Opening Date for New Epcot Restaurant Announced

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney Dining, Disney Parks, Epcot

Since Electric Umbrella closed for good in 2019, we’ve been curious about its replacement. Thankfully, we don’t need to wait much longer to visit Connections Cafe & Eatery opening soon at EPCOT. 

From a Disney Cast Member;

Get your appetites ready! Connections Café & Eatery officially opens on April 27 at EPCOT. Insider tip: You may get the chance for a sneak peek if you’re in the park over the next few days.

If you enjoy food inspired by delicious cuisines from around the world, you’re going to love this new quick-service restaurant. Plus, who could pass up a beautifully decorated new space to relax in some air-conditioning? It’s a win-win!

We’ve already dished out all the details on what’s cooking in Connections Eatery, so today I want to give you a closer look at the fast-casual restaurant’s design, which features nods to Walt Disney’s original plans for EPCOT. The new location features two distinct experiences all under one roof – an eatery on one side serving lunch and dinner menus, and a café and pastry shop on the other open all day long. This large new dining location is the next step in the ongoing transformation of EPCOT and a highlight of the newly named World Celebration neighborhood.

If you’re walking past Spaceship Earth on your way into the park, you’ll find Connections Café and Eatery on the left-hand side. Floor-to-ceiling windows give you a full view of the bright, open space featuring modern décor and inviting aromas of pastries baking, fresh coffee brewing and delicious burgers on the grill. Since World Celebration is located in the center of the park, Connections Café & Eatery offers some incredible views. From a Xandarian Starblaster on one side to Spaceship Earth on the other, this is a great spot to sit back and enjoy quality time with friends and family around a tasty meal or drink. I think I’ve found my new favorite EPCOT hangout!

My favorite part of Connections Eatery is the colorful mural spanning one entire wall. Called “Global Gathering,” this magnificent piece of art depicts the heart of this restaurant – people from around the world gathering around food. It’s one of the largest murals Walt Disney Imagineering has ever created, and if you look closely, you’ll notice the scenes blend seamlessly from sunrise to sunset. I could spend all day admiring the details!

If you love watching cooking shows like I do, you’ll be captivated by the chefs at work in three show kitchens. Catch them grilling, sautéing and baking everything from burgers to pizzas and sprinkling a little extra pixie dust on delightful desserts from milkshakes to waffles.

Whether you prefer coffee or tea, people from all over the globe love sitting together to savor a brewed beverage. This idea is on prominent display in Connections Café through a colorful showcase of how various cultures enjoy their favorite drinks. Can you guess where each tea or coffee pot is from?

And while you’re enjoying your meal or that much-needed cup of coffee, don’t forget to look down! There are three original floor inlays inspired by Walt’s 1966 “Florida Project” site plans, where EPCOT was to serve as the literal and conceptual “center” of Walt Disney World. Thoughtful details like these really bring this location to life by honoring the original dream of EPCOT and the magic of possibility. The park’s original DNA is woven throughout Connections Café and Eatery, the latest example of how this EPCOT transformation honors our past while moving us forward into the future.

Because EPCOT has always been a place where inspiration and big ideas come to life. With the opening of Connections Café & Eatery, that vision continues to become reality as we celebrate one another, what makes us unique and the commonalities that tie us all together. And there’s even more ahead for EPCOT, so be sure to keep reading the Disney Parks Blog and follow along with Imagineer Zach Riddley @thezachriddley on Instagram for all the latest news on the park’s historic transformation.

Disney Unveils Menu & Preview of Connections Cafe and Eatery

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney Dining, Disney Parks, Epcot

EPCOT’s newest quick-service restaurant is almost ready and is opening soon! Disney has released the menu and a first look at some of the items that will be available.

From a Disney Cast Member;

Are you excited for your soon-to-be new favorite foodie spot at EPCOT? Connections Café and Eatery will soon open its doors to hungry patrons. But this isn’t your average dining location. It’s a unique experience, embracing the cultures from around the world and bringing them to you in true EPCOT fashion. In case you didn’t know, this new location will officially be opening spring 2022!

Connections Eatery is a new fast-casual quick-service restaurant. What makes it unique is it gets its inspiration from the delicious cuisines from across the globe. As part of World Celebration, where we embrace coming together and enjoying the magic of possibility, the purpose of Connections Eatery is to show us how food has the power to bring us together if we open our minds (and our stomachs)! Once inside, you can get a glimpse of the chefs in action as you watch desserts get their finishing touches and witness pizza makers work their magic crafting pizza dough.

Now it’s time to get to the fun part … what you can snack on once this spot opens. I don’t know about you, but I am very excited to try each and every one of these dishes and beverages that have been expertly crafted by the culinary masterminds at EPCOT.

Without further ado, here is a preview of the menu for the highly anticipated Connections Eatery!

Now, let’s break down these mouthwatering options. Worldwide sandwich selections offer choices for everyone. From the French Bistro Burger with caramelized onions, bacon, and brie to the Southwestern Burger featuring a roasted chipotle-corn salsa and guacamole spread – yum! You can’t go wrong with the Vietnamese-inspired Banh Mi Burger or the Greek-inspired Mediterranean Burger. You’ll want to try each dish.

For a lighter option, consider one of the salads inspired by French and Chinese cuisines. First up, the Niçoise-style Salad is packed with potatoes, white and green beans, and olives drizzled with a delicious Dijon vinaigrette. For an Asian flare, get the General Tso Chicken Salad featuring ingredients like broccoli slaw, red bell pepper, mandarin oranges, and crispy wontons.

If you’re anything like me, you love pizza, and likely your mouth is watering just thinking about one of the four pizzas available. If you want a more classic option, the Meatball Pizza is the pie for you. The Curry Spice Pizza topped with carrots, potato, peas, and lime “yogurt” puts a new plant-based twist on the classic pizza.

And don’t forget about the little ones. With items like the Grilled Chicken Bao or classics like the Chicken Nuggets Basket or Cheeseburger, they’ll be asking to go back to Connections Eatery again and again!

Now onto the highly anticipated part of any dining experience … dessert! This spot will feature an option that is both beautiful and delicious –the Liege Waffle. This treat will make you and your taste buds very happy as these treats are made with brioche yeast dough stuffed with pearl sugar and finished with some tasty toppings.

If you love yourself some shakes, these two options will blow you away. First, we’ve got a Mango-Coconut Milk Shake topped off with a pomegranate molasses drizzle for a nice, refreshing beverage. For a more dessert feel, the Apple Pie Gelato Shake will give you that sweet fix you crave.


Whether you’re interested in an adult beverage or a non-alcoholic one, you have options. The Watermelon-Mint Agua Fresca is alcohol-free so the whole family can enjoy it together! For those over 21, there are multiple wines and draft beers available, along with the Cucumber and Thai Basil Cooler, a specialty cocktail filled with freshness and flavor.

I’m also happy to remind you that the future home of Starbucks at EPCOT will be at – you guessed it – Connections Café! Like other Starbucks locations inside our theme parks, this Starbucks will be designed to fit the theme of its surroundings and add yet another exciting chapter in the EPCOT Transformation.

We look forward to welcoming you to Connections Café and Eatery very soon!

New restaurant coming to EPCOT

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney Dining, Disney Parks, Epcot

The Destination D23 Celebration was in full swing at the Walt Disney World Resort this weekend, and lots of exciting parks news was shared with fans from all over the globe.

One of the exciting announcements made today was that of the name of a new quick-service restaurant at EPCOT. The quick-service eatery will function like other quick-service locations throughout the Walt Disney World Resort, where Guests can order at a counter or use the My Disney Experience app to place a mobile order from their phones for quicker pick-up at the eatery.

The announcement was made by Disney’s Josh D’Amaro, who currently works as Disney’s top man overseeing its Parks, Products, and Experiences. (Sounds like the most exciting position within The Walt Disney Company to me!)

The all-new Connections Café and Eatery will be located in the World Discovery neighborhood at EPCOT. It’s just one of the many changes coming to Disney World’s second park, which opened on October 1, 1982.

EPCOT was originally divided into two sections: Future World and the World Showcase. After the park’s transformation is complete, EPCOT will feature four distinct areas, each one full of new experiences, attractions, rides, and more magic than ever before. The four sections, or neighborhoods within EPCOT are World Showcase, World Celebration, World Nature, and World Discovery.

The new neighborhoods were first announced at the 2019 D23 Expo in California, along with the announcement of a new Moana-themed ride that will be located near the front of the park.

Big changes have been taking place all over the park as Disney’s Imagineers re-imagine the retro-futuristic park that also has a focus on cultural cuisine, traditions, and customs. We can’t wait to see all that’s in store for Guests who visit EPCOT in the coming years. We kind of think of it as an “EPCOT 2.0,” and it’s very exciting!