News EPCOT's Garden House Kiosk Now Closed, Construction Walls Installed in Japan Pavilion

[HauntedPirate]

Seating...

View attachment 898194

I only see two garbage cans and lots of ledges.

 

[James Alucobond]

I only see two garbage cans and lots of ledges.

This is one section of the seating up the ramp.

 

[Comped]

and the Japan pavilion has plenty of other places for other things food/drink wise, Katsura Grill, that shaved ice stand that has other offerings, of course the upstairs dining and Mitsukoshi itself has a lot of things for sale.

I have a friend who lives in Japan, and he is consistantly jelous that we have one of those stores and he has to drive hours for it. His are bigger though.

I think now especially that you can order almost anything from anywhere through the internet, food and drink from different places is still a little more unique and harder to get, making it more tempting for guests to buy over traditional merchandise. Saying that, they need to find a balance as the festivals are making Epcot feel like a farmers market

Am I wrong to say that this should be the purpose of a festival center?

 

[ChrisFL]

I have a friend who lives in Japan, and he is consistantly jelous that we have one of those stores and he has to drive hours for it. His are bigger though.

yeah, just a bit

 

[Comped]

yeah, just a bit

View attachment 898203

Unironically I've always been surprised the company has never opened up a larger location somewhere in the Orlando area. We've proven with H Mart and Lotte Mart there's a market...

 

[MisterPenguin]

I only see two garbage cans and lots of ledges.

For an EPCOT festival, that's fine dining!!

 

[HauntedPirate]

This is one section of the seating up the ramp.
View attachment 898198

I know, I’ve eaten there several times. And we even sat at a table!

 

[twilight mitsuk]

I know, I’ve eaten there several times. And we even sat at a table!

Unironically I've always been surprised the company has never opened up a larger location somewhere in the Orlando area. We've proven with H Mart and Lotte Mart there's a market...

how about city walk and mco?

 

[WorldExplorer]

no added seating? They keep making additions like this but then there is no ample seating for the amount of people anymore cramming into these areas. I won't even start on the continued mess regarding the bakery in France.

The effort to put more seats into the front half of the park should've gone into World Showcase. Japan is fine because its quick service is easily missed so most people don't eat there and it's got the garden tables, but France, Mexico, and the UK are all places where I would have liked to eat more often but I didn't feel like either fighting for a spot or hightailing it to Regal Eagle to steal a table there.

(Regal Eagle also fills up, it's just inside and has drinks so more worth the fight.)

 

[Comped]

The effort to put more seats into the front half of the park should've gone into World Showcase. Japan is fine because it's quick service is easily missed so most people don't eat there and it's got the garden tables, but France, Mexico, and the UK are all places where I would have liked to eat more often but I didn't feel like either fighting for a spot or hightailing it to Regal Eagle to steal a table there.

(Regal Eagle also fills up, it's just inside and has drinks so more worth the fight.)

I will die on the hill that RE is some of the best BBQ in Orlando, and certainly one of the most consistent places to eat in WS, so it's well worth the wait.

 

[WorldExplorer]

I will die on the hill that RE is some of the best BBQ in Orlando, and certainly one of the most consistent places to eat in WS, so it's well worth the wait.

The food is fine. I just ended up eating there way too much because because it has the best seating situation in World Showcase and potentially Epcot in general (decent amount of tables, indoors, free refills, not ugly). I got sick of it.

 

[HauntedPirate]

The effort to put more seats into the front half of the park should've gone into World Showcase. Japan is fine because it's quick service is easily missed so most people don't eat there and it's got the garden tables, but France, Mexico, and the UK are all places where I would have liked to eat more often but I didn't feel like either fighting for a spot or hightailing it to Regal Eagle to steal a table there.

(Regal Eagle also fills up, it's just inside and has drinks so more worth the fight.)

Wow. You're too good for garbage cans and ledges? How elitist. Maybe TDO should implement "Disney Table+", where you can pay $150 (per day, per guest, per park) to reserve a spot at a table in advance.

 

[castlecake2.0]

The food is fine. I just ended up eating there way too much because because it has the best seating situation in World Showcase and potentially Epcot in general (decent amount of tables, indoors, free refills, not ugly). I got sick of it.

They should use some of the expansion pads for dining pavilions around the lagoon. The standing tables aren’t cutting it anymore when the festivals are so long. Also the seating situation for the France bakery/ice cream is criminal.

 

[christine7257]

Wow. You're too good for garbage cans and ledges? How elitist. Maybe TDO should implement "Disney Table+", where you can pay $150 (per day, per guest, per park) to reserve a spot at a table in advance.

Back in 2014 for the Food and Wine festival you could book the "Premium package" where you did essentially reserve a table (standing height and limited shade). It was poorly communicated and described so I don't know that it was very popular and probably difficult to run so it never returned. Full description at link above but included welcome gift in the room with a bottle of wine, a wine glass, special magic band, gift card, and credentials to use Mon-Thurs to access to certain areas around World Showcase and a CM would actually go to the festival booths for you and bring you back your desired food. There was also some late night/after hours event. We weren't able to go that year so never tried it but would love to have seen how it worked. Anyway, they've done it before so who knows, could come back around, especially in this upcharge era. Maybe the "luxury" tents in Magic Kingdom will come back too!

 

[HauntedPirate]

Back in 2014 for the Food and Wine festival you could book the "Premium package" where you did essentially reserve a table (standing height and limited shade). It was poorly communicated and described so I don't know that it was very popular and probably difficult to run so it never returned. Full description at link above but included welcome gift in the room with a bottle of wine, a wine glass, special magic band, gift card, and credentials to use Mon-Thurs to access to certain areas around World Showcase and a CM would actually go to the festival booths for you and bring you back your desired food. There was also some late night/after hours event. We weren't able to go that year so never tried it but would love to have seen how it worked. Anyway, they've done it before so who knows, could come back around, especially in this upcharge era. Maybe the "luxury" tents in Magic Kingdom will come back too!

That's an awesome find, thanks for sharing! I'm actually rather amazed that this hasn't made a comeback. Yet.

The interesting part (for me, at least)? Comparing menu prices and seeing how some things, like the same Belgian waffles from the France menus, are priced roughly 60% higher than 11 years ago.

 

[aladdin2007]

They should use some of the expansion pads for dining pavilions around the lagoon. The standing tables aren’t cutting it anymore when the festivals are so long. Also the seating situation for the France bakery/ice cream is criminal.

Too bad there is that perfectly good and massive space between UK and Canada that barely gets used for actual daily park guests, its not like it's part of a theme park or anything that could/should be accessible. And yes they have a big problem with France.