Anna & Elsa’s new summer cottage, the Royal Sommerhus in Epcot’s Norway Pavilion is now open! Epcot is the only place to meet Anna and Elsa. We had a delightful experience and have had a look at the meet and greet experience. Here is what you need to know!
At this time, there is no FastPass option for the Royal Sommerhus. We waited only about 25 minutes to visit with the sisters. Wait times during the opening months have hovered anywhere from 15-30 minutes. There is an outdoor queue area as well as about a 15-minute wait inside the cottage itself. So, there will be relief from the heat for part of the wait.
Inside the theming and decorating of the cottage is very quaint and cute. The Norwegian theme is evident throughout the cottage. The queue twists and turns throughout the space.
Also inside are nice hanging tapestries. One includes Norwegian folklore of the Trolls and Odin and is a nice nod to the Maelstrom, the attraction that Frozen Ever After replaced.
Finally, the meet and greet area we were in had guests meeting the sisters in the same room, but meeting them separately. First, we met Elsa and then Anna. Anna was an especially good cast and she was very chatty. We were not rushed at all and we had plenty of time with each sister. We did hear of reports that in some rooms the sisters are posing together, but we have not been able to verify if it is possible to meet the sisters at the same time.
Overall, it was a very nice, very well themed meet and greet experience. Frozen fans won’t be disappointed. The initial popularity of the film has waned a bit and the four hour long waits to visit with the sisters are (hopefully) a thing of the past.
RELATED ARTICLE: 10 Things You Need to Know About Frozen Ever After at Disney’s Epcot
Calling all Frozen fans! Frozen Ever After is here! The attraction is open to guests at the World Showcase in Epcot. The closure of Maelstrom sparked very strong opinions and reactions on social media, but after riding the new, upgraded attraction, I definitely feel like there is a new life to the attraction that is good for the area. Here are some great things to know about the attraction, but be warned that there are spoilers ahead:
10 – The same voice talent as the movie recorded for the attraction.
We all love the music and the amazing voice talent that brought Frozen to life for us on the big screen. Well, the great news is that the same cast returned to record all of the music and voices that are used on the attraction. There are even areas with a few updated lyrics that had to be recorded for the attraction.
9 – You get to celebrate the joy of winter during summer.
The story behind the attraction is that Elsa brought a day of winter to Arendelle during summer in honor of Princess Anna’s bravery from her act of true love. So while it is actually summer in Arendelle, you will notice the ice and snow all over the scenes thanks to Elsa’s magic.
8 – “Let It Go” and ice magic is there.
In case there was any doubt, you will definitely get to belt out “Let It Go” with Queen Elsa and watch her user her magical icy powers. It is amazing how Disney pulled off the effect and helped you to feel in the middle of the magic. It was definitely one of my favorite groupings of scenes.
7 – Pay attention to all the little details in the ride queue.
Be sure to read all of the signs, wall art, etc. It explains the theme of the attraction and the wonderful story of the two sisters. You will find Oaken’s Trading Post as part of the ride queue and you get to walk through it and see various trinkets from his shop. One of my favorites was a sign when you first enter the queue that says, “Official Ice Master & Deliverer of Arendelle”. (It definitely IS a thing!)
6 – The ride now loads where it used to unload.
If you were a Maelstrom fan and remember the ride fairly well, you may notice that you actually load (and unload) the new Frozen Ever After attraction where you used to unload at Maelstrom. The area has been totally redone and incorporated with the brand new ride queue, but I was able to tell we were standing where we used to unload. There is no unloading in a different area either, as you load and unload right in the same place.
5 – The attraction is a mix of Frozen and Frozen Fever.
The attraction isn’t just a rehash of Frozen, it incorporates bits and pieces of Frozen as well as portions from the Frozen Fever short that was released after the film. We love the adorable little mini snowmen from Frozen Fever, and they are definitely there, along with Marshmallow! You also get to see the sisters in their dresses from Frozen as well as their dresses from Frozen Fever! It is a great mix of some of your favorite moments, and all your favorite characters (minus the bad guys), from both!
4 – The ride track is the exact same as Maelstrom.
There is absolutely zero change, other than the load/unload areas that we mentioned. The ride track is the exact same ride with the same slightly backward drop as well as the forward drop. If you remember Maelstrom, you can still visualize where everything was. (Although, you really won’t want to since the attraction is really well done, and has amazing technology!) If you really can’t get over losing Maelstrom, at least you know that you can still close your eyes and experience it again as far as the actual ride goes!
3 – The animatronics are spot on.
Everyone raved about the animatronics on the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train when that first opened, but Frozen Ever After really takes it to a whole new level in my opinion. The characters really look almost like they are real and brought to life right in front of you. Their movements and faces are spot on, and it makes the experience even more amazing just seeing how well done the characters are.
2 – There is an Attraction Photo
There is an attraction photo on the ride towards the end of the ride. After you see the frozen Marshmallow and the frozen Snow-Babies you’ll go down a small hill. It is during this decent that the photo is taken. Like the newer attractions, there is no photo viewing area in the ride exit. Your photo will automatically be uploaded to your MyDisney Account through your Magic Band.
1 – Make a FastPass+ for the attraction as soon as possible, or plan to wait.
This ride is still extremely popular and can have wait times up to two hours during the busy season. I highly recommend that you grab a FastPass+ selection for this attraction as soon as you possibly can. If you can’t get one, then try to get there first thing in the morning and head right for it to help minimize the long waits in line. You can also try to catch it on Extra Magic Hours. If none of these work out, you may want to grab a beer (or soda) and plan to enjoy a wait!