We did it(?!)

For roughly a month, CommuniCore Hall has been open at EPCOT, and many have been… erm… to put it nicely, questioning its value. However, we think we may have figured out some positive uses for the space.

To understand the reaction to CommuniCore Hall, it’s important to understand the context. When EPCOT’s major reimagining was first announced in the late 2010s, the plans for the park were somewhat grand, with concept art displaying futuristic vistas that merged nature and technology in ways not typical to theme parks. However, the reality of this massive project was slightly different. 

Due to numerous factors — including the pandemic — EPCOT’s reimagining ended up much smaller than planned. Sure, some projects like Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure, and Journey of Water – Inspired by Moana ended up pretty much as they were supposed to.

However, some like the Play! Pavilion transformation of the former Wonders of Life, the Mary Poppins dark ride in the U.K. pavilion, and the massive refurbishment of Spaceship Earth were axed entirely (and that’s not even getting into the areas of EPCOT that weren’t touched at all), and others ended up looking so different from their initial concept art that they may as well have been cut. 

And that brings us to CommuniCore Hall. 

Originally the space that’s currently CommuniCore Hall was supposed to be the World Celebration Festival Center. Disney released concept art for the Festival Center showing a space-age style design featuring a saucer shape, reflective columns and glass, winding staircases, and a rooftop garden. 

Along with this art, they also released a description that explained that the World Celebration Festival Center would be “the perfect place for live events, and the home base for Epcot’s signature festivals. It will provide a stunning elevated view of the entire park and an ideal spot to witness Epcot’s nighttime spectacular. This beautiful three-level structure will have one of the most remarkable architectural designs at any Disney park, featuring a plaza level, a middle expo level, and a park that sits in the sky on the top level.”

Suffice to say, the version of CommuniCore Hall that was built — and opened last month as the “final piece” of EPCOT’s reimagining  – is… well… not that. 

Instead, many fans have complained that the hall is large, boxy, mostly empty, and taking up a large amount of real estate in the middle of the park, especially outside of EPCOT festival season. 

However, believe it or not, there are some benefits to CommuniCore Hall. It’s a large, air-conditioned space that’s mainly empty. In other words, it’s a perfect spot to come for a breather and sit in some air conditioning to relax. This is especially true if you’re traversing the park with young kids and need a place for them to take a nap outside of the sweltering heat. 

Does this make CommuniCore an ideal theme park environment or mean it was “worth” the construction time it took to build? Not necessarily, no. However, that doesn’t mean there aren’t some benefits to be gleaned from the hall for now. Stay tuned to DFB for further EPCOT updates. 

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Do you find CommuniCore Hall a nice place to relax if nothing else? Let us know in the comments below. 

The post WE DID IT! We Finally Found Out the Real Purpose of CommuniCore Hall in EPCOT first appeared on the disney food blog.