PHOTOS - Center of Future World now closed and eastern bypass walkway opens

Feb 16, 2020 in "EPCOT"

Future World East bypass walkway
Posted: Sunday February 16, 2020 9:54am ET by WDWMAGIC Staff

The center of Epcot's Future World is now completely closed off as the final locations in that area close and a new eastern bypass walkway opens to guests.

Guests are being directed to use the newly created walkways on each side of Spaceship earth, with the right hand-side leading to The Seas, The Land and Imagination!, and the left-side walkway between Guest Relations and Gateway Gifts leading to Mission: Space and Mouse Gear.

Along with large signs around Spaceship Earth, Cast members are holding signs and advising people on the best walkway to take.

Heading past Gateway Guests, the new concrete design is in place on the ground - replacing the pink color with a stone concrete.

Guest Relations is as far as you can go before hitting a row of walls.


A sharp left turn takes you towards the Guardians of the Galaxy construction site.


The walkway ultimately puts guests by the new Mouse Gear and into Future World East.

The old breezeway is walled off.

New FastPass+ kiosks have been installed by Test track, and near to Nemo in Future World West.


With the closure of Electric Umbrella, Sunshine Seasons offers burgers, the Epcot Experience now serves chicken nuggets and salads, and the Taste Track kiosk will offer burgers and fries near to Test Track, although this is not yet open but expected soon.

Click the gallery for more pictures of today's Epcot Future World changes.

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Epcot81Fan5 hours ago

"Remarkable" indeed. Hey, come on, they only had five years to get floor lights to work. Some people have such lofty expectations for Disney these days.

HauntedPirate1 day ago

Den Carter1 day ago

Been in four times in the last two weeks and no floor lights at all.

Centauri Space Station1 day ago

Really? I’ve never seen that

tparris1 day ago

The last few times I was there they weren’t on at all

Centauri Space Station1 day ago

What do you mean it doesn’t work at all? It still lights up even if it’s not all lit.

James Alucobond1 day ago

Oooh, World Discovery. Me no read good.

danlb_20001 day ago

Casper Gutman1 day ago

The Epcot redesign is basically the physical manifestation of Disney's recent history of management dysfunction. You could write a book about what's gone wrong at the executive level of Disney with each chapter beginning with a description of some aspect of the makeover - hamhanded reliance on IP (Moana), succession chaos (the big table), unwise cost cutting (planters instead of fountains), inability to differentiate the parks and clearly redefine EPCOT's mission (GotG), laughably timid boardroom decision-by-committee (the new Future World "lands"), cynical leveraging of nostalgia (the decaying Spaceship Earth skin aesthetic), etc.

James Alucobond1 day ago

Is that the one in the site plan that sits along the path to World Nature / The Land or one of the ones at CommuniCore Plaza?

danlb_20001 day ago

Saw this permit today... 1402 AVENUE OF THE STARS # B(WORLD DISCOVERY HOT DOG KIOSK) - Install Signage

Den Carter1 day ago

I really love the chilled vibes of World Celebration, but I'm absolutely gutted that the floor lighting in the hub is already completely screwed. It didn't work fully on opening night, and now doesn't work at all. Forget fixing the yeti, I really think these need to be sorted.

Sir_Cliff1 day ago

I also think I preferred the original version due to the fountain and the water. I'm glad we're at least comparing like with like finally and I will say that showing the original version at least provides some reasonable context for the current version. The slow decline of perhaps Disney's most ambitious park has meant that its legend has grown over the years, but that doesn't mean the original EPCOT Center got everything just right. This legend has included people treating the original central spine as far more of a place of unusual awe and beauty than it really was. I think it's very possible to imagine a hub that could have surpassed the original version and, even if I'm not sure this one does, I don't think it's crazy for people to prefer this version to all the previous versions.

plutofan152 days ago

Agreed. Although I will reserve my final judgement until I see it complete (something rare on these forums), from what I have seen I tend to like this office park over the original. The fountain was very good and all but I could take it or leave it.