Over the years, Disney World has canceled plenty of projects.
It’s not that the company wants to get our hopes up just to crush them, it’s just that sometimes things get in the way like financial problems, legal issues, or ya know, a global pandemic. And because of various hurdles in the past several years, there are quite a few delays, empty buildings, and shelved projects in Disney World right now. Let’s talk about that.
Stitch’s Great Escape
To start, we’re heading to Magic Kingdom to discuss Stitch’s Great Escape. This show, located in Tomorrowland, replaced ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter, but had its last day of operation in 2018. In the years since, Disney used the space as a Stitch meet and greet, but then removed the sign on the outside of the building altogether.
These days, the space remains unused…at least as an attraction. Disney hasn’t shared whether or not they’ll replace Stitch’s home with something new, but with the prime real estate so close to the castle, it’s kind of bizarre that it’s just empty!
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The Mary Poppins Attraction
Several years ago, as part of the EPCOT transformation announcement, Disney revealed plans for a Mary Poppins-themed attraction in the UK Pavilion. There weren’t many details released about what would be available outside of a re-creation of Cherry Tree Lane, but ultimately, it seems as though the project was shelved.
The Mary Poppins attraction was quietly removed from the EPCOT Experience (a show that briefly lived in the Odyssey Pavilion, showcasing the future of the park), and mentions of it were taken off of Disney websites. Alas, we may have to chalk this one up to a pandemic loss.
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The PLAY! Pavilion
Another casualty of the EPCOT transformation is the PLAY! Pavilion. This attraction is supposed to come to the building that formerly housed Horizons in World Discovery. But Disney hasn’t released any new information about the PLAY! Pavilion in years.
We’ve been watching for construction updates, but nothing has changed in quite a while. The pavilion is still mentioned in passing on the EPCOT Monorail script, but outside of that, all information about it seems to have vanished. Will it ever come to fruition? We’ll have to wait and see.
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Primeval Whirl
Jumping over to Animal Kingdom, we’ve got to mention Primeval Whirl! This mouse trap-style roller coaster was a controversial ride in Dinoland USA before its closure in 2020. After the ride shut down, it was completely removed, and now the lot where it once is existed just sits empty, surrounded by construction walls.
We at least have some hope for this space, as Disney has revealed plans to update the Dinoland USA section of the park. Some IP options have been proposed for the area, but nothing concrete has been announced yet. We wonder what ride or attraction will go here in the future!
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The Discovery River Amphitheater
Another spot in Animal Kingdom that currently sits empty is the Discovery River Amphitheater. After the pandemic, the park’s nighttime show, Rivers of Light, was discontinued. The amphitheater was briefly used during the Disney World 50th Anniversary celebrations to house Disney KiteTails, but now it’s just a place for people to sit down during the daytime and watch the character flotillas pass.
It would be nice to see a full-scale nighttime show at Animal Kingdom again in the future, so here’s to hoping they add something to this theater when they update other parts of the park!
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Spaceship Earth
Finally, we have to mention Spaceship Earth! This ride is still alive and well, but as part of the EPCOT transformation, a Spaceship Earth makeover was initially announced, with a new storyline and updated scenes.
It seems that this is another project that was either delayed or shelved, likely due to cutbacks on the transformation after the pandemic. But it’s possible that this could still happen in the future!
We’ll keep you updated if any more projects, updates, or changes are announced for Disney World. Stay tuned to AllEars for the latest!
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Which of these projects would you want to see completed the most? Tell us in the comments!
The Play Pavilion.