More changes coming to Epcot Future World, or more specifically, the neighborhood World Celebration.
It has been announced that Art of Disney, currently located near the main entrance, will be closing permanently on December 15, 2019. In doing so, Art of Disney will be moving to the Heritage Manor at The American Adventure. To allow for this move, the Heritage Manor Gift Shop closed this morning.
You can still purchase the gifts that were in Heritage Manor at the kiosk located outside the pavilion.
Prior: Offsite most every other years from 1972 - 2000
Most recent: Offsite 2001 & 2003 / ASM 2006 / Offsite 2009 / Poly 2011 / POR 2013 / CR 2014 / GF 2015 / DS Hotel 2017 / BC 2017 / POR 2018
You may recall that the old Epcot Character Spot closed a few weeks back and that Mickey and friends are currently greeting guests in a temporary location in Innoventions in Future World. However, Mickey will soon be making appearances in a new location at the Imagination! pavilion, as part of the Disney & Pixar Short Film Festival. Just inside the entrance to the attraction, you’ll find Mickey greeting guests with the backdrop seen below.
Mickey is set to arrive at the Disney & Pixar Short Film Festival in early 2020. It is unknown how long he will be appearing at that location as a new Character Spot is expected to be constructed in the new World Celebration section of Epcot.
With all the changes coming to Epcot, park's monorail line will be undergoing construction at Walt Disney World. Construction is expected to begin on January 13, 2020. This construction will delay the opening of the EPCOT monorail line to 10:00 AM on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays. There is no current end date for construction.
Prior: Offsite most every other years from 1972 - 2000
Most recent: Offsite 2001 & 2003 / ASM 2006 / Offsite 2009 / Poly 2011 / POR 2013 / CR 2014 / GF 2015 / DS Hotel 2017 / BC 2017 / POR 2018
Disney has announced that the planned monorail refurbishment for the Epcot line has been delayed and that the monorail will not experience a delayed opening as reported earlier this month.
UPDATE - 1/16/2020
Construction is expected to begin on January 20, 2020. This construction will delay the opening of the EPCOT monorail line to 10 AM on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays. There is no current end date for construction.
With all the construction going on in Epcot, I found this photo of some of the construction.
You can see the construction of the Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind in the upper right corner. The demolition of Innovention West and the Fountain of Nations can be see in the center and left of center in the photo. You can make out the fencing that has gone up on the pathway around Innovention East and extending all the way around to The Seas with Nemo & Friends Pavilion. Extending out from Innovention West is the newly expanded Rose Walkway.
WDW News Today is reporting that with the ongoing changes at EPCOT, the inevitable closure dates of Pin Central and the Electric Umbrella have finally been announced, as well as the opening of the new bypass walkways.
On February 16, the Electric Umbrella, Pin Central, and nearby merchandise and outdoor vending carts will close.
With these locations closed, guests will be able to use the new park passageways, including the recently-opened one by The Seas as well as the bypass walkway of Future World East, which runs adjacent to the Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind construction site. The restrooms over on this side will reopen at a later date.)
With the Electric Umbrella closed, other locations throughout the park will be available to provide quick-service dining, including Eats at the EPCOT Experience and Sunshine Seasons, which will now also feature burgers on the menu. Note that no opening date has been listed for Taste Track Burgers and Fries, which is also opening soon to provide additional counter service options after Electric Umbrella closes.
With changes to Epcot Future World also come changes to the maps...
To show what I mean, below is the current map on the Disney website: The above map shows Epcot Future World with the current walkways and the missing Innovention West (where Fountain View, Club Cool and Epcot Character Spot were located) and the Fountain of Nations.
Here is the new map (courtesy of Blog Mickey) that is soon to be released this week:
In this map, you can see the new walkways that have been added leading from the entrance towards The Sea with Nemo & Friends and the other pavilions of Future West on the left and from the entrance towards Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind and the other pavilions of Future East. What is also missing is the walkway the cut across from Future World East to Future World West, Pin Central, ability to access Electric Umbrella and the complete demolition of Innovention West.