Get your appetites ready! Connections Café & Eatery officially opens April 27 at EPCOT. Insider tip: You may get the chance for a sneak peek if you’re in the park over the next few days.
If you enjoy food inspired by delicious cuisines from around the world, you’re going to love this new quick-service restaurant. Plus, who could pass up a beautifully decorated new space to relax in some air-conditioning? It’s a win-win!
We’ve already dished out all the details on what’s cooking in Connections Eatery, so today I want to give you a closer look at the fast-casual restaurant’s design, which features nods to Walt Disney’s original plans for EPCOT. The new location features two distinct experiences all under one roof – an eatery on one side serving lunch and dinner menus, and a café and pastry shop on the other open all day long. This large new dining location is the next step in the ongoing transformation of EPCOT and a highlight of the newly named World Celebration neighborhood.
If you’re walking past Spaceship Earth on your way into the park, you’ll find Connections Café and Eatery on the left-hand side. Floor-to-ceiling windows give you a full view of the bright, open space featuring modern décor and inviting aromas of pastries baking, fresh coffee brewing and delicious burgers on the grill. Since World Celebration is located in the center of the park, Connections Café & Eatery offers some incredible views. From a Xandarian Starblaster on one side to Spaceship Earth on the other, this is a great spot to sit back and enjoy quality time with friends and family around a tasty meal or drink. I think I’ve found my new favorite EPCOT hangout!
My favorite part of Connections Eatery is the colorful mural spanning one entire wall. Called “Global Gathering,” this magnificent piece of art depicts the heart of this restaurant – people from around the world gathering around food. It’s one of the largest murals Walt Disney Imagineering has ever created, and if you look closely, you’ll notice the scenes blend seamlessly from sunrise to sunset. I could spend all day admiring the details!
If you love watching cooking shows like I do, you’ll be captivated by the chefs at work in three show kitchens. Catch them grilling, sautéing and baking everything from burgers to pizzas and sprinkling a little extra pixie dust on delightful desserts from milkshakes to waffles.
Whether you prefer coffee or tea, people from all over the globe love sitting together to savor a brewed beverage. This idea is on prominent display in Connections Café through a colorful showcase of how various cultures enjoy their favorite drinks. Can you guess where each tea or coffee pot is from?
And while you’re enjoying your meal or that much-needed cup of coffee, don’t forget to look down! There are three original floor inlays inspired by Walt’s 1966 “Florida Project” site plans, where EPCOT was to serve as the literal and conceptual “center” of Walt Disney World. Thoughtful details like these really bring this location to life by honoring the original dream of EPCOT and the magic of possibility. The park’s original DNA is woven throughout Connections Café and Eatery, the latest example of how this EPCOT transformation honors our past while moving us forward into the future.
Because EPCOT has always been a place where inspiration and big ideas come to life. With the opening of Connections Café & Eatery, that vision continues to become reality as we celebrate one another, what makes us unique and the commonalities that tie us all together. And there’s even more ahead for EPCOT, so be sure to keep reading the Disney Parks Blog and follow along with Imagineer Zach Riddley @thezachriddley on Instagram for all the latest news on the park’s historic transformation.