After two months, a corner of the France World Showcase Pavilion at EPCOT is back open. Here’s what changed during the refurbishment.
Months of Waiting, Now Answered
The Palais du Cinema in the France World Showcase Pavilion quietly closed in February for a scheduled refurbishment, with Walt Disney World Resort offering guests little more than a spring reopening promise and no details about what was actually being done inside. That mystery has now been resolved.
WDWNT recently walked through the reopened theater and documented what changed, and what didn’t. Disney Park guests approaching the building will find the exterior exactly as they left it. Inside the lobby, the theatrical costumes and props that have set the mood for years remain untouched. The transformation reveals itself the moment guests step into the actual screening room.
Every seat in the Palais du Cinema has been replaced. The new chairs keep the fold-down format familiar to longtime visitors but bring a significant visual and comfort upgrade to the space: red velveteen padded backs, faux leather brown seats, red plastic arms, and built-in lighting that makes navigating the darkened theater considerably easier without pulling attention away from the screen.
A Theater With Deep Roots at EPCOT
The Palais du Cinema has been part of the France World Showcase Pavilion since EPCOT’s opening day on October 1, 1982, making Impressions de France one of the park’s original attractions. The 18-minute film, a sweeping cinematic tour through the landscapes and culture of France, screens during early morning and late evening hours.
In 2020, Walt Disney World Resort added a second film to the theater’s rotation. The Beauty and the Beast Sing-Along brings the beloved 1991 animated classic to life in a 15-minute interactive format, running from 10:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. daily. Both films resumed their regular performance schedules when the Palais du Cinema reopened earlier this month.
Showtimes for both Impressions de France and the Beauty and the Beast Sing-Along are available in the My Disney Experience app, on the Walt Disney World Resort website, or in the printed entertainment guide distributed at park entry.
Have you noticed any other changes around Magic Kingdom Park, EPCOT, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, or Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park? Share your story with Disney Dining in the comments!
