Frozen and its sequel are still some of the most financially successful and critically acclaimed animated films of the new era at the Walt Disney Company. They have, of course, already inspired a range of rides, attractions, and shows at Disney Parks.
But with the news that new lands based on the Frozen franchise will be making their way to the Parks, fans are eager to learn all there is to know about these latest updates. The new additions have started development already and there's plenty of details released to the public about what guests can expect when visiting these new areas.
Its Official Title
There's been a lot of speculation as to what the official name of this land was going to be. Plenty of people have referred to it as Frozen Land, but Disney has actually revealed an official title for this themed area which gives a hint as to the atmosphere they are looking for.
The name of these areas is Arendelle: World Of Frozen which immediately gives a sense as to what Disney is trying to achieve. They are constructing their own version of the stunning fantasy town and leaving the title open enough that they could expand past the Arendelle Palace and locations of the original movie.
The Locations Of Construction
Multiple Parks will be receiving this expansion, with a few notable absences among them. Disneyland Paris has confirmed that they will be building their own World Of Frozen and construction is well underway in the French theme park. The same can be said for Hong Kong.
The Hong Kong park's iteration of Frozen Land is also completing construction, with fans eager to see what awaits them. Finally, Tokyo Disneysea is getting their own update based on the franchise, which is a little bit behind the other international projects in the works.
Expansion Of Previous Attractions
There are already previous Frozen attractions at Disney Parks and this would actually be an expansion of the presence of the brand and its attractions. These pre-existing areas have been a good testing ground as to what guests want from these experiences.
For instance, at Walt Disney World Florida, Epcot boasts attractions such as Maelstrom and Frozen Ever After at the World Showcase. Walt Disney World will be one of the Parks not currently featured in the updates for this reason, but the newer Parks will be drawing inspiration from these rides and experiences as well as the featured shows.
Storyline
There's actually a synopsis of sorts that has been developed by the Imagineers at Walt Disney Parks. The idea is to create a land that also carries with it a pre-existing narrative. This has been previously done with Galaxy's Edge and the planet of Battu.
The official description of Arendelle includes the fact that Elsa has now gotten control of her powers and has created a kingdom that is embracing her abilities but also celebrating the summer season. The Frozen World will therefore combine elements of different seasons throughout the park.
Frozen Ever After
Frozen Ever After has been such a popular attraction at Epcot that the Disney Parks are actually drawing directly from this experience for the new World Of Frozen attractions. At Hong Kong, for instance, fans have already spotted the boats used in the ride, as part of the construction.
Frozen Ever After is a musical water based ride that acts as a log flume. It tells the story of Frozen. It replaced Maelstrom at Epcot which will not be adapted in other parks and was updated to include all Frozen content including the sequel film and short movies.
Wandering Oaken's Sliding Sleighs
Hong Kong will feature a number of exclusive attractions and one that is deep into construction is that of Wandering Oaken's Sliding Sleighs. Originally pitched as a trackless ride, it is now being pitched more as an experience similar to that of the Snow White Mine Kart.
While the ride is exclusive to Hong Kong for now, this could change as plans for the other parks continue to develop. What's more, it seems that the aesthetic of the ride is heavily inspired by the Wandering Oaken shop, which of course inspired some hilarious scenes and which the attraction takes its name from.
Restaurants
Much like some of the other latest expansions coming to Disney Parks, there's going to be plenty of food to try out that is inspired by the movies, in this case of course Frozen. What's more, is Disney is constructing a set of new restaurants and other eating areas for the updates.
The plans and blueprints for these areas have teased a castle-themed restaurant as well as the Golden Crocus Inn and Bayside Wharf as some of the dining experiences that guests can take part in. Some of these will provide opportunities to meet the characters as well, while others are not sit-down dining areas, but more of a grab-and-go option.
Shops
Alongside brand new food areas, there will also be an opportunity to shop for some of Disney's best Frozen products. Much like many other lands, these shops will be entirely themed and stock gifts and other memorabilia based on the film.
Each Disney Park will have a selection of shops including Travelling Traders which will be in Hong Kong and Tick Tock Toys and Collectibles in Paris and Hong Kong. It's unclear which shop Tokyo will boast and whether some of the rides will also be linked up to these gift shops.
Alongside Other Expansions
This Frozen expansion is part of a much larger series of updates that the Walt Disney Company had announced, which will be taking place across Disney Parks. This is part of a long-term strategy that has dated back many years, from the start of Bob Iger's leadership.
Galaxy's Edge continues to expand globally, with more Star Wars content coming to Paris. The Avengers Academy is another project which is rolling out across the globe and will coincide roughly with the launch of Arendelle.
Opening Dates
At the various parks globally construction has continued despite the global situation at present. The opening dates of the parks themselves could impact when Frozen World really opens up to the public, but a few dates have been hesitantly forecast for guests.
Hong Kong Disney looks to be the first to get the new land, in 2022. Disney Tokyo will follow shortly after that in 2023, with Disneyland Paris also receiving their own updates, likely around the summer of 2023, after their own large Avengers Campus expansion.