Norway, worst pavilion

[emman]

I visited EPCOT for the first time last year, and was very excited about everything in the parks, until I got to ride Maelstrom in the Norway Pavilion, I dont know much about Norway´s history and heritage, but I am pretty sure Disney can pull off a much better ride than that, what do u think?

[Kileli]

I liked the Malestrom. Cool ride. Why didn't you like it? It's more advanced than It's a small world.

[ryguy222]

I liked Maelstrom, it was fun. What do you mean they can do better? Its pretty good for a boat ride. It has animatronics, some pretty sweet effects. I don't see it as a bad ride at all. Now if Disney went all out on that paticular ride, they'd have to spend much more time, and lots more money. They can always do better if they have the time and money, but it was not there goal to make an amazing attraction that stood out from all the other pavilions.
It almost sounds as if you think this ride ruined your most of your experience at epcot. They created most of the rides at epcot when it opened back in 1982, and back then this was considered high tech stuff. Even today I'm a bit astounded as how some of the ride works.
I'm a bit confused why a bad ride in your opinion makes that pavilion the worst. Get all that new stuff, like DCA, and the new stuff at DLR out of your mind when you go into the world showcase, or epcot. Most of the stuff there is 25 years old.

[PeoplemoverMatt]

Malestrom is a little goofy and a little bewildering to think that it's a Disney ride, but it's also designed in the Fantasyland dark ride template. It's done with viking boats on water because, well, viking boats and water are a big part of Norway. IMO it's fine for what it is.

-- PMM

[One Swell Bear]

Norway is one of the the three world showcase pravillions(along with Mexico and Japan) I have to go to in order leave the park happy. Sure each time I go to Malestrom it has a 35 minute wait, but I don't care. I actually like it, and that says something. lol!

[Mad About Mickey]

I actually went on the Maelstrom because I'd seen a video of it on VF and thought it looked so bizarre and weird that I had to go on it. It was even weirder than I hoped and I loved it.

[emman]

I didnt like it because I saw a video on youtube before my visit to EPCOT, thought that Maelstrom was one of the coolest rides to look for in my trip, but did not live to the expectations, I know these rides are 25 years old, but there are rides much older than that which are way cooler and better made, take the original fantasyland dark rides for instance, and I dont criticize the high tech part, every ride has a technological achievement on its own, but I dont know why, I simply expected more of the ride, did not accomplish, as for why is it the worst, IMO, the movie could have been enough, and the ride could have been saved for japan.

[nortonkids4]

I went to WDW for the first time in the end of June, and I thought Norway was neat! For some strange reason, although it was like 90 outside it had a five minute wait too. And although the ride may not have been a realistic version of Norway, at least it did have a video to watch about Norway at the end!

However, I will agree it didn't scream "Disney ride" to me. It kinda reminded me of the log ride at Knotts, kinda neat and cute, but it didn't have that charm. But, if I do ever go back, I'd still see it again.

[WDITrent]

I think the Norway Pavilion's only flaw is their very cheezy movie at the exit of Maelstrom. It needs to find a sponsor and have it updated. Maybe Maelstrom could be updated too. But I'm just saying that Norway is great and definetely NOT the worst pavilion.

[Palm Desert Babe]

I was just there on Sunday! lol. I didn't think Norway was that bad. We rode the maelstrom and I thought it was pretty good. We didn't stay for the movie, cuz ppl were taking too long to get seated, and we wanted to continue going around the world...but I thought it was well done.

[disney-fan-forever]

I went to WDW last December, and I found that the Epcot World Showcase was the best experience out of any other. Norway is very nice. However, like most everybody posting, they could update the Maelstrom a little. Maybe a hint of POTC, from the third film, just to tie it in to Disney a little more. But other than that Norway was a very enjoyable experience. I feel the worst pavilion was Italy. I love Italy, and this pavilion was very detailed and all, but there is just nothing to do there but shop. There are what, five stores, and only 1 dining location and no attractions. I find this pavilion to be the absolute most boring of them all.

[Palm Desert Babe]

^I agree with you. My family and I just walked right by that one.

In my opinion, the best pavilion was China. That was the most interesting for me. I bought a cool fan, and chinese shoes.

Back to Norway....I don't think it was the best, but it most certainly wasn't the worst. The troll in the gift shop was really funny. My cousin took a picture with it. lol

[Jezebel]

I've always loved maelstrom. sure it is considerably small a short for a Disney ride. but a classic none the less

[PeoplemoverMatt]

Malestrom could be improved if it had a better ending I think. And by that, I mean if it had any sort of ending at all. The last drop into a lake with an oil rig in a thunderstorm with the exit beyond that room is a tad bit anti-climactic to me. Sure off-shore drilling is a huge part of Norway, but it seems like this kind of stuff could be reorganized a bit into something that shows Norway's culture, but is more compelling and engaging for the ride's audience.

-- PMM

[HMF]

They could update the film at the end so it does not show computer systems that were around before I was born.