It didn’t take long for EPCOT guests to notice something big happening this morning.
Frozen Ever After is officially back open, and within minutes, the Norway Pavilion turned into one of the busiest areas in all of World Showcase. The ride had been closed since late January, and Disney fans have been counting down the days until they could finally step back into Arendelle.
Now that the attraction has reopened, it’s safe to say the excitement is real.
Guests started lining up almost immediately, and the wait time jumped fast. As of 9:15 a.m., Frozen Ever After was already posting a 95-minute standby wait. That’s a serious number for early morning at EPCOT, especially considering most people were likely still arriving at the park.
But it wasn’t just the posted wait time that stood out.
The line itself became the real story.
Instead of staying neatly tucked into the Norway Pavilion, the queue stretched far outside the area, extending past China and even into the Africa section of World Showcase. Anyone walking around EPCOT this morning probably didn’t need a map to figure out where the crowds were headed.
They all had the same destination.
A Short Closure, But a Long-Awaited Upgrade
Frozen Ever After closed on January 26, 2026, for a refurbishment that was focused on upgrading the ride’s Audio-Animatronics. The closure lasted just over two weeks, which isn’t long compared to some Disney refurbishments, but the anticipation still built quickly.
That’s because fans already knew what was coming.
For years, Frozen Ever After has been one of EPCOT’s most popular rides, but it’s also been known for using projection-based faces on several key characters. While the projections worked fine in darker scenes, they weren’t always consistent, and many guests felt the ride deserved a more realistic approach.
Disney clearly agreed.
New Faces for Elsa, Anna, and Kristoff
The biggest update involves the ride’s main characters: Anna, Elsa, and Kristoff.
Disney replaced the projection faces with fully articulated heads that use silicone skin. The goal is to make the figures look far more lifelike and closer to how they appear in Frozen (2013).
It’s a major improvement for the ride, especially since those characters are the emotional center of the entire experience.
Disney also refreshed the lighting throughout the attraction and performed touch-ups on sets, which should help the overall ride quality feel cleaner and more polished.
Disney Imagineering Says the New Elsa Is Next-Level
Ahead of the reopening, Disney Imagineering’s Ken Ricci described seeing the updated Elsa figure and said it gave him chills. He said it looked like Elsa had stepped right off the screen.
That’s exactly the kind of statement that gets fans excited, especially because Frozen Ever After has always been a ride that people expect to look perfect.
And now, EPCOT guests finally get to see what that upgrade looks like in person.
Don’t Expect Wait Times to Drop Anytime Soon
With the reopening buzz already spreading, it’s very likely Frozen Ever After will stay busy for the foreseeable future.
This is already a high-demand attraction on normal days, and now guests have an added reason to ride: they want to see what’s new. As photos and ride-through videos start circulating online, the crowd levels may get even worse.
So if you’re visiting EPCOT soon, you may want to plan around it.
Because Frozen Ever After is back, and Norway is officially the hottest spot in the park again.
