PHOTOS - Epcot's new central spine design revealed in new concept art

Aug 23, 2019 in "EPCOT"

Epcot new central spine concept art
Posted: Friday August 23, 2019 3:05am ET by WDWMAGIC Staff

Disney has revealed concept art for the new central spine redevelopment of Epcot - which will see major changes to the center of the park in what is currently Future World.

Future World as we know it will be gone, and will be replaced with three “neighborhoods” - World Nature, World Discovery and World Celebration.

At the center, Innoventions West will be completely removed, and in its place will be a new meet and greet building to replace Character Spot, a large multi-level festival center complete with rooftop bar and lounge, and a walk-through garden area with an elaborate water feature called 'Journey of Water Inspired by Moana.'

On the other side, the existing eastern buildings will remain, but with extensive remodeling, and will become home to a quick service restaurant, an expanded Mouse Gear, the relocated Starbucks and Club Cool, and a couple of smaller Food and Beverage offerings including the much-talked about Beer Garden.

As you can see from the artwork, the new central area to be much more landscape heavy with trees and gardens replacing much of the existing concrete. Winding pathways will replace the main central guest corridor.

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muddyrivers2 days ago

I wish we knew who these people were and what has happened to them. Are they all actors? Truly random people (doubt it)? What became of the young child? How old did the old woman live to be?

lazyboy97o3 days ago

It was a programmatic, operational and experimental nightmare. But Iger wanted something to make the park look different designed by a starchitect like Mike had done.

JD803 days ago

The festival center in the concept art looked pretty but in actuality it would have obstructed views except those with corporate expense accounts and would have created traffic in that area.

Andrew C3 days ago

That’s what she said?

Mike S3 days ago

If it’s Andrew Wilson we might as well all turn in whatever’s left of our Disney Fan Cards. It will be an end no one here that doesn’t follow news about Electronic Arts can imagine.

lazyboy97o3 days ago

“They” would be DS+R… Even in concept design Disney requires at least a narrative report from a structural engineer. Concrete can be used to achieve slender structures. Post-tensioning in particular allows for thinner slabs.

MisterPenguin4 days ago

Need bigger screws.

HMF4 days ago

I am referring to the proposed "Festival Center" my sources tell me that the way they designed it was structurally impossible to build.

HMF4 days ago

I agree. The next CEO should be an outsider or we will just see more of the same.

lazyboy97o4 days ago

There was nothing physically impossible about the DS+R building. The whole purpose of building it was that it was an expensive showpiece.

Brian4 days ago

Stanchions are back.

Disgruntled Walt4 days ago

But Josh is part of the problem, too. So let's not delude ourselves...none of the possible CEO candidates fill me with hope for the future of the parks.

HMF4 days ago

Chapek was CEO at the time so he had to sign off on it.

Tha Realest5 days ago

Josh was WDW president in 18/19 when these plans were first developed, and Parks chairman in mid-2020 when they were adjusted to what we have now.