After five months of quiet renovations, a refurbishment project in the Italy World Showcase Pavilion at EPCOT is finally finished.
The updates started back in February, when Walt Disney World Resort guests noticed construction walls surrounding the Italy World Showcase Pavilion’s famous bell tower. Covered by scaffolding and a camouflaged scrim that mimicked brick, the work was done behind the scenes, carefully preserving the pavilion’s aesthetic while addressing needed maintenance.
By mid-July, the progress was visible: much of the scaffolding and scrim had been removed from the upper part of the tower, leaving behind a refreshed exterior. The tower’s original design appeared largely unchanged, suggesting that the project focused on essential structural maintenance and repainting.
On July 24, WDWNT confirmed that the refurbishment is complete, and all signs of construction have disappeared. Guests can now admire the freshly refurbished exterior, though access to the interior of the building has not changed. The inside of the bell tower continues to be off-limits to visitors.
The iconic bell tower is modeled after St. Mark’s Campanile in Venice, following a trend of EPCOT World Showcase buildings inspired by real-life locations. Disney’s tower is a scaled-down version, standing at 83 feet compared to the original’s 323 feet. It features similar brickwork and stone carvings, which haven’t changed post-refurbishment.
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As expected, Walt Disney World Resort has not published an official statement regarding the refurbishment, which is typical for projects of this nature. The company often keeps quiet about such updates unless they significantly impact the guest experience, like attraction closures or disruptions that affect Disney Resort hotel accommodations. In this case, the Italy Pavilion’s tower was simply given a much-needed facelift.
Do any of the other EPCOT World Showcase Pavilions need refurbishment? Share your opinion with Disney Dining in the comments!
