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 Shares More Of ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ Ride 

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney Parks, Epcot

While there is much to look forward to at the Walt Disney World Resort in the coming months, few projects are as exciting as the new Guardians of the Galaxy-themed attraction coming to EPCOT.

We have been watching the construction of this new attraction closely, with updates coming out every so often. Recently, the ride’s official release date was leaked by none other than a Disney Executive himself, quickly deleting and editing the Tweet. Now, Disney has seemingly given us a real, intended close-up look at the interior of the show building.

Guardians of the Galaxy Cosmic Rewind

Imagineer Zach Riddley shared the sneak peek on his Instagram, showing off the loading area of the new ride. The caption on the post said:

Guardians Ride

Recently, Imagineering revealed a first-look at the incredible load station of Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind in @DisneyD23 magazine. It’s a stunning space – where EPCOT guests will get a chance to step aboard a Nova Corps ship and load into their Starjumper vehicles to take off with the Guardians of the Galaxy on a race through time and space! Our ride team has been hard at work testing this innovative ride system which we call an Omnicoaster. I have had the chance to experience myself, and I can tell you – this is truly unlike anything we’ve ever done! As we get closer to our Summer 2022 opening I’ll be sharing more about the design and the wonderful details that make this experience part of our EPCOT story!

Guardians of the galaxy cosmic rewind

As you can see, Imagineers are still hard at work on the interior of the huge building.While no “official” opening date has been confirmed, Disney is expecting the ride to open this summer. More on Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind at EPCOT:

Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind – Opening Summer 2022!

An Extraterrestrial Escapade

Begin your adventure by touring the Galaxarium—a planetarium-like exhibition showcasing the similarities and differences between Xandar and Earth’s galaxies. You’ll even get to discover some of the incredible wonders of Xandar and learn about their technology.

Just as you are about to reach the culmination of the tour, everything goes sideways, and you are called into action to help the Guardians of the Galaxy. Are you ready to rock out on an awesome quest across the cosmos to save the galaxy? It’s all up to you!

This family-friendly attraction features the first ever reverse-launch on a Disney coaster and is one of the longest enclosed coasters in the world! A new innovation from Walt Disney Imagineering—this coaster rotates 360 degrees so you can focus on the action!

cosmic rewind could be done by february

Rehearsals Starting for Cirque du Soleil Drawn to Life

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney Parks, Uncategorized

Disney Parks Blog gave us some exciting news. For anyone who has been looking forward to the brand new Cirque du Soleil show Drawn to Life, rehearsals have officially started. Jeremy Schoolfield shared this on Disney Parks Blog:

“There’s always a sense of excitement and anticipation when you walk into a theater, but even seasoned Cirque du Soleil artists were surprised by the overwhelming emotion they felt stepping back inside the iconic white tent at Disney Springs.

“Seeing everyone again, it’s like coming home. It’s like being with family. I really can’t wait to put this show together for everyone to see,” said David Rimmer, who is one of the high-flying teeterboard artists in the show. 

Drawn to Life presented by Cirque du Soleil & Disney is scheduled to open Nov. 18. A new collaboration between Cirque du Soleil, Walt Disney Animation Studios and Walt Disney Imagineering, this family-friendly show will be an exciting new addition to the entertainment lineup at Disney Springs and another incredible way to celebrate the Walt Disney World Resort 50th Anniversary.

For now, costumes and makeup are put away as artists focus on regaining skills and working together as a team.

The story of Drawn to Life brings timeless Disney Animation classics and characters to life in an unforgettable way through the use of innovative design, acrobatic performances, dazzling choreography, original music, brand-new animation lovingly created by Disney Animation artists, and some extra touches of Disney magic.

For more information, visit DisneySprings.com/Cirque. Keep an eye out for more behind-the-scenes stories leading up to the show’s grand opening!”

Disney Parks Blog also shared a video that you can see here. 

change To opening procedures at Hollywood Studios

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney Parks, Hollywood Studios

By now, you’ve probably heard about the unusually low attendance numbers at Walt Disney World recently.  In fact, crowds are the lowest they have been since the parks first reopened in July 2020.

September is usually a great time to visit Walt Disney World with regard to crowds; attendance is typically not overly high. But what makes the recent dip in crowd numbers different is that the lull in attendance seems to have been going on for a few weeks now.

Is it because people don’t feel as safe at the parks since the Delta variant of the coronavirus is running rampant? Have would-be Guests canceled their plans because they have heard so much about Central Florida’s high incidence of COVID cases? Or are they simply waiting until October so they can experience the parks during the actual 50th anniversary?

It’s really anyone’s guess, but what we do know is that attendance is low right now, and those low numbers have prompted Disney’s Hollywood Studios to make some changes to its park opening procedures. You may remember that rope drop at Hollywood made a comeback recently. Traditional rope drop usually has Guests waiting at different spots before the park opens, depending on which attraction they plan to experience first.

Before rope drop returned, social distancing was the name of the game, so Guests weren’t strictly held in certain areas in an effort to reduce large gatherings in small areas. Instead, it was possible to head into the park and start experiencing that Hollywood magic up to an hour before it formally opened, as long as you didn’t need to park a vehicle, which Guests couldn’t do until the park was officially opened.

And now, in true Disney fashion, an extra helping of the Magic is being handed out to Guests of Hollywood Studios!

Rope drop as we know it is not in place at Hollywood at this time (though we know that can change without warning), so Guests aren’t being made to wait in specific locations while they wait for the imaginary rope to drop. Instead, lately, even though the posted opening time for the park is 9:00 a.m., the attractions are up and running a half-hour before then, and Guests are welcome to get their Golden Age of Hollywood day started 30 minutes earlier!

EPCOT’s Space 220 Restaurant Opens Next Month!

Posted on by Mathew Corn Disney Dining, Epcot

We’ve all been eagerly awaiting the opening of an out-of-this-world restaurant that was initially scheduled to arrive at EPCOT in 2020. With COVID causing the troubles it did, we’ve been hearing rumors buzzing that Space 220 would open sometime this fall. We have also seen Patina Group hiring for the restaurant. While Disney has remained fairly quiet on the new restaurant, today they have launched an inside look along with the news that Space 220 will be opening next month!

As shared by Disney: “Are you ready for an out-of-this-world dining experience at EPCOT?  Then prepare for liftoff, because Space 220 restaurant at EPCOT is scheduled to begin service in mid-September… another milestone in the transformation of EPCOT underway at Walt Disney World Resort.

Details about the restaurant continue with, “The Space 220 restaurant is located adjacent to the Mission: SPACE attraction, and takes fine dining to a whole new level.  Your immersive experience begins as you check in to the Space 220 Departure Lounge in Future World.  From here, you’ll board one of two “Space Elevators” that will transport you in what seems like 220 miles above Earth to Centauri Space Station.  As you begin your ascent, you’ll look down through a viewport to see EPCOT shrink away; looking up you’ll see the Space Station come into view.”

Once you’ve docked, you’ll head through the Centauri Space Station-themed dining area. Inside the dining area, you’ll experience a panoramic view of Earth below, and a variety of work and leisure activities taking place beyond the windows of the Space Station-themed restaurant.

And the views are just part of the experience. Our Disney Imagineers are excited to have created this experience for Executive Chef Marc Kusche to showcase his culinary wonders. The Space 220 restaurant menu will feature stellar dishes and gourmet recipes, with a two-course prix fixe menu for lunch, and a three-course prix fixe menu for dinner. The upscale, contemporary fare will bring new meaning to “the height of dining!” Rounding out the meal will be unique beverages – from fine wine to atmospheric cocktails and more.

@disneyparks

🚨SNEAK PEEK!🚨 Here’s your first look at Space 220 coming soon! #DisneyWorld50 #Disney #DisneyParks #DisneyWorld #EPCOT #Space #Restaurant

♬ original sound – Disney Parks