EPCOT Closes Last World Showcase Artisan Stand

The Mexico Pavilion’s Oaxacan wood‑carving booth was shut without a public explanation, a change critics say points to more commercial, bar‑focused use of pavilion space.

Overview

The Mexico Pavilion’s Oaxacan wood‑carving stall where Alba Hernandez Santiago worked closed after a short 50% liquidation sale on Monday, Aug. 31, 2026.
Disney has not offered an official reason for the closure and park insiders reported to outlets that the vacated footprint may be used for queue overflow for La Cava del Tequila.
Park observers noted near‑term reconfiguration in the pavilion, including relocation of the Kidcot craft station closer to the pyramid entrance and moving performers indoors.
Reporters place the closure in a multi‑year pattern of removing resident craftspeople, expanding near‑year‑round festival kiosks and beverage outlets, and replacing cultural displays with Disney intellectual property.
The change ends a decades‑long tradition of on‑site master artisans in World Showcase and could alter guest experience by shifting quiet cultural spaces into higher‑traffic, beverage‑driven areas.