The popular Frozen Ever After boat ride at Epcot in Walt Disney World will be temporarily closed for updates starting January 26, 2026. It’s expected to reopen in February 2026.
Main characters Anna, Elsa, and Kristoff are slated to receive updated Audio-Animatronics.
The Old Projection-Based System
For years, the ride has used projected or “screen‑face” figures for those characters.
This updated version will feature characters with detailed, sculpted faces, similar to the advanced designs and technology used in Hong Kong Disneyland’s World of Frozen.
When the ride first launched in 2016, it was a groundbreaking Disney attraction, being the first to use completely electric-powered animatronics. These figures were built with electric motors and 3D-printed parts, a significant change from the older hydraulic and air-powered systems used in many previous rides. While Disney had previously used projections on characters like Buzz Lightyear, this ride took the technology much further. The new technique allowed the characters’ faces to show realistic expressions and lip movements that matched their spoken lines.
When Frozen Ever After opened, reactions were mixed. Some people pointed out that the glowing faces of the animatronics looked strange and unnatural compared to the rest of their bodies, creating an unsettling effect.
Using projected faces proved difficult to maintain. Projectors sometimes broke or got out of alignment, and bright lights inside the ride often made the projected faces hard to see. Because of these problems, Disney ultimately decided to replace the projections with solid, sculpted heads.
Upcoming Changes
Recent theme park attractions have significantly improved how realistic characters look and act. The upcoming update to this ride will incorporate those advancements, giving the Frozen characters a more natural and seamless appearance. The new figures are designed to show consistent expressions without needing special projection technology. This will make the ride more reliable and visually impressive, bringing the detail of the characters closer to what guests experience in newer attractions like World of Frozen in Hong Kong Disneyland.
The renovation keeps the animatronics running entirely on electricity. Disney engineers are still using electric motors and updated controls, which give the figures smooth, accurate movements and also help them last longer by avoiding the problems that come with older hydraulic systems.
Background and Broader Context
The Frozen Ever After ride is getting a significant update to its characters, the biggest since it opened in 2016, replacing the former Maelstrom attraction. This improvement is part of a larger effort at Walt Disney World in 2026 to refresh older rides with newer technology and designs.
Previously, it was expected that Frozen Ever After would be updated starting in early 2026, but no firm dates were available. The announcement in December 2025 clarified this, confirming the start date and providing an estimated reopening timeframe.
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2025-12-07 20:56