CONFIRMED: These 3 Disney World Projects Are Officially DEAD

Over Disney World’s 50+ years, there have been many projects planned — and sometimes announced — that have been canceled before they saw the light of day.

PLAY! Pavilion Concept Art ©Disney

Over the last decade, EPCOT alone has seen several projects announced and previewed only to seemingly be buried. However, recent events make us think there’s at least a chance they may rise again…

Mary Poppins

At the 2019 D23 Expo, Dick Van Dyke himself was brought on stage to announce that a Mary Poppins attraction (later revealed to be an indoor teacup-style attraction) was going to be added to the U.K. Pavilion as part of EPCOT’s then-ongoing reimagining. This indoor ride would have been themed within a recreation of Cherry Lane from the film series. Concept art was released, and the attraction was featured in the park’s preview center. Work in EPCOT stopped during the closure brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, when the park reopened and work resumed on the reimagining, the Mary Poppins attraction was conspicuously absent. Eventually, Disney confirmed that the attraction was scrapped, saying through a spokesperson, “As with most businesses during this period, we are further evaluating long-term project plans. The decision was made to postpone development of the Mary Poppins-inspired attraction…”

©Disney

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Play! Pavilion

Also first announced as part of the 2019 EPCOT reimagining, Disney was planning a whole new pavilion for EPCOT! The company announced that the long-abandoned Wonders of Life would be replaced by the Play! Pavilion, an “interactive futuristic city where guests would be able to interact with a variety of Disney characters.” The pavilion was heavily hyped in previews of the “reimagining”, with concept art displaying a tech-friendly environment featuring a litany of Disney characters.

PLAY! Pavilion Concept Art ©Disney

However, much like Mary Poppins, even as the rest of the reimagining went into construction after the park reopened from its COVID closure, work on the Play! Pavilion seemingly never began. In 2023, it was dropped from the park’s guide maps, and Disney said that the attraction’s concept was being reevaluated. In 2026, Disney removed the Play Pavilion flag from the park’s central plaza, signifying that the pavilion was never coming.

©Disney

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A NEW World Showcase Country

Over EPCOT’s 4+ decades, there have been a slew of countries planned and/or announced as being added to World Showcase, only to never see the light of day. Some of these scrapped nations include:

A Costa Rica Pavilion featuring a large greenhouse filled with tropical plants and birds.
The Equatorial Africa Pavilion, which would have been built around a 60-foot treehouse, and the “Heartbeat of Africa” live show. Remnants of this planned area can still be seen in the Outpost between China and Germany.
An Iran Pavilion would have featured a dark ride exploring different parts of Persian history and a shopping area based on a bazaar. All Plans were scrapped after the Iranian Revolution.
An Israel Pavilion was advertised on billboards when Epcot opened, and would have recreated ancient Jerusalem and featured a courtyard stage and open-air restaurant. The concept was scrapped due to budget problems and security issues.
A Puerto Rico Pavilion was once planned for EPCOT’s ill-fated “Phase II” expansion.
A Soviet Union or Russian-themed pavilion was planned for the projected “Phase II.” It would have been based on the Moscow Kremlin and dominated by a replica of St. Basil’s Cathedral.
A Spain Pavilion was advertised on billboards in the mid-1980s, with a design blending elements of Barcelona and Madrid. It was planned to feature a boat ride, a film on Spanish history, and a restaurant.
A Switzerland Pavilion intended to bring a Matterhorn Bobsleds-style ride to EPCOT was slotted into plans at one point.
A United Arab Emirates Pavilion was planned to feature a magic carpet ride attraction and a show detailing the cultural and scientific achievements of the Middle East.
A Venezuela Pavilion would have replicated a waterfall, a high-rise built into a cliff, and an aerial tram ride.

©Disney

Given the fact that it has been nearly 40 years since Norway was added to the World Showcase and Disney has moved away from non-IP-based lands and attractions, it seems unlikely that a traditional country will be added anytime soon. However, unlikely does not mean impossible for any of these projects, as two major Disney announcements just taught us to never say never!

World Showcase Lagoon

Let’s begin with Spaceship Earth. Much like the Mary Poppins attraction and Play! Pavilion, a refurbishment of EPCOT’s iconic attraction, was first announced in 2019, and like those two, it was seemingly canceled following the COVID-19 pandemic and thought to be dead in the water. However, unlike the others, at this year’s D23, the company surprisingly announced a tweaked-yet-similar refurbishment that will take “Spaceship Earth into the internet age and beyond” by focusing specifically on human communication and human connection; they did stress that the ride will “remain recognizably and, importantly, classically EPCOT.”

©Disney

Then there’s the Dreamfinder. For nearly 30 years, fans have been calling for this iconic EPCOT character to be reunited with Figment on a new version of Journey Into Imagination. These calls fell on deaf ears… until the 2026 D23 Ultimate Fan Event. After a false finish to the show, host Neil Patrick Harris reemerged dressed in the character’s iconic purple suit to confirm Dreamfinder’s upcoming return to rapturous applause!

While these Disney projects may seem like they’re officially dead, we really must channel James Bond and never say never again, since if Disney can bring back Dreamfinder in 2026, ANYTHING seems possible! Stay tuned to DFB for more on Disney’s upcoming projects!

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Which of these projects would you most like to see resurrected? Let us know in the comments below!