Massive Epcot Construction & 5 Magical World Showcase Moments

In the course of two back-to-back visits I had the opportunity to really canvas all that is going on at Epcot. Construction at this park is the highest since the park opened nearly 40 years ago. We go above the fence to check it out, from the front of the park all the way to the back. On the way we experience five really great World Showcase Discoveries–magical moments that sparkle even during this time of Covid and Construction. And yes, we talk about huge crowds–or the lack thereof. Check out this major update. Come join us at Epcot.

You can find our podcast here on Podbean, iTunes, Spotify, MyTuner, and ListenNotes. Photos and video follow, but for a more complete narrative, check out the podcast.

Crowds

Let’s start with the crowds. During the opening hours on Saturday, crowds were comparable to crowds on the busiest days before the pandemic. Those crowds begin at the toll booth, extended to parking, past the fever check and into security, and then finally, as seen below, at the gates themselves.

They seem to be occurring because of two factors: First, the admission systems seem to be breaking down. Second, a delay in opening creates a greater crowd by the time you let people in.

At times those crowds continued on attractions, but only at the height of the day. By evening almost all crowds were down to very little wait.

Future World Construction

Whilethe construction begins outside the gates, the most exciting new arrival are three acrylic pylons, standing over 16 feet tall in front of Spaceship Earth. They mirror the original ones that were taken out during the Millennial celebration.

Originally known as Earth Station, this space has undergone several changes over the years. And it looks like there will be more to come.

Ratatouille Construction

5 Magical World Showcase Discoveries

1. Food & Wine Festival

I had tried the chicken dumplings with the Asian slaw in a past year, but I tried it again. It is still two stars.

The Impossible™ Burger Slider with Wasabi Cream and Spicy Asian Slaw on a Sesame Seed Bun (Plant-Based). It earns three stars and its one of the few things I look forward to tasting again.

Shimmering Strawberry Soft-Serve in a Waffle Cone. The ice cream was two stars, but the experience as I explain in the podcast was three stars.

Frothy Ramen: Chilled Noodles in a Dashi Broth topped with Egg White Froth. This is a great summer treat and is three stars.

Bao buns begin at 3 stars and work their way down. This did not disappoint.

Tepan Edo

By the way, this wonderful restaurant re-opened in Japan.

Check out the video of these incredible professionals at work:

On to World Showplace. Frozen S-Mores was a new dessert. Fairly simple, but really quite good. I gave it three stars, and would say that it’s a contender with the Frozen Apple Pie.

Liquid Nitro Chocolate Cake Pops with Crumbled Twix® Original. My daughter tried it last week, but I thought I would make a go at it. It was good, but not as good as the one with M&M’s. I gave it 2 stars.

For a complete guide to the entire Epcot International Food & Wine Festival, visit our site here. We review over 30 different menu items, as well as all the attending events related to the experience.

2. Character Cavalcades

This experience made eating my ice cream a three star experience.

3. Akershus

Most people don’t know that this restaurant is based on an actual fort in Oslo, Norway called Akershus. You can see it below:

This restaurant is closed, but it’s open for those wanting a break from wearing their mask. The restaurant is beautiful, and it’s air conditioned. If you haven’t checked it out before, do so. Below are some photos.

4. Mariachi Cobre

During these re-opening period, these professionals are playing on the American Gardens stage. They are superb as you can see in the video below:

5. Evening in World Showcase

My last magical moment I share in photos as I stroll through a quiet World Showcase and take in the beauty.

If you haven’t heard my podcast called, Your American Adventure, you might want to check it out. You can find it here.

There’s Much More!

Thanks for joining us. Make sure you check out the following:

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YouTube.com

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