Guests walking through EPCOT’s World Showcase may notice that one familiar pavilion looks a little different right now.
Disney is continuing an extensive refurbishment around the Germany Pavilion, with construction affecting everything from shops to guest facilities. While some areas remain unavailable, crews are also making visible progress on a replacement project above them.
Old roofing across multiple buildings is being removed and replaced, giving parts of the pavilion a refreshed appearance as work continues.
And this is far from the last change coming to EPCOT.
New Roofing Arrives at Germany Pavilion
One of the most noticeable projects centers around Das Kaufhaus.
The building has been undergoing exterior refurbishment for about a month. Its previous roofing has now been replaced with brightly colored red-and-brown diamond shingles.
Similar work is happening elsewhere in the pavilion. Some roofs remain covered by brown scrim as crews continue working, while other sections appear to be complete.
The replacement wasn’t necessarily unexpected, either. Several portions of roofing appeared to have rot or other damage before crews began replacing them.
The new shingles maintain the familiar look of the Germany Pavilion rather than dramatically changing its appearance. It’s essentially a refresh of the themed architecture guests have seen for years.
One EPCOT Closure Remains
Down below, guests are still dealing with closures related to the ongoing refurbishment.
The Germany Pavilion restrooms have been unavailable since mid-July, with construction walls continuing to block the area. Disney hasn’t announced exactly when they’ll reopen.
Volkunst Clocks and Crafts remains closed as well.
Elsewhere, Stein Haus has been receiving exterior work since late June. Weinkeller remains available to guests, although construction has resulted in some changes to how guests exit the area.
Taken together, it’s a significant amount of refurbishment happening within a relatively small portion of World Showcase.
But the work underway in Germany will eventually be overshadowed by much bigger EPCOT projects.
Spaceship Earth Is Getting a Major Overhaul
Disney recently confirmed that Spaceship Earth will receive a major update, marking the attraction’s first substantial overhaul in nearly two decades.
The reimagined attraction will broaden its story. Instead of concentrating primarily on human communication, the new version will explore human connection while retaining the classic EPCOT spirit of the attraction.
What Disney hasn’t provided is a timeline.
There’s currently no announced date for Spaceship Earth’s future closure or reopening.
Disney also has another classic EPCOT attraction on its radar.
Dreamfinder Is Coming Back
Dreamfinder is officially returning to EPCOT.
Disney confirmed that the beloved character will reunite with Figment for a new Journey Into Imagination adventure, bringing back a partnership closely associated with EPCOT’s earliest years.
Disney hasn’t announced when the Figment project will begin, either.
Our expectation is that Spaceship Earth will go first, followed later by the Figment and Dreamfinder project. Disney could always structure the construction differently, so we’ll have to wait for official dates before knowing exactly how the projects will unfold.
Until then, guests can watch EPCOT’s smaller transformations happen in real time.
The Germany Pavilion’s new roofs are already emerging as older sections are replaced, even as closures continue around the pavilion. Eventually, however, construction walls could become a much bigger part of the EPCOT experience as Disney begins tackling two of the park’s most recognizable classic attractions.
