There are log flumes, and then there’s Frozen Ever After, which takes the concept to another level.
It’s the flagship attraction in the new World of Frozen extension to Walt Disney Studios Park in Disneyland Paris, and during a sneak peek of the entire land before it opens to the public, I’m discovering that it’s worth the price of admission alone – though parents of young children be warned: there is a scary section at the end.
Frozen Ever After is billed as a musical boat ride into the story of Frozen, and it delivers on that promise.
I climb aboard with my partner and eight-year-old daughter, Emma, and we’re quickly left awe-struck as our boat drifts past stunning scenes featuring life-like animatronic Frozen characters – including princesses Elsa and Anna, Kristoff and his reindeer Sven, cute rock trolls, and Olaf the snowman – who sing and dance their way through some of the fantasy film’s greatest hits.
One of the most magical moments is when the boat is turned around and we drift backwards through a misty tunnel.
Towards the end, the boat is held at the top of a steep drop, as the “Marshmallow” snow-monster that Elsa creates in the movie bellows “going down!”
Emma begins to feel nervous and the drop is stomach-churning enough to leave her feeling a bit shaken (though she says she’ll ride it again and I think most kids, even young ones, will be entranced).
The inevitable pre-exit gift shop proves equally captivating for Emma, but we manage to escape with our budget relatively unscathed, dented only by a €42 pillowy Olaf hoodie and a €10 Frozen bag.
Emma can’t resist putting the hoodie on straightaway and poses for photos in front of the mesmerising architecture of World of Frozen – which is a life-size recreation of the kingdom of Arendelle, where we meet the characters in the movie.
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You’ll feel fully immersed in the make-believe Frozen world as you stroll in front of pastel-coloured storybook buildings, an eye-catching snowflake-shaped fountain, and around a town square that comes complete with a charming clock tower.
Framing the square is the North Mountain – standing 118 feet in height (36m) and blanketed in remarkably realistic fake snow – crowned by Elsa’s Ice Palace. Next door is the castle she grew up in with her sister, Anna, which overlooks Arendelle Bay.
We linger on a walkway by this small lake to watch Frozen characters on Viking-style show barges perform uplifting new songs by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, the multi-award-winning songwriting duo behind some of the songs from the Frozen movie, including “Let It Go”.
For food, the village has a cosy quick-service restaurant called Nordic Crowns Tavern, but we head around the extension’s vast new Adventure Bay to elegant Regal View Restaurant, for a lunch with North Mountain views and character “meet-and-greets” that surpass expectations.
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The dishes are gourmet from beginning to end.
I start with fresh bluefin tuna tataki, then tuck into succulent roast guinea fowl for my main, and am left wondering whether a Michelin star could be coming Regal View’s way when my dessert arrives: chocolate and white mousse cleverly fashioned into a little “book”.
Along the way, Emma has a hug and a photo with Mulan, Merida from Brave, Princess Jasmine from Aladdin, and Ariel from The Little Mermaid.
Afterwards, the Raiponce Tangled Spin ride opposite, which whirls us around in gondolas beneath frescoes depicting Rapunzel’s adventures in animation Tangled, is gentle enough to leave our lunches undisturbed.
It’s much more Emma’s cup of tea, and an enchanting final flourish to our World of Frozen exploration.
On Sunday, March 29, the land opens to the public and Walt Disney Studios Park will be relaunched as Disney Adventure World (I know, so many worlds).
Disney has spent billions of euros on it all, and you certainly get what the company paid for: pure magic. And that’s the verdict of a true Disney expert: an eight-year-old Frozen fan.
Ted visited Disney Adventure World as a guest of Disneyland Paris
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