EPCOT is in the middle of a massive transformation right now, and while we knew about a lot of the projects Disney is working on, they still have a way of surprising us with new things!

Some of the transformation has already been completed, like the expansion of the France pavilion and the new flagship store in the park. But, other projects remain under construction, and seem like they will be for a while just from looking at the state of the middle of the park! Disney hadn’t even mentioned everything actually being worked on in the middle of the park…until now! So, let’s look at some BIG NEW things coming to EPCOT!

CommuniCore Plaza

CommuniCore Plaza will be located in EPCOT’s World Celebration neighborhood, which is the area in the very middle of what we previously called Future World. Right now, it’s the area is mostly surrounded by construction walls!

The plaza will be an outdoor space where guests can relax and experience everything EPCOT’s festivals have to offer. There will also be an area to see live music that will have the ability to host both intimate performances or large-scale concerts!

The plaza will extend out into the gardens (more on that in a minute!).

Click here to see a FIRST LOOK inside the gift shop for Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind

CommuniCore Hall

Wishing CommuniCore Plaza will be CommuniCore Hall. This will be the first fully purpose-built structure for festival programming in EPCOT. It’s designed with flexibility in mind so that it can be used for many different things throughout the park’s festivals.

The hall will be able to host an array of experiences, like ones involving food, art, live music, and more. There will also be a demonstration kitchen, mixology bar, and an exhibition and gallery space. The entire hall should help expand upon the festival experience and give chefs and new way to connect with guests.

Click here to see which ride you might have to PAY to ride in EPCOT soon!

EPCOT Gardens

The World Celebration neighborhood of EPCOT will be a hub that’s divided into multiple different gardens. In the very middle, there will be a planter that’s been inspired by the five ring EPCOT logo.

The gardens will bring a lot of shade and seating to the middle of the part, and each one will have its own identity. These gardens can change to go along with the festivals as well as evolve with the seasons!

And, at night, the gardens will take on a whole new life. Immersive lighting will be used and also changed throughout the seasons. Plus, the gardens will offer new views of Spaceship Earth at night!

Click here to see everything that’s been CUT from the EPCOT Transformation

Mickey and Friends

Back inside CommuniCore Hall, there will be a NEW character meet and greet location called Mickey and Friends! This is where you’ll be able to meet some of your favorite Disney characters.

This sounds similar to Character Spot, which was the previous permanent meet and greet location that closed once the park transformation began.

Click here for a FULL LIST of meet and greets currently in Disney World!

Journey of Water — Inspired by Moana

We already knew about Journey of Water — Inspired by Moana, but Disney revealed some NEW concept art for the attraction! This will be a lush exploration trail where guests can meet and play with magical, living water. Disney even says that the water will have a personality of its own at the attraction!

In this new image, we get a closer look at the exploration trail as well as how water will be interacting with guests.

This also gives us a way better idea of the layout of the attraction!

Disney says that Journey of Water will help guests learn how to protect the natural water cycle in a fun and engaging way and show the role we play in preserving water for years to come.

Click here to see more about Journey of Water!

Stay tuned to DFB as we bring you more updates on the EPCOT Transformation!

Click here to learn more about the EPCOT Transformation!

Which part of the EPCOT Transformation are you the most excited about? Tell us in the comments!

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. Today, we were invited by Disney World to attend their media preview of the EPCOT 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