“If nothing changed, there’d be no butterflies.” – Walt Disney
Perhaps the most recent and controversial of all attraction closures took place on October 5, 2014 in Epcot. Yes, on that date Maelstrom, located in the Norwegian pavilion of the World Showcase, closed forever.
Opening in 1988, the water attraction took visitors in boats through the beauty and history of Norway that included mythological sequences where spells were cast, polar bears, waterfalls and Vikings. The ride, that was part log flume and part film attraction, gave riders the option to watch a video, “The Spirit of Norway” after existing the ride that highlighted the activities in Norway. The ride also had a few hidden Mickey’s.
It was announced in 2014 that the ride was going to be replaced by an attraction based on Frozen, a Disney animated film. Because of the popularity the ride and the effect of social media, petitions were created and signed by thousands upon thousands of people in an attempt to save the ride. Those attempts went unacknowledged by Disney. The new ride is scheduled to open in early 2016.
Will you miss Maelstrom or are you looking forward to the new Frozen attraction?
As co-owner and co-creator of The Main Street Mouse.Working in a technical support position for 18 years, it was time for a change.As the Webmaster and Project Planner, I spend most of my time researching everything from the latest Disney News, technology advances and of course keeping up on all the Marvel news that comes out.I never considered myself a writer but I’ve come to like blogging and sharing news with all.I feel blessed everyday that I get to spend my days working with my best friend and love of my life while we continue to grow and expand what started as a hobby all those years ago.
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