Uploaded July 2014 | Updated September 2026, 3 hours ago
Here's a video of the drawbridge being raised at DisneyWorld EPCOT World Showcase. The drawbridge is located in the Southeast part of World Showcase between China and the South Africa Outpost.
This bridge spans the waterway which connects the World Showcase lake to the backstage area for the watercraft of EPCOT. Not only are the boats accessible and able to travel this waterway to access the backstage area, but also the boats used in the Illuminations - Reflections of Earth fireworks show as well. Even the big Earth boat in the Illuminations show travels along this water route to the backstage area.
In order for the watercraft to get to the backstage area via the waterway, the drawbridge must be raised. A casual guest visiting the World Showcase may not even realize it's a bridge just by walking over it. It's constructed in such a way where it's very firm and solid, so it doesn't shake or feel like you're walking on the ground.
As you see in the video of the drawbridge being raised in the EPCOT World Showcase, gates are closed off to the general public so no one will be on the bridge during it being risen. Once the gates are closed, a Disney Cast Member accesses a control box which raises the bridge. Once the bridge has reached its maximum opening height, the watercraft will honk its horn indicating it's now entering the waterway. In our video, a ferry boat transporting guests across the World Showcase lake it being taken backstage.
This video was shot with an iPhone 5.
Here's a video of the drawbridge being raised at DisneyWorld EPCOT World Showcase. The drawbridge is located in the Southeast part of World Showcase between China and the South Africa Outpost.
This bridge spans the waterway which connects the World Showcase lake to the backstage area for the watercraft of EPCOT. Not only are the boats accessible and able to travel this waterway to access the backstage area, but also the boats used in the Illuminations - Reflections of Earth fireworks show as well. Even the big Earth boat in the Illuminations show travels along this water route to the backstage area.
In order for the watercraft to get to the backstage area via the waterway, the drawbridge must be raised. A casual guest visiting the World Showcase may not even realize it's a bridge just by walking over it. It's constructed in such a way where it's very firm and solid, so it doesn't shake or feel like you're walking on the ground.
As you see in the video of the drawbridge being raised in the EPCOT World Showcase, gates are closed off to the general public so no one will be on the bridge during it being risen. Once the gates are closed, a Disney Cast Member accesses a control box which raises the bridge. Once the bridge has reached its maximum opening height, the watercraft will honk its horn indicating it's now entering the waterway. In our video, a ferry boat transporting guests across the World Showcase lake it being taken backstage.
This video was shot with an iPhone 5.
