Epcot Overhaul & Re-Imagining: 8 Huge Rumors
Beyond the Epcot Re-imagining Details that were announced at the D23 Expo, there are a lot of rumors for new rides and re-themed areas of Future World and World Showcase. Without a doubt, Epcot is the focus of Walt Disney World’s plans prior to 2021.
There are still several concepts are floating around for an Epcot “re-imagining” that have yet to be announced. No matter what does end up being built, it’s an interesting time for the park. Big plans for Epcot are most definitely going to change the look and feel of the park. Imagineering has put Epcot veterans at the helm with the intent of restoring the park to its former grandeur, and even Parks & Resorts chairman Bob Chapek indicated that he’s told the Imagineers to “dream big” with regard to an Epcot overhaul that would stay true to the park’s original vision while offering something “timeless, relevant, and family friendly.”
In other words, we know things are on the horizon for Epcot: some of these things have been confirmed since we originally shared the rumors (and will be marked as such), while other possibilities are still on the table. A steady stream of rumors continues to trickle out, all with varying degrees of credibility. For this post, I thought I’d assemble the “best” of these rumors, and share them in the order of least-likely to most likely, along with my own commentary on each rumor…
Note that this list is based upon a combination of permits that Disney has quietly filed, insider sources, and credible rumors that have started floating around. I’m compiling everything here on the basis of what I deem most likely to come to fruition (based upon track records of those who have shared the info and a general smell-test). That does not mean that all of these changes will occur.
In other words, this is basically no better than Second Hand Disney News, and I’m correspondent Anthony Crispino. “Did you hear this thing where Spaceship Earth is changing its name to Golf Ball Racers? I’m pretty sure it’s gonna be like the hit attraction Rocket Rods; I got it from a reliable source.” 😉
Frankly, at this point I’m not inclined to believe any Epcot rumors until they’re officially announced by Disney, and even then, I have a sense of healthy skepticism. Even the things that were announced at the D23 Expo could be canceled or changed–it happens all of the time with Walt Disney World announcements. I’ve been burned plenty of times believing something that was a “sure thing,” most notably with the overhaul of the Journey into Imagination pavilion a couple of years ago that got pushed aside when Frozen proved to be a smash hit. (The rest of that, as they say, is history.)
Anyway, with regard to an Epcot reimagining, the question is not “if” but rather “what?” and “when?” Beyond the timeframes for specific attraction updates and additions, this more generically also pertains to what the overarching vision (if there is to be any) for Epcot will be going forward.
Does restoring the park to its former grandeur mean trying once again to “entertain, inform and inspire and, above all, may it instill a new sense of belief and pride in man’s ability to shape a world that offers hope to people everywhere.” Or, does it simply mean making the park popular and “Disneyfying” the attractions? Time will tell.
While we cannot answer that overarching question, what we can offer are a glimpse into rumored proposals for Epcot…
Note: This post does not cover everything that was announced at the D23 Expo. For more on what else is coming, including the Outer Space Restaurant, new Reflections of China film, Central Spine Redesign, and more, read our Epcot Reimagining Details Announced! post.
One of the most exciting things about the D23 Expo with regard to Epcot is that a lot was teased, but left unannounced. Parks & Resorts Chairman Bob Chapek indicated that they have other surprises up their sleeves, and even hinted at a possible return of the Tapestry of Nations parade (hence the above photo–from a performance during the presentation.) He and Imagineer Tom Fitzgerald shared many details, as well as some timelines for the projects. Additionally, we offer some predicted timetables for this work in our Construction Impact at Walt Disney World post.
7. Figment Refresh – The most unlikely of all these rumors, and yet there’s still a pretty decent chance of this happening. The new-look Epcot will continue to use Figment as its mascot, and the park’s iconic character having an attraction worthy of his legacy just seems logical.
The latest fanning of the flames on the Figment speculation came over the weekend by way of WDWNT’s posting about survey questions pertaining to Figment. Personally, I cannot envision a scenario where Epcot receives a large-scale overhaul and the current incarnation of Journey into Imagination survives that. The attraction is not a big draw, and its guest satisfaction scores are not high.
With Journey into Imagination, it’s more a question as to whether the future holds a new attraction with Figment and Dreamfinder, or Disney intellectual property, such as Inside Out. I don’t think the survey is telling either way: management is already aware that Figment is quite popular with Annual Passholders and serious fans, but his selling power with regular guests is more of an unknown.
6. United Kingdom Attraction – The variations of this rumor do not seem particularly credible to me, but there are multiple sources indicating that various concepts are being kicked around for the UK pavilion. Depending upon who you ask, this is everything from an attraction featuring the Loch Ness Monster or Mary Poppins.
Rather than choosing between Loch Ness Monster and Mary Poppins, I’d like to humbly propose to Imagineering an attraction that features both. Just think of the possibilities: you fly above Nessie as Mary Poppins, while engaged in an epic battle for the ages. Everyone knows Poppins’ umbrella doubles as a laser stun-gun and all sea monsters have laser eyes.
Joking aside, it seems like this is a pavilion that is having blue sky ideas pitched for it, but I don’t see it being a top priority. Especially with the pavilion next door being the surest bet to receive a new attraction on this list.
Post-Expo Update: Despite no announcement at the D23 Expo, this “rumor” seems to be gaining traction in the fan community. We have heard nothing from reliable sources. It seems the conversation about a potential attraction in the United Kingdom is being intensified because of the pending closure of Great Movie Ride, which could supply Audio Animatronics for this attraction. While that is definitely possible, it’s not an actual rumor coming from folks in the know–at least it’s not something we’ve been told.
6. Coco in Gran Fiesta Tour – If Coco is as authentic in its depiction of the culture surrounding “Dia de los Muertos” as Moana was with Polynesian cultures, this seems like it would be a natural fit. A no-brainer, in fact. The real question is whether it’d be worth making a reasonably popular attraction (with limited queue space) even more popular.
I think this one probably hinges upon Coco‘s box office success this fall. If it’s a smash hit, it might behoove Disney to find a way to integrate the film into the attraction and somehow accommodate larger crowds. If not, that money would be better spent elsewhere, especially considering the Gran Fiesta Tour has enjoyed a surge in popularity since its Audio Animatronics were added.
5. Spain – Most longtime Disney fans are aware of World Showcase’s history of unbuilt pavilions, most notably Equatorial Africa, Spain, and Israel, all of which were actually announced by Disney. If you’re not familiar with these concepts, there’s a lot about them in Walt Disney’s Epcot Center: Creating the New World of Tomorrow. At the time this book was written, it was still believed that these pavilions were coming to EPCOT Center, so the book spends time discussing them.
They were such sure things that Danny Kaye spoke with Alex Haley, author of Roots, about the Equatorial Africa pavilion, which would be opening in “about a year” as they stood over a detailed model of the pavilion at its future site in EPCOT Center Opening Day Celebration TV special:
Africa would now be redundant, and I don’t think modern-day Disney would deem Israel stable enough or sufficiently free from controversy to build that pavilion. (For the same reason, Russia, Greece, Egypt, and Iran are also highly unlikely candidates at this point, even if they were once considered.)
Of the unbuilt pavilions that were planned, Spain is now the most sensible. Its name has popped up a lot when insiders discuss a World Showcase expansion, with some pointing to Gigantic as the concept for the ride. With that now having been delayed multiple times, I think Imagineering would take a wait and see approach with the movie.
This means that a decision on Spain would either be delayed until Gigantic‘s popularity is known, or the pavilion have a non-IP concept. The original plans called for a cultural dark ride, film, and tapas restaurant. Films are becoming passé for Disney, so I don’t see that happening, but a restaurant and high capacity dark ride seem plausible.
Post-Expo Update: While we don’t have any concrete updates on the Spain rumor, specifically, we’ve heard that a second new World Showcase country is still on the table. It now seems less likely to occur in general, and also more likely that if it does, it won’t be Spain.
Regardless of whether Spain comes to fruition, expansion in World Showcase makes a lot of sense. It does not seem like there’s any end to the perpetual “Festival Season” in sight, and expanding World Showcase would provide some breathing room and added capacity for guests during these popular (and financially lucrative) times of year. Even if Disney cannot find sponsors for new countries, it seems like building-out World Showcase (even if it’s in the model of Italy) makes complete sense. To that end, I suppose another possibility for Spain would be building the pavilion first, and the attraction later…although that didn’t work out so well for Germany or Japan! We’ll cover the Top 4 rumors for Epcot on Page 2…
I’m excited to hear that Epcot will be getting some much needed attention and refurbishment! There are so many unused, outdated buildings and attractions in that park. The small steps they have taken to prop it up over the years have been terribly insufficient so I really hope they will give it some TLC!
Short term, I would love to see them update the films in World Showcase. The interior of the buildings in World Showcase are really neat and fun to explore. They deserve a high quality, updated film that appeals to modern audiences and gets kids excited about learning about different cultures. Also, come on Disney, you’re a film studio- maybe step it up here.
I love the idea of a Spain pavilion! It could be fun to have an E ticket type ride that was based on Spain’s significant history in world exploration. Plus, Spain has incredible cuisine that would be a wonderful culinary addition to the park.
Whatever changes are in store, I look forward to Epcot getting some new energy and excitement while keeping with the original vision for the park!
I think Antarctica would be REALLY FUN! Especially in July & August! LOL! Honestly I just am so TIRED of projections! I don’t like projected faces, don’t like projections on the water, or in the sky. I have a tv at home. I’m good. Work harder.
Spain is a perfect choice. They aren’t building Brazil so Brazilian tourists to go there – if they want to experience fake Brazil they might as well stay home and get the real deal- it’s for those who have never been to Brazil to get the fake fun experience. I just hope that whatever they do they don’t start putting in a lot of educational touch screens and games if they are going fir a educational experience
EPCOT needs more rides. How about a huge “Mt Fuji” roller coaster behind the Japan pavilion. Most important thing Disney needs to do though, is lower the food prices. Has anyone seen the price of a large popcorn lately ? And it is anything but “large”.
Universe of Energy is a huge show building. With a very outdated show.
I can see that being gutted and either a Indiana Jones type ride system with motion control or trackless system like Mystic Manor..or a combo of both ..They could still even keep the Energy theme…and explore things like the Atom, Geothermal and into space with the solar.
Tho…most likely, Tron Coaster.
I agree that Disney won’t touch an Israel pavilion in the current climate. However, I do feel politics shouldn’t preclude Egypt or Jordan from consideration. I suspect it would not take a lot to erect a simple cuboid showbuilding and dress up its facade to look like the Temple of Abu Simbel or the Treasury of Petra, and insert an Indiana Jones ride. The Jordanian government is eager to drum up tourism any way they can so Disney might even be able to get partial sponsorship if they let the Jordanians host a little tourism outpost inside the building.
It’s a shame about Russia because I suspect the Red Square would make a stunning edifice. But you are right that there is no way it can happen in the current climate. The US already has a wonderful Parthenon replica in Tennessee so I don’t think there’s a point to redo a replica of Greece’s most famous monument in Epcot.
I think Brazil is a poor choice though. Would Brazilian tourists really flock to see a replica of their own country? A Brazilian restaurant would do well, but they don’t need a pavilion for that. What would the pavilion resemble, anyway? Brazil’s iconic scenery is the Christ the Redeemer statue, beaches and rainforest. I don’t see much traction in any of that.
Whatever they decide I just hope it’s not childish like the Little Mermaid adventure at MK. That is so disappointing and looks like it was designed and built by first timers. On some things it looks like Disney is going backward instead of forward. Not sure how Avatar will do nor Star Wars. As far as myself I’m not interested in either one. I saw the River of Lights last week when we were there and we left in the middle of the display. Very, very boring. Get some new ideas and keep the peoples interest… Sorry Disney….. not impressed with it !!
I wish they would take one of the areas that are not used to put the Osborne Christmas Lights back up in Epcot. They have the space and it was such a huge part of our enjoyment during the holidays, and I know we are not alone.
I’m actually really, really hoping that Ratatouille will be canceled, especially if it is at the expense of Impressions de France. Although I don’t remember off the top of my head precisely what was in the film, but I thought that it was the best attraction in World Showcase by a significant margin.
My problem with Ratatouille is not that it is a bad attraction, because it’s not. However, it is definitely inferior to Spider-man, it’s clear inspiration, and the other ride that utilizes the ride system that I have been on, Pooh’s Hunny Hunt.
I see Ratatouille kind of like Florida’s Pirates: it’s not a bad attraction by any means, and many people love it. But once you travel to another Disney park and experience their version of Pirates, you will never look at Florida’s Pirates the same way again. I don’t want Disney to settle for mediocrity, and for me, Ratatouille would be a textbook example of that.
The Ratatouille ride in Disneyland Paris is amazing! Trust me if they did something similar in WDW it would be a great addition to the France pavilion.
I am glad that you enjoyed Ratatouille, but I found it incredibly underwhelming. Have you ridden Spider-man or any of the other trackless rides? Ratatouille is slight in comparison to those.
Happy brazilian over here, former cast and crew member at Disney,
Yes, we all heard about The Brazlian Pavillon, but I don’t see that happening at least in the next couple years. Of course I can be wrong, Brazil is not exactly an easy country to understand, but it’s just too much going on right now, and as always this have to do with money and politics.
Maybe in 2020?! Let’s hope so.
Big hughs to Tom and Sara
That picture of The Land pavillion says it all: Disney couldn’t be bothered with spending even a tiny amount of money on a small project, to update those ridiculously dated stair railings. Tom, The Land would be fine if it looked like a modern day food hall. The fact that it looks like the food court in Fast Times at Ridgemont High Is the issue.
That’s an old picture of The Land. It has been updated, including the railings. One could say that it may be time for another update but it doesn’t look like that anymore.
1. Agreed re: Ratatouille. But mostly because I dislike IP in Epcot.
2. Agreed re: Brazil, and for a reason you didn’t mention as well. I think Brazilians may be the most patriotic people on Earth. People from Brazil freaking LOVE Brazil. And they love other Brazilians. When they travel, they want to hang out with other Brazilians and eat Brazilian food and be from Brazil. I’ve really never seen anything like it. So, yes, just to play to the Brazilian guest demographic, this makes more sense than any other new pavilion mentioned. And the Amazon is really awesome, so I’d love to see an attraction focus on that.
Totally Agree Kim Ann! The Amazon provides a perfect river or dark ride option. And the Brazilian people really do love celebrating their culture – which would be great fun for everyone!
Being Brazilian myself, I personally don’t care for a Brazil pavillion at Epcot at all.
Of course there will be people that would be thrilled to have our country represented, but I personally prefer to explore other cultures and things I don`t see on daily basis (don’t matter if it the fantasy of Disney or visiting different countries and immersing on that culture). Besides that, Brazilian food in US is usually so so, and I really can’t see a restaurant serving authentic/iconic food (feijoada, bobó de camarão, churrasco, frango com quiabo, etc) because they are all really heavy meals. If it actually happens, it would be better to have snacks instead (pastel, acarajé, coxinha, empada, brigadeiro, cocada, etc).
And if there is a ride in this possible pavillion, please do not make it about Amazon by iitself. I think that and soccer are the only things that come to mind when people think of Brazil, and there is so much more on culture and natural beauty than only that and I think it would be worth to be explored.
I see your point, but that’s like me saying “there should not be a united kingdom area as i am from the UK”, many people love this area! I’m all for Brazil, would be nice to step into Brazil for an hour and move on to paris etc after 🙂
Also, I think you guys are overestimating how patriotic Brazilians are. As I said, I’m not even a little bit and the people that I know who actually are patriotic only show it when Brazil wins soccer games.
From all cultures I have ever seen/ had contact with, Americans arguably are the most patriotic people of all.
Hi Wendy, fellow brazilian myself I disagreed with you, specially on the food.
The brazilian stand at Epcot Food and Wine, have been always a busy one and they already serve mini moquecas, mini feijoada, churrasquinho and pão de queijo (happy mineira over here!)
Of course they serve with less seasoning, every single food at Epcot are not 100% typical (not even the south american fry chicken), so I think Brazil have been well represented.
Be or patriotic is a personal decision, of course we are not as patriots as americans, but brazilian’s pin are again, one of the best seller at proprety and would be really cool (and a oportunity for a improve in your tourist industry) to see a tour through all country. Amazon, yes, but also Bahia, Lençóis Maranhenses, Pantanal, Rio/ SP/ MG, the Canions at south and Foz do Iguaçu, Zé Carioca could be a nice host.
Lots of brazilian food are popular now, açaÃ, coconut water, brigadeiro …. the drinks always have been and merchandise would be really easy: bikinis, pins, Zé Carioca, shirts, acessories and so on.
Count me on!
I rally hope they can build Ratatouille alongside Impressions De France…. it’s my favorite thing at Epcot!
No chance of Guardians being used to refresh Mission: Space?
If they build Spain, I hope they take their architectural inspiration from Barcelona. I’ve seen photos of the crazy buildings there. I think the style is called modernisme (?). It would go with Disney wonderfully.
To what extent Barcelona is a part of Spain is a politically loaded question. This is a good reason why a Spanish addition would NOT be built–Disney understandably does not want to get stuck in the middle of a political fight over what should or shouldn’t go into the pavilion. (Bullfighting is another controversial topic, and Disney would likely get criticized whether it did or didn’t include this in the pavilion.)
Perhaps with World Showcase at EPCOT ,
They could consider these Nations : New Zealand, Bali , or India ?
I believe any of these would be interesting and exotic to a large number of Disney ‘s guests..
I’ve thought about an India pavilion before. It could look like a miniaturized version of the Taj Mahal (if they could get permission–I hear that’s a revered site). They could have a Bollywood musical stage show. The short-lived Jungle Book nighttime show of last summer at Animal Kingdom gave a preview of what that might look like. A restaurant featuring Indian cuisine classics would be sure to be a hit–I love Indian food.
I think India is already represented to a good degree in Animal Kingdom so they won’t want to redo that in the same resort. Same reason why Africa is now off the table.
Bali isn’t a country in itself (it is part of Indonesia) and I fear it will cause unwanted tensions if they represent the world’s largest Muslim nation with Hindu monuments. However I do think they could do one of Indonesia’s neighbours like Thailand or Cambodia.
New Zealand is a lovely idea but I’m afraid it is not known for its buildings – rather its scenery. And that would be pretty difficult to recreate on a small scale in Epcot and house an attraction.
Epcot was originally designed to be educational and a showcase for science and culture. So much for that idea, why not start over? Close off Future World and transform the pavilions into Star Wars related places. Spaceship Earth becomes the iconic Death Star, The Seas becomes Naboo, The Land becomes Tatooine, Universe of Energy becomes Coruscant, Test Track becomes Podracing Track, Mission: Space becomes … well you get the idea. Once Future World reopens as Star Wars Center phase I, World Showcase is closed off to repeat the process with each country re-imagined as a place in the Star Wars universe. Change is the only constant.
How about adding some shade to Epcot. It’s so hot. Put in some trees or tarps over walkways to get out of the sun. Much rather do this than see money put into new countries.
hjoyshepherd Yes!
For the UK Pavilion … why not bring Mr Toad back? Or Alice’s ride … both of which are at DL.
I’ve been thinking about the addition of countries lately. Brazil is great, and sign me up for Australia as well (that or Beastly Kingdom should have been the new land in AK and not Pandora.) Spain doesn’t interest me as we already have a lot of European countries. For something out of left field, why not have Hawaii…yes it is a state, but it is vastly different from the rest and Polynesia would make a great addition, plus might have corporate sponsorships to help it along.