What's New at EPCOT: Test Track Construction and the Debut of Disney Genie

Hello from EPCOT!

Spaceship Earth is looking good!

We like to regularly check out what’s going on around all of the Disney World parks so we can keep you updated, so let’s take a look at what’s new in EPCOT!

EPCOT Construction Updates

We took a look at more construction from the Monorail on our way into the park.

We long for the day this construction is finished!

In Future World, EPCOT’s big transformation continues on as the old is torn down to make way for the new.

EPCOT construction looks a lot different from up here

There is also a new giant, gaping hole in the ground behind one of the work walls.

What’s going on here?

While on the Monorail, we noticed that the walls have been removed on the bridge between Future World and World Showcase.

No more walls!

The removal of the walls revealed that the splash pad that was once over here is gone…

Rest In Peace, refreshing splash zone

…even though it’s still currently shown on EPCOT’s virtual map.

©Disney

Over at Test Track, there is construction scrim up at the exit of the ride where the shop is.

Test Track Construction

Here’s a look from a different angle.

Work being done on Test Track

We’ll keep you updated if we find out what they’re working on!

EPCOT Additional Updates

Disney Genie has made its debut in Disney World, and we tried it out in EPCOT! If you don’t know, Genie is a free planning program that’s now a part of My Disney Experience. It helped us plan our day in EPCOT and actually gave us some great suggestions! With its forecasted wait times, Genie knew to recommend that we ride Frozen Ever After when the wait was lower than it usually is and we had a gap in our schedule.

Disney Genie has launched!

There is also Genie+, which has replaced Disney World’s FastPass system and costs $15 per day, per person. Genie+ allows you to make reservations to use the Lightning Lane (old FastPass+ lane) of 46 attractions in the parks. You can make one reservation at a time, with the exception of the 120 minute rule, which we explain here.

Soarin’ Lightning Lane

And finally, there are Individual Attraction Selections, or pay-per-ride attractions. These are high-demand rides that you can pay individual for to use their Lightning Lanes to skip the standby line. These attractions are not included with Genie+ and there are 2 in every park. The two attractions in EPCOT that you can pay individually for are Frozen Ever After…

Lightning Lane sign at Frozen Ever After

…and Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure! You can only ride Remy’s using the virtual queue or the Individual Lightning Lane, so if you miss out on getting a boarding pass for the ride, you can buy access with the Lightning Lane, depending on availability. But, you can also ride Remy’s twice in one day now! You can first get a boarding pass for the virtual queue, and then you can also buy a Lightning Lane pass. So far, the pricing for these two EPCOT rides have both been $9 per person.

Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure Lightning Lane and Virtual Queue

So, make sure to check out Genie the next time you’re in EPCOT or any of the other Disney World parks to try it out for yourself. That’s all that’s new in EPCOT since our last visit! Stay tuned to DFB for more on what’s going on around Disney World.