After years of uncertainty, there are signs of life one again for EPCOT’s Play! Pavilion.
Walt Disney Imagineering was issued a General Contractor Package permit today to advance their plans for the new space.
While no information containing an opening date has been released, the permit is set to expire on December, 31, 2024. This could mean we’d be looking at an early 2025 opening at the latest, should they complete their scheduled work in time.
Initial plans for the space were first announced at the 2019 D23 Expo. Back then, Disney Parks Blog shared the exciting news about the EPCOT addition:
“PLAY! pavilion at World Discovery is opening in time for the 50th Anniversary of Walt Disney World. In this interactive metropolis, guests will discover a city bursting with games, activities, and experiences that connect them with friends, family, and beloved Disney characters like never before.”
Following the D23 Expo, development plans were grounded globally in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. In the years following, little clarity was shared surrounding the big announcements made not even a year prior.
The time gap did not go unnoticed, and some Disney fans took to Twitter to express their frustrations. User @SirBrayden tweeted:
EPCOT’s Play Pavilion was announced 828 days ago
EPCOT’s Play Pavilion was announced 828 days ago pic.twitter.com/vy5SEoZfrw
— Brayden (@SirBrayden) May 27, 2021
As recently as May, people were questioning the status of the paused project. @DreamfinderGuy Tweeted:
Talked to Zach Riddley about Wonders, he said the Play Pavilion is still going to happen and it will “Complete the World Discovery Neighborhood”. They have no update on a timeframe but they have more to share from the lead designer “soon”. Wonders will return!
Talked to Zach Riddley about Wonders, he said the Play Pavilion is still going to happen and it will “Complete the World Discovery Neighborhood”. They have no update on a timeframe but they have more to share from the lead designer “soon”.
Wonders will return! 😂
— DreamfinderGuy (@DreamfinderGuy) May 27, 2022
With a potential 2025 opening, that puts us several years outside of their goal timeframe. Still, this new filing is a promising sign that former projects are finally being resumed.
Related: EPCOT Photos: Play! Pavilion Exterior Nears Completion, Innoventions Construction Progresses
Check back with Inside the Magic for the latest Play! Pavilion developments.
Do you hope to see the Play! Pavilion come to life? Let us know in the comments below.