Hallo og velkommen!
This is probably a pretty sad post for much of the Disney community. The loss of Maelstrom has been a hot topic for many moons on twitter, with most people expressing more attachment than I thought possible for this little boat ride in the corner of the World (Showcase). I didn’t ride Maelstrom as much as many rides – with it being so far from both of EPCOT’s gates, my disability made it difficult to get over there. I made sure to ride it a few weeks before its closure.
For the first time ever, this post has a recommended soundtrack. Lupe Fiasco’s “Never Forget You” (click to listen) fits the mood of this ride very well… Especially John Legend’s refrains:
Take me to that old familiar place
Take me to memories we won’t erase
Take me to all that we had
Good and the badI’ll never forget you
I’ll never let you go
I’ll never forget you
I’ll always remember, I hope you know…
Alright, enough waxing poetic about empty longboats sailing to distant shores unknown, and on with the pictures! I have to thank Amy for sharing so many pictures to fill in the gaps I had from my one night of shooting. Her photos are watermarked @AmyLPlant, and I highly recommend you follow her on twitter to see her awesome work. My fiancee threw in a great photo as well – thank you, love!
I’ve randomized the galleries below. I hope you enjoy them! You’ll find that there are many repeated shots from slightly different angles; that’s not accidental – I wanted to share as many shots of this now-closed ride as possible and really cover my bases.
I took these photos with a Canon 6D, using my 28mm f/1.8, 50mm f/1.4, and 8mm f/3.5 lenses. Amy shot her photos with her iPhone 5s.
Enjoy, and click to enlarge,
-ADA
@AtDisneyAgain
Norway Pavilion exterior:
Sepia-toned sadness.
Empty. Calm. Perfect.
Light details.
Empty. Calm. Perfect.
Empty. Calm. Perfect.
Empty. Calm. Perfect.
Warning: You may get rebranded.
Spirits of Norway (this is full-res on my Flickr).
Empty. Calm. Perfect.
Used to be SeaVenture… I wonder how much THAT sign sold for.
It’s almost like the Aurora Borealis
One of my favorite shots ever.
Doors closed.
The sun setting on Maelstrom… Poetical and such
The sun setting on Maelstrom… Poetical and such
Hans from the Southern Isles.
Empty. Calm. Perfect.
Empty. Calm. Perfect.
Empty. Calm. Perfect.
Empty. Calm. Perfect.
Empty. Calm. Perfect.
I love these shops and facades.
The sun setting on Maelstrom… Poetical and such
Empty. Calm. Perfect.
It’s made from melted Olaf.
The front side of water!
The sun setting on Maelstrom… Poetical and such
Empty. Calm. Perfect.
Maelstrom queue and loading area:
The boat is biting the owner of the fabulous coif.
My spirit animal.
That oil
See? Full of great info.
Left to right, how Norway evolved.
THE MURAL!
Some of her last riders…
How Vikings saw the world.
World’s largest Viking
Flags, Norway Pavilion always displays these with such pride
A mural full of info… I loved reading about the historical finds.
This kid is my Norwegian gangster spirit animal
that hair
More flags
DAT MURAL
Informative AND pretty
He’s all about that oil
I would buy a print of this map…
Your cruise director is brave and stoic
Map full of great information about archaeological finds.
I wonder what it looks like now
Ride vehicles:
Pulling into unload
Empty longboat… forever.
Pulling into unload
He’s cringing about Frozen.
I just love the surfer hair.
They’re in awe of the hair.
On the ride:
Puffins roost
X marks the spot (for Olaf)…
Back, back, over the falls!
Hans?
Another troll… probably on twitter.
Wheee!
Anorexibear
Bye, now :(
My twitter idol.
Oil! Texas tea!
Eye of Odin
I wish the ride explained this stuff more… I wanted more culture, just too short of a ride I guess…
The less-anorexic of the polar bears.
#SelfieMagic
POUND THE ALARM
This guy’s definitely on twitter…
Wait for the drop!
Destination unknown :(
My twitter idol.
My twitter idol.
EPCOT Fanboys bathing in the warm glow of Maelstrom’s presence
This village later burned to the ground
Frozen storyboards.
Destination unknown
Bret and Mark enjoy trolling
Soon to be Elsa
Okay bye!
Unexplained totems
Setting sail
I couldn’t get a decent shot of this.
I hope they’re in a better place…
Wasting away in Anna and Elsaville…
This room is a mix between Norway and Rainforest Cafe.
Unload area and show:
Unload area building
I love this fishing village – so well done
I love this fishing village – so well done
I love this fishing village – so well done
Best seats ever
The theater at the end of the ride
I love this fishing village – so well done
Best seats ever
The ship will sail no more
I love this fishing village – so well done
Shores of the fishing village
The boat
A different angle on the greatest seats in all the land
I love this fishing village – so well done
Best seats ever
This is clearly an exterior light… but it’s inside! Disney magic, folks!
I love this fishing village – so well done
Pulling into unload
I love this fishing village – so well done
I love this fishing village – so well done
Mark and Bret – Maelstrom superfans
A child in wonder
I love this fishing village – so well done
I love this fishing village – so well done
I love this fishing village – so well done
Best seats ever
A lamp inside one of the houses
Pulling into unload
I love this fishing village – so well done
I love this fishing village – so well done
Pulling into unload
Pulling into unload
I love this fishing village – so well done
I love this fishing village – so well done
The child makes sweet, sweet contact with the boat
Pavilion interiors:
Poor homeless troll
Tourism posters in the exit area
Dedication plaque
Chandelier
Tourism poster
Flags, Norway Pavilion always displays these with such pride
Lacy detail
Lots of wood
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Great post! Our trip was a couple weeks too late for one final ride on my favorite World Showcase attraction. The tears welled up as I walked around the exterior and the ride’s exit door into the gift shop. I wanted to open that door and peek inside. Hubby wore his Maelstrom shirt on our last day in the parks.