Disney Confirms Two Long‑Planned EPCOT Pavilions Will Not Return

Overview

• Disney confirmed on Thursday, October 22, 2026, that EPCOT’s World Showcase lineup for 2026 still lists 11 country pavilions and excludes the long‑proposed Israel and Equatorial Africa sites.
• Disney and Israeli representatives signed a formal agreement in November 1980 that included adviser Joseph Wolff and an estimated $30–$35 million budget, but Disney abandoned the Israel pavilion by the mid‑1980s after reported security concerns.
• Imagineers developed an Equatorial Africa concept to sit between the China and Germany pavilions that would have featured a 60‑foot treehouse and a 'Heartbeat of Africa' presentation, but funding shortfalls, disputes over representation, and political sponsorship issues ended the larger project.
• Rather than those full pavilions, Disney placed a smaller African Outpost in the planned location, and the company has not announced any plans to revive either historical proposal or build new country pavilions.
• The last country added to World Showcase was Norway in 1988, and because new pavilions rely on national participation and outside sponsorship this long pause shows how financial and political hurdles shape any future expansion.