News Morocco Pavilion redevelopment

[techgeek]

I don't think Aladdin and Jasmine alone would suffice for a character meal.

Who would you all also have visiting Morocco along with A&J that's not too odd to be there?

I don’t have a problem with moving the whole crew over from Norway. It would be no more odd to have the princesses in Morocco then they are in Norway, plus then you could add in Anna / Elsa safely removed in time and space from their meet and greet.

Morocco is the larger and potentially more profitable venue - give it over to character dining and restore some dignity to Norway by bringing back an authentic menu and experience to Akershus.

 

[MisterPenguin]

I don’t have a problem with moving the whole crew over from Norway. It would be no more odd to have the princesses in Morocco then they are in Norway, plus then you could add in Anna / Elsa safely removed in time and space from their meet and greet.

Morocco is the larger and potentially more profitable venue - give it over to character dining and restore some dignity to Norway by bringing back an authentic menu and experience to Akershus.

What's a typical Moroccan breakfast?

 

[tcool123]

What's a typical Moroccan breakfast?

Shakshuka comes to mind seen it on the menus this year at Flower & Garden in Morocco plus City Works over at Springs.

Baghrir, which are similar to pancakes just crispier. Another pancake variety is Msemen which is another variant other than Baghrir.

Khlea which is preserved lamb or beef, and is served with eggs and other assortments.

And then various baked pastries like Briouat (visually reminds me of Cuban Pastellitos), Bourekas another form of flaky pastry filled with meat. There seems to be plenty of solid options that would be visually or descriptionally be approachable to tourists for breakfast.

 

[dreday3]

Shakshuka comes to mind seen it on the menus this year at Flower & Garden in Morocco plus City Works over at Springs.

Baghrir, which are similar to pancakes just crispier. Another pancake variety is Msemen which is another variant other than Baghrir.

Khlea which is preserved lamb or beef, and is served with eggs and other assortments.

And then various baked pastries like Briouat (visually reminds me of Cuban Pastellitos), Bourekas another form of flaky pastry filled with meat. There seems to be plenty of solid options that would be visually or descriptionally be approachable to tourists for breakfast.

This is actually all delicious and we would love to eat here. It's also something the average guest with young kids is going to turn their nose up at, like it or not. I don't really see an 8 year old asking for a lamb and egg dish for breakfast.

 

[tcool123]

This is actually all delicious and we would love to eat here. It's also something the average guest with young kids is going to turn their nose up at, like it or not. I don't really see an 8 year old asking for a lamb and egg dish for breakfast.

Throw a Mickey Waffle in with it that'll solve all the issues

 

[DznyGrlSD]

The menu for Cinderella's Royal Table, Tusker House, and Trattoria al Forno is pretty sophisticated. Yes, there are options for children, but they also have meals for a more refined or adventurous palate.

your definition of "sophisticated" and "adventurous" and mine are 2 completely different things. I want different options, not steak, chicken and fish. Think Skipper Canteen. What made restaurant Marakesh unique was the authentic food offerings. My fear is if they add characters, Disney will dumb down the menu

 

[peter11435]

Will WDW illuminate the Morocco pavilion as part of the evening show now that they "own" it or will it remain unilluminated?

Not illuminating the pavilion had nothing to do with the operating participant who ran parts of the pavilion.

 

[FerretAfros]

Morocco is the larger and potentially more profitable venue - give it over to character dining and restore some dignity to Norway by bringing back an authentic menu and experience to Akershus.

Restore the dignity of Akershus, but at the expense of the dignity of Marakesh? It seems like a lateral move at best, but likely an overall downgrade for World Showcase as a whole.

Disney has had decades to show how authentic they would make a Norwegian restaurant, and has consistently dumbed it down to the point of being nearly unrecognizable; that won't change simply because the princesses are no longer walking around. I'd hate to see the same thing happen to one of the best restaurants the park (and by extension, one of the best park restaurants in all of WDW).

I simply have no expectation that a "restored dignity" Akershus would match the quality of pre-pandemic Marakesh. But I sure would expect Marakesh's quality to drop considerably if characters were introduced.

 

[dreday3]

Wow, some of you really liked Marrakesh!

While it was fine, we found it to be rather light on taste considering the cooking techniques and spices the restaurant purported to use. Makes us think it was already "dumbed down" for the palate of the WDW masses.

 

[GimpYancIent]

Restore the dignity of Akershus, but at the expense of the dignity of Marakesh? It seems like a lateral move at best, but likely an overall downgrade for World Showcase as a whole.

Disney has had decades to show how authentic they would make a Norwegian restaurant, and has consistently dumbed it down to the point of being nearly unrecognizable; that won't change simply because the princesses are no longer walking around. I'd hate to see the same thing happen to one of the best restaurants the park (and by extension, one of the best park restaurants in all of WDW).

I simply have no expectation that a "restored dignity" Akershus would match the quality of pre-pandemic Marakesh. But I sure would expect Marakesh's quality to drop considerably if characters were introduced.

Very nice. Bring on the belly dancers.

 

[MisterPenguin]

your definition of "sophisticated" and "adventurous" and mine are 2 completely different things. I want different options, not steak, chicken and fish. Think Skipper Canteen. What made restaurant Marakesh unique was the authentic food offerings. My fear is if they add characters, Disney will dumb down the menu

Your characterization of Tusker house being just steak, chicken, and fish are 2 completely different things.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

I don’t have a problem with moving the whole crew over from Norway. It would be no more odd to have the princesses in Morocco then they are in Norway, plus then you could add in Anna / Elsa safely removed in time and space from their meet and greet.

Morocco is the larger and potentially more profitable venue - give it over to character dining and restore some dignity to Norway by bringing back an authentic menu and experience to Akershus.

Restore the dignity of Akershus, but at the expense of the dignity of Marakesh? It seems like a lateral move at best, but likely an overall downgrade for World Showcase as a whole.

Disney has had decades to show how authentic they would make a Norwegian restaurant, and has consistently dumbed it down to the point of being nearly unrecognizable; that won't change simply because the princesses are no longer walking around. I'd hate to see the same thing happen to one of the best restaurants the park (and by extension, one of the best park restaurants in all of WDW).

I simply have no expectation that a "restored dignity" Akershus would match the quality of pre-pandemic Marakesh. But I sure would expect Marakesh's quality to drop considerably if characters were introduced.

"Dignity"?

Come on fellas.

 

[DznyGrlSD]

Your characterization of Tusker house being just steak, chicken, and fish are 2 completely different things.

TBF I have never eaten at Tusker except Breakfast many years ago.

 

[UNCgolf]

Wow, some of you really liked Marrakesh!

While it was fine, we found it to be rather light on taste considering the cooking techniques and spices the restaurant purported to use. Makes us think it was already "dumbed down" for the palate of the WDW masses.

Probably. There have been suggestions that you can thank the Disney Dining Plan for that (as well as the standardization of food across the whole property), but I have no idea if that's actually true. I do think the meals at Disney tend to be both blander and of lower quality overall than they were a couple of decades ago.

That doesn't mean there's nowhere worth eating, of course.

 

[JohnD]

So far the small updates they have done -new decor, the addition of that little snack bar -have all been positive improvements in my opinion. Things are slow going right now, but I think the pavilion will bounce back.

I appreciate everyone’s optimism but right now the interior is a sad state of affairs. Used to be several markets back there. Now nothing. The only gift shop is along the promenade and is a mixture of typical Disney that they can shoehorn in to be “Arabic” and actual Moroccan.

 

[MaryJaneP]

Not illuminating the pavilion had nothing to do with the operating participant who ran parts of the pavilion.

Okay. Thanks. We would like further elucidation on why it was never illuminated and why it cannot with a change in ownership?

 

[UNCgolf]

Okay. Thanks. We would like further elucidation on why it was never illuminated and why it cannot with a change in ownership?

It's because the centerpiece tower of Morocco a replica of an Islamic prayer tower, and lighting it would be against Islamic tenets.

I don't think Disney would choose to go against that just because they now operate the pavilion.

 

[GimpYancIent]

It's because the centerpiece tower of Morocco a replica of an Islamic prayer tower, and lighting it would be against Islamic tenets.

I don't think Disney would choose to go against that just because they now operate the pavilion.

Don't mess w the tower. Just slap a neon sign in the front "ALADDINS" and get on with the dining character meet and greet already.

 

[dreday3]

Menus removed from in front of Marrakesh...

 

[castlecake2.0]

Menus removed from in front of Marrakesh...

My prediction is this will become one of the following:

A) Aladdin character dining
B) family style/ prix fixe menu
C) rentable meeting space/lounge
D)seasonally opened restaurant during peak periods (like for candlelight packages)
E) left to rot/become offices or a break room

As for merch locations Im guessing during Covid they are too hard to manage with multiple entrances/exits and small interiors, so maybe eventually they will rerun when it’s easier to operate. I’m a thinking there’s a lot of cross stock opportunities with merch from DAK.