EPCOT will officially drop the Future World name from October 1 as the park becomes comprised of four neighborhoods

Sep 27, 2021 in "EPCOT"

Posted: Monday September 27, 2021 1:34pm ET by WDWMAGIC Staff

Disney has announced that the new neighborhoods of EPCOT will officially debut beginning October 1 2021.

Future World will be replaced with World Nature, World Discovery, and World Nature, while World Showcase lives on unchanged.

While we have known about the new names since the EPCOT overhaul was announced in 2019, the exact date of the changeover was unknown until now.

Here is how Disney describes each of the EPCOT neighborhoods.

World Celebration

  • World Celebration offers new experiences that connect guests to one another and the world around them.

  • The EPCOT entrance plaza welcomes guests with open pathways and sweeping green spaces that beautify the entryway. Bridging the past, present and future of EPCOT is a new fountain at the base of Spaceship Earth with three majestic pylons. The entrance plaza also features new lighting and music, as well as flags flanking the fountain featuring six original EPCOT icons.

  • Beginning October 1, 2021, Spaceship Earth transforms at night into a Beacon of Magic with new lights shining across the geodesic sphere’s reflective panels.* These lights connect to one another in a symbol of optimism resembling stars in a nighttime sky.

  • Creations Shop invites guests to explore and celebrate Disney creativity, inspired by Mickey Mouse. The merchandise location features a bold, sleek design for an open, bright, welcoming environment with large glass walls allowing sunlight to pour in. Artistic homages to Mickey are throughout the shop, including large, dynamic murals that tap into the park’s original artistic spirit.

  • Adjacent to Creations Shop is a revitalized Club Cool Hosted by Coca-Cola. Celebrating Coca-Cola in a fresh new way, Club Cool invites guests to explore tasty drinks from around the world, bringing the global experience of Coca-Cola to life through new magic and classic flavor.

  • As guests pass Spaceship Earth, in the future they will discover a breathtaking new view of World Showcase from Dreamers Point. World Celebration will also feature a new statue honoring the legacy of the original dreamer, Walt Disney, plus beautiful natural environments and global design elements filled with Disney magic.

  • Surrounding this enchanted garden will be new merchandise and dining locations, along with a newly reimagined festival area that will be home to ever-changing events in a unique new environment.

World Nature

  • World Nature is dedicated to understanding and preserving the beauty, awe and balance of the natural world. It includes The Land and The Seas with Nemo & Friends pavilions, as well as the forthcoming Journey of Water, Inspired by Moana.

  • The Land pavilion film “Awesome Planet” showcases the beauty, diversity and dynamic story of Earth. The 10-minute show features in-theater effects and an original musical score from Academy Award®-winning composer Steven Price.

  • Journey of Water, Inspired by Moana will be the first Disney Parks experience evoking the hit Walt Disney Animation Studios film. This lush exploration trail will invite guests to meet and play with magical, living water. Just like Moana’s friend the ocean, water will have a personality of its own, helping guests learn how to protect the natural water cycle in a fun and engaging way.

World Discovery

  • In World Discovery, stories about science, technology and intergalactic adventure come to life.

  • In an expansion of the Mission: SPACE pavilion, the new Space 220 Restaurant is a culinary experience offering the celestial panorama of a space station, including virtual daytime and nighttime views of Earth from 220 miles above the planet’s surface. Guests board a space elevator for a simulated journey to the Centauri Space Station, where they experience the “height of dining.” Once they arrive, guests enjoy meals and drinks while taking in views that are truly out of this world. Space 220 is operated by the Patina Restaurant Group.

  • Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind will be the first “other-world” showcase pavilion at EPCOT. The family-friendly adventure starts in the Galaxarium, a planetarium-like exhibition that explores the similarities and mysteries of the formation of Earth’s galaxy and Xandar. Guests will learn more about the treasures Xandar has to share – until the moment when the Guardians of the Galaxy arrive, and guests go on an intergalactic chase through space and time. The attraction will feature a new innovation from Walt Disney Imagineering – a storytelling coaster that rotates 360 degrees to focus guests on the action, including the first reverse launch on a Disney coaster.

World Showcase

  • World Showcase continues to be a celebration of culture, cuisine, architecture and traditions – infused with new magic.

  • With a grand opening set for October 1, 2021, an expanded France pavilion features the new Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure attraction, where guests feel as if they shrink to the size of Chef Remy and race through Gusteau’s restaurant. Joining this family-friendly experience October 1 in the France pavilion is a delicious new restaurant, La Crêperie de Paris, offering both table- and quick-service options and a menu from celebrity chef Jérôme Bocuse.

  • Also in the France pavilion, the classic “Impressions de France” film is joined by “Beauty and the Beast Sing-Along,” directed by Don Hahn, producer of both the animated and live-action versions of this tale as old as time.

  • “Harmonious” is one of the largest nighttime spectaculars ever created for a Disney theme park. Debuting October 1, 2021, over World Showcase Lagoon, the show celebrates the way Disney music inspires people the world over, carrying them away on a stream of familiar songs reinterpreted by a culturally diverse group of 240 artists from around the globe. “Harmonious” features massive floating set pieces, custom-built LED panels, choreographed moving fountains, lights, pyrotechnics, lasers and more.

  • Regal Eagle Smokehouse: Craft Drafts & Barbecue is a fast-casual restaurant at The American Adventure pavilion, serving classic American backyard barbecue and home-style craft brews. The restaurant takes its name from Sam Eagle; the beloved Muppet hosts a centennial cook-off – a salute to all cook-offs … but mostly barbecue.
Discuss on the Forums

Get Walt Disney World News Delivered to Your Inbox

View all comments →

Agent H2 days ago

We were chasing this toon. He had just robbed a bank. We followed him all the way to Epcot And he pushed the wall on my brother! I couldn’t go to Epcot after that until the walls were completely down. It was simply too painful.

MisterPenguin2 days ago

What's up with him? A wall killed his brother. .

Agent H2 days ago

Please no. I hated the walls.

WorldExplorer2 days ago

They've started putting the dance parties at CommuniCore Hall in ads like it's a draw. You know what? I think I preferred the walls. Can we go back to them?

HauntedPirate6 days ago

FWIW, the temporary F&G additions to LwtL are atrocious. 👎

donaldtoo6 days ago

You’d think the rubber tires would keep it cleaner…!!!!! :hilarious: ;)

JoeCamel6 days ago

Forgot to mention the condition of the monorail beam ;)

DreamfinderGuy6 days ago

On the bright side, the fountain lights that go straight into the air are working again

tparris6 days ago

A bunch of the fountain base lights are completely broken once again, some are just off and others are flickering. Also, did they just give up on fixing these two dead sections of the entrance plaza perimeter ribbon lighting? Also, the spotlights in the west legs of SSE have not turned on in over 6 months, the east restroom ribbon lights have been completely off and the west restroom ribbon lights have been a colorful mess for a few weeks now. Not to mention the incorrect colors on the tall pathway lights on the west side. All of these issues and I haven’t even passed fully under SSE yet (which is itself in awful shape lighting wise too). I don’t even have words at this point. I’ve been documenting this stuff for months for what it’s worth, and pretty much none of it has been fixed. The stuff that was fixed lasted at most 2 months before breaking again. 847715847716847717847719847718

Agent H7 days ago

I don’t know about some “raspy girl” but if they make a custom background track then it will 100 percent be its fun to be free.

MisterPenguin7 days ago

When I was there a few weeks ago, it seemed to me the channels that were popped up were because they weren't glued/mortared in. And I'm guessing the reason they weren't sealed in was for continuing toubleshooting.

UNCgolf7 days ago

World of Motion too. Although I don't think absolutely any kind of kinetic energy is automatically a good thing; it needs to fit the area.

DreamfinderGuy7 days ago

It's kinda sad just how much kinetic energy the park has lost. Fountains at UoE, Wonders, Innoventions, the whirligigs, so much is so sterile now

Jayspency7 days ago

God how much I would love to design a new core for Epcot 🥺