Morocco Pavilion at Epcot

The Morocco Pavilion is a Moroccan-themed pavilion that is part of the World Showcase, within Epcot at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, United States. It was the first expansion pavilion to be added to World Showcase, opening on September 7, 1984.[1]

Morocco Pavilion
Epcot
AreaWorld Showcase
Coordinates28°22′05″N 81°33′06″W
StatusOperating
Opening dateSeptember 7, 1984
General statistics
Attraction typeThemed Pavilion
Official Websitehttp://www.MoroccoPavilion.com
SponsorKingdom of Morocco

Its location is between the Japan and France pavilions.[2]

Layout

The Morocco Pavilion, designed to look like a Moroccan city with a realistic Minaret, features the only pavilion in which the country's government aided in the design. Guests to the pavilion gain insight on the lifestyle and culture of the Moroccan people through the Gallery of Arts and History. The Fes House shows guests the typical Moroccan house. Inside the pavilion, North African plants including citrus trees, date palms, and olive trees, and fountains can be seen. The courtyard plays hosts to entertainment, including a belly dancing show in the evening. Restaurant Marrakesh, along with the Tangierine Cafe, serve Moroccan fare, including roast lamb in Tajine, Couscous, and Harira soup. Six shops adorn the pavilion, selling patrons everything from rugs to leather goods, and traditional Moroccan clothing.[3]

Some of the major defining structures of the pavilion include Chellah, a replication of the necropolis in Rabat, and the Koutoubia, a replica of the minaret of the same name in Marrakesh. A replica of Bab Boujeloud, the gateway to the Fez medina leads you to a Bazaar area.

King Hassan II actually sent Moroccan artisans to design and create the many mosaics. Due to Islamic religious beliefs on the content of art, the mosaics contain no representations of people. The government also sponsors the pavilion, while a corporation holds sponsoring rights on every other pavilion.[4]

The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror in Disney's Hollywood Studios can be seen at an angle from the Moroccan pavilion, and the top of the Tower is designed so it blends in with the Moroccan architecture.[5]

Services

Dining
  • Restaurant Marrakesh serves from a menu of Moroccan and other Arabian dishes for both lunch and dinner. Select dishes include both chicken and seafood pastilla, harira, a variety of couscous and kebabs, fish tajine, merguez, and semolina pasta.[6]When the Morocco pavilion was being constructed, King Hassan II sent his artisans to Florida to construct the entire pavilion; the hand-tiling performed by his craftsmen can be seen in the restaurant. There is wide-open souk outside the restaurant entrance, and inside, in addition to the tiling, there are brass chandeliers, thuja-inlaid paneling, and bukhara carpets.[7] For dinner, the restaurant features Berber and Chaabi folk music and belly dancing.[8]
  • Tangierine Cafe - Serves hummus, various salads, rotisserie chicken, Baklava along with beverages including coffee, mint tea, slushies, beer, and carbonated beverages
  • Spice Road Table - Mediterranean

Shopping

Entertainment
  • Mo'Rockin - Rock and roll music set to Arabian rhythms April 1999 [9] until September 30, 2015
  • B’net Houariyat - Moroccan musical/dance act January 1, 2016 - [10]
  • Storyteller Taarji shares the customs surrounding the Moroccan celebration of Ramadan and Ashura. Seasonal Christmas [11]

Meet Disney Characters from the films
  • A typical Moroccan House
  • Entrance to Morocco with arch and fountain
  • Shops in the rear of the pavilion
  • Tile work in the Morocco pavilion
  • The Morocco pavilion as seen from across World Showcase Lagoon; The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, whose top is designed to blend in with the pavilion, can be seen beyond the treetops.
  • Restaurant Marrakesh
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References
  1. Masters, Kim (2001). Keys to the Kingdom. Collins. ISBN 0-06-662109-7.
  2. The Imagineering Field Guide to Epcot at Walt Disney World (2006) Walt Disney Enterprises
  3. "Morocco - Epcot World Showcase". www.wdwinfo.com. Retrieved 2018-02-16.
  4. The Imagineering Field Guide to Epcot at Walt Disney World (2006) Walt Disney Enterprises
  5. "30 Hidden Secrets on the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror at Disney's Hollywood Studios". Theme Park Tourist. 2014-03-17. Retrieved 2018-02-16.
  6. "Restaurant Marrakesh Menu - EPCOT World Showcase". Wdwinfo.com. Retrieved 2017-01-24.
  7. "Restaurant Marrakesh". Touringplans.com. Retrieved 2017-01-24.
  8. "Restaurant Marrakesh". Disneyfoodblog.com. Retrieved 2017-01-24.
  9. "MousePlanet Park Guide - Walt Disney World - Mo'Rockin". www.mouseplanet.com. Retrieved 2018-02-16.
  10. Sentinel, Dewayne Bevil, Orlando. "Epcot: End of road for Off Kilter, Mo'Rockin', fife and drum corps, more". OrlandoSentinel.com. Retrieved 2018-02-16.
  11. "Holidays Around the World –Epcot Storytellers Shine Light on Holiday Traditions - Disney Dining Information". DisneyDining. 2013-12-18. Retrieved 2018-02-16.
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