EPCOT is undergoing a massive transformation right now, and more changes might be on the way.
Journey of Water — Inspired by Moana (a new walk-through attraction) is expected to open in late 2023. Plus World Celebration is set to be completed in 2023 as well, which will give us a new Walt Disney statue and some festival-specific areas. But it looks like a project that had previously been announced for EPCOT might be on the chopping block.
EPCOT has a brand new park map, and it could indicate that BIG changes are on the way. The outside of the map shows a child strolling through the park with 50th Anniversary designs on the sides (remember the celebration ends in March of this year!).
But it’s the inside where things get interesting.
Why? Well, something has gone MISSING. Can you tell what it is?
To give you a clue, here is the map we saw back in May of 2022.
It’s the PLAY! Pavilion! While the yellow structure remains (bottom left-hand corner), the map previously said “Future Home of PLAY!” That designation is now gone.
What could it mean? Well, there are a number of possibilities. It’s possible that the PLAY! Pavilion has been totally scrapped, which would explain why the “Future Home of PLAY!” has been removed. It’s also possible that the PLAY! Pavilion has not been scrapped entirely but is going to be changed, renamed, or otherwise altered in a way that has caused Disney to want to pull that designation back.
There’s also a potential that the Pavilion is being delayed or that plans have been put on “pause” or “hold.” Disney hasn’t confirmed things one way or the other, so we’ll be on the lookout for updates.
We shared an entire post analyzing whether the PLAY! Pavilion should be canceled given recent financial losses, COVID-19 considerations, the chance to use this space for other things, and more. But what exactly will happen in the future with this space remains to be seen.
For those who may not have been familiar with it, the PLAY! Pavilion was meant to be a “digital metropolis” that would feature interactive experiences, games, entertainment, hands-on activities, and Disney characters.
We had seen some workers on the top of the pavilion in the past, but since the key stuff is located indoors, tracking progress has been difficult from the outside.
We’ll keep an eye out for more updates and let you know what we find. For more about EPCOT’s transformation, click here.
Click here for our post about BIG changes in Disney World in 2023!
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What do you think should happen at the PLAY! Pavilion? Tell us in the comments.
The post New Map Could Signal a BIG CHANGE in EPCOT first appeared on the disney food blog.