The center of World Celebration at EPCOT is currently scheduled to open in December 2023. While Disney hasn’t provided an official opening date, preparations are being made to open the area to guests. New aerials from the always great @bioreconstruct show what the area looks like ahead of welcoming guests.
For starters, it looks like construction walls have already been moved to allow for access to the center of World Celebration. But, construction walls are still in place around the new CommuniCore Hall and Plaza.
Aerial look at the soon to open gardens of World Celebration.
Construction will continue at CommuniCore Hall and Plaza, where a new fence is staged at left. pic.twitter.com/GcL9jPHhoL— bioreconstruct (@bioreconstruct) November 26, 2023
Construction walls remaining around CommuniCore Hall and Plaza suggest that Disney won’t have it ready to open at the same time they open the center of World Celebration.
A closer look shows a seating area near Connections Cafe, new landscaping, and the center icon planter. Note that the planter closest to Spaceship Earth encroaches into the gray EPCOT logo, throwing off some of the symmetry. It’s an interesting design choice.
Aerial photo of the soon to open gardens of World Celebration.
At top right there are many chairs and tables. This area is outside of Starbucks (Connections Cafe).
Arrow at a box that is believed to have the statue of Walt Disney. Statue will be in Dreamers Point. pic.twitter.com/SSl6dhx5hZ— bioreconstruct (@bioreconstruct) November 26, 2023
And here’s one additional view of the area as a whole. Disney fans were quick to point out the construction walls and planters sort of resemble a sideways Olaf.
Aerial photo of the gardens in World Celebration. This area opens soon. pic.twitter.com/CEkVseCNRp
— bioreconstruct (@bioreconstruct) November 26, 2023
Overall, the heart of World Celebration will seemingly have lots of new seating, plenty of new trees, and provide a new way to navigate EPCOT. The space has big shoes to fill since it sits on the site of the old Fountain of Nations, and took Disney roughly four years to build. It’ll be interesting to see how the new area looks, feels, and flows once it opens.
