Another EPCOT Attraction To Undergo Major Transformation

If you think about it, since the COVID-19 Pandemic, the Walt Disney World theme park that has seen the most changes is EPCOT. While the Magic Kingdom has Tiana’s Bayou Adventure and “Beyond Big Thunder” coming in the future, and Animal Kingdom will have a significant update, EPCOT is the only theme park that has received a major overhaul in the past five years.

While that may be true, it seems like EPCOT’s transformation has never ended. Creating a World Showcase, World Nature, World Celebration, and World Discovery has been a slow process.

EPCOT also had to shelve some projects during COVID, like an update of Spaceship Earth and the Mary Poppins Attraction in the United Kingdom Pavilion.

But all that is almost over. Journey of Water, Inspired by Moana, is open, and CommuniCore Hall and Plaza will open next month, completing the central construction at EPCOT for now.

Just as one construction project ends, another begins. Test Track will be closed to guests on June 17 for a year-long refurbishment. The new Test Track will be a complete reimagining of the current attraction.

With all of the changes at EPCOT, another beloved attraction will also have to change with the times. This week, rumors spread that Soarin’ Around the World in the Land Pavilion is reshooting scenes to showcase the changes at EPCOT.

To show the new EPCOT, Disney has reshot the closing scene from Soarin’, in which guests hang glide over EPCOT. Gone are the fountains and tents that were supposed to shield guests from the sun.

The updated film will instead feature the new World Celebration. However, some guests pointed out that Disney must CGI the new CommuniCore Hall, which is still completely covered by construction walls.

The film will feature updated seating areas and the latest Walt Disney statue, which looks at the World Showcase from behind Spaceship Earth.

Apparently, the new EPCOT flyover was filmed this month.

Something else to say goodbye to.

I’m not an Around the World girl, but seeing “my EPCOT” with “my fountain” gives me big feelings. pic.twitter.com/WpFTIMfbB6

— Belle (@FiBelleFi) May 24, 2024

It is still unknown if Disney plans to reshoot any other scenes that take guests to Australia, Africa, China, Germany, Fiji, and destinations across America.

With The Walt Disney Company poised to spend $17 billion over the next decade at Walt Disney World, this won’t be the only change coming to EPCOT.

This isn’t the first time that Soarin’ has changed this year. Early this year, to celebrate Disney’s 100th Anniversary, Soarin’ Over California replaced Soarin’ Around the World. However, that was only temporary; this new change should be more permanent.

What do you think of the changes coming to EPCOT?

This post originally appeared on Inside the Magic.