As we look towards the future of Epcot, we wanted to create a single space for you to be able to reference for the new Epcot entrance and arrival experience. On this page you’ll find facts, descriptions, and photos of not only what the experience will look like, but also a current look at the progress made from on-the-ground reporting from Epcot.
What’s old is new again at the main entrance to Epcot. As you can see in the concept art below, changes are coming to the Epcot main entrance, where the plaza will welcome guests with new pathways, sweeping green spaces and a newly reimagined fountain. This new design will pay homage to the original park entrance with fresh takes on classic elements.
As part of the new entry experience, Leave A Legacy photos will be moving into a beautiful setting just outside the park’s gateway.
There are essentially two projects taking place at the same time that we’ll cover here – the arrival experience, which will be considered the tram drop off area and bag check, and the new Epcot entrance, which will be defined as the area between the park entrance and Spaceship Earth. While each of these projects are separated from each other by a few hundred feet, they are definitely related to each other and progressing together.
New Epcot Entrance Concept Art
Back in February 2019, Disney announced a new Epcot entrance and arrival experience as some of the first steps of the Epcot overhaul project. Here’s the overview of the refreshed experience.
As you can see below, a “new” fountain will be installed that pays homage to the fountain that guests would have seen back in 1982 when the park opened.
More concept art was released at the 2019 D23 Expo that shows a ground-level view of the new fountain.
Opening Date
While Disney hasn’t given an explicit end date for the project as a whole, they have stated that guests would be able to see their Leave a Legacy photos in a beautiful new setting “beginning in 2020”. That leads us to believe that the project as a whole will be ready to go by January 1, 2020. Of course, we’ll continue to bring you the latest from Epcot over the next few months as we continue to cover the work taking place and its impact on your vacation.
Current Progress and Latest News
Again, we’ll approach this in two parts, outside of the park entrance and inside. As you might know, phase one of the tram drop off area is now open to guests, along with the new bag check area. We have a detailed post (HERE), but you can also watch the video below as we walk around the newly opened area.
As for the work on the fountain and entrance, we made it out to Epcot in early November 2019 to take a look at the latest progress. We expect to see the first concrete pathway pours in November 2019, with the area possibly opening before the end of the year.
Epcot Entrance Model
As part of The Epcot Experience model and projection-mapped show, there is a small section dedicated to the new Epcot entrance. As you can see below, Imagineers decided to focus on two aspects of the concept art – the fountain, and the flags.
The Bigger Picture
It’s a return to form for the main entrance of Epcot. What’s old is going to be new again as Disney attempts to balance things that are arguably not very “Epcot” like the Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind attraction, while still keeping some nostalgia in the park for guests who long for the “old Epcot”.