

Turns out, though, that even though there may still be some sadness and resentment from losing Maelstrom, people LOVE the Frozen ride. It is a very popular ride that frequently has long lines and a Lightning Lane entrance to bypass the standby queue.

While it is unfortunate that Frozen Ever After no longer showcases the Nordic culture and history, it has still become a beloved ride, especially by younger kids who are big fans of the movie franchise. So us older folks will continue to miss Maelstrom but generations to come will enjoy Frozen Ever After and the many new IP-based rides that have made their way to EPCOT.

Regardless of our feelings about losing Maelstrom, we have to admit it probably wasn’t a bad call by Disney. In the end, Frozen Ever After is a cute ride and we’re excited to see the future of EPCOT!

For more Disney reminiscing, stay tuned to All Ears.

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Do you miss Maelstrom? Let us know in the comments!

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