Epcot Leave a Legacy Monoliths Are Being Removed
NOTE: The Leave a Legacy plaques have been moved to a new location just outside Epcot’s front gate. For more information see: The Legacy Returns – Leave A Legacy Display Is Back at EPCOT
The day has finally come. The Leave a Legacy monoliths are now being removed from the Epcot entrance, to make way for a new, cleaner entrance area. The Leave a Legacy stones started as part of Walt Disney World’s Millennium Celebration, which ran from October 1, 1999, to January 1, 2001. From that time until June 2007, when sales ended, guest could purchase small messages and photos that would be etched in metal and displayed on large stones at the Epcot entrance.
Much reviled for their resemblance to tombstones, the Leave a Legacy monoliths did have their fans, particularly those tens of thousands of guests whose images lived inside Epcot for a decade or more.
Construction walls have been put up around the monoliths, but you can watch the removal progress from the monorail.
In addition to the Epcot monolith removal, progress is continuing at the Transportation and Ticket Center with the removal of the Walk Around the World stones there.
How do you feel about the removal of the legacy monoliths and paving stones? Will you miss them or glad to see them go? Let us know in the comments.
Photos: Christina Harrison
EDIT FEB 10, 2021: As promised, the Leave a Legacy plaques are again available for viewing, now just outside the Epcot front gate.
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Spending the money to have a plaque on the wall that listed me, and my late husband was great, and I can’t see why they would remove them. I’m sure the insensitive people trying to make a buck by redoing the entrance had a lot to do with it. Sad that Disney is going downhill, and I’m embarrassed to say I have worked for Disney.
The photos on the monoliths have been moved just a few yards away. You can still visit the images. Now without having to pay for a park admission fee. https://touringplans.com/blog/leave-a-legacy-display-returns-epcot/
This makes me so incredibly sad. I am the person who doesn’t like change and am very traditionalistic so this happening/happened makes me miss and yearn for when I was a child and seeing these. It is very cool what they have planned for Epcot, but I don’t particularly like it.
Many thanks for providing the latest information regarding the dismantling of the Leave a Legacy monoliths at Epcot. It has been quite interesting to learn about the background and significance of these buildings, and I am looking forward to discovering what will take their place. Your coverage of Disney news is usually enjoyable and filled with useful information.
I hope they have kept the pictures my mum and dad had one put in place for there 25th anniversary and paid for 25 years. My dad has now passed and my mum would love to see the picture again. We were also going to pay to have it there another 25 years.
So sad.
They are all still there. You will find them on walls out front. They only got Rico f the monoliths. They did add rainbow colors to the pictures
They are all still there. You will find them on walls out front. They only got rid of the monoliths. They did add rainbow colors to the pictures
We found ours yesterday! WDW did a great job re-imagining a way to display the tiles.
So glad that you found a nice way to display them!
Could I get a copy of this ? It would mean so much. Thank you
They are back up on beautiful colored mosaic walls. Google Leave a legacy Orlando sentinel. Published 2/9/2021
I would love a copy of mine how do you get it I wish they would find a place somewhere at disney to keep this up it is leave a legacy
I am so happy to say that they have just unveiled the new walls with all of our pictures! They are BACK! They are beautifully done. All of you missing loved ones on the walls, will still have the opportunity to see them again. My family has 6 tiles through the years. Cannot wait to see them SOON!
As I type this comment, you will have to forgive me for my spelling errors. The problem is that I have tears streaming from my eyes making it a bit difficult to see. I just found out about the removal of the Epcot Leave a Legacy Monoliths. My family has never really had a lot of money, but I guess we would be considered almost middle class financially speaking. The very first time my parents, and I had gone to Walt Disney World was back when I was seven years old which was in 1979, and we loved everything about it! From that point forward, we did our best to save up, and plan family vacations at Walt Disney World in Florida. I have been blessed enough to go to Walt Disney World several times throughout my 49 years of life, and even on the Walt Disney Cruises a couple of times as well! Many years ago, probably in the year 2005, my parents were able to rent an RV for a month, and drive down to Florida. When my parents saw that they were doing the Leave a Legacy Monoliths, they immediately had to order a picture of themselves to be embossed on a plaque for the monolith. After that, my parents tried to save up money to go back to Walt Disney World so they could see their embossed picture actually on the monolith in Epcot. Time went on, and for one reason or another, they could not seem to gather enough money to go. My dad started to get ill in 2012. My mom would keep telling him that he would get better, and they would go to Epcot to see their plaque with their own eyes. A couple of weeks before my dad passed away in April, 2013, he told my mother that he would not be able to see the plaque in person, and that my mom would have to go see it by herself. After that, my mother moved in with me. She and I discussed plans for going to Walt Disney World Epcot to see the plaque in person. We were trying to save up the money to go, but there always seemed to be one issue after another to prevent us from saving enough money. Time progressed until December, 2018 when mom became ill. She told me that she obviously was not going to make it to Walt Disney World either, and that it would be up to me to go for her and my dad. She suddenly passed away that December, 2018. Now it was up to me, and I really did want to see this plaque in person with my own eyes! I have been saving up, and I figured I would have enough money by next year. Besides, traveling right now with this pandemic did not seem like a good idea to me anyway. Sadly, I am too late because I just read that it is all being taken down. So at this point, all I can do is cry from my soul for my parents and I. I apologize for such a long post, but at least it was someplace I could get my feelings out. Thank you.
I would like to buy (which we shouldn’t have to since we did already buy them) my tile that was at the entrance of Epcot. It has my late husbands name and mine on it and since my visit to Disney this year was cancelled due to the virus and don’t know when I will be able to get there I would like to have my memory tile.
How can myself and my family buy the stone peices that were on the monumental Epcot entrance way. We paid for them and would like to have them for our wonderful memories of visits 2-3 times a year to Walt Disney World. Please let us know how,we would be grateful.
We had our childrens done in 2000 and planned to come back in 2020 with grandchildren. Now they will no longer be able to see their Mum and Dad at the same age they are now, so so sad. Hopefully they do get reerected at the front for our own Legacy …. honour your promise WDW as you say it’s ‘where dreams come true’ !!! Thank you
I am upset over this. My late girlfriend & I had ours done in 2000. I am going back this year in December. I wanted to see it. I hope they place it somewhere else in the park. If not I wish I could buy out part of the tin.
Cindy, Supposedly they will still be there. They are suppose to put them at the front of the park at the entrance.
I am very upset that they are removing Leave A Legacy. When my husband and I did this our dream was that our grandchildren would see it when they came and now that will not happen. They should have never have done this if this is what was going to happen.
My wife is a former cast member and we have 2 there. Supposedly they will be out by the entrance to Epcot.
Sad to see it go. We’ve been going since my son was 3, he is now 26. We had it done twice. Hopefully DIsney will let us know the location our plaques have been moved to.
I was extremely sad to learn of the removal of the tiles on the internet. My husband and I always rushed to find the stone/tile and now it is gone? We paid good money for this and LOVED Walt Disney world for this. And we had a brick which I heard is gone too. Now both of our contributions to WDW are gone. How terrible of them. My husband is now passed away and I KNOW that he would be very upset. Going there 13 years in a row. For what? I am Not going back.
Unbelievable we’ve paid good money for that we had such a good time in 2000.we were coming back in 2020, not now covid and the way our world is now we are lucky we can eat and afford the Bills.
I am very upset with Disney. When we purchased the tile we were told it would remain in the park forever. It may be moved to another area, but never taken out. Based on this info we decided to get it done. This year marks 20 years for us, and you are removing them? I’m so upset, I will probably never come back to Epcot again. What about people who’s family members are on that wall, but are no longer alive. Shame on you Disney, you lied to your fans. My daughters were going to bring their daughter to see it, but that dream will never happen. Thanks for taking our money, and lying to us. What is it you say? A dream is a wish your heart makes? You’ve just crushed a lot of people’s hearts.
This is the first I am hearing of the stones being removed. We were looking forward to share our etchings with our granddaughter this month. Her Mom was her age when we had them done.
Ah so sad to read this took my 3 boys here from England and only my second oldest my Darren and myself had ours etched he passed away 7 years ago xx
My parents, 2 nephews & I had our picture plaque taken during a vacation trip & always enjoyed going to Epcot to view them. My father passed away in 2015, my mom now has Alzheimer’s, my nephew is married & has 3 boys & was looking forward to sharing with them this legacy. Can anyone advise where will they be placed? How can we contact Disney?
Just found this. Might want to https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/attractions/epcot/leave-a-legacy/ bookmark it.
Kathryn, my wife and I are annual pass holders from NJ but live in Florida now. My wife worked for Disney and the word is they are going to be on the outside of the entrance of the part. Nothing has been said specific though. We bought ours on our honeymoon in 2003 and they told us 20 years. Hope this helps.
I was sad to hear of this news as I just happened upon the Leave a Legacy folders with photo negatives of me and each of my children taken in March of 2000. This folder has a plastic credit card sized card with info on how to access your photo online, but I have not had any luck. Is there a reason why this option is no longer available? The exact information on the card reads to access your photo online, visit http://www.Disney.com/LivingLegacy Powered online by MyFamily.com. Any help in how to do this would be greatly appreciated.
My mom and I got our photo etched and were given a guarantee of fifty years. They better be put on display someplace else in the park. I would be heartbroken if I couldn’t go see it on our next trip.
I want my tile back if they are going to get rid of them. It’s of me and my deceased husband.
I am sad to see the tiles go. We and many others did our tile on 9/11. We had our tile pic taken shortly before the attacks and every year we visit it and pray for lives lost.
I purchased one for a deceased friend and would like a copy of the etching for her grave. Always went to see it when at Epcot. How do I get a copy. I have my number.
Thanks
Any word of where these moved or will move to?
As a mom that had my 2 children put on a tile there as a legacy for when they grow up and have children I am very disappointed and this was very misleading. What are they doing with them?
I do feel cheated.
We should get an offer of a mini version.
Don’t know if it is still offered, but when we bought ours, we had the option to buy our image etched on stone to take home as a small (4×6) plaque. I think it was about $30 at the time. No idea if Disney is still offering this, or if they’d be able to send you a copy of the image so you could take it somewhere to have that done, but it was a great option for us. (We bought one for us and one for each of our parents to announce our engagement.)
I am very sad to hear about this. My kids were young when we purchased the tiles and we always looked forward to finding them on our family vacations to WDW. Our last trip together was when my youngest was 22. It was awesome to see it again after so many years. We even saw the original digital picture in one of the shops under spaceship earth. Will the walls be relocated somewhere else? Or will they just be destroyed?
The monoliths have been destroyed, but we are told that the etching have been preserved and will be relocated to another area near Epcot. No word yet on when or where that might happen.
To all the haters, shame on you. My wife and I spent our honeymoon at the Grand Floridian in 2003. At the time you got wishes to use for whatever you wanted(food, gifts, sports, etc) to use them for instead of a dining plan and so on. This was one of the keepsakes we had a choice of. We did do the extra option for the take home version and they send you the negatives. Before we were Florida residents we enjoyed seeing our tile every year. Now that we have kids they enjoy seeing us on there. My wife worked for Disney. They are being relocated that’s all. So, to the people with the rude comments, don’t hate. .
2005 we left our legacy in Disney.
Exactly as someone posted above a legacy means forever. As we all know, Disney has become a bunch of scumbags. They don’t care about Americans or our feelings.
It’s all about making a buck.
I refuse to spend another dollar at Disney not because of this but because of their actions in prior years.
Walt would be rolling over in his grave if he knew what these people were doing.
I’m sad. My husband and myself are one of those stones and he is now passed. Would like to get the stone back.
Had our kids pics taken on the legacy…our youngest first visit…every visit we would look for it and take their pics next to it. I thought I remember hearing they were going to cut the tiles up and offer them to purchase. Hope they show up somewhere close that we can continue the mad rush to find them like we have all these years when arriving at EPCOT! Worth every penny just to see their faces when they found it
Legacy means forever. Forget about the legal 10 year stuff. I was told Quote. “ Leave your legacy at Epcot. “ Disney execs are smart enough to know this. They are hiding behind the legality. To get these out of the entrance, I don’t have an issue with, but put them someone else. Whether it’s one person or a million. These legacy stones mean a lot to the families. Many people who have pictures there have died and this is their Disney legacy to their sons daughters. Grandchildren. And Disney just takes it away. The execs who have decided to get rid of these should have to explain their reasoning, I don’t see that happening.
If the stone monoliths took up too much space, these images should be transferred to a more modern display of life and joy that these Disney experiences represent. It would also be a great gesture on the part of WDW to send the stainless steel plaques to the families.
Chuck
Lancaster, PA
So sad these are finally really leaving. We have many fond memories of forcing our kids to pose for pictures by their tile before we would let them run to an attraction. Bright sun in squinty, angry eyes. Love those pictures! I hope we can at least view them digitally in the future.
I did have a leave a legacy from our honeymoon in 2002. Kinda wish they would have let those know who had one what they were planning on doing before having to see a post about it. And I would have liked it if they sent you your stamp that they were removing. Yes it would be work on their part to do that but to completely just get rid of it I think is wrong.
I’m very sad about this my brother and I would always race to find our parents picture and now it’s gone it’s just a terrible feeling I wish they would just leave it because it’s perfect the way it is
My husband and I would race to find our pic too. He died last year and it made me feel good to know his pic was always there in his favorite park. I would still race to find it alone. If they don’t move them somewhere else I would pay to get ours back. It’s means a lot to me
Our family enjoyed finding our tile each year that we visited. I agree that the stones were unsightly but the tiles will hopefully find a new home on property. At minimum- it would be great for Disney to contact the families that contributed and offer to ship the tiles to their owners. Personally, I won’t be buying any legacy sale items any time soon. They don’t seem to last.
What happens to the pictures people paid for. This doesnt seem fair
The pictures are being moved. We don’t know the new location yet.
The paving stones are being destroyed. When they were sold, Disney guaranteed display for a particular time period, which they honored.
As someone who bought one of the Leave a Legacy tiles, I want to say we were told that they would be guaranteed to be displayed at Epcot for a minimum of 10 years. I think sales for them stopped around 2007 or 2008, so that means that everyone did get what they paid for at the time. When we bought ours, we had the option to buy an etched stone version of it for something like $25 more to take home with us, which we did. I have no idea how many people took up that offer, but that was one way they could have one of their own for forever. Truth told, since I’m sure the digital files are kept somewhere, I’m surprised that Disney hasn’t opened that up for sales again.
The digital files are definitely kept, you could view them upon request behind the counter in the shop underneath spaceship earth when I went 3 years ago.
While I agree they looked creepy, I hope they move them (or just the pictures and messages) to somewhere else in Epcot. People paid good money thinking they would be there long after they were gone. The name alone shows that people want to be a permanent part of that park.
The legacy plaques are being moved to a, currently unspecified, new location.
Hopefully being put out in the parking lot as a traffic barrier.
Sad to see the Leave a Legacy tiles gone – We used them as a measuring stick for the kids every trip – Son just celebrated his 21st bday last week and was able to take a pic of himself beside his 3yr old self before the demolition started.
Good riddance. They obstructed safe traffic flow and the sightlines crucial to what guests were meant to see upon entering Epcot Center. Huge, ugly tombstones. Looking forward to seeing them in the Saturday Six graveyard!
I have mixed feelings about this. I don’t have a Leave a Legacy, but if I did I probably would feel I’d been cheated or betrayed a bit. On the other hand, I can understand WDW wanting to streamline the entrance. At least they’re not completely eliminating them like the bricks at the entrance of Magic Kingdom. And I have to admit, I always did find them a little bit creepy… 😉