A Showcase of Titans
If Epcot is known for one thing, it is for being the home of the World Showcase. We are talking about a massive area with 11 countries from all over the world, all represented with different stores, restaurants, and sometimes rides that are pretty popular with guests. You can find countries like Morocco, Canada, Norway, and many more, and some meet-and-greets often take place in the World Showcase as well. For example, you might find Alice in the United Kingdom or Mulan in China. It’s a great place to just walk around, buy stuff, and have fun.
With so many pavilions to visit, it’s fair to say that everyone has their favorites. We decided to stop, take a deep breath, and rank the top three World Showcase pavilions just for you. It wasn’t an easy decision, friends, and leaving out some pavilions I really love breaks my heart. But we are only giving away three medals here, so let’s wipe away the tears, smile, and welcome our winners.
And in third place…
#3 - France
Winning the bronze medal, we have France. I simply love how classic and charming this pavilion feels. The stores are great, with a lot of stuff for people to buy, especially perfumes and all sorts of fragrances, but the real star of the show is the local patisserie. Seriously, Les Halles Boulangerie Patisserie might have the best dessert in all of Disney World. I love everything in this place, especially the crème brûlée and the éclair. Oh yeah, there are also some good restaurants, like the classic Chefs de France, but I prefer to eat elsewhere and then come back to France for dessert.
Let’s also not forget that one of the most popular rides in Epcot is also located in France: Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure. This is a dark ride that is great for the entire family, with massive lines that can easily take you an hour or two during peak seasons. Make sure to get a Disney Genie+ for it as soon as you can!
#2 - Japan
Okay, I am biased here. I looove Japanese culture. Games? Anime? Comics? Love it all. For me - and to a lot of guests, honestly - Japan has the most interesting store in all Epcot. They sell a lot of cool stuff there! I’ve already found a Princess Zelda action figure, a lot of Pokémon plushies, Final Fantasy related stuff and lots of Dragon Ball t-shirts. They’re not only for the otakus, though. There is a different area inside the same store that sells a lot of cool and unique food items and drinks! I’ve bought a bottled white-chocolate-flavored sake in the past which tasted… yeah, let’s leave it at that.
Japan also offers a beautiful vista with a quiet pond where you can relax for a few minutes, and several restaurants to suit all tastes. There is the popular Teppan Edo, but also many kiosks that sell sake and drinks from Japan. Even the entertainment is nice, with the Matsuriza drummers putting on a great performance daily.
#1 - Mexico
There we have it, folks, the gold medal! The Mexico pavilion has everything: it’s incredibly atmospheric, has great restaurants, a charming ride, fantastic drinks, and live performers. Honestly, you can’t ask for much more. Want a margarita or a tequila shot? Come here. How about one of the best burritos in Disney? They’ve got that too. Even Donald Duck drops by from time to time for a special meet & greet! Well, if Mexico has the best Disney character in their pavilion, then it’s hard not to give them the gold.
I do think that you can find one of the best restaurants in Epcot right here: San Angel Inn Restaurante. It’s a restaurant that’s usually not super crowded when compared to the other big names, and you can often find a spot there without a reservation. The food is great and the atmosphere is amazing! You can even see guests nearby floating in the Gran Fiesta Tour Starring The Three Caballeros.
Oh yeah, Mexico even has a charming dark boat ride that’s perfect for the entire family. It not only features Donald Duck but also Panchito and José Carioca! I think that’s the only spot in all of Disney where you can see Panchito and José Carioca, right? Come on, Disney, give them more love, they are great.
What about you?
Discussing the World Showcase can start wars, but we would love to hear which ones are your favorites! I also like plenty more houses that didn’t make the list, like Norway, Morocco (the open market detail is amazing), China and Germany (great beer), but we tried to keep our choices to only three. Until the next one!
