CommuniCore Hall opened in June 2024 as part of the re-imagining of EPCOT and World Celebration near the front of the park. Since then, CommuniCore Hall has been used as a flex-space specifically for EPCOT festivals and seasonal events like the returning, Cool Kids Summer. It’s no-secret Disney fans have been less than impressed with the execution of this space, comparing it to an “Apple Store” lacking personality and warmth. While the space continues to evolve, CommuniCore has mostly recently become the Experimental Prototype Cookies of Tomorrow holiday kitchen, merchandise location, and Santa meet and greet location for the EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays.
One of the biggest draws to visit Communicore Hall during the holidays is to see Spaceship Earth made completely of gingerbread. The gingerbread Spaceship Earth even lights up and synchronizes to music every 15 minutes in a brief show called “The Celebration Countdown”. This gingerbread display really is impressive and is absolutely worth checking out on your holiday visit to EPCOT.
The menu at Experimental Prototype Cookies of Tomorrow consists of three unique cookies and several cookie-themed beverages. Take a peek at the menu below –
Cookies
- Prototype Cookie – sugar-cookie with orange-cranberry icing and dark chocolate – $4.75
- Salted Caramel Spaceship Earth Cookie – $5.50
- Ginger Molasses Cookie – with cream cheese icing – $3.50
Beverages
- Gingerbread Milkshake – $5.25
- Hot Cocoa by Joffrey’s – $4.00
Beverages with Alcohol
- Frosted Gingerbread White Stout – Ivanhoe Park Brewing Co – $6.00 (6 ounce) / $9.75 (12 ounce)
- Baking Spirits Bright Gingerbread Bock – Gulf Stream Brewing – $6.00 (6 ounce) / $9.75 (12 ounce)
- Gingerbread Bock – Crooked Can Brewing Company – $6.00 (6 ounce) / $9.75 (12 ounce)
- Beer Flight – $12.75
- Seasonal Wine – $6.50
- Gingerbread Milkshake with Whipped Cream Vodka – $12.50
- Hot Cocoa by Joffrey’s with Whipped Cream Vodka – $12.25
The cookies are undoubtedly popular and are part of the EPCOT Holiday Cookie Stroll in which guests can collect 5 cookie stamps from various Festival of the Holidays kitchens to receive a surprise (mini M&M’s). And while the cookies are all made backstage, this small counter garnered a 30+ minute wait on the day I visited. I am pleased to the report the Salted Caramel Spaceship Earth Cookie is as good as it looks! And the Gingerbread Bock is a great version of a gingerbread beer with the right amount of sweet spice and without tasting artificial.
The consistent problem with CommuniCore Hall is there’s not enough seating despite there being enough physical space for it. Take Festival of the Holidays for example, a fourth of space was taken up by merchandise which you can find in various other locations. Not to mention this small merchandise collection featured less than a dozen items. And with Santa only meeting until 5:00 PM each day, this leaves over half the space empty during the evening.
Unfortunately, the dead space, lack of seating, and long lines all take away from any holiday cheer CommuniCore Hall could so easily have. I had to re-evaluate myself as I waited 30 minutes for a $5.50 cookie. Disney, ya got me again!
The rest of the Festival of the Holidays kitchens did not have near as long of a line and I found my holiday cheer greatly increased once I got to World Showcase. Because exiting CommuniCore Hall to the sweet holiday sounds of a Daddy Yankee remix from the plaza stage DJ didn’t have me dreaming of a white Christmas. Can we get Disney or holiday songs with some character interaction please? But that’s a topic for another day.
At CommuniCore Hall I would love to see expanded seating, multiple food lines, and more immersive theming that’s not merchandise. CommuniCore Hall is otherwise a great location with loads of potential. Don’t be shy in letting me know if I’m being a scrooge or a hopeful ghost of EPCOT Christmas future!
