Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure and France Pavilion Construction Update – February 2020

This is a Construction Update for Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure and the France Pavilion Expansion in Epcot for February 2020.  In this post, we are going to be focusing on all the latest progress on the ‘Ratatouille Ride’ and the wonderful expansion currently being built in the back of France. We will share construction photos and talk about what’s happening so you can keep up with the work.

In the past, we’ve seen the walls go up around the France pavilion, as well as a look at the Ratatouille attraction building (which is pretty big btw). Now with fresh views of the pavilion from the Disney Skyliner, we’re going to look at the continued construction of the latest expansion and attraction coming to Epcot!

It hasn’t been that long since our last update but we have a lot to cover and we look forward to sharing everything with you!

In our latest update, we take a look at more work being done to the roof of the buildings, the fountain and the main plaza. We also get a look at a backstage gate and the themed lighting found throughout the pavilion.

If you aren’t familiar with the France expansion and Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure, the whole area behind the current France pavilion is being expanded with a new restaurant, shops and a Ratatouille ride (a clone of the Disneyland Paris version. You can read more about the Ratatouille Ride for more details.

You can also get the latest from around Disney World at more construction projects currently going on in our Walt Disney World Construction Updates page. And don’t forget to check out all the coming attractions at Disney World in the next few years.

Big thanks as usual to @Bioreconstruct who takes the best construction photos of the projects around Disney World and sometimes even from high above in a helicopter! You really get a new perspective on what’s happening. Let’s see what’s new with Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure this month…

I’m constantly updating this post so you can scroll down for the latest France Pavilion and Ratatouille Ride Construction pictures:

(NEW PHOTOS – 2/17/20)

It’s been a while, so let’s catch up on the latest updates to the France pavilion project.

First up, we see the side of the France pavilion. This is where guests will arrive when they come into the new section where the Ratatouille ride and new restaurant is:

Strangely, the bottom half of the wall is pretty plain looking, with just a solid yellow color. That is much different than the buildings on the other side of the pavilion where there is great attention to detail to make it look like a real city street. We’ll see if they add any theming touches here.

If you look up however, you can see the themed lamps hanging overhead. Right now they are wrapped for protection:

Here we have a closeup of more themed lights in the France pavilion:

If you look behind them, you can see a gate. That gate leads to a backstage area for cast members and out of the pavilion. Here is an overhead look at it from the Skyliner:

It’s located right next to the new bathrooms being installed and will be important for bringing things in and out.

Now let’s look into the center of the new plaza they are making:

The booms lifts are being used to bring worker up to paint the walls of the buildings and install shutters on the windows on the left.

I do have to say, the facades of the new buildings in the France pavilion look pretty nice from a distance. But on further inspection, you can tell they are just flat 2D paintings. It would have been nice to add a little more texture and 3D look to them:

You can see the Gusteau’s sign on the right:

From the other angle we can see roof work being done to the extended queue of the Ratatouille attraction and the half-painted building in the background:

The centerpiece when you walk up to the ride is going to be the white fountain in the middle:

Apparently you can find Home Depot all the way in France!

That’s it for this week, but stay tuned here at Ziggy Knows Disney for the latest updates on the Ratatouille attraction and France expansion in Epcot!

(NEW PHOTOS – 1/22/20)

Let’s start things out this week with an overhead aerial picture of the new France expansion:

Here you can really get a sense of size and scope at how big the project is. It essentially doubles the France pavilion when done.

The restrooms are the far building on the left, followed by the new crepes restaurant to its right, and then the entrance for Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure.

Here is another angle:

You can see the walkway the comes down the middle of the plaza from the outside near the canal. This will be a wonderful view when you make that corner!

Looking down near that walkway, we start to get a sense of how the theming will be with this beautiful column already in place:

One of the great ways to get a look at the construction is by taking the Disney Skyliner. It swoops in right overhead providing the best views. Take for example these new restrooms:

You also get a good view of the new Crêperie that is coming to the France pavilion. Can anyone else not wait for some actual good crepes, instead of the imitation ones on World Showcase promenade??

A current look at the side of the building, and the roof line:

Now for the coolest-looking buildings in the expansion, the Haussmann-style ones in the back above the ride:

The painting on these is just gorgeous!

They aren’t very thick though, in fact, just look around the back side of them:

Let’s get a look behind the curtains at some of the details of the windows and the roof:

The latest look at the buildings sees the scrims coming down and revealing the amazing roofline! Look at the details in the chimneys and chimney pipes! Very cool indeed!

I think the new Gusteau’s restaurant sign fits in well there too! I can’t imagine how awesome this will look all lit up at night!

It’s going to be something else, and we don’t have that much longer to wait now!

Stay tuned here at Ziggy Knows Disney for the latest updates on the Ratatouille attraction and France expansion in Epcot!

(NEW PHOTOS – 1/14/20)

Lots of additions have been made to the France pavilion over the last few months, but none of them more noticeable than the brand new sign for Gusteau’s restaurant which was just installed high above the new plaza expansion.

If you aren’t familiar with Gusteau’s, it’s the famous restaurant from Pixar’s Ratatouille film and home of Chef Remy.

This is also the setting for the new Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure ride coming to Epcot’s France pavilion later this summer. Guests will shrink down to the size of a rat while racing through Gusteau’s kitchen in the unique trackless vehicles.

We think the sign looks awesome all lit up at night!

The new sign is especially visible from the Disney Skyliner as you arrive at or leave the Epcot station. In fact, the Skyliner provides a great view of the whole construction project happening in France so keep your eyes peeled for new progress.

(NEW PHOTOS – 12/16/19)

Quietly tucked in the back corner of Epcot, the expansion to the France pavilion is coming along nicely and this week we have a bunch of new progress that has been made since the last time. Let’s look…

There will be a pathway along the water leading to the back of the France pavilion, and here we can see that walkway is currently being paved:

Even the sidewalks are freshly paved and trees are being installed too!

When you get to the end of the walkway, the first thing you’ll see is the restrooms:

Here we can see the progress of those restrooms, and the style of building and roof fits very much in with the surrounding buildings.

This will be the main throughway for the streets in the back of France and you’ll find the Creperie right on the corner straight ahead:

You can see the shape of the building starting to come together like in the concept art:

Turn to the left and the walkway workers are currently paving will take you to the Ratatouille ride, the centerpiece of this expansion:

We saw this green steel structure go up not too long ago, and it should be the extension queue for Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure:

I’m curious how Imagineers will handle the issue of forced perspective that Disney uses with the Eiffel Tower. It’s one thing when you see it from the promenade along World Showcase Lagoon, it won’t look the same when you are right underneath it in this new area of the France pavilion however.

Moving over to Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure, we see work is being done on the beautiful facade of the building front, with workers painting the colorful houses and details:

These Haussmann-style buildings are really cool looking, and you can see how much detail is being put into them, even the top where multiple windows and chimneys are being painted:

The curved one is so cool!

You can see other small details like a worker painting a window, with a small balcony and a green plant hanging off the edge:

That’s it for now, but this place is really starting to come alive and looks like it’s on pace for a Summer 2020 opening.

We’ll update you again shortly, in the meantime, keep scrolling down to see some of the other progress that has been made on the project.

(NEW PHOTOS – 11/30/19)

Last time we were looking at the France pavilion expansion, we saw the new black steel structure being put up. Now it’s in place and is starting to be added to.

Taking a closer look at the structure and its location, it’s likely this is where the entrance to Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure will go.

Here’s a look at what the courtyard area outside the Ratatouille attraction looks like in Disneyland Paris:

To the eye, it seems like the area close to the entrance to Remy’s Ratatouille Ride will be a bit more compact in Epcot than Disneyland Paris.

The position of the steel canopy is weird because you don’t see it in the concept art there, it’s more open. We’ll see if they plan on moving it or leaving it there.

If you look back closely at the construction photo though, you will see the foundation is going to start soon for the famous fountain going in the front of the attraction. Here is the original in Disneyland Paris:

Here is what the fountain in the Epcot looks like at this point in time:

You can see the pipes coming out of the ground for the water and the base for the outside of the fountain taking shape.

Now let’s look at one of the new buildings going up:

The same building from the side:

The facades on the famous Haussmann-style buildings are really starting to look beautiful, especially with all the bright colors. This will look fantastic when it’s done!

It’s not just the buildings which are starting to take shape though, even the streets are getting ready:

Construction workers are busy laying the pavement for the streets in this new section of the France pavilion.

After these latest photos, I’d say the expansion is really starting to look like a courtyard, and we should still be on track for a Summer opening.

(NEW PHOTOS – 11/11/19)

It’s funny how quickly things can pop up during a Disney construction project, one day there’s nothing, and the next day, a huge change. That was the case in our latest construction update for the France pavilion expansion as a new steel structure went up overnight.

Looking in at the project from the International Gateway you can see the black steel structure with the typical Haussmann style buildings behind it:

Just a couple of weeks ago there was nothing but scaffolding along this wall, and now you can see the Haussmann style buildings starting to take shape. Of course, it’s only a wall being painted to look like those buildings, but it sure is starting to look nice!

Looking closer you can start to see the details around the roofs and windows:

Now looking in from the Disney Skyliner you can see a black steel structure which has been built in the middle of the street in France:

This structure is an extended queue and will have a canopy when it’s finished:

It will serve two purposes, one to keep guests out of the sun while waiting in line, and two, it will help block the Eiffel Tower from the backside, which is the worst angle, revealing the tactic of forced perspective.

This green steel structure will be part of an extended queue for Remy’s Ratatouille adventure:

Here is a view from the Skyliner of the street in France, and the canopy in the middle:

Notice the utilizes which were already there, now being covered up:

That’s it for now, but stay tuned for more updates to the New France expansion in Epcot as they come. In the meantime scroll down more to see some of the progress on Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure and other projects going on in Disney World.

(NEW PHOTOS – 11/4/19)

It’s been a couple of weeks and already the new buildings in the France pavilion expansion are taking form. Thanks to the Disney Skyliner it’s now really easy to get an inside look at the work going on near the new Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure attraction.

Here we can see the new steel frame of a building which has just gone up:

It’s not quite sure what this building is yet, it could be part of the queue for Ratatouille, but others are saying it will have a clear roof on top of it which probably wouldn’t be for Ratatouille then.

We’ll have to wait and see when Disney gives us a bit more information.

Next, we see one of the largest buildings in the France pavilion expansion also getting a roof installed, or in this case, it looks like 2 separate roofs on the same structure:

Those utilities that were uncovered and exposed only a couple of weeks ago are now covered up:

It’s a big project for Disney to have to cover what was a never-seen are in the back of the France pavilion. Now, of course, people are going to be looking at the backs of those buildings, so they have to look nice!

Here we can see one of the roofs on the Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure building facade under construction:

(NEW PHOTOS – 10/23/19)

The France expansion project is humming along quite nicely, and signs of the construction work are visible from all over Epcot, and even beyond. Here we can see some work being done on one of the roofs of the already existing buildings:

Some of the work is even recognizable from outside the park as you can see work being done on the facade of the Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure building all the way from the Yacht Club:

And speaking of seeing things from outside the park, is anyone else loving the views from up in the Disney Skyliner? It really works out nicely because you can see right into the France pavilion construction and get a bird’s eye view of what’s going on!

This is what the France Pavilion will look like when it’s done:

Talk about a view!

Now we get a closer look at the facade for the Ratatouille building under construction:

Keeping with the authentic Parisian theme, you can see the Baron Haussmann architecture starting to take form, which is the same as most iconic streets in Paris:

This will look very similar to the current Ratatouille attraction in Disneyland Paris:

A look down at the ground shows the backside of the current buildings in the France Pavilion. Those pre-existing utilities that are exposed will need to be covered up:

Progress on the other buildings is slow and steady with a steel beam being added to this one:

Just a couple weeks earlier that beam wasn’t there:

Lastly we take a look at some of the concrete work being done on the plaza floor:

A tree will be eventually transplanted there in the middle.

That wraps up this construction update for Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure for now, but keep checking back as we continuously update you with the latest.

Keep scrolling down to read some of the previous updates to see what work has already been done…

(NEW PHOTOS: 3/25/19)

So first off we are looking at the side of the France Pavilion which rests along the water canal near the Friendship boat launch:

You can see that the big cement walls which will form the edge of this expansion are still going up and just now getting some height.

Even from further back, you can start to see the attraction building peaking over the smaller building that is there already:

This is where you’ll eventually end up after walking along that wall:

Guests will eventually have an awesome view once turning the corner of a wide-open French square:

At the end of that square is where Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure is going to be. We can see work being done on the facade of that building and ground crews going to town too:

Closeup of the facade:

How big is the attraction building for Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure? Let’s take a look at it from the opposite side of World Showcase Lagoon and see:

While not quite as tall as the minaret in Morocco from this angle, it’s almost on that same level. We’ll see if Disney grows in some big trees in front of it to block some of the view, which is probably the case seeing as they painted it green to blend with its surroundings.

Lastly we get a nice aerial shot of the area which looks a lot bigger than the view from the International Gateway does:

It will be quite a lovely space once finished!

Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure and the France Pavilion expansion will be completed Spring/Summer 2020 depending on how fast the construction continues to go.

We don’t have an exact date yet when the France expansion and Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure will be open. Our best guess at this time is it should be ready by Summer 2020, which would be in time for the busy season in Walt Disney World. This, of course, depends on all the construction going smoothly. We’ll keep you posted as soon as we know more…

Keep up with all the latest Walt Disney World Construction Updates in our post with links to all the projects and attractions currently being built!

Other Disney World Construction Updates

• Epcot Entrance Construction Updates
• Epcot Future World Construction Updates
• TRON Lightcycle Run Roller Coaster Updates
• Guardians of the Galaxy Roller Coaster Updates
• Grand Floridian to Magic Kingdom Walkway Updates

Your Thoughts

I want to know what you think about the latest Ratatouille Ride and France pavilion updates…

• How excited are you for this ride?
• Which new Disney World attraction are you most looking forward to?

Let us know in the comments section below!

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