Ten years after the release of Frozen (2013), last year marked a historic first for Anna, Elsa, and co.

In November, Hong Kong Disneyland debuted World of Frozen – the world’s first land inspired by the fictional universe – to hugely positive responses from parkgoers. And the best thing is, it’s just the beginning. This summer, Tokyo DisneySea will welcome its own version of World of Frozen as a part of Fantasy Springs, while Disneyland Paris is set to receive another in 2025.

For now, both Disneyland and Walt Disney World Resort are to remain Frozen land-less, meaning anyone wanting to experience a summer snow day will need to travel to an international Disney park to check it out for themselves. But is it worth the trip? We recently paid a visit to Hong Kong Disneyland to find out for ourselves…

What is World of Frozen?

It may not be Disney’s biggest theme park, but World of Frozen has some of the most immersive details we’ve ever seen in any Disney park, period.

The entire land is themed like Arendelle, which – in the context of the land’s story – is celebrating Summer Snow Day. From the moment you enter the land, you’re wished “Happy Summer Snow Day” by everyone from cast members to signs and memorabilia. The idea is that Elsa wanted to do something nice for the kingdom (the land is “set” in between the first and second film), and so decided to use her powers to transform the surroundings into an icy paradise.

That means that you don’t get up close and personal with Elsa’s Ice Palace, but you can see it on the horizon (and peaking out behind the castle on Main Street, which is kind of surreal). What you can see is an array of stores and restaurants straight from Arendelle itself, as well as Wandering Oaken’s Trading Post and Sauna.

You can also spot Elsa and Anna wandering around Arendelle. The pair appear randomly, sometimes together and sometimes alone, and don’t stop for pictures, which makes their appearances feel more natural – but also makes the entire situation much more chaotic.

Spotting the duo is kind of like spotting Taylor Swift, what with the frenzy of parkgoers (young and old alike) pushing to get closer to the pair and throwing out the occasional “Elsa, I love you” while trying to snap a selfie (yes, this happens).

Attractions and Entertainment

If you can’t get close to Anna and Elsa on one of their unscheduled tours of Arendelle, you can on Frozen Ever After. Just like the version of the ride in EPCOT, this takes riders on a boat journey through Elsa’s Ice Palace and contains animatronics of Anna, Elsa, Kristoff, Sven, and Olaf.

The biggest difference between the two attractions is the fact that Hong Kong Disneyland’s animatronics are good. While EPCOT uses projection mapping for the characters’ faces, Hong Kong’s animatronics are detailed, realistic, and endlessly impressive.

Another thing that sets it apart from its Floridian clone is the drop. The ride’s layout is practically identical, but the drop in Hong Kong Disneyland is significantly more intense. We mean that in the best possible way. It feels both steeper and longer, which is a fun surprise the first time you ride.

World of Frozen’s most discussed ride is Wandering Oaken’s Sliding Sleighs, which makes for one of the most stunning features in the land. The family roller coaster is just that – for families. That means it’s fun but mild and short. Incredibly short. Much has been made about the fact that Wandering Oaken’s Sliding Sleighs lasts for just 25 seconds, and it feels even shorter when you’re riding. It’s worth a ride, but definitely not worth waiting longer than 30 minutes to do so (although the queue is also pretty fun).

On the entertainment side of things, there’s Playhouse in the Woods. This immersive theatrical experience is inspired by Frozen 2 (2019) and sees Anna and Elsa enter the crowd to help audience members find the spirit that connects with them most. It’s an undeniably magical experience — especially for children — that has four possible versions, depending on the spirit of the show.

Elsa showcasing her powers to the tune of “Show Yourself” in the finale is the show’s real highlight. Remember before when we said that park goers swarmed Elsa on the streets of Arendelle like she was Taylor Swift? Well, we get it now. Chills.

Dining

World of Frozen has just one restaurant: The Golden Crocus. It’s a quick service, but a pricey quick service. While food is generally cheaper at Hong Kong Disneyland, this is the exception.

On the plus side, it’s one of the best quick-service restaurants we’ve ever dined at in a Disney park. Ever. We ordered the Village Chicken Roll Stuffed with Ham & Cheese, which cost approximately $28. This comes with sautéed vegetables and mashed potatoes, all of which are undeniably delicious, outperforming some dishes we’ve had at actual table service restaurants. The chicken is tender, the sauce is flavorful, and the potatoes perfectly fluffy. Chef’s kiss.

Beyond the food, the restaurant is well-themed, with portraits of Arendelle’s royal family adorning the walls. Considering how busy the land was, we expected to wait for a seat but managed to stroll in at peak lunch hours and had our pick of tables — and that was with certain sections roped off for “VIP guests.”

Snack-wise, you can grab Olaf-inspired ice creams and other cute Frozen treats. The ice cream was a solid 10/10, but we’ll admit that the giddy “money doesn’t matter, theme parks are forever” feeling got to us, and we also splashed out on the gourmet Frozen chocolates, which were absolutely not worth it. You’d be better off grabbing some of the Hong Kong Disneyland x Godiva chocolates in any of the other gift shops.

Shopping

Speaking of gift shops… World of Frozen is packed with exclusive merchandise (although you’ll find most of it at other shops scattered around Hong Kong Disneyland Resort, including the resort’s hotels). Highlights include limited edition Elsa Minnie ears that light up (and cost over twice the amount of usual ears) and traditional wooden Frozen-inspired board games.

You can also expect some knitted headbands inspired by various Frozen characters, wooden decorations, and knitted fairisle sweaters that look like they stepped right out of Wandering Oaken’s Trading Post and Sauna.

While the merch is flawless, one thing to bear in mind is that patrons of Hong Kong Disneyland love merchandise. Love. Expect dense crowds in most gift shops at the park, but especially Tick Tock Toys & Collectibles at the exit of Frozen Ever After.

Is World of Frozen Worth Visiting?

In a word: yes. Hong Kong Disneyland is the underdog of Disney parks, but it’s slowly crept up the radar of impressiveness over the past few years, and we’d argue that World of Frozen tips it into must-visit territory.

We spent more time in this land with all its colorful details and atmospheric entertainment (the Arendelle band is a highlight) than we did in lands like Fantasyland or Tomorrowland, which boast over twice as many attractions. Even the non-Frozen fanatics in our party were won over by its charm. This is Walt Disney Imagineering at its best.

Are you planning on visiting World of Frozen? Let us know in the comments!