EPCOT Is Finally Fixing One Of Their Biggest Maintenance Issues

by

The Frozen Ever After ride at EPCOT in Walt Disney World is currently closed for some scheduled updates. Crews are working on the ride’s animatronic figures. It closed on January 26, 2026, and is expected to reopen in February 2026, though Disney hasn’t announced an exact reopening date yet.

Disney is upgrading the Anna, Elsa, and Kristoff figures on the ride with more detailed, sculpted faces. Previously, the ride used a projection effect for their faces since it opened in 2016. The new figures are based on the highly advanced animatronics currently featured on the World of Frozen ride at Hong Kong Disneyland.

When the attraction first opened, it stood out for its innovative use of projected faces, combining cutting-edge, all-electric Audio-Animatronics with 3D printing. Although this technology was new, some guests found the realistic faces unsettling, experiencing what’s known as the ‘uncanny valley’ effect. Additionally, the glowing faces proved difficult to maintain.

Disney park officials say the updated figures now look and move more realistically, closely matching how the characters appear in the Frozen movies. These improvements will make the ride experience more consistent and visually appealing.

Background on the Original Frozen Ever After Animatronic System

When the Frozen Ever After ride opened at EPCOT in 2016, it introduced a new technology for character faces. Instead of traditional sculpted faces, the ride used rear-projection to display digital expressions on 3D masks for several characters. This was combined with animatronic bodies powered entirely by electricity, moving away from the older hydraulic systems used in many other Disney attractions.

Disney initially presented this technology as a method for creating incredibly realistic facial expressions and more fluid movement in its attractions. Comparable projection methods were also featured in other new attractions debuting at the time.

Observed Reliability Challenges

The faces created using projection technology often caused problems for visitors and were widely discussed in theme park news because they weren’t working reliably.

Commonly reported problems included:

During the ride, several technical issues affected the projected characters, including blank or faded faces, misaligned features, expressions that froze or repeated, and instances where individual figures temporarily shut down, even though the ride itself kept running.

These problems were apparent even while the ride was running normally and didn’t need it to be stopped to be detected. This led to ongoing repair work for EPCOT.

Environmental and Operational Factors

Animatronics that use projections are easily affected by their surroundings. For example, the Frozen Ever After ride uses a water-based system which means it deals with a lot of humidity, changes in temperature, and shaking from the ride vehicles.

Industry experts and ride engineers have noted that projection systems require:

• Precise alignment
• Stable lighting conditions
• Frequent calibration
• Clean projection surfaces

Changes to the scanning process can reduce the quality of the final image. However, faces created with detailed sculpting are less dependent on precise digital positioning and can handle slight variations in scanning conditions better.

Maintenance Complexity Compared to Sculpted Figures

Keeping things running smoothly in EPCOT also presented difficulties, especially with the projection displays. These displays rely on a complex combination of moving parts, digital technology, and optics. If something goes wrong with a projection, it can require attention from multiple teams to fix.

• Software troubleshooting
• Hardware replacement
• Optical recalibration

Animatronic faces that are fully sculpted, though intricate to build, generally have fewer parts that rely on each other. This makes them more reliable and easier to maintain.

Context

This is the first significant makeover for the Frozen Ever After ride since it first opened. It took the place of the Maelstrom attraction in EPCOT’s Norway Pavilion ten years ago and has been a guest favorite ever since.

Even though the Frozen Ever After ride is currently unavailable for guests, the Norway Pavilion still has things to enjoy, like meeting Disney characters and exploring cultural displays. Disney has announced the ride will be closed for refurbishment until early February, and this work is happening alongside other improvements being made around EPCOT.

The recent temporary closure has caused some guests to change their vacation plans, particularly those with trips planned to EPCOT in late January. When the work is finished, the attraction will feature Disney’s newest advancements in animatronics and offer a more visually impressive experience.

Read More

2026-01-31 22:57