New walkway through World Celebration opens at EPCOT ahead of Connections Cafe's upcoming opening

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New Walkway linking the main entrance to Connections Cafe and Creations Shop

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Posted: Thursday March 24, 2022 8:21am ET by WDWMAGIC Staff

A new walkway opened earlier this week at EPCOT, allowing guests to once again walk through the center of the park from the main entrance.

The walkway past Spaceship Earth now heads through the center of the park

The new walkway passing alongside Connections Cafe

Heading towards Connections Cafe and Creations Shop

Watch the video below to take a POV walk along the new pathway. (4K YouTube).

The new walkway passes alongside Spaceship Earth, past guest relations, and in front of the upcoming Connections Cafe and new Creations Shop.

One of the five entrances into Connections Cafe

Taking this new path allows guests to get up close to one of the five entrances to Connections Cafe, which opens this spring.

One of the five entrances to Connections Cafe from the new walkway

The temporary backstage bypass behind guest relations and along the side of Guardians of the Galaxy Cosmic Rewind is now closed.

The temporary bypass to the left behind guest relations and to the side of Guardians of the Galaxy is now walled off

The temporary walkway from the main enetnrace behind guest relations is now closed to guests

Guests can no longer walk along the side of Guardians of the Galaxy

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Andrew C14 hours ago

I think it’s weird to put a temporary stage as part of a festival, in the area they just redesigned for festivals. I would have figured their designs would be a bit more seamless and account for these types situations better. If it was their intent to always do a temp stage, I think that’s bad show and bad design for an area that was purpose built.

MisterPenguin14 hours ago

They do have a permanent stage. But also, two temporary acts. I don't understand this criticism at all. I thought more entertainment was what people here wanted.

Andrew C14 hours ago

I thought the whole point of the Epcot overhaul to include a new permanent stage and festival center would change all that. I mean, is it really a stretch to think that was going to be the case?

MisterPenguin14 hours ago

They've been setting up a secondary stage for Joyful for years now. Norway gets a stage for its Christmas storyteller. Extra stages for a festival isn't new. It's not like they should build out a dozen permanent stages all over the place in case they need them.

trainplane316 hours ago

Maybe they're learning how much of a bad idea it was having a stage right against the hub? I know it's temporary but it says something that they're spending the time and money to install a temp stage like 150ft away from the permanent stage.

tparris18 hours ago

For comparison, these are the similarly reflective new panels outside of Communicore Hall

tparris18 hours ago

Looks like @DreamfinderGuy was right- they’re now replacing the opaque panels with new translucent ones, similar to the new ones recently added to the ground lighting outside Communicore Hall. So far, all of the cross sections have the new translucent panels.

Andrew C19 hours ago

Wait, wait wait...so after all that, they did not build enough infrastructure to cover all festivals?

Nunu19 hours ago

Brian19 hours ago

Maybe they can do both Celebracion Encanto and Joyful at the same time. Throw in a Spaceship Earth light show at the same time and 🤌🏻 https://blogmickey.com/2024/11/second-stage-communicore-plaza-epcot/

Cmdr_Crimson1 day ago

Bocabear1 day ago

Dolores!!!!!

HauntedPirate1 day ago

… Mulva? 😝

Jayspency1 day ago

Regarding my actual thoughts on this, I'm glad Soarin got some TLC, but I don't like the new Eiffel tower scene where you just kinda look at it from a distance. There was just a unique feeling you had scaling the tower from the bottom. At least the bendy tower is no more lol.