Disney Has Finished the EPCOT Makeover. How Does It Look?

In 2017, back when this site was only a couple of months old, Disney officials made a grand announcement.

At the 2017 D23 Expo, executives promised a transformational change at EPCOT, one of Disney’s most important theme parks.

The sad truth is that the former Future World hadn’t kept up with the changes needed.

Somehow, a themed land named Future World had grown slightly dated.

So, Disney changed the narrative by recreating EPCOT on the fly.

As of early June, Disney has officially finished the EPCOT makeover. How does it look?

The Changes

Detailing everything different at EPCOT would require much more than a thousand words.

So, let’s stick with the basics. As part of the reimagining of EPCOT, Disney split Future World into three parts.

In place of a single themed land, we have three different Neighborhoods. They are World Celebration, World Discovery, and World Nature.

Disney introduced at least one new element to each section of Future World, strengthening the various Neighorhoods.

The key additions are World Celebration Gardens, CommuniCore Hall & Plaza, and Journey of Water | Inspired by Moana.

Elsewhere at the park, Disney added a new pavilion called Wonders of Xandar.

This new structure took over the previous Ellen’s Energy Adventure pavilion.

The primary draw here is an exceptional thrill ride, Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind.

However, the space itself is fascinating, as Imagineers have brought the fictional alien planet of Xandar to life.

Finally, one pavilion at the World Showcase received a new E-ticket attraction.

Imagineers replicated Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure, the most popular ride at Disneyland Paris.

Fittingly, Disney built the ride at the France pavilion, and it has undeniably increased this space’s popularity.

I could detail any number of other changes, but those are the essentials.

Of course, as often happens with multi-year Disney projects, a few things didn’t go quite as planned.

Let’s discuss those before we evaluate the new EPCOT.

The Complaints

I believe in critical evaluations because I believe it’s the way we improve as people.

Even Disney Imagineers aren’t perfect, although their accuracy levels are astounding compared to any other kind of professional.

Sometimes, things happen that are beyond their control. I will forever remember EPCOT as one such change.

Of course, that’s a matter of history repeating itself. Remember that Walt Disney himself envisioned EPCOT as a capitalist utopia.

Instead, Disney built a theme park. So, from day one, the park didn’t follow the original plan.

At the 2019 D23 Expo, Disney officials fleshed out the plans for the new EPCOT.

Disney promised four integral changes that never came to fruition.

One was that Spaceship Earth would close for a year so that it could add a new story-based theme.

Another was a Mary Poppins attraction at the United Kingdom pavilion.

Perhaps the most ambitious change was the addition of the PLAY! pavilion, which would have created an interactive, immersive environment.

Finally, Disney promised a three-level pavilion with a view of the fireworks.

Due to the pandemic and a related budget shortfall, Disney never built any of this.

CommuniCore Hall & Plaza became a kind of compromise replacement for the pavilion idea.

Not coincidentally, some of the quibbles regarding EPCOT’s makeover involve CommuniCore.

Some question the building’s appearance and overall utility…but I’m not one of them.

The classic EPCOT exterior design bridges multiple park generations, while the space itself adds utility.

Still, I understand why some are mad that plans for the PLAY! pavilion and Mary Poppins ride collapsed due to the pandemic.

Realistically, Disney made the most of a terrible situation, but the disappointment is understandable whenever promises aren’t kept.

Evaluating the New EPCOT

Here’s the thing about the “new EPCOT.” The changes occurred so gradually that they’re somewhat challenging to quantify.

The reinvention of EPCOT started in earnest more than five years ago. Then, society shut down in March 2020.

However, Imagineers worked steadily on construction, even at a time when Walt Disney World had closed to guests.

So, this created a uniquely fractured timeline for the opening of various features.

Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure debuted in 2021, Cosmic Rewind in 2022, Journey of Water in 2023, and CommuniCore Hall & Plaza in 2024.

None of that was planned but is instead a product of happenstance.

As such, you may struggle to recall what was or wasn’t at EPCOT before the pandemic started.

The construction walls went up in 2017 when Ellen’s Energy Adventure closed. Then, they stayed up until…this month.

Realistically, this is the first time in seven years that guests can walk directly to their destination without fear of running into temporary walls.

Still, we can draw some easy conclusions. The first is that Cosmic Rewind is a masterpiece.

In fact, more than two years after its debut, Disney still hasn’t offered a standby queue. Demand remains that high.

Similarly, park officials knew they had a winner with the Ratatouille ride, and it’s proven steadily popular.

A greater debate occurs with Journey of Water, as some people can’t quite conceptualize what the attraction is.

Overall, the experience is challenging to describe with an elevator pitch, and that’s true even after you’ve experienced it several times.

Importantly, this attraction mesmerizes kids, and it’s an ideal hangout spot on hot Florida days.

How Does the EPCOT Makeover Look?

That’s the larger point about the EPCOT makeover. Park officials contemplated the overriding concerns about an EPCOT visit.

Disney designed the place as an infotainment hub at the front and a multicultural celebration at the back.

Over the years, fans decided that they primarily wanted to hang out at EPCOT, which wasn’t always the easiest thing to do.

With the introduction of World Celebration Gardens and CommuniCore Hall & Plaza, guests can kick back and relax more.

Also, Imagineers integrated Beacon of Light features to Spaceship Earth as a part of Walt Disney World’s 50^th anniversary celebration.

Those enhancements proved so popular that they’re not just permanent.

Disney has also augmented them by adding lighting effects at the new spaces.

So, World Celebration Gardens and CommuniCore Hall & Plaza extend the ambiance of Spaceship Earth deeper into the park.

Nighttime at EPCOT is decidedly more magical now, and that’s despite the fact that the big show, Harmonious, proved a failure.

I’m not even counting all the new shots and character greetings that are available.

That’ll probably tick some people off, as many of you have already fallen in love with Mickey & Friends.

In short, I believe that Disney has fundamentally reshaped fans’ opinions regarding EPCOT.

Just as significantly, Disney has finally given those same fans precisely what they want at EPCOT.

As of the summer of 2024, it’s a place where we can all eat, drink, shop, and hang out comfortably.

Remarkably, Disney has added thrill rides, new pavilions, a family-friendly attraction, and a pair of new communal areas.

So, there’s something for every kind of tourist in this reimagining.

No, we didn’t quite get everything we expected during the EPCOT transformation, but the makeover definitely looks good on this park.

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