Nothing elicits a more passionate response among hardcore and casual Disney fans alike than the topic of Frozen in the Disney Parks. In November 2013 when the world was first introduced to Arendelle and its Queen, Elsa, and its Princess, Anna, no one had any idea how gigantic this phenomenon would become. From runaway hit songs to hilarious sidekicks and, of course, the Disney royalty, Frozen continues to hit unprecedented heights in popularity and fame.
However, with that acclaim, Disney has recently decided to expand Frozen's presence throughout the Disney Parks. At Disney World in Florida, a new attraction is coming in May 2016 to the totally redesigned Norway Pavilion of World Showcase at Epcot where guests will have the opportunity to travel to Arendelle and meet Anna and Elsa themselves. Over at Disney's Hollywood Studios, guests can experience For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along where everyone is invited to sing along with the entire gang to the songs from the movie. At the Magic Kingdom, guests can currently meet Anna and Elsa at Storybook Hall in Fantasyland and during the Christmas season, guests can witness A Frozen Holiday Wish as Elsa transforms Cinderella Castle into a winter spectacle every night. At Disneyland in California, it was recently announced that a Frozen stage show would soon be replacing the existing Aladdin stage show, and with this announcement, the final straw for Disney fans had seemingly been found.
What is unique about the opinions that exist is that everyone has an extremely strong opinion no matter what side you take. Some people, probably a vast majority in fact, believe that Disney has gone too far in its efforts to freeze the Disney Parks. However, on the flip side, some folks, in an admitted minority, think that what Disney is doing with this sensation has been great from the start.
While this opinion may be extremely unpopular, I must say that I am fairly excited about Frozen being in the Disney Parks.
I will talk primarily about Frozen at Disney World as I have unfortunately never been to Disneyland. When I think about the impact of this film on Disney World, on one note, I'm not sure I can see what all of the uproar is about. At the end of the day, whenever the Epcot section is complete, Anna and Elsa will have one meet and greet (assuming Anna and Elsa quit meeting at Magic Kingdom once they start meeting at Epcot), an attraction, and two shows (one seasonal at that, by the way). That's it. Ariel and Belle have those same conditions throughout the parks and yet I hear nobody complaining about having too much The Little Mermaid or Beauty and the Beast in the parks. Ariel has a meet and greet location at the Magic Kingdom along with an attraction inside Eric's castle in New Fantasyland and up until Hollywood Studios began its reinvention, she also had her own show. Belle has her own castle as well where guests can dine inside at the popular Be Our Guest Restaurant. This castle is located right next to Enchanted Tales with Belle, a popular new attraction at New Fantasyland, and if you head over to Hollywood Studios, you can watch Beauty and the Beast live on stage as well as going on over to Epcot to meet Belle herself in the France Pavilion of World Showcase.
All of that is to say that what Disney is doing with Frozen isn't necessarily unprecedented. It's just been a long time since Disney has had such a popular brand on their hands that they understandably want to maximize. Disney has to adapt to the times we live in to make sure that this generation and beyond continue to find reasons to come back, and putting Frozen in the parks is one significant way of doing just that. Just because something is new doesn't mean that it is doomed to be terrible as well. Think about some of the latest attraction additions to Disney World. At the Magic Kingdom, the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, the aforementioned Enchanted Tales with Belle, and Under the Sea: Journey of the Little Mermaid are all magnificent attractions that continue to impress guests enormously every day of the week. Disney is on a roll with new attractions in terms of quality and entertainment value.
Who is to say that the new Frozen attraction at Epcot is going to break that trend?
I know that a majority of people groan at the thought of Frozen invading the parks, but here's one thing we must all keep in mind: it is coming whether we like it or not. So my plea to you is to give Disney a chance with Frozen. Don't rush to a quick judgment before you even see the finished product. For now, in my opinion, Disney is well within their bounds in expanding the presence of Frozen. Now I understand that a number of people will wholeheartedly disagree, but from my vantage point, I am thoroughly looking forward to experiencing the new Frozen additions sooner than later. Then, once we all experience it, we can make our critiques for the better or for the worse.
But for now, just let it go and let Disney be Disney.
-Cody Fleenor
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