Maelstrom opens at EPCOT July 5, 1988.

Maelstrom is a family-friendly adventure on a troll-tormented Viking ship from modern-day to historic Norway in the World Showcase area at Epcot theme park.

Come aboard for a stormy voyage through a Norwegian fjord, a troll-infested swamp and on to the North Sea via a thrilling backward plummet.

After departing a contemporary village, you'll be water-blasted to the past through a unique aquatic landscape. You never know what's around the next bend—you might even encounter polar bears and pirates!

Once you've dodged the trickster trolls and other obstacles, disembark in the safety of a calm harbor. Then watch a glorious 5-minute film that captures the remarkable beauty of Norway today.

Exploring Norway's heritage isn't going to be smooth sailing, so buck up like a Viking would!

Mælstrom is a dark ride and a traditional film attraction located in the Norway pavilion of the World Showcase at the Epcot theme park at Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. Visitors ride boats that are patterned after Viking ships and pass through various scenes with audio-animatronic figures. The attraction features a brief 28 foot drop near the climax of the boat ride.

The ride first takes visitors back to a mythological version of Norway's Viking days. The boats first pass through scenes of seafarers and Vikings. The boats then enter an enchanted swamp, and are forced backwards down a waterfall by angry trolls. The boats float rapidly past scenes of polar bears and living trees, before coming to a stop on the edge of another waterfall, exposed to the Norway pavilion's main thoroughfare. After again rotating to a forward-facing position, the boats plunge forward into the stormy North Sea. The boats pass dangerously close to an oil rig and the ride comes to an abrupt end in a calm harbor. After the ride, guests disembark and must wait to enter a theater where a short film about Norway is shown. The film is optional, but guests must wait for the previous film to finish before they can enter the theatre to watch the film or exit the ride.

The Mælstrom attraction was always conceived to be a boat ride, with a section that went backwards. The ride's plotline was originally going to be entirely centered around trolls, but the Norwegian sponsors wanted a ride that included other aspects of Norway.

If you are seeking Hidden Mickeys, look in the ride's loading area. A large painted mural includes many people and elements from Norway's history. Hidden in this painting is a Viking whose helmet has Mickey Mouse ears, and another figure wearing a Mickey Mouse watch.

Quick Facts:

World Showcase (Norway)

Attraction type - Boat voyage

Theme - history of mythological Norway

Opening date July 5, 1988

Vehicle type - 4 seat Viking boats

Vehicle capacity - 8 to 12

Cars per vehicle - 1

Ride duration - 4:47 minutes

Length - 964 ft (293.8 m)

Number of lifts - 1

Movie Length - 5:00 minutes

Capacity - 1920 per hour

 

  

Fun Fact: 

The dragon-headed longboats are inspired by the actual crafts used by the Vikings.