From the serene countryside of Greece we go to the quaint villages of Germany. From your last visit to EPCOT Center, you seem to think something is very different about the pavilion. Or should you say somethings? First,
The Rhine River Cruise has risen from development hell and taken guests on a voyage through the fairytales of the Brothers Grimm and through the countryside to see some of the greatest German landmarks. Second, an enormous recreation of Neuschwanstein Castle in Bavaria has been built on top of
The Rhine River Cruise's facade. Although another new pavilion lies next door, the miniature railroad diorama is moved to within the courtyard of the German showcase.
Between Germany and Italy is Spain. Modeled after the Plaza Mayor in Madrid and the Sagrada Família in Barcelona, the pavilion is one of the liveliest in World Showcase. Housed in the Sagrada Família is
Don Quixote's First Sally, a Fantasyland-style dark ride based on the Don Quixote stories by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra. Las Obras de Pablo Picasso, the attraction's postshow, displays some of the most expensive and famous works by legendary painter Pablo Picasso. Rápido y Fácil is a quick service location serving enchiladas, tapas, and paella while Exquisita Excelencia lets you enjoy Spanish favorites as you look over Don Quixote Plaza. The shop, Placeres Dotados, sells traditional Spanish souvenirs.
Up ahead is Italy. Beyond the main courtyard is
Escape From Pompeii, Not to be confused with the shoot-the-chutes attraction at Busch Gardens Williamsburg, this groundbreaking attraction features the first KUKA robotic arm in a Disney park. Using a similar ride system as
Harry Potter & the Forbidden Journey at Universal's Islands of Adventure, this FASTPASS attraction takes us through ancient Roman times on chariots as we suddenly feel the terrible tremble of Mount Vesuvius. We speed up to joint the fleeing crowd as the village of Pompeii is flooded with boiling lava. Then, a giant fire monster rises from the ashes of the village and attacks us. We luckily escape, but we are in hot pursuit of the monster. A noble Roman gladiator soon comes in to kill the monster and save the day. Think of this as "
Journey to the Center of the Earth meets
Harry Potter & the Forbidden Journey." Although the lasagna at Tutto Italia is insanely good, L'Originale Alfredo di Roma Ristorante is resorted to its former glory. Yes, you can once again order veal, seafood, chicken, pasta, world-famous "Fettuccine all'Alfredo," Italian wines, beer, and spirits. Although Via Napoli's outdoor annex was razed to make room for
Escape From Pompeii's queue, the menu will remain the same. There are three shops in the Italian showcase. II Bel Cristallo sells inlaid music boxes, alabasted figurines, and Capodimonte florals. La Cucina Italiana offers Italian cookbooks, film, and sundries while Delizie Italiane has straw hats, cookies, candies, and Italian souvenirs.
At the McDonald's-sponsored American pavilion,
The American Adventure's finale combines the 1982 and the 1993 versions together. The bulk of it is from 1993 while the tail end of it is from 1982 (after the final conversation work Franklin and Twain). Added to the finale are Mark Zuckerberg, Michael Jackson, Michael Jordan, Vince Lombardi, Babe Ruth, and Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger. While National Treasures is renamed We the People, The Heritage Manor doesn't receive any changes. The same can't be said about the dining options. The Liberty Inn is upgraded to become a buffeteria featuring cuisine from all 50 states. That's right, you can have New England clam chowder, Chicago-style pizza, Texas barbecue, and southern-style fried chicken all in one sitting!
Presented by Nintendo, the Japan pavilion finally receives a legitimate attraction. Joining all the exhibits and Mitsukoshi is an updated version of
Meet the World. Every times we rotate in the carousel theatre, the title song's genre changes with it, not unlike what happens to "There's A Great, Big, Beautiful Tomorrow" in
Walt Disney's Carousel of Progress. For example, the verses you hear in the finale would be done in a J-pop style, signifying the most recent era of Japanese history. Teppan Edo and The Katsura Grill get the boot in favor of the original 1982 dining options.
In great contrast to Japan is Ireland, where it's St. Patrick's Day year 'round! Anchored by a replica of King John's Castle in Limerick, the pavilion features
Ireland Rediscovered, a grand-circle dark ride tour of the Emerald Isle. Just as large and extravagant as Yong Feng Shangdian and Mitsukoshi is The Dublin Gem, selling fine jewelry and gems, as wells as Irish wool sweaters, shortbread cookies, musical instruments, apparel, and lots more. For dining, what's an Irish experience without a pub? Cead Mile Failte answers that question with traditional pub fare and authentic Irish cuisine. For a lighter, less expensive meal is The Limerick Bakery, featuring Irish soda bread, pastries, cakes, pies, and coffee with Bailey's Irish cream.
Although Morocco is a beautifully executed pavilion, there's really nothing of importance unless you have a reservation for Restaurant Marrakesh. That is why I'm replacing Morocco with the only pavilion in World Showcase to represent the Caribbean: Jamaica. Don't worry, another African/Arabian nation will have a pavilion built between the United Kingdom and Canada (more on that later). As you approach a replica of Lover's Leap Lighthouse southeast of Mandeville, you see that there are five minutes until the next showing of
The Heartbeat of Jamaica, showcasing the history and culture of this vibrant island nation.
Designer's Note: In all the proposals for WS expansions, not once have I seen anyone propose a Caribbean country. Their culture is unique enough among other nations that they ought to gain some representation. As I'm typing this, I just realized that adding Jamaica would make it the third island nation in a row after Japan and Ireland.
The main exhibit in the pavilion is The Taino Spirit House, featuring traditional and contemporary art forms from around the Caribbean. The bazaar leftover from Morocco remains intact, only with new names and merchandise for each store. Casablanca Carpets becomes Clarendon Carpets; Medina Arts turns into Jewels of Jamaica; The Outdoor Bazaar is now Portmore Provisions; The Brass Bazaar transforms into The Limestone Bazaar; Souk-Al-Magreb gives way for The Mandeville Marketplace; and finally, Tangier Traders is reincarnated as Trelawny Traders. Restaurant Marrakesh becomes Restaurant Royale, serving Jamaican patties, chicken, and seafood, while The Tangerine Café becomes The Banana Boat Café, serving Jamaican jerk chicken, beef, lamb sandwiches, salads, and desserts.
Between Jamaica and France is a pavilion in which I see great potential: India. Perhaps the most striking feature of the pavilion is an incredibly detailed recreation of the Taj Mahal in Agra. Inside the magnificent building is a boat ride appropriately called
Legends of the Taj Mahal. This is probably best described as the Indian counterpart to
The Rhine River Cruise,
Las Tres Culturas de Mexico,
Maelstrom, etc. The attraction's gift shop is Cancala Ioga, selling Indian toys, books, games, film, and sundries. Another store is present: Faridabad Fashions. This one sells Indian clothing, shoes, and perfumes. In a similar style to Casbah at Tokyo DisneySea, Golkonda is modeled after the fortress of the same name in Hyderabad. Curry, chicken, pork, hummus, and other Indian delicacies are served here.
