Could We Get More Frozen at the Parks?
Disney fans will never forget 2014, the year of Frozen.
While the film technically debuted in theaters in November 2013, the theme parks underreacted a bit to its popularity.
Photo: Disney
Nobody expected the modern take on Hans Christian Andersen’s The Snow Queen to soar in popularity so quickly.
Of course, that was a decade ago, and much has changed since then.
Walt Disney World definitely isn’t lacking for Frozen experiences.
Anna & Elsa have claimed EPCOT’s Norway pavilion for their own.
Still, some international park developments and the impending American park expansions raise a simple question.
Could we get more Frozen at the parks?
Photo: Disney
Let’s discuss the pros and cons of adding Frozen stories to Disneyland and Walt Disney World.
Frozen at Walt Disney World
Photo: Disney
Here’s a page on Walt Disney World’s official website that you may not know exists.
Not many Disney intellectual properties require a full rundown of the available experiences. Frozen does.
Photo: Disney
That fact alone tells part of the story here. Among Disney’s 21st-century stories, nothing can match the success of Frozen.
The franchise claims two of the top 20 box office performances ever, with Frozen earning $1.397 billion and Frozen II even better at $1.454 billion.
Photo: Disney
Not coincidentally, Disney has already confirmed not just Frozen 3 but also Frozen 4.
Similarly, you’ll find Frozen experiences at three different Walt Disney World theme parks.
At Disney’s Hollywood Studios, For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration is arguably the park’s most popular show.
Olaf also holds court at a permanent character greeting here.
At Magic Kingdom, Anna & Elsa are on display during the Festival of Fantasy Parade and Mickey’s Magical Friendship Faire.
Also, the park hosts the annual Frozen Holiday Surprise event wherein even Cinderella Castle (!) experiences a Frozen takeover.
Elsa
Then, we have EPCOT, where Anna & Elsa greet guests at the Norway pavilion.
Before or after that character greeting, fans ride Frozen Ever After, which is an even better attraction than you realize.
Photo: Also Disney
A decade ago, Walt Disney World went all-in on Frozen, and the results are unmistakable.
Weirdly, Disneyland Resort hasn’t committed the same way, though.
Photo: Disney
The primary Frozen option here is Anna & Elsa’s Royal Welcome at Disney California Adventure.
That’s a rather shocking disparity, but it’s understandable in that Disneyland Resort is more classical in nature.
Something must prove it stands the test of time before management commits resources here.
Frozen around the World
Photo: Disney
Then again, Frozen has irrefutably done that. I’d argue that its popularity today rivals where it stood in 2016.
I won’t beat you up with data, but here’s an article where I listed a few facts.
Photo: Disney
Last week, I wrote this about franchises whose popularity would justify theme park expansion.
As I mentioned toward the end of that piece, the only similarly successful Disney franchise without a strong park presence is…The Lion King.
Photo: Disney
That’s rare air, and Disney knows it. Not coincidentally, Disney’s international theme parks are recreating Arendelle.
One such location has already opened at Hong Kong Disneyland. Guests can visit World of Frozen, which looks like this:
Tokyo DisneySea will introduce Frozen Kingdom on June 6th, 2024.
Photo: Disney
Then, Disneyland Paris will use Frozen as an anchor for its upcoming conversion of Walt Disney Studios Park to Disney Adventure World.
At that point, half of Disney theme parks will operate some version of Arendelle.
Shanghai Disney
The only international park lacking a Frozen-themed land will be Shanghai Disneyland.
EPCOT technically doesn’t, but the Norway pavilion does a fine impersonation of Arendelle these days.
Photo: Disney
As of 2025, Disney’s theme parks will celebrate the stories of Frozen as much as any Disney animated movie ever.
Think about the statement from this perspective. Does The Little Mermaid or Beauty and the Beast feature an entire themed land?
Obviously, The Lion King doesn’t, either. It doesn’t even have a ride at the moment!
For the sake of comparison, the only thing reminiscent of Frozen’s current park presence is the Sensational Six.
Disney
Mickey Mouse and friends are everywhere, as they should be. After that, the next-closest analog is…Star Wars.
Even that franchise, as well as Avatar and Marvel, currently fall short of the ongoing Frozen expansion, though.
The Argument for More Frozen in America
Photo: Disney
Since Frozen already holds arguably the largest presence of any Disney story, why would the American parks need more?
That’s a perfectly reasonable question, at least at Walt Disney World.
Photo: Disneylandforward
I would argue that the Disneyland conversation is fairly straightforward.
Now that the Anaheim City Council has signed off on the DisneylandForward project, a Frozen expansion seems obvious.
Disney
Obviously, Disney isn’t locked into anything at this point, but park officials use precise numbers to project expansion costs.
Do you know who would have that information? People who have recently built two other versions of Arendelle/World of Frozen.
Disney
Disney knows exactly how much these Frozen experiences cost and can add them piecemeal or as an entire themed land.
Were I guessing, I’d expect a full World of Frozen because Disney knows something about the franchise’s future.
Photo: Disney
With two more Frozen films already underway, we’re only halfway through the story now.
That’s also why Frozen could receive some form of Walt Disney World expansion.
Photo: Disney
Again, Disney knows how much it costs to build the World of Frozen and has data regarding demand for the product.
While I spent the previous article listing all the other franchises Disney could choose for expansion, let’s be realistic.
Photo: Getty
There’s a financial component to all these discussions, and Frozen has proven to be a revenue generator for Disney.
Personally, I would prefer that Disneyland Resort add Frozen, while Walt Disney World introduces some underrepresented stories.
Photo: Also Disney
Knowing the business aspect of this conversation, more Frozen at Walt Disney World won’t surprise me, though.
“You got to give the people what they want.”
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