New concept offers another look inside EPCOT's new Connections Café set to open this spring

Mar 18, 2022 in "Connections Café and Eatery"

Posted: Friday March 18, 2022 3:!5pm ET by WDWMAGIC Staff

Imagineer Zach Riddley has shared a new piece of concept art giving us another look inside the soon-to-open Connections Café in World Celebration at EPCOT. 

Along with sharing the new art, it has also been confirmed that EPCOT's new Starbucks will be located inside Connections Café. This is the first time that Disney has made mention of the new Starbucks, and that it will not be its own stand-alone store.

In his post on Instagram, Zach said:

Here is an early concept rendering for Connections Café at EPCOT, as seen from the south side of the new location right across the breezeway from Creations Shop. What I love about this piece is that it beautifully illustrates a few points of “connection” that we designed for our guests in this new space - how the gardens and greenery within World Celebration will complement the interiors, allowing our guests to harmonize with nature outside; how friends and family will gather together around a meal or beverage; and how show kitchens will provide a culinary experience for our guests within. The kitchen you see represented here will actually be responsible for making a variety of baked goods, which will be available at Connections Eatery.

You can just make out how the exterior approach reestablishes the arc of the building, expressing the original concept of a radial grid. Like the adjacent Creations Shop, light and color will play a big part in the interior aesthetic, including the same floor to ceiling glazing and a massive hand-painted mural we’ve previously mentioned within Connections Eatery. One very important detail I want to share about Connections Café, is that it will be the future home of Starbucks at EPCOT when the location opens this spring! Like other Starbucks locations inside our theme parks, this Starbucks will be designed to fit the theme of its surroundings – but more of those details to come later on.

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Epcot82GuyJul 06, 2023

I think it's a cool idea and very in line with Epcot. I'm only confused by the large focus on just this. If this was part of a series of 4 or 5 bakery items kinda like this (with cross-border appeal and history), it would be a huge identify and selling point for Connections. And maybe this is a test run for that. In short, good idea - hope it goes bigger.

BocabearJul 05, 2023

I did not know that...I am glad to see them doing something unique. Yay on that.

dreday3Jul 05, 2023

I agree. It's one of the only places in the country where you can get this and watch it being made! It's pretty cool.

Haymarket2008Jul 05, 2023

So confused by the reaction too. I think they’re doing a great job with Connections.

Sir_CliffJul 05, 2023

I think it's supposed to be a unique offering, isn't it? The sign says it's one of the few baumkuchen rotisserie ovens in the United States and the idea behind the Connections motif is how food connects people, so a German cake that has been adapted in Japan seems like a nice example to highlight and offer for purchase. Kind of puzzled at the reaction. Isn't this the sort of thing we wanted at Epcot?

tcool123Jul 05, 2023

I assume prep for a Food and Wine offering 🤷‍♂️

solidyneJul 05, 2023

Also, the three panels would have made more sense in reverse order. Or maybe creation-sensation-innovation. Actually what is Epcot's "innovation" here, if the snack already has been created and sensationalized elsewhere?

BocabearJul 05, 2023

but.....why is that the main subject of the bakery area at connections? Are they now selling these exclusively?

Sir_CliffJul 05, 2023

I do remember these from living in Germany! This is the kind of thing I hope is not too unfamiliar for WDW guests to survive as it at least adds some variety and keeps things interesting. The new signage and presentation of the bakery also looks good!

Andrew CJul 03, 2023

Yep. That’s a thing. From Germany but very popular in Japan apparently

BocabearJul 03, 2023

so....a tree cake? huh?

DCBakerJul 03, 2023

Some new graphics have been added to the enclosed bakery.

lazyboy97oJul 01, 2023

Now I am obligated to rant about a place named Via Napoli serving Sicilian style slices. I guess they wanted people coming inside for the Neapolitan style pizza but it seems like it hamstrung the window by forcing it to offer a slice that requires more work to make. Many slice pizzerias in the US do offer Sicilian style slices, but Neapolitan style slices are the real volume product that people can grab and go.

Andrew25Jul 01, 2023

Bothers me that Via Napoli Pizza Window is closed most days. Haven't seen it open since April this year, unless they decide to close once they realize I'm in the vicinity. We need Via Napoli franchises at each park.