Disney World confirms Epcot closures as part of Future World overhaul

More than a half dozen merchandise, dining, and character greeting locations in Epcot will close this September, Disney announced, as part of a larger overhaul of the park’s Future World section.

The closures begin on September 8, when the following locations will be permanently shuttered:

The Fountain of Nations
Character Spot and Character Sport North
Innoventions East
Club Cool, though Disney stated on Twitter that “elements will be incorporated into the new offerings as part of Epcot’s evolution.”

Most of the character greetings currently housed in the Epcot Character Spot will be relocated. For example, Winnie the Pooh will move back to his old spot in the U.K. pavilion, Minnie Mouse will move to the World Showcase Gazebo and Daisy Duck will move to The American Adventure.

Other spaces will be repurposed. The park’s Camera Center located underneath Spaceship Earth will close to become the new Pin Central, whose existing location will close on Sept. 8. The Art of Disney shop will close in September and move to The American Adventure’s Heritage Manor Gifts, resulting in the latter shop’s permanent closure.

Disney added that other changes will be temporary, such as the park’s Starbucks location, Fountain View, moving to a new spot in the former Odyssey building, now known as the Epcot Experience Center. According to TouringPlans.com, the location will close on November 24 along with quick-service restaurant Electric Umbrella.

For some locations, the timing of the closures is unclear. Mouse Gear, one of Future World’s largest shops, will move to a temporary location later this year while its current space is refurbished.

Disney has previously announced a slew of additions to Epcot in the coming years, including new attractions like a new “play pavilion” in Future World and Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure, along with new films for the China and Canada pavilions in World Showcase. The front of the park has already seen changes as part of a redesigned entrance, with Disney beginning to remove the Leave a Legacy “tombstones” in front of Spaceship Earth.

Some rumored changes have resulted in public denials from Disney, such as a report from WDW News Today that claimed two Future World pavilions, The Land and The Seas, would be demolished.

Disney says it will share more of its Epcot plans at the D23 Expo in August.

“At the Expo, we’ll share more about what’s coming to the core of the park on the opposite side of Spaceship Earth,” Disney Parks editorial content director Thomas Smith wrote in a blog post. “New areas will be flanking the iconic attraction, and we can’t wait to share the details with you.”

Share this:

Like this: