Epcot Update – April 2019
Epcot is the last park for our April 2019 Walt Disney World construction updates & photo reports. Tons of work is already occurring in both World Showcase and Future World, but we’ve recent updates have covered most of the visible work on those major projects. Instead we’ll focus on the re-routed International Gateway entrance and other random things.
Of course, we’ll also take brief looks at construction progress on the big projects: the Guardians of the Galaxy coaster, Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure, Mission: Space restaurant, Japan restaurant, Play Pavilion, and more.
Additionally, Epcot’s International Flower & Garden Festival continues through early June. (See our 2019 Guide to the Epcot Flower & Garden Festival if you’re planning a visit.) Even though this has another month to go, we’re pretty much “done” with it and ready for some Diet Epcot. On the plus side, Epcot still looks great with so many flowers in bloom…
Before we get to the re-routed International Gateway entrance and other meat of the construction update, here are some random photos of Epcot at its finest, along with commentary…
The top photo and next couple photos are all of the same sunset.
It was one of those rare occasions when the sky looked much better facing away from the sun.
I was lucky to get the faces of the Anna and Elsa topiaries perfectly illuminated by the setting sun, some nice clouds behind them, and no one behind them (at least not noticeably so).
A rare trifecta.
This cake from Kringla Bakeri Og Kafe was our reward after chasing the sunset.
In case you missed it, we covered the pre-Easter version of this cake in our Guide to Easter at Walt Disney World. Post-Easter, a cosmetically different but substantively similar version has appeared. We highly recommend it.
Back to the landscape photos, here’s one of the Lady & Tramp topiaries in Italy.
This looks like a relatively simple shot, but to get Spaceship Earth perfectly positioned behind them, I had to shoot through a small gap in the fence that prevents drunk guests from falling into the canal.
A ton of tinkering with various apertures and angles went into the photo above, and I’m still not happy with it.
I find photos like this–or detail shots that don’t feature any park icons at all–increasingly satisfying to take. Sharing photos on social media is all about “playing the hits” and a mindless snapshot I’ve taken of Cinderella Castle will be more popular than something that’s actually good, but that gets boring and tedious.
Some ‘fresh ideas’ probably need a bit more time to ripen.
There’s a good photo idea somewhere in the Peter Pan topiary image above, but that’s not it. (In my defense, a sign and a trash can really constricted the angle here, and using a tripod wasn’t possible.)
This tucked-away area in the China pavilion has a treasure trove of texture and detail, but it looks sort of flat and lifeless here.
I’ll revisit this before park closing and try to capture some kinetic energy in the scene.
With only a few months until it ends, I plan on getting in as many IllumiNations Post-Show Strolls as I can this summer.
If you’ve never done the post-show stroll, I’d encourage you to read that post–it’s my favorite thing to do at Epcot.
Moving on to construction, we have the obligatory photos of the Guardians of the Galaxy coaster.
Not much visual progress to report here.
The building still isn’t fully enclosed, but I’m not sure this bears any further discussion since not much looks different than last month.
From the monorail station (with a zoom lens), you can see some of the track inside, which is neat.
Nothing to report at the old Wonders of Life, future Play Pavilion.
I’m more than half expecting that we’ll never see any visible progress. One day they’ll install a marquee and the next day it’ll just be open.
Visible progress continues on the Space Restaurant, it has been moving quickly as of late. An opening this year seems unlikely, but early to mid 2020 is definitely on the table.
Mission: PLATES (the unofficial name of the untitled space themed restaurant) is one of the more low-key Epcot projects about which I’m most excited.
Back in World Showcase, work continues on another restaurant in the Japan pavilion.
Announced last year, this is expected to be a high-end steakhouse.
There’s a pathway being built that could serve as the entrance.
Most, if not all, of the restaurant itself is expected to be in an area that’s currently backstage.
Here’s some progress on the facade of Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure (the taller white area to the right) along with the street leading to it that’ll feature new dining and retail.
It’s impossible to say what’s happening inside that giant green show building, but we’re still betting on a 2020 opening for Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure.
Here’s a look at the International Gateway project from the UK-France bridge.
The walled area expanded tremendously yesterday, with the bag check and turnstiles having to move to accommodate.
From the other direction, here’s a step-by-step walk-through of what it’s like to enter through International Gateway now.
Walkways are pretty cramped, but given the low usage back here, there’s really not much issue with this.
While there has been no official confirmation, the safe money is on this being an expansion to the existing security stations and turnstiles at International Gateway.
The Skyliner is going to bring an influx of guests to this entrance, and the existing infrastructure simply cannot handle the increased guest numbers.
Here you can see bag has moved in front of the ticket booths, and a wall has gone up where bag check used to be.
The exit is also right here.
When these walls first appeared a few weeks ago, we figured this project would be done in halves.
That now appears to be incorrect, as the entirety of what used to be the turnstiles and bag check has been pushed over.
The turnstiles have moved forward to what used to be empty space beyond the entrance.
To the left of the metal fence is the exit.
This obviously isn’t an ideal set-up, but as far as temporary solutions go, it’s pretty good.
Crowd-flow is fine and there are 8 (if I recall correctly) turnstiles under the tents–including a Passholder line! Not too shabby.
With Easter over, Flower & Garden Festival winding down, and the slowest time of the year (“Diet Epcot”) about to begin, now is the perfect time to start this turnstile expansion project. This gives Walt Disney World about 4 months to get this done before the popular Epcot Food & Wine Festival begins (or 5 months until Epcot Forever). Depending upon the scope of the work, that could be sufficient.
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YOUR THOUGHTS
What do you think of the current state of Epcot and its construction projects? Have you had the chance to enjoy Flower & Garden Festival yet? Looking forward to the Japan steakhouse or Mission: Plates? Thoughts on the work for Guardians of the Galaxy or Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing your feedback–even when you disagree with us–is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
We are arriving at Disney World Saturday, June 1 and our first day will be at Magic Kingdom on Sunday. Since the EPCOT Flower show will be ending, we are wondering if the topiaries will still be up the week of June 2 or do they immediately take them down?
I’m heading over to Epcot on Monday and I am excited to see all of the construction. I may be the odd one our, but seeing all the magic being built is one of my favorite things. New and fresh. I’m still trying to decide if I want to take the bus from my resort to Hollywood Studios and take the boat over to Epcot, or just go straight there. I tend to go to Epcot by myself so I can take in all the sights without being distracted by others. Thanks for the excellent update.
My recommendation is bus to DHS and walk to Epcot. The boat is nice, but being able to slow down and peruse the Crescent Lake resorts is part of the fun.
Fantastic idea!
I suggest “Mission: Spice” as the name of the new restaurant
I like it! Great pun for sure. I think maybe we should have an unofficial naming contest for the new restaurant. This and Mission: PLATES are good starts!
Don’t like the way the back International entrance has changed. Reminds me of the bus area at Hollywood Studios. All walls. That is my favorite way to enter Epcot and not the crowd and lines in the front. Seems cramped, not open, you can’t see France or the bridge, nothing anymore. The atmosphere is gone. Not happy at all with the changes in MK, all the Lands opening in HS, changes in Epcot with an expensive steak house. They already have an expensive steakhouse in Canada. HS has such small walking areas, you won’t be able to get anywhere in there after Star Wars. Epcot did need something, but not Guardians of the Galaxy. That is not an Epcot thing to me. The train not working in MK for years? Terrible. That was a relaxing, get away from the crowd thing to do. Just too much going on. Thinking of not renewing my annual pass even though I am DVC.
I wish they’d just close one area at a time and give enough advance notice so we could plan to avoid it when we make plans to go. This may be my last trip to Epcot, and I must say that the magical feeling is not feeling too magical right now.
I agree so much. Close one park, construct what you want, then open to close another park. Concentrate on parks, not bits of every park. The magical feeling is fading fast.
does anybody know exactly were the new smoking areas in epcot will be? also does anybody know were the new smoking areas will be at the other parks?
There is no smoking in any park. They will all be outside of the parks near the entrance areas is what was posted.
Thanks for the gorgeous photos & the Epcot updates. I’ll be eagerly watching for your future International Gateway updates since one of our DVC contracts is at BCV & we’ll be there in November. One of my biggest concerns about the Skyliner is how the influx of Epcot visitors at that peaceful entrance will affect the speed of getting through bag check & lines there. (Seriously, have you moved to Florida? I’m loving the frequent photos & updates!)
Yeah, we’re here for the year!
That’s great that you’re based at WDW for now! I’m enjoying all of your frequent updates and these photos in this installment are lovely! Thank you!
Awesome!
Tom ! Is this to say that you have moved in with Josh ???
We came to Epcot since it opened and had season passes for a long time staying at camp ground around Xmas time and going to Japan for tempora shrimp many many times now we relocated back to Wisconsin thanks for many many great memmories
Those are beautiful sunset photos – I wish the site still had the functionality to open them fullscreen when clicked. (I’m with you on the SSE photo from Italy. It’s okay, but still lacking something.)
I had somehow thought the gondola loading station was over near the friendship boats. Thanks for the pictures showing the actual location. Next trip, could you pack along the Nikon 1200mm lens and get us some photos of the track inside the GotG building? 🙂
Of the two restaurants, I’m looking forward to the space one much more. Disney already has many high-end steakhouses and even if this is better or just different by being Japanese, the space restaurant will be different than anything you can eat in anywhere else in the world. That’s what I look for in Disney TS restaurants.
“I had somehow thought the gondola loading station was over near the friendship boats. Thanks for the pictures showing the actual location.”
I don’t know if the photos are deceiving, but the gondola station is directly across from the FriendShip dock.
Part of me hates Disney is changing and the other part is excited. It’s just so encompassing there is not one park where some new construction is not going on. I am going September 9-16 and hoping at least the majority of the unsettling construction will be done. I have have gone for so many years and have gotten so comfortable that I go alone without a second thought. I hope it feels the same or better!
“Part of me hates Disney is changing and the other part is excited.”
I know the feeling. I’m not on board with probably about half of the specific projects (or at least where they’re located), but after years of stagnation, it’s nice to see significant investment.
I just wish more of this happened from ~2001 to 2011, and the plans now more thoughtfully considered thematic integrity.
I live in Florida and love Disney, but taking a time out until a lot of construction is done. Hate to go and walk by walls.