Build-Out: ARENDELLE: THE FROZEN NORTH
Obviously, Arendelle is beautifully theme-park-able, and Imagineers have done a sensational job of recreating this Scandinavian seaside port. But as if banking on Frozen Ever After to anchor the park wasn’t sort of embarrassing enough, we have to acknowledge that this land, in the real Adventure World, is tiny. Yes, it’s lovely. But I think it’s sort of astounding to consider that it is, quite literally, a single short “street” that comprises the entirety of the land’s navigable footprint. One restaurant. One meh ride. And a couple hundred million dollars of rockwork. Stylistically, stunning! Substantially… bad?
We can change that. The first thing you’ll notice is that I have effectively tripled the footprint of the land by adding an Enchanted Forest expansion drawn from Frozen II. In a perfect world, I think this would be across the inlet. (Hong Kong kinda did that by creating a forest on the other side for the Wandering Oaken’s Sliding Sleighs, but it’s not very deep or effective.) But at least giving this blockbuster property a blockbuster footprint feels essential, and now we have two distinct environments to play with.
Imagineers sort of quasi-extend the square footage of The World of Frozen by basically absorbing a portion of the loop around Adventure Bay into the land, with an Arendellian lighthouse on the shore. That makes sense, because we know the inlet will be used for Frozen-specific mini water shows during the day and folks will gather around it. But we can immediately use that additional space to strengthen this land by adding FROZEN FJORD FLING, built out partially over the water.
This is basically a relocation of the Rapionce Tangled Spin, which you’ll remember provides the real Adventure World with its teacup ride in the form of spinnable little rowboats under Tangled lanterns. We removed that along with the rest of Adventure Way’s avenue, so it makes sense to basically spiritually relocate it here. It fits “in-universe” in the sense that these boats right on the Arendelle inlet have been frozen, so now we can walk right across the “water,” take our seats, and spin on the “ice.”
The real question is what to do about Frozen Ever After. I’ll want our World of Frozen to include an epic, boat-based dark ride, of course, but Frozen Ever After won’t be it. So do we build a really good Frozen dark ride in the new forest section, and leave a mediocre Frozen dark ride in the Arendelle section? That doesn’t really make sense, right? No matter how you slice it, having two Frozen dark rides feels… overkill.
The truth is that if we’re going to have a really good Frozen dark ride in our new forest expansion, then we… don’t need Frozen Ever After. But what should this clearly-iconic Arendelle street terminate in? And how do we embody and represent the songs people want to hear from the first Frozen?
What I concepted for this space is, I think, a unique solution. You may know about Danse Macabre, a unique attraction at Efteling in the Netherlands. A sort of 2024 rebirth of the park’s retired Spookslot haunted castle, it uses Intamin’s Dynamic Motion Stage ride system, where guests sit in, essentially, batched church pews. Each choir stall is affixed to a rotating turntable, with six such turntables set atop a massive platform that can rise, tilt, sway, and drop as part of a show cycle filled with music, effects, and theatrical lighting.
It’s a dark ride. It’s a flat ride. It’s a show. And it’s an E-Ticket! I actually included a version of this experience in a Lord of the Rings themed land in my Build-Out of Epic Universe because I think it’s so incredibly unique, and very perfectly positioned to make music the star. This feels like a perfect place to use it. Initially, I envisioned setting this ride entirely in Elsa’s ice palace, with guests ascending through increasingly-icy caverns to give the illusion of rising to meet the palace we see in miniature on the land’s enveloping rockwork.
But ultimately, I think we can get the best of both worlds by setting this experience in a version of the grand chapel where Elsa’s coronation took place. (That helps the experience align with the Arendellian exterior.) But this is not a book report ride. Just the opposite, we can actually use that “Winter in Summer Day” frame story established by Frozen Ever After to step into a musical celebration and reprise of Frozen‘s songs.
Our sing-along ride could begin with an Audio-Animatronic of Anna in the choir loft overhead, leading us through a modified version of “For the First Time In Forever,” borrowing from EPCOT’s ride (“For the first time in forever, we get to share this Frozen fun; for the first time in forever, Elsa’s inviting everyone!”) as sunlight streams in through the stained glass.
That could, of course, transition into “Let It Go,” with an Audio-Animatronic Elsa gleefully filling the room with icy projections, transforming the chapel into a festive winter wonderland as we slide around in our choir stalls. And then, the sisters unite for “Love Is An Open Door,” creating an indoor snowfall and a visit from Olaf. By the end of the ride, then, the whole room would be transformed into a glassy, icy space thanks to projection and practical sets, with it all melting away with Elsa’s wave goodbye, preparing the space for the next set of guests.
My hope is that this ANNA & ELSA’S CELEBRATION OF SONG would give Arendelle an anchor attraction that provides access to the beloved songs from the original Frozen, but does not feel extraneous against the existence of an anchor dark ride for the land in the forest next door. So we sort of take “Frozen Ever After” and split it in half – this “ride-along show” for the songs, and a completely new (and much more elaborate) boat-based dark ride for the adventure. I like the balance there.
Now we get to play around with the second half of the land – our new expansion centered on the Enchanted Forest first seen in Frozen II. In a perfect world, we’d position this across the water where Mermaid Lagoon ended up, but we’ve got to work with what we’ve got left. That means that the forest is here, ready for us to enter from Point D’inspiration.
Passing between the four stone monoliths representing the elements, we step into the treeline and find ourselves “Lost in the Woods.” Actually, despite how theme-park-able the action of Frozen II is, the Enchanted Forest alone is not necessarily a theme-park-able space. A theme park land needs buildings. It’s not an option. I don’t think you could do a proper Enchanted Forest if it weren’t paired with an urban Arendelle where we can have restrooms, and restaurants, and stores.
But we can still make some magic here, I think. First of all, entering the land, we’d immediately be confronted with NORTHULDRAN SLIDING SLEIGHS – our slight adaptation of the Wandering Oaken ride in Hong Kong. It’s kind of a dumb ride, and (in what’s becoming a recurring motif with the World of Frozen) one suspects that rockwork decoration cost two or three times the ride experience itself… But I think this park needs a sincere kiddie coaster; an equivalent of the Barnstormer, you know? And that’s what these “Sliding Sleighs” are, even if it’s a little too close to the Mine Train we already have.
Though it’s a bit sad to lose the very picturesque waterfront location the ride enjoys in Hong Kong, I think this forested version could be quite beautiful… And it could give us a chance to feature Bruni, the fire spirit that had a lot of merch made in the Frozen II promo, but arguably didn’t show up much! In any effect, it gives us a nice “C-Ticket” to accompany the “B-Ticket” spinner and D-Ticket “ride-show” we added and the land’s true highlight: a from-scratch E-Ticket anchor.
That would be accessed deep in the forest, hidden behind the “weenie” for this half of the land – Runeard’s Dam, looming over the forest and wedged into new cliffs extending the existing mountain range that envelopes Arendelle.
I called the ride inside FROZEN: MISTS OF THE MAELSTROM. What I know is that I envisioned this ride using the multi-directional boat ride system developed for Shanghai Disneyland’s Pirates of the Caribbean: Battle for Sunken Treasure. Similarly, I want this to be an enormous, multi-media experience with massive sets and screens. This ride system – applied to what is clearly the biggest Disney IP of the 21st century – would actually give this gargantuan property a ride that would actually feel like a fitting embodiment, and a proper anchor attraction for this park.
Our new forest sub-section would also include OLAF’S STORY CIRCLE – a little Olaf takeover of a Northuldran story circle where Olaf and a cast of Northuldran actors could humorously retell the stories of Frozen, Frozen II, and other Disney Animation stories. And via a backstage gate in the “runoff” melting from Elsa’s ice palace, we can host occasional meet-and-greets with Marshmallow. (A large scale meet-and-greet puppet was piloted in California Adventure’s Frozen Fun promotion, and it was an awesome sight.)
ARENDELLE: THE FROZEN NORTH
RIDES
- NEW! Frozen Fjord Fling (teacups style spinner)
- NEW! Anna & Elsa’s Celebration of Song (indoor dynamic theater)
- NEW! Northuldran Sliding Sleighs (elaborate kiddie coaster)
- NEW! Frozen: Mists of the Maelstrom (multi-directional boat-based E-Ticket dark ride)
ATTRACTIONS
- Royal Greeting Hall (meet-and-greet in Arendelle Castle with Anna and Elsa)
- NEW! Olaf’s Story Circle (pop-up performance space for comedic retellings)
- NEW! Meet Marshmallow (meet-and-greet with larger-than-life Marshmallow puppet)
RESTAURANTS
- Nordic Crowns Tavern (quick service)
- NEW! Sami Snacks (snacks)
All of that is a lot of chatter to basically say that in Frozen, Disney obviously has a 21st century keystone IP. Frozen proved that Walt Disney Animation Studios has still got “it.” Frozen wasn’t a trend, it’s a sincerely acclaimed fairytale film that deserves “all out” treatment. That’s why it’s frustrating that the gorgeous land they’ve designed here is an elaborate wrap for a “meh” dark ride that doesn’t really do justice to the beauty, pathos, and drama of Frozen. I hope this expanded land can do that.
Anyway, that leaves us with really just two “slots” left in the park’s layout – an empty one (where, in the real world, The Lion King will end up) and a choice of what to do about Avengers Campus, which will reconnect us back to the Grand Library we began at so many words ago… So let’s keep our walkthrough going…
This is such a great build-out! I have so much respect for anyone who can salvage WDS into a coherent park haha. I loved seeing the daily reveals on twitter – it gave me something fun to look forward to every day – but I just got around to reading the in-depth write up. The level of detail is insanely impressive. As someone who dabbles in similar design projects, I have a profound appreciation for the amount of time and effort this takes. You are so talented and there are so many things I wish I could pick your brain about in my own work. Theme parks and design have become my mental escape, and this site is my go-to when I need something happy to get lost in. Awesome work and I can’t wait to see what you do next!
Thanks Brian!! This was a pleasure to read!
Wow! So impressive and creative. I just finished reading pt 2. I absolutely love your concept of Point d’Inspiration. I can almost vision it in my head: Arendelle castle and Little Mermaid castle sitting right next to each other. I really like the idea of Cherry Tree Lane. I can’t wait for your next buildout! Is it possible that you could maybe potentially give us a hint about what your next build out will be?
Thank you so much! I have a couple of parks “left” that people are really interested in seeing Build-Outs of. But just as I started this one multiple times and just couldn’t find a way in, sometimes I start one and it just falls apart or doesn’t click and I set it aside for a while. So even I am not sure what comes next! Hahaha. But of the major U.S. parks, the ones “left” are Universal Studios Florida, Disneyland, and EPCOT. All of those are very scary. Hahha. So we’ll see!
Honestly, that idea of a park with just the 9 Renaissance films is a cool concept. I’d love to see your take on that
Wow, just wow. This is a true masterpiece and the pinnacle of what Imagineering should be. It’s obvious that every land has been created with such care and attention, it genuinely makes me upset that I can’t go visit this in real life, especially Cherry Tree Lane (I’m still annoyed about the cancelled EPCOT project, even if it was just a teacup spinner). I tell you what, as a Brit, if this was actually in Paris I’d be making the trip across the Channel a lot more often than I currently am. You should be genuinely proud of this, as it’s something special and, in my opinion, your best work yet. (P.S. As a die-hard Percy Jackson fan, you did a phenomenal job with that land. the only thing I’d say is that in the main ride it would make more sense to riding on pegasi than griffins, for reasons that I imagine will be shared whenever S3 comes out!)
Thanks so much for saying so! That means a lot on all accounts. These are so much work, but ultimately such fun. I don’t always finish them thinking, “That’s perfect. I wouldn’t change a thing.” But right now, I’m feeling that about this one! It all fit together really nicely and even though it’s a whole lot, I really do like it. Thank you for checking it out!
I like the name Disney Storybook Park or Disney Storybook Adventure (as well as Disney Epic Adventures, but Epic is now taken). Alternatively, if the lagoon was bigger and the theming more waterbased, you could call Paris DisneySea (or would it have to be DisneySea Paris to match Disneyland Paris).
I do wish Star Wars could make an appearance outside the US, but not as Galazy’s Edge. I know one YTer proposed a Coruscant-themed area as an expansion of Discoveryland, which was an idea I liked.
I can assure you that there is a very large contingent of zoomers who grew up on Percy Jackson and would plan a trip to Disneyland Paris just for it, just like people who go to Universal for Potter. (I for one would go just for Cherry Tree Lane). Another fantastic buildout!
Love how bold you are with making this build out your own and not being beholden to the studio/movies theme. Keeping the basic infrastructure in place, but I think the Frozen dining area is the only thing that didn’t get a reimagining of some kind?
One thing that I think is missing is an analysis of how this new park is complementary as a second gate to Disneyland Park across the way. A lot of the lands and movies feel like they’re already well covered by the park next door (e.g. Fantasyland and Adventureland -> Royal Forest, Wonderland, Neverland & Jungle Book), plus the overall approach as both feel like very romantic parks steeped in the legacy of Disney classics.
With two gates usually the formula is to make the Castle Park the fantastical, nostalgic one, and Gate 2 is much more contemporary, realistic, and/or adult-oriented (Epcot, DCA, TDS, even WDSP). I’d be curious to explore different formulas to a second gate that try something completely different, but I think I got most iffy on Story Realms when it felt like certain sections could also make fine, interchangeable additions to OG DLP as well.
This is absolutely true! I don’t have a perfect answer since what manifested here happened somewhat organically and it would be disappointing to me to revise it now. I can at least say that this would need to coexist with a multiversal variant Build-Out of the Castle Park, too. Even that doesn’t solve the problem given that I have no idea what I’d do there, necessarily, and almost certainly part of it would be returning Discoveryland to its own very literary roots… So perhaps we’d still end up with two bookish parks that have even less of a clear distinction between them.
Early on I mentioned that the name “Storyverse Park” (tested for Hollywood Studios in Florida, btw) might’ve actually brought more modernity to the concept, and if I’d chosen that and let it influence the design maybe we’d have very “Fortnite” style interconnected worlds. I can see “Storyverse Park” at least having that clearer distinction of 21st century, sleek, stylish, finger-on-the-pulse, etc. I just struggled with differentiating that from the mean-nothingness of Disney Adventure World. I figured that even with good intentions, my modern “Storyverse Park” would probably look a lot like Adventure World will in thirty years – Avatar, Monstropolis, Motunui, etc. around a lagoon. Maybe if we’d made Studio 1 into some sort of techy portal hub and created a sort of digital landscape to pulse us into those franchises, it would’ve set a different IP bar to entry… I don’t know.
So long story short, I don’t think this could coexist with the real, existing Disneyland Paris. But I do find it interesting that when it’s all said and done, it’s sort of like, “Huh, this could’ve been what Shanghai Disneyland was instead of a ‘Castle Park.'” Like maybe we’ve created here what happened for Universal in Singapore and Beijing where they figured out they could make a ‘Studio’ park with an ‘Islands’ layout. Maybe we’ve made a Castle-less Castle Park that could actually be a “first gate” somewhere. That feels like a pretty awesome thing to have drawn out of the infrastructure of Walt Disney Studios though, so I’ll take it!
That’s actually a fascinating observation.
You have your Tomorrowland with Big Hero 6, Adventureland with Jungle Book and Valley of Decay, I’d maybe consider Percy Jackson to be Frontierland-esque, at least in that it’s a very American outdoorsy concept. You even have a “square” style land with Mary Poppins.
And then Fantasyland is split between all the rest: Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, Peter Pan, Alice, Little Mermaid, and Frozen.
Yeah, there’s a few things I have to say about what you said about Percy Jackson. By the way, hi, it’s the same person who told you about how your plot for the Gravity Falls E-Ticket makes no sense based on the show’s lore! I’m here again! It hurt hearing you say that the “first person tween dialect” of the books is irritating and groan-worthy. That’s like, the whole charm and identity of the franchise! The fact that this franchise modernizes these Greek legends and makes it feel true to the reality of how we are as kids in the present is what made them connect with us so much! If you’re wondering, the Percy Jackson movies are so disliked because it rushes the story and changes the characters to feel nothing like themselves. It’s an adaptation that clearly has no love for the source material. It’s a bit weird how there’s a flat ride themed to the wings of Icarus. The myth’s whole point is that Icarus flew too close to the sun, and the wings melted, causing him to fall to his death. In a way, that would make riding those wings terrifying! It also doesn’t make much sense for Camp Half Blood to train campers with wings that they know can be faulty and risky to use. That being said, the idea that they would is hilarious. Finally, I don’t know if the E-Ticket ride of the land should be a vibes ride like Flight Of Passage. It works so well for Avatar because the the wonder you feel when being in the world of Pandora is one of the major selling points of that franchise. There are not many times where you feel that sense of wonder in Percy Jackson. This is a series that is known for its sense of wit and adventure. It’s also known for how grounded the characters feel despite all the danger that’s around them. You don’t get that in a ride like Flight Of Passage. “Nothing goes horribly wrong” feels so out of place for Percy Jackson, where things constantly go wrong in every adventure! Also, I actually don’t think griffins show up in the main series. The ride sounds great on its own, but not great when considering how the larger franchise is like. I feel like a more action packed ride with a ride system like Harry Potter And The Forbidden Journey or the Shanghai Pirates ride fits the series better. That being said, wow, you really did sell me on how well Camp Half Blood would fit as a theme park land! It really does have that Harry Potter quality to it where the area feels tantalizingly real, as if it could exist in our world, yet fantastical in a way where we are astounded as we enter the area, which is what all good immersive lands should be like! Despite my critiques, I would love for a Percy Jackson area to be in the parks, even if it probably isn’t all that likely.
I’m kinda baffled by the inclusion of Nausicaa, not only because Disney would never make a land themed to a Ghibli IP they don’t even own, but also Ghibli apparently isn’t allowed to make more than 10 billion yen (Or 67 million dollars) off of merchandising, in order to not sully their movies and characters. This is why we never see potential Ghibli themed LEGO sets get accepted from LEGO Ideas. I think a land themed to Nausicaa would fly in the face of that. However, it were possible, a theme park themed to Ghibli movies could be incredibly beautiful. Wait, I just remembered there is a Ghibli park in Japan, although it’s more focused on recreating the look of the movies rather than theming attractions to them. I don’t know how the park works with their merchandise quota, but it looks adorable! Still, I don’t know how or why Ghibli and Disney would ever agree on putting Ghibli into the Disney Parks. I also don’t think it represents the Disney Dark Ages that well, since it’s literally not a Disney movie. I’d probably just put a Renaissance IP here, it’s not like every era is represented anyway since the 2000s Experimental age is completely absent. Part of me does like the idea of putting a land themed to Hunchback Of Notre Dame here, especially since this is a park in Paris. Still though, I admire your creativity on putting something like Nausicaa in this park, even if I disagree that it should be here.
This park is so Islands Of Adventure coded! The living lands situated around a lagoon concept, the whole idea about every land being based off of a property that had its origins in literature, even with how the comic book themed land that contrasts with the more fantasy-like lands in the park being to the left of the park’s entrance! Great park, although I do have a couple of notes, which I’ll talk about in separate comments for engagement purposes!
WOW! Your build-out of Adventure World is amazing!
I hope for your next build-out, you tackle Universal Studios Florida and fix its problems.
I agree — would love to see a reimagining of US Florida. I think Universal Monsters would have been a better fit with USF rather than Epic. I think USF is the Disney Studio Park of Universal, with no clear theming or awe-inspiring entrance, and perhaps needs to be closed and reimagined.