Disney fans often get to do so much more than watch their favorite movies. Once the company creates a big hit -- like 2013's "Frozen," it can turn that into a brand used on everything from backpacks to pajamas, video games to Broadway musicals, and of course theme park rides and attractions.
That's part of the company's magic and it's why a hit for Walt Disney (DIS) means more than hits for other companies. And, since Disney creates family-friendly, all-ages content, its biggest movies lend themselves to huge brand expansions.
When it comes to "Frozen," that film has not only spawned a sequel, it has essentially been given the full Disney treatment. Yes, there's a Broadway musical, more merchandise than you can imagine (and not all of it for kids), and a huge presence at Florida's Disney World.
In fact, "Frozen" is one of the rare new-era (meaning not your classic Mickey Mouse, Goofy, and Donald Duck family of characters) films to have a presence at multiple Disney World parks. The film has the "Frozen Ever After" ride and character meet-and-greets within Epcot's Norway Pavillion in the World Showcase and there's a "Frozen Sing-Along" at Disney's Hollywood Studios.
One of those rides/attractions was expected to go away -- at least for a while -- but that's not happening.
Frozen Fans Still Get to Sing
One of the most frustrating things when it comes to visiting a Disney theme park -- especially in the current "reservation required" is when something you wanted to visit either breaks down or gets closed for some other reason.
Disney does announce refurbishments in advance, but many people plan their Disney World visit a year or more in advance. That means that when you commit to your dates, you may not know that the theme park giant may close something you or someone in your family really wanted to visit.
That's what looked like was going to happen later this month to "Frozen" fans who wanted to do the sing-a-long at Hollywood Studios. But, without any explanation, the Disney has quietly taken the planned refurbishment for the popular attraction off its schedule, BlogMickey reported.
"The planned refurbishment for the Frozen Sing-Along at Disney’s Hollywood Studios has been removed from the refurbishment schedule completely. Originally scheduled to take place from August 22 to September 9, 2022, showtimes have been added for those dates after being removed for refurbishment," the website shared.
Disney sometimes changes plans for refurbishments based on expected attendance at the parks. If the repairs are not critical, the company may delay the closure if ticket sales suggest that the impacted park could use the ride or attraction to help manage the crowd, That's especially relevant with a high-volume theater-based show that can take hundreds of people out of other lines at the park,.
"The refurbishment was originally announced in early July before being shortened just a couple weeks later. Now, it looks like the refurbishment has been delayed indefinitely," BlogMickey added.
Disney Sees Theme Parks a Strength
Walt Disney's theme parks have largely bounced back from the problems created by the covid pandemic CEO Bob Chapek said during the company's third-quarter earnings call.
"This quarter featured new magic around the world and strong operating performance. All of our theme parks are now open, and we continue to bring back more of the great experience that guests love that includes Character Meet and Greets, the Nighttime Spectacular at Disneyland, and theatrical performances. These offerings are not only big hits with guests, but also enable us to welcome more people into our parks each day. We continue to see strong revenue and profit growth at our domestic parks and experience businesses," he said.
The CEO also specifically called out strong results at Disney World and Disneyland.
Even as our cruise ships and international visitation have yet to fully recover. Domestic demand at our theme parks continues to be strong, and we are seeing continued progress in those businesses still recovering from the pandemic," he added.
