Years after Innoventions was torn down and Electric Umbrella was destroyed, construction continues in the center of EPCOT. The park’s two largest construction projects at the moment are Journey of Water, Inspired by “Moana” and CommuniCore Hall, both set to open in late 2023. But construction also continues outside Guest Relations, which was refurbished this past spring, and Refreshment Station, previously known as Cool Wash.

Guest Relations

Behind the construction walls outside Guest Relations is a flat section of earth.

A concrete wall cuts through the dirt and there are some small construction vehicles and dumpsters in the area.

Presumably, the area will eventually become a wider sidewalk, part of an ongoing project to open up pathways throughout Walt Disney World. Something similar happened in World Nature earlier this year, when a concrete planter was removed.

This area has been blocked off and under construction for most of this year, however, with no major progress visible.

Refreshment Station

Cool Wash has been closed for several months. A sign dubbing it Refreshment Station went up in October but has since been removed.

Most of the station’s interior has been ripped out, just leaving the canopy, supports, and back wall.

The ground is covered in dirt and the station is blocked by rolling hedges.

CommuniCore Hall

Behind Spaceship Earth, a new Walt Disney statue will be installed at a spot called Dreamer’s Point. The surrounding area will be filled in with gardens, but right now it’s also just land full of construction vehicles and equipment.

Next to the gardens and Dreamer’s Point will be CommuniCore Hall and CommuniCore Plaza, which replace the festival center originally planned for the park.

CommuniCore is a reference to two pavilions that were part of EPCOT on opening day. They were later reimagined into Innoventions, before eventually being demolished.

The new CommuniCore Hall and Plaza will serve as a multi-functional space that will be used during the park’s various festivals. The hall will be home to a Mickey & Friends meet and greet, a demo kitchen, a mixology bar, a gallery space, and more.

The building’s shape is becoming more and more defined, with a concrete center and white supports around the edges.

The plaza will be to the side of the building, on the far end from Spaceship Earth.

During our recent trip on the EPCOT Monorail, we could see a crew member working on the roof of CommuniCore Hall and another in a cherry-picker vehicle.

Corrugated panels were installed on the roof a few weeks ago. No wall paneling has been installed yet.

CommuniCore Hall will be directly across from Creations Shop, which replaced MouseGear as EPCOT’s flagship shop.

This concept art shows CommuniCore Hall and CommuniCore Plaza to the left.

While this art shows off what the garden area might look like at night.

Restrooms

The World Nature restrooms nestled between CommuniCore Hall and a body of water are also currently closed for refurbishment.

The restrooms closed in April 2022. Since then, the red and blue tile marking the women’s and men’s rooms has been torn out. The plain wall separating the rooms will likely get new paint to match the rest of EPCOT’s updated color scheme.

Journey of Water, Inspired by “Moana”

Finally, EPCOT’s next new attraction will be Journey of Water, Inspired by “Moana,” a walkthrough attraction featuring various water features and a 16-foot tall Te Fiti.

The plastic-wrapped poles in the walkthrough will eventually hold themed lanterns.

The faux rockwork in this section of the construction site is mostly completed, with details such as moss and carved Kakamora. The beginnings of a pathway is visible curving between the rocks and lampposts.

One of the tallest sections of rock features the swirl of the heart of Te Fiti. This will be near the entrance to the attraction.

Only recently was scaffolding removed from this area, fully revealing the swirl. A concrete wall with no faux rocks over it stretches behind it.

Above is the first concept art released by Disney, featuring the swirl on the rocks with water pouring over it.

Another fake rock is further into the construction site, still completely surrounded by scaffolding.

Past the concrete wall, the ground mostly flattens out.

It leads to a partially buried structure with pipes sticking out of it.

Two awning structures are next to the pipes.

This piece of concept art features Journey of Water, Inspired by “Moana.”

The Te Fiti statue is near a body of water towards the back of the attraction.

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Shannen Michaelsen