Same reason why Aladdin's Jasmine is in Morocco... visiting.
The character is from Baghdad and sets sail from Basra (on the Persian Gulf), so yes, the story takes place thousands of miles from Morocco.
A character meet-and-greet is one thing, but a whole ride based on a story set thousands of miles away would be highly inappropriate in my opinion.
But at that point why stop there? Encanto in Mexico, Raya in China, Hercules in Italy, etc.
Sorry, but this says more about your lack of knowledge about “the region” (by which I assume you mean the Middle East) than about actual overlaps between countries that are thousands of miles apart. The architecture of Morocco is no more akin to that of Iraq than the architecture of Italy is to that of the UK. It is simply wrong to say that the pavilion’s references are generalised and nonspecific; on the contrary, they are firmly rooted in Morocco, even incorporating actual Moroccan craftsmanship.
I dont get your point... these look the same to me though.Perhaps images can make the point better than I can.
A minaret in Marrakesh:
Minarets in Baghdad:
Arches in Fez (Morocco):
Arches in Baghdad:
And so on.
Please let's not insult the diversity of the Islamic architectural tradition by pretending it's all the same. That would be as reductive as claiming that all European buildings are the same.
Perhaps images can make the point better than I can.
A minaret in Marrakesh:
Minarets in Baghdad:
Arches in Fez (Morocco):
Arches in Baghdad:
And so on.
Please let's not insult the diversity of the Islamic architectural tradition by pretending it's all the same. That would be as reductive as claiming that all European buildings are the same.
I agree with the general thrust of your point, though it’s worth noting that modern-day Iraqis who identify as Arab are predominantly descended from the pre-Islamic people of Iraq (Mesopotamia) rather than from outside invaders.
For that comparison to hold, the story of Sindbad would have to take place in a fictional country inspired by the Maghrib (i.e., the region to which Morocco belongs), just as Arendelle is inspired by Norway. That isn't the case at all, however: Sindbad is from Baghdad, nowhere near the Maghrib. So I don't agree with you that it's not much different. A better comparison would be if they decided to put a Russian-themed ride in the UK pavilion.
) want - Rick's Cafe - a chic lounge with Moroccan entertainment and a piano player. Gambling and access to fraudulent passports in the back room would be a bonus.
It's never going to happen. Not only would the optics be horrible (Morocco is currently the sole African and Islamic presence in World Showcase), but they'd have to pretty much raze the whole pavilion in order to convert it into another country. The Kutubiyya Minaret is as iconic as the Eiffel Tower—you can't just pretend it belongs somewhere outside Morocco.
It doesn't. People just don't appreciate how special it already is. It's about the only corner of World Showcase with authentic craftsmanship, and on that basis alone a standout. The courtyard area in particular is so well done that I can barely distinguish it from the real thing.
