EPCOT Morocco Pavilion redevelopment

[LittleBuford]

Now that the Morocco pavilion has been destroyed and its clear Disney does not care about upholding the original intent of World Showcase, folks on the boards are simply suggesting stuff that's better than the pavilion being empty.

Fee free to continually criticize. That is a huge part of these boards and I admit makes it a lot ness boring.

Stuff like this will not end. Each and every pavilion is one missed rent payment from being destroyed.

And again, nothing we say on these boards will stop Disney from making super bad decisions.

Yes, I like to repeat myself. Yes I will get criticized for it.

Disney has not “destroyed” the pavilion. It is still a beautiful space worthy of seeing, even if it has been severely compromised.

I too would like to see it revitalised. Inappropriate gimmicks that would erode the pavilion’s cultural significance further are not the way to do it.

 

[Disstevefan1]

Disney has not “destroyed” the pavilion. It is still a beautiful space worthy of seeing, even if it has been severely compromised.

I too would like to see it revitalised. Inappropriate gimmicks that would erode the pavilion’s cultural significance further are not the way to do it.

Ha yes, destroyed is a very strong world. Thanks for the correction.

Even with the barber shop tile job there still remains beautiful spaces ( for now)

Sad to say, Morocco will NEVER be what we once loved. I think it will continue to get worse. I hope I am wrong.

 

[DCLcruiser]

Morocco hit its peak (in my mind) when Carl Winslow visited and shopped the bazar, thus changing his mood and saving his trip.

It has been downhill since then. They need to revitalize it, and IP is the only way. Unless the King wants to invest a lot of money.

 

[Bocabear]

There is more than one alternative. The notion that the only way to revivatilise the pavilion is by introducing a thematically irrelevant and culturally inappropriate speakeasy is absurd.

Not so absurd... There are tons of cocktail bars and even a speakeasy in Casablanca...And other cities in Morocco... So it is not out of line with the real world. A beautifully designed intimate space reminiscent of 1930s Moroccan nightclub would be a very popular place... There were bars in Casablanca in the 1930s... So someone has to be drinking...lol. Heck we were in a rug shop and they were bringing us booze the second we walked in...and some mint tea... So in my brief visit I did see bars and I did see people drinking booze... They also already serve booze at the waterside restaurant... And that is not the only way to revitalize the Pavilion...but refeshing and expanding the offerings in the pavilion is kind of a must at this point.

 

[MisterPenguin]

Disney EVICTED the folks who were operating the pavilion when they were forced to close due to covid. You would think Disney would have been a better partner and gave them some slack so they could stay!

AFAIK, Disney did indeed gave them slack. They just couldn't continue with mounting debt and most likely unable to pay the employees. That's what I remember from the discussions at the time.

 

[aladdin2007]

Just my opinion -

I do not think folks are getting pleasure out of Morocco getting destroyed.

I do not think there are racists on these boards wanting Morocco to be erased from WS.

Can we point the blame for the Morocco pavilion where it should go please! DISNEY!

Disney EVICTED the folks who were operating the pavilion when they were forced to close due to covid. You would think Disney would have been a better partner and gave them some slack so they could stay!

Don't give me Disney is a for profit business when they burn through hundreds of millions of dollars in their movie business with big losses and no ROI.

Now that the Morocco pavilion has been destroyed and its clear Disney does not care about upholding the original intent of World Showcase, folks on the boards are simply suggesting stuff that's better than the pavilion being empty.

Stuff like this will not end. Each and every pavilion is one missed rent payment from being destroyed.

Just to be clarify, the company than ran and managed it went bankrupt, during covid..and all the cast were sent home...that was the reason....now should Disney be operating the restaurant and all till another tenant is found? Absolutely yes. Because obviously no one else is in the pipe line. As to cutting them slack during that time, while I agree but its not how it works Im sure in the agreements and contracts.

 

[aladdin2007]

AFAIK, Disney did indeed gave them slack. They just couldn't continue with mounting debt and most likely unable to pay the employees. That's what I remember from the discussions at the time.

that and all the cast were simply automatically terminated so to speak sent back to their home country when the covid closure hit. And for the most part cast from Morocco still has not returned.

 

[aladdin2007]

To add, Disney could be profiting off Marrakesh by operating a Heroes character meal back there or something,, I guess they feel the location is not worth the effort sadly, but it very much could be. When everything is ran and decided by park ops and TDO = no vision or care or knowledge....just look at the inexcusable tiles for that answer. (I dont even know if TDO is to blame for the tiles, this seems to be lower at the park op level, if it was then TDO should be really embarrassed too)

 

[DCLcruiser]

To add, Disney could be profiting off Marrakesh by operating a Heroes character meal back there or something,, I guess they feel the location is not worth the effort sadly, but it very much could be. When everything is ran and decided by park ops and TDO = no vision or care or knowledge....just look at the inexcusable tiles for that answer. (I dont even know if TDO is to blame for the tiles, this seems to be lower at the park op level, if it was then TDO should be really embarrassed too)

Is there a way for TDO to determine popularity, or guest volume at WS countries? Revenues only?

I will guess that it is not popular enough for them to worry.

 

[Bocabear]

No-one is saying alcohol isn’t served in Morocco. But the point of World Showcase is to represent (albeit fancifully) aspects of the actual cultures in question, not to recreate tourist-bubble experiences. The vast majority of Moroccans are Muslims who don’t drink alcohol; a speakeasy is a profoundly inappropriate way to showcase their culture (just like having a restaurant specialising in pork would be inappropriate for an Israel pavilion). That you can’t recognise that is truly despiriting.

We all have opinions...but I don't find it despiriting that your opinion differs from mine... You know you don't have to attack and insult everyone who has a different opinion. So a 1930s Moroccan Speakeasy would not appeal to you... ok.

 

[Bocabear]

It’s your disregard for the culture that I find dispiriting, not the fact that you have a difference of opinion per se. If my pork-restaurant-in-Israel analogy hasn’t shown you what the issue is, nothing will.

Who is disregarding the culture??? You are stretching things...They already serve booze at the Pavilion...but if you make a nicer spot to have a drink. I am suddenly disregarding their culture? The better analogy would have been an Israel Pavilion that already served pork products and I suggested a QS where people could get their pork to go... ANYWAY....

 

[LittleBuford]

Who is disregarding the culture??? You are stretching things...They already serve booze at the Pavilion...but if you make a nicer spot to have a drink. I am suddenly disregarding their culture? The better analogy would have been an Israel Pavilion that already served pork products and I suggested a QS where people could get their pork to go... ANYWAY....

A speakeasy is by definition a place to get illicit alcohol. Theming a restaurant around a speakeasy is obviously very different from serving alcoholic drinks at a regular restaurant. But yes, I agree there’s nothing to be gained by continuing this exchange further.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Who is disregarding the culture??? You are stretching things...They already serve booze at the Pavilion...but if you make a nicer spot to have a drink. I am suddenly disregarding their culture? The better analogy would have been an Israel Pavilion that already served pork products and I suggested a QS where people could get their pork to go... ANYWAY....

You are, repeatedly. You can’t even be bothered to look to the present. You’re clearly just pitching a Casablanca experience. It’s not part of the local culture. That it’s been part of expat and tourist culture doesn’t make it part of the local culture.

 

[Castle Cake Apologist]

Who is disregarding the culture??? You are stretching things...They already serve booze at the Pavilion...but if you make a nicer spot to have a drink. I am suddenly disregarding their culture? The better analogy would have been an Israel Pavilion that already served pork products and I suggested a QS where people could get their pork to go... ANYWAY....

It's absolutely wild to me that somebody who is quite literally part of the culture in question is telling you that you are disrespecting it, and you have the entitled audacity to basically them that they're wrong?

Oh, and @Disstevefan1, as has been pointed out to you multiple times across several threads, posting sarcastic laugh reactions to posts is against the forum rules. It's also childish and rude.

 

[Disstevefan1]

I should make clear that my roots lie at the other end of the Mediterranean (the Levant), so I don’t mean to claim any Moroccan ancestry. But yes, I have been very careful to share reliable information about the region and am somewhat (though I suppose not very) surprised at the apparent indifference.

I am not sure if its indifference or its simply realizing that Disney will continue to do stupid, illogical things that go against the World Showcase original intent, and doing something is better than nothing.

Do I agree with "something is better than nothing"? No, but Disney is going to do what Disney is going to do.

 

[LittleBuford]

I am not sure if its indifference or its simply realizing that Disney will continue to do stupid, illogical things that go against the World Showcase original intent, and doing something is better than nothing.

Do I agree with "something is better than nothing"? No, but Disney is going to do what Disney is going to do.

The speakeasy idea bears no resemblance to the kind of poor decision-making we’ve seen from Disney. Those calling for it aren’t doing so begrudgingly because they feel the pavilion is going in that direction anyway; they seem genuinely excited by the idea and see no problem with it.

No-one is denying that Disney has handled the pavilion really poorly in recent years. But that has nothing to do with what I’m talking about.

 

[Bocabear]

So from someone that understands the culture of Morocco, what are suggestions that would make the pavilion more engaging than what we see today? I have suggested an expanded restaurant at the back, a revitalized Souk and an expanded museum...The Speakeasy thing was a fun way to get people to explore the entire pavilion as opposed to walk past...
What do people go to Morocco to do? We did not go to Morocco for the religion but for the art, architecture, shopping and food. I always felt the actual art exhibit was too small and didn't delve deep enough to be satisfying... and with the closure of the Bazaar and the main restaurant, for the most part, the Pavilion feels empty. I would love to see something added that would encourage guests to wander back and explore.

 

[DCLcruiser]

Adventures by Disney has a great Morocco trip. TDO really needs to breathe some life back into this pavillon.

Guided Trip to Morocco | Adventure by Disney

Discover the beauty of Morocco on an Adventures by Disney vacation. Visit historic villages, enjoy a camel ride in the Sahara, tour the Medina of Fez, and more!

www.adventuresbydisney.com

 

[wdwmagic]

EPCOT's Morocco Pavilion Wraps Up Refurbishments, But New Tilework Misses the Mark​

EPCOT's Morocco Pavilion Wraps Up Refurbishments, But New Tilework Misses the Mark

EPCOT's Morocco Pavilion Wraps Up Refurbishments, But New Tilework Misses the Mark

www.wdwmagic.com

More photos at https://www.wdwmagic.com/attraction...orocco-pavilion-refurbishment---july-2024.htm

 

[THEMEPARKPIONEER]

EPCOT's Morocco Pavilion Wraps Up Refurbishments, But New Tilework Misses the Mark​

EPCOT's Morocco Pavilion Wraps Up Refurbishments, But New Tilework Misses the Mark

EPCOT's Morocco Pavilion Wraps Up Refurbishments, But New Tilework Misses the Mark

www.wdwmagic.com

More photos at https://www.wdwmagic.com/attraction...orocco-pavilion-refurbishment---july-2024.htm

looks like a Moroccan chain restaurant in Disney Springs