When EPCOT opened in 1982 , World Showcase looked a bit different . Only nine countries surrounded the lagoon , with plenty of green space awaiting future construction as part of Phase Two . Absent from the original journey around the world were the Norway and Morocco Pavilions . Of the two , only Morocco was planned for the second phase — along with Israel , Spain , and Equatorial Africa .
photo that shows Disney at some point had erected a sign for SeaVenture before the name change )— included Bob Kurzweil , Randy Bright , Marty Sklar , Paul Torrigino , and Joe Rohde . This was one of Rohde ’ s first projects for Walt Disney World , and it included sketching some of the ships .
But , as we know , even the best-laid plans can go awry , and on June 3 , 1988 , the Norway Pavilion instead became the second and final pavilion ( following Morocco in 1984 ) to open after EPCOT ’ s first day .
The sign for the never-ready-for-prime-time SeaVenture ( it became Maelstrom ). © DISNEY
A behind-the-scenes peek at the not-ready-for-prime-time Maelstrom . © DISNEY
BUT WHAT ABOUT MAELSTROM ? Remember what I said about best-laid plans ? That applies throughout our story . Maelstrom , for example , was scheduled to open with the Norway Pavilion on June 3 . But computer glitches delayed the ride ’ s maiden voyage until July 5 , 1988 .
Not a big deal : This kind of thing happens with new attractions all the time . The only problem ? Norway ’ s Crown Prince Harald and Crown Princess Sonja , along with the Norwegian Royal Guard , made the journey on June 3 for the pavilion ’ s official grand opening and thus couldn ’ t experience the new attraction . Whoops .
Initially , Imagineers envisioned SeaVenture as a boat ride focused on Norwegian troll legends , including the “ Nokken ,” a river troll . The ship , which they intended to travel backward during the course of the attraction , would take guests on a fantastical journey , focused on Norwegian folklore . Imagineers were so confident in their idea that they connected with the Sherman brothers to write a song for the attraction .
The Norwegian companies backing the project , however , were less impressed with the ride ’ s focus . While they liked the idea of a boat ride ( and gave the thumbs up to the backward portion ), they wanted it rooted in realism .
“ They wanted more of a travelogue showing all the different things that make Norway unique ,” Imagineer Torrigino wrote in a piece for Mouse Planet . “ Vikings , a fishing village , polar bears , a fjord , an oil rig , and yes , maybe a troll or two .”
Even so , the Norway Pavilion was largely a success for the Scandinavian country , offering an exciting employment opportunity to more than 130 Norwegians , working on the standard one-year contract . By September 1988 , Disney averaged 150 requests a week from guests who were interested in traveling to Norway because of their experience at the pavilion . Though estimates vary widely , Norwegian tourism experienced a notable boost after the pavilion opened at EPCOT .
EPCOT CENTER ’ S FIRST THRILL RIDE Computer glitches might have been the final hurdle ahead of Maelstrom ’ s first sailing , but rough waters plagued the entire development process . The Imagineering team behind the attraction — initially called SeaVenture ( there ’ s a
Just a quiet ( Viking ) village . PHOTO BY BRETT SVENSON