The Land rehab

[slp87]

I was just reading on Mouse Planet about The Land's rehab scheduled for Jan - mid March. It mentioned that the Sunshine Season Food Fair was going to be closed and made into a small restaurant with seating in the middle area. It also said that the fountain and hot air balloons will be removed and another elevator and more escalators will be added.

 

[autumnfae]

Yep, it's all true. Sad, isn't it? It's closing four days before I get there.

 

[loriandmatt]

bummer - we all love the land. It will be nice to see what they do with the "food court" area though. i hope whatever they replace the fountain and hot air balloons with is just as impressive. i loved looking up in that place.

-lori

 

[Rneighh]

Is just the food court area being rehabed or is the whole builiding -- including attractions going to be down.

Renee

 

[BCVBRUCE]

Originally posted by Rneighh
Is just the food court area being rehabed or is the whole builiding -- including attractions going to be down.

Great! Now I have to look into changing my itinerary again.

Here are the details:

Transforming The Land (pavilion)
As we've been reporting, The Land pavilion in Epcot is closing January 2 through approximately mid-March so the new Soarin' ride can be completed. We've learned details of some of the other work scheduled to take place during that time.

Installation of a new elevator and escalators to help ease guest flow to and from the lower level of the pavilion.
Closure of the Sunshine Season Food Fair, to be replaced with a smaller resturant with seating in the center of the pavilion.
Removal of the balloons and fountain from the pavilion.
Addition of Fastpass facilities for Soarin', and a gift shop will be opened where Food Rocks stood.
It's also rumored that the pavilion may be receive/suffer an “entire retheme.” It's not entirely clear what that might entail, though I've heard from other sources that it may involve a new color scheme, new music, and other changes.

Hope This Helps,
Bruce

 

[BethC1952]

Thanks for the info! I will make sure to visit The Land in December. Their food court has always been a favorite. I'll be sorry to see it go! Of course, I still miss the old Kitchen Kabaret Show, too!

Beth

 

[Mickey's Sister]

I can't believe they would close Sunshine Season Food Fare!!! We always ate there when at Epcot - our large family group always found something for everyone. Boy, first Tapestry of Dreams and now this. I am not happy!!!

Jessica

 

[Serenity]

Is there any word on if they will close the Nestle Cookie making stand that they have? My kids love going there and baking cookies in the "magic oven".

 

[tjkraz]

Just wanted to add that the Wonders of Life pavilion, which has been operating "Seasonally" for the last year or so, should be open the entire time of The Land rehab.

For those of you not familiar with the terminology, in Disney-speak, "Seasonal" attractions are basically "Closed" attractions. WoL did not open the entire summer season this year, and there's been no indication thus far that it will be open for the upcoming Thanksgiving / Christmas / New Year's holiday periods.

 

[Schmeck]

According to our waitress at the Garden Grill (we got her twice last month when we were there, but I've forgotten her name - but she's wonderful!) the garden Grill will also be closing down for a bit during all of this rebuilding mess.

 

[autumnfae]

Originally posted by Schmeck
According to our waitress at the Garden Grill (we got her twice last month when we were there, but I've forgotten her name - but she's wonderful!) the garden Grill will also be closing down for a bit during all of this rebuilding mess.

The Garden Grill will be closed with the rest of The Land on January 2nd through mid-March. Whether it will remain closed beyond that I'm not sure.

 

[DukeStreetKing]

Another freakin' gift shop? Just what we need, another place to buy the same merchandise.

I understand it's all about the bottom line, but c'mon Michael...

 

[autumnfae]

Originally posted by DukeStreetKing
Another freakin' gift shop? Just what we need, another place to buy the same merchandise.

I understand it's all about the bottom line, but c'mon Michael...

Of course, another gift shop! And not even anything unique like the Green Thumb Emporium. No, they had to close that down. We'll get another standard theme park merchandise shop, with a little corner dedicated to Soarin'. Forget about THE LAND. Forget about nature, conservation, and cool folk songs; we need more Mickey stuff.

just a little bitter

 

[crow11ad]

I know most if not all of you are sad about the land. I am glad we will get to see it before it goes into rehab as we didn't get a chance this past April to fully visit it. This will give us a new thing to see when we go back. I am sure some of you might feel the same way.

 

[Leota]

I disagree with the wisdom of replacing SSFF with another sit-down. I'm not loving the opening of yet another gift shop either. I'll miss Green Thumb Emporium. I've gotten some really neat gifts there.... I guess I better get some pix & video next month.

I sure hope it's not another Imagination fiasco..........

 

[autumnfae]

Originally posted by Leota
I disagree with the wisdom of replacing SSFF with another sit-down. I'm not loving the opening of yet another gift shop either. I'll miss Green Thumb Emporium. I've gotten some really neat gifts there.... I guess I better get some pix & video next month.

I sure hope it's not another Imagination fiasco..........

The Green Thumb Emporium is already closed. It's walled off along with the Food Rocks area. I guess they have already started work in there.

 

[safetymom]

That area needs a rehab as the escalators are never working. Soaring has a flight theme and the music is great also. If they refurbed it to be like CA that would be great.

I love Living with the Land but think they can exist along with Soarin.

 

[skiwee1]

Originally posted by autumnfae
Of course, another gift shop! And not even anything unique like the Green Thumb Emporium. No, they had to close that down. We'll get another standard theme park merchandise shop, with a little corner dedicated to Soarin'. Forget about THE LAND. Forget about nature, conservation, and cool folk songs; we need more Mickey stuff.

just a little bitter

I loved the Green Thumb Emporium! Every trip I end up buying a cute statue or stepping stone for my garden. I really hope they do something like that again. When we went in May it was already closed and we really missed it.

 

[Rneighh]

Will Livng with the Land and the conservation movie with Simba -- I am at a loss for the name -- also be closed? They are not being replaced/removed I hope?

Renee

 

[tjkraz]

The entire Land pavilion will be closed from January to March '05 for a REHAB. Living with the Land will re-open in late-March, along with the rest of the pavilion. Food Rocks was the only attraction to close permanently. There may be some other changes to dining / shopping options at the pavilion as noted in this thread.