by Donald Wood
Last updated: 2:00 PM ET, Wed April 20, 2016
On Tuesday, the media was invited to a behind-the-scenes look at the new "Frozen Ever After" attraction being built at Walt Disney World's Epcot theme park.
The Frozen Ever After ride will be taking the place of the Maelstrom attraction inside the Norway pavilion in Epcot, with construction already underway and a targeted completion date in June, according to Disney.
Media members were not permitted to enter the ride itself, but gained access to the meet-and-greet area-dubbed the Royal Sommerhus-where visitors will be able to interact with Elsa and Anna from the "Frozen" movie.
While Disney officials did not allow cameras in the construction zone, the architecture of the Norway pavilion will be extended and will now feature a gift shop. Frozen Ever After assistant project manager Lauren Niederhiser told the Orlando Sentinel, "We're really extending that architectural story of the Norway pavilion over to this side, which is more of a rural, countryside vibe."
Frozen Ever After will also have some similarities to the former Maelstrom attraction, with guests boarding boats similar to the old ride and sailing up the river to the North Mountain and Elsa's ice palace. There, passengers will be greeted by their favorite characters and music from the film.
The Frozen Ever After attraction isn't the only ride getting an overhaul, as "Soarin'" has now been renamed "Soarin' Around the World" and will feature new film presentation, advanced technology and a third level with more flights.
Soarin' Around the World art director Jason Grandt told the Orlando Sentinel, "We're taking our guests on this epic journey that spans six continents and shows them some of the greatest wonders of the world like the Great Wall of China. The sights you're going to see are going to be stunning, crystal-clear and unlike anything you've ever seen. Imagineering has sort of created this one-of-kind, unique camera system that delivers the highest resolution film imagery anywhere. … We've coupled that with a new laser projection system."
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