Haunted Serenade Presents: Reawakening the Spirit of Norway, My Tribute To Epcot's Maelstrom

"You are not the first to pass this way... nor shall you be the last..."

(Jeff Krause on Flickr)

As your host of Haunted Serenade, I proudly present Reawakening the Spirit of Norway, my three-part nostalgic thesis and tribute to the classic extinct EPCOT Center attraction Maelstrom. In Part One, embark with me on the Maelstrom, a Seadventure filled with trolls, vikings, polar bears, and oil rigs, as I share my favorite moments and memories of the short but captivating journey through the land of Norway that was (and still is) one of my most personally beloved Epcot attractions. In Part Two, I face the Oscar-winning music from Disney's icy animated hit, reflecting on the reasons why Maelstrom was closed and the ride quite literally Frozen over, and attempting to define and solve the challenges that would have to be overcome if the Maelstrom is to have any hope of ever churning again. Finally, in the concluding post of this series, I present my full and detailed plan for the hypothetical return of the Maelstrom ride and Spirit of Norway film to the Norway Pavilion, in which I strive to make as many improvements to the original Maelstrom as necessary to refresh and revitalize the ride without losing its greatest strength; its quaint, nostalgic charm.

Without further ado, I hope you enjoy my exploration of Maelstrom's past and future in Reawakening the Spirit of Norway!

(Sam Howzit on Flickr)

 Part One: How I Was Drawn Into A Maelstrom - http://hauntedserenademk.blogspot.com/2017/07/reawakening-spirit-of-norway-part-one.html

 Part Two: The Challenges To Conquer Before The Maelstrom Can Return - http://hauntedserenademk.blogspot.com/2017/10/reawakening-spirit-of-norway-part-two.html

 Part Three: Revising and Presenting My Ideal Plan For Maelstrom's Return - http://hauntedserenademk.blogspot.com/2018/06/reawakening-spirit-of-norway-part-three.html

Reawakening the Spirit of Norway, Part Three: Revising And Presenting My Ideal Plan For Maelstrom's Return

"You are not the first to pass this way... Nor shall you be the last..."

(Mark & Paul Luukkonen on Flickr)

 In the last installment of my series of musings and thoughts about the extinct and personally beloved EPCOT Center attraction Maelstrom, I wrote that I'd conclude my series of posts about Maelstrom by revealing my lengthy, detailed ideas for a fantastical plan to return the churning Maelstrom to its rightful place at EPCOT Center, greatly expanded and improved beyond anyone's wildest dreams.

Is that still true? Yes and No.

Between my publishing the previous part of Resurrecting the Spirit of Norway many months ago and now, I've gone back and forth without ever being able to resolve what exactly a restored version of Maelstrom should be like. There was (and continues to be) a raging war between the forces of nostalgia and imagination that greatly impacts my opinion on how Maelstrom should be rebuilt; the former keeps me content with much of the original ride, weird quirks and all, and the latter challenges me to dare to dream bigger, to create a bigger show building and set forth with ideas for entirely new scenes and events, and ultimately a far different attraction than the original. As of this writing, nostalgia is winning the battle, for one big reason; at least in my mind, there was something so incredibly charming about the fast pace and unusual transitions of the original Maelstrom. Turning out of the load area straight into that dark cavern and lift hill with the vision of Odin, then the tight twists, turns and drops as the boat was sent backwards and forwards through ever-changing places and times in Norway, culminating in the calm approach to the fishing village that ended the ride, made for a short but utterly unique and fascinating attraction. Where else besides the classic Fantasyland dark rides can you get such a sense of discombobulating yet utter entrancement by the numerous fantastical environs that your vehicle travels through in such a short time? In my current opinion, expanding the show building and ride like I proposed in my previous post, thereby transforming Maelstrom from a quaint C or D-Ticket ride into an E-Ticket headlining attraction, would strip away that certain intangible quality that Maelstrom once possessed. Call it nostalgia, or charm, or quaintness, much like Snow White's Scary Adventures, another extinct Disney World attraction that was dearly beloved by me, one of Maelstrom's greatest strengths was its inherent ability to transform blacklight paintings, forced perspective scenery, and limited motion figures placed within a tightly constricted space into a truly spellbinding experience in the image of the classic old dark ride, something that proclaimed modern marvels like Flight of Passage or contemporary dark rides like Ratatouille never could.

Making Maelstrom Reappear! Reappear! Reappear!: How The Construction of Frozen Ever After Solved Some of Maelstrom's Biggest Problems

With the previous paragraph's explanation in mind, let me proceed to tell you why Maelstrom should return as the short but memorable experience it was, and why the physical changes made to the ride's infrastructure for Frozen Ever After may have been the best thing to ever happen to the Maelstrom show building.

(Joel on Flickr)

In my previous post about Maelstrom, I talked about what would need to happen in order for the return of Maelstrom to be successful, specifically the challenges that would have to be overcome. Besides the obvious need for a new Frozen attraction to be built elsewhere, I reasoned that two of the greatest challenges in restoring Maelstrom would be reworking its far too short and too lightly themed queue and reinvigorating the post-show film by updating it and giving guests the opportunity to see it without disrupting the flow of guests exiting the boats (the third was the short length of Maelstrom, which I have since argued in favor of earlier in this post). The construction crew of Frozen Ever After literally killed two birds with one stone; they demolished the theater and built a new, much longer queue in that space. The fictional village of Arendelle (pictured above) and the authentic Norwegian fishing village of Maelstrom are located in roughly the same spot and are actually quite similar; the old unload dock of Maelstrom has become the new load dock of Frozen Ever After with a new unload adjacent to it. This allowed for the former queue and load area to be completely gutted and rebuilt into a new beginning for the ride, with the boat going through a few bends before ascending the lift hill.

(Nelson Minar on Flickr)

With two simple modifications, the Norway Pavilion attraction's queue was lengthened (though not enough to prevent the frequently long line for Frozen Ever After from extending outside the building), the theater was removed from the exit, and the ride was actually extended. What if these changes were kept intact when Maelstrom was returned? Just imagine; as you enter through the restored original facade of Maelstrom, you find yourself in a Norwegian fishing village rorbu cabin (a cabin rented out to fishermen by the owner of the fishing village; the above picture is of such a cabin in Reine, Norway), filled with warm and cozy Scandinavian furnishings and decorations yet unoccupied, similar to Swiss Family Treehouse. Exiting through a side door, you enter into the fishing village proper. You wind your way through a square surrounded by charming Norwegian buildings and then walk onto the pier where Viking longships are ready to welcome you aboard. The boat passes through a short cavern and then enters an open space, but instead of seeing Olaf, Sven and some trolls that bring shame upon the entire troll race, especially the old Maelstrom trolls they replaced, you pass through a spectacular Norwegian forest, majestic trees rising high above you with towering, powerful mountains in the distance. This is very similar to the original concept for Maelstrom's load area (which I talked about briefly in my previous Maelstrom post), in which guests would have boarded their longboats in a Norwegian forest on the banks of one of Norway's great fjords. Changing the Norwegian forest concept from a load area to a new first scene means that Maelstrom would now start off with a beautifully captivating yet mysterious scene imbued with the atmosphere of Norway, not unlike the beginning jungle and pyramid diorama scene from El Rio Del Tiempo/Gran Fiesta Tour. This would be an effective prelude to an entrance into a mysterious cave filled with ancient petroglyphs, where the boats would start to ascend as Odin's voice and glowing countenance marks the beginning of our journey and search for the true spirit of Norway.

Picture something like this and you're not far off from what the new first scene of Maelstrom would look like. (Simo Rasenen on Wikimedia Commons)

How The Rest of Maelstrom Should Be Improved

Maelstrom's old rock troll keeping a careful eye on my suggestions for improving his attraction. I hope he approves of my ideas or I fear he may send me down to the North Sea again! (Sam Howzit on Flickr)

Here's a basic summary of what I would improve in Maelstrom (please note that any scene, effect, prop, dialogue or other ride component not mentioned here is exactly the same as it was in the original attraction).:

• The lift hill should have some more rockwork to hide the bare walls that were sometimes visible when the light from Odin's eye shone across the hill, but otherwise the scene is perfect as it originally was.
• Improved movements and performance of the Viking animatronics.
• A return of the incredible fog and smoke effect in the three-headed troll scene that was unfortunately allowed to deteriorate and stop working for years in the original attraction, and an upgrade to the three-headed troll figure itself.
• A major upgrade of the polar bear animatronics, particularly the rearing one, which originally was far fiercer and closer to the boats in its motions but was toned down after falling over the track in 1993. Between this bear and the yeti in Expedition Everest there is bad luck at Disney World with the breakdown of animatronics that are supposed to threaten and menacingly move towards guests, making me that more determined to make it work this time!
• A complete overhaul of the transition scene between the Far North and the Fjord. In the original Maelstrom, after encountering the rearing polar bear, the boat continued to travel backwards, icy walls giving way to darkness and then abrupt daylight as the boat entered the fjord, the polar bear visible the whole time as it faded into the distance and then was hidden by closing doors. My solution for this rather sad transition is the rapid retreat of the boat into a stunning Arctic ice cavern almost immediately after the polar bear is encountered, a multitude of reflections of the boat bouncing off the cold, beautiful clear ice walls, but with an alarming sense of danger as the echoing roar of the polar bear shakes the numerous sharp icicles above us, threatening to send them crashing down upon us. A cool, foggy mist grows thicker the further back the boat goes through the cave, first obscuring and then completely hiding the polar bear, the ursine inhabitant of the Arctic disappearing from sight as likewise the ice cavern around us gives way to the rocky cliffs of the fjord.

  

  The new transition between the Arctic and fjord would look a lot like this, except with 110% more icicles. (arctic_council on Flickr)

• Modifications to the mural and rockwork in the area surrounding the drop in the fjord scene, so that instead of the boat passing underneath a flat mural of the fjord directly into the North Sea, there is a modified version of the same mural (the one with the cruise ship), below which is a very short cavern that the boats drop into, which uses fiber optic lights and sparkling sounds similar to the spell cast by the three headed troll to create the effect of the boat being magically transported from a cavern in a fjord to the middle of the North Sea, finally making one of the strangest transitions in the original Maelstrom a bit easier to understand.
• The return of the backpacking man who used to stand on top of one of the fjord cliffs, overlooking the majestic fjord itself.
• A major renovation of the special effects in the North Sea/oil rig scene. The original plans for guests' visit to the North Sea in Seaventure (that was Maelstrom's original name up until very late in the ride's construction) called for wind, waves, rain, thunder, and real Tesla-coil induced lightning(!). Although the last effect sadly was turned off because of the inherent danger of actual lightning in an enclosed boat ride, strobe lightning is a safe and acceptable substitute, one that was used along with thunder effects for the rest of the original Maelstrom's lifespan. As for the other three, wind effects would be easy to implement, a carefully small but noticeable wave effect could be feasible, and a slight drizzle could work as rain without soaking everyone. The oil rigs, one of Maelstrom's most memorable scenes, and still a major part of Norway's economy and heritage, should be kept.

  

  This original concept art for Maelstrom captures the essence of what the oil rig scene should always have been like. Copyright Disney

• A short new finale scene between the North Sea and the fishing village, in the approximate site of where the final scene with Anna, Elsa, and Olaf is in Frozen Ever After (with a track modification to create a slight bend in the boat path), which will feature a gorgeous diorama of Norway's coastline, the cliffs and villages of the fjords stretching out into the distance as stars twinkle and the northern lights sway across the sky, their reflection dancing in the vast ocean. As the boat prepares to leave this stunning sight, the face of Odin appears above us again and for the last time as he proclaims: "Norway's spirit has always been - will always be - adventure!" The critical purpose of this new scene and the new doors put between it and the fishing village is to prevent guests in the queue from going mad listening to that line repeated over and over as they would have in the old fishing village, where there was no buffer save for ambient atmospheric sounds preventing the final dialogue of the attraction from being heard throughout the village. 

  

  A perfect example of what the new finale scene between the North Sea and the unload at the fishing village would be like.

• The fishing village is now the site of the queue, load and unload of Maelstrom, and has been partly reduced thanks to the new final scene, but otherwise, it is the same as it was in the quarter century when Maelstrom sent guests on a seafaring adventure. Countless people like me who enjoyed the quaint, charming Norwegian fishing village can now admire the sight of the simple seaside buildings, the sailboat at the harbor and the coastline in the distance or listen to a lively conversation in Norwegian emanating from a house while waiting for their turn to look for Norway's spirit. 

(Mark & Paul Luukkonen on Flickr)

A Note About the Norway Pavilion Theater, or Relocating the Spirit of Norway Film

(michaelg83 on Flickr)

By keeping the new location of the queue and load area built during the construction of Frozen Ever After and the new scene spaces created as a result, My reimagining of Maelstrom has drastically improved the queue and increased the length of Maelstrom by a short but significant portion. There's only one problem: where does the old theater go? Even with the multiple improvements I've thought of for Maelstrom, ultimately, it's only a 5-minute attraction, and without an updated version of the Spirit of Norway film (like I described in my previous Maelstrom post) offering a richer, more detailed look into the modern culture and heritage of Norway, the search for the spirit of Norway will remain incomplete.

My proposal for the fate of the theater is to rebuild it in an expanded space in what is currently the first retail area that you enter upon exiting the attraction if you choose to go through the interlinked retail spaces instead of exiting the attraction directly through one of the doors near the entrance. A bypass would allow guests to continue to the Puffin's Roost if they desired, while those who wanted to see more of the spirit of Norway could enter the theater and enjoy the newly updated yet timeless "Spirit of Norway" film, discovering once more how the spirit of Norway lies in its past, its present, and its people.

Resurrecting The Maelstrom: My Last Thoughts On Bringing Norway's Spirit Back, Back, Over The Falls

(Dennis D on Flickr)

On Maelstrom's last night of existence, the waterfall cascading from the cavern that offered a glimpse of the fateful journey of the longboats guided by Odin looked much like it did in this picture: peaceful, serene, no sign of the cataclysmic destruction and transformation that was to fall upon the attraction within. Late that night, Odin's eye closed for the last time, marking the end of the spirit of Norway's hold over its country's pavilion. The Maelstrom closed and ceased to churn, and likewise the rocky gap that once enticed visitors of the land of Norway to discover what awaited them on a high seas adventure was closed and filled up. For two years now, Elsa has kept a firm, icy grip on a pavilion where she and her friends have never truly belonged. Whether that hold will ever melt away is yet to be known. In my three posts about what was once my favorite attraction in World Showcase, I've embarked on an emotional, logical, and spiritual odyssey, first sailing through the ocean of my memories, going on the Maelstrom all over again and remembering my deep appreciation for this highly underrated attraction, then winding through the maze of logic and reason, discovering the potential challenges in Maelstrom's resurrection and solving them, and finally looking at Maelstrom again with fresh eyes, revising and at long last presenting my humble "ideal plan" for resurrecting the Maelstrom and thus reawakening the true spirit of Norway within its old pavilion at Epcot's World Showcase. Thank you for joining me aboard this voyage; may you disembark in a way sad yet enlightened, disappointed yet hopeful that perhaps the seas of fate will one day favor Odin, the vikings, the trolls, the polar bears and fjords and oil rigs and quaint fishing villages. Until then, may the spirit of Norway always be with you, and remember Odin's final words:

Norway's spirit has always been - will always be - adventure!

Copyright Disney

Don't Forget to Read the Previous Installments of Reawakening The Spirit Of Norway!

Part One: How I Was Drawn Into A Maelstrom - http://hauntedserenademk.blogspot.com/2017/07/reawakening-spirit-of-norway-part-one.html

Part Two: The Challenges to Conquer Before The Maelstrom Can Return - http://hauntedserenademk.blogspot.com/2017/10/reawakening-spirit-of-norway-part-two.html

Reawakening the Spirit of Norway, Part Two: The Challenges to Conquer Before The Maelstrom Can Return + Bonus Halloween Maelstrom Three-Headed Troll Jack-O-Lantern

"You are not the first to pass this way..."

(Jeff Krause on Flickr)

"Nor shall you be the last..."

Ever since Maelstrom, the hidden gem and signature attraction of the Norway pavilion at Epcot was closed and replaced with Frozen Ever After (an attraction that at best can claim but minuscule relevance with the real country whose pavilion it occupies), I have deeply missed the true spirit of Norway's presence in World Showcase. In the first part of my musings on Maelstrom, I shared my profoundly wonderful memories of my search for the spirit of Norway. Now, it is time to explore and conquer the problems that froze the Maelstrom over solid.

The Challenges to Conquer Before The Maelstrom Can Churn Again

(Sam Howzit on Flickr)

When it comes to extinct Disney attractions, there are three distinct camps of closed attractions. There are those attractions that were darn near perfect and should NEVER have been closed, such as the original Journey Into Imagination and Horizons. There are also those attractions that were flat out awful and had it coming (take Superstar Limo and Journey into YOUR Imagination for example). Finally, there's a broad group of attractions that each had a unique set of problems that factored into their closing but could've been easily resolved with a proper refurbishment. Maelstrom, a short, low-capacity ride with quirky transitions between the numerous aspects of Norwegian culture requested by sponsors, is most definitely part of this last group. No matter how nostalgic I may be for its Norwegian charm, it is important that I take steps to resolve the problems that plagued Maelstrom til its closing day before I can successfully plan to return it to the Norway pavilion. I shall individually address each of these problems and determine the best way to conquer them.

A Note About Frozen

This film was most definitely NOT my cup of hot cocoa.

It would be a mistake for me to completely ignore the role Frozen plays into Maelstrom's closing. Let's face it: an old, eccentric dark ride featuring trolls and oil rigs never stood a chance against the somewhat-related-to-Scandinavian-culture box office and marketing behemoth that is Frozen. What irks me is that not only was an entire country's unique history and culture eclipsed by a fictional kingdom from a Disney animated feature film, but that jamming a Frozen attraction into a cramped space not built for the massive crowds Frozen attracts denies Frozen fans an opportunity to experience a brand new, wonderful, and long Frozen attraction in Fantasyland. Although not a fan of Frozen by any means, I begrudgingly admit that a new Frozen ride, if Frozen proves its long-term staying power like all Disney classics have, would be a fantastic addition to Fantasyland beloved by many guests. So why did Disney choose the quick and easy way to build a Frozen attraction? Money can be the only answer, and a perfect explanation for why Disney executives said Frozen was a "perfect" fit for Norway when it was so painfully obvious it really wasn't (the recent closure of Universe of Energy for a Guardians of the Galaxy ride shows they don't really care anymore about whether an IP fits Epcot's theme in any way or not). After first having the Norwegian corporate sponsors sell their stake to them and then the Norwegian government not renewing their 5-year agreements to sponsor it at $200,000 a year, the only thing that was really stopping Disney from closing Maelstrom was the lack of a related lucrative IP that a new ride could be based on. Once Frozen came in, it was all over. But for my scenario, I imagine that the new Fantasyland attraction Frozen may deserve is announced, and with it the catalyst is provided for the grand return of Maelstrom.
  
First Impressions Matter, or How to Fix a Queue

(Special thanks to Jack Spence for permission to use his photos)

(Sam Howzit on Flickr)

(Elisfkc on Wikimedia Commons)

 One minor but important fact that needs to be contended with before the Maelstrom can start churning again is that its original queue was awful. I mean, REALLY awful. Bare wood-accented teal walls lined with Norwegian flags and a map of the ancient Viking world was the only theming (besides the mural) in an otherwise purely basic switchback queue. The massive mural above the loading area, filled with people and scenes from Norway's past and present, was a wonderful thing to admire and study before boarding a longboat, but sadly the only highlight of a queue that otherwise did nothing to impress and build up anticipation before the Maelstrom began. Now maybe such an underwhelming queue made the cool but short ride that followed afterwards more impressive by comparision. But the fact remains that a solid introduction to a ride via a queue, taken to incredible heights in the design of WDW's Pirates of the Caribbean and Space Mountain queues meant the simply themed queue line of Maelstrom left a lot to be desired. 

(Simo Rasenen on Wikimedia Commons)

 Luckily, there is a relatively easy solution. The original concept art for Maelstrom's load area presented a spectacular scenic backdrop. Imagine traveling through one of Norway's great forests, passing through majestic stands of ancient trees, and the mighty Scandinavian mountains towering above you in the distance as you board a Viking longboat. This was the original plan for Maelstrom's queue and load area, one which would make up for the short indoor line by offering an incredible backdrop that instantly transports you to Norway and hints at the grand adventure waiting for us once our boat sails into that mysterious cavern.

A Longer Search for the Spirit of Norway

Copyright Disney

In order to conquer the second challenge in reawakening the spirit of Norway, I must remember the spirit of the seafarer, who sailed across strange and perilous seas in the pursuit of exploration, conquest, and adventure. The original Maelstrom, though underrated and great it may have been, was an awfully short ride, clocking in at roughly 4 minutes. By comparison, the ride duration of Maelstrom was about half the time of WDW's Pirates of the Caribbean (ironically also half the time of Disneyland's Pirates of the Caribbean). The brief ride time may not have been as noticeable if the ride hadn't had so much ground to cover. The original concept for what would become Maelstrom was a fantasy ride through Norway's mythological world of trolls and fairies, as guests searched for a rainbow bridge to Valhalla. The Sherman Brothers were even writing a song for it. Unfortunately, the Norwegian corporate sponsors quickly rejected the proposal; they understandably did not want their entire country being represented by its myths and legends alone. They requested that the Imagineers incorporate several other things they wanted to see representing Norway in their pavilion's ride: Vikings, polar bears, a fjord, an oil rig, a fishing village, and a troll or two. This extensive checklist of Norwegian history and culture was a very tall order for a 4-minute ride, one that it ultimately struggled to fill. The lift hill took up nearly a quarter of the total ride time, an absurd proportion. Norway's fearsome Vikings and terrible trolls, infamous icons of the country, were given a combined total of four show scenes in a mite over a minute (from the end of the lift hill to passing the tree troll backwards shortly before the Far North), and the Arctic, fjords, North Sea with oil rigs, and modern fishing village had to be content with one scene each for the final two minutes of the ride. This acutely cramped journey through vastly different times and spaces of Norway used time travel effected by the great god Odin as a story crutch for an otherwise nonsensical travelogue of Norwegian history and culture. The original ride had such odd transitions between these scenes such as traveling backwards from a Norwegian swamp to the Arctic and then to a fjord, and dropping from said fjord (a long narrow inlet bordered by steep sides, cliffs, and/or mountains) directly into the middle of the North Sea. The unfortunate brevity of Maelstrom, combined with its undeniably quirky experience, led to two camps of opinion on the attraction; in the eyes of modern day Epcot guests, it was either a cool, underrated, semi-classic ride steeped with nostalgia, or a boring, laughably dated attraction that was overdue to be updated or replaced. This division of opinion sowed the seeds for the high controversy that surrounded its closure and replacement, with numerous guests offering passionate criticisms and defenses of Maelstrom. But no matter the view one had about Maestrom, it was clear that both it and its marginally longer replacement were/are plagued by a short ride time.

In the above picture, I have drawn to scale the original layout of Maelstrom, including more general locations of the original load, unload, and theater. Note the sizeable expansion space (also to scale and carefully designed within the currently under-utilized backstage space behind the Norway pavilion) that I have attached to the back side of the original building. In the third and final part of this series about Maelstrom on Haunted Serenade, I will fill in that expansion space with my fully fleshed out idea for what a new, improved version of Maelstrom could be like.*

*This is no longer the case. As well as concerns about the accuracy and feasibility of the expansion space as shown on my layout board above, I have come to the opinion that a major expansion of the showbuilding would fundamentally transform Maelstrom and cause it to lose some of the nostalgic charm it possessed. A full explanation of my reasons for not creating or using an expanded building are explained in the next and final part of this series.

The Spirit of Norway: Restoring a Neglected Film

(michaelg83 on Flickr)

"To know this land’s heart and soul—to discover its spirit."

With these humble but powerful words, the Spirit of Norway film began to reveal the final part of the true spirit of Norway to guests. When the film first debuted with the rest of the pavilion in the late 80s, it was faithfully modern - the latest fashions and technologies made cameos in the film - yet reflected the ancient, primal spirit of Norway as well. But as time passed, the vignettes of modern Norway, along with the technology used to present the film, began to age. More and more guests grew tired of being held inside the fishing village in Maelstrom's unload area, waiting for the next movie to begin. An increasing number of these guests began to walk straight through the doors of the theater, skipping the film entirely rather then spending the few minutes it took to see it. Eventually, the theater doors were permanently held open, a blessing for those many guests who would rather skip the film, but an irritation for those who still wanted to see the film. But if the "modern" sections of the film aged badly, the rest of it remained as fresh and inspiring as it had been in the late 80s, and in my opinion, it was an underrated gem of a film, sadly neglected in its lifespan more than any other film in World Showcase. I would return the film to the Norway pavilion as a complement to the Maelstrom attraction, and give it the update it badly needed. I would use the blueprint of the update of China's Circlevision 360 film, retaining much of the same narration and footage of the original film, but with a complete upgrade to the film and sound technology, and the addition of modern segments to the film to reflect the changes in Norway's culture since Michael Jackson's "Bad" era (yes, it was THAT long ago). At the same time, to address the failure of both holding guests within the fishing village and perpetually open theater doors, I would construct a bypass path that would allow guests who did not wish to see the film to skip it without waiting or distracting from the experience of the film. In this way, I would restore the last and critical part of Epcot's representation of the Spirit of Norway.

Conclusion

(Dennis D on Flickr)

I have sailed the stormy seas of the history of the Norway Pavilion at Epcot, searching for the problems that led to Maelstrom's closure, and attempting to virtually conquer the challenges in returning the attraction, and with it the true spirit of Norway, to World Showcase. I readily admit my doubts (and resulting frustration) that Frozen will ever release its icy grip from the Norway pavilion. But I've mentioned the only probable course I could think of for Anna and Elsa to go elsewhere, and allow the Maelstrom to churn again. I've also scoured the greatest problems the original Maelstrom had; its queue, the length of the ride, and the post-show theater, and tried my best to resolve them. In the third and last part of this series, I will implement the solutions I create, and present my grand return of Maelstrom, fully showing in detail my new version of the ride, a bigger and better search for the Spirit of Norway then ever before.

UPDATE (June 2018): In the several months between the publishing of this post and the next part of Reawakening the Spirit of Norway, much of the ideas presented here have either been altered or changed completely in the final post. Part Three of Reawakening the Spirit of Norway features a presentation of my ideal plan for the resurrection and improvement of Maelstrom, some of which is much different than the ideas I originally presented in this second installment. I hope you enjoy the plan I ultimately ended up going with in Part Three.

Don't Forget To Read the Previous and Next Installment of Reawakening the Spirit of Norway!

Part One: How I Was Drawn Into A Maelstrom - http://hauntedserenademk.blogspot.com/2017/07/reawakening-spirit-of-norway-part-one.html

Part Three: Revising and Presenting My Ideal Plan For Maelstrom's Return - http://hauntedserenademk.blogspot.com/2018/06/reawakening-spirit-of-norway-part-three.html

HALLOWEEN BONUS! My Maelstrom Three-Headed Troll Jack-O-Lantern (Happy Halloween 2017!)

 

All this writing about Maelstrom and Norway and trolls gave me the PERFECT idea for carving my immensely huge Jack-O-Lantern. I think the results speak for themselves. I was very impressed with how it turned out, and I hope you are as well! Happy Halloween Everyone!

Reawakening The Spirit of Norway, Part One: How I Was Drawn Into a Maelstrom

"You are not the first to pass this way... nor shall you be the last..."

(Jeff Krause on Flickr)

When Maelstrom was closed and gutted to make way for Frozen Ever After, I took the above words of Odin to heart. I do not believe that the last guests to ride Maelstrom before it closed shall be the last to find the spirit of Norway. The attraction that held that spirit may be gone, but I believe Norway's spirit still haunts its former home, waiting for the day when Odin's eye will pierce through the darkness again. In honor of the anniversary of when Maelstrom first opened so many years ago, I will share the reasons why the spirit of Norway has so captivated me.

How I Found the Spirit of Norway

 

"We have always lived with the sea, so look first to the spirit of the seafarer..."

 

(Mark & Paul Luukkonen on Flickr)

 

Vikings were definitely a significant part of the spirit of Norway. Coming to the top of that lift and seeing the viking village illuminated in flame always brought a rush of excitement. But this scene with a seafarer blowing a strange and wild call on his horn, with longboats in a dark and mysterious ocean in the distance, gave me chills. The flash in this picture may hide how incredible it looked in the dark, but this scene captured in an indescribable but certain way a primal and ancient Norway.

 

 "There are those who see Norway’s spirit veiled in a land of forests and mystery—where trolls still prowl the water’s edge."

 

Copyright Disney

 

"What’s this? How dare you come here?!" "Invaders!" "Stop! This is troll country!" "Look away—be gone!" "I’ll cast a spell." "Yes! Yes!" "You’ll disappear." "Disappear! Disappear!" "Back! Back! Over the falls!"

 

 Long before an expedition on a forbidden mountain sent guests hurtling backwards into the darkness of a sacred yeti's lair, there was the spell cast by a three headed troll, sending guests back over the falls. So too did the murky swamps of troll country cast a spell, hiding a river troll and the unknown reaches of the forest in a tangle of snags, plants, and rocks. It seemed as though you were far away from Orlando, Florida, sailing through a distant land of forests and mystery, your fate uncertain. 

 

"Before recorded time, Norway’s spirit roamed the seas of the far north and beyond."

(tonykliemann on Flickr)

(Tom Simpson on Flickr)

This is the part of the spirit of Norway that I wish I could have spent more time in. A journey to the "Far North and Beyond" where Norway's spirit roamed could have been one of the most incredible parts of Maelstrom. I wish the same could be said for the not enough but still neat glimpses of puffins and polar bears (that one rearing up was never as thrilling as the publicity picture above made it out to be). The harsh, icy landscape lit by a cold sun, however, was very cool.

"Today, Norway’s spirit still thunders in her great fjords!"

(Brett Kiger on Flickr)

(Sam Howzit on Flickr)

The great fjords and the forest upon them were a spectacular sight to see, a living embodiment of that wild yet majestic spirit of Norway. This was by far the most thrilling part of the ride; the boats continued to drift backwards, coming within what seemed to be a whisker's length from a horrible tumble over the waterfall that lay outside the ride. It was up to a grotesque and fierce-looking rock troll angered by our presence to decide our fate. In this incredible scene, we not only got to see the beauty and charm of Norway, but also at last face the peril and adventure Odin foretold would be found in our search for the spirit of Norway.

"Hmm, what’s this? You! How dare you come this way! Down to the North Sea with you!"

(Special thanks to Jack Spence for permission to use his photos)

 
The dark and stormy North Sea was a triumph of projected clouds, thunder, and lightning. The feeling of isolation on a cold and dangerous sea as oil rigs towered like mammoths above the wake was masterfully engendered. The endless motion of the sea, the perpetual flames of oil rigs in the distance, and the din of a thundering storm all made for a tempestuous ocean, the closest the attraction called Maelstrom ever got to its name.

"Norway’s spirit has always been—will always be—adventure!"

(Jeremy Thompson on Flickr)

(Mark & Paul Luukkonen on Flickr)

(Loren Javier on Flickr)

The Norwegian fishing village was one of the most underrated and brilliant places in Epcot. All of the intricate details, from the authentic buildings themselves to the sponsors' names on the store signs to the conversation in Norwegian that could be heard from one of the homes, made this an immersive achievement on the level of Pirates of the Caribbean or Space Mountain's queues at the nearby Magic Kingdom. My personal favorite detail was the small sailing boat that rested in the harbor, ready to sail the waters of Norway and beyond. Much of the "modern" yet familiar spirit of Norway was captured here.

"Our spirit—it lives in our people."

(michaelg83 on Flickr)

I wish I could say that I sat in one of these seats and got to enjoy the marvelous "Spirit of Norway" film many times. Unfortunately, as far as I can remember, me and the rest of my family usually rushed towards the other side of the theater to skip it, and the one time I do recall us seeing it, we had to deal with my severely autistic brother screaming himself sore when the film got loud. I am very grateful for videos of it on Youtube. Though somewhat dated by the end of its run, this film makes the best possible case for how Norway's spirit can be found in its people and the way they lived.

"Back! Back! Over the falls!"

(Sam Howzit on Flickr)

Back over the falls and to the end of our journey we have gone. Man, what an amazing sight it was to see this waterfall, viking ships coming in and out of view of the cave opening. What other dark ride can you think of that used actual daylight in a scene to its great advantage AND teased a part of the ride in such an awesome way well before the beginning of its queue? Like Maelstrom itself, this opening was closed, filled in for the sake of a new dark scene inside. What a shame.

Although the Maelstrom we knew and loved has been virtually wiped from existence and replaced with Frozen, all is not lost. We were not the first to pass its way, and with Odin's blessing, I hope we shall not be the last. The Norway pavilion at Epcot will never truly be Anna and Elsa's home. Eventually, if everyone hasn't become completely sick and tired of Frozen, there will be a demand for a much better and fully fleshed out Frozen attraction, one that can be in a more appropriate location like Fantasyland. You may call it wishful thinking, but I believe there will be a day that the thundering roar of the Maelstrom will be heard once more. In a future sequel of this post, I will share my ideas on how the ride could and should have been expanded and improved, while keeping intact much of the spirit of Norway that drew us all into a Maelstrom.

Don't Forget To Read The Next Installments of Reawakening The Spirit Of Norway!

Part Two: The Challenges To Conquer Before The Maelstrom Can Return - http://hauntedserenademk.blogspot.com/2017/10/reawakening-spirit-of-norway-part-two.html

Part Three: Revising and Presenting My Ideal Plan For Maelstrom's Return - http://hauntedserenademk.blogspot.com/2018/06/reawakening-spirit-of-norway-part-three.html

Happy Cinco de Mayo! El Rio Del Tiempo vs Gran Fiesta Tour

In honor of Cinco de Mayo, a celebration of the battle of Cinco De Mayo, and of Mexican culture both authentic and Americanized, I present a battle to remember: El Rio Del Tiempo, the classic EPCOT Center attraction that explored Mexico's history and culture, will face off against Gran Fiesta Tour, its replacement that stars Donald and his fellow Caballeros. I will compare each attractions concept, execution, and future potential, award points to each attraction's advantages over the other, and add up the score to determine once and for all which attraction succeeds most at presenting the history and culture of Mexico in the most entertaining and informative way (in keeping with the goals of EPCOT Center). Without further ado, let's begin:

Concept

Each attraction has a concept, plot, story, or backstory, one that is not necessarily the same quality as the ride itself. Questionable concepts can become great attractions, and great concepts can transform into mediocre rides. It is a lot harder to achieve the former then it is to suffer the latter. In this way, concepts are like ideological blueprints for attractions. In the case of an attraction for the Mexico Pavilion, the strongest concept would be one that strives to entertain and inform people about Mexico the most.

El Rio Del Tiempo:

Sail a river of time through Mexico's past, present and culture.

Gran Fiesta Tour:

Fine feathered caballeros of the South, Panchito the Mexican Rooster and Jose the Brazilian Parrot, lose their fellow caballero Donald Duck in Mexico, and you join their race through the country to find their friend in time to perform their Gran Fiesta Tour concert.

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Right off the bat, El Rio Del Tiempo scores with its straightforward concept; you are sailing on a river of time through Mexico. Gran Fiesta Tour's concept is an unnecessarily specific backstory, one that doesn't allow for a completely immersive experience but simply riding on a boat with a third-person perspective on the story involving the Three Caballeros. The River of Time takes this round.

El Rio Del Tiempo: 1         Gran Fiesta Tour: 0

Execution

There is no straightforward method of determining how well an attraction is executed, since everybody has different opinions on what works and what doesn't work in an attraction. In my opinion, an EPCOT Center attraction should strive to be as sophisticated as it is fun, make its message clear without being condescending, and always trust its audience. EPCOT Center was initially built for a more adult audience, so its attractions should be geared towards adults who are still children at heart, and for children who want to be treated more as adults. And finally, an EPCOT Center attraction should above all strive to entertain and inform in equal and exemplary parts.

Of course, no modern Epcot attraction has been constructed by EPCOT Center standards. But EPCOT Center's message and the way it presented is every bit as relevant, resonant, and crucial to understanding ourselves and our future as it was in 1982. So there is no excuse for any recent Epcot attraction being held to different standards then the EPCOT Center attractions they replace.

El Rio Del Tiempo

(Rain0975 on Flickr)

It is hard to find many other examples of an EPCOT Center attraction that promised so much and delivered so little. The elaborate and incredibly well-done jungle and Maya pyramid tableau at the beginning of the ride promised an epic journey on the River of Time, as mysterious and awe-inspiring as that Mayan temple, that dense jungle, and that glowing volcano in the distance.

(Sam Howzit on Flickr)

The entering of the mysterious ruins, a dark tunnel filled with mist and ancient murals painted on the walls, and a welcome to the Mexico of ancient times by a ghostly Mayan priest seemed to be a gradual build to even more great and mysterious places on the River of Time. But then it all went wrong.

A big thank-you to Foxxy for this picture

(Doobie and Rebekah from Laughing Place)

The Mexico of ancient times proved to be a Mexico of screens, with films of dancers and performers in Pre-Columbian attire that all too obviously showed their late-70s date. In a rare example, the Imagineers left too much to the imagination, providing far too little of an explanation as to what the heck was going on in the films. The films didn't even have the benefit of carefully constructed sets that put the film into "real" space, like If You Had Wings. So many myths and achievements of early Mexico, like the fight between the gods of light and darkness, and the studies of mathematics and astronomy, were lost in the confusing maze of interpretive dancers, film and ruins.

(vmpyr_david on Flickr)

The next segment of the ride inexplicably could be summed up as "It's a Small World meets Day of the Dead", with a repetitive, cheerful song, animatronic dolls of Mexican children celebrating, and a bright and warm palette of color. Its best touch was a skeleton mariachi band that played on a bridge from above.

(Pete Toscano on Flickr)

The rest of the ride had a similarly happy, simple tone, where happy Mexicans smiled and sang to tourists, and street merchants begged riders to buy their wares, all on film. The grand finale was a genuinely weird carousel of people of Mexico strung up as marionettes. The ride ended by going through a barely themed hallway, an unfitting conclusion for any attraction.

Somewhere between concept and execution, El Rio Del Tiempo was mutilated, with a big part of its original concept (including an outdoor portion) cut due to a need to save money on EPCOT Center. What should have been a unique and amazing representation of Mexican culture and history became an odd, constrained mix between If You Had Wings, It's a Small World, and Mexico, with a tone that later in the attraction's run could be taken as offensive to Mexicans. To its credit, I will always remember and enjoy the eerie and ethereal atmosphere (complete with haunting music) that culminated in the Pepper's Ghost Priest, the footage of real Mexico, and that catchy Small World-esque theme song. But as far as entertaining and informing about the profound culture and history of Mexico, it didn't come nearly as close as it should have.

Gran Fiesta Tour

(Michael Gray on Flickr)

Let's be honest; it wouldn't have taken much for Gran Fiesta Tour to not only surpass El Rio Del Tiempo, but also do a great job entertaining and informing guests about Mexico. Although like any other EPCOT Center fan I am extremely wary of character tie-ins at Epcot, especially after the butchering of Maelstrom and the Norway Pavilion by Frozen, the Three Caballeros are not a bad choice at all for an attraction about Mexico. Walt Disney created the Caballeros as the result of a goodwill mission to Central and South America during WWII. Panchito the rooster and Jose the parrot were created specifically for the purpose of representing Latin American culture, entertaining as well as showcasing their respective countries. Saludos Amigos and The Three Caballeros (both of which I desperately need to see) were very travelogue-esque films focused on Central and South America. It is not much of a leap to come to the conclusion that the Three Caballeros should host an attraction about Mexico, a Latin American country. Alas, I do not believe that was the intention of the people responsible for the overlay so much as quickly and cheaply tying in the characters to the ride for merchandise purposes. This is evidenced by the convoluted plot of Donald running off and enjoying the sights of Mexico while his buddies search for him before their big concert, and most of El Rio Del Tiempo being left intact, but with different content on the screens. Thankfully, this meant that the original jungle and temple tableau was left intact, and it still impresses guests to this day.

(Inazakira on Flickr)

Speaking of the screens, Gran Fiesta Tour finally gave them a reason to exist. As Panchito and Jose chase Donald all over Mexico, the vignettes of their story on the screens show all sorts of hilarious antics from both parties. I love seeing Panchito and Jose's close shave with a knife-sharpening chef, and Donald bouncing like a pinball off one of Mexico's famous diving cliffs. But my favorite segment of film is the one that replaces the street merchants. Now there is a huge fiesta where mariachis play and people dance while Jose and Panchito barely manage to keep Donald in their grasp as he reaches for a trio of lovely senoritas. The new film clips that replaced the old travelogue and interpretive dance scenes of El Rio are simply fun, colorful, and full of action, fitting right in place with the Mary Blair-inspired Day of the Dead scene, and the upbeat and rythmic "Three Caballeros" song. The only disappointing aspects of the new films are (1) they are constrained by the specific plot, (2) the entrance into the ruins was stripped of its mist, tomb and Pepper's Ghost priest, the latter two being replaced by a film that starts the adventure, and (3) they are still not in proper sets to give them a realistic space, meaning that most of the ride is an elaborately themed theater for a cartoon. But fortunately, one of those problems with the screens has since been fixed:

Gran Fiesta Finale: Before (Joe Penniston on Flickr)

Gran Fiesta Finale: After (Sam Howzit on Flickr)

The finale of Gran Fiesta Tour used to be disappointing too, as it was just another screen, a big one that replaced the marionette carousel for the grand concert finale. Especially with the abundance of screens and lack of animatronics, this original finale was a pretty mediocre way to end the ride. Then in 2015, WDI revealed one of its best surprises in years; overnight, restored versions of the original Three Caballeros animatronics from the old Mickey Mouse Revue show were installed in the finale of Gran Fiesta Tour. I got my first opportunity to meet these guys in February of this year, and I cannot overstate how impressed I am with the fantastic job they did with upgrading the finale of Gran Fiesta and restoring classic WDW animatronics to boot. This new finale is definitely a marked improvement over the marionette carousel of El Rio, and is a worthy climax for Gran Fiesta Tour.

Trying to set Gran Fiesta Tour against not only El Rio Del Tiempo but the standards of EPCOT Center as well is a challenge. A case can be made that the presence of the Three Caballeros to Mexico's boat ride drowns out all information and entertainment from the original star of the ride itself: Mexico. But was El Rio Del Tiempo any better at effectively presenting the history and culture of Mexico then Gran Fiesta Tour? Both attractions can claim to have a slight edge over the other; El Rio actually tried to present the culture and history of Mexico, but Gran Fiesta Tour, in my opinion, is far better at what it does with its concept then El Rio did with its own concept, and as a result can hold its own against El Rio. Thus, it is my humble opinion that Fiesta Tour not only executed its own concept better then El Rio executed its, but is at least as good at executing El Rio Del Tiempo's concept as El Rio itself was, if not better. The Three Caballeros win this one.

Adios, Amigos! (Sam Howzit)

El Rio Del Tiempo: 1        Gran Fiesta Tour: 1

Potential
El Rio Del Tiempo was a ride with a grand concept it came nowhere close to realizing, but at least it tried. Gran Fiesta Tour did not mean to try, but did so anyway, and it may have made more progress then El Rio on that course with its irresistible mixture of Three Caballeros, Mexico, fun, color, music, and the art of Mary Blair. All the latter needs is to abandon the storyline of Donald being separated from his friends in Mexico, restore the mysterious atmosphere of that original ruin entrance, and redress the sets and films so that they look seamless with each other (and add some more animatronics, both Caballero and human, please!). I would greatly enjoy a romp through Mexico with the Three Caballeros, joining them as they teach us about Mexico, enjoy the country together and in different ways, and then reunite for their Gran Fiesta Tour Concert. I think a lot of people would agree with me.

But no matter how incredible an attraction starring the Three Caballeros may be, there will always be an inherent discord between the main ride and that mysterious, awe-inspiring tableau that starts the ride. When I see the Olmec stone head covered with vines, the simple huts in the distance, and the eerie glow that emanates from both the temple and volcano, it seems to be speaking an unfulfilled promise. That promise is of sailing a River of Time, where people and places from Mexico, both ancient and modern, come together in an epic journey that you undertake. Dreams of this journey could become reality, in the form of a greatly expanded, revised, and brilliant El Rio Del Tiempo.

I've tried my hardest to choose between sailing on the River of Time or having an adventure with the Three Caballeros on their Gran Fiesta Tour, but it seems no matter which one I'd choose I'd never be content with not having both. My final decision as of now is that Gran Fiesta Tour could stay with the improvements I mentioned and the Mexico pavilion would have a fine attraction, but if the Imagineers wanted to dream bigger, they could bring back the spectacular new El Rio Del Tiempo the pavilion deserves (and hopefully find a way to give my amigos the Three Caballeros an attraction of their own). What do YOU think? In any case, I award both El Rio Del Tiempo and Gran Fiesta Tour a point in this final round.

El Rio Del Tiempo: 2          Gran Fiesta Tour: 2

Conclusion: Dead Tie

I would love to hear your thoughts on this split decision.

Sincerely, Kyle