“You are not the first to pass this way. Nor shall you be the last.“
These words begin your journey into Norway’s past and present on Maelstrom, which opened on July 5, 1988. Although fairly tame by modern standards, this boat ride was EPCOT Center’s first thrill ride. It served as the centerpiece of the Norway pavilion, which remains the most recent country added to World Showcase. This tribute will dive into the back story and ride experience on this beloved attraction that gave us a glimpse at the spirit of Norway.
What I love about Maelstrom is the way that it combines a disjointed collection of segments into a strange and wonderful mix. It evolved from ideas for a full Pirates of the Caribbean-style attraction focused on Vikings into a smorgasbord of concepts. Its post-show film, The Spirit of Norway, contains all the topics and was originally planned to come before the ride. I’ll cover that film separately and just focus on the main attraction for this tribute. Let’s dive into the back story for Maelstrom!
What’s the Hook?
I spoke to Imagineer Mark Rhodes on Episode 88 of the Tomorrow Society Podcast, and he provided a great story about Maelstrom’s creative process. Mark was the Show Writer for the attraction, so he closely worked on all the changes. I’ve added the transcript to the post on that episode to give you the history from Mark’s perspective. It started with Art Director Joe Rohde planning a “day in the life of a Viking” attraction and then quickly switching gears to trolls while pitching it to Disney’s leaders.
During this presentation, Jeffrey Katzenberg kept asking “what’s the hook?“, and Rohde pitched having a troll flip the boat around backwards. He ultimately was moved off the project, but that idea remained as part of the finished attraction. The next hurdle was convincing the team from Norway that the attraction matched their expectations that it spotlight industry. Here’s the explanation from Mark and how Maelstrom came together:
“So I went back and kind of thought, okay, I can use this from the Vikings. I can use this from the trolls. I don’t want to do a walkthrough of an oil drilling platform, but maybe we can do something exciting because I got a research on that. Oh, lightning strikes it. That’d be cool. Stuff like that. So figured that out. There was polar bears. I went, okay, there’s all kinds of stuff. I put together a sequence of stuff, and what I’ll do is I’ll come up with a narrator that sort of takes you back to the beginning of Viking days and then talks you through all of Norway. So I did that and everybody loved that.“
The Boats Are Going Too Fast!
Original ideas for a 15-minute boat ride were cut in half due to budget, and then new problems arose with the boats. During the installation, technicians realized the boats moved too fast and couldn’t slow down any further. This led to reductions down to five minutes and then a little more to the eventual ride time of around four minutes. It’s a telling reminder about how even the coolest ideas for theme park attractions aren’t always possible once you get on site.
The boat speed also impacted the Spirit of Norway pre-show, which ultimately was moved to the end when the entrance and exit locations changed. It was sad to see guests just skipping the film once Disney started leaving the doors open in Maelstrom’s later years. As a pre-show, I suspect it would have worked much better as a set-up for what was going to happen on the ride. Now that we’ve discussed the history, let’s dive into what it was like to experience Maelstrom!
Setting the Stage
Originally known as Sea Venture, Maelstrom had the unenviable task of being EPCOT’s first thrill ride. Guests were expecting a lot from the boat ride, though Disney was in a different place in 1988. We first enter the two-story, castle-like structure and pass through a fairly small queue. The waterfall above us offers glimpses of the boats as they inch perilously close to the edge. The sign describes the Maelstrom experience this way: “Board a Viking ship for a fast-paced voyage into Norway’s rich seafaring heritage“. Kind in mind that riders may get wet on this voyage.
We pass Norwegian flags as we walk down a narrow hallway in the queue. The large painted mural near the boarding area offers a clear preview of what you’ll experience. A Viking man stands in the foreground on the left, and we slowly move towards the present day with a cruise ship and oil rig on the right side. I love the way this mural gives you a glimpse of what you’ll see but doesn’t spoil the attraction. It also provides a summary of the Norway we’re being presented here. It’s time to set foot on our 16-foot Viking boats for our trip through Norway’s folklore and history!
History and Peril
We quickly enter a dark room and ascend the lift hill with only a light far into the distance. The familiar narration that we all remember reminds us that many will take this journey and face peril and adventure. The light ultimately becomes the mask representing Odin, and it’s not Anthony Hopkins. Our first stop is to see the “spirit of the seafarer” as we enter a Viking village. This scene retains Joe Rohde’s early ideas about a day in the life of a Viking. I often forget these moments, which go back quickly and are dwarfed by the thrilling moments to come.
A nearby Viking blows a horn and sets the stage for our encounter with a different kind of character. We’ve reached arguably the most memorable scene of the attraction, and it’s interesting to compare this moment to the “Let It Go” highlight in Frozen Ever After. The three-headed troll is not amused by our arrival in their forest. The visual effects here are pretty cool, especially for 1988. The trolls shout for us to “Disappear! Disappear!” and then send us “Back! Back! Over the falls!“. This moment sold the pitch to Disney’s leaders and helped Maelstrom get approved.
Norway’s Spirit of Adventure
Our journey backwards is arguably the most thrilling aspect of the attraction, but it’s never too forceful. We glide under a massive and strangely shaped polar bear, which is designed to scare us but just looks weird. It’s oddly skinny and super tall, which makes it more imposing. The image of the white polar bear over the dark background helps it stand out and become even more impressive. We pass some cool rock work in a scene that I’d enjoy spending more time in, but here comes another drop!
We’ve reached the opening we saw down below, and a rock troll appears to turn us towards the next drop. We quickly travel to the North Sea for an encounter with a lightning storm and an oil rig. It’s an impressive scene with nice effects; I just wish our boats didn’t float so quickly past it. Our narrator reminds us that “Norway’s spirit has always been, and always will be, adventure!” as we float through the storm. We conclude our journey in a well-themed Norwegian fishing village. It’s time for a brief wait before we enter a theater to reinforce the Spirit of Norway.
The Last Ones to Take the Journey
Maelstrom sadly took guests on their final journeys on October 5th, 2014. Frozen had become a big hit a year earlier, and Disney thought this was the perfect spot to showcase their juggernaut movie. Crowds had diminished in Maelstrom’s later years; I remember basically walking on it in our last few rides there in 2012. Even so, it was sad to lose such a fun and strange attraction. When you pack Vikings, trolls, polar bears, and oil rigs into a four-minute package, it’s bound to be a little odd.
What I love about Maelstrom is how that peculiar mix of elements came together into a fun experience. It’s hard to go wrong with a boat ride, especially one with multiple drops and a backwards section. I completely understand why Disney chose to replace it, though I would have preferred seeing Frozen Ever After in another park or even in addition to Maelstrom. It’s still a fun ride, largely because of the same thrills that made its predecessor succeed.
I’m glad we got the chance to enjoy Maelstrom for 27 years, and it lives on in memories and videos. They give us the chance to once again encounter trolls, journey back over the falls, and experience the spirit of Norway. I hope that you’ve enjoyed this glimpse back at one of EPCOT’s classic dark rides! I still miss it but appreciate the portions that remain in the current attraction.
What did you think about Maelstrom? Leave your thoughts below in the comments!
Sources: Mark Rhodes Podcast Interview, Martin’s Vids Norway Ultimate Tribute, Disney Parks Scripts.com
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Never Forget! We always wear our Maelstrom shirts on the ride and the international cast always seemed to appreciate it.
Definitely! It was a real gem, and it’s still too bad that it couldn’t stay in place even with some updates.
Yeah, I remember it. It wasn’t the best ride in Disney World at the time, but it was certainty a LOT better than the one in Canada! God I still can’t get that tune out of my head!
I feel like there are a lot of songs, especially from early EPCOT, that never really leave my brain. They’re basically always there!
Do you know where the little boy looking at the longboat was filmed? ie what museum in Norway
I’m sorry to say that I’m not sure. I tried to look online but couldn’t find any specific details. I’d love to know where it was filmed.