Disney recently announced which attractions will be open at Walt Disney World when the theme parks begin reopening on July 11, 2020. One of the most notable inclusions was Spaceship Earth at Epcot, an attraction that was supposed to close on May 26, 2020 for a multi-year refurbishment project. Now, Disney has confirmed the iconic ride will be open and its refurbishment is officially on hold.
Via the Disney Parks Blog:
Time travelers, take note that the iconic Spaceship Earth attraction at EPCOT will also continue to be available in its current state while we pause on its planned refurbishment, along with other favorite attractions like Soarin’ Around the World, Frozen Ever After and Test Track presented by Chevrolet.
This confirms earlier rumors that suggested the Spaceship Earth project would be put on hold both to save money and to grant Disney time to review the original plans. Rumors originally popped up in February about the refurbishment not being quite as extensive as originally planned. Track routing changes and the post-show area were among the rumored changes at the time, but now the entire project may be subject to change due to Disney’s attempt to reduce capital expenditures for the foreseeable future.
Disney has not mentioned what this means for the rest of Epcot’s transformation. They are well past the point of no return after demolishing the Fountain of Nations and a portion of Innoventions West, but they could still shift in a different direction regarding what goes in their place and whether they should proceed with new construction projects such as the new Festival Pavilion.
Epcot’s transformation is very much in flux and it may take time before we know how Disney will move forward.
