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By Lauren Taylor
“I can see Elsa’s palace!” my five-year-old exclaims with pure joy, the first time it comes into view at Disneyland Paris.
On the other side of a lake is a realistic-looking, snowy mountain, on which Elsa’s Ice Palace is perched.
The World of Frozen – an immersive experience based on the popular film franchise inside Disney Adventure World (formerly Walt Disney Studios Park) – is now open to the public, and we are among the first to access this huge new section of the park.
Inaugurated on March 28 by Disney’s new CEO, Josh D’Amaro, the Paris version is almost an exact copy of the World of Frozen opened in Hong Kong in late 2023, minus one Wandering Oaken’s Sliding Sleighs roller coaster.
There is nothing quite like seeing Disney for the first time through the eyes of a child. My daughter, Seren, in her carefully chosen Anna dress, takes off towards the village square of Arendelle, the film’s main setting and home of characters Anna and Elsa, the sisters torn apart by Elsa’s chilly powers.
Fans can wander the streets and shopfronts of the set-like town, watch boats sail in Arendelle Bay and meet the characters. The town’s design has been inspired by Scandinavian architecture, with colourful facades adorned with traditional Norwegian rosemaling and a central fountain that showcases Frozen iconography.

An Olaf so real, my child believes
Just like in the films, Olaf has come to life. In a first for any Disney theme park worldwide, a free-roaming, talking animatronic snowman has been unveiled to the public after years of development. He is expected to debut at Hong Kong Disneyland in May.
The interactive robot is so realistic that Seren is defiant in her belief that I am wrong and “he’s real”. So the magic truly is alive and well. Even as an adult, I can admit it is impressive.
He plays pre-recorded lines from Olaf’s voice actor, Josh Gad, and he moves just like his film counterpart, thanks to technology developed with Nvidia and Google DeepMind alongside Walt Disney Imagineering Research and Development.
The big-ticket item, and what fans will be queuing in droves for, is the new ride – Frozen Ever After. We hop in the front of a boat, and as the water takes us into darkness with twinkling lights, audio-animatronic versions of Olaf and Sven, the reindeer, come into view as “Do You Want To Build A Snowman?” starts to play.
Seren’s face is a picture of wonder as the boat weaves through film scenes – from the trolls to Kristoff and Anna to Elsa singing “Let It Go” – using immersive projection and well-thought-out visual and sound effects.
It would not be Disney without a bit of drama. At one point, a storm brews, and we encounter a giant ice monster, as well as a stomach-dropping ending. Despite the “scary part” – Seren’s words, not mine – she is completely mesmerised.

It is also worth catching a viewing of “A Celebration in Arendelle”. Several times a day, Elsa, Anna, Kristoff and Olaf perform on boats on the water in front of the palace. New music has been composed for the performances by the songwriters behind the films. It is not the only place where you can see the state-of-the-art Olaf in action, as you might catch him wandering around Arendelle at other times.
Food and more
Find Scandi-inspired food – think Ikea-like meatballs and salmon steak – and frozen desserts at the Nordic Crowns Tavern. For something more magical, The Regal View Restaurant and Lounge serves up three-course set menus as Disney princesses – in our case, Ariel, Jasmine and Mulan – swan around to meet diners for photos, high fives and hugs.
Here, off the new main avenue of Adventure Way, is also Raiponce Tangled Spin, a family attraction inspired by the film’s lantern festival and perfect for younger children.
At night, the lake becomes an open-air stage for a new Disney Cascade of Lights show – think projections, drones and pyrotechnics inspired by Moana, Mulan, Zootopia, Marvel and more.
The World of Frozen is part of grand plans to keep expanding Disney Adventure World, the second of Paris’ two parks – the first being Disneyland Park – and home to the Worlds of Pixar and the Marvel Avengers Campus, and the next addition will be the world’s first Lion King-themed land.

We are staying at the Disney Hotel New York – The Art of Marvel, located next to Disney Village, which is filled with shops and eateries outside the two main parks.
Guests of the seven Disney resort hotels get earlier access to the parks from 8.30am, perfect for those who want to avoid long queues later in the day. For our weekend stay, we are immersed in a sort of Disney bubble from the moment we wake, with characters popping up here, there and everywhere throughout the day.
For Seren, it is the equivalent of spotting celebrities in the wild. We are queuing for the Prince Charming Regal Carrousel when she sees Rapunzel and Cinderella strolling through Fantasyland in Disneyland Park – and she actually weighs up exiting the queue to meet them.
This section of the park – a land of pastel pinks, purples and blues, entered through the Sleeping Beauty Castle that even non-Disney fans will recognise – has a real air of magic for younger children. It is where we find gentler rides, such as the Mad Hatter’s Tea Cups and Dumbo the Flying Elephant.
We also enjoy the family-friendly La Cabane des Robinson – a treetop walk in Adventureland – and the Orbitron and Autopia rides in Discoveryland. Even five-year-olds can drive cars around a track, with an adult in the passenger seat controlling the brakes. It is a slower-paced thing, after an ill-advised decision to ride the classic runaway mine train roller coaster, Big Thunder Mountain.
While many of the classic rides remain popular, the animatronic Olaf at the World of Frozen signals a new wave of innovation and is a glimpse into a future where robotic film characters might roam around theme parks. Who knows what might be next?


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The World of Frozen at Disneyland Paris delights guests with a magical Olaf and more

In the World of Frozen at Disneyland Paris, Olaf is suddenly “real”, and roaming and talking like he does in the film franchise. Photo: Disney/Press Association/dpa

Visitors enjoy the World of Frozen during its inauguration at Disneyland Paris on March 28, 2026. Photo: AP 

Elsa sings during the Frozen Ever After ride at Disneyland Paris. Photo: Disney/Press Association/dpa

A view of the World of Frozen, a new Disney Park expansion at Disney Adventure World. Photo: AFP

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Travel & Leisure

Innovative technology in the World of Frozen at Disneyland Paris brings the franchise’s characters to life, captivating guests, young and old


Innovative technology in the World of Frozen at Disneyland Paris brings the franchise’s characters to life, captivating guests, young and old.


The World of Frozen at Disneyland Paris delights guests with a magical Olaf and more

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Innovative technology in the World of Frozen at Disneyland Paris brings the franchise’s characters to life, captivating guests, young and old

Innovative technology in the World of Frozen at Disneyland Paris brings the franchise’s characters to life, captivating guests, young and old