News New Park Entrance coming to Epcot

[Creathir]

I get that people are thrilled with the return of the old plaza, but were the monoliths really THAT offensive to folks when they walked in?

They were stone structures that you walked by on your way into the park. Just about 100% of the time I just would walk past them, or not even notice them because I was too busy looking at SSE or at the flowers in the middle.

We always would make a point of grabbing a Photopass CM to get our photo with SSE, but I certainly was not disgusted by the presence of some stone monoliths...

Don’t make your way to Washington, DC anytime soon if stone monoliths bother ya so much... there’s a big one you can see literally from practically every corner of the city.

 

[Wngo905]

I get that people are thrilled with the return of the old plaza, but were the monoliths really THAT offensive to folks when they walked in?

I was never offended by them
FYI- we are coming down on Monday celebrating 18EARS!!! If anyone sees us, we will be wearing our wedding mouseears from 2001 (modified to reflect our anniversary), stop us and say hi better to see me before I:ROE cause after i will be a teary-eyed mess, lol

 

[JenniferS]

I get that people are thrilled with the return of the old plaza, but were the monoliths really THAT offensive to folks when they walked in?

They were stone structures that you walked by on your way into the park. Just about 100% of the time I just would walk past them, or not even notice them because I was too busy looking at SSE or at the flowers in the middle.

We always would make a point of grabbing a Photopass CM to get our photo with SSE, but I certainly was not disgusted by the presence of some stone monoliths...

Don’t make your way to Washington, DC anytime soon if Stone monoliths bother ya so much... there’s a big one you can see literally from practically every corner of the city.

They were incomplete and unattractive. They weren’t honouring any fallen soldiers or first responders, so they didn’t evoke any emotions other than “why?”.

They also made me very nervous - watching kids run around unattended with those sharp edges everywhere.

I won’t miss them one bit. To me, they were more egregious than the BAH and the kite tarps; equal to the Epcot wand.

 

[JenniferS]

I was never offended by them
FYI- we are coming down on Monday celebrating 18EARS!!! If anyone sees us, we will be wearing our wedding mouseears from 2001 (modified to reflect our anniversary), stop us and say hi better to see me before I:ROE cause after i will be a teary-eyed mess, lolView attachment 414542View attachment 414543

Happy anniversary.

I’m pleased that new tiles will be printed and that you will still be able to see your pics (eventually); but I’m even more pleased that they won’t be attached to the aggressive granite monoliths up front.

The theme of Epcot, to me anyway, is one of hope. The entrance music is uplifting and hopeful. The exit music, even more so. When I leave Epcot at the end of the night, I always leave with the feeling that everything is going to be all right.

The fake gravestones out front didn’t jibe with that.
My opinion of course.

 

[Unplugged]

A simpler and almost instantly available solution for the entrance would be to use the projectors and throw something cool on SSE. Putting a Jack O Lantern, Jack Skellington, Harvest Moon, Madam Leotta, or other fun seasonal animations up there would certainly be distracting of the walls. In fact, perhaps hidden Mickey-cams could catch people walking into the walls and the "Oops photos" could go up on SSE as well!

 

[note2001]

They were incomplete and unattractive. They weren’t honouring any fallen soldiers or first responders, so they didn’t evoke any emotions other than “why?”.

They also made me very nervous - watching kids run around unattended with those sharp edges everywhere.

I won’t miss them one bit. To me, they were more egregious than the BAH and the kite tarps; equal to the Epcot wand.

I'll cheer for joy when I see the entryway restored to an environment with more greenery and a proper EPCOT fountain.

Those monoliths were nothing but a money grab laid out in everyone's path to navigate through.

 

[flynnibus]

Don’t make your way to Washington, DC anytime soon if Stone monoliths bother ya so much... there’s a big one you can see literally from practically every corner of the city.

Except there isn't a washington monument every 12ft... nor does it clutter anything up. You elevate the wrong thing that people felt poorly about.

It's not the stone slab that was the rub... it was the full garden of them in the entrance way.

 

[Creathir]

I was never offended by them
FYI- we are coming down on Monday celebrating 18EARS!!! If anyone sees us, we will be wearing our wedding mouseears from 2001 (modified to reflect our anniversary), stop us and say hi better to see me before I:ROE cause after i will be a teary-eyed mess, lolView attachment 414542View attachment 414543

Congratulations!!!
One suggestion, last time we were there, I talked with the folks who could tell you where the images from when my brother and I went in 2005, and they were able to pull the images up and give us the original image.
Not sure if that system is still hooked up or not, but ya might want to check with the Camera Center and see if it’s still a possibility.
Once again, congratulations!!!

 

[Creathir]

They were incomplete and unattractive. They weren’t honouring any fallen soldiers or first responders, so they didn’t evoke any emotions other than “why?”.

They also made me very nervous - watching kids run around unattended with those sharp edges everywhere.

I won’t miss them one bit. To me, they were more egregious than the BAH and the kite tarps; equal to the Epcot wand.

View attachment 414549

Fair enough!
I obviously had a picture, so I’m slightly biased...

 

[brb1006]

I get that people are thrilled with the return of the old plaza, but were the monoliths really THAT offensive to folks when they walked in?

They were stone structures that you walked by on your way into the park. Just about 100% of the time I just would walk past them, or not even notice them because I was too busy looking at SSE or at the flowers in the middle.

We always would make a point of grabbing a Photopass CM to get our photo with SSE, but I certainly was not disgusted by the presence of some stone monoliths...

Don’t make your way to Washington, DC anytime soon if Stone monoliths bother ya so much... there’s a big one you can see literally from practically every corner of the city.

They stick out like a sore thump.

 

[tparris]

They stick out like a sore thump.

 

[Timothy_Q]

Don’t make your way to Washington, DC anytime soon if stone monoliths bother ya so much... there’s a big one you can see literally from practically every corner of the city.

How are those 2 things related in any way?

"Don't like generic-looking stores in the parks? Don't go to a 99cent store then! Those are very ugly!"

 

[trainplane3]

Roadbed should be getting poured soon:

Railings are slowly going up under the station as well:

 

[WDWtraveler]

Photo update as of Saturday, October 5, 2019. A few overall photos to compliment those previously posted. The tram turnaround area is about half paved. Pedestrian walkways (pink) on either side extending to the parking areas are much wider than the previous walkways.

Work continues on the previous tram loading/unloading area under the monorail platform. Light poles have been installed. The area with plywood has already been paved. The plywood protects the new surface. At the far left end of this photo, a new walkway is being constructed within the existing trees from the bus terminals in the distance.

New pavement under the monorail platform extends from the new tram turnaround to Epcot's entrance.

 

[trainplane3]

Some more updates:

 

[networkpro]

I dare Disney to get the fountain up and running before Halloween. Guests need SOMETHING at the entrance.
Walls, walls and more walls make for a miserable welcome.

And the headstones in memorium of the great Disney marketing wars were cheerful ?

 

[note2001]

And the headstones in memorium of the great Disney marketing wars were cheerful ?

That is a weird way of interpreting that.

 

[Mike730]

 

[Mike730]

Update at 18:06

 

[WDWtraveler]

Photo update as of Thursday, October 17, 2019. An overview of the construction progress at the entrance to Epcot. The new tram turnaround is in the center of the original tram lane, and outside Epcot's entrance and monorail station. The pedestrian walkways from the parking lot are wider and on either side of the tram turnaround.

Under the monorail loading platform, the original tram lane has been replaced with a large landscaped area with some new trees. The new tram turnaround area is to the left in this photo. Epcot's entrance is to the right.

As viewed from the monorail unloading platform, the original tram loading/unloading area on the lower level will be the new security (bag check) area. The tables for bag checks have already been installed. The large expanse of concrete in the foreground was the original tram turnaround.

The original tram turnaround (bounded by the large trees in the background) has been replaced with a large expanse of concrete for guests waiting at the security area. A new walkway extends from the bus transportation area (beyond the large trees) to the security check area in the foreground.

As viewed from the monorail exit ramp, this is the new walkway from the bus transportation area leading to the new security check area under the monorail exit.