PHOTOS: Hotel du Canada Brightened with Fresh Paint at EPCOT

In July, we reported on the impending repainting of Hotel du Canada in the Canada Pavilion at EPCOT. Now, the work is visibly apparent as we’ve caught a glimpse of fresh point on the updated facade,

Scaffolding still completely envelops the Hotel du Canada in the Canada Pavilion at EPCOT.

Peering through that, a fresh coat of paint on one side is now shining through. It could be primer, which creates a smooth base for a final coat of paint to adhere to.

The change is so drastic that this may indeed be the case, as this current color does not exactly match up with the original building this facade is based on, though that may also be due to the original chateau’s fading color over the years.

The Chateau Laurier in Ottawa (now a Fairmont hotel) is just beside Parliament Hill in Canada’s capital, and was designed with Gothic Revival architecture in mind. Originally opened in 1912, it has been a National Historic Site since 1981.

Disney describes the pavilion’s Hotel du Canada and its inspiration with additional context:

Your journey “north” to the Canada pavilion includes a spectacular tribute to the nation’s natural wonders, such as the majestic Rocky Mountains, a 30-foot waterfall, and beautifully landscaped grounds that are inspired by Victoria’s Butchart Gardens. But you simply can’t miss one of the more striking man-made landmarks in the pavilion: the Hotel du Canada, inspired by the Chateau Laurier in Ottawa. The hotel was commissioned by railroad magnate Charles Melville Hays, who was extending his Grand Trunk Pacific Railway west, and envisioned several deluxe hotels along the route. The hotel was impeccably furnished within and boasted a façade that featured Italian marble, Indiana limestone, and a copper roof. One hundred and five years after its grand opening, the Chateau Laurier is still welcoming guests to this day.

The walkway from the entrance of the pavilion to Le Cellier Steakhouse cuts through some meticulously manicured flowers and foliage that are made to imitate Canada’s famous Butchart Gardens.

As we get closer to the entrance of Le Cellier, it’s apparent that only one of the sides of the building has been painted so far.

The base of the scaffolding is still covered in scrim.

The entrance to the Steakhouse, while also surrounded in scrim and construction walls, is still operational and open to guests.

EPCOT has gained a reputation as a large construction zone in the past few years as the entire park is revamped. Future World was split into three neighborhoods: World Nature, World Celebration, and World Discovery. World Showcase is the fourth neighborhood.

The center of the park, World Celebration, is where most construction has been concentrated. Electric Umbrella was closed and gutted to become Connections Eatery and Café (Starbucks). MouseGear, the park’s major gift shop, was completely re-imagined to become the current Creations Shop. Club Cool also moved to a new location.

Nearly everything behind Spaceship Earth, including Innoventions, was razed to create a new garden space, CommuniCore Hall, CommuniCore Plaza, and Dreamers Point.

In World Nature (but taking up some of the World Celebration space), Journey of Water Inspired by “Moana” is under construction. The new walk-through attraction is nearing completion and Walt Disney Imagineering has already been conducting tests with Cast Members.

Have you been noticing these construction projects around EPCOT? Which one are you most excited about? Let us know in the comments.

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Justin has been visiting the Walt Disney World® Resort since he was 2 years old. He considers Powerline to be the songbird of his generation. Contact Justin at [email protected]

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