Hey…why is everyone lining up for an abandoned restaurant in EPCOT? Is there some kind of secret gathering going on in Disney World? Why, yes, yes, there is — wanna go inside and see what’s happening?
You’re in luck — we went inside Restaurant Marrakesh in the Morocco Pavilion at EPCOT, and we’re giving you a full tour. While Restaurant Marrakesh does not operate as a restaurant these days, every so often, it will open its doors as an exclusive lounge. Now that the V.I.PASSHOLDER Summer Days event has started in Disney World, this spot is home to an exclusive Passholder Lounge.
Attention, Disney World Annual Passholders — you’re going to want to listen up! Head on over to the Morocco Pavilion between now and Sunday, July 13th, to enjoy a cool, air-conditioned respite from the hustle and bustle of EPCOT. It’s open daily from 11 AM to 7 PM.
So, what’s it like in there? Well, the exclusive Passholder Lounge offers complimentary snacks and water, charging stations, a special Disney PhotoPass opportunity, and an exclusive Passholder button.
Note that capacity is limited, and lounge availability is on a first-come, first-served basis. During our visit, we noticed a line starting to form about thirty minutes before the lounge opened.
In fact, by 11:15 AM, fifteen minutes after the lounge opened, most of the tables were taken. The good news is that we noticed people slowly trickling out, so if you wait long enough, you can probably get a seat.
Make sure to pick up a free Annual Passholder button, too!
As we left, we noticed that there was NO line to enter the lounge. It’s hard to say for certain whether crowds will (or won’t) form around the lounge, but we do NOT recommend “rope dropping” the lounge on or before 11 AM. Don’t waste your time!
Obviously, we loved the crisp, cool air conditioning. You can’t beat it on a hot day in EPCOT! Plus, who can say no to free snacks? During our visit, the complimentary snack options included:
- Stacy’s Garlic and Parmesan Herb Pita Chips
- Fruit Bowl Nut Free Mix
- Water
- Moroccan Mint Tea (hot)
Our haul Now, this is where things get interesting. In the past, Disney has held “surprise” character meet-and-greets here, and we’ve met Genie inside the Passholder Lounge. This year, it looks like Disney is instead offering a “special Disney PhotoPass opportunity,” which is currently a Magic Shot with Abu and Genie. (This means the characters “magically” appear in your photo AFTER it’s taken) A Cast Member did hint that there could be a new Magic Shot in June.
According to a Cast Member, it does not sound like there will be characters at the lounge this year, but we’ll keep our eyes and ears out for updates. The My Disney Experience does not show any additional characters in the Morocco Pavilion at this time.
Don’t forget! To enter the lounge, each Passholder must show a valid Annual Pass card, linked MagicBand, MagicBand+, or Disney MagicMobile pass, AND a valid government-issued photo ID.
This is a fun little perk for Annual Passholders, but we must admit, we’re a little sad that the character meet-and-greet is gone this year. But hey — at least we get free snacks! In the meantime, we’re always on the lookout for the latest Disney news, so stay tuned for more.
If you’re looking for a travel agent to help with your vacation, we recommend our friends at Mouse Fan Travel. They’re experts in the field with over 20 years of vacation planning experience, and they can help take a bunch of the stress out of the entire booking process for you!
Walt Disney World Annual Pass – The Ultimate Guide
Have you ever visited this lounge? Let us know in the comments!
Please, Please, Please put the restaurant back!!!!