Disney World Just Announced Its First-ever Mary Poppins Attraction
Epcot is opening Disney World's very first Mary Poppins attraction, and it’s going to be supercalifragi— you get the idea.
Dick Van Dyke himself took the stage at Disney’s D23 Expo fan convention over the weekend to reveal the news, which came as an utter surprise to theme park fans. Epcot will also expand upon the beloved film’s charming setting as Epcot’s United Kingdom pavilion opens its own version of Cherry Tree Lane, allowing guests to walk its iconic cobblestone street like Jane and Michael Banks.
No details were provided as to what the first Mary Poppins attraction will entail — and whether it will be a show or a ride — but we can only assume it will be practically perfect in every way.
Epcot is undergoing a massive transformation that will see a retheming of the entire park beyond World Showcase, and the addition of Mary Poppins marks the move toward adding a cinematic tie-in to each of the 11 featured countries.
Similar to how Epcot’s Norway pavilion embraced "Frozen" theming with experiences including a shop, princess-meet-and-greet, and Frozen Ever After ride, the United Kingdom pavilion, which currently hosts a Mary Poppins meet-and-greet, is likely to retain its historical nods while embracing storylines and characters from the films.
The France pavilion will honor "Beauty and the Beast" in a new sing-along show debuting in January, as well as "Ratatouille" with a ride opening summer 2020. Meanwhile, a live puppet show, interactive exhibit, and marketplace stalls honor Pixar’s "Coco" in Mexico, showing how Epcot is incorporating box office hits more and more within its attractions.
A "Moana" warrior princess and "Guardians of the Galaxy" superhero squad will be part of the park's future as well, but the addition of Mary Poppins is nothing short of historic. This newly announced attraction will be the very first permanent ode to the Julie Andrews film which debuted in 1964 and saw a resurgence with last year’s Emily Blunt-helmed "Mary Poppins Returns."
A stunning new poster featuring the whimsical nanny floating above Cherry Tree Lane and the London skyline also debuted at Disney’s D23 Expo fan convention over the weekend.
