A recently-filed Walt Disney World permit has some wondering if the long-rumored Ratatouille ride is actually coming to Epcot.
- Disney filed a permit that included an aerial image of Epcot's France
- Leads to speculation that Disney will bring a "Ratatouille" ride to France
- READ the permit report for South Florida Water Management District (.PDF)
An aerial image of the World Showcase included with the permit shows a boundary area between the France and Morocco pavilions and directly behind France.
The permit states the 5.70 acre project would add "impervious" surface to the area which could include concrete paths and buildings.
One diagram also indicates that construction in part of the area around the France pavilion would be part of a separate permit.
If the permit is indeed for a Ratatouille ride, it would likely be similar to the one already open at Disneyland Paris. If it does become a reality, it would join other attractions in the World Showcase, including Frozen Ever After in the Norway pavilion and the Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros in the Mexico pavilion.
"Ratatouille" is a 2007 Pixar film starring Patton Oswalt as a rat who befriends a human to become a top chef in Paris.
During a D23 event at Disney World in November, Disney Parks chairman Bob Chapek mentioned a "major transformation" was on the way for Epcot. He didn't offer any details, except to say the creative team had been challenged to “dream big.”
Since then, many Disney fans have been trying to figure out what the park’s overhaul would entail. There has also been speculation that a Guardians of the Galaxy ride could replace Ellen's Energy Adventure in Future World. Disney has upped the Marvel presence at its parks recently, transforming Tower of Terror at Disneyland into Guardians of the Galaxy-Mission: Breakout! and opening the Iron Man Experience at Hong Kong Disneyland earlier this year.
Epcot, acronym for Walt Disney’s Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow, was originally envisioned as a futuristic working city and mostly featured exhibits and educational rides when it opened in 1982. Now it features Disney characters and themed rides like Test Track, Soarin’ Around the World and The Seas with Nemo & Friends.
CHECK OUT ATTRACTIONS INSIDER: Your all-in-one source for news, pictures and video from Florida’s theme parks. Just go to our Attractions Insider page. Sign up to get breaking theme park news alerts and subscribe to our newsletter, Theme Park Roundup, delivered to your inbox or mobile phone.