A few weeks ago, the first piece of the building that will house the Guardians of the Galaxy roller coaster at Epcot went up. Over the past few days, crews have begun erecting some of the large walls that will enclose the roller coaster. These walls are enormous already and haven’t reached their full height yet; this is just over halfway. The structure is visible from inside of Epcot, near the side of the Universe of Energy Building and Wonders of Life. With the structure about half its overall height and already visible, we are unsure how Disney plans to mask this enormous warehouse.
Let’s take a look from outside of the park first. These are all from within guest areas; none were taken backstage.
It’s going to be massive. Now, let’s turn our attention to in the park. To the right of Energy, you can see the structure just behind the small trees. Once more height gets added, it’ll be difficult to mask.
Looking up towards Wonders of Life, you can easily see the building.
Forgive the focus.
Excited yet? We’re so close, yet so far away from Peter Quill’s happy energy fun times or whatever name they decide to use for the attraction.
They’ll theme the warehouse to the natural beauty of an oil rig.
The warehouse will be hidden by a giant Polaroid of Star Lord as a kid thats more Disney and more Epcot then the 2000 sign or the Mickey Epcot sign. Can you guys put all the photo updates in Polaroid frames so we know its authenticly Disney
While structures outside the main ring of buildings have tended to be masked well, this is so tall! It’s going to be intrusive.
Would sinking the building not have been an option to lessen the height or does the Florida swamp ground prevent this?
The water table is pretty close to the surface in Florida, as it’s mostly reclaimed marshland.
Keep in mind that much of Disney property is already built at an elevation that affords them to have what amounts to an entire city underground, beneath the park.
As a result of this, going down isn’t really much of an option unless they wanted to further elevate the site where the thing is being built.
They want it to be large and visable so they can project the new night time projection show on it according to some rumors and most likely other ads
Only Magic Kingdom has “underground” service areas.
No, Epcot has one too. It is much smaller and only in the Future World section at the front. It was not needed for World Showcase because of the road in the back that gives access to each country.
From what I’m aware of only Magic Kingdom has substantial utilidors. Epcot has a couple but none that go to the outside perimeter of the park where this is being built, so I’m not certain that’s a reason for them not building down.
The water table I can understand more, but with modern technology you’d think they’d have found a way if they wanted to.
It’s just a shame as with things as they stood Spaceship Earth was rightfully the dominating force in the Epcot skyline. This just seems misplaced and unconsidered.
Yeah… about that city. Do utility corridors under Magic Kingdom count as a city? Most of WDW is not elevated. The land where Guardians is being built would not allow for underground construction. The only reason anything is underground at WDW is because they built it on flat land and then backfilled it or buried it, so while they could theoretically bury the building (I’m now imagining the world’s largest manmade pile of dirt), “sinking” it is not an option.
I would hope they turn it onto a large TRIANGULAR tower like the “triosphere” at the 1939 NY Worlds fair. Which would tie in the themes of family visiting the NY Worlds fair and EPCOT. From a distance the iconic globe of EPCOT and the tower would look like a recreation of the 39 fair ,and we sll know Walt’s connection to WORLD
FAIRS.