No land nor world escapes from Frozen fever, and if you have Anna and Elsa fans in your party here is what you can do to meet the characters and get some warm hugs.
Anna & Elsa’s Royal Welcome
After coping with overwhelming crowds at their tiny Fantasyland meet-and-greet cottage for over a year, Disney relocated the insanely popular ladies of Arendelle, Queen Elsa and Princess Anna, to DCA’s Disney Animation building as part of 2015’s Frozen Fun promotion.
Touring Tips
There is no standby queue. Royal Welcome is FASTPASS-only. FASTPASS return tickets (with a 20 minute return window) are distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. During off-season, passes may last into the afternoon, but on busy days we have observed tickets running out in as little as one hour after park opening. Fortunately, having a FASTPASS ticket for Royal Welcome does not impact your ability to use FASTPASS at other attractions. If your party would like to meet Anna or Elsa, you need to be ready to dedicate a significant amount of time. The total time spent in line can be an hour or more, even with the FASTPASS procedures Disney has put in place. The line starts to the left of Carthay Circle Theater (look for a Disney cast member holding a Frozen sign) before park opening. As soon as the park opens for the day, the line of guests waiting for Frozen FASTPASSes will be led to the ticket machines on the sidewalk outside the Disney Animation attractions. When the time on your FASTPASS arrives you can expect to wait another 30 to 60 minutes in line before you actually meet the princesses. Obviously, meeting Anna and Elsa is not a part of any efficient touring plan.
Do you want to meet a snowman?
Olaf, the adorable snowman from Frozen holds court at Hollywood Land. It is a great picture opportunity and Olaf generously distributes warm hugs. Like Royal Welcome, meeting the summer-loving Olaf is FASTPASS-only
For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration
This show uses live actors and video clips to tell the story of Frozen. For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration is hosted by two presenters known as “Royal Historians of Arendelle,” who take the audience through the events of the film. Songs from the film such as “Do You Want to Build a Snowman?,” “Love is an Open Door,” and “Let It Go” are played on the screen behind them. The production is enhanced with falling “snow” and lighting effects that make the theater walls appear to frost over. Each performance culminates with an appearance of Anna and Elsa on stage, where they lead the crowd in a second rendition of “Let It Go.” Note that there is no meet and greet with Anna and Elsa during or after this show.
Touring Tips
The show takes place in the former home of Muppet-Vision 3D. FASTPASS is distributed for the next show time for which FASTPASS has not “sold out,” and there is also a stand-by line. We usually see plenty of stand-by seats available, even for shows where all FASTPASS tickets have been distributed. Be sure to get in line at least 30 minutes early if you are going to use the stand-by line.
Visiting Disneyland? Check out the 2016 edition of The Unofficial Guide to Disneyland, available anywhere where good books are sold.
