EPCOT's lead Imagineer talks more about the new World Celebration plans

May 06, 2022 in "EPCOT"

Forum Forums Tweet Share Tweet Share

Gallery / 7 Photos
2022 Concept Art for EPCOT World Celebration

See all 7

Posted: Friday May 6, 2022 12:30pm ET by WDWMAGIC Staff

Following yesterday's unveiling of the new plans for World Celebration at EPCOT, lead EPCOT Imagineer Zach Riddley has today taken to Instagram to offer some more details on the plans.

Wide view looking towards the south of World Celebration

Zach begins by talking about lighting and how the new nighttime experience established at the main entrance and on Spaceship Earth will extend into the park and to World Celebration.

"World Celebration will be a can’t-miss destination for evening activations at EPCOT. Designed with over 12,000 individually controllable lighting fixtures, the reimagined nighttime experiences in this new park neighborhood will create a dynamic environment that will transform the area every night."

He continues, "We know our guests loved the fiber optics embedded in the pavement at EPCOT, and we’re excited to share that we’re bringing back new illuminated paving designs in World Celebration. These features pay homage to EPCOT’s past, while incorporating updated technology and controllability to deliver some fun new lighting capabilities. As you can see in this image, at the central planter in the heart of World Celebration, the rings of the EPCOT logo will come to life with light and color in an inviting and dynamic celebration of unity."

World Celebration during Food and Wine Festival

"We’re creating new spaces for “hero” features, large-scale décor, topiaries, lighting and artistic elements that mark the seasons. Here, we see an artist’s vision for the EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays, where light becomes a unifying element of global holiday celebrations – and our points of light across Spaceship Earth provide a fully in-the-round experience throughout all of World Celebration."

World Celebration during Festival of the Holidays

"In the final image we see a glimpse of the newly announced CommuniCore Plaza. This large area will be purpose-built with flexibility to host a variety of entertainment and performance activations. Here is a glimpse of the smaller of two stages that has the ability to host performances for guests on multiple sides, activating the adjacent gardens with dedicated areas to sit and relax."

CommuniCore Hall stage during Festival of the Arts

"Our Imagineering team has been very thoughtful about the legacy and stewardship of the EPCOT aesthetic, and in many cases, we’ve been able to reach back in our history to leverage some key themes as we bring this new design into the future. The name “CommuniCore” itself goes back to the earliest days of the park."

Discuss on the Forums

Get Walt Disney World News Delivered to Your Inbox

DCBaker54 minutes ago

Photo of a new wayfinding sign recently installed near the Rose Walk area. https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53682849145_70edfb365e_o.jpg

Ayla2 hours ago

There is nothing calming or restful about flashing, bright LED lights. These aren't supposed to look like the front of a Vegas hotel. I also hope they wouldn't bring on an epileptic seizure for my sister.

Epcot82Guy15 hours ago

I will say, it creates a nice dynamic nature. But, it does highlight the lights not working more than you would think. And, for most months out of the year, you get 1-2 - maybe 3 - hours of that at most. So, there is a glaring issue for the rest of the day where it feels a little plasticy and cheaper than it should.

Epcot82Guy15 hours ago

Having seen it in person this week, I'm torn... PROS: -The environment is very nice at night. -The lighting package here looks cool. -The music and general vibe works well (though it can get repetitive), especially its tie in to Luminous. -The garden aspects add a sense of depth. The former design felt "larger". This feels more "dense". I think both are great approaches, and the new approach feels more modern. -The interaction between Creations/Connections and the center is great. I hope they can create something similar with CommuniCore Hall. (TBD) CONS: -The area has a very different vibe in the day vs. night. During the day, it does feel a bit lacking. The kinetic energy is not there during the day. -They actually have a perfect place for a fountain in the southern planter. That area is basically dead. They could easily put in a jumping or creative fountain in the middle of the giant fountain and solve a number of problems. -The lighting being out is more noticeable than I hoped. They really need to work on maintenance here. -People gather in the center near the Figment topiary. Nowhere else... -CommuniCore hall looks quite cheap in materials, especially when compared with the other buildings. I know it's modern materials, but it is a noticeably a box clad in flat panels. Again, the lighting is a nice touch, and the mural is not bad. But, it feels much more like the TTC than anything substantial in a Disney theme park (let alone a new build). Kinda like Luminous, it feels like a really good idea given a much reduced budget. The west side of World Celebration also feels very disjointed/sparse from the east side, which is an issue. -I still hate the "missing" quarter of the central circle behind JOW. (However, doing some sort of modern archway walk way a la Rainbow Tunnel or Lights of Winter would do wonders.) TLDR - Cool idea with some cool night effects. The general vibe. Execution is uncertain and feels a bit disjointed. And, it feels noticeably budget cut, even not knowing anything more substantial planned.

HauntedPirate15 hours ago

LED lighting does not provide “kinetic energy”. IMHO.

MisterPenguin18 hours ago

The only panels that light are the ones that are flat (they don't pop outward into two new triangles) and the ones with a border. Flat panels with no border aren't LEDs (it seems) and the ones that pop out don't light up, tho, they seem they do when they reflect the panels that do light up.

radiorae18 hours ago

I’m sure they are! They likely turned them all off until they can get them working again together instead of having random ones out. I’d guess they’d want it back up and running by the time Communicore Hall opens, but only time will tell!

Disstevefan120 hours ago

I hope part of the testing includes power washing ;)

Disstevefan120 hours ago

Did TWDC buy a LED lighting company? The interns in charge of the lighting design in all parks in WDW LOVE to use A LOT of different color lights. As the interns say, "Fountains are so 1982...."

James Alucobond20 hours ago

I assume some is already in place for sprinklers within the planters, but whether or not what's there could support a fountain is another issue entirely. Also, I doubt they have to break up ground to fix the floor lights.

Incomudro20 hours ago

Maybe when they break up the ground to fix the broken floor lights they can run some plumbing? ;)

Bocabear21 hours ago

Actually in the video the central planter looked awfully dark and non kinetic... Flashing lights can do something, but the sound of water, the visual is not the same as video walls and flashing color-changing lights.... a central core fountain would have brought something wonderful to the heart of World whatever-its-called....Maybe at some point in the future.....