EPCOT is such a unique Disney park thanks to its combination of futuristic theming and cultural representation.
The World Showcase opened in 1982 with nine represented countries, and a few years later two more countries were added too. But, other than a few updates here and there — not much has changed since then. Out of all the World Showcase countries, these are the ones Disney fans believe need a revamp!
EPCOT’s World Showcase features 11 different country “pavilions” including Mexico, Norway, China, Germany, Italy, The American Adventure, Japan, Morocco, France, United Kingdom, and Canada. There’s also an Outpost section that features cultural elements from African countries, though it’s not an official pavilion.
But, not all the countries feature the same elements or level of immersion. When EPCOT was built, each pavilion was sponsored by its respective country and they had a lot of say in how it was represented. That’s no longer the case, and many Disney fans feel that some of the pavilions need a facelift.
We wanted to know which pavilions needed revamps the most, so we headed over to our Facebook page and asked our readers!
Morocco
The Morocco Pavilion is one of the most visually striking locations in EPCOT. It’s extremely colorful, has intricate architecture, and at one point was a hustling bustling hub for delicious eats, shopping, and more. But lately, Morocco hasn’t been as energetic after the closure of Restaurant Marrakesh and the cultural representatives left.
Several readers thought Morocco was in need of some love, stating that it can feel sad and empty at times. They’d love a more bazaar-like market feel in the back of the pavilion and maybe even some sort of show. There used to be belly dancing at Restaurant Marrakesh, but you won’t really find any entertainment here anymore.
Canada
Canada is represented by totem poles, native imagery, waterfalls, and a fancy steak restaurant. According to our readers, Canada is so much more than that! We had quite a few Canadians pipe up in the comments and mention that this pavilion didn’t really look like most of the Canada they know.
As for what could be done to give the Canada Pavilion a facelift, many responses mentioned a quick-service restaurant or a ride could make Canada a top spot in EPCOT. While the theater and waterfalls in the back are cool, our readers would much rather have an attraction instead.
China
The China Pavilion is another area with decor and architecture that’s so impressive — but our readers don’t think that’s enough in this case. The table-service restaurant, Nine Dragons, and the quick-service location, Lotus Blossom Cafe, aren’t touted as the best dining options in EPCOT.
Other than Reflections of China and a Shanghai Disney exhibit, the biggest draw here is the House of Good Fortune — a merchandise shop that runs nearly the entire length of the pavilion. You can find plenty of interesting and culturally significant items in here, but our readers are looking for something a bit more exciting here.
Germany
Get your pretzels, brats, and beers in Germany — but not much else. While there is an exciting table-service spot with Biergarten, and a pretty solid quick-service location with Sommerfest, many fans were quick to mention that Germany is missing a ride.
But, it’s not the only World Showcase pavilion without a ride, so what gives? Well, when it was originally planned, the Germany pavilion was supposed to be home to a boat ride themed after a Rhine River cruise. Ultimately, that never came to fruition and many of our readers are still hopeful that it might one day happen.
American Adventure
The American Adventure Pavilion is the central pavilion in the World Showcase, but several of our readers don’t think it’s representative of the United States. Many mentioned that it just looks like New England or Colonial Williamsburg, and doesn’t represent the diversity of the U.S.
Others felt that there is not enough (or really any) Native American representation in this pavilion, and some were confused as to why we would need an American-themed pavilion when Disney World is already in the United States. We can’t say they don’t have a fair point!
Outpost
Okay, this is technically not a pavilion, but it was supposed to be! When EPCOT was being built, there were supposed to be FAR more pavilions than there are now, but they didn’t happen for a whole host of reasons. One of which was Equatorial Africa — it was even included on the opening day EPCOT map.
But, negotiations for this pavilion dragged on and so this “African Outpost” was built in its place. A few readers wished that Disney would make good on its original plans to build the Equatorial Africa Pavilion or model it after a specific African country.
New Pavilions
A lot of our readers shared that instead of revamping existing pavilions, they’d rather see new ones added! Remember we mentioned EPCOT was originally supposed to have way more pavilions than it does now? Well, it still has the room for extra countries in some spots. Readers mentioned Greece, Brazil, and other South American countries as possibilities.
These pavilions may be in need of some updates, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t still so much to see and do throughout the World Showcase and the rest of EPCOT. Check out our ultimate guide to drinking around the world, and see the best and worst World Showcase restaurants right here.
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Which pavilion do you think needs a revamp? Let us know in the comments!
There is so much more Disney could do with the World Showcase that it doesn’t do. I cannot tolerate all the ‘motion sickness’ type rides and I love wandering around the World Showcase. And I don’t know what is required to change an existing pavilion or add new ones or what the space limitations are. I imagine it is more complicated than adding a ride. The existing countries have elaborate buildings with lots of cultural offerings, although I would not call them exhaustive. But calling the Outpost a reflection of Africa is flat out insulting. So much could be done to incorporate other places , regions, or cultures. South America, more Arab countries, Africa, Eastern Europe, and Arctic and Antarctic regions could all have a place if Disney wanted.
While more pavilions would be a welcome addition, too many existing pavilions do not have a “draw” element, and consist of cutesy buildings and shops. With crowd levels being high a lot of the time, it is not pleasant to struggle through the shops. I really only look forward to Mitsukoshi in Japan, and the big shop in China. The others do not change their merchandise and once you’ve seen it, there’s not much reason to visit again, unless there is a specific item you want to buy.
I would like to see more pavilions containing restrooms.
I would also like to see more restaurants, both quick service and table service, and have the restaurants feature authentic cuisine of their countries. I’m tired of going to a restaurant in a country’s pavilion and finding that the menu is basically the same as all the other restaurants in World Showcase. I’ll bet that many Epcot visitors would be able to find something to eat on a menu that does not contain the standard steak, baked chicken, an overcooked fish dish, and something thrown in and called vegetarian.