Tribute to Maelstrom - A High Seas Norwegian Adventure
"Maelstrom - A High Seas Norwegian Adventure" was a short (but charming) ride that took Guests in a thrilling voyage through the history and myths of Norway, featuring vikings, trolls, polar bears, oil rigs, a seaside village, and more. Today we are going to share with you some photos taken before the attraction closed to the public (its last day of operation was October 5, 2014). Come and explore with us this great attraction, now part of Epcot's history:
The former FASTPASS distribution area:
The entrance/exit area:
The narrow FastPass+ line:
Both queue areas were very humble and poorly decorated:
That said, the mural was absolutely gorgeous:
The loading area:
The mural:
Leaving the loading dock:
A close look at the old boats:
If you'd like to go back in time and experience Maelstrom one last time, take a look at this video:
The unload area:
The post-show area:
The theater showing "The Spirit of Norway":
Relive the beauty of this short film through this video:
The exit hallway leading to the gift shop:
Dedication plaque:
Trolls:
A sign of things to come...
The last night the ride operated:
The ride had never seen such long lines before:
And that is all for now. We really hope that the new Frozen-themed attraction will be a great successor to this ride, even though we agree with all those who say that the new theme will not fit the Norway pavilion. Unfortunately, as Doctor Nigel Channing would say, "if you can't beat them, join 'em"...
I still say a simple title change from "Norway Pavilion" to the "Scandinavia Pavilion" would fix that.
ReplyDeleteI know Disney knows most Americans aren't exactly the sharpest when it comes to country locations, but I do hope they'll avoid confusing Norway with Denmark in the future.
Maelstrom, you will be missed!
ReplyDeleteIts a shame that the world showcase is getting "dumb downed"
ReplyDeleteFix what? Who's confusing Norway with Denmark?
ReplyDeleteDisney certainly hasn't, not with Frozen. They used Norway on purpose, not by accident.
I'm not eager to see the World Showcase become a mini-MK, but its not exactly the epitome of the world cultural experience some make it out to be.
You have to ask yourself what the World Showcase's brief is.
ReplyDeletePresumably it's a designed to be a little taster and montage of each Country it represents. Nothing too serious. Certainly not totally accurate but a kind of large scale diorama that gives a "feel" of those places. Maelstrom, was based on folklore and therefore an acceptable attraction within the WC. Frozen, on the other hand, is purely commercial and doesn't really belong here. Will it be a success ? Yes. Probably. Should it have been built elsewhere ? Of course it should.
Maelstrom wasn't the best ride and it certainly wasn't the longest. But it di have some grounding and more resonance with the WC brief.