Maelstrom

Maelstrom was a log flume/dark ride hybrid located at EPCOT at the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida. The ride opened on July 5th, 1988 and operated until October 5th, 2014 in favor of Frozen Ever After, a new ride using the same building and track, but themed to the immensely popular 2013 Disney film, "Frozen." Located in the Norway Pavilion of World Showcase, the ride took guests on a tour through the history, legends, and present wonders of the Scandinavian country of Norway. This ride was especially notable, as it was the first ride to be built in World Showcase.

## History

The Norway Pavilion didn't originally open with EPCOT. In fact, it is the youngest of the pavilions in the land. Imagineers had planned for the headlining attraction of the pavilion to be a boat ride themed around Norse mythology. The original name for the ride was to be "SeaVenture," and it was to be a whimsical adventure through the lands of Norway, with some Troll encounters along the way. The ride would culminate in guests crossing the rainbow bridge to the blessed regions of Valhalla. However, the Norwegian sponsors of the ride wanted the ride to be more of a history lesson than a mythology showcase. They wanted the ride to teach riders about Norwegian folklore and legends, but also Norway in the present day. Unfortunately for Disney, the ride had a limited plot of space to be built, so some elements of the ride were cut out. These were then placed into a film which guests would watch after the ride. The name SeaVenture lasted for a very long time, with a sign even being installed at the time of the pavilion's official opening on June 3rd, 1988. Shortly before the ride's opening, the name was changed to Maelstrom (strange, considering there was no actual maelstrom in the ride). It officially opened to the public on July 5th, 1988, and would be a staple at the park until 2014.

## Ride Experience

The experience began before even entering the queue. There was formerly a hole in a wall to the left of the ride's entrance. At first glance, this hole just looked like a standard set-piece with a waterfall flowing from it. However, if guests stared inside the hole a little longer, they would have noticed one of the boat ride vehicles appearing to go over the edge of the waterfall, before moving the other direction just in time (we'll get back to this part later). Guests entered the queue in a large building with the ride's logo hanging on the wall, which stated the ride was a "High Seas Norwegian Adventure." The inside was barely themed at all, mostly just being a standard line amidst colorful walls and several Norwegian flags. The theming stepped up once guests neared the loading area, where a massive mural depicted the various aspects of Norway, both past and present. Soon, guests would board their viking ship ride vehicle and be sent off into total darkness. Then, the voice of the Norse god Odin suddenly speaks to riders.

"You are not the first to pass this way... Nor shall you be the last. Those who seek the spirit of Norway face peril and adventure! But more often... find beauty and charm."

The boat climbs up a lift-hill while Odin stares riders down. As the boat nears the top, Odin's face suddenly disappears, his eye staying visible briefly before closing. The boat then emerges into a room dimly lit by fiery torches. Then, a woman is seen by a small camp fire, a man and a boy stand atop a boat, and a different man reads to another. Next, the boat drifts by the ocean shore. Large ships are seen in the distance, and a woman blows her horn on a nearby rock. Afterwards, the ride goes dark again, and Odin warns riders of the Trolls who "prowl the water's edge." The boat then enters a thick swamp overlooked by a large three-headed troll. To the left of the troll is a large Nixie (or a Nokken as most people call it) who rises from the water and stares at riders with its flashing yellow eyes. The three-headed troll is furious at riders for entering Troll Country and retaliates by casting a spell. The spell appeared on the ceiling in a bright swirl of lights. As all this happened, the boat would slowly and gently be rotated onto another track via a hidden turntable. The troll banishes riders "over the falls!" Now going backwards, the boat travels down a very tiny and shallow dip while a man's screams are heard throughout the room. The boat floats past a cliff side in the distance being illuminated by the Sun. Shortly afterward, the boat enters into a snow-covered tundra, drifting past polar bears, one of which paws at riders as they pass by. Then, the area begins to brighten up from the aforementioned hole in the wall outside the ride's entrance. The boat is now in a dense, sunny forest. Odin informs riders that "Today, Norway's spirit thunders in her great fjords!" Before riders are sent over the edge of the waterfall, the boat is turned around to another track once again. Another, much smaller, Nixie appears and taunts riders, ending with "Over the falls with you! Muhahahaha!" The boat then plunged down a shallow 28 foot drop, narrowly missing a giant oil rig as lightning flashes in the sky. After the splash down, another oil rig can be seen burning fire far off in the distance. Lastly, the boat enters a fjord, where it travels to a small dock where guests disembark. Guests would continue along the path and were given the option of entering a theater where they would be presented a 5:52 film, titled "The Spirit of Norway," further discussing the past and present of Norway. Once this was over, guests would exit back into the Norway Pavilion. If guests did not wish to watch the film, they could have simply continued to the ride's exit back into the pavilion.

## Maelstrom Gets a Frozen Heart

Despite the ride's popularity among Disney fans, the ride was a bit frightening to younger riders. Plus, some people were beginning to find the ride outdated and wanted it to be re-themed into a new experience. This was the perfect excuse for Disney to create a ride themed to the incredibly popular 2013 film Frozen, especially since the film takes place in Norway. Maelstrom's closure was announced on September 12th, 2014, and the ride officially closed on October 5th that same year. In June of 2015, former Disney Chief Operating Officer Tom Staggs revealed that the plans of Frozen Ever After had came about before the film had even came out. Construction of the new ride went underway, and the ride officially opened to the public on June 21st, 2016. While many people miss Maelstrom and consider its replacement inferior, Frozen Ever After has garnered immense praise for its stunning visuals and incredible animatronics.

## Trivia

* The ride featured three Hidden Mickeys. The first two were on the mural in the loading area. One was on a viking's helmet, and the other was on a wrist watch. The last was during the first scene after the lift hill, located on a tunic.
* The first Nixie was an infamous trigger of submechanophobia, the fear of submerged or partially submerged machines. Many sufferers of the phobia remember fearing the troll's glowing eyes and mostly static movement.
* Inside the queue of the Royal Summerhus meet-and-greet area, there is a tapestry depicting the three-headed troll and second Nixie.
* Outside the Summerhus, runestones formerly used in Maelstrom's lift hill can be found.
* Though not at EPCOT, another tribute can be found at Disney's Polynesian Village Resort. There is a life-preserver with the words "Vesta Gruppen" written on it. This exact life-preserver was formerly used on Maelstrom's village scene.