UPDATE: According to Attractions Magazine, Disney has issued the following statement relating to the two attractions: “As with most businesses during this period, we are further evaluating long-term project plans. The decision was made to postpone development of [the] ‘Mary Poppins’-inspired attraction and Spaceship Earth at this time.”
We’re live from the grand reopening of EPCOT in Walt Disney World!
Epcot Experience Sign
Prior to closing, EPCOT had announced a huge overhaul to the theme park. EPCOT would get a new look and add attractions like the Moana-inspired Journey of Water and a new PLAY! Pavilion with interactive experiences and characters. The new attractions and overhaul is displayed in the EPCOT Experience video. Today, we noticed something huge missing from the EPCOT Experience video. Well, TWO huge somethings missing from the video!
The first missing scene is the depiction of the Mary Poppins attraction. The new attraction was announced during the D23 Expo in 2019. It was based on the Mary Poppins movies and set to open in the UK Pavilion in World Showcase.
Mary Poppins in Epcot
Hardly any details were released about the new attraction and there was no opening date set in stone. This is a possible indication that the attraction is no longer in play and could be cut from production or that it has been delayed for the time being. But of course, nothing is confirmed and we’re keeping our fingers crossed that will still see this attraction come to life.
Mary Poppins Attraction ©Disney
The second cut is the re-imagining of Spaceship Earth. The attraction was supposed to get a major refurbishment including new scenes, narration, and improved technology. (The silver lining is that Dame Judy Dench may be here to stay.)
Prior to EPCOT’s reopening, Disney shared that “the iconic Spaceship Earth attraction at EPCOT will also continue to be available in its current state while we pause on its planned refurbishment.”
Transformation of Epcot ©Disney
Construction outside of Spaceship Earth has already begun. The Leave a Legacy Monoliths have been removed and walls continue to go up around the area. The refurbishment inside the ride hadn’t started prior to closing and the ride is operating as normal right now.
Our Shared Story Wall
Other attractions like Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure and Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind have NOT been cut from the show. We will keep you posted as we learn more about possible cuts and additions to Disney World.
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What do you think of the cuts to EPCOT Experience? Let us know in the comments!
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I’m glad that Spaceship Earth is on hold for a while. The current version is fun, educational and intriguing. (We always enjoy seeing what our characters do and, occasionally, choosing another language when we ride.) When the reimagining was announced, Disney talked about “storytelling.” I got worried that the ride would be turned into a bunch of tableaux from movies. I had no evidence to back that up, just a gut feeling that Disney would try to put movie stuff where it didn’t belong. Hopefully, the pause will give Disney time to think about the best way to freshen Spaceship Earth.