New Frozen Ever After Ride

Frozen Ever After—Anna and Elsa Take Epcot by Storm

The long-awaited Frozen Ever After ride and the Royal Sommerhus meet-and-greet with Anna and Elsa draws Frozen fans like a magnet to Epcot’s Norway pavilion. The lines are long for those who aren’t able to snatch a coveted Fastpass+ for the ride. The meet-and-greet is also very popular, draws long lines by midday, and does not offer Fastpass+.

Frozen Ever After is a boat ride through Arendelle, the fictional Kingdom from the film Frozen. The ride has a queue featuring the Wandering Oaken’s Trading Post. While waiting in line, you’ll hear Oaken call “yoo-hoo!” while steam is coming from his sauna’s windows.

Next, you board the logs that were formerly used in the Maelstrom ride; following the same path, you are off to Arendelle to celebrate the Winter in Summer Festival.

In the first part of the ride you meet Olaf, who is singing, “Do you want to built a snowman?” In Troll Valley you are told the story of how Anna and Kristof met. Next, the logs go up a ramp and you’ll see Olaf singing while ice-skating alongside Anna, Kristof, and Sven. Suddenly, doors open and you’ll come upon Elsa, who is singing, “Let It Go.”

After a short downhill drop you get to meet Marshmallow, the snowman Elsa created with the adorable Snowgies from the Frozen Fever short. In the final scene, fireworks go off as Anna, Elsa, and a happy snowman take leave, singing “In Summer.”

If you’ve visited Epcot before, expect the ride experience to be almost identical to the old Norway boat ride Maelstrom that Frozen Ever After replaced.

At the Royal Sommerhus, you can finally meet Anna and Elsa in person. The meet-and-greet looks like a log cabin in Norway, a royal one mind you, and is filled with mementos evoking their childhood.

Frozen Ever After is a Tier 1 FastPass+ ride, while the Royal Sommerhus meet-and-greet with Anna and Elsa does not require a FastPass+. Make sure to visit the stave church at the Norway Pavilion, and learn how the culture and beauty of Norway inspired the filmmakers of Frozen.

If meeting the Frozen gals is a must for your little princess, you’d better get there as soon as the rope drops. By this I mean the 9 a.m. rope drop, as the Norway Pavilion at World Showcase will be open as of 9 a.m. for now. Note that all the guests who had breakfast at the Akershus Royal Banquet Hall will already be waiting in line in front of you. Lines will be VERY long for a VERY long time. We recommend you get the Fastpass+ for Frozen Ever After any time after 1 p.m. so it does not cut into your a.m. chance to meet Anna and Elsa or any touring you might be able to fit into your morning.

For more information on all there is to see and do at Epcot, check out The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World with Kids by Bob Sehlinger and Liliane Opsomer with Len Testa.