Could Disney Be Getting Ready to Replace This Iconic EPCOT Attraction?

This year’s D23 Expo is underway at the Anaheim Convention Center and Disney fans around the world are keeping a close eye on all of the news and announcements coming out of this exclusive event.

So far, we’ve learned about new films and series coming to both theaters and Disney+, with a first look at trailers for highly anticipated releases like The Little Mermaid, Disenchanted, and Hocus Pocus 2. And, while we anxiously await tomorrow’s Parks panel, we are learning more about new projects for Marvel and Lucasfilm, like Willow and Andor, just to name a few.

We are not letting all of the theatrical excitement get in the way of what we are most excited to hear about at this year’s D23 Expo, though. Tomorrow’s panel has us excited, or should we say anxious, about what we could hear in terms of new attractions and experiences coming to Disney Parks, and we hope for the sake of a certain purple dragon that some of the rumors circulating ahead of the announcements are unfounded…

Journey Into Imagination has is a classic EPCOT attraction that despite not living up to its original form, continues to be a favorite of fans visiting this Disney Park. Many Guests are especially attached to the Figment character, whose scope in the Park spans beyond the attraction itself where he serves as the unofficial mascot of EPCOT’s festivals.

While this year’s D23 Expo has not yet shared updates coming to Disney Parks, with the exception of an exciting announcement for Avengers Campus at the Disneyland Resort, one announcement from yesterday’s Pixar panel has fans buzzing.

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Pixar officially announced that a sequel to the 2015 hit animated film Inside Out is in the works. Fans at the event yesterday were even treated to the announcement with an appearance by Amy Poehler, who plays Joy in the film.

What exactly does this news have to do with EPCOT? Well, Disney fans have been speculating since the film’s release that an Inside Out attraction could be the next logical overlay to come to the Imagination pavilion, given the subject of the film being all about emotions and feelings within the human mind (a concept, not all that different, and actually encompassing imagination.)

Pixar’s decision to announce a sequel to Inside Out, especially after seemingly avoiding sequels more often than not, is a curious one in itself, and some Disney fans have been quick to point out that Disney would not be expanding on a movie from 2015 if there was not a greater purpose in mind for the IP.

There is already one Inside Out-themed attraction at a Disney Park with the Emotional Whirlwind ride at Disney California Adventure, but no such attraction exists on the East Coast. Moreover, fans in attendance at yesterday’s panel also noted that Poehler mentioned that the new film will invite audiences to explore their senses, which to many, sounds eerily similar to the experience offered on Journey Into Imagination.

For now, we are just speculating that Inside Out could make an appearance or even take over this classic EPCOT attraction, but we are certainly anxious for tomorrow’s panel where news of upcoming attractions is most likely to break.

While we wait, we will continue to share updates out of this year’s D23 Expo here on DisneyTips, and we will be back with all of the exciting news out of the Parks panel tomorrow.