Iconic Cherry Tree Lane from Mary Poppins is coming to Disney’s EPCOT
EPCOT at Walt Disney World is about to get an extra spoonful of sugar.
On Sunday, Disney announced at the annual D23 Fan Expo that EPCOT, a centerpiece of Florida’s Walt Disney World, is undergoing a major overhaul in the next few years – as part of which a new attraction inspired by Mary Poppins is ready To become part of the Disney theme park universe.
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Disney Parks, Experiences and Products Chairman Bob Chapek announced the announcement and outlined the planned plan for EPCOT, including an overhaul that will divide the park into four new neighborhoods – World Showcase, World Celebration, World Nature and World Discovery. World Showcase will keep much of EPCOT’s DNA and will continue to focus on celebrating culture, cuisine, architecture and other countries around the world.
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However, it will also welcome new attractions, including the chance to walk down Cherry Tree Lane, a new installation in the UK Pavilion. Guests visiting the pavilion can stroll down the famous street that first featured on screen in Mary Poppins’ 1964, complete with cherry trees in bloom and the flickering gas lamps that played an integral part in Mary Poppins Returns. Cherry Tree Lane will serve as the entrance to a new Mary Poppins-inspired attraction as guests stroll down the street, past Admiral Boom’s house and through the doors of the Banks family home, number 17, for a new adventure to start.
Disney
Disney brought some Mary Poppins magic to the announcement with a surprise appearance by Dick Van Dyke, who played as Chimney Sweep Bert in the original film (and made a cameo as Mr. Dawes, the bank’s owner in Mary Poppins Returns.)). Accompanied by an electric “step in time” performance from a very talented gig, Van Dyke took the stage to surprise the guests before Chapek made the Poppins announcement.
Van Dyke received the longest cheers and standing ovations of anyone on stage at the D23 Expo this year before making a few brief remarks about the legacies of Mary Poppins and Walt Disney. He called Disney “a creative genius who sees the world through a child’s eyes” and “came to the set every day … to bring out the child in you.”
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Then Chapek made the announcement that one day he would be able to take the funny holiday guests with him.
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