World Showcase At Night...China

One of the most beautiful pavilions in World Showcase at night is the China Pavilion. If you have the chance to travel around the pavilions in Epcot at night, especially during Extra Magic Hours, you should. I really feel it shows each country in a whole new light.

Today, let's have a look at China, and see what the Imagineering Field Guide to Epcot has to say about this mysterious land.

The dominant element in the skyline of our China is the Hall Prayer for Good Harvest. This striking tower is an imperial prayer temple, where the emperor would go to pray for a good harvest or give thanks for one that had already passed.

This agricultural theme prevades the detailing of the hall's interior. Note the four columns in the center, each representing one of the seasons of the year. The twelve exterior columns are indicative of the twelve months of the year and of the twelve year cycle that the Chinese live by. In Chinese design, circles define the heaves and squares stand in for the earth - used together they form the universe. This motif repeats itself throughout the building. The red and yellow that are found all around represent happiness and the emperor, respectively. The original hall was built solely with interlocking pieces of wood - no nails or fasteners.

Imagineering Field Guide to Epcot [p86]

World Showcase at Night - Japan

Today's World Showcase Pavilion is Japan - one of the most beautiful pavilions in the whole of the the Showcase! My picture is only a small part of the pavilion, but I thought we should look at another excerpt from the Imagineering Field Guide.

In order to evoke the serenity and drama of traditional Japanese settings, WDI designers drew heavily upon the underlying principles of Japanese design. Among these are balance, harmony, simplicity, formality, and delicacy. The pavilion is laid out in such a way as to place all of the major elements within view of the central entry point, from the symbolic gate on the lagoon to the massive walls of the feudal palace to the soaring majesty of the protective pagoda. The arrangement of all of these elements serves to tie the space together and connect the viewer to his or her surroundings.

Choices were made in the selection of references in order to maintain that distinctly Japanese sensibility. For instance, the original design of the pagoda was deemed by our Japanese advisors to reflect more of the Chinese influence, dating to the time before the Japanese had adapted their pagoda designs to suit their own preferences. So, it was changed.

Imagineering Field Guide to Epcot [p104]

World Showcase At Night...Morocco

Continuing with our wanderings through Epcot's World Showcase in the evening, our next stop on this journey is Morocco - one of the most immersive pavilions, in my opinion.

Let's see what the Imagineering Field Guide can tell us about this Pavilion:

Our Morocco takes inspiration from the cities of Casablanca, Marrakesh, Rabat, and Fez. It is drawn from the traditions of Islamic architecture. The pavilion, like most Moroccan cities, is divided into two sections - the ville nouvell, or new city, and the Medina, or old city.

The gateway to the city - the Bab Boujouland Gate from Fex - defines the entrance to the Medina. Such gates were typically part of the protective system of the old cities, and were therefore not very welcoming. Ours has been tweaked and given a more pleasant context so that it will work better for our purposes.
The Nejjarine Fountain to the right of the restaurant is also from Fex, and is representative of most of the villages in Morocco.

The minarets, or prayer towers, that form our Moroccan skyline are replicas of the Chella minaret from the capital city of Rabat and the Koutoubia minaret from Marrakesh. [p.108]

If you would like to get your own copy of the Imagineer's Field Guide to Epcot - and it is a must have! - you can find it at Amazon's US Site or their UK Site.

World Showcase at Night...Italy

Let's have a look at another World Showcase at night image and description from the Imagineering Field Guide. This time, I thought we would have a look at the Italy Pavilion. Even though the image is not the sharpest, I still think it encompasses the beauty of this often over-looked Pavilion.

Our Italy pavilion is weighted toward the architecture of Venice. It's not the most representative architectural style for the entire country, but is the most distinctive and perhaps the most recognizable as being Italian. Our departure point is the Piazza di San Marco, or St Mark's Square. The landmark structures are the Doge's Palace, constructed between the 9th and the 16th centuries-spanning Gothic and Renaissance styles - and the Campanile clock-bell tower built one-fifth the size of the original.

The two columns at the entrance to the piazza mimic those that grace the original. One holds a statue of a lion - the guardian of Venice - and the other shows St. Theodore slaying a dragon. The Arcata d'Artigiani, a stucco building with a clay-tile roof, brings together elements of the rural region of Tuscany. The Fontana di Nettuno is intended to capture the spirit of the world of the prolific Renaissance sculptor, artist, and architect Gian Lorenzo Bernini, but is not based upon any particular piece. [p92]

World Showcase At Night.. The American Adventure

Let's continue on our little journey around the World Showcase at night time. It really is a beautiful place to wander - and our next focus is delightful at night.

The American Adventure is a beautiful building, patriotic in nature, with an historical and informative attraction within. Although I am not an American, I would like to think that Americans are very proud of this being their pavilion. In my opinion, it very much reminds me of a culmination of buildings from Boston and similarly historical cities.

Let's have a look at the Imagineering Field Guide's detailing of this building:

Our building's edifice is an example of English Georgian architecture, prevalent during the 18th-Century reigns of King George I through King George IV, and therefore common in colonial America as well. This style expresses itself in the Greek-revitalist porticos, the stone-quoined corners implying strength and solidity, and the characteristic clock and bell tower above the roof. This look carries over to the American Gardens Theatre, designed as a fitting compliment to the main building.

The colour palette at the American Adventure is very tightly controlled. One can see in all of the concept art throughout its development that this was always on the minds of the design team. The red, white, and blue colour scheme repeats itself throughout the pavilion. We see a red promenade, white pilasters on the marquee, and a blue-tile fountain. We have 110,000 red bricks, white architectural trim, and the blue sky backdrop. The flowers are always planted in red, white and blue groupings. And there's always a layer of banners and buntings declaring the patriotic learnings of the place.

The Imagineering Field Guide to Epcot at Walt Disney World [p.95]

World Showcase At Night...

Continuning through the World Showcase at night series I thought you might like, today we look at France. Whilst I have never been lucky enough to eat here (I am a fussy eater - used to only the most Royal of dishes!), it is a restaurant that I think really showcases a French eatery.

Let's see what the Imagineering Field Guide to Epcot at Walt Disney World says about the French pavilion as a whole [p110]:

The France pavilion derives most of its look from the beautiful city of Paris. Not just any part of Paris, but specifically those elements dating from La Belle Epoque, or Beautiful Age - the period between 1850 and 1900, during which Baron Von Haussman ruled the master planning of the city and imparted an aesthetic that today makes Paris one of the most striking and beautiful cities in th eworld. This was known as the Grand Design, which specified the elegant mansard roofs and dormers that are so characteristically Parisian. Buildings were limited to seven stories, creating a comfortable pedestrian environment.

Designers were sure to capture the essence of a visit to France, with details such as as the sidewalk cafe, the prevalance of water fountains, the arcade entrances, and the provincial France depicted on Le Petit Rue - the little street at the rear of the pavilion.

World Showcase At Night...Mexico

I love taking photographs. I was known during my time as a Cast Member as the one always shouting 'Photo!' (or pronounced 'Fo'to in my Scottish accent), taking as many memories of everything as I could.

The other day I was sitting, having a look at some pictures from my last trip to Walt Disney World, and I came across some beautiful night photos I had been lucky enough to take. One of my favourites is of the Mexico Pavilion - and when I looked at it, and the architecture, I wanted to know a little bit more about it...

Let's have a look at what The Imagineering Field Guide to Epcot at Walt Disney World tells us about this beautiful Pavilion:

In attempting to capture the spirit of the Mexican people, Imagineers turned their attention to the origins of that spirit. The resulting pavilion is derived from elements of each of their major pre-Colombian civilizations - the Mayan, the Toltec and the Aztec - as well as from the Spanish influence that has shaped their architecture and design.

The pyramid you enter to visit Mexico is a composite of Mesoamerican motifs dating back to the 3rd century, emphasising the Aztec style. Once inside, you find yourself in a gallery showcasing Mexican arts and crafts. The Sun Stone - or Aztec calendar - marks the way to the Plaza de los Amigos (Plaza of the Friends), an open-air marketplace brimming with activity. This market and the adjoining restaurant are placed in a nighttime setting in order to be more authentic to the operating hours of a typical Mexican market.

A Look At...The United Kingdom Pavilion

With it being 4th of July weekend across the United States of America, I thought what better time than to talk about the United Kingdom Pavilion. After all, it is a weekend to celebrate ridding the British out of America!

Of course, I am from the UK and the Pavilion is a place I hold near and dear to my heart. I have talked about it many times before on this blog, but today I thought I would take you on a whistlestop tour of the place I called home for almost 12 months.

You start walking along High Street, passing the Rose and Crown pub on your left, but we're going to take a right turn into Tudor Lane, just when we reach the Tea Caddy.

As you walk along Tudor Lane into the heart of the Pavilion, the buildings you pass on either side represent different time frames of the United Kingdom. Predominantly illustrating English design, we pass by the Tea Caddy which is of Shakespearean Design, as well as the Sportsman Shoppe which is of Tudor and Victorian time-period.

As we travel toward the Toy Soldier - where you can usually meet Winnie the Pooh and friends - we reach a more Georgian design (if I am not mistaken). Why is the street, however, called Tudor Lane? Because it predominantly showcases Tudor architecture. For those of you unaware of it, the Tudors were a Dynasty that ruled the Kingdom of England from 1485 to 1603 (not just a television show!).

We follow the Lane round to Upper Regency Street and the Hyde Park Square. Upper Regent Street is a well-known street in London, which is where I believe the Imagineers got the idea of the Street from. The park is one of my favourite areas in the whole of Epcot's World Showcase, and you can see the popular Beatles tribute band, the British Invasion (or the BIPs as we used to call them!). There is also a beautiful, traditional British hedge maze that you can try your hand at. Just don't get lost!

One of the things I love in this area is the detail that has gone into the architecture. For example, have you noticed the brickwork on the chimney stacks on top of the Georgian buildings? I wonder if Bert can dance okay up there with the other chimney sweeps?

And don't forget to check out the Pavilion at night - just after Illuminations, the streets and the square get quieter and you can almost feel like you're in the United Kingdom...all we would need, would be some rain...

Happy Birthday Norway!

Continuing the International Flavour to DF'82, let's take some time away from Japan and look to Norway. No, not Norway, Scandinavia, but Norway, Florida.

Today is the Norway Pavilion in Epcot's 21st birthday! Yes, 21 years ago today, the Pavilion - the 11th in the World Showcase - opened it's doors to the public. I think it's only appropriate we take some time out to appreciate this pavilion. Not only does it have the Norway film (which, let's face it, we all have to do at least once in our lives) but it has the Maelstrom. Arguably the best thrill ride in the World Showcase - I know it's a must do whenever I visit Epcot.

So, happy birthday Norway - or, as they say in Norwegian, Gratulerer med dagen! Now you're old enough to drink around the World.