A Day Around the World in Epcot (Part 1)

One of the most traditional attractions at Epcot is the World Showcase. Composed of eleven pavilions around a central lake, each representing a different country, this exposition brings to Orlando a bit of the culture, cuisine and tourist attractions of each of these places that are somehow connected with Disney’s history.

The countries that make up the Wolrd Showcase are: Canada, United Kingdom, France, Morocco, Japan, United States, Italy, Germany, China, Norway and Mexico.

You can definitely spend more than a day exploring all the pavilions, but it’s perfectly feasible to see them all in a single day. However, keep in mind that you’ll be walking a lot, given that Epcot has the biggest guest area of Disney parks. On our last visit, we walked 12 miles in Epcot, compared to an average of 9 miles in other parks.

Canada Pavilion

Starting at a counterclockwise direction from the lake, Canada is the first country of Epcot’s World Showcase.

There you will find a beautiful garden resembling the famous Butchart Gardens of Victoria, BC, overlooking a representation of the Canadian Rockies. It is a great place to start the day, especially because it is not the first place people go when the park opens., so you will enjoy a bit of peace and quiet while appreciating the stunning Canadian outdoors.

Main Attractions:

Victoria Gardens;
Rocky Mountains Waterfall;
Popcorn Cart;
Le Cellier Steakhouse.

United Kingdom Pavilion

Walk a few steps away from Canada and you will feel as if you are entering a typical British Village.

The United Kingdom pavilion is filled with cobble-stoned streets, rose gardens and small shops. You will even find a pub and a fish and chips restaurant. This is one of my favorite places of the World Showcase – I could spend hours looking at the different porcelain ware and biscuits available there.

Main Attractions:

Yorkshire County Fish Shop;
Rose & Crown Pub;
The Tea Caddy Shop;
Meeting Alice and Mary Poppins.

One thing that always catches my attention in Epcot is how frequently you end up running into characters during the morning period. I personally love to watch the interaction between them and the children. This is exactly what the “Disney Magic” is about.

France Pavilion

Moving forward, we have now reached France – And the dinner here is never second best!

I’m not sure if it’s the classic movies like Beauty and the Beast, the wide variety of restaurants or simply the French atmosphere that attract so many guests. Fact is: this is one of the largest pavilions in the World Showcase, and also one of the busiest. You definitely want to see it in the morning, before it gets too crowded.

If I can leave you a suggestion: the French crepes near Ratatouille are quite good. It is usually my first meal of the day in the park – Not the healthiest choice, but well, we are on holidays, folks. 🙂

France is also a great place to spot Belle in her traditional blue dress, Marie from Aristocats and Daisy.

Main Attractions:

Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure (Expect a lot of time waiting in line here!);
Les Chefs de France Restaurant;
Les Halles Boulangerie Patisserie;
Beauty and the Beast Sing-Alone (great for kids);
Impressions de France Show.

Morocco Pavilion

The last stop of this publication is Morocco. Personally, I think this is one of the most beautiful pavilions at Epcot (if not the most). It’s a shame I don’t have many photos to share here. The pavilion is a set of scenes with shops and restaurants, extremely rich in detail. At some point, you have the impression you are lost in a Northern African marketplace.

Fun fact: Morocco is the only country in the World Showcase in which the government was actually involved in the design and construction of the pavilion.

I always like to spend some time sitting in the country to rest as we usually get there right before lunch time.

Main Attractions: