On this day, in 2014, the last guest rode the Maelstrom into
the heart of the Norway Pavilion at Epcot. Originally signs announcing the
coming attraction called it SeaVoyage, but by the time it actually began
operating on July 5, 1988, its name had changed to Maelstrom. Part log flume
ride, part crash course in Norwegian culture and history, Maelstrom became an
incredibly popular part of World Showcase.
The ride itself seemed, to some, to lack coherency. Riders
started out in Viking villages. The very presence of longboats full of
strangers angers the trolls, who make the boats reverse direction. Polar bears
and outdoor scenes fly by. Guests are barely saved from going over the falls
before plunging down the rapids towards a modern day oil rig. The whole thing
ends in a quiet fishing village. To me, even though each part seemed to have
nothing to do with any of the others, the whole thing came together in a
glorious whole and, right or wrong, declared that Norway was indeed a marvelous
place. I even watched The Spirit of Norway, the film after the ride, every time
I rode it.
In my opinion, Frozen Ever After, the ride that replaced
Maelstrom, will never live up to its predecessor. While I applaud the fact that
it isn’t a retelling of the movie, it also isn’t a celebration of Norway. Parts
of the attraction also seem bare to me, like when you’re traveling backwards
through the castle and there is literally nothing happening. The queue is fun,
but the ride isn’t something I’d be willing to wait hours for. Of course I
fully admit I’m biased and will always miss the cast members greeting us after
getting off the boats with “Welcome to Norway!”
Also on this day, in American history: Earl Tupper
No comments:
Post a Comment