It’s no secret that Frozen Ever After is (somewhat ironically) the hottest attraction at Epcot, regularly commanding wait times in excess of three hours. After shuffling along this attraction’s queue for a good percentage of your park day, its easy to feel a little bit anxious when you finally get to the loading area and board that boat. Will you be able to truly appreciate the three minute ride you just waited several hours for? Will it be as magical as you hoped? Will you miss something if you even blink once?
Well, we’ve been on Frozen Ever After a number of times, and can tell you exactly what details to look for and what you can’t miss on this new attraction. And, believe us, the impact of these effects is truly impressive.
SPOILER WARNING: From here on we’ll be presenting a photo ride-through of Frozen Ever After that contains specific ride elements of this attraction in depth. If you want to experience this attraction completely unspoiled, turn back now! Otherwise, scroll on…
Olaf and Sven welcome you to Frozen Ever After
This scene is one dark ride aficionados will recognize right off the bat. Olaf and Sven are setting the scene for us, and are telling us why we’re on a boat headed to see Anna and Elsa. It’s a Summer Snow Day in Arendelle, and you’re going to see Anna and Elsa as part of the celebration. Yay!
In this scene, guests will want to look exclusively to the right, as Sven and Olaf are the only occupants in this room. And you’ll definitely want to keep your eye on the Olaf animatronic as he bounces around his platform, showing off a wide range of movement and following your boat, just until you make a turn to see…
Trolls, trolls and more trolls!
Though the former Maelstrom ride featured a number of trolls behaving badly, the only trolls you’ll find in Frozen Ever After are the nice “fixer upper” kind. There are a mixture of animated and static trolls, and eagle-eyed riders will want to keep their gaze to the left on Grand Pabbie as he regales younger trolls with the story of Anna and Elsa. Some projected images from the Frozen film will grace the space next to the trolls, but these aren’t really that important to see, so don’t bother squirming in your boat if your neighbor is blocking your view.
Time to climb the mountain…
From here your boat will ascend a lift hill into Elsa’s ice palace. There’s not much to see here, but you can see a miniature version of the castle at the top of the hill as you get ready to go see the star of the show.
But first, supporting characters!
Though you make it to the top of the mountain with record speed, it’s not quite time to see Elsa yet, as Olaf will great you while ice skating. Though this animatronic isn’t as impressive as the Olaf seen earlier in the ride, the way he glides around effortlessly is definitely worth a look.
Olaf will start off in front of the boat and then as you turn the bend you’ll be able to get a closer look before heading in to see Kristoff, Anna and Sven, again on the right side of the boat. Both human characters are singing a reprise of For the First Time in Forever, with lyrics that have been changed for the ride. As your boat glides forward you’ll finally be ready for this attraction’s big moment…
It’s ELSA!!
Yes, this is the moment that all Frozen fans have been waiting for. When you finally glide in to meet Elsa in her famous blue dress singing Let it Go, it is just as spectacular as you’d imagine. Though you’ll likely be instantly spellbound by the gorgeous Elsa animatronic’s fluid movements, animated face, and beautiful costume, take a moment to look up as the music comes to a crescendo. You’ll see an amazing chandelier that will glow with light as Elsa blasts you with her ice magic, sending your boat backwards through a hall as pillars of ice rise around you and moments from the movie appear on either side of the boat in time with the music.
This entire scene happens really quickly, and while you might be fixated on singing Elsa (who you can still see in front of you as you speed backwards), you’d be doing yourself a disservice if you didn’t look to the left and right to appreciate all the gorgeous scenery. Even the ceiling is worth taking notice of, as you can see Elsa’s ice magic light up above as you move backwards.
The Let it Go sequence is easily one of the most impressive (and intense!) scenes in any Walt Disney World dark ride, and guests may be overwhelmed at first, but just make sure you don’t forget to look around and you’ll be able to take it all in.
Marshmallow and the snowgies send you splashing down
After a quick jet of icy fog at the conclusion of this scene, you’ll find yourself backing into a small cove that features a bunch of silly looking snowgies as well as a menacing (yet somehow still friendly looking) Marshmallow. There’s not much to see in this area which is a good thing, as one breathy roar from Marshmallow will quickly send you down a slide. Its unlikely, but you may get a little splash at the bottom of this hill, depending on the boat’s weight distribution and where you’re sitting. Oh, and don’t forget to smile, as an on-ride photo will be snapped just as you’re going down the hill.
Splashing down to a celebration
When you arrive at the bottom you’re back in Arendelle, and the celebration of the Summer Snow day is in full swing, with a miniature version of the castle all decked out and fireworks going off in the distance. Fans who can peel their eyes away from the dazzling castle for one moment for a quick glance to the right will see a fun reference to Maelstrom as well (that’s one thing we’re not going to spoil for you).
As you round the attraction’s last corner, you’ll see Anna and Elsa again, this time in their Frozen Fever outfits. The sisters are also joined by Olaf and are singing a special three-part version of In Summer while bidding guests farewell. From there your boat will proceed to the unloading area, and you’ll disembark Frozen Ever After.
Have you been able to experience Frozen Ever After yet? What are your impressions of this attraction?
