Play! Pavilion

[JoeCamel]

Possible. Chapek and D'amaro are in Orlando currently. I wouldn't be the slightest bit surprised given they haven't talked publicly about this project in years, although according to insiders, the project is so far along that they might as well finish it.

Related to the actual building:

Roof Repairs Visible on PLAY! Pavilion in EPCOT

Walt Disney World news, photos, and reviews! We provide you with daily news from the Walt Disney World theme parks and beyond

blogmickey.com

So after all the work that was done they still have water intrusion? Maybe Ian made a visit?

 

[Tobias]

Possible. Chapek and D'amaro are in Orlando currently. I wouldn't be the slightest bit surprised given they haven't talked publicly about this project in years, although according to insiders, the project is so far along that they might as well finish it.

Related to the actual building:

Roof Repairs Visible on PLAY! Pavilion in EPCOT

Walt Disney World news, photos, and reviews! We provide you with daily news from the Walt Disney World theme parks and beyond

blogmickey.com

Yeah, due to the "source" of the rumor, one has to take a massive grain of salt with that as usual.
Now if it honestly is cancelled, can't say it's too suprising considering the lack of official talk from the company. And it's par for the course with the whole Epcot renovation with many things 86'd.

However, if it's just paused, the roof repairs can possibly point to that. Like with the UoE building being reincorporated for Cosmic Rewind, it's no surprise that an old building might need extra work done to it for something brand new.

 

[Nick]

So after all the work that was done they still have water intrusion? Maybe Ian made a visit?

The roof work was done before Ian (look above for a post on the roof work from me). This is just a look at the finished product.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

The Epcot redo is an utter failure.

 

[Alicia]

The Epcot redo is an utter failure.

All worth it for the Asian Chicken Salad at Connections.

 

[Nick]

The Epcot redo is an utter failure.

The park will be miles better than it was before from my POV, but it shouldn’t have taken this long to get there, nor is there an excuse for some of the stuff that got cut. Especially Poppins.

 

[Parkscope Joe]

All worth it for the Asian Chicken Salad at Connections.

They had to go and ruin the pizza…

The park will be miles better than it was before from my POV, but it shouldn’t have taken this long to get there, nor is there an excuse for some of the stuff that got cut. Especially Poppins.

Miles? There are definitely good changes and additions but I’d say they’re now more in line with a refresh not a park reimagining. Like they’re rebuilding stuff they tore down! Harmonious is a flop. Where’s the China film? No SSE upgrade. No Play. Imagination is a mess still. But at least we have Dreamers Point?!?!?

 

[shiekra38]

They had to go and ruin the pizza…



Miles? There are definitely good changes and additions but I’d say they’re now more in line with a refresh not a park reimagining. Like they’re rebuilding stuff they tore down! Harmonious is a flop. Where’s the China film? No SSE upgrade. No Play. Imagination is a mess still. But at least we have Dreamers Point?!?!?

Every pavilion is a play pavilion if you think about it

 

[Yabbadabba Doh]

If the decision includes going all in on the SSE refurb, I’d be ok with it.

 

[SkiBum]

I was never a fan of the plan for this space. It just seems like a great location for a new dark ride (boat/omnimover/scoop) that could focus on just about anything related to the future. Putting a playground in it just seems like a waste of valuable space and ultimately laziness on the part of management.

 

[OrlLover]

The Epcot redo has evolved several times since it’s inception due to unforeseen circumstances. Ultimately I think Disney needs to figure out a path forward for these projects put on the back burner.

 

[Nick]

They had to go and ruin the pizza…



Miles? There are definitely good changes and additions but I’d say they’re now more in line with a refresh not a park reimagining. Like they’re rebuilding stuff they tore down! Harmonious is a flop. Where’s the China film? No SSE upgrade. No Play. Imagination is a mess still. But at least we have Dreamers Point?!?!?

It’s no secret I was not a huge fan of the prior iteration of Epcot.

 

[belloq87]

Probably a discussion better-suited for the Epcot Overhaul thread, but I'm really kind of adrift in terms of my feelings about the park.

I was not happy with where the park was trending even before the "transformation" was announced, I was un-enthused by many of the components of that transformation (Play, Harmonious, Cosmic Rewind, the rumored changes to SSE besides updating the ride system, etc.), and now we're at a point where it still doesn't feel like Disney has a real grasp of what the park's identity should be on any coherent, thematic level.

After spending lots of money, it still seems like the park will need a lot of work.

 

[JoeCamel]

After spending lots of money, it still seems like the park will need a lot of work.

 

[Nick]

So basically what insiders are saying is that this has been "Postponed indefinitely" and will "likely end up like the Pop Century Legendary Years" in that the site will sit abandoned with walls up for years until they come back to it with a new idea. Word is CapEx has been reallocated to the Harmonious replacement, despite a significant amount of work had already been completed.

Tbh, this may turn out to be a really good thing in the end as Play! was going to be dated the day it opened. Hopefully they can come up with a really good concept to fit the building and maybe actually include a ride in whatever gets planned here for the future.

I'd probably want them to redo SSE and build the Poppins ride before they came back to this, but what it basically boils down to is that even with all the work Epcot has seen the past 5 years, it still needs another $2 Billion easily. Same for DHS and DAK. Ugh.

 

[shiekra38]

So basically what insiders are saying is that this has been "Postponed indefinitely" and will "likely end up like the Pop Century Legendary Years" in that the site will sit abandoned with walls up for years until they come back to it with a new idea. Word is CapEx has been reallocated to the Harmonious replacement, despite a significant amount of work had already been completed.

Tbh, this may turn out to be a really good thing in the end as Play! was going to be dated the day it opened. Hopefully they can come up with a really good concept to fit the building and maybe actually include a ride in whatever gets planned here for the future.

I'd probably want them to redo SSE and build the Poppins ride before they came back to this, but what it basically boils down to is that even with all the work Epcot has seen the past 5 years, it still needs another $2 Billion easily. Same for DHS and DAK. Ugh.

Tear it down. Build coaster.

 

[Nick]

Tear it down. Build coaster.

I sort of agree that they need to tear it down in order to actually do something useful. The interior of that building is soooooo 80's mall cafeteria in how it was designed and you can't really do too much of worth with that space. I wouldn't ideally build a coaster there though. I'd build a dark ride to give families with younger kids something to do when on that side of the park and then preferably build a thrill ride/coaster in between The Land and Seas.

 

[shiekra38]

I sort of agree that they need to tear it down in order to actually do something useful. The interior of that building is soooooo 80's mall cafeteria in how it was designed and you can't really do too much of worth with that space. I wouldn't ideally build a coaster there though. I'd build a dark ride to give families with younger kids something to do when on that side of the park and then preferably build a thrill ride/coaster in between The Land and Seas.

Lol I could fit a killer giga in Epcot if Disney just let me :tease:

Kidding of course, but I agree with you that the building just needs to go away...The outside just looks unappealing (sorry to all the Wonders of Life purists)

I believe part of the problem is the very simple fact that it doesn't connect immediately with the main pathway

It almost feels like a backstage space with the winding pathway...even when it was wonders

If only Disney had a vast library of properties they could base a ride off of...It's tough being a startup company

 

[UNIrd]

Tear it down. Build coaster.

Whether this is getting built or not has been rollercoaster enough.

 

[shiekra38]

Whether this is getting built or not has been rollercoaster enough.

They could honestly put a Horizons themed spinner in that area and it would be more useful than it is now