Get ready for some exciting news about the beloved Frozen Ever After attraction! After undergoing significant refurbishments, this ride is set to reopen soon, and it's not just about new Audio-Animatronics. In an interview with the Orlando Sentinel, Ken Ricci from Walt Disney Imagineering shared intriguing details about the enhancements being made to create a more immersive experience for visitors.
Refurbishment Highlights
Frozen Ever After is scheduled to reopen its doors on Thursday, February 12, 2026, as confirmed by the Walt Disney World calendar. The attraction has been closed since January 26, undergoing a transformation that includes the introduction of new Audio-Animatronics representing Anna, Elsa, and Kristoff, now featuring realistic physical faces instead of previous projection technology.
In the insightful conversation, Ricci emphasized that the refurbishment allowed the team to improve various aspects of the ride beyond just updating the animatronic figures. During this downtime, Disney took the opportunity to refresh several components, including:
- New animatronic heads crafted with silicone skin for a more lifelike appearance
- An upgraded show control system to enhance performance
- Revitalized show lighting for a vibrant atmosphere
- Touch-ups throughout the set to ensure everything looks pristine
Ricci stated, "Anytime an attraction goes down, we seize the chance to refresh what we can. We've made many updates, including some adjustments to the show lighting to provide a newly invigorated look."
He elaborated on the transition from the old projection-based faces to the new, more dynamic heads, explaining, "This upgrade features articulated heads with silicone skin, which required us to modify the existing figures’ necks to accommodate the new designs. We invested time in pre-planning with cutting-edge technology and software to ensure a smooth integration of these figures."
As of now, the team at Walt Disney Imagineering is busy testing these updates to ensure everything is ready for the grand reopening next week.
Originally opening at EPCOT in 2016, Frozen Ever After utilized projected faces on its animatronics. However, with the recent launch of World of Frozen at Hong Kong Disneyland in 2023, which showcased technical improvements including articulated, physical-faced Audio-Animatronics, the EPCOT version is finally receiving similar upgrades.
If you’re eager for a glimpse of the Hong Kong Disneyland version, be sure to check out our point-of-view video below.
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