Disney has announced details of its plan to transform the Epcot theme park at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida, US, which it says will be open in time for the 50th anniversary of the resort in 2021.

Plans revealed by Thomas Smith, editorial content director at Disney Parks, include a unique "play pavilion" that will be devoted to "playful fun" and feature an "innovative city" that will come to life under the former Wonders of Life dome. This city will be bursting with interactive experiences, favourite Disney characters, hands-on activities and entertainment, the article said.

Zach Riddley, portfolio executive for Walt Disney Imagineering, is quoted as saying that the play pavilion will be "beyond anything we’ve ever created".

He added: "Built on the power of play, it introduces an immersive and interactive 'city' where you can explore, create, and interact with some of your favourite Disney characters. This is an experience worthy of our bold vision for Epcot – and another signature element of our transformation."

Further changes at Epcot (which opened in 1971 and was named after Walt Disney's idea for a utopian city; Epcot originally stood for Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow) include new pathways, green spaces and a fountain at the entrance plaza.

Additionally, a new Experience Center is due to open later this year, which will feature interactive exhibits that help to visualise the ongoing transformation of the park. Epcot's popular Leave A Legacy photo display monolith – part of the attraction's visitor experience from 1999 until its discontinuation in 2007 – will also be relocated to a new site just outside the park's gateway.