Work Finally Continues on Disney’s Forgotten EPCOT Project

EPCOT is currently undergoing its largest renovation project since the Disney Park opened nearly 40 years ago in 1982.

As part of the project, the entrance to the Park has been redesigned, and new attractions and experiences are in the works, including Journey of Water, Inspired by Moana, and the new statue of Walt Disney at Dreamers Point.

This year’s D23 Expo left Disney fans with some mixed opinions, not only on the projects that were mentioned as some were incredibly vague but also thanks to the omission of attractions that the company has not shared an update on in some time.

One of those seemingly forgotten EPCOT projects is the Play Pavilion. This all-new concept was to take shape in the space formerly used as the Park’s Festival Center during seasonal events (and as the Wonders of Life Pavilion originally.)

While the new pavilion might not seem like a major highlight of EPCOT’s overhaul, especially in comparison to the other projects that we have been able to learn more about over the years, Disney did share lots of exciting details on the inspiration behind the Play Pavilion when it was first introduced in 2019.

Disney originally described the Play Pavilion as an innovative city that would be packed with interactive experiences, Disney characters, and new entertainment, all originally set to open in time for the 50th anniversary of Walt Disney World (had a global pandemic not changed things.)

RELATED: Orlando Airport Gives Shout Out to EPCOT’s Figment with Rainbow Tunnel

Back in 2019, Creative Portfolio Executive of Walt Disney Imagineering Zach Riddley spoke about the Play Pavilion saying, “This innovative, new pavilion is beyond anything we’ve ever created and is completely unique to Epcot. Built on the power of play, it introduces an immersive and interactive ‘city’ where you can explore, create, and interact with some of your favorite Disney characters. This is an experience worthy of our bold vision for Epcot – and another signature element of our transformation.”

While Disney has not shared an official update on the pavilion recently, Guests visiting EPCOT did recently catch a glimpse of work being done on the exterior of the former Wonders of Life pavilion. Take a look at the photo below shared by Twitter user @PullanoJimmy:

@SirBrayden multiple workers on the roof of the Wonders of Life pavilion this morning. pic.twitter.com/o3LSg4CsIA

— AKJP_91 (@akumukitsune91) September 14, 2022

The work being done so far that is visible to Guests is, of course, vague, and sightings like this likely will not give us further details on the future of the space unless some noticeable design work begins to take shape. Still it is very exciting to see work continuing on a project that some suspected had been abandoned.

Without any recent update on the Play Pavilion, Disney has not shared further details on when the new attraction could open (or if anything has changed since the initial announcement) but we will continue to keep you updated as we know more here on Disney Tips.