Last month, the construction walls around EPCOT at the Walt Disney World Resort finally came down after almost four years, and guests and fans alike rejoiced at the park being whole once again. With the walls down, it unveiled an all-new EPCOT, with three new “neighborhoods” taking the place of what was previously called Future World. World Nature, World Celebration, and World Discovery (along with the World Showcase) invite guests to learn about innovation, technology, and community in a way that keeps the values of the park at its core.
One of the new areas brought to the park was the World Celebration Gardens, an area for guests to relax, eat, and enjoy a quieter section of the park. While many rejoiced at the park’s reopening, others were disappointed with the fact that the construction took the better part of four years “to create what amounts to little more than landscaping/hardscaping for Celebration Gardens.” However, the area has grown on Disney fans since then, and it’s become a unique addition to the park.
Along with the Celebration Gardens, EPCOT unveiled the all-new “Walt the Dreamer” statue at Dreamer’s Point, a statue of Walt Disney himself, sitting on a bench with a smile on his face as he surveys the treasured park he never got to see. It’s essentially EPCOT’s version of the Partners statue at Magic Kingdom that features Walt and Mickey, and has quickly become a favorite spot for guests to grab a photo or sit and rest for a bit. However, one recent guest has taken issue with the statue’s location, and with a very good point.
Taking to X (formerly Twitter) to share their disappointment, @neurovariance shared a photo of the platform around the Walt the Dreamer statue along with the caption, “So @DisneyParks you could not make Walt the Dreamer at Epcot wheelchair accessible? Pretty hard to be in a photo when you can’t get next to the statue.”
So @DisneyParks you could not make Walt the Dreamer at Epcot wheelchair accessible? Pretty hard to be in a photo when you can’t get next to the statue. pic.twitter.com/Mtwf4aZf2Y
— Paralyzed PhD ♿ (@neurovariance) January 18, 2024
The photo shows the entire area that the bench and statue are located in, including a raised platform that spans the length of the bench. Although a “small” platform, it’s still clearly a hindrance for guests who may have mobility issues or be in a wheelchair. There is no ramp for guests to use to climb the platform and there’s only a small area next to Walt to try to fit a wheelchair for a photo. Guests in a wheelchair have no easy way to access the bench to actually sit next to Walt.
While some may see it as a minor issue, it’s a clear lack of accessibility within the Disney park, especially when the parks seem to be constantly striving towards inclusion and accessibility for all their guests. Earlier this year, TRON Lightcycle / Run opened at the Magic Kingdom, drawing complaints and criticisms for its restraints not being able to fit larger guests. When so many other attractions can easily accommodate a variety of guests, the stark contrast was shocking and upsetting to a lot of Disney fans. The Walt the Dreamer statue seems to be another example of Disney slipping just a little when it comes to inclusivity.
What do you think of EPCOT’s newest statue? Do you think Disney is starting to slip with its inclusive accommodations? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!