Nothing beats traveling the world in a 1.2-mile stretch! Epcot’s World Showcase is one of our favorite areas to stroll on Walt Disney World property. With 11 countries represented (Mexico, Norway, China, Germany, Italy, America, Japan, Morocco, France, United Kingdom, and Canada), a trip around the World Showcase boasts different cultures that are just waiting to be explored! Slow your stroll with us as we check out ten things you might have missed in Epcot’s World Showcase.
1 – Kidcot Fun Spots
Each country has as a Kidcot Fun Spot where children and adults alike can meet cast members from the host countries and receive special informational cards, stickers, and a very cool themed bag fro Ziplock to collect everything in. It’s a great way for kids of all ages to learn more about the pavilions they are visiting. The best part… this scavenger hunt is FREE!
2 – Mexico’s Control Room
The Mexico Pavilion is probably one of the most well-known and popular pavilions in the World Showcase. The huge representation of a Mesoamerican pyramid is absolutely spectacular, and the dining and shopping inside are just as wonderful. Before you scurry in for a tequila-filled refreshment, pause for a moment and look up at the top of the pyramid. Hidden away from sight is a small technical office that controls Epcot’s nightly fireworks show. Look to the Mexico pavilion for thanks during your next Epcot Forever experience!
3 – China’s Echo
Without a doubt, one of the most beautiful structures in all of Epcot is the replica of the Temple of Heaven in China’s pavilion. Inside, guests can enjoy Reflections of China, a circle-vision 360° movie about China’s history. If you have a moment when the room is not full of people, stand in the very center of the room and say something. Your voice will perfectly echo back to you!
4 – Germany’s Cuckoo Clock
Biergarten Restaurant is the highlight in Germany, among many other delicious treats and excellent shopping. Guests will see a large clock at the back of the pavilion above Biergarten. This is actually a cuckoo clock that opens on the hour! A bird pops out at the very top, and a wooden boy and girl come forward with a bell below the bird. It’s a fun little surprise to spot when your visit to Germany falls on the hour.
5 – Italy’s Oven Trio
Sometimes, pizza just sounds like the perfect choice for a meal! Well, pizza at Via Napoli Ristorante e Pizzeria in Epcot’s Italy pavilion is anything but your typical pizza. It’s outstanding with thin crust, fresh mozzarella cheese, San Marzano tomatoes, and real Caputo flour imported from Southern Italy. A highlight that’s often overlooked in Italy is Via Napoli’s trio of wood-burning ovens. These ovens are named after three active volcanoes in Italy: Mount Etna, Mount Vesuvius, and Stromboli. The ovens even have faces, which makes it look like the pizza is being slid right into the mouths of Etna, Vesuvius, and Stromboli!
6 – Japan’s Pick-A-Pearl
If you’ve been in Japan’s Mitsukoshi Gift Shop, you’ve likely seen or heard of Pick-A-Pearl. For a fee, guests are assisted by VERY enthusiastic Cast Members to pick an oyster out of the large, oyster-filled display of water. Once the oyster is picked, the Cast Member will open it to reveal the pearl. The pearl is now yours as a great souvenir to place into jewelry or display. FYI – they say the biggest and most beautiful pearls come from the ugliest of oysters.
7 – Morocco’s Belly Dancers
Never in a million years would we have thought we’d be seeing belly dancers at Walt Disney World… but we were wrong! Visit Restaurant Marrakesh in Morocco’s pavilion to experience savory dishes with a Moroccan kick. While dining, entertainment is provided by belly dancers! These belly dancers are amazingly talented and make you want to dance right along next to them, which they invite the children to do so. Restaurant Marrakesh is one of the least popular restaurants in Epcot, meaning it’s typically not difficult to drop in for a meal if you don’t have a reservation.
8 – France’s Serveur Amusant
If you want entertainment, don’t miss Serveur Amusant in Epcot’s France pavilion. Sometimes overlooked, this is one World Showcase entertainment act that we’d highly recommend scheduling into your plans. Serveur Amusant are street performers who arrive in France at select times. French acrobats show off their unbelievable skills through balancing and coordination. Chairs stacked ridiculously high with a man balancing on them (and no net!) is scarily entertaining to watch!
9 – Canada’s Interesting Soap
You thought we’d mention the totem poles, garden, or even Le Cellier, but instead, we throw soap at you! Here’s the perfect souvenir for the person that seems to have everything. Canada’s gift shop features all sorts of unique gifts… including special organic soap. These soap bars smell amazing but have names like Beaver Butt, Sasquatch Sweat, Bear Breath, and Piggy Poop. Don’t miss them!
10 – Nod’s to Remy in the France Pavilion Expansion
The France pavilion expansion and Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure offer a veritable feast of “Ratatouille”-related details fans of the film are sure to devour. The Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure marquee is 10 feet tall and more than 14 feet wide, featuring nearly 200 lights, hand-applied gold leaf, and a sculpture of Chef Remy. Outside the theater are Chef Skinner’s scooter and Chef Colette’s motorbike, which make for fun photo opportunities for fans of the film. A Remy motif runs throughout the pavilion expansion, with his image incorporated into a manhole cover, park benches, iron railings, a newsstand, and a fountain. Finally, the waterside pathway leading to the France pavilion expansion is called Rue Auguste Gusteau, an homage to the famous chef.
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