The Epcot Experience

New Coming Attractions Exhibit at Odyssey

The Odyssey pavilion, which has its own unique history, has re-opened at Epcot with a showcase featuring new attractions coming to this park. Having a coming-attractions showcase in Disneyland and Magic Kingdom has been off and on over decades. In recent years, an exhibit has featured new attractions coming to Disney’s California Adventure.

Most of these exhibits feature artwork, maps, models and layouts of coming rides and other experiences. This has that as well, but it really focuses more on video presentation than anything else. The primary center of this exhibit is a large circular room. In the center is an interpretive model of Epcot, with Spaceship Earth in the center, and various offerings emanating from it. Projections also come and go from the model. It’s pretty involved.

You can walk in and out of the presentation at any moment, as it continually cycles. It is a beautiful film, and it offers a suggestion of what the new seamless 360 films will be like in Canada and China. We provide the complete film from beginning to end below:

More careful study of the center model offers a few insights of what may be coming to Epcot. A dominant feature of this model of Mexico is a guitar laying next to the temple. Is that the design of the guitar from Coco? Or is that a guitar along with maracas on the other side for the Three Caballeros?

The one below has a rainbow accompanying the Imagineering building. Rainbows have often been associated with Figment. In the forward area it has two newer pyramids. What is their purpose?

The UK pavilion also emphasizes as does the film, that the Mary Poppins attraction will be based on the new sequel, more than the original. Note not only umbrellas, but balloons, made famous by the last scene of the film.

Around the perimeter of this circular room are a number of other exhibits, though seemingly minor. Continuing with Mary Poppins, we see one glass case with items from the recent film.

Note the hat Mary Poppins wore during the Royal Doulton Bowl scene.

And be sure to look on the other side of the bank certificate for a certain image of the Banks family. Spoiler alert on this one if you haven’t seen the film. But then again, shame on you if you haven’t seen the film. It’s really a treat.

If there’s one thing that’s wonderful about this exhibit is that it’s very clear Mary Poppins is coming to Epcot, and that this wasn’t some quick concept thrown out there at the end of the D23 presentation. In this exhibit it’s in the model, the film, the interactive case and even a photo location shown below:

Nearby is an exhibit focused on the new Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind attraction coming to the footprint of what was the Universe of Energy.

Here is a model of the ride vehicles for this attraction.

And here is a map that would suggest your ride experience. Note the jump point in the center. I would assume that this is the moment where ride vehicles will be moving in what has been labeled as the first reverse launch ever.

This is really the only model we get in the exhibit, but it’s a curious one. This is the new Festival pavilion. Notice the three levels. The top level will be a sort of park walk around space. The mid level might become a restaurant, but right now looks more like a dedicated event space. You can see a stairwell in one location, and what seems to be an escalator in another.

Still, if you look at the top, you’ll see a small square. I would assume this to be an elevator space. Adjacent seems to be another elevated landscaping space. One might assume that there will be a structure underneath that. One should also note that this is more egg shape in size, rather than circular.

In the back of the exhibit there’s a large over-sized map showcasing the new Epcot when its completed.

There are new posters for upcoming attractions as well as current and former pavilions. They are all around the exhibit.

This is definitely worth checking out when you visit Epcot. I hope that the exhibit gets updated as the months move forward, as it feels a little sparse around the perimeter. But like the attractions it promotes, it’s very promising.

For more information about attractions coming to not just Epcot but Walt Disney World, check out this link. There are some 70 new attractions, shows and more coming. You can see the entire list when you check it out.