Ready, set, go! It’s a beautiful day for a race here at EPCOT, and it just so happens to be the final day of the Disney Princess Half Marathon Weekend, with the namesake half marathon being run around, and through, the park. We’ve got to keep our mile time low, so let’s sprint through our many updates.

Near the parking lot, work continues on what appears to be a new security checkpoint structure. Concrete was just poured earlier this week for the areas under the overhang.

Guests are warned that walkways within the park may be a bit restricted due to the runDisney race. Restricted walkways and delays reaching destinations is a bit of an EPCOT staple right now, whether or not a race is taking place.

Work on the entrance area, which was already completed on the portion of it that is currently open, is continuing at a furious pace. It looks like we’re not too far off from seeing new planters take shape, and pavement will hopefully be soon to follow.

This planter already has quite a few flowers in it, and though they can’t be seen from within the park, they certainly brighten up a monorail ride.

The fountain which sits at the base of Spaceship Earth is also being given a pretty significant update (to make it look like it originally did, coincidentally). We’ve presented some of the concept art and renderings of the fountain – click here to view that post.

A new decal which guides guests towards the west side of the park was installed overnight. This bright green signage contrasts the red signage which points toward the east end of the park.

Inside the Seas Pavilion, new signage has been installed over the last few weeks. Most recently, these updated signs guide visitors to the upstairs aquarium.

At the moment, this is one of the few remaining signs which are awaiting an update to the newer EPCOT color and font style.

Near the Imagination Pavilion, racers enter the park and then head towards World Showcase. Walkways for normal park guests are severely restricted (the sign did warn us) until the race ends at 10:30am.

Bordering Future World and World Showcase, we’ve got another fresh canvas that is ready to be painted by guests.

At the France Pavilion, housing for a new sign has appeared outside of the area where Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure is being built. Clearly there’s no actual sign present, but chances are it’ll be installed (and covered up) in the next few days to protect the electronics within.

With a summer opening, work is progressing quite quickly on the outdoor elements themed to the movie.

At the American Adventure, Regal Eagle Smokehouse opened earlier this week to positive reviews. We actually tried every item on the menu, so if you’re a fan of barbecue, Muppets, or America, you’ll want to click here for our thoughts on the new food and drink offerings.

Surprisingly, crowds were pretty light early in the day. At the EPCOT Experience, one young guest had most of the presentation to himself.

Test Track is mere days away from reopening from its refurbishment, and while no significant changes to the attraction are expected, we’re excited for this EPCOT staple to return.

Likewise, Taste Track will be returning in the very near future. While Disney hasn’t provided an exact date, they have provided (perhaps unintentionally) parts of the restaurant’s menu. Click here to check out the food items that’ll be available soon.

While Test Track will soon make its return, nearby Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind is working towards its debut.

The attraction took over the former Ellen’s Energy Adventure building, which may have been most known for the solar panels perched on the roof. We’re excited for the return of those iconic panels, and hope we won’t have to wait until the ride’s 2021 opening to see them.

Near Cosmic Rewind, Innoventions East is closed off to guest traffic, and one of the many signs of its dismantling are the removal of signs from the breezeway.

Of course there are much more obvious signs that the building is being stripped to its frame, like brigades of heavy machinery and missing walls.

Sadly, Pin Central is beginning to meet the same fate as the Innoventions buildings. All of the shade pieces have been removed, and the poles which supported those panels are beginning to be cut down and removed.

Finally, on our way out of the park, we checked on the progress of the blank canvas which was situated on this wall earlier. Pops of color are now appearing, though we’ll have to wait and see what masterpiece these guests are creating.

Thanks for joining us on our journey around EPCOT today. What are your thoughts on the extreme amount of work being done within the park? Leave your thoughts below in the comments!

Kevin Lake