Credit: Inside the MagicA bit of chaos recently descended upon a popular Walt Disney World Resort theme park following an unexpected outage.
EPCOT, one of the crown jewels of Walt Disney World Resort, has been undergoing a significant transformation over the past few years, bringing in a host of new attractions, eateries, and experiences designed to rejuvenate the park and enhance guest experiences, but that doesn’t mean that the theme park isn’t subject to malfunctions.
One of the most highly anticipated additions is Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind. This innovative roller coaster, which replaced the Universe of Energy Pavilion, is part of the World Discovery neighborhood. It offers an exhilarating experience that combines storytelling and high-speed thrills, taking guests on an intergalactic adventure alongside the beloved Guardians of the Galaxy.
Another significant addition is Journey of Water, Inspired by Moana. This interactive, walkthrough attraction allows visitors to engage with magical, living water in a lush, serene environment inspired by the Disney animated film Moana. It’s designed to educate guests about the importance of water in our world, blending entertainment with environmental stewardship.
CommuniCore Hall and Plaza, which opened in June 2024, are among the new multi-use spaces in the World Celebration neighborhood. CommuniCore Hall serves as an indoor venue for festival activities, offering a versatile space for various events. CommuniCore Plaza features outdoor stages designed for concerts and performances, enhancing the park’s capacity to host a variety of entertainment options.
Despite these exciting developments, EPCOT faced a significant challenge recently when three of its most popular attractions—Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, Frozen Ever After, and Journey Into Imagination with Figment—all went down simultaneously.
What is going on @DisneyParks? 😂😂😂 pic.twitter.com/W42yrln49v
— Disney Clips Guy (@disneytipsguy) June 29, 2024
This unexpected shutdown caused substantial delays and increased wait times for other attractions, particularly Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure. Disney Cast Members worked diligently to get the rides back up and running, but the incident highlighted the complexities of managing such a large and popular theme park, particularly with so many changes happening at once.
EPCOT is continuing to evolve
EPCOT’s layout has undergone a substantial overhaul.
The Disney World park, previously divided into Future World and World Showcase, is now split into four neighborhoods: World Celebration, World Nature, World Discovery, and World Showcase. Each neighborhood has a distinct identity, contributing to the park’s overall theme of innovation and global culture. This new layout allows for more coherent theming and better visitor flow throughout the theme park.
The Disney park has also seen significant upgrades in its dining and shopping experiences. The new flagship store, Creations Shop, replaced MouseGear and features a modern, sleek design with plenty of natural light and vibrant displays. Adjacent to it, the revamped Club Cool, hosted by Coca-Cola, continues to offer a variety of international soda flavors, delighting guests with its refreshing beverages.
Connections Café & Eatery, another new addition, provides a diverse range of international cuisines and houses the park’s new Starbucks location. This dining spot has become a popular choice for visitors looking for a quick meal or a coffee break.
EPCOT’s entrance has been transformed with a new fountain inspired by the original EPCOT Center fountain and enhanced lighting on Spaceship Earth. These changes have made the entrance more inviting and visually stunning, especially at night.
EPCOT has also introduced a new nighttime spectacular called Luminous The Symphony of Us, which takes place at 9:00 p.m. nightly.
Inside the Magic will continue to keep you updated on all the developments taking place at Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Disney’s Animal Kingdom, and Disney’s Hollywood Studios.