Walt Disney World introduced the first-ever Mary Poppins attraction for EPCOT’s United Kingdom pavilion as a part of a Cherry Tree Lane enlargement, which has since been delayed or cancelled. This put up shares particulars plus idea and poster artwork, together with of the leaked teacups-style journey that will’ve been inbuilt World Showcase. (Updated March 22, 2023.)
In the final three years, there was not been a lot new details about the “postponed” Mary Poppins attraction slated for EPCOT. More particulars have been launched about the way forward for World Showcase, and the Cherry Tree Lane enlargement was fully absent from these plans. Even after Walt Disney World began its fiftieth Anniversary and different updates have been provided, there have been no updates on the Mary Poppins journey.
Indefinite delay is often Disney’s means of gentling stating {that a} venture has been cancelled. Due to the entire silence in regards to the Mary Poppins venture over the course of the final two years, that’s what we imagine has occurred with the Cherry Tree Lane enlargement. We’ll replace this sooner or later ought to that change, however for now, think about it cancelled.
This saga started when Walt Disney World reopened. After practically a yr devoid of element in regards to the Mary Poppins attraction and Cherry Tree Lane enlargement, Walt Disney World quietly eliminated the enlargement’s scene from the EPCOT Experience when the park reopened after its 4 month closure.
This result in hypothesis that the Mary Poppins venture had been quietly cancelled. In flip, Disney launched the next assertion: “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 and Spaceship Earth at this time.”
While the Walt Disney World spokesperson used the time period “postpone” within the assertion, that sometimes means a venture is cancelled or shelved indefinitely. Even pre-closure, there have been rumors that the opposite expansions for EPCOT may as an alternative be prioritized. The closure of Walt Disney World was probably the ultimate nail within the attraction’s coffin.
This shouldn’t be an enormous shock. The authentic announcement was virtually fully devoid of particulars past the truth that friends will be capable of step in time down Cherry Tree Lane previous Admiral Boom’s home, then enter Number 17, residence of the Banks household, the place their journey will start.
What, exactly, this ‘adventure’ can be was by no means described. Fans made their very own assumptions and rumors flew of a flat journey with projections, however Disney by no means provided additional particulars. It’s by no means a superb signal when one thing is introduced with no info, no timeframe, and solely a single piece of idea artwork. (There are different upcoming Walt Disney World tasks that match the identical invoice, and are on equally unstable floor.)
However, there was glimmers of hope that the Mary Poppins attraction is solely delayed as an alternative of cancelled fully. Last yr, the Cherry Tree Lane enlargement got here up throughout Walt Disney Company Annual Meeting of Shareholders. During that, then-CEO Bob Chapek was requested in regards to the standing of the Mary Poppins attraction at EPCOT.
In response, Chapek stated that the Mary Poppins enlargement was in a “holding pattern” because of the closure of the parks and billions of {dollars} in losses sustained over the past two years. Chapek additional acknowledged that because the Walt Disney Company’s money and liquidity scenario improves, they stay up for hopefully refunding these tasks sooner or later.
This isn’t essentially something, but it surely’s not nothing, both.
If these “postponed” tasks have been off the desk fully, Chapek in all probability wouldn’t have stated so, however he would have given an evasive reply that didn’t reply the query in any respect. Instead, he gave a response that provided optimism and left the door open for the Cherry Tree Lane venture resuming.
During the D23 Expo just a few months after that, the Cherry Tree Lane venture was not talked about in any respect. Normally, this may be trigger for pesmissim, and reinforce our perception that the venture is cancelled. After all, a ton of tasks have been mentioned for Walt Disney World, together with these solely within the early levels of improvement.
However, there was loads that was not talked about, together with tasks that we all know are in improvement or being labored on due to development permits. In reality, many tasks at EPCOT with unsure futures–however that in all probability are occurring within the medium time period–weren’t mentioned in any respect. This contains the Spaceship Earth overhaul, Play Pavilion, and extra particulars about World Celebration.
Fast-forward to Spring 2023, when a artistic portfolio from a former Imagineer engaged on the EPCOT overhaul venture appeared on-line and revealed particulars and precise idea artwork for the delayed or cancelled Mary Poppins attraction at EPCOT.
While technically unofficial, this leaked idea artwork and architectural designs (above and beneath) have been clearly commissioned by Walt Disney Imagineering, and it’s probably the above piece would’ve been formally revealed had the closure 3 years in the past not occurred. This similar Imagineer additionally labored on different tasks as a part of the Project Gamma World Celebration overhaul that did come to fruition, together with Creations Shop, Club Cool, and Connections Cafe.
In case it’s unclear, the deliberate Mary Poppins attraction in EPCOT would have been an indoor teacups type flat journey.
This is exactly what it was rumored to be, and we beforehand cautioned followers–even earlier than the Mary Poppins attraction was delayed–to not get their expectations up for this attraction. Our understanding on the time was that there have been two competing ideas, each of which have been indoor flat rides that utilized projection mapping results.
This idea artwork is in step with that, but it surely’s unimaginable to say whether or not that is the model that was greenlit earlier than the delay/cancellation. (We had heard that the entire attraction was up within the air even earlier than the closure.)
This overhead architectural view reveals the visitor circulation by the Mary Poppins attraction.
The queue would’ve began on the precise aspect, with a number of pre-show rooms main as much as the journey itself. This would’ve labored equally to Enchanted Tales with Belle within the Magic Kingdom, with cool results and divulges. As for the journey, suppose Mad Tea Party meets Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway, at the least so far as the “2.5D” scenic visuals combined with projection mapping results are involved.
Like Enchanted Tales with Belle, it’s controversial that the pre-shows would’ve been higher than the attraction itself. To be clear, that is neither a dig at Magic Kingdom’s Beauty and the Beast attraction or the Mary Poppins Returns journey on Cherry Tree Lane. The house the place this was/is slated to go is proscribed, and fan exceptions for an expansive darkish journey have been at all times misplaced.
World Showcase wants extra points of interest, this may’ve been a superb match, and fleshing out a flat journey with enjoyable results and world-building might’ve made the attraction punch above its weight, so to talk. Just like Enchanted Tales with Belle does for character greeting ‘genre’ of points of interest. The “issue” would’ve been followers anticipating an enormous funds and envelope-pushing attraction when that was by no means Imagineering’s intent. This journey not occurring isn’t one thing that I’ll personally mourn, however I believe it could’ve been a strong addition to the journey roster at EPCOT.
With all of that stated, we view this explicit Cherry Tree Lane venture as unlikely of these to renew. Spaceship Earth is lengthy overdue for a monitor alternative, so reimagining that on the similar time that refurbishment happens is smart. Play Pavilion is already deep into improvement and precise development. Same goes for World Celebration.
By distinction, work by no means began on Cherry Tree Lane. Still, it’s fully potential that improvement of the Mary Poppins enlargement might be picked up the place it left off sooner or later within the coming years. The enlargement was well-received by followers, and it’s IP that simply is smart for World Showcase, which is uncommon. It’s additionally conceivable that one thing completely different will occur within the United Kingdom pavilion now that Bob Iger is again and reportedly has huge plans for park enlargement at Walt Disney World. Or, nothing in any respect.
For these curious, we’re maintaining the remainder of this Cherry Tree Lane and Mary Poppins attraction information put up for the sake of posterity, however we now have completely no cause to imagine this may ever come to fruition…
The announcement of a Mary Poppins attraction follows on the heels of the information that EPCOT’s Future World Will Be Replaced by 3 New Neighborhoods, and would be the subsequent huge addition to World Showcase after Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure.
This was the announcement with essentially the most fanfare on the 2019 D23 Expo Parks & Resorts panel, with a musical quantity introducing the enlargement and Dick Van Dyke approaching stage (as spunky and chipper as ever) to introduce Bob Chapek’s announcement.
The deliberate Mary Poppins attraction is believed to be a spinner. This might imply one thing a la Dumbo or Mad Tea Party, a carousel or perhaps a small Ferris Wheel. There have been plenty of rumors about this attraction, however the one which sounded most believable was an indoor teacups type attraction that featured projection mapping results.
Any of those points of interest would might clarify why specifics weren’t introduced. There was plenty of fanfare and pleasure for this Mary Poppins enlargement, and that very same stage of pleasure in all probability wouldn’t have remained if Disney introduced that the journey ‘anchoring’ Cherry Tree Lane is solely an off-the-shelf amusement park journey.
There’s additionally the chance that the plans stay fluid, which is why extra specifics weren’t offered. If extra mental property goes to be injected into World Showcase, I’d wish to imagine it’s at the least an enthralling and eccentric darkish journey that’s hid from the remainder of the pavilions and presents a wealthy expertise.
Otherwise, I don’t actually know what to say about Cherry Tree Lane. From the idea artwork flashed on display on the D23 Expo (however not launched on-line) it seems to be like take over the under-utilized courtyard behind the United Kingdom pavilion, and can largely resemble the real-world London, albeit with some acquainted landmarks from the movies.
I was a hard-liner on characters in World Showcase, however roughly gave up on that after Frozen Ever After debuted and I spotted that extra mental property was an inevitability. Now, I merely hope for no fictional international locations, tenuous connections, and different nonsense like that.
As far as IP integrations go, Ratatouille in France, Mary Poppins within the United Kingdom, and (if it ever occurs) Coco within the Mexico pavilion are essentially the most acceptable choices.
Overall, some attention-grabbing and stunning bulletins…and ‘non-announcements’ for World Showcase. It’s powerful to get excited in regards to the Mary Poppins attraction or Cherry Tree Lane…or actually have a lot of any response…with out extra particulars. We shall see if Walt Disney World releases extra particulars in regards to the Mary Poppins enlargement throughout EPCOT’s fortieth Anniversary weekend, or if the venture really is cancelled.
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Your Thoughts
What do you consider the Mary Poppins enlargement in EPCOT’s World Showcase? Excited for this, upset, or in ‘wait and see’ mode? Do you agree or disagree with our evaluation right here? Any questions we may help you reply? Hearing your suggestions–even if you disagree with us–is each attention-grabbing to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas beneath within the feedback!