EPCOT is undergoing a serious transformation that will bring new rides, shops, restaurants, and more to the park.
Creations Shop concept art ©Disney
One of the new things that will be coming soon to EPCOT is a brand new shop to replace Mouse Gear. This store will be known as the Creations Shop. We’ve already gotten a look at some concept art for the store, but now we’ve got a look at its progress and more details about its design!
Recently, Imagineer Zach Riddley shared some more information on his Instagram about the Creations Shop. Riddley started by noting that there is a thing called “parti” that is taught in architecture school. A “parti” is an “organizing idea that gives hierarchy to a design.” Riddley then shares that they went back to the original creation of EPCOT to inform their “parti” for the new spots coming to World Celebration, like the Creations Shop.
In fact, Riddley shares that the team working on the Creations Shop went back to original drawings and sketches of some buildings to define their parti. Riddley said that they’ve been working to streamline the spaces, bring back their iconic look, and also “create a more open, light-filled space.” Riddley then shares how they worked with a radial grid to work on their design of some of EPCOT’s new spaces.
©Zach Riddley via Instagram (@thezachriddley)
In another post, Riddley shared how he was on-site with the team recently and that they’re making progress towards the Creation Shop’s opening, currently set for the summer of 2021!
©Zach Riddley via Instagram (@thezachriddley)
Riddley said they’ve focused a lot of their work on “what makes this new design ‘feel like EPCOT.’” He also shared that their goal has been to use the original geometry of the building they’re renovating for the Creations Shop to their advantage. They’re working on “streamlining the façade and emphasizing the rhythm of vertical columns or ribs.'”
©Zach Riddley via Instagram (@thezachriddley)
According to Riddley, the original drawings show that the space was always intended to be open and give flexibility to the things featured inside. The team is now working to get that openness back into their designs.
©Zach Riddley via Instagram (@thezachriddley)
Riddley shared the their parti is all about the circle. By simplifying some of the facades and emphasizing the beams between the columns they’ll be drawing guests’ eyes from the front to back.
©Zach Riddley via Instagram (@thezachriddley)
Apparently they will also be doing a special take on the iconic light wells that defined this space, and more details about that will be shared in the future.
©Zach Riddley via Instagram (@thezachriddley)
In another post, Riddley shared how light is an important material in their new designs. He shared that some of the more visible design elements in the Creations Shop are some light wells. According to Riddley, Disney is working to restore these iconic elements that “trace all the way back to the original buildings from the park’s opening,” but they’ll also be converting them to have internally-lit elements to promote greater sustainability.
©Zach Riddley via Instagram (@thezachriddley)
And here’s another look at the progress being made on these light wells.
©Zach Riddley via Instagram (@thezachriddley)
It’s really interesting to get a behind-the-scenes look at the design ideas that are being incorporated into the Creations Shop and World Celebration as a whole. We’ll continue to keep an eye out for more details about the EPCOT transformation and let you know as we find more information. Stay tuned to DFB for all the latest Disney news!
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Blah!
Yhryve got to know that everyone will still call it Mouse Gear.
And Creations Shop is not even easy to say.
Just Blah
This looks really nice. I’m all for upgrading and changing things when it makes sense. The name of the new store, however, is just not Disney. Mouse Gear at least was Disneyesque. Creations is a name that can be found anywhere. If they needed to rename, perhaps keep the Disney theme.
I agree, Mouse Gear says Disney, Creations says the l0cal shopping mall.
I hope this renovation is more customer friendly than the World of Disney at DS. Although given Disney’s track record of late, I am not too confident. Totally agree about the name change, it doesn’t make sense. Sounds more like an Art Studio than a store
I always liked the characters that they had hanging from the ceiling. They were photo worthy. I haven’t been able to visit for a long time and I realize that things have to change, but I’ll really miss those ceiling characters!