OK everyone, get ready because we are heading off on another walking tour. Today we are going to Morocco.
I don’t know about you, but because the entertainment is right out in front I don’t travel back into the pavilion very often. Well we’re going to change that today. We are going to stop and take in all the sights and explore the beauty of this pavilion. Once we’re done I think you’ll agree that it is both exotic and beautiful!
This pavilion is modeled after three Moroccan cities; Casablanca, Fez and Marrakesh. And for those of you who didn’t know this, the country of Morocco is located on the westernmost tip of north Africa. Here in Epcot it’s located between the France and Japan pavilions.
As with other World Showcase pavilions, the architecture is outstanding! I’m told that the King of Morocco sent his craftsman to work with the Disney Imagineers on the design and building of the pavilion.
I’m sure you’ll agree that the shopping is some of the best. I hope you brought lots of money because I have a feeling a few items may catch your eye. So, with that said, let’s start.
We’ll start the tour walking into the from Japan.
The large structure that can be seen through Epcot is the Koutoubia Minaret or prayer tower.
Morocco is the only pavilion that is sponsored by a country and not a corporation.
Have you ever walked through these doors? Well, today you’re going to find out what’s inside. Here you’ll find an exhibit on The Art of Personal Adornment. This a a very interesting and informative exhibit.
Here you see the fountain and the Bab Boujouloud gate which is modeled after the gateway in the city of Fez. This gate separates the new city from the old city of Medina.
The Fez house is representation of a typical Moroccan home. The tile work and architecture are exquisite!
Many of the shops are interconnected. The Brass Bazaar, Marketplace in the Medina, and Tangier Traders, Berber Oasis and Casablanca Carpets have some of the most unique shopping experiences in all of the World Showcase.
Here is the entrance to and inside the Brass Bazaar.
And here is the entrance to and inside the Medina Art shop.
As I said before, most of the shops are interconnected to give you the feel of being in a real outside shopping bazaar. Here’s more pictures of the shops in Morocco.
There is a character greeting area in the back of the pavilion, near the Restaurant Marrakesh, that is a wonderful place to take a picture.
I must admit that The Restaurant Marrakesh is the only World Showcase restaurant that may wife and I haven’t eaten at. That’s something that is going to change soon. If you’ve eaten at this restaurant let me know what you think of it.
One the main sidewalk there is a kiosk for the Restaurant Marrakesh.
The Tangierine Cafe is the fast food restaurant in Morocco. It’s very popular with lots of good food on the menu.
Beside all the shopping in the pavilion there is this shop that’s right on the main sidewalk.
The Art of Henna is temporary body art.
The sidewalk kiosk where you can get a refreshing drink.
Here’s the sign listing the times for Mo’Rockin and Character greetings.
The very popular Mo’Rockin performing for the crowd.
OK, who can move like her?
The beautiful Jasmine and handsome Aladdin greeting guests.
One final thing, the buildings in this pavilion have great religious significance as a result the lights from IllumiNations are not on the Moroccan pavilion buildings.
Now that we’re done I hope you’ll agree that Morocco is a beautiful and exotic pavilion!
Well, that was quite a walk. I sure hope you enjoyed it as much as I did and hopefully you now have a better appreciation for this beautiful pavilion.
Please leave me a comment and tell me what you like about the Morocco pavilion or what your memories are of previous visits. I love to get comments.
Finally, be one of the first people to hear when my newest blogs go live on AllEars.net by joining “DisneyMike’s World” Facebook group.
Well, that’s all for now. As my good friend says “see ya real soon”…DizneyMike
I’m so glad to see so many fabulous reviews of the Morocco Pavilion! I took my first trip to WDW Spring of 2009 and it was my absolute favorite part of Epcot!! The intricate mosiacs were so intricate & beautiful. There is something wonderful to discover at every turn. We had dinner at Restaurant Marrakesh – it was delicious and the Cast Members were delighful. The Goat Cheese appetizer was great. I had the Mogador Fish Tagine and HIGHLY recommend it. I also have to recognize Mo Rockin – they are an excellent band – we’re going back this Spring and I plan to buy their CD.
DizneyMike replies: Cindy, thanks for sharing your thoughts about the Morocco Pavilion. It really is a wonderful and beautiful place to visit. Since I wrote the blog I have eaten at the Restaurant Marrakesh and had a very nice meal. I would recommend this restaurant to anyone. Thanks for the comments…Mike
I am trying to find one of the necklaces from Morocco in Epcot. The necklace that Jillian mentioned with her name written in Arabic. We didn’t get back there to get this necklace and now I’m trying to find one! Do you know if there is any way I can order this from Epcot?
Thanks!
DizneyMike replies: Heidi, check out this link;
http://allears.net/tp/mailorder.htm
Hopefully they will be able to find the item for you and have it shipped….Mike
Thank you for posting the walking tours. I am planning a trip for my daughter and myself next April. Neither one of us have been to Disney World before and these blogs are helping us build our “must do’s”
DizneyMike replies: Julie, I’m sure you and your daughter will have a great time when you visit Walt Disney World. AllEars.net is a great place to help with your planning….Mike
we ate at Marrakesh restaurant last Dec. 2008. I was reluctantly to try (didn’t want to eat lamb) but my older brother really wanted to try Morocco. I must say,I cleaned my plate. it was really good.all of us enjoyed our meals & atmosphere. I had a chicken sampler & as stated above, chicken w/ cinnamon,wicked good! they use cinnamon on alot of foods. I would recommend Marrakesh restaurant to you & others!
Hi Mike,
I’m weighing in a little late here but I love Morocco. It’s my favorite country at Epcot. I understand that Morocco was one of the first countries to support the United States in our fight for independence and that there is a letter from the King of Morocco to George Washington congratulating him on his presidency on display in the Marrakesh restaurant. Thanks again for another great walk through!!
DizneyMike replies: Rob, never too late to comment. I did not know about the letter. I will be sure to look for it the next time I visit the pavilion. Thanks for the info and the great comment…Mike
My husband and I dined at the Restaurant Marrakesh a few years ago. At the time, we ate a lot of lamb and couscous at home and found that it tasted just like homemade. I think you will be probably be very happy eating here, especially considering how few try it.
Another outstanding job!!!! Thanks for taking such an effort. I have always just kinda walked through Morocco, but no longer. Will be at WDW the week of 10/8 and will definitely check it out. It is amazing how you can get into the habit of just seeing the same things over and over at Disney (I guess because it is always wonderful all over again!) and not exploring. Well, Mike, you have convinced me to become a Disney Explorer! Have scheduled out-of-the-way restaurants…trying new things. Thanks again for keeping the Disney spirit alive!
DizneyMike replies: Richard, thanks for the wonderful comments! There’s no question that there is so much more to Walt Disney World than just strolling through the parks and taking in the attractions. There are lots and lots of hidden gems waiting to be found. Have fun exploring…Mike
The Moroccan Pavilion is one of my favorites at the World Showcase. It is different and exciting and represents a culture with which I have limited experience. We ate at Marrakesh in 2005 and thought it was wonderful. The menu had many exciting and exotic (for us anyway) choices. The Belly Dancer was so beautiful I had to look away or I would have been accused (by my wife, lol) of staring.
All in all it was a great experience and recommend it to anyone.
Hey Mike–we love Tangerine, so of course, Marrakesh was excellent for our taste. Great live music and atmosphere though one of the above folks was right–it feels very different and if you want to stay more immersed in Disney-atmosphere as opposed to a Disney-created-Whole-New-World, I would stick to another restaurant.
About the carvings in this country…am I wrong in thinking that the workers had to do parts or all of this carving without any cast members present because their techniques are a closely-guarded culture tradition that is secret?
Enjoy your meal…I think your visit to Marrakesh will be the beginning of a beautiful friendship. 😉
DizneyMike replies: Emily, I don’t know the answer to your question but maybe one of our readers does know. In the meantime I’ll see if I can do some research and come up with some info. Good question! Thank you for the comments…Mike
I didn’t know they had an exhibit/museum in Morocco! Now I’ve added that to my list for my next trip. Thanks so much for the info!
We have been to Disney several times and spent hours walking around Morocco but never, ever noticed the exhibit of personal adornment! Holy cow! Thanks for pointing it out to us, Mike! We are going to seek it out when we get there tomorrow!
When we took our kids in January, one of the cast members in Morocco asked if we’d like to see our names in Arabic and our oldest daughter let him know she was currently taking Arabic classes. He spent a significant amount of time conversing with her and encouraging her! We are so appreciative of those special moments that we experience only at Disney!
As for Restaurant Marrakesh, we loved it! We enjoy trying new dishes, but my husband and I were blown away at how very different our entrees were from each other’s – mine was very sweet and cinnamon and his very cumin and paprika. Both very, very good! The service was excellent – our waitress even spent time explaining the Moroccan customs. Definitely a restaurant I will return to! Enjoy it when you get there! 🙂
Hi Mike,
Thanks for the tour! We recently ate at Restaurant Marrakesh (this past May), and it just didn’t really hit that spot for us. The inside is beautiful, the belly dancer is cool, but there was just something about the restaurant that just felt very “un-Disney” to us. If you’re looking to escape the park, I suppose that is a good thing. I wasn’t crazy about the food, I thought it had very minimal flavor. To be fair though, it isn’t exactly my favorite kind of food. One thing that is worth mentioning though is the baklava, because honestly, who doesn’t LOVE that? So, in conclusion, it’s probably worth it just to go once. The scenery is beautiful and the meal is so-so. Go so you can say you did!
DizneyMike replies: Brittany, thanks for the comments about the restaurant. I agree that it’s a matter of taste. For instance, I really like spicy food and my wife doesn’t. So, it’s difficult to please everyone….Mike
Thank you so much for the tour! I missed everything in Morrocco the last time at WDW and it made me sad because I was so looking forward to that section and then just didn’t see any of it! It seems that I saw one of the shops and that was it! So this time I am armed with all the info I need! Great piece!!! 🙂
DizneyMike replies: Debra, you’re not alone. So many people either just walk by or just take a few minutes to check out these pavilions. I understand that, because most can’t afford to spend lots of their vacation time exploring the countries. The purpose of these blogs is to let readers know what they are passing by and hopefully make them want to spend more time on their next trip. Thanks for the very nice comment…Mike
The Morocco pavilion is by far my favorite of all the pavilions. There’s just something so interesting and beautiful about all the details. I spend a lot of time going through this area, looking at all the shops and taking TONS of pictures. I’ve eaten at Restaurant Marrakesh once before (in June 2006) and it was really fantastic. I also ate at Tangierine Cafe this past June and, as always, didn’t fail to please 🙂
Mike,
Thanks for this little taste of the Morocco pavilion. Unfortunately in my hurry to shop in Japan or eat in France, I never took the time to visit this attraction like you have, and now I regret that. It seems like there is much more to see if you spend more than a minute here.
Thank you for opening my eyes. I’ll be sure to truly visit here next October!
Thank you for the walking tour. Great work! Please keep them coming. We went to the World 4 times now but never wandered inside the Morocco pavillion. This area will definitely be a must see on our trip next year.
Thanks Mike
Like you, even after years of visiting Epcot, until August 09 we had never eaten at Marrakesh.
Now, after enjoying a fabulous meal, we’re sure to eat there each time we go. We all got different appetizers and entrees so we could share, and yes, we were not hungry when we left. Love the mint tea and desserts, too. The beautiful buildings and shops are truly stunning. I suppose being sponsored by the country and not a corporation may give Morocco a slightly different “feel” as you visit.
Mike –
My family LOVES the Moroccan Pavilion! A visit to the Restaurant Marrakesh provided us with one of my favorite Disney memories. While dining and enjoying the wonderful food, the belly dancer pulled my two teenage boys onto the dance floor with her. I have some great pictures of that day and experience!
I love to eat at the Tangeriene Cafe, the food is yummy there. I’ve never eaten a sit down resturant while at Disney, just counter.
Thanks for the light tip, I’ll have to pay attention when we are there in a few weeks.
I enjoy your walking tours.
Dear Mike…what can I say…I love it!
This is my favorite pavillion, I just love the mosaic fountain. I dicovered in my search for Aladdin around Morocco 😛
Believe me: there are some place that I didn’t see in my last visit, but in december a new story will be written jejeje
Mike:
Thanks for the visit. I made visit to Casablanca in the late ’60s and this brings back memories. We try to hit Morocco on every visit to WDW. The smells of the food will take you back to a very unique place in the world.
In the past I resittd visiting this pavilion because the fragrant aroma coming from it was a turn off in the beginning (1985). My most recent visit December 2007, I ventured in & was very impressed. I had a wonderful mint tea @the beverage location.
I am visiting Disney World “solo” early December & plan to spend a full day “touring the World” showcase & this will definetly be a priority stop. I am also going to check your earlier blogs to gain insight to other pavilions. Looking forward to the mint tea.
Thanks for posting these great walking tours! The World Showcase is one of my absolute most favorite things. I have always enjoyed walking through the countries, but your blog has given me more insight into what I’m looking at. I’ll be there the week before Thanksgiving, and I can’t wait to walk through with “new eyes.”
My grandfather was in Morocco while he was in the service. My mother has always said the Moroccan exhibit looks just like his pictures and sounds just like his story descriptions.
I am so glad that you highlighted this beautiful pavilion. It is definitely one of my favorites. You really do feel as if you have been immersed in the culture.
You definitely must try Restaurant Marrakesh. We have been very pleased both times we have gone. The roasted lamb is very tender and flavorful, and I am quite the sucker for good baklava. The musicians and belly dancer complete the unique and beautiful atmosphere of this hidden gem.
Hi Mike.
Enjoyed your blog on Morocco – it’s a beautiful pavilion, and very different from the others!
You asked about Restaurant Marrakesh. I enjoy it a lot – the food might be considered a little exotic, but I think that’s mainly because of spices they use that we are not as accustomed to. It’s not spicy hot. I love the chicken bastilla appetizer – chicken with cinnamon sounds odd but it’s really tasty! The Lemon Chicken and Roast Lamb are both really excellent, also. If you’re hungry and want to really get a taste of lots of things, go for dinner and order the Marrakesh Royal Feast, which comes with soup, appetizer, the chicken and lamb, couscous and dessert. You won’t leave hungry!!!
Oh, and by the way, there is entertainment during the meal – a belly dancer and a couple of musicians.
Thank you for this great close up look at the Morocco Pavillion!
I ate at Restaurant Marrakesh back in April 2007 with my mom. We both loved it! The food was delicious and the atmosphere inside was beautiful! Be careful of the Moroccan coffee though- it is very strong! I love to cook and eating here inspired me to try cooking a Morrocan meal at home. I would defintely eat at Restaurant Marrakesh again!
I also bought one of my favorite Disney souviners in the Morroco Pavillion. In one of the shops there was an area set up were a Cast Member would write your name in Arabic on a necklace. I know she really did write my name because later on we were walking through the pavillion and a different Cast Member said, ‘oh hello Jillian!’ to me. I still wear this necklace all the time and it’s one of my favorites!
DizneyMike replies: Jillian thanks for sharing those great memories with us….Mike