World Showcase: Borefest or Brilliant?
Epcot’s World Showcase is often considered boring, unless you like to drink around the world or do some snacking. For its size, it has one of the worst ride distributions in all of Walt Disney World, and more “educational films” than most guests will tolerate. After Disney’s Animal Kingdom, it’s probably the second-most divisive large-scale area in Walt Disney World.
This is a follow-up of sorts to the “I was wrong about Disney’s Animal Kingdom” post, except in this case, we weren’t wrong. We have always (well, since being adults) loved World Showcase, and think it offers a great mix of architecture, details, entertainment, ambiance, dining, and attractions. We probably spend more time in World Showcase than any other area (for lack of a better term…it’s not a land, per se) of Walt Disney World.
Others aren’t necessarily wrong for not liking World Showcase, as it isn’t for everyone. World Showcase is notoriously lacking for small children, and this reputation with families is a reasonably fair one (even despite the couple of rides, coloring station, and Phineas and Ferb game). However, we feel a lot of people who might be inclined to enjoy the World Showcase attractions skip them because of their reputation and the common sentiment that they’re “nothing but boring movies.”
Unlike Disney’s Animal Kingdom, World Showcase isn’t necessarily misunderstood. Most people recognize the beauty of the pavilions and enjoy the dining here, so there’s no point in fixating on how great each of these things are (actually, not to incite controversy or anything, but we think World Showcase has several good restaurants, but its dining is overrated as a whole).
Even the atmospheric entertainment acts seem more popular than in other parks. In the case of World Showcase, it’s pretty much all about the attractions. In the vein of that Animal Kingdom post, we’ll start by looking at World Showcase’s attractions and then move on to where World Showcase is lacking.
Attractions
We’ll start in Mexico and hit each World Showcase pavilion in order, addressing only the moderate to major attractions (skipping smaller exhibits and displays):
Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros (boat ride) – This indoor boat ride that seems like a nighttime cruise through various parts of Mexico as Panchito and Jose search for Donald Duck. If there is one attraction in World Showcase that’s going to appeal to kids, this is it. Gran Fiesta Tour can best be described as a nice diversion with enjoyable music and fun character antics in a culturally rich setting.
This attraction was updated from El Rio del Tiempo a few years ago to add the characters (in the process removing one of my favorite Disney theme park songs), and I think this is one instance of characters breathing life into a dated attraction, but it could probably use even more of an update. For what it is, it’s not a bad little ride, especially one that’s typically a walk-on. Just don’t go in with any sort of expectations.
Maelstrom (boat ride) – This boat ride is supposed to showcase Norway’s sense of adventure. I love Maelstrom for what it is: bizarre, campy fun that is clearly a product of the 1980s. It has everything: trolls, anorexic polar bears, an oil worker who looks like Chuck Norris, and Children of the Corn. It’s also infinitely quotable, with plenty of memorable lines that have great use in everyday life (such as “Back, back! Over the Falls!” and “You are not the first to pass this way, nor shall you be the last.”). I doubt Maelstrom aspires to be this bizarre, as it certainly doesn’t make me want to book a trip to Norway, and guests who lack nostalgia for the attraction or don’t have senses of humor similar to mine probably won’t enjoy it nearly as much as I do, but if you go in with the right mindset, it’s a lot of fun. In the past it has had a lot of issues with maintenance that hinder the experience; many of these have been resolved, but the ride still feels very dated.
Spirit of Norway (film) – This borders on minor/moderate in terms of World Showcase attractions, but we think it’s worth mentioning. For a while, this film was a running joke between us. If the doors to it were open when we got off Maelstrom, we had to race out of the boat to prevent being trapped. If the doors were shut, we were trapped because of the “[Expletive] Norway film!” The theater doors are now left open, but we recently stopped to watch it all the way through for the first time. Much like Maelstrom, parts of the Spirit of Norway are laughably dated, but you can tell the film was well done for its time, and it did make us more interested in Norway. It’s definitely the worst film in World Showcase, but it’s also the shortest, and you should get a chuckle out of some of the outfits and electronics. Not something we’d watch every trip, but amusing once in a while. I think just about everyone agrees that it needs to be updated.
Reflections of China (Circle-Vision 360 film) – This is a major attraction, but I’d hazard a guess that it’s one that most guests have never done. This Circle-Vision 360 film is poetically narrated, and features scenes in China where Western camera crews are not normally allowed.
Much like Impressions de France, it’s beautifully shot and scored. You are enveloped in the action in a way not possible through traditional film, and this 360-degree approach also adds repeat-ability to the attraction, since you can’t possibly see it all in one viewing. We highly recommend Reflections of China to any discerning guest.
The American Adventure (Audio-Animatronics stage show) – The American Adventure has stood the test of time, with only minor changes since EPCOT Center’s opening. It still amazes me each time I see it as I am stunned that so many convincing scenes featuring Audio-Animatronics figures can simply appear out of the ground.
The geek in me would love to see the “war wagon” that organizes and controls these scenes. It’s visually impressive and its take on American history might be a sanitized, CliffNotes version (what do you reasonably expect in a theme park?), but it’s a moving and powerful tribute. For me, this ranks as one of the all-time greatest achievements of Imagineering, and an attraction that always leaves me a little misty-eyed.
Impressions de France (film) – Impressions de France is a panoramic, 220-degree film exploring France. Besides The American Adventure, Living with the Land, and Spaceship Earth, Impressions de France is the only attraction at Epcot that we make sure to experience every trip. It’s one of our picks for “Underrated Walt Disney World Experiences.” In fact, I’ve argued that it’s superior to Soarin’ at Epcot, and I stand by that.
The score is hauntingly beautiful, and the imagery as you swoop through different parts of France is stunning. Besides receiving a digital projection, it remains unchanged since 1982. With the exception of a few 80s outfits here and there, it has aged well. Thanks to its gorgeous footage and a great classical score, I think it’s fairly timeless and hope it isn’t tinkered with anytime soon (there are bigger fish to fry in Epcot, anyway).
O Canada (Circle-Vision 360 film) – O Canada is the newest attraction in World Showcase, and the differences between it and the other films speak to the current mentality of decision-makers versus the mentality in the early 1980s. O Canada is still a beautiful film with awe-inspiring visuals, but instead of minimal, elegant narration, Martin Short hosts with his over-the-top shtick.
Don’t get me wrong, I think Martin Short is hilarious, but I don’t think this is the appropriate venue for his talents. O Canada is still enjoyable and those who find the other films boring are most likely to enjoy this one, but not everything should need to be ostentatious and flashy in order to be considered entertaining. We like it better than the Spirit of Norway, but far prefer Impressions de France and Reflections of China.
Overall, the attraction lineup for the World Showcase is different than what you’d find elsewhere, with the rides actually being the weakest part of the experience, in our opinion. World Showcase’s strengths are its live atmospheric entertainment, its beautiful and fully explorable environments, and its overall ambiance. Quite simply, it’s a fun place to be.
However, since rides are what most guests are inclined to do, they form a negative opinion of World Showcase due to the relative dearth of them. It also doesn’t help that the two rides World Showcase does have are far from headliners. World Showcase might be a boring place for kids (depending upon what they enjoy), but it certainly shouldn’t be for adults. If guests take the time to experience the supposedly boring educational films, they just might find themselves enjoying World Showcase a little more, especially if those films are supplemented with exploring some of the walk-through exhibits, watching the artisans at work, enjoying the live entertainment, and doing a little snacking and drinking!
What’s Wrong With World Showcase?
I don’t think Walt Disney World is all about rides, but I do think World Showcase could use at least one more ride “deeper” in it. Having another family ride that both kids and adults could enjoy would definitely give World Showcase better balance.
With that said, the most common complaint about World Showcase is the abundance of films, and we don’t see any problem with this, whatsoever. In fact, we love the World Showcase films. Not only are films like Impressions de France and Reflections of China brilliantly shot and scored, but these are actually attractions that will encourage guests to visit those countries. Since the goal of each pavilion’s sponsor is to promote tourism to the actual location, these films are more valuable to the countries than rides–even good ones.
Think about it…how many of you want to visit Norway after riding Maelstrom? Probably not many of you who don’t count yourselves as professional troll-hunters. Does seeing Impressions de France make you want to visit France? It made us want to visit, and before planning our trip to France last year, we researched some of the places in the film. These films are able to capture the actual beauty of a foreign country that encourages people to visit in a way that a ride simply cannot. Even the best ride has an attendant fantastical element to it that makes it less likely to convince guests to visit the country it represents.
I’m certain that Rhine River Cruise and the Mt. Fuji Coaster would have been great attractions, but there probably would have been a disconnect between what you experienced on the rides and actual Germany or Japan, making these rides of lesser value from a marketing perspective. Certainly not every guest leaving the World Showcase films is going to log onto Expedia the next day and book a trip to a foreign locale, but I’d hazard a guess that more people visit France, Canada, or China because of those countries’ World Showcase attractions than visit Norway or Mexico because of their World Showcase attractions. I’d also hazard a guess that more people experience the attractions in Norway and Mexico each day than any of the World Showcase films.
The point here is not just that World Showcase films are a necessary evil from the perspective of the Epcot sponsorship model, but also that they play an important role in Epcot’s mission. Since they are (mostly) well made and show cultures with which many guests are unfamiliar in a light that encourages further exploration, they advance the “edutainment” goal of Epcot.
This isn’t to say each pavilion should have nothing but films; I just know that if I were a representative of the country or corporation sponsoring a World Showcase pavilion, I’d be quicker to write a smaller sponsorship check for a film than a larger one for a ride. Based upon the numbers the Parks & Resorts division of The Walt Disney Company does, I’m not so sure the “sponsorship model” is actually necessary.
Sponsors are great, but where they are available, Disney should open up the coffers and build as necessary. A ride in Japan, Italy, or Germany might qualify as such a “necessary” addition. I think it could also use a daytime show on World Showcase Lagoon or even a pre-Illuminations parade, like fan-favorite Tapestry of Nations.
Beyond the attraction balance, my qualms with World Showcase are that it has been calculably adjusted to be a food and beverage cash cow. Flower & Garden Festival was turned into Food & Wine Festival light, and new restaurants and bars have been built in World Showcase at a far greater rate than any other refurbishments, let alone additions.
More and more of World Showcase real estate (and waterfront views!) is disappearing in favor of restaurants, and for nearly half the year, temporary kiosks selling expensive snacks and booze clutter up the place. Entertainment doesn’t seem as prevalent as it once was, and fall weekends are intolerable because management seems fine allowing World Showcase to turn into a satellite frat party for UCF–so long as it means plenty of liquor sales!
Ethnic cuisine is an important part of the World Showcase experience, but it isn’t the only important part, and for the last few years, it seems that has been the sole focus of adjustments and additions to World Showcase. Beyond balancing out the attraction lineup, it would be nice to see Disney recognize that World Showcase is a part of a theme park, not a fancy setting for a fancy food court, and make improvements and changes to it accordingly.
Overall, World Showcase is an incredible place to just pass time and enjoy “other” elements of the theme park experience besides attractions, but it’s not too shabby when it comes to attractions–just not rides–either. Kids are least likely to enjoy it, although we think there is a reasonable number of things for them to do in World Showcase, too. We think World Showcase is probably best for couples, especially those looking for the adult side of Walt Disney World, but any adults should be able to find ways to have fun in World Showcase!
Planning a Walt Disney World trip? Learn about hotels on our Walt Disney World Hotels Reviews page. For where to eat, read our Walt Disney World Restaurant Reviews. To save money on tickets or determine which type to buy, read our Tips for Saving Money on Walt Disney World Tickets post. Our What to Pack for Disney Trips post takes a unique look at clever items to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Ride Guides will help. For comprehensive advice, the best place to start is our Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide for everything you need to know!
Your Thoughts…
How do you feel about World Showcase? Have you done all of the attractions listed here? What would you like to see added to World Showcase? Hearing from you is half the fun, so share your thoughts in the comments!
So I feel compelled to mention that the Norway pavilion did inspire me to visit Norway. After a lot of Epcot trips at impressionable ages, Norway wound up at the top of my must-see list.
I spent a week there in 2003, and had an amazing time. The ride is definitely ridiculous (in a fun way), but I think it does capture a bit of the spirit of the country. The landscape is so beautiful and dramatic, and it does have that untamed/adventurous feel. And there are trolls everywhere, but they’re the plastic or stuffed kind. 🙂
We’re taking our first family trip to WDW next month, and I can’t wait to see what inspires my kids.
Great post!
The music for El Rio del Tiempo is one of my all time favorite Disney Parks tracks! So glad to hear someone else is nostalgic for it. If the music was still part of the attraction, I might be able to do more than just tolerate the Gran Fiesta Tour. Blech.
Last year, my entire family rode Gran Fiesta together, and my dad (who loves Disney but hadn’t been in awhile) responded with, “They HAVE to be able to do better than that.” My husband responded with, “I wish every country had a boat ride.” I tend to agree with both of their sentiments. I know that a ride or attraction in every country isn’t realistic, but I feel like at least if that German river cruise would have come to fruition, it would have added a lot to WS.
I love World Showcase and am anxious to see how it continues to develop over the years. Fingers crossed for more than just waterside restaurants…
How have I been WDW 4 times in the past four years and NOT taken the time to see Impressions de France, Reflections of China, or O Canada.. yet I’ve managed to see Ellen’s Energy Adventure and Captain EO?? This is shameful. We love Epcot world showcase, and it’s the primary reason a trip to Disneyland will never give us the same excitement as a trip to WDW.
On a side note- what’s up with being kicked to SmugMug whenever I click on one of your glorious photos? I preferred the old style where I would click and the image would become slightly larger (but still disappointingly small)
I would try to make you feel better, but…that is pretty shameful! 😉
As for the photos, on any article that uses my “stock” photos (so basically everything except dining reviews and trip reports), I try to pull the photos from my SmugMug galleries where I upload all of my “best” photos. This accomplishes two things: 1) it eases the strain on my server in having to host images, and 2) it allows me to use photos that can be viewed at full size. It’s annoying that it goes to another site, but I still prefer this option to using smaller images. I think the photos to be as large as possible, and I’m already pushing it using 1024px photos (you might have noticed that in the last few months I bumped up the size from 640px to 1024px) with the other articles. I’d upload everything to SmugMug, but that would be too much work.
You missed one of the attractions!! The margarita ride in Mexico!! Ok, so maybe that a joke. But Cava de Tequila will always be considered an attraction for me, my friends always make a stop their for the best Margs in the park! Coffee, Avacado, and Cucumber are all incredibly delicious margaritas!
Great post! And for me, Epcot is my favorite. It’s an experience every time.
La Cava is basically an attraction in itself, you’re right! Out of all the recent restaurant addition, that one is by far the best.
We love World Showcase! The American Adventure is my favorite part of Epcot. It’s always exhilarating to see and hear and smell and taste all the different cultures coming together as you make the loop. We bought my 8-year-old son the passport set, and he loved seeing the different written languages in his book, as well as hearing the accents while getting them. He took his passport to school for show and tell, and he had a couple of foreign exchange students read and translate their native languages from it (which was exciting for all of them.) It has really encouraged us to learn more about other countries.
Seeing the “war wagon” of the American Adventure during a Backstage Magic tour was one of the greatest Disney experiences I’ve ever had. I was only there for ten minutes, but it was just so moving to be so close to the animatronics. And seeing the huge sets being pushed and pulled and these elements all working together perfectly was really incredible to see. Also, it was interesting to see how cramped the place was. It was difficult to appreciate just how big the building really is.
As for space for an ride or another nation to be represented, I wonder if there would be enough space where the millennium village building is? I think it’s time they do something substantial with that area, personally.
Awesome that you got to see the war wagon. We might just have to do that tour now!
As for space, it may not look like it, but there are several expansion pads in World Showcase, even without removing Millennium Village they could add new countries.
I know changes to tours can alter experiences and regardless of how much I enjoyed it, it may not be for everyone, but based on my experience, I recommend the tour for Disney World fans who want to try something different and don’t mind having the magic “ruined”. (I appreciate the magic even more when I see all the hard work that goes on behind the scenes.) Of course for obvious reasons, there’s not much opportunity for photography, but I do recall it being okay to take pictures at the greenhouses where the topiaries are developed.
That’s true about there being more room for expansion elsewhere, but it would be nice to see something happen on a more permanent scale for the old Millennium Village. Though the Millennium Village is far from a beloved classic, it makes me sad to see untapped real estate (I’m looking at you, Wonders of Life pavilion and upstairs ImageWorks). And while I suppose it’s not hurting anything remaining closed and the average park guest would walk past it, I can’t help but to walk by and think “I remember you…” like seeing a classmate who has really let themselves go ten years after graduation. And sure Millennium Village was no class valedictorian by any means, there’s still untapped potential there.
“Beyond balancing out the attraction lineup, it would be nice to see Disney recognize that World Showcase is a part of a theme park, not a fancy setting for a fancy food court, and make improvements and changes to it accordingly.”
This is so true and I could not agree more. It really feels like the place has become a “Hey grab something you can eat/drink and sit/stand around and look at the water with nothing happening on it. That is not really a bad thing to do, most would actually enjoy but like you said, that is not the World Showcase theme.
Colleen and I both LOVE World Showcase and it’s shows. I am a sucker for shows as well. I am not a big history buff but I LOVE watching American Adventure. It actually makes me want to learn more about our country and how we got to where we are today.
World Showcase is especially awesome at night. Especially if you have someone to hold hands with and enjoy the surroundings. It’s awesome to sit down somewhere in Italy and hear the accordion pumping through the speakers and get lost with your mate for a few minutes.
As far as rides go…I saw add Egypt and lets get a ride that will take you into the pyramids and what not. “The Pyramids” would be a PERFECT fit. A ride through them would be awesome, creepy, and adventurous all at once.
My only issue with Epcot (and it’s entirely our fault) is that if you don’t literally take the time and enjoy the shows, films, and ride…you can walk right through it fairly quick and find yourself at Mexico or Canada saying “I really don’t wanna go back through there again.” So if I could offer any advice to anyone…World Showcase is a pretty awesome to just “hang out”. Or just wonder around the pavilions and see things from that respective country. Enjoy the sights and sounds. Take it all in…it is built to awesome to just walk through and ignore all of that.
Egypt would be a great addition to the World Showcase. There are a number of countries that would, and despite how “full” World Showcase looks, there’s actually ample room.
When I read my old EPCOT Center books and see the plans for all that countries that never came to fruition, it makes me sad. I love what’s there, but I think expanding would be great.
Even if Disney wants World Showcase to remain a place to sell food & beverages, it seems like this would be in their best interests. More countries=more places to have restaurants…
My only concern with Egypt is its similarity to Morocco. Right now the Morocco pavilion is the only country representing an Arab country. As such, it is unofficially functioning as a generic window to the Arab world.
Having been to Egypt myself I can confidently say that a Morocco and Egypt pavilion may be too similar to each other. As it stands, the shops and the things they sell (all the knick-knacks, trinkets, carpets, lamps, teas sets, etc.) are the same things that would be sold in an Egyptian market.
Of course, if they did do Egypt they could do a mini version of the famous Kahn al Kalili market in Cairo. As far as the pyramids go… you can go inside. There’s nothing to see. It’s just a cramped tunnel that dead ends. Hardly, E Ticket material.
Honestly, I think Turkey would be a better option. Istanbul is an incredible city. You’d get a mix of European and Arab culture, interesting food, the Grand Bazaar, and fabulous architecture. I think I would make a stunning pavilion while being totally different from any other pavilion.
Epcot & WORLDSHOWCASE are the main reasons we visit Disney every year, its amazing and so much fun. LOVE IT!!!
An interesting piece. I totally agree with you about the American Adventure– a feat of imagineering. Ben Feanklin and Mark Twain are the perfect hosts. In college to be a social studies teacher, I read a book deriding this attraction and Hall of Presidents for their historical inaccuracies, but as you point out, what do you expect from a theme park?
Not as enthusiastic about France and China films. They are aesthetically beautiful but heavy- handed in their delivery. I had never thought if WS as a glorified food court as we don’t really go there to eat or drink a lot, but you are right about where Disney is directing its investments in the area. So sad.
We think that what WS really needs is an infusion of new countries like Brazil, South Africa, and Australia– to reflect areas of the world that are noticeably lacking now. It may be a pipe dream with the economy the way it is now, but it is time. I’m no imagineer, but with today’s technology, the challenge should be to make Attractions that feel like a fun ride but have the sense of place that you’ve noted is so important.
It always cracks me up when people criticize American Adventure or Hall of Presidents for presenting sanitized versions of history or leaving things out. Of course things are left out, the shows have less than 30 minutes to present on topics that span hundreds of years. As for being sanitized, again, no shock there. Disney theme parks are largely escapes from reality with very optimistic tones. Fixating on the negative would leave a bad taste in the mouths of guests and fly in the face of everything else Disney does. These attractions should be applauded for their ambition, and the fact that they can pique guests’ interest in history, who can then go out and research the “full story” if they so desire.
World Showcase has always been my favourite area, even since my first trip many years ago when I was 8 years old. However in recent years I find myself loving it slightly less. I think it’s a combination of the fact that parts of it really need updating (the Norway film is an embarrassment), and (as you put it) it becoming a glorified food court. I would like to see some kind of development that didn’t just involve new restaurants or bars. I think an E-ticket in World Showcase would probably throw the whole area off-balance, but a couple of new, small rides would be a start.
I also wonder what kind of strain an E-Ticket would put on the infrastructure of the World Showcase. If there were one, I think it would need to be set back a little further than other pavilions with a large indoor queue so the line didn’t overflow outside and cause congestion.
My Dad always derogatorily called the World Showcase “gift shops and restaurants from around the world.” It’s a nice place to look around, but it is one heluva lot of walking.
Our family loves World Showcase too! Our daughter has loved it since she was 4 and we visited Epcot at Thanksgiving. Each country had a display that told how they celebrated a winter holiday, and in many countries there was a storyteller dressed as that country’s version of Santa. Our daughter also loved getting her Epcot passport stamped and personally signed by the kind castmembers in each country, they each wrote a little something special about their country! We enjoyed searching for the penny squasher in each country and trying on hats! Now that our daughter is older (12), we look for all the details in each country and take lots of pictures! We always enjoy visiting a country in the World Showcase that we have visited in real life and reliving our memories of those trips! (i.e. we compare the pastries in the France Pavilion, to the ones we had in France etc). We always spend at least one afternoon and many evening strolls in the World Showcase!
Holidays Around the World with the Storytellers is a great time, especially if the weather is mild. (It’s tough to watch some of them all the way through on a hot, sunny day!)
I love world showcase. I think one of the reasons is because I am able to see how I have grown up. When I was little the best part of the countries was coloring a mask and trying to go to all of the kid cot fun stops for stamps. Now I see the kids making duffys and Perrys and smile. But now I prefer to go through every shop, eat gelato, and listen to British revolution. My sister and I even got henna in morocco this past trip. I am looking forward to turning 21 to be able to drink around the world. I can see that I have grown up in the other parks but because the countries have so many options on how to experience them, I find it fun to repeat some traditions from when i was little and try new things each visit.
I get where you’re coming from with this. When I was really young, about the only thing that entertained me was the daytime show on World Showcase Lagoon, getting passport stamps, and the double-decker bus of characters. As I started getting older, I gradually appreciated the countries more and more.
You’ve all but glossed over my favorite part of the World Showcase. I love the live entertainment. There are so many little shows and live music acts, you can easily spend an afternoon and evening just hopping from show to show.
Here’s a list, check some of them out next trip!
Canada – Off Kilter (bagpipe rock!)
UK – British Revolution, World Showcase Players, and the Pub Musician (in the pub)
France – Serveur Amusant
Morocco – MoRockin and the Belly Dancer (in the restaurant)
Japan – Matsuriza (drummers) and Miyuki (candy sculptor)
USA – Voices of Liberty and the Fife and Drum Corps
Italy – Sergio (juggler) and the Ziti Sisters
Germany – Oktoberfest Musicians (in the restaurant)
China – Jeweled Dragon Acrobats
Mexico – Mariachi Cobre
Future World – the Jammitors
I fully agree. I’d welcome even more live entertainment, but there is a lot to enjoy. The entertainment really brings the country pavilions to life and is great fun for kids and adults alike.
The Chinese Acrobats are really amazing and the French Waiters are awesome as well.
Those waiters in France are so impressive. I love watching them. I can’t believe I didn’t think to use a photo of them as one of the pics here…maybe I’ll have to make a change.
I didn’t gloss over them, I just didn’t feel they were worth mentioning because I don’t think they’re misunderstood. Whenever any of these groups perform, we always see very large crowds around them–guests seem to love them! As I pointed out in the article, I was only going to focus on the attractions, as I think those are what many guests underappreciate.
Thanks for the list of performers, though, as it will help anyone who is not familiar with World Showcase see just how much great atmospheric entertainment World Showcase has. And these performers all truly are GREAT!
I love the World Showcase! Definitely brilliant!
I seem to spend more time in the World Showcase than I do in Future World. Honestly, I’m usually killing time during the morning in Future World while I wait for the World Showcase to open up.
Of the four parks at WDW, I generally spend the most time in either the Magic Kingdom or at Epcot. However, without a doubt, I take the most pictures at Epcot and the vast majority of those pictures are at the World Showcase.
I love the diversity of food and eat in the Showcase frequently. Tangerine Café makes for an “exotic” option when you’re sick of typical theme park fast food.
Personally, I don’t go to the Showcase for attractions (although I do love the Grand Fiesta Tour. Instead, I see it as a beautiful example of one of Disney’s best features: Rich and immersive environments. World Showcase is a wonderful blend of architecture and world cultures. I can wander around and waste hours there, soaking up all the details.
Traveling is my hobby and I am addicted to culture shock. I understand the World Showcase isn’t anything like actually traveling to these countries but it still is a way to feed my addiction, even if for just half a day. 🙂
As a side not: The World Showcase has actually moved me to want to travel to one of it’s countries, even without a film. 😉 In fact, I am traveling to Morocco in a couple months. The Morocco pavilion has always fascinated me and I finally bit the bullet and purchased the airfare! I’m so excited to see the Koutoubia minaret in person.
We spend much more time in World Showcase than Future World, too. Also agree that Tangierine Cafe is one of the best counter service restaurants in all of Walt Disney World. (It was not a part of the ‘overrated’ bunch mentioned in the article.)
Also very cool that the World Showcase inspired you to travel to Morocco. You should send an email/letter to their National Office of Tourism sharing that: http://www.tourisme.gov.ma/english/1-Administration-tourisme/3-Organisation/onmt.htm I’m sure they appreciate feedback like that, and who knows, it might help the pavilion get more funding! 🙂
That’s actually a great idea! I never thought of that. I’d love to support the pavilion.
Unfortunately, it looks like the website is a little out of date and the contact link is broken.
World Showcase is definitely not a borefest! We love visiting the different countries, talking with the different people, and (of course) eating the different foods. During our last Disney visit, we arrived at the World Showcase at 11, and spent the entire day there. We saw most of the videos and did the rides in Norway and Mexico. We skipped the American Adventure (not communists), but saw the other attractions. Our kids also love the World Showcase portion of Epcot…they have since they were little!l
We believe that it was a great idea, on our part, to make Epcot a two day visit.
Are you SURE you’re not communists?! 😉
My family (wife and now 13 year old son) love the World Showcase. Epcot is our favorite park (and has been my son’s since he was little), and much of the draw is the World Showcase.
I do love Spaceship Earth though… the old version better, but either way, love it 🙂
We’ll be back in two weeks and expect to spend a good bit of time there.
Excellent topic, Tom! Your post gave me a moment of pause, because WDW has an advantage none of their other world wide resorts really have. Every acre, every square foot doesn’t have to try and appeal to the largest number of people. For all of my (quite legitimate!) gripes about the World, it has some amazing redeeming features like the ability to offer a stunning variety of enjoyable experiences.
I approach World Showcase the same way I approach any place in the world I might travel to. I want to see what it’s about, and take in the various and sundry points of interest, but for me its mostly about the people (and the food!). I love wandering through World Showcase not knowing whom I may meet, but eager to engage with the people I do. This goes for cast and guests. Striking up a conversation in a store, on a bench, or in a restaurant is great fun for me!
One of my favorite memories of World Showcase was a dinner I reluctantly agreed to at the hibachi restaurant in Japan. Yes, I cringed when he suggested it, but my mom taught me at a young age how to have a wonderful time anyplace I may venture. We were seated with a family with four children. Much to my delight there was an al a carte menu with more traditional Japanese fare. We had already struck up a conversation with the whole family when the plates started coming out. Fortunately the benign (if not pedestrian) edamame was first, which I introduced the kids to and they loved. They were then eager to sample everything else that came out. This engaged the cast, and we ended up having an amazing cultural exchange, completely unexpected.
Sure, World Showcase could use another attraction or two, or more importantly fill in some of the vacant plots with countries from regions not yet well represented. The only complaint I’ve ever had is that it’s too perfect – it’s hard for me to suspend reality because it’s so pristine, and all the “locals” speak perfect English. This dilemma was rightfully solved at Animal Kingdom in brilliant fashion, as you described in a recent post.
But to all the naysayers out there, find one of us fans and discover a glorious other way to “theme park.” You have no idea how much fun you’re missing!
Oh, and people who don’t like American Adventure, don’t marvel at the story or technology, or call it a “movie” are *totally* communists.
very well said & i agree
That’s a good point about talking to the Cast Members. One of the little things that makes the World Showcase special to me is that when in Norway, the CM’s are actually Norwegian and the like. We’ve spent a fair bit of time at the Kidcot coloring stations and it’s fun to chat with the CM’s about their home countries.
I agree with you up until you speak to the over-perfection of World Showcase. First, since the countries (or major companies from those countries) are sponsoring the pavilions, they aren’t going to want gritty realism. Even assuming there were no sponsors, I wouldn’t want gritty realism. I think most people are intelligent enough to realize these are idealized visions of countries of the world, not wholly authentic recreations in every regard. Imagine France with fliers for nudy shows scattered on the ground, or American Adventure with rats running lose. Heck, imagine in New Orleans Square was like the ACTUAL New Orleans. The places wouldn’t be quite so pleasant.
Animal Kingdom’s environments work because they focus on areas of the world that either aren’t fully developed or are ancient and have “ruins.” These areas match our expectations for how they might look (and even then, certain aesthetic unpleasantness is sanitized or exaggerated) and we don’t think anything negative of these locales as a result. If you took places from Germany, England, France, etc. and showed their “gritty” sides, I don’t think guests would react to that in quite the same way.
Eeek! Definitely a bad analogy on my part. What I meant to say is that a lot of it lacks that “lived in” look achieved in New Orleans Square and to a much greater extent the Hotel Mira Costa. That, and the popcorn lights! I definitely wouldn’t argue for dog poop on the streets of France in Epcot!
Maybe I am weird (most likely :p) but even when I was very young Epcot was always my favorite park and the World Showcase was my favorite area of Epcot. I am not a ride person so the lack of rides doesn’t bother me, and I have always felt that wonder and magic that you want to feel in Disney while walking through and “experiencing” different architecture and culture in a little walk-through. I have every intention of dragging my kids around the World Showcase this year when I take them for the first time and I hope that they appreciate it for what it is.
Yeah, that’s weird! 😉
Actually, I think it’s great that you enjoyed World Showcase from a young age, and even better that you’re trying to do the same for your kids. Kudos!
Kerri ~ you’re definitely not weird! My first visit to Epcot was in 1984, when it was still very unfinished and, to this day, it remains my favorite park. I was lucky enough to spend time in Canada and Europe, and fell in love with traveling and all that comes with it (food, shopping), so Epcot is always top of the list when we visit, for nostalgic reasons, as well as the food (and the shopping)! Not a ride person, either, and I haven’t seen ONE of the films mentioned in the article (though I will next summer when we go), and I certainly agree in the magical element of Disney while exploring the different pavilions. If I could move into the park, I would. :o)
It is so easy to accidentally short-change World Showcase when you have just a single day in EPCOT (as is usually the case). Yes, I always eat there, but otherwise there’s no telling what will catch my fancy. No single attraction there has been a part of every visit. The American Adventure has fantastic audio animatronics and is a great show, but I have to admit that I’ve drowsed off in there after a long day in the park. It has actually been quite some time since I’ve taken in the various movies, but I’ve vowed to change that when I’m there for the Food & Wine festival in late October.
Sarah always falls asleep in the American Adventure. Probably because she’s a communist.
Are you one, too?! 😉
My wife falls asleep in there all the time too!
I’m thinking that they should have installed the Starbucks there instead of in Future World for three reasons: 1) To give our pinko commie wives an extra jolt before the show, 2) nothing’s more American than overcharging for a mediocre cup of coffee, and 3) many people would go to great lengths for a mediocre cup of coffee, and that would be the perfect way to get them to go further into the park and past all the restaurants.
…and now I’m going to sound like a FRENCH commie:
They reaaaalllllly need to get the footage of Lance Armstrong out of the American Adventure film. The guy is an admitted cheater who ruined other peoples’ lives with his denials and does not represent what the U.S. should be about. As an international tourist spot, WDW needs to be aware of exactly how jarring his presence is.
Accusing people of being commies?! Walt would be proud, as he acussed every union worker and thensome of being communist!
Also I totally agree that Lance Armstrong needs to be removed from the American Adventure.
We were in EPCOT in October 2012 when Lance Armstrong was stripped of his Tour de France titles and so it was particularly jarring to see him in the finale of the American Adventure attraction… You can see him briefly here https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=uGhMjDZlaqU#t=643 at the 10:43 mark although all the controversy surrounding him at the time made his appearance seem not so brief and not deserving of being up there in tribute with the others… I have wondered if he was cut from the presentation since then… I would be interested to know if anyone can comment when he was last still seen for sure or if anyone knows if anyone from Disney has made statements on if and when the film might be updated…