Disney Announces Permanent Closure of EPCOT Attraction

Change is on the way! As the transformation of EPCOT continues, we’re learning one EPCOT attraction will be closing permanently, VERY soon.

Walt Disney World Resort’s second theme park, EPCOT is currently undergoing a massive transformation. The once two lands of the Disney Park, Future World and World Showcase, are now being transformed into four neighborhoods called World Celebration, World Discovery, World Nature, and World Showcase.

Much of the former Future World portion of the Park is currently under construction with additions such as a new Walt Disney statue called “Dreamers Point” coming to World Celebration, Journey of Water Inspired by Moana coming to World Nature, and the highly anticipated Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind coming to World Discovery.

Not only has the former Future World seen an overhaul, but Disney has welcomed the expanded France Pavilion and the new EPCOT attraction, Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure to the World Showcase mix. With new restaurants, new shops, and new attractions, the transformation isn’t complete but it is looking promising!

Now, we’re learning Disney is permanently closing the EPCOT attraction that highlighted all of the massive changes in a bright and colorful way. That’s right, the EPCOT Experience in the World Celebration portion of the Park is scheduled to close for good.

The attraction was established to show Guests “The EPCOT of Tomorrow” with a series of engaging exhibits that showcased the innovation, energy, and excitement driving the biggest transformation in Disney Park History. Guests could enter the space and see screens, displays, and hear a narration of what’s to come for EPCOT on the horizon.

Disney Imagineer Zach Riddley took to Instagram to share the news with the following message:

Since its 2019 debut, Walt Disney Imagineering presents the EPCOT Experience has welcomed more than two million guests, as travelers from around the world enjoyed an immersive look at the past, present and future of this beloved park. This attraction gave our team a chance to share a first-person view of the vision coming to life during this ongoing “state of becoming.” It’s a rare moment to see these milestones unfold, and we’ve been inspired and deeply grateful to have this opportunity to pull back the curtain on our thinking.

With the transformation now well under way and many of those projects now open – including Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure, Harmonious and the upcoming debut of Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind this summer – we have decided it is time to close the EPCOT Experience on March 14 and make way for exciting new activations of the Odyssey pavilion to create a great experience for our guests.

I’m proud of the work and storytelling that our Imagineers put into this incredible 360-degree presentation, as it beautifully set the stage for the largest transformation in the history of EPCOT, and provided an in-depth look at the exciting attractions and experiences being developed for this beloved park. I always like to say to our team that EPCOT is a park about people – our dreams, our curiosity and our ability to make magic possible when we work together. The EPCOT Experience was a showcase of all those things, inviting each of you to dream with us as we create the future of EPCOT together. 

We have a lot more to share in the weeks and months ahead, and I am grateful for the opportunity to provide an in-depth look at the process through our Imagineering lens. Follow along with me here as we share more exciting details about this historic EPCOT transformation, including Journey of Water inspired by Moana, the ongoing evolution of World Celebration, and more!

Don’t wait! As noted in the message above, the attraction will close this coming Monday, March 14, 2022. We’re curious to see what will take the place of the EPCOT Experience in the Odyssey Events Pavilion. In the meantime, we’re continuing to gear up for the summer arrival of EPCOT’s Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind.