For weeks, EPCOT guests had one big obstacle to deal with before even stepping into the park: parking. The Moana lot, located on the “Earth” side of the parking area, had been closed since late August for resurfacing. Unfortunately, that timing couldn’t have been worse, falling right in the middle of EPCOT’s International Food & Wine Festival. Now, after a full month of detours and longer walks, Disney has officially reopened the lot, and visitors are breathing a sigh of relief.
The Food & Wine Festival is EPCOT’s busiest event of the year, drawing enormous crowds through Thanksgiving. With thousands of locals, tourists, and Annual Passholders pouring in each weekend, parking was already tight. The Moana lot isn’t just another section of asphalt—it holds a large portion of handicap-accessible spots and gives families easier access to the front of the park. Losing it during peak season created a ripple effect of frustration.
With its reopening on September 27, the Moana section now looks brand-new. The pavement has been smoothed, the paint refreshed, and the signage polished to match the character-themed system EPCOT introduced in 2023. Guests now park under big, colorful images of Moana and Heihei, making it easier to remember their spot. Add in the Car Locator tool on the My Disney Experience app, and the arrival process feels much more efficient.
While it might sound like a small update compared to a new attraction, parking plays a huge role in the overall guest experience. The first few minutes of your park day set the tone. A clean, accessible, and easy-to-find spot can make the difference between starting the day in a good mood or stressed before you’ve even scanned your ticket. Families juggling strollers, wheelchairs, or elderly relatives noticed the impact most when the lot was closed. Now, the smoother arrival is back in place.
With the Food & Wine Festival heating up, plus the added buzz of this year’s new “Gyozas of the Galaxy” booth inspired by Guardians of the Galaxy, EPCOT is attracting record crowds. The Moana lot reopening just in time ensures that visitors can spend less time worrying about where to park and more time sampling food and drinks from around the world.
Disney will likely continue rotating lot refurbishments to keep up with Florida’s wear-and-tear, but for now, the Moana lot’s return is a simple win. After a month of added hassle, guests finally have one less thing to worry about when planning their day at EPCOT.
