Frozen Ever After reopens February 12, 2026, at EPCOT with more than just upgraded Audio-Animatronics. Disney used the closure to refresh lighting and touch up sets throughout the attraction.
Ken Ricci, executive creative development for Walt Disney Imagineering, confirmed the additional work in an interview with the Orlando Sentinel. The refurbishment goes beyond the new heads for Elsa, Anna, and Kristoff.
The closure allowed Disney to address multiple elements:
- New animatronic heads with silicone skin
- Updated show control system
- Refreshed show lighting
- Set touch-ups throughout the ride
"Anytime an attraction goes down, we take an opportunity to freshen up what we can," Ricci said. "So, we touched up a lot and some show lighting so it should look refreshed."
Technical Changes
The updated figures replace projection-based faces with articulated heads. The technology matches what Disney developed for Tiana's Bayou Adventure and recent international park installations.
"This is a more lifelike articulated head that has a silicone skin," Ricci explained. Previous versions created facial expressions through projections.
Disney modified the existing figures' necks to accommodate the new heads. The show control system received updates while EPCOT was closed to reduce downtime.
Installation Process
The work required coordination between technology teams and on-site installation crews. Disney conducted pre-planning with software to prepare the figures for the transition.
"Then we literally had to modify the figures' necks to accept the change in the heads. And that took a few days, but we did a lot of pre-planning with technology and software to make sure that we were ready to port over these figures," Ricci said.
Effects and systems are currently in testing ahead of the February 12 reopening.
Read the full article at the Orlando Sentintel.
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