A Celebration in Arendelle is the very first show to unfold primarily on the water at Disneyland Paris. Three entirely new boats have been imagined and crafted especially for this unique production.
Set designer Thomas Gallou shares how they came to life.
To carry Anna and Elsa along with Kristoff, Olaf, and the villagers across the fjord in World of Frozen, the creative team designed three different boats, each with its own silhouette and aesthetic.
Kristoff’s boat features Arendelle’s official colours and emblem, the crocus, a symbol of renewal. Its most striking feature, though, is the bow, whose shape evokes an iconic figure of Arendelle. Thomas recalls:
“The first image that came to mind when I discussed the project with directors Françoise Baffioni and Matteo Borghi was a bow shaped in Sven’s shape. Kristoff’s best friend isn’t exactly a sailor, but the two are inseparable. So if he couldn’t be on board in person, this bow was our way of paying tribute. It’s an elegant, highly crafted, handmade sculpture.
The barge shines a spotlight on the villagers of Arendelle and spectacularly recreates the snowflower, the festival’s symbol. The third boat, designed on a royal scale for Anna and Elsa, draws on the queens’ signature colours, the very hues found in the snowflower, uniting sun and ice.
Creating these boats was not only a first for the Disneyland Paris Entertainment teams, it was also a genuine technical challenge, as Thomas explains:
“We’ve known about Scandinavian longshipsfor centuries. But building boats that meet our show and ‘magic’ constraints is something else entirely! On a parade float, all the technical elements are hidden. If we had done that on a boat, it would have caused serious issues. So we chose to embrace the reality: we integrated lighting and special effects into the design itself, as well as the helm because our boats are hand‑piloted. There’s no rail, no autopilot. On the contrary, we have true Arendelle villagers at the controls, specially trained for the occasion!”
The venue was crucial in determining boat size: large enough for performers to move safely on board, yet still manoeuvrable, with a draught suited to the fjord’s depth.
“On most of our projects, we know the locations inside out, our stages, our theatres, or the parade route. This time, we had to imagine the boats in parallel with the creation of the land. I still remember my first site visit, discovering vast, empty spaces and having to project what would become the village of Arendelle, the harbour, the entire lake—and consequently the boats that would navigate it.”
Because the harbour sits slightly higher than the fjord, the team also designed the boats with the audience’s vantage point in mind: guests would see the vessels from every angle, including their interiors.
“That’s why we went so deep into every detail, inside and out, to ensure complete coherence.”
While drawing on the visual language of Frozen, something Thomas knows quite well, he also delved into the history of Nordic shipbuilding.
He surrounded himself with talented teams energized by the project’s originality, starting with the Disneyland Paris Technical Show Department, whose role is to make creators’ ideas technically feasible. For the boats’ overall structure, the team turned to renowned French shipbuilder Couach Construction Navale, based on the Arcachon Basin, with over 120 years of experience in professional vessels. The exterior decoration of Kristoff’s boat was crafted by the artisans at Prelud, a longstanding Disneyland Paris partner near Dijon sculptors, painters, and carpenters who, among other contributions, gave the project its distinctive handmade character.
“These are family‑run companies with a deep commitment to the traditions of their craft. All these teams were thrilled to contribute to our boats and showcase their know‑how. As I like to say, this collaboration -technical, artistic, and human- was truly wonderful!” Nearly 400 suppliers, 83% of them French, including Prelud and Couach Construction Navale, contributed to this unprecedented transformation, underpinned by exceptional expertise and craftsmanship.
From the very first sketch to the first volumetric 3D model, from discovering the full‑scale polystyrene template to the meticulous finishing of the sets, every stage of this journey felt momentous.
“It’s really like a puzzle: each piece arrives one after another: the base, then the colours, textures, friezes, lights, and then even more details. It’s a continuous flow of progress, challenges, and shared emotions.”
One of the project’s absolute highlights was the boats’ arrival at Disneyland Paris.
“We all held our breath. Watching the boats lift into the air before being set down into the lagoon, then seeing them float and discovering them for the first time in daylight, reflected in the water like a mirror. That was magic!”
This moment is even more special for Thomas, who is celebrating ten years at Disneyland Paris, having contributed to emblematic projects such as the Disney Halloween Festival (including colourful, autumnal décor), Disney Fan Daze, A Million Splashes of Colour, and the Disney Music Festival.
“This project is highly anticipated because it touches both Frozen and the opening of Disney Adventure World. It’s a real challenge, and at the same time a great source of pride. I can say I’m the first to design boats for a Disneyland Paris show. As a ten‑year anniversary gift, I think that’s a pretty wonderful one!”
Reminder:
A Celebration in Arendelle, a 15-minute colorful show, presented several times a day for the Snowflower Festival. While Olaf, Kristoff and the villagers busily prepare for the Snowflower Festival, the lovable snowman, who has been put in charge of the decorations, encounters a few challenges. Thanks to the help of his friends and Queen Elsa’s magical powers, the celebration comes to life, lighting up Arendelle Bay. In this joyful atmosphere, filled with iconic songs from the saga such as “Let It Go” and “Into the Unknown” guests are invited to participate in this festive event