EPCOT‘s glow-up of World Celebration literally can make your jaw drop.

World Celebration has been under construction for years and now we finally can see the fruits of that labor and the finished product. Not only do we have an incredible space to sit, dream, and play but it even transforms at night. We had a chance to dive deeper into the details of it all, and what was shared directly from Disney Imagineers blew our minds!

While taking in the sights and sounds of the reopened World Celebration Gardens, we had an opportunity to listen and take in details about the land from those who know it best. Three Disney Imagineers who were instrumental in overseeing EPCOT’s transformation of the park were kind enough to share with us details and secrets about what went into every decision that makes up the finished look. This four-year transformation is one that seemed to have been worth the wait, so let’s fill you in on a few nuggets they shared!

The glowing ground was a HUGE “will they won’t they” element that had all of the Disney fans buzzing when EPCOT announced plans to revamp this area.

We learned from the Disney Imagineers that when they thought about the fiber optic lights that were used in the ground here before, they really wanted to draw inspiration from it but make it come into its own. Through the advancing technology, and their stroke of genius, the finished product that can be seen today features over  300 LED lights embedded in the pavement.

We’re gearing up for the new World Celebration Gardens area of EPCOT to truly LIGHT UP after the sun goes down!

Cast members that worked on this project shared with us how the lights are synchronized to Spaceship Earth! pic.twitter.com/1MsQLvnzuX

— Disney Food Blog (@DisneyFoodBlog) December 5, 2023

 

While it glows beautifully, it’s also functional (y’all this news is like finding a dress with POCKETS!) At sundown and through the remainder of the evening, the lights in the ground and surrounding light poles are also synchronized with the show lights that are featured on Spaceship Earth, and that just blew our minds! We also learned that these lights will be carried on behind the Communicore Hall, which is still currently under construction.

We also know that these things don’t always stay the same, so Disney Imagineers also had to make allowances for change (like when the EPCOT festivals change seasonally). To compensate for that, planters were strategically placed around the gardens along with the cascading array at Dreamer’s Point that can be activated in the future if something is dreamed up to coincide with a specific festival.

Additionally, each of the garden spaces was designed to have its own personality. Everything from the foliage and plants, active and gathering spaces, Folley, and terraces were all methodically chosen to weave them into their own theming.

Another cool detail we learned is that each of these “personalities” has their own nicknames affectionately offered to them by Disney Imagineering. The garden area closest to CommuniCore Hall has been referred to as “CommuniCore Garden” and the one closest to Connections was referred to as “Connections Garden” respectively.

Reimagining such an iconic space in a park like EPCOT that has no “theme” was no easy task. It took Disney Imagineers months to make decisions on how to best redesign World Celebration and the gardens area in a way that was respectful to the original design, concept, shapes, and patterns of the park.

“I wanted to feel like I was a kid again”

Cast members say this is what’s the most inspiring about EPCOT – that it brings people together. pic.twitter.com/58GBgCVAhN

— Disney Food Blog (@DisneyFoodBlog) December 5, 2023

 

But, as you take a look around you’ll likely find that they totally nailed it!

We thought it was a neat opportunity to sit down and hear directly from the creative minds behind EPCOT’s new look. Be sure to follow us for more EPCOT news and updates as we see the remaining construction’s progress!

FINALLY! This Sneaky Shopping Spot Is OPEN in EPCOT!

What do you think of this newly opened area at EPCOT? Give us your honest opinions in the comments below!

Disclosure: In nearly all circumstances, Disney Food Blog writers and photographers pay full price for their own travel, hotel, food, beverage, and event tickets. We do this because it’s important to us as journalists to ensure not only that we give you unbiased opinions, but also that you can trust us to do so since we’re paying our own way. On rare occasions, when we are invited by a company to attend a preview as media, and when we choose to accept that invitation, we will always make you, our readers, aware of that situation. Recently, we were invited by Disney World to attend their media preview of EPCOT’s World Celebration Transformation. Note that when we attend events as media we are 1) Not required to review that event/food on any of our channels, and 2) Not required to review that event/food favorably. You can always count on DFB to give you a 100% unbiased and honest review of any event that we attend, food that we eat, or beverage that we drink. You can see more in our Disclosure Policy. Thank you for reading. — AJ