Because Frozen makes people crazy, the newest manifestation of the film’s success is an increase in tourism to Norway, driven by parents desperately trying to retain their children’s affections after losing a fistfight for an Elsa doll. The Norwegian tourism board wisely began a Frozen-themed marketing campaign last October, banking on the country being the inspiration for its animated landscapes, and since then is reporting a 37-percent increase in hotel bookings compared to last year, along with a 57-percent increase in arrivals from New York to Oslo.
Norwegian Air has also started offering direct flights from Orlando, Florida to Oslo, connecting the Happiest Place on Earth with the real happiest place on earth. Disney’s eight-night Norwegian tour package starts at $5,099 per adult and $4,849 per child, putting the minimum price tag for a family of four at $19,896 (not including airfare). Tourists will “walk in the filmmaker’s footsteps”, according to Disney, as they visit the medieval village of Bergen, journey through the fjords, and go on a glacier fishing expedition “that will have you feeling like a true local.” All this attention has inspired the Icelandic tourism board to unveil its new slogan, “Iceland: We’ve Got the Northern Lights, Too.”