Frozen's Face Lift

After nearly a decade of serving up icy adventures through Arendelle, EPCOT's beloved Frozen Ever After ride is about to look a whole lot different. Disney has confirmed that the attraction will temporarily close on January 26, 2026, for what might be the most anticipated upgrade since the ride first opened its doors in 2016.

The big news? Anna, Elsa, and Kristoff are getting completely new faces. And no, we're not talking about a quick touch-up with some paint and polish—these characters are receiving next-generation animatronic technology that promises to finally bring them into alignment with what Disney has achieved at its newer parks around the world.

What's Actually Changing?

Let's get straight to it: Disney is replacing the projected faces on the main character animatronics with fully sculpted, three-dimensional faces. If you've ridden Frozen Ever After at EPCOT and thought something looked a bit... off... about the human characters, you weren't alone. While the original figures were groundbreaking when they debuted—they were the first all-electric animatronics Disney ever created—the projected face technology never quite landed the way Imagineers hoped.

The result was characters with smooth, bulbous heads onto which animated faces were projected. It worked in theory, allowing for more fluid facial expressions and movement. In practice? Many guests found them unsettling, describing everything from "uncanny valley vibes" to straight-up "nightmare fuel." Meanwhile, Olaf, who had a traditionally sculpted face from the beginning, looked perfectly charming.

The new versions take inspiration from the World of Frozen land at Hong Kong Disneyland, which opened in 2023. Those animatronics are genuinely stunning—lifelike in a way that makes you do a double-take. The faces are sculpted with incredible detail, capturing the characters' appearances from the films with remarkable accuracy. If you've seen videos from Hong Kong, you know exactly why EPCOT guests have been clamoring for this upgrade.

Why It Took This Long

You might be wondering: if the Hong Kong versions debuted in 2023, why is EPCOT only getting them now? Fair question. Disney theme park operations are complex beasts, especially when you're dealing with one of the most popular attractions at one of the world's busiest theme parks.

Frozen Ever After consistently pulls massive wait times at EPCOT. Taking it offline, even briefly, requires careful timing. Disney typically saves major refurbishments for slower periods, and late January fits that bill perfectly—holiday crowds have dispersed, spring break hasn't started, and the annual EPCOT Festival of the Arts has only just begun.

There's also the matter of manufacturing and logistics. These aren't off-the-shelf figures; each animatronic is custom-built, programmed, and tested extensively before installation. The Hong Kong versions needed to prove themselves reliable before Disney would commit to duplicating the technology elsewhere. Now that they've successfully operated for over two years without major issues, the green light came through for the EPCOT upgrade.

What to Expect During the Closure

Disney has confirmed the ride will close on January 26, with plans to reopen sometime in February. The company hasn't committed to a specific reopening date, which is standard practice—it gives them flexibility if the installation hits any snags.

That said, the timeline suggests this should be relatively straightforward. Only three animatronic figures need replacing (Anna, Elsa, and Kristoff), and it's essentially a one-for-one swap. The ride infrastructure, programming, and show scenes aren't changing. Disney will remove the old figures, install the new ones, calibrate the programming, run extensive testing, and reopen.

Industry watchers expect the ride to be back online before Presidents' Day weekend (February 17 in 2026), which would give Disney roughly three weeks to complete the work. That timing would also ensure the attraction is operational during one of EPCOT's busiest stretches of the winter season.

The Bigger Picture: Why This Matters

This upgrade represents more than just fixing some dodgy-looking faces. It's a statement about Disney's commitment to keeping its attractions up to contemporary standards, even when those attractions are less than a decade old.

The original Frozen Ever After was rushed into development. When Frozen became a cultural phenomenon in 2013-2014, Disney needed to capitalize on that momentum immediately. The Norway Pavilion's existing Maelstrom boat ride provided the perfect opportunity—similar ride system, appropriate thematic connection, and a location that desperately needed an attendance boost.

Imagineering transformed Maelstrom into Frozen Ever After in record time, opening in June 2016. But that speed came with compromises. The projected face technology, while innovative, wasn't quite ready for primetime. The ride scenes were compressed. The story felt somewhat disjointed.

Now, Disney is taking the time to polish those rough edges. It's unlikely this will be the last upgrade Frozen Ever After receives, either. With Frozen remaining enormously popular (and a third film currently in development), this attraction represents valuable real estate for one of Disney's most lucrative franchises.

Should You Wait to Visit?

If you're planning an EPCOT trip in late January or early February, the closure is worth factoring into your plans. Frozen Ever After typically carries one of the longest wait times in the park—often 60-90 minutes during busy periods, sometimes longer.

However, here's the thing: EPCOT has plenty of other attractions to fill your day. Test Track, Guardians of the Cosmic Rewind, Remy's Ratatouille Adventure, and Soarin' all provide compelling alternatives. The World Showcase offers a full day's worth of dining, shopping, and cultural experiences. You won't be hurting for things to do.

If seeing the upgraded animatronics is a priority, you'll want to plan your visit for mid-to-late February or beyond. Just keep in mind that Disney hasn't released a specific reopening date, so there's some risk involved in banking on a particular week.

For Florida residents or annual passholders who visit frequently, waiting makes perfect sense. Why experience the old version when you could see the vastly improved one just a few weeks later? For families traveling from out of state or internationally on a once-in-a-lifetime trip, you probably shouldn't let this closure dictate your entire schedule—but it's definitely worth considering as you map out your EPCOT day.

The Technology Behind the Magic

For theme park nerds (guilty as charged), the technical evolution here is fascinating. When Frozen Ever After first opened, the all-electric animatronics represented a significant departure from traditional pneumatic and hydraulic systems. Electric motors allowed for more precise, nuanced movements and required less maintenance.

The projected face system worked by using tiny projectors embedded in the figures' torsos, beaming animated faces onto specially contoured head surfaces. This theoretically allowed for unlimited facial expressions and easy updates—just change the animation file.

The reality proved messier. Projection alignment required constant calibration. Ambient lighting affected visibility. The smooth head shapes that worked for projection never looked quite right to human eyes, triggering that uncanny valley response.

The Hong Kong solution solved these issues by going old-school: traditional sculpted faces with articulated features. But it wasn't just a throwback—these faces benefit from modern materials, 3D printing technology, and sophisticated servos that allow for remarkably lifelike movement. They capture minute details like Elsa's cheekbones, Anna's freckles, and Kristoff's facial structure with stunning accuracy.

What About Other Frozen Experiences?

This upgrade comes as Disney continues expanding Frozen's presence across its global parks. A completely new version of Frozen Ever After opens at Disneyland Paris (soon to be renamed Disney Adventure World) on March 29, 2026. Tokyo DisneySea has Anna and Elsa's Frozen Journey, a totally different dark ride that opened in 2024.

Hong Kong's World of Frozen remains the gold standard, though—an entire themed land with the enhanced ride, shops, dining, and even a walking Olaf animatronic that freely roams the area. That latter touch still hasn't made its way to any other Disney park, and honestly, it's just showing off at this point.

There's been speculation for years that Walt Disney World might eventually build a full Frozen land, similar to Hong Kong's. EPCOT has limited expansion room, but the current ride location in the Norway Pavilion could theoretically expand backward into unused space. However, Disney hasn't announced any such plans, and with major construction projects already underway (like the Tropical Americas land replacing DinoLand at Animal Kingdom), it's unlikely we'll see a Frozen expansion at WDW anytime soon.

The Verdict

After years of guests politely (and sometimes not-so-politely) critiquing the original animatronics, Disney is finally addressing the issue. The upgraded figures should bring Frozen Ever After in line with guest expectations and contemporary Disney standards.

It's a short closure for a meaningful improvement. Three weeks of downtime is a small price to pay for animatronics that will serve guests for the next decade or more. And for those of us who've ridden the Hong Kong version, the transformation is genuinely remarkable—you'll feel like you're looking at Anna and Elsa, not creepy projection experiments.

So if you're planning an EPCOT visit, mark your calendar: January 26 is the last day to experience the original version, and February brings the glow-up these beloved characters always deserved. The wait will be worth it.

Now if Disney could just do something about those cramped boat seats...

Fast Facts

Closure Date: January 26, 2026 (last operating day: January 25)

Reopening: February 2026 (specific date TBA)

What's Changing: Anna, Elsa, and Kristoff animatronics receiving sculpted faces and enhanced technology

What's Staying: Olaf, Sven, ride track, show scenes, storyline

Technology Source: Inspired by World of Frozen animatronics at Hong Kong Disneyland

Expected Closure Length: Approximately 3-4 weeks