New Disney Permits Hint at Ride CHANGES and a Restaurant REMODEL

Some important CHANGES are coming to Disney World, and now we’ve got some hints about a few more.

Spaceship Earth

We already know that a new fireworks show is coming to EPCOT this year, a new restaurant (The Cake Bake Shop) will be opening at Disney’s BoardWalk, and construction is ongoing as Splash Mountain becomes Tiana’s Bayou Adventure. But now we’ve got some more important updates you need to know about.

We’re constantly searching for permits that have been filed by or related to Disney World to see what construction might be coming in the next few months or years. Technically what we look at are called Notices of Commencement. These generally indicate that work on projects at these addresses with these particular contractors could start soon. So let’s take a look at what you might expect!

EPCOT Changes

First up, we found a permit filed recently the purpose of which is to “fabricate and install [a] set piece.” Walt Disney Imagineering is listed as the owner of the property, which can often signal some important changes when it comes to an area or ride’s theming.

So just what area is this for? Well, the address listed is 2000 Avenue of the Stars. According to one map software we used, this links up to the left-hand side of EPCOT in World Celebration (if you’re looking at a map from above).

©RCID Area Building Address ArcGIS

Per Disney’s map, this could line up with the future home of Journey of Water — Inspired by Moana!

©Disney

There’s also the potential that some of this may line up with the CommuniCore Hall and/or CommuniCore Plaza areas coming to World Celebration.

EPCOT transformation concept art ©Disney

The contractor who will be doing this work is Icarus Exhibits, Inc. We’ve actually seen them listed on a number of permits in the past relating to work on various theming projects at Disney, including projects for Walt Disney Imagineering. Back in 2021, they were listed on a permit relating to show set items for the building that houses Creations Shop and Club Cool.

In 2021, we also saw them listed on a permit related to decorations on Cinderella Castle, and we had seen them involved with work on the new gelateria snack spot in EPCOT and a popcorn stand in EPCOT too. They were also involved in a recent permit for some show sets being installed at Splash Mountain.

©Disney

In other words, this company is no stranger to Disney World and important theming projects. While it’s not clear what this “set piece” will be just yet, we’ll be watching for updates. Could it be a big set piece at the Moana attraction? Something related to CommuniCore like the Walt Disney statue? The permit automatically expires 1 year from June 1st, 2023, so we’ll keep checking for more news!

Click here to see some of the latest updates from the Moana construction! 

Disney Springs Restaurant “Remodel”

Another interesting permit we found was filed recently for “the remodel of the Frontera Cocina at Disney.” Frontera Cocina is a Disney Springs restaurant headed by celebrity Chef Rick Bayless. What could this remodel bring?!

Frontera Cocina

The permit doesn’t give us too much info, but we have found a few clues. First, it expires automatically 1 year from the date of filing (filed May 30th, 2023), so whatever work is going to be done under this permit should be done within that time.

Second, the contractor listed on the permit is Johnson-Lancaster and Associates, Inc. We actually saw them listed on a permit filed a few weeks ago related to The Cake Bake Shop (the new restaurant coming to Disney’s BoardWalk). So it seems they’re no stranger to working in restaurants at Disney World!

Frontera Cocina

According to their website, they are “one of the premier food service equipment contractors in the United States and the Caribbean.” They’ve worked on a variety of different projects from dining halls at universities to luxury resorts and stadiums.

They identify their “chief areas of expertise” as including “project management, engineering, design, purchasing, and commercial kitchen equipment installation.” Some of the things they’ve worked on seem to be more focused on kitchens (a.k.a. areas in the back that guests might not see), but they do display some photos of past work on their website that seem to involve restaurant seating and more areas that guests would see.

Frontera Cocina

In Orlando, they’ve worked on things like the Three Broom Sticks at Universal Studios, the Contemporary Resort’s California Grill, various hotels at Universal, and more. It’s not totally clear whether the work at Frontera will be in the back or more guest-facing, but the fact that the permit is for the “remodel of the Frontera Cocina” — we could see some important changes here.

See all of our reviews of Frontera Cocina here!

Tiana’s Bayou Adventure Changes

Finally, our last “big” permit relates to Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, the ride that’ll take over the Splash Mountain space in Disney World (and Disneyland, but this permit is specifically for Disney World).

We’ve seen some permits filed for work related to the ride in the past, and now a new one relating to Tiana’s Bayou Adventure has been filed.

More Painting and Work Being Done

The permit is for the “installation of lighting hoists.” The owner listed is Imagineering, while the contractor is InterAmerica Stage, Inc. The permit won’t expire until December 31st, 2024, so there’s plenty of time for them to get their work done. The ride is set to open in late 2024, so, unfortunately, this doesn’t really give us a clue as to its opening date, except to indicate that it might not be until very late in the year.

We’ve seen InterAmerica Stage listed as a contractor on a number of Disney World projects in the past, including some work in 2021 in the Creations Shop and Club Cool area, and back in 2020 for some lighting work on Spaceship Earth (back when the new programmable lighting design for EPCOT was still a work in progress).

Lots to Do

We’re closely watching the construction progress being made on this ride re-theme so we’ll keep an eye out for any further changes in the coming months.

Learn ALL about Tiana’s Bayou Adventure here!

And MORE

But wait, there’s MORE. We also spotted a permit for “general construction” at an address that seems to match the main entrance building for the Jungle Cruise in Magic Kingdom. The contractor is Adena Corporation. Based on their website, Adena has done work on a number of things, including amusement parks like SeaWorld. They’ve worked on things like rides, waterparks, lazy rivers, and more.

This permit isn’t set to expire until May 25th, 2024, so work could be ongoing for a while. Some (or all) of it could be behind the scenes, but we’ll be on the lookout for any potential changes.

Jungle Cruise

We already shared how Alex &Ani is moving its store location in Disney Springs, but now we have more details thanks to a recent permit. The permit is for Project Auto, which is explained to related to Alex & Ani. It indicates that the work will be for the “construction of [a] retail store,” and lists the address of the project as 1668 E Buena Vista Drive #1S, which appears to be the former home of Melissa Shoes (which recently closed in Disney Springs).

When we last checked, the new Alex & Ani store was set to open “soon,” so be sure to check for it there!

Old Home of Melissa Shoes

We’ve also spotted a permit for “general construction” at Columbia Harbour House in Magic Kingdom, but the contractor appears to work on a variety of general projects and Imagineering wasn’t listed as the owner here so it may be for things behind the scenes.

Another permit seems to indicate that some new signage could come to Disney Springs around the Tren-D store area. And one other permit does involve Imagineering and a contractor called Mecca Productions, but it is for the fabrication and installation of a roof cap at the plaza/shopping space connected to Pirates of the Caribbean in Magic Kingdom. A roof cap is used for ventilation, so the work here might not be all that dramatic but the contractor has worked on a variety of theme park projects before (based on their LinkedIn).

Upstairs dining room

WOW. Seems like Disney really is busy at work these days. We’ll watch for more permits in the coming weeks to see what else we can uncover. Stay tuned for more Disney news!

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