Brand New EPCOT Feature Reportedly Already Broken, Entire Sections Seemingly In Need of Repair

The construction walls at EPCOT finally came down after five years earlier last week, unveiling brand-new areas of the park and the newly reimagined World Celebration, World Nature, and World Discovery pavilions. However, reactions on the overhauled park were mixed, with some fans upset at the results of five years of work and others excited that the park got some love. Unfortunately, it seems as though part of the new area is already undergoing issues according to a recent guest who shared photos on X/Twitter.

As part of the new World Celebration Gardens, the beloved fiber optic lighting was removed from the ground and replaced by all-new LED lighting that runs in a pattern throughout the ground, forming the EPCOT logo. According to a post from @tparris3245 on X, however, apparently several sections of the lighting are now broken. “They really have to figure out what’s wrong with the new pavement lighting at EPCOT. It’s definitely a software related issue, as before the first “show” of the night there were 9 sections broken, but after the show almost none of them are working.”

They really have to figure out what’s wrong with the new pavement lighting at EPCOT. It’s definitely a software related issue, as before the first “show” of the night there were 9 sections broken, but after the show almost none of them are working. pic.twitter.com/vhJ75g61jq

— Thomas (@tparris3245) December 11, 2023

WDWNT also reported on the missing lights earlier this week, claiming that sections were malfunctioning even on the second day the area had opened and “were broken entirely by the third.” @tparris3245 blamed the issues on being a “software/controller issue causing these things, not faulty lights yet they still take forever to fix stuff like this,” going on to say that although it should be an easy fix, “much of the new stuff we’ve already had for a couple years now breaks constantly and, in some cases, takes literally more than a year for them to actually fix.”

@MickeyViews weighed in on the situation, stating, “SCOOP: EPCOT’s new pathway lights, ten sections of which no longer function a week after opening, were damaged due to excess PRESSURE WASHING, which compromised water seals prior to opening. Pressure washing is also to blame for shorted out LEDs on the entrance area overhang.” They went on to say that reportedly, no testing of a cleaning procedure was done prior to their installation and that it is not actually an easy fix if that is indeed the cause.

It’s disappointing that such an incredibly cool feature is already experiencing issues and broken sections when the previous fiber-optic lighting didn’t. In theory, the lighting around World Celebration is meant to change colors and “dance” throughout the night in an homage to the former neon lighting found in that area of EPCOT, and transforming the entire area at nighttime. After a renovation that took several years longer than it should have, seeing pieces already broken has many fans questioning Disney’s attention to quality and detail in the comments under these posts.

It’s been an overall issue for the last several years, with guests complaining about various attractions breaking down, and issues like paint peeling from walls and mold being found throughout the parks. Whether it’s a result of fewer maintenance cast members after the COVID-19 pandemic or a shifting of priorities on Disney’s end, it’s causing guests to deliberate on whether a return trip or annual pass renewal is worth it.

Hopefully, the World Celebration pathway lights can be fixed sooner than later depending on what the true cause actually is, giving guests the full experience of the brand-new EPCOT. Walt Disney World has not yet commented on the issue at the time of publishing.

Do you hope the lights will be fixed soon? What are your thoughts on the newly unveiled areas of EPCOT? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!