PHOTO: Just imagine the handsome outdoorsman Kristof of Frozen taking Anna fishing on pristine Lake Leon in Norway. With Adventures by Disney’s Norway itinerary based on the hit film "Frozen", you can share the experience with your family.  (photos courtesy of Adventures by Disney)

The Walt Disney Company released its feature-length animated film "Frozen" on Thanksgiving weekend.

The instant hit starring Kristin Bell as Anna and Idina Mendel as Elsa, sisters who are as different as Norway’s sunny long days of summer and winter’s frigid sunless winter, has been propelled to number one at the box office eclipsing Catching Fire, the second film in the Hunger Games trilogy.

"Frozen" has generated steady lines at the theatre, new products at the stores just in time for Christmas, and great characters like the glamorous sisters to meet and great at the theme parks.

Also inspired by the film is an eight-day trip to Norway by Adventures by Disney. The family-oriented tour pays homage to the Frozen filmmakers’ love for the mythical Nordic country of Arendelle where a cheerful snowman named Olaf provides comic relief and a reindeer named Sven is loyal if not the sharpest point on the antlers.

How do you go from a film to a trip itinerary? Travelpulse’s West Coast Editor Thea Klapwald talks to Adventures By Disney director of trip development Heather Killingbeck about  the challenges and payoffs of planning a trip based around a hit film like "Frozen".  

Thea Klapwald: What was the most challenging aspect of planning the trip?

Heather: Deciding what not to include. Norway is a very large country filled with unique and compelling sites and adventurous locales. It was painful making final decisions but we are confident we have landed on an itinerary that both encompasses the inspired essence of the film as well as one that tells the most exciting story of Norway.

PHOTO: You can learn to dance just like the heroic character Anna in the comedic adventure film Frozen by Disney. Folk dancing is one of the activities at the heart of Norwegian’s ancient culture. The Adventures by Disney trip to Norway ensures that travelers experience and take part in the splendid history.  

TK: How did you narrow down the itinerary's choices and make it align with the movie?

It was not easy. But we knew that the sense of drama in Norway’s landscapes and seascapes would help drive both the theme of adventure in the film as well as itinerary choices.

The cities of Bergen and Oslo were the two obvious “bookends” for the itinerary … especially Bergen which was the storybook inspiration for Arendelle in the film.

And then, we found that western fjordland has the outdoor elements that provide perfect material for classic ABD itineraries: boating on the fjords, getting up close to a glacier, visiting stave churches (the architecture that inspired several of the buildings in the film), and exploring family farms.

TK: Is there anything to do with princesses, moose or snowmen on the itinerary?

There is always the off chance that one may see a moose or a reindeer in Norway. And the stories that our Adventure Guides will be telling our guests will include snippets about the royal family.

Snowmen however, will be a challenge as our trip takes place during the summer months. But for sure, Olaf, in some form or another, will make an appearance.

TK: Are the guides familiar with the movie? Have they all seen it?

Yes!

PHOTO: Take a stroll through the idyllic town of Bergen with Adventures by Disney on their eight-day itinerary to Norway. Bergen is one of the cities that provided inspiration to "Frozen" filmmakers for the creation of the mythical town Arendelle in the hit film by Disney. Kristen Bell stars as Anna the brave sister who must help restore summer to the frozen residents.

TK: At what point in the movie’s genesis did you decide to do an Adventures by Disney Norway trip?

We were brought on at a very early stage ... long before the film was finished but after the creators of the film had traveled to Norway.

TK: What best describes the overall tone and feel of the trip for potential travelers?

Our trip to Norway strikes a perfect balance of outdoor fun and exploration, cultural stories, culinary adventure, storybook villages, UNESCO World Heritage Sites and even mythical stories highlighting the trolls.

TK: What would you like people to come away with from the trip?

That Norway is worthy of a family vacation on its own. It is unique and different from its other Scandinavian neighbors with plenty of hidden gems and iconic places that will delight and thrill every guest.