Ever since its release in 1964, Mary Poppins has become one of Disney's strongest influences of pop culture. Starring Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke, the movie's charm went on to earn it 13 Academy Awards nominations - a record for any film released by Walt Disney Studios.
The film held a special place in Walt's heart, as he had spent years trying to get the original author P.L. Travers to sign over the rights to her characters (a conquest played out in the 2013 movie Saving Mr Banks). The movie was also the only one of Disney's movies to be nominated for the Oscar for 'Best Picture' during his lifetime.
With such a huge following, Walt Disney Pictures decided to reboot the franchise, releasing a sequel titled Mary Poppins Returns.
The hit movie, starring Emily Blunt as the titular Mary Poppins, wowed a brand new generation of fans. And despite there being 54 years between the original and the sequel, Mary Poppins Returns still maintained the same level of magic and musical allure that made the nanny so successful to begin with.
Check out what 'Mary Poppins Returns' star had to say when he sat down with VT:Now, with more fans than ever chomping at the bit for a spoonful of sugar, Disney has announced that they will be opening their very first Mary Poppins attraction at their Epcot park in Orlando Florida.
Dick Van Dyke himself - who stars as Bert in both movies - revealed the news at the weekend, during Disney D23 Expo - a biannual event where Disney makes their biggest announcements for the next two years.
The news came as a shock to fans, who discovered that the attraction will be built in Epcot's UK Pavilion, which is a part of their immersive Round The World Showcase.
Sadly, no further details regarding the attraction have been announced - it could be a show, it could be a ride - but we do know that it will be practically perfect in every way.
In recent years, Disney has been making a conscious effort to "retheme" their Epcot park for a more modern audience, seemingly moving toward having an attraction in each of the 11 World Showcase countries.
The UK pavilion will be joining the Norway Pavilion, which was given a Frozen theming with experiences including a shop, princess-meet-and-greet, and 'Frozen Ever After' ride.
Mexico will also be given a live puppet show, interactive exhibit, and marketplace stalls to honor Pixar’s Coco, and the France Pavilion will be getting a new Beauty and the Beast sing-along show in January, as well as a 'Ratatouille' ride opening summer 2020.
