EPCOT's Mexico Pavilion Gets Bold New Look as Cultural Traditions Come to End

The iconic Mexico Pavilion at EPCOT in Walt Disney World is undergoing an extensive exterior restoration. The project, which began with scaffolding wrapping around the Mesoamerican pyramid, has revealed a dramatic change: the pyramid is being restored to its original 1982 opening-day colors.

The vivid reddish-brown trim and brilliant turquoise highlights are making a comeback after decades of fading due to the elements. Disney's preservation project is painstakingly bringing back the original color palette, including the deep reddish-brown paint on horizontal relief bands and structural borders, and vibrant turquoise on intricate serpent heads, animal carvings, and relief motifs.

The work is part of a larger effort to preserve EPCOT's architectural history. However, inside the Plaza de los Amigos, a different transformation is unfolding as long-standing cultural experiences come to an end. The Oaxacan Wood Carving workshop, which had been a 24-year tradition, has permanently closed its doors on August 31, 2026.

The closure marks the extinction of resident craft demonstrations across World Showcase, following the earlier losses of Germany's egg painter Jutta Levasseur and Japan's candy sculptor Miyuki Sugimori. Disney insiders speculate that the newly cleared floor space could eventually accommodate overflow from the neighboring La Cava del Tequila bar.