World of Frozen opened at Hong Kong Disneyland (HKDL) in November 2023. Since then, it’s been incredibly popular with guests, with people coming from all over the world just to experience it. I myself was able to experience the land for the first time (in forever) on January 7, 2024, but I held off on writing this piece because I wasn’t able to see Playhouse in the Woods during my visit then. However, I just came back from a trip to HKDL and was finally able to see the show, meaning I can finally write about my experience in the land!
This review will go over everything there is to know about World of Frozen, including its attractions, shows, food offerings, and merchandise. I will then give my overall thoughts on the land and how well I think it achieves what it sets out to do.
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Originally announced on November 22, 2016, World of Frozen was part of a multi-year, HK$10.9 billion expansion that also included Stark Expo and the Castle of Magical Dreams. Originally slated to open in 2021, it was delayed to 2022 and further delayed to 2023 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The land was announced to include a version of the Frozen Ever After boat ride that initially debuted at Epcot, as well as an Aquatopia from Tokyo DisneySea trackless-ride clone called Wandering Oaken’s Dancing Sleighs. During development, Wandering Oaken’s Dancing Sleighs was reimagined into a rollercoaster and given the name Wandering Oaken’s Sliding Sleighs. Playhouse in the Woods was also added as the land’s primary entertainment offering.
In September 2023, the land was announced by Managing Director Michael Moriarty to open in November 2023. Previews for media and influencers began in the weeks leading up to its opening. The land finally debuted a full 7 years after it was announced on November 20, 2023.
When I first heard that a Frozen land was going to be built at Hong Kong Disneyland, I was a bit skeptical. I’m not really a fan of single IP-themed lands. Sometimes they’re done well, as is the case with Cars Land and Galaxy’s Edge, but other times they miss the mark entirely, like with Avengers Campus and Toy Story Land. But I tried to keep an open mind, especially in the days leading up to my first visit to the land.
And let me just say, it absolutely blew me away.
World of Frozen is a triumph of Imagineering. Everything from its design to its placemaking and details expertly immerses you in the world of the Frozen movies. It’s by far the most well-rounded land among HKDL’s four “mini-lands”. It has a stellar lineup of attractions in Frozen Ever After, Wandering Oaken’s Sliding Sleighs, and Playhouse in the Woods. It also has a ton of streetmosphere entertainment and character experiences. The food and merchandise selection in this land is also stellar. All in all, it’s the best expansion addition to Hong Kong Disneyland so far and sets a high bar for future single IP lands.
Story
Unlike other lands in Hong Kong Disneyland, World of Frozen has an overarching story that ties together every ride, entertainment offering, restaurant, shop, and cast member in the land. Disney has been doing this a lot recently with their new lands. In Zootopia in Shanghai Disneyland you’re there for the Gazelle concert, Galaxy’s Edge has a backstory that takes place between Star Wars episodes 8 and 9, and don’t get me started on the intricate and layered backstory that Frontierland in Disneyland Paris (DLP) has.
In my opinion, World of Frozen is only second to Disneyland Paris’s Frontierland in how it uses its story to tie in everything in the land. You could even argue that World of Frozen’s story is even better executed than DLP’s Frontierland, but I give the crown still to Frontierland because its story is more complex than that of World of Frozen.
World of Frozen’s story is that you are visiting the Kingdom of Arendelle to celebrate Summer Snow Day. Summer Snow Day is the in-universe holiday of when Anna saved Elsa’s life with an unselfish act of true love and thawed a frozen heart. This is also known as the events that took place at the climax of the first Frozen film. The entire land is celebrating Summer Snow Day, and this context extends to every experience in the land.
There are banners everywhere that say “celebrating Summer Snow Day”. The cast wear these little ribbons that say Summer Snow Day. The restaurant’s menu is specially crafted for Summer Snow Day. Frozen Ever After has you going up to Elsa’s Ice Palace as part of the Summer Snow Day celebrations. Oaken decides to create a sled ride for the incoming guests as part of Summer Snow Day. In Playhouse in the Woods, Anna gathers the guests to celebrate Summer Snow Day in her and Elsa’s old playhouse. Everything in the land ties into this holiday, and while it may not be as complex as Paris’ Frontierland backstory, it gets points for making the whole land feel so cohesive.
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Setting and Design
World of Frozen is divided into two areas, the Arendelle Village side and the Arendelle Forest side. They are connected by the King Agnar bridge. There are two entrances to the land, one by the forest side that connects to It’s a Small World and another by the Arendelle Village side that connects to Fantasyland.
On the forest side there are two attractions: Wandering Oaken’s Sliding Sleighs and Playhouse in the Woods. Both of them are in the same show building and actually share an exit. There is also a small outdoor eatery called Forest Fare as well as a merch stand. The King Agnar bridge then connects the forest side with the village side, and there’s an additional path between both sides that features the trolls from the movie (although they’re in their rock form, but you can still hear them talking).
The village side has Frozen Ever After, the entrance of which is through the clock tower at the far end of the land. The ride’s exit is the Tick Tock Toys and Collectibles shop which is just full of amazing details and references to Hans Christian Andersen’s stories. There is another shop in this area called Northern Delights where all the sweet treats are sold, as well as the one restaurant in the land which is a quick service restaurant called Golden Crocus Inn.
I have to say, whoever decided to split the land in half and have one side be the forest and the other be the village should be commended. The two halves complement each other so well and I especially love how they positioned the land so the real mountains located behind the park seamlessly blend with the mountains of the forest side of the land. It’s one of the most picturesque settings for a land and the Imagineers made sure to utilize the space given to them.
The design of the land is also impeccable. The land contains lush greenery in the forest section and culturally accurate architecture in the village section. I remember reading that lead Imagineer for World of Frozen Michel den Dulk noticed during an Imagineer research trip to Norway that some alleyways in Norway are covered and used as entrances to different establishments. Taking inspiration from this, he made the entrance of Golden Crocus Inn one of these alleyways.
They also made the roofs of each building very steep and slanted because the real Norway gets a lot of snow every year. In order to prevent the roofs from collapsing under the weight of the snow, Norwegian buildings have steep, slanted roofs so the snow falls to the ground instead of collecting at the tops of buildings.
It’s that attention to detail and cultural immersion that makes World of Frozen such a special place. You can tell the Imagineers put so much love and care into designing every corner of this land. Everything from the colors of the buildings to the way the aforementioned natural mountains work in tandem with the man-made mountains to create this picturesque landscape is just so beautiful. And let’s not forget Elsa’s Ice Palace looming over the whole land in a way that is just so striking.
The only real flaw in the design of the land is that the castle is decorative only so you can’t actually enter it. I get why they did it, because they didn’t want it to overshadow the Castle of Magical Dreams, but they could have at least put a meet and greet space in there. But as you will find out, I think the character interactions at World of Frozen are so unique and immersive, but yes, it’s a shame that the castle is just there for decorative purposes.
But all in all, it wins the “most beautiful land in HKDL” award by a country mile. Every square inch of World of Frozen was so mesmerizingly put together, I don’t see how any other land placed in HKDL in the future can compare to it.
Attractions
As mentioned, the land has 3 attractions, and I’ve actually reviewed all of them on different posts! If you’d like to read them, I’ll link each of them below in each attraction’s specific section. I’ll try to summarize what I said about each attraction in the sections below just to give you an overview of what they’re like and what I think of them.
Frozen Ever After
To read my review of Frozen Ever After click here.
Frozen Ever After is the main attraction of the land, and the ride is similar to the version that exists at Epcot, but with some changes that I think make it the better of the two attractions. It’s currently the most popular attraction in HKDL and ranks third for me if I were to rank every attraction in the park.
The queue starts at the clock tower and weaves through Kristoff’s workplace before getting to the boat landing. The queue here is fantastic and is probably second only to Iron Man Experience for the best queue in the entire park (or tied with Mystic Manor for second). It’s completely immersive and what’s even cooler is that there are spaces where characters like Anna, Elsa, and Kristoff can go in the queue and interact with guests. It’s that kind of planning that makes this queue so special.
Then you get to the ride itself. As you pass by the first two scenes with Olaf and Sven and the Trolls, you’ll notice that the ride has a lot more “room to breathe” than the Epcot version. The spaces in between the scenes are noticeably longer and help pace the attraction better than the Epcot version. The Epcot version has the disadvantage of being stuck with the Maelstrom track layout, which severely impacts the pacing of the ride. Hong Kong’s version feels like a fuller experience and the ride unfolds in a very natural way.
You then get to the lift hill and are brought inside Elsa’s ice palace. Once you’re inside, you’ll see Olaf skating and then see Anna and Kristoff singing a tweaked version of For the First Time in Forever. Another major difference from the Epcot version can be seen here. The faces of Anna and Kristoff are physical faces instead of projected faces. This is another reason why the HKDL version is better than the Epcot version in my opinion. I always thought the projected faces were a bit cheap and made the characters look unrealistic. I’m glad they changed it for the HKDL version.
You then get to the Elsa room where she uses her ice powers and sends your boat backwards through the castle. You then exit the castle and encounter Marshmallow the snow monster, as well as the snowgies from Frozen Fever. The boat then repositions itself and falls down a waterfall, sending your boat back to Arendelle. This is another area where the Hong Kong version beats the Epcot version: the drop is a lot more intense than the Epcot version, adding a nice thrill element to the attraction.
The last two scenes have you floating by Arendelle after falling down the drop and then entering a garden-like area where Anna and Elsa appear in their Frozen Fever outfits as Olaf sings his signature song In Summer. You’re then brought back to the station where you exit the vehicle and make your way to Tick Tock Toys and Collectibles.
Overall, this is a fun and enjoyable ride. The advanced audio animatronics make the wait worth it. The story could have used a bit of work, and it clearly lacks any dramatic tension, but because it fits into the Summer Snow Day plot I can forgive it for not having dramatic stakes. It works well for what it tries to accomplish and ties into the rest of the land nicely, and that scores it a lot of points in my book. Add to that the amazing queue and you have a solid entry into HKDL’s ride lineup.
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Wandering Oaken’s Sliding Sleighs
To read my review of Wandering Oaken’s Sliding Sleighs click here.
The second ride in this land is a junior coaster known as Wandering Oaken’s Sliding Sleighs. It’s located at the forest side of the land. In the ride, Oaken decides to create a fun attraction for those who are visiting the kingdom for Summer Snow Day. He then enlists Olaf and Sven’s help to create a reindeer-powered sled ride through the hills of Arendelle.
The queue for the attraction has some interesting parts, but is overall a weaker queue than the Frozen Ever After queue. I like the section that features Oaken’s desk where he’s sketched out ideas for what his attraction should look like. There’s also a nicely carved post that looks like a totem pole made out of trolls.
You then get to the loading area and board the sleds. Once the ride starts, you turn a corner and see that Olaf and Sven are powering the lift hill by having Sven walk on a treadmill like contraption as Olaf dangles a carrot in front of Sven’s face to get him to move the lift hill. It’s a cute little animatronic and is a fun way to explain how we’re going up the lift hill.
Then the coaster starts. You actually feel some g’s on this coaster, especially at the beginning during the first turn. I had ridden this ride before but completely forgot how thrilling it feels. It’s probably tied with Flight of the Hippogriff in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter for the most amount of thrills I felt on a junior coaster.
However, my big complaint about the ride is that it’s over before it even begins. The coaster is just warming up when, all of a sudden, you’re back at the loading station. I can’t oversell how short the coaster is. I doubt it lasts more than 30 seconds from leaving the station to when you return. For something they sold as being like Seven Dwarfs Mine Train in Magic Kingdom and Shanghai Disneyland, I also expected there to be sections that resembled a dark ride, but there were none and the only animatronics were the Olaf and Sven one from the beginning.
This is the only part of World of Frozen that disappointed me. I will admit, though, that if I had ridden the ride with the right expectations, I would’ve liked it a lot more. My subsequent ride throughs on the attraction were better because I knew what to expect. If we’re being honest, it’s probably the best junior coaster at any Disney Park anywhere, if only for the theming and the views you get of the land. I would still call it a good addition, I just wish our expectations were set properly.
Playhouse in the Woods
To read my review of Playhouse in the Woods click here.
The last attraction in the land is Playhouse in the Woods, a small theatrical show taking place in the forest side of the land. The show, as mentioned, shares a building with Wandering Oaken’s Sliding Sleighs. Playhouse in the Woods is an interactive show meaning there are some interactive elements sprinkled throughout.
The beginning of the show sees Anna welcoming guests into her and Elsa’s playhouse in the woods. Anna explains that this is the space where she and Elsa would play together when they were young. In honor of Summer Snow Day, Elsa is planning on visiting Anna and the guests, but in order for her to appear, Anna says they have to sing Elsa’s favorite song.
After singing the song a couple of times, Elsa appears and Anna welcomes her back into the playhouse. Anna then shows Elsa the different sculptures of the spirits of the forest made by the artisans of Arendelle, with Elsa saying that maybe the guests can approach the sculpture that speaks to them the most. The audience then gets up and approaches a sculpture of their choice.
After Elsa explains what each sculpture means, Anna asks if they can summon one of the spirits. Elsa then picks one of the four spirits to summon, causing the walls and the stage to be filled with projections inspired by the spirit. Elsa then uses her ice magic to create a flurry in the theater, after which she and Anna leave, signaling the end of the show.
I thought this was a cute show that is definitely worth seeing at least once. Considering they just had a small space to work with, they made very good use of the space. I thought the sculptures were beautiful and the projections mesmerizing. The performances of Anna and Elsa were also top notch, as is the Olaf puppet.
The only negatives of the show for me were its length and its interactivity. I won’t fault it for not having a complex plot because Disney Parks shows don’t usually have complex plots and the plot did tie into Summer Snow Day, which is good, but for something you had to get a Standby Pass for, it felt way too short. There were also just two moments of interactivity in the show: when we sang to get Elsa to arrive and when we chose a statue. If they had interactivity to the level of Enchanted Tales with Belle in Magic Kingdom, then this would be a much more interesting show. But for what it is, it’s cute and I would do it at least once every visit.
Characters and Streetmosphere
Characters in World of Frozen roam freely throughout the land. Currently there are four characters that you can encounter throughout the land: Anna, Elsa, Kristoff, and Oaken. Oaken, if I remember correctly, is exclusive to World of Frozen, although it’s not known if he will appear in the Paris version of this land, but I imagine he will.
The character interactions here are stellar. You can just go up to any character and strike up a conversation with them. Also, I love how the Frozen characters will enter the queue for Frozen Ever After and interact with guests there. They’ll wish everyone a happy Summer Snow Day and hype everyone up about their trip to the North Mountain to visit Elsa’s ice palace.
Another character you can meet is a little troll named Mossy, who is a puppet controlled by a cast member. World of Frozen also has their own band that plays out in the land several times a day. For such a small land, World of Frozen packs an incredible punch when it comes to their characters and streetmosphere. I hope they keep all this entertainment in the future because these character interactions and streetmosphere acts make the land a lot more immersive.
Dining
The land has a couple of dining options. The main restaurant of the land is Golden Crocus Inn. It’s the village restaurant that, according to the story of the restaurant, has a special dining room that can only be used by the royal family of Arendelle. The interior of the restaurant is incredibly well-themed, featuring pictures of the Royal Family adorning the walls.
The food at this restaurant is also incredibly good. It’s the priciest quick service restaurant in the whole park, but that’s mostly because it’s new. But in my opinion the food is worth it. I had the mushroom pasta and it quickly became my new favorite meal at the park. Other options include a braised lamb shank, a baked salmon dish, and a chicken roll. There is both indoor and outdoor seating, although I would recommend eating indoors so that you can be surrounded by the theming.
Northern Delights also has good food options for those of you with a sweet tooth! The Olaf Vanilla ice cream is delicious, but you’ll need to consume it fast before it melts. They also have a blue coronation sundae that I also tried and that was tasty as well. Northern Delights also sells caramel apples and different Godiva products. Finally Forest Fare serves typical HKDL cart food, including a really good sausage. World of Frozen is also one of the few places in the world where you can get the Blue Fanta drink.
I love the food selections in this land. The ice cream options from Frozen Delights are all incredibly good, especially on a hot day. Golden Crocus might also be one of the best quick service restaurants in the park, coming very close to Royal Banquet Hall. I will say, though, that if you’re looking to save on money, don’t eat at Golden Crocus Inn as they have the highest prices of any quick service location in the park. But if you want the full Frozen experience, then definitely make sure you eat at Golden Crocus Inn at least once.
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Shopping
The shopping in the land is confined to two spaces: the Frozen Ever After gift shop known as Tick Tock Toys and Collectibles, as well as a small outdoor stall near the Forest Fare outdoor cart. The cart sells these cute little figurines that you can put in a container that include the Frozen characters and the ride vehicles of the two rides. I might just have to purchase these figurines the next time I go.
Tick Tock Toys and Collectibles is a cute store that has many visual nods to other Hans Christian Andersen stories. For those of you that don’t know, The Snow Queen, the fairy tale Frozen is based on, was written by Hans Chrisitian Andersen, and Imagineers included many references to his stories in this store. My favorite one has to be the reference to the Steadfast Tin Soldier, who can be seen as a carving in the store with his iconic one leg.
The merchandise selection at this store is incredible. They sell shirts, sweaters, spirit jerseys, postcards, pins, blind boxes, and many other merchandise items. World of Frozen probably has the best attraction and land-specific merch in the park (or second to Mystic Manor). I also love that it’s one of the only stores that hasn’t been completely taken over by Duffy and Friends. Now don’t get me wrong, I love Duffy, but it’s nice to have park specific merch themed to the lands and attractions as well.
Thoughts
I think this land set the new standard for single IP lands. It’s the most complete land in the park, with a little bit of everything sprinkled in. I would argue that it’s the most complete Frozen themed land in the world, as the one in Tokyo is severely lacking in things to do other than Anna and Elsa’s Frozen Journey and the restaurant in the castle (although that’s mostly because it’s part of Fantasy Springs) and the one in Paris will not have Wandering Oaken’s Sliding Sleighs.
I think the Summer Snow Day story was a genius idea. The way it cohesively ties together the land story-wise is something that Imagineering should do in succeeding lands they build. It really gives a sense of purpose and place as to why we’re visiting, rather than us just randomly being at Arendelle.
You can also tell this land was borne of one singular vision rather than feeling like a mish-mash that would indicate that there were too many cooks in the kitchen. From the buildings to the fountains to the bay to the mountains, everything comes together so well to create a singular experience that is unique to HKDL.
I like the attraction mix in this land as well. It has great character interactions and streetmosphere, has a cute stage show in Playhouse in the Woods, and has rides for both children and adults in Frozen Ever After and Wandering Oaken’s Sliding Sleighs. Both of these rides filled a need in HKDL. Up until the opening of the land, the park was missing a flume ride with a drop and a junior coaster. These additions really round out both the land and the park.
There really is a little bit of everything in World of Frozen, and the thing is, it does the little bits of everything WELL. This isn’t a jack of all trades, master of none type situation. No, everything in World of Frozen is pitch perfect. And everything works in tandem with everything else to bring a one of a kind experience to guests.
I’m about to say something that may shock people. Granted, I haven’t seen Pandora in Animal Kingdom, but I will say that this is probably the second best single-IP land built for a Disney Park ever. This doesn’t count Grizzly Gulch or Mystic Point as they are both not based on IP, but even if it did I would say that this land outranks both of them. I say second best though because, in my mind, nothing can beat Cars Land at DCA. This is very close to that, in my opinion, and is much better than Galaxy’s Edge even though no ride at World of Frozen exceeds Rise of the Resistance.
Something I haven’t talked about yet is the music used in the land. It’s so fun getting to walk through the land hearing all the Frozen music in instrumental form. It reminds me just how much better the experience in Galaxy’s Edge would be if they played the Star Wars music in the land just like what they do here and in Avengers Campus.
I would also like to commend the cast members who work at World of Frozen. They are absolutely amazing and really enhance the story the land is trying to tell. Whether they’re serving you food or checking your seat belts at Frozen Ever After, they are all so into the story of the land that it becomes such a joy to experience.
World of Frozen Review Conclusion
Without a doubt this land will continue to be a standout achievement of Imagineering for years to come. It’s also probably going to go down as one of the best themed spaces ever created by Walt Disney Imagineering. I would recommend everyone on the fence about making a trip to see World of Frozen to go out there and book that trip. I promise you, it’ll be worth it.
10/10
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