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:

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.

It’s almost like the Aurora Borealis

Empty. Calm. Perfect.

Warning: You may get rebranded.

Empty. Calm. Perfect.

The sun setting on Maelstrom… Poetical and such

Empty. Calm. Perfect.

Empty. Calm. Perfect.

Empty. Calm. Perfect.

Empty. Calm. Perfect.

Light details.

Spirits of Norway (this is full-res on my Flickr).

Hans from the Southern Isles.

Sepia-toned sadness.

One of my favorite shots ever.

Empty. Calm. Perfect.

The front side of water!

Empty. Calm. Perfect.

The sun setting on Maelstrom… Poetical and such

Doors closed.

Empty. Calm. Perfect.

The sun setting on Maelstrom… Poetical and such

The sun setting on Maelstrom… Poetical and such

Empty. Calm. Perfect.

Used to be SeaVenture… I wonder how much THAT sign sold for.

I love these shops and facades.

It’s made from melted Olaf.

Empty. Calm. Perfect.

Maelstrom queue and loading area:

A mural full of info… I loved reading about the historical finds.

Left to right, how Norway evolved.

The boat is biting the owner of the fabulous coif.

THE MURAL!

This kid is my Norwegian gangster spirit animal

I wonder what it looks like now

My spirit animal.

That oil

How Vikings saw the world.

Flags, Norway Pavilion always displays these with such pride

Map full of great information about archaeological finds.

Your cruise director is brave and stoic

See? Full of great info.

World’s largest Viking

I would buy a print of this map…

He’s all about that oil

More flags

DAT MURAL

Some of her last riders…

that hair

Informative AND pretty

Ride vehicles:

I just love the surfer hair.

They’re in awe of the hair.

He’s cringing about Frozen.

Pulling into unload

Empty longboat… forever.

Pulling into unload

On the ride:

I wish the ride explained this stuff more… I wanted more culture, just too short of a ride I guess…

X marks the spot (for Olaf)…

Bye, now :(

Bret and Mark enjoy trolling

Another troll… probably on twitter.

Back, back, over the falls!

I hope they’re in a better place…

My twitter idol.

Soon to be Elsa

Wait for the drop!

My twitter idol.

My twitter idol.

Anorexibear

Okay bye!

Unexplained totems

The less-anorexic of the polar bears.

POUND THE ALARM

Frozen storyboards.

#SelfieMagic

This village later burned to the ground

Wasting away in Anna and Elsaville…

Destination unknown :(

I couldn’t get a decent shot of this.

Wheee!

This room is a mix between Norway and Rainforest Cafe.

Destination unknown

Oil! Texas tea!

Hans?

Puffins roost

Eye of Odin

Setting sail

EPCOT Fanboys bathing in the warm glow of Maelstrom’s presence

This guy’s definitely on twitter…

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 theater at the end of the ride

Shores of the fishing village

I love this fishing village – so well done

I love this fishing village – so well done

Pulling into unload

This is clearly an exterior light… but it’s inside! Disney magic, folks!

Pulling into unload

I love this fishing village – so well done

I love this fishing village – so well done

A child in wonder

The ship will sail no more

I love this fishing village – so well done

Pulling into unload

Best seats ever

Best seats ever

I love this fishing village – so well done

A lamp inside one of the houses

I love this fishing village – so well done

Best seats ever

I love this fishing village – so well done

Best seats ever

I love this fishing village – so well done

Mark and Bret – Maelstrom superfans

I love this fishing village – so well done

The child makes sweet, sweet contact with the boat

Unload area building

The boat

I love this fishing village – so well done

I love this fishing village – so well done

I love this fishing village – so well done

Pulling into unload

Pavilion interiors:

Tourism poster

Lacy detail

Tourism posters in the exit area

Dedication plaque

Flags, Norway Pavilion always displays these with such pride

Lots of wood

Chandelier

Poor homeless troll