Leave a Legacy is leaving, but that’s not the only good news we’ve got for you this week! There’s a lot to cover at Epcot: the Disney Skyliner, Ratatouille, restaurant updates and more. Plus, with just a few days left of the International Flower and Garden Festival, we have plenty of pictures to remember the blooms fondly.
Leave A Legacy…Going…Going…(Almost) Gone
As we’ve seen across Florida property, Disney is sprucing up and changing the entrance plazas at all the Walt Disney World theme parks. Epcot is no exception, with the removal of the Leave A Legacy monuments that have been on display for almost 20 years.
This is part of the renovation of the entrance plaza which will clear up the pathway for guests streaming towards Spaceship Earth and the rest of the park.
But over on the right-hand side, things are changing. Construction walls have been erected and crews started removing the Leave a Legacy tombstones– er… monuments. Word is they are going to be relocated outside the park. We just hope they don’t forget to move the bodies (just kidding, or are we?!)
This has created a narrow pathway between the planters and the construction walls, which will cause a lot of pinch points for the guests during the construction process.
The walls are pretty much everywhere on the right side of the entrance.
You can still see a few of the monoliths poking above the walls.
Who’s The Leader of the Club?
There’s new Mickey Mouse Club merchandise on display outside of MouseGear. Do you like the nostalgic new shirts?
Guardians of the Galaxy Construction
More panels have been removed from the side of the Energy building. It appears that the Guardian’s ride will have a completely different exterior based on the current work.
Looks like the side panels are coming down.
There is still a lot of construction going on at the old Energy building, and much more to complete.
The solar panels are all gone…no more riding on sunshine for us. Perhaps they’ll be replaced with newer panels.
Space Restaurant Construction
Work continues on the Space restaurant slated to open later this year. Hopefully, there will be a name soon; we’d love to call it anything other than the Space Restaurant.
The Patina Restaurant Group will operate the space-themed restaurant. It will feature a menu of internationally-inspired cuisine and more wine than there are stars in the sky. That might be a stretch; however, there are going to be at least a thousand bottles to choose from.
Construction Near Imagination
They’ve added a few walls on the pathway near Imagination. Maybe for potential widening?
And there are still some Orange Bird sippers available. Pick one up while you can.
Ratatouille Construction
You can see part of the Ratatouille attraction popping up over the current France skyline.
You get a better view of the construction on Ratatouille from outside the park.
Disney Skyliner at the International Gateway
The Skyliner station at International Gateway is getting closer to completion. I can’t wait to see how the station decorations turn out.
Another view of the Skyliner station under construction.
All of the ticketing booths at International Gateway are blocked by planters. New security? Or just for the Skyliner construction?
New Japan Pavillion Signature Restaurant
Work continues on the new signature restaurant in Japan. Takumi-Tei, the new signature dining experience is set to open this summer. It looks like there will be at least six different dining rooms, or experiences, that are tied to Japanese craftsmanship and the beauty of nature.
International Flower and Garden Festival: Final Week!
You’ve just got a few more days to enjoy the sights of the 2019 International Flower and Garden Festival, which ends June 3. The Festival started March 6 and it’s been nice seeing all the beautiful flowers and displays around the park. Let’s take a few moments and enjoy the breathtaking topiaries one more time.
Future World Topiaries
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Even the flowers are feeling the heat! Some of the flowers at the Flower and Garden Festival are looking a little parched during these 90 degree days.
World Showcase Topiaries and Pavilions
Always wonderful vistas at the Canada Pavilion. When’s the last time you hung out with Martin Short?
The Morris columns in France are under refurbishment.
We’ll head over to the Germany pavillion for a quick stop.
If you’re looking for dark beer in Germany, head to the back of the pavilion.
Let’s take a quick pop into the China Pavillion to look at some of their topiaries.
The China Pavilion has some gorgeous mini-topiaries on display.
Well, we’ve made it to the end of the topiary tour. The International Flower and Garden Festival ends on June 3.
Now, that’s a picture-perfect postcard view!
Looking for Old-School EPCOT Center?
Check out this fun video from my friend George (who also writes about Disney World History at MiceChat) that shows some vintage Epcot you can still find today!
Are you happy to see the Leave a Legacy move? Ready for Ratatouille? Let us know in the comments below. Thanks for reading!
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