Park Changes at EPCOT You Need to Know About
On July 15th, EPCOT finally reopened after almost exactly four months of downtime.
This park is near and dear to the hearts of many Central Florida residents, and they’re the ones who care the most about its return.
After all, EPCOT has returned with a seminal event, a food festival, along with other Coronavirus-related modifications.
Here’s everything you need to know about the park changes at EPCOT.
Modified Entry Procedures
You’ll probably notice a few differences before you ever reach the park.
Disney has altered some aspects of the monorail and the Disney Skyliner.
When you board the monorail, you’ll see plastic dividers that add a layer of protection between guests.
You’ve grown accustomed to it by now. However, when you sit on half the monorail seats, your back and head are close to the guest in the adjoining seat.
The dividers prevent droplets from spreading amongst the riders.
Similarly, on the Disney Skyliner, your party will ride alone. Before the pandemic, cast members asked up to 10 people to share the same gondola.
Disney has correctly eliminated that rule for now. Instead, you will get the Skyliner cart all to yourself, even if you’re traveling alone.
Once you reach the park, you’ll experience three other changes.
You must pass a temperature test before you can proceed. Disney wants to stop the spread of Coronavirus whenever possible.
So, any guest who tests positive qualifies as a potential health risk.
Don’t worry if you’re just feeling hot due to the Florida sun.
Should you fail, cast members will give you 15 minutes to cool down and try to pass the test again.
Afterward, you’ll experience the new security checkpoint. This system is currently in the trial phase, which means it may not last.
However, I suspect that it will since it’s much more efficient. You simply walk through the scanner, which can tell if you’re armed.
You no longer need to take out your belongings, which vastly reduces the aggravation of the process.
Afterward, you’ll walk to the Magic Band entrance kiosks. The difference here is that fingerprint scanners aren’t active.
You merely tap your band, and you’re good to go!
Spaceship Earth Changes
I’ll discuss other ride differences in a bit, but you’re likeliest to approach this attraction first. And it’s changed some.
No, the ride isn’t modified any. In fact, Disney has canceled its plans to plus Spaceship Earth soon.
Instead, that project is now years away if it happens at all. To wit, the Epcot Experience film has removed its Spaceship Earth scene entirely.
However, you’ll still face some alterations at the attraction. Specifically, you’ll witness them afterward.
You’re used to walking out of Spaceship Earth and entering Project Tomorrow: Inventing the Wonders of the Future.
Here, you look at your funny ride pictures used in different circumstances. Also, you play with some of the interactive devices.
You can guess where I’m going with this.
People crowd into this area to explore the entertainment options. Also, several of the elements feature high-touch sections.
Both of these are problematic during the pandemic. So, Disney has shuttered Project Tomorrow for the time being.
Park officials actually had some of it operating during the first week before reality set in that some guests would misbehave.
Now, everything is offline. You can’t even send a postcard until the situation improves!
World Showcase Pavilion Changes
EPCOT’s managers faced some of the toughest challenges of any Walt Disney World theme park.
Many of the hallmarks of World Showcase pavilions are indoors. Others involve tight spaces where social distancing isn’t easy to achieve.
To my pleasant surprise, Disney’s done a great job across the World Showcase.
For example, the Mexico pavilion has had to close many of its shops. Frequent guests here understand why.
Several of the shops reside in close proximity. It’s the indoor equivalent of a shopping bazaar.
Even in the best of times, navigating these shops can feel a bit claustrophobic. Still, the merchandise is so spectacular that nobody cares.
During the pandemic, these small vendor areas are too tight. So, the pavilion has closed most of them for now.
Also, when you walk through the pavilion, you can only go one way. This directional traffic flow ensures social distancing.
Thankfully, San Angel Inn, Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros, and La Cava del Tequila are all open, though.
So, you still have plenty of reasons to visit!
The France pavilion shares similarities with Mexico. Some of its stores and restaurants remain closed, and I sadly include Les Chefs de France in that.
Still, the heart of the pavilion remains intact, and its most recent attraction is also operational. The Beauty and the Beast Sing-Along is back in business!
In fact, virtually all the World Showcase and Future World attractions are open. And that’s what most of us need to hear.
Restaurant and Character Changes
EPCOT has undergone some changes at its restaurants, even the pop-up ones.
Yes, a modified version of the 2020 EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival has opened.
Given what transpired, park officials modified the standard Food & Wine event with portions of the Flower & Garden Festival.
Disney has named this one-of-a-kind event A Taste of EPCOT International Food and Wine Festival.
I’m unsure how long it’ll last, but some topiaries from the Flower & Garden event are still on display. The Parks Blog indicated that least one is here to stay this summer.
Disney has approached the exhibition from a different perspective this year.
Four of the Global Marketplaces reside in the same building, the World ShowPlace pavilion.
You’ll find the Appleseed Orchard, Desserts & Champagne, Festival Favorites, and Mac & Cheese booths here.
Disney has spaced the tables far apart to ensure social distancing. Also, access may switch to a virtual queue as needed to prevent crowding.
At other restaurants, you’ll experience more subtle changes. Many have stripped down their menus, and some have even eliminated fountain drinks.
Regal Eagle Smokehouse has switched to packaged sauces so that guests don’t need to touch the same taps.
The Garden Grill Restaurant faced the most difficult challenge as a character meal in tight quarters.
Well, this one has a happy ending, as managers have uncovered a brilliant solution.
The characters sit on the table behind your sections and communicate with you from there.
You’ll never forget the time that you peered over your shoulder and realized that Mickey Mouse was standing there!
The experience is like a celebrity sighting at a restaurant, only better because it’s Mickey!
About the Character Interactions
The character meetings at EPCOT have taken a different form during the pandemic.
You cannot walk up to Mary Poppins or Alice and say hello. However, you’ll still get to see them during your trip.
These two characters sometimes hold court at a gazebo at the United Kingdom pavilion.
Similarly, Elsa tends to roam the streets of EPCOT now. Following closely behind is her sister, Anna, who receives a royal transport now that she’s queen.
So, EPCOT kinda has floats now. Also, if you roam the right corridor, you could even see Winnie the Pooh trying to track down some honey.
The bear only possesses a net, which leads to some adorable theatrics. It’s a one-of-a-kind magical experience that wasn’t available until now.
Oh, and did I mention the Princess Cavalcade? Yes, a Princess Promenade rolls through the World Showcase at random intervals. You DO NOT want to miss it.
In fact, Disney has taken to hosting Cavalcades in the World Showcase. Many guests sit at pavilion tables while eating and drinking.
So, park officials reward these guests with some entertainment. The Cavalcades aren’t the only ones, either.
The Jammitors and Mariachi Cobre performers hang out at the America Gardens Theatre and play scheduled daily shows.
These acts replace the Eat to the Beat concert series. So, EPCOT still has some festival music!
Attraction Changes
Every attraction at Walt Disney World has required a fresh evaluation due to Coronavirus.
Interestingly, most of the rides at EPCOT haven’t required significant modifications, though.
At Soarin’, cast members have blocked off some of the seats to maintain social distancing.
Also, the attraction features something that’s become a staple at Disney parks.
Workers clean the ride cart apparatus between world tours. Gloved cast members employ reliable cleaning products to eliminate the disease.
The line queues now include plexiglass structures to protect guests, too.
These enhancements lessen the magic a bit, but they make people feel safer. That’s the trade-off Disney must make at the moment.
Larger venues like The American Experience require a bit more forethought.
Disney has blocked off several seats and vastly reduced capacity.
Of course, this particular attraction is rarely full anyway. So, it’s not a big deal.
The same changes are in play at Awesome Planet, which debuted earlier in 2020.
Disney has added markers in the pre-show area so that guests will know where to stand in a relatively closed space.
Even the Friendship Boats on World Showcase Lagoon have made similar concessions due to the pandemic. Some seats here are unavailable.
Then, there are the Omnimover attractions like Spaceship Earth and The Seas with Nemo & Friends.
The brilliance of these designs is that the ride carts are always in motion, maximizing throughput at a fixed pace.
With Coronavirus a fact, cast members are stopping the ride occasionally to wipe down the Clamobiles.
Also, Disney seats guests at least three clams apart. So, space is never an issue on this attraction.
Overall, EPCOT’s modifications are smart and effective, giving hope to the fact that Coronavirus won’t derail Disney fans anymore.