DisneyFanatic.com The Latest News, Advice, and Perspective from Disney Fans for Disney Fans!
We have an update on the PLAY! Pavilion at EPCOT that has been long-awaited by fans—but the news is not exactly what you might think.
Walt Disney Imagineering is constantly working to improve Guest experience at the Parks. From bringing us the Te Fiti statue as part of the Moana-themed Journey of Water in EPCOT to reimagining Splash Mountain at Magic Kingdom Park. A part of this is also closing rides and attractions for the purpose of refurbishment as well, as Haunted Mansion Holiday in Disneyland Park in Disneyland Resort will soon go through.
Spaceship Earth, Walt Disney World Resort/Courtesy of Disney
One attraction at Walt Disney World that has been going through the works is the PLAY! Pavilion at EPCOT. Theme Park journalist Scott Gustin recently shared that Disney is re-evaluating the original concept that was planned, also adding that he expected more to be shared at a later date.
Check it out:
Walt Disney World is re-evaluating the original concept that was planned and announced for the PLAY! Pavilion at EPCOT. I would expect more to be shared at a later date. pic.twitter.com/KyfudRNvsq
— Scott Gustin (@ScottGustin) January 13, 2023
Gustin added some more context in later tweets, saying,
Walt Disney World removed information about the pavilion from the most recent version of the EPCOT park map. It previously said “Future Home of PLAY!” – but that was removed as of today.
As many fans know, the PLAY! Pavilion is found at EPCOT’s World Discovery, which was initially scheduled to open in 2021. The opening was delayed to 2022 to be part of Walt Disney World’s 50th-anniversary celebration.
In September of last year, we reported that some fans noticed work being conducted on the PLAY! Pavilion, a project that some fans have previously speculated to have been tabled (even if temporarily).
But with these updates, it’s clear that’s not the case, and Disney is working on setting up the PLAY Pavilion for Guests to enjoy, even if we don’t quite know how just yet.
Meanwhile, fans can enjoy the EPCOT festival on at the moment—the International Festival of the Arts, which celebrates culinary, visual and performing arts in the Disney Theme Park. The festival is bringing a brand new theme to Beacon of Magic and the return of the infamous popcorn bucket. The Disney Park is also home to rides like Spaceship Earth, Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure and Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind.
We at Disney Fanatic will continue to report on all the latest news from Disney.
