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:
Empty. Calm. Perfect.
Empty. Calm. Perfect.
The front side of water!
Used to be SeaVenture… I wonder how much THAT sign sold for.
Sepia-toned sadness.
Empty. Calm. Perfect.
Empty. Calm. Perfect.
Empty. Calm. Perfect.
Empty. Calm. Perfect.
Spirits of Norway (this is full-res on my Flickr).
The sun setting on Maelstrom… Poetical and such
Hans from the Southern Isles.
Empty. Calm. Perfect.
Empty. Calm. Perfect.
Light details.
Empty. Calm. Perfect.
The sun setting on Maelstrom… Poetical and such
Doors closed.
It’s almost like the Aurora Borealis
The sun setting on Maelstrom… Poetical and such
The sun setting on Maelstrom… Poetical and such
It’s made from melted Olaf.
Empty. Calm. Perfect.
One of my favorite shots ever.
Empty. Calm. Perfect.
Warning: You may get rebranded.
Empty. Calm. Perfect.
I love these shops and facades.
Maelstrom queue and loading area:
I would buy a print of this map…
My spirit animal.
Some of her last riders…
Flags, Norway Pavilion always displays these with such pride
Your cruise director is brave and stoic
THE MURAL!
World’s largest Viking
More flags
Informative AND pretty
that hair
I wonder what it looks like now
That oil
Left to right, how Norway evolved.
This kid is my Norwegian gangster spirit animal
How Vikings saw the world.
He’s all about that oil
The boat is biting the owner of the fabulous coif.
See? Full of great info.
DAT MURAL
Map full of great information about archaeological finds.
A mural full of info… I loved reading about the historical finds.
Ride vehicles:
Pulling into unload
I just love the surfer hair.
Empty longboat… forever.
He’s cringing about Frozen.
Pulling into unload
They’re in awe of the hair.
On the ride:
Hans?
Eye of Odin
Destination unknown
Frozen storyboards.
Puffins roost
Back, back, over the falls!
This village later burned to the ground
Wasting away in Anna and Elsaville…
Wheee!
This guy’s definitely on twitter…
My twitter idol.
The less-anorexic of the polar bears.
Oil! Texas tea!
I wish the ride explained this stuff more… I wanted more culture, just too short of a ride I guess…
Destination unknown :(
My twitter idol.
Another troll… probably on twitter.
POUND THE ALARM
X marks the spot (for Olaf)…
Unexplained totems
#SelfieMagic
Setting sail
I couldn’t get a decent shot of this.
Anorexibear
I hope they’re in a better place…
This room is a mix between Norway and Rainforest Cafe.
My twitter idol.
Soon to be Elsa
Bye, now :(
Bret and Mark enjoy trolling
EPCOT Fanboys bathing in the warm glow of Maelstrom’s presence
Okay bye!
Wait for the drop!
Unload area and show:
I love this fishing village – so well done
A different angle on the greatest seats in all the land
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
I love this fishing village – so well done
The ship will sail no more
I love this fishing village – so well done
I love this fishing village – so well done
I love this fishing village – so well done
A lamp inside one of the houses
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
Mark and Bret – Maelstrom superfans
Pulling into unload
I love this fishing village – so well done
Best seats ever
Best seats ever
I love this fishing village – so well done
Best seats ever
I love this fishing village – so well done
Pulling into unload
Unload area building
This is clearly an exterior light… but it’s inside! Disney magic, folks!
I love this fishing village – so well done
I love this fishing village – so well done
Shores of the fishing village
The theater at the end of the ride
The boat
Pulling into unload
A child in wonder
I love this fishing village – so well done
Pulling into unload
Pavilion interiors:
Flags, Norway Pavilion always displays these with such pride
Dedication plaque
Lacy detail
Tourism poster
Poor homeless troll
Chandelier
Tourism posters in the exit area
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.