YOU’LL ALWAYS HAVE FROZEN: Family Travel Ideas Inspired by Frozen 2

by NANCY HELLMRICH

Right. So. Disney’s Frozen 2 ™ happened and all the little princes and princesses are happy. Really happy. So happy that parents the world over are learning to live with sudden outbursts of “Into the Unknoooooown!” in not so outbursty places like the grocery store, the library, and the back seat of the car. And then there’s the accompanying blitz of merchandise, a dazzling array of mementos that ignite deep yearning in both the young and old.

This begs the question, well, two questions actually. Do you stick to your sober parental commitment to spend money on experiences rather than things? Or do you cave in and buy up all the merch you can find? I’m going to recommend the former. Primarily because, deep in my heart, I know that travel allows you to find your true north in life. At least it did for me. Secondarily because, as Olaf the snowman put it so perfectly, “you’re older and thus all knowing.”

Now that that’s settled, let’s talk about how you can make Disney’s newest cultural phenomenon into a learning experience that fuels your youngster’s craving for adventure until the end of time. As I see it, there are three options: go with the obvious, go with the original, or take your loved ones into the unknown. Rest assured, no matter which you choose, the kingdom will be saved. As of this writing, worldwide box office figures for the film had surpassed a billion dollars. And, yes, you’ll probably acquire a bit of merchandise at some point too. But that’s normal.

THE OBVIOUS: A Journey to the Source Long ago, a visionary named Walt Disney made that same commitment to experiences that you did. So it’s a given that you might want to take your little reindeer to the source of all that is Frozen. Or sources, I should say, as you’ve got a lot of options here. Walt Disney World Resort ® in balmy Florida comes to mind. This, of course, can be paired with a Disney Cruise departing from Port Canaveral or Miami.

If your true north is further west, Disneyland Resort ® in California, never fails to please. Alternately, you could aim for Disneyland in Paris, Tokyo, Shanghai, or Hong Kong. Yes, parents, Olaf speaks French, Japanese, and Chinese now too. The little guy is growing up so fast.

For the truly committed, Disney Cruise Line will ferry your bundles of joy as far north as you can go to Norwegian fjords, Finland, Sweden, and Iceland, too. Adventures by Disney ® , their land tour operation, has a similarly Northuldran itinerary. That’s a lot of options, but let’s face it, Disney understands kids, even grown up ones. If they didn’t, would they have cute little Olaf cake pops at their resorts? No, they would not.

Disney Magic in Norway Denali National Park, Alaska

THE ORIGINAL: The One You Can’t Let Go If your Arendelle villagers are still throwing open doors in the house and belting out “Let it go!” then a wintery wonderland destination is likely to spark their fondness for the original adventures of Elsa and Anna. I must admit, for experiences that are based in reality rather than fantasy, the options are truly fantastic. Alaska has icy fjords, deep forests, river rafting, an ice hotel, and ice museum that are part of a hot springs resort. Try not to scream, okay?

If you’re inclined to go Scandinavian, I can recommend the Ice Hotel in Sweden as a sparkly, wintertime, character-building experience. You can find similar igloo camps and ice hotels in Norway, Finland, Sweden, Austria, and outside Quebec City in Canada. If your kids are too young to spend the night, stay in a regular hotel nearby and dazzle them with a day tour instead. Speaking of daytime activities, don’t miss the chance to meet with the original Sven herders, the Lapland Sámi people. You might also want to

Ice Hotel, Sweden

Sami child, Sweden

use your parental powers to mix in snow slides, ice sculptures, dogsledding, snowmobiling, or skiing. The cherry on top? The possibility of seeing the Northern Lights glowing in the night sky.

Acadia National Park

THE UNKNOWN: Seek Out the Elemental Spirits Since Frozen 2 is set in the fall, a family vacation in an enchanted forest is perhaps truest to the film’s theme. Imagine frolicking in swirling piles of leaves, rafting down a river of memories, encountering the elements of nature, and playing charades beside a crackling fire. This type of adventure lends itself nicely to a scavenger hunt in which you search for a salamander, morning mist, a face in the rocks, and … Samantha?

Closer to home, you can chase the autumn colors on a journey to the Great Lakes & New England or tour one of our many leafy national parks. Overseas, your family might enjoy a European river cruise in the land of fairytale castles. And mini Kristoffs are sure to be animated when they come face-toface with real reindeer at Scotland’s Cairngorms Reindeer Centre, Tromsø Arctic Reindeer or Viewpoint Snøhetta in Norway, or Sweden’s Reindeer Lodge Nutti Sámi Siida.

Norwegian fjord horse

Reindeer sledding

Speaking of four-legged friends, how about that water spirit? If you were as mesmerized as I was by the Nøkk, as it’s known in Scandinavian lore, you’ll be pleased to know there is such a thing, sort of. Norwegian fjord horses are small, strong, and agile. They are one of the purest horse breeds in the world and a beauty to behold. While any equine experience might very well satisfy a quest for this particular spirit, purists will head for the Bergen region of Norway, visit the Norwegian Fjord Horse Centre, and live happily ever after.