Discovering EPCOT's World Showcase: America, Japan, Morocco!

Episode Transcript
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(00:00):
Hello and welcome to the Great British Mickey Waffle Show for
the 1st of July 2025. We are dashing through the year
and summer is finally here and in true Phineas and Ferb style,
I know what we're going to do this summer.
Whilst thoughts turn to very rapidly approaching trips to
Orlando and all the things Universal, epic Disney, we are

(00:21):
going to continue our little wander around World Showcase
today. So sit back, grab a snack,
because food, food will most definitely be a feature, and
take some notes for when you next visit Epcot Centre no.
My wheels in motion in my windows open with the wind
blowing in my head. I'm driving down the highway

(00:44):
gonna do this my way. I can feel it in the air.
For any new listeners, I'm Claire, and today I will be
waving my little tour group flagup in the air and donnings the

(01:06):
virtual Plaid of a tour guide tohelp us navigate our way around
the Epcot promenade. And we'll see how far we get.
I can't do it alone. As ever, there's a team to help,
so we've got Becca and John and Robin.
How are you all? Today.
Good. Yeah, good.
Thanks. And then sunshine.
Yeah, I've just got I've just got this tour group thing and

(01:28):
Brazilian going on in me head I.Can't.
I'd better pick your party. Is that how we're starting?
No, you're walking strangely. It's just, it's just exactly
where we thought process leads already.
That's before we start. This.

(01:54):
You mean to go on? Absolutely, Absolutely.
I just, I always said that beingone of the the tour guides would
be like one of the best jobs being on the VIP tour guides in
the Plaid. I mean the Plaid itself.
We still don't have to wear the hats anymore, did they?
No. Did you still have a whip?
I think. Yeah, I was going to say, I

(02:15):
don't know if they have whips inWalt Disney World.
I think they might still have them at Disneyland, though.
Yeah. There you are.
Who do you So coincidentally, injust a few days, our friends in
the United States of America will be celebrating Independence
Day. So what better place for us to
start our little tour group today than the American
Adventure Pavilion? So the last show we got as far

(02:37):
as Italy. So now we're going to step
across the Atlantic over to the American Adventure.
So USA Pavilion, American Adventure.
I don't know why it's called theAmerican Adventure rather than
the United States of America, number one, because all the
other countries have got their name and that one happened.
So that always competed me and I've not been.
I've just always to show you that was.

(02:58):
What the show was called and people just called it after the
show? I don't.
Know the pavilions definitely called the American Adventure.
Yeah, I I was like you better. I just assumed.
I always just call it America and over to America and then.
I wonder is it maybe it's possibly just a way of actually

(03:19):
determining a proper name for itas opposed to it just being
America on the the Luke Brown ifyou're American and maybe trying
to get Americans to actually stop there because that might,
that might actually be an issue of trying to make it appealing
to the American, to the Americanmarket maybe.
I think that's a weird thing about World Trade case, isn't
it? I mean, I remember going to the

(03:40):
UK in those times going oh, Thisis why would I go here?
I'm from the UK, why don't see, I quite like going to the UK
pavilion now and I wonder if I could be other people from
around the world. Do you go to your pavilion and
be proud of it or do you go and go, oh this is a bit dodgy, I
don't know, laugh at the price of Quality St. and all of that,

(04:01):
That's the UK. Pavilion a bit a bit more next
time I tend to go there and think.
It's a lot. Cleaner than home?
Yeah. Anyway, America is massive per
billion and it's bigger than allof the others obviously, of
course. And although it the the building

(04:26):
which is a White House desk actually is five storeys high,
it's forced perspective. It makes it look, makes it look
like it's only two storeys to make it historically accurate.
So it is a huge building. Didn't know that.
It's it's really big and it is central to the lagoon.
If you're coming in at the if you're coming up past spaceship

(04:51):
Earth and you walk directly up to port of entry, it's it's bang
opposite, you know, directly opposite the entrance to World
Showcase. So it is in your sight line as
soon as you walk out round the back of world celebration.
So yeah, it's it's a big pavilion in terms of weight as
well. It goes sideways in both
directions a long way. Part of that's because it's got

(05:13):
the huge theatre at the front. So it's got the American Gardens
Theatre at the front, which is obviously on the inside that is
used for all the festivals. All of them, yeah.
All but as you know, I can't. I'm trying to work out.

(05:36):
I think last time I was there I was trying to work out how many
people that seats. It's must seat around what, 4000
people? It puts a lot of people.
In there it swallows up a lot ofpeople.
It does a lot of people. Much bigger than I think you
realize when you because it's benches, it's not individual
seats and stuff. Yeah, and they use that.
They have amazing bands that play there and amazing acts.

(05:59):
And then, you know, at Christmasyou've got the Spangle
Processional kind of like process though that happens
every night, 3 * a night. And it is, it's a well used
theatre. I think they make a good, a good
stab at using it almost every day.
So so periods in between best festivals when perhaps it's it's

(06:19):
not used quite so much. Yeah, I feel like the the period
we're in at the moment is the longest time it ever goes
without a festival. Epcot in after Flower and Garden
the fourth line starts so it's. I'd love to see it used a bit
more during those in between festivals for things, but I'm
not sure what they would do. No, I think they've had Barbie
there in the past. I'm not sure.

(06:40):
That's the other year. The.
Other year they did a Guardians of the Galaxy show on.
Yeah. You see, that doesn't really fit
in World Showcase for me. So we've got Liberty Theatre,
which is the big building at theback and that houses the
American adventure. Show best place for Enough and
Epcot. That might be there might be

(07:04):
there might be another pavilion that's got an also a great
theatre with comfortable seatingthat would rival it.
But the American I think the American adventure show is
longer. So you get a decent nap, you get
a. Good nap in there and they've
got great air conditioning, really high quality air
conditioning, comfy seats. That's what I'm looking for.
Comfy seat, cool and it's long so I can have a good nap.

(07:28):
It's actually a it's actually a really good show.
It is, it's, it's not a bad showand and it it teaches a lot of
history of America that I don't think necessarily certainly us
as Brits know all of it. We might know some of it.
But yeah, it is interesting. But it's also a great place to

(07:49):
lap. I think sometimes it, you know,
I'm very aware I can feel a bit uncomfortable being British in
that show because there are there are times within it where
we don't come out very well. The representation of the
British is not always the kindest.
And, you know, there is a littlebit of, you know, Hamilton S

(08:12):
King George moment. Yeah.
I don't always feel like I want to open my mouth and speak
afterwards, you know, it's, it'squite an interesting show if you
don't know much about American history.
Yeah, this fits in perfectly with like the 4th of July and

(08:32):
Independence Day as well. I think that that I think our
timing of this is absolutely perfect because actually, you
know, it is the reason why Independence Day is celebrated
so, so wonderfully in the UnitedStates.
But the actual show itself deals, I think brilliantly with

(08:53):
all parts of American history and and actually taking you back
to, you know, prior to them being invaded by everyone under
the sun, not just the British, the Portuguese and the Spanish
and things that. But then how did the nation
actually evolved? And, you know, if you're a

(09:13):
person who sort of reads widely and you've read some of John
Steinbeck's stuff, when they're talking about the time in the
Great Depression, it really it takes you right back to the
greats of wrath and, and just how Steinbach actually painted a
picture on which they're depicted in front of you within
the theatre. It's one of those things that

(09:35):
really fascinates me. I go, I'm quite I do like a bit
of history and I this is 11 showthat I really do feel that it
does justice to, you know, to the history.
But you again, you need to be open to a lot of the the other
things prior to the film and also in the actual theatre

(09:55):
itself and the the theatre, it'sthe theatre.
I did do a little bit of research on this.
I didn't find out what the one outside was.
You can actually, but you can actually pay 1020 poor people
into the into each show. It isn't quite as it's not quite
ever quite as busy as that. So thankfully.
I know on a holiday in August. It gets from us.

(10:17):
I know sometimes my eyes are my eyes are sagging slightly if you
so I don't get a chance to look around, but just it's in the
Armas place and you you actuallythink as as actual theatre, they
could use it for so many different like presentational
awards, etcetera. And even if you look at some of

(10:37):
the statues within the theatre, they're all there for a reason
and they've all got different meanings.
So whereas you just sort of see,oh, it's a statue of such
statue, but actually they're allthere to actually, you know, to
go through. Yeah, like adventure,
compassion, discovery, freedom. And, you know, they've all got a

(10:57):
bit of meaning to them. And when you start looking into
that, you once again become quite absorbed by how much
detail has actually gone into the actual design of just of
this pavilion building alone. I know we've said it about some
of the other pavilions already in here.
It's just like, is it it is a richness and and you can tell

(11:18):
it's you know, it is a massive paying massive, massive respect
to America, its history. And then also the people who've
been really quite a massive partof that history.
I must admit they could do with updating the the end of the film
a little bit just, if only just to get rid of Lance Armstrong

(11:39):
from from that. Yeah.
Any secrecy? Yeah, and being a cycling fan
that, you know, I can understandwhy he was there in the 1st
place, but actually I would justget the scissors and just like,
let's just cut that out and pretend.
Let's just pretend it doesn't happen and that's let's have
more, more Tiger Woods. I think probably would be a
better way of doing it. Yeah.

(12:00):
You can also add in some newer ones as well.
At that point, just add in some more, more, more more relevant.
Yeah, nowadays. Yeah, I do always come.
You know, we, we jest about the show and, and we, we take the
Mickey out of it as Brits, but Ido always come away feeling very
inspired by the ambition of the American people and what they
overcame and what they strive toachieve as a, as a nation.

(12:22):
I think, you know, for all the right reasons.
It feels, you know, it's a really lovely, feel good show
and I can understand why people really, really enjoy getting to
see it. And to do something like that
would be far too dull about it. And negatively must be about

(12:43):
rain and grey skies. Whereas I don't think we're, I
think we celebrate ourselves as much.
So I think, you know, for all the right reasons.
I do actually quite enjoy it, apart from I do.
Lance Armstrong is 1 issue. The other issue, a massive issue
I have with this, is that they claim Alexander Graham Bell as
an American, he is not born in Edinburgh.

(13:08):
Yeah, he's definitely Scottish and I do have a slight issue
about. That's the one thing that always
grates on me when I watch. I'm just like, he is not in
there, but we've got over that will be the biggest.
But I do. Yeah.
The whole theatre is a really interesting experience because
you go in and at the bottom they've got the on the right

(13:28):
hand side when you walk in, you've got the American Heritage
Gallery. And I think people go in there
probably while they're waiting to watch the show or, you know,
something else that happens downin the in the Rotunda that we'll
talk about in a minute, I'm sure.
But that heritage gallery is fascinating when you look, I
remember going with Mills and weprobably spent about 45 minutes
just in that area. There's like 40 different Native
American tribes represented and so many fascinating bits about

(13:53):
Native American culture and, youknow, artifacts and things that
you just wouldn't come across otherwise as certainly not a
tourist in Florida. So, you know, I think for all
the good reasons that's, that's a fascinating area to, to spend
some time in. Yeah.
I'm not sure I've ever been in that bit, I'm going to be
honest. Because it just spent 10 minutes

(14:15):
and it's really interesting. Yeah, it would be one time that
we've actually done the show. We walked straight in and the
only other thing we really go inthere is to listen.
To the voices of liberty. Oh, a Segway, there you go.
So make. Make sure you do.
But. On the walls around the whole
place, there is so many. Amazing bits of, of either

(14:37):
historical facts and pictures, artwork, just stories about the
country. I, I look, I love going and just
exploring because again, if you talk about the music, I'll put a
little bit as you go in, up the stairs towards the theatre, you
actually get to see how the the American flag has changed

(14:57):
throughout the years. You get to see how you know
there is all around. You look for the detail and
especially above you with the flags.
And then when you're waiting to go into the theatre, there's
another kind of holding area. And yeah, it feels very
theatresque, but there's still loads to see and loads to
actually absorb and, and you would miss it again, it's just

(15:20):
one of them places that you justthink, oh, it's a theatre that
that's just part. Yeah, it's part of the that's
part of the surroundings. That's fine.
But it's all there for a reason.It's all there again to give you
that little bit more of the history of the country.
Yeah, and the and the music thatcomes at the end of the American
adventure show Golden Dream. I mean, that is a plastic Epcot

(15:41):
anthem. Very a day.
Do I sing that in my car? Yeah, it's wonderful.
And the other thing is downstairs you've got the the
sort of heritage gallery on one side and then around the walls
of the downstairs on the ground floor, first floor here in
American. They have a variety of different

(16:03):
exhibitions that change. So they did have one about with
when Seoul first came out. They've had some beautiful jazz
artwork around there and characters from Seoul.
The current exhibition when I was there a couple of months
ago. Robin, did you go?
Did you see it? It's portraits as that were
painted by George W Bush. I have to say I didn't notice.

(16:25):
Oh, they are interesting. I don't know how long that's
going to be there. You know you.
See a very good artist. Well, he's an artist.
I don't know, but they, it kind of, you know, when the kids do
like pictures of themselves to go on the Christmas tea towel at
school? Yeah.

(16:47):
And every child draws like a self-portrait.
And they, they, they, if you're terrible, if it's your child,
you'll recognise it's your childwho's drawn that picture.
These paintings were a little onthat scale, though.
I'm sure that he's been. Oh, wow.
To praise him again. Artist.
Yeah, I've never. Heard him down as being an
artist, so that'd be. You're still with him.

(17:14):
Brilliant. Oops, that's me far and wide.
The most important thing for me that ever happens in the
American Adventure Pavilion and in that Rotunda downstairs in
that building, that beautiful Rotunda with the glass ceiling
and the red circle on the floor,sit on the floor.
People, without a doubt, sit on the floor because Voices of

(17:36):
Liberty are without a doubt one of the best entertainment
moments you could ever see in Walt Disney World.
And I will now make a point of going on my last day every time.
It has to be the last thing I dobefore I leave.
Yeah, it's one of my favorite things to do in in Epcot and in
Disney is to go watch them sing.I don't sit on the floor on the

(17:59):
red dot because otherwise you need to get a forklifting to
lift me up so I can. I tend, I tend to sit on a
bench. It's.
An embarrassing moment at the end of when they finish singing
that they do all, they're brilliant.
They do walk around and offer a hand to people to try and help
them get up, which is by that point I think I've gone to
sleep. Yeah.
And I'm just like, I'll be I'll be up in a minute and try to do

(18:21):
some sort of dignity. It's like an out spaceman.
The game is to sit next to someone older than you.
So and then you don't don't get quite certainly crept when
you're that's why that's. Why it's up?
Next to. Me last.
Year that between you and Jason last time.
Oh, there. You go I.
Was going to say I'll sit next to you there, refined.

(18:43):
Yeah, sit next to me and you definitely won't.
You'll definitely look fine getting up.
I'm much like yeah, sit down for.
Too long on the floor and my feet go numb.
Yeah, me too. Me too.
The. One thing to the one thing to
bear in mind as well is after the show and what's if it wants
to finish singing, Don't just disappear quickly because that's

(19:05):
how they will come and chat. They will linger and you can
actually go and have a chat to them and they are absolutely
amazing singers. And actually, once you, once you
get rid of the, the whole being in awe of the voices, they're
just brilliant people and they're, they're really good.
They're just, they're just beautiful people just to have a

(19:25):
chat with. And, and again, talking about
music, I like talking about music anyway, but it's it's a
different form of music. And the absolute acoustics
within that whole whole are justincredible.
I go from a bit where you go in,I start taking pictures of the
roof of the place before the singing even begins.

(19:47):
And then you still, you're stillhalfway through the show, you're
still looking around and you're thinking just the actual sound
quality is just so uniquely special.
It really is amazing. The the acoustic just pings
around is it's stunning and I I almost feel sad when they do not
not that they sing. Badly, I don't think any of them

(20:07):
sing a bad note ever, but when they do kind of like
processional, they're miked up on the Christmas tree.
I think that almost doesn't do them justice because the beauty
of that ensemble is how their voices blend.
And I'm sure that they spend a lot of time practicing that,
that to get that so perfect And the the acoustic off the Rotunda
helps that and they can hear each other.

(20:30):
And you know, I just, I feel it isn't just isn't the same when
they're they've got they don't need mics.
They just need to be in the right acoustic.
And I think, mind you, I think they could probably sing in a
dustbin and they'd sound amazing.
But yeah, I think the secret's definitely out now.
It used to be that you'd go in and be like, oh, they're
singing. This is a group of people

(20:50):
singing on the way into Americanadventure, the show and Now.
It's a thing. Yeah, it's a thing.
And obviously if you go at Christmas you're lucky and you
can get a double set, so they sing in front of you and then
they appear on the balcony above, which is very special.

(21:11):
Don't like the new costumes? Just saying.
They're better than the the the Blues, though.
Right, I can't even. Remember what?
I like the blue, and I quite like the blue.
It was slightly less formal, I Iknow.
I like the Christmas outfits. Dickensian.
Yeah. It feels very Christmassy.

(21:31):
So, yeah, but yeah, I'm not a fan of the new costumes.
I like the old ones, the original sort of Victorian
dresses that they were, they were, they were awesome.
And boots. But things times change.
New costumes for all you know. But.
I am in awe of them every time and they always make me cry.
Yeah, me too. Every time.

(21:52):
Every time that you just look over at me, I'm like, it's fine,
just just ignore me. Yeah.
Just, and I know they've had loads of new, new members
recently and lots of different faces from compared to a couple
of years ago. And it's amazing the, the
turnover is so it's not actuallyvery fast for a group like that
and they work really hard. So absolutely shout out to them

(22:13):
and I think they're amazing. I would sit there every day and
listen to them if I could. It's always nice for me if I see
the odd Dapper Dan pop up in there, I'm always like, I know
you. I think I've got a bit of a
thing for the Dapper Dan's. I've decided because I just have
to see them. If I don't see them and I'm
very, very sad person, I sort of, yeah, chase them around a

(22:35):
little bit. So we've covered the theatre and
the Gallery and Voices of Liberty and the Hall of Flags.
What about, I mean, there is a store there.
They've got the Art of Disney Store, which is sort of attached
to the the side of the theatre. I don't think it's a.
Great thing I don't either. No, I don't believe it from

(22:58):
where it used to be. It doesn't have a lot on offer
either, so it's it's not even. And that's the only store in the
whole pavilion. I find it odd.
It must have been a conscious decision not to have lots of
shopping. Don't really know.
Why? I mean, they often have booths
nearer the lagoon, not just for the festivals, but they can be.

(23:19):
They're often open selling random sort of stuff.
Sometimes it's the dot with the weird dolls.
And they often have things for sale nearer nearer the lagoon.
I think you're right though, Claire, you're on to something
here. As a as a shark, I don't feel
it's kept as up to date as it perhaps used to be.
And there used to be some reallyoriginal and some really quite

(23:41):
unique gifts that, you know, merchandise that you could buy
going back about 10 years. And it was, it was always worth
looking to see what you could pick up there.
And now I just need to become don't.
Even go it's kind. Of it's, it's, it's not, it's
not worth looking because it's not even they haven't got the

(24:01):
good stuff that you see from connections or creations,
whether it's mouse gear. But it, it just seems, it just
seems like I'm trying not to use, to use the word.
It's like a tacky gift shop thatyou'd find over in the UK when

(24:24):
you, when you think about the pride of the country and the,
the, the feeling that gets stoked up when you're listening
to, you know, even as someone from the UK, when you hear the
American National anthem, I findit quite the most moving thing
to be part of. And the respect that Americans
chauffeur their, their flag and their national anthem.

(24:44):
I I just find just awe inspiring.
I really don't, I know said thisin the show before and I really
feel that, you know, as you comeout, you've got every every
British person coming out of that theatre.
He'll be going into the shop andsaying, look, I want something
American that can take home withyou and it and it hasn't got
that. And I think it's, it really
disappoints me. I don't they're missing a trick

(25:06):
there. Like many of the other countries
have things that like I'm not from Italy, I might buy
something from Italy or if you are from Italy, you might buy
something from Italy. Why is why is America?
Why don't they have? Have that something?
I wonder if it's partly because it's in America, so in a lot of
the other countries you'll be able to get foodstuffs, for

(25:30):
example from those countries. There is no point in them
selling American foodstuffs in. Disney when you can go. 10
minutes down the road to Walmart.
Ton, yeah, but who's going to dothat if you haven't got a car
and you're staying on property and you're an international
visitor, you might want to buy a, you know, finger bar or
whatever it is. I think.
I think there's you could totally.

(25:51):
For Mickey and Minnie in wearingsomething patriotic American.
Yeah, yeah, I. Think it's odd?
Yeah, I definitely think they'remissing a trick.
If if you're American and you listen to this and actually you
know the answer to that question, get in touch with us
through the waffle his arms on Facebook.
Because we are genuinely intrigued because there might

(26:14):
well be a proper reason for it and it might be might be missing
something purely from a culturalpoint of view.
Maybe so. I mean something that is over
than that area. You've got the kid cot stop just
outside that shop, but you've also got two of the greatest
things in all of World Showcase.You've got, you know exactly.
Are we, are we, are we going to the toilet, Claire?

(26:37):
The bomb rooms in the American Pavilion are are fantastic.
If you, I mean, if you need to go, that's the place to go.
Yes, dude, I mean. They're cold, which is great
because they're is this. Where you were going didn't go.
Is this where you were going to lead us to?
I might have been, I might have been leading you to the bathroom
a minute ago, but yes. I was, but there's there's

(27:01):
they're really big. I don't know about the gents.
I've never been in there, but the ladies, they're.
Huge. They're clean.
Don't far but all bathrooms are clean in Disney pretty much.
I mean have. You have you to tangled
bathrooms after say like 5:00 PM?
I'm not sure. But they are massive and there's

(27:24):
never, ever a queue. Whereas if you go back to
Germany, there's always a queue.So yes, hold on for another two
countries and across the Atlantic I.
Completely agree, they're my FA Probably my favorite bathrooms
in a Disney park. Those ones.
Because they're, I mean, that's a show.
I know, right? That's been a show in itself

(27:44):
because it's quite a long time. Yeah, we've we've been holding
it in for far too long. And there are new bathrooms
since then. So yeah, this is true.
We do need to revisit that particular topic.
But those the other plate, the other thing that's really good
over there are the picnic benches that are under the
undercover. So they're in the shade, yes.

(28:04):
And they're, I mean, they're theplace that people wait for
people using the bathrooms, but they are actually quite a number
of them. There's probably, what, 15
picnic benches? And yeah, they're quite a good
place just to have a hangout in the shade.
I mean, if there's a festival on, there's usually people sat
eating stuff that they picked upfrom the festival booth there.
Yeah. Because if there's a festival,

(28:25):
there's always food, even if it is the whether it's the food and
wine or not. Yeah, but I mean, I think
there's quite the food in the American pavilion is it has
changed. I mean, they've got the
Joffrey's as you're walking around from Italy, you've got
the Joffrey's cart, which is notcar because it's completely it's
there all the time. And they're they do a lot of

(28:48):
pastries and quite a lot of different snacks at that
particular Joffrey's cart. They also do fantastic Bailey's
drink of some kind that Zach bought me once when we were
watching Candlelight Processional, and it was a bit
like a espresso martini, but made of Baileys.
Very nice. It was quite strong.

(29:08):
It was very good. It made the Candlelight
Processional very well. Yeah.
He went on to get himself coffeeand brought that back for me.
I was like, oh, thank you very much.
Don't mind if I do. But then you've also got the
crumbs. What's it called?
The Regal Eagle Smokehouse. Yeah, so that that changed pre

(29:29):
COVID just. Yeah.
Yeah, it was before. But it's also got the outdoor
smoker, which if it's on kind oflike takes this greatly cloud of
smell over the whole left hand side of the pavilion.
But it does. It smells like, you know, BBQ.
It smells really not. I don't mind the smell of it.

(29:51):
I just don't really want my hairto smell a bit the rest of the
day. I wouldn't hang out that and
you've got the outdoor window. What's that Fight and drum,
which is where they do and. The.
Turkey legs and. I'm sure they've got, yes, they
do Turkey legs there, but they've got something new there
and I forget because I put it onmy list and I want to eat that
next time I pretzel bites. That's the one pretzel bite.

(30:15):
So the beer cheese. That's the famous one that they
the ones that they have at they.There's one.
There's a block and mounds little booth on in that stretch
as well. Isn't it that do pretzels as
well. I'm I'm more thinking of the
beer. You know, I'm a great advocate
of when in America drink American and and there is some

(30:39):
doesn't they do a cracking beer beer flight to go and sit just
in that nice shed area at the back player.
And I must admit that comes highly recommended, especially
if you're looking at some that they do some very special local
brews as well. So that you know, it can either
be from I think there's the Orlando brewing, the blonde Dale

(30:59):
from there and then the Tampa brewery.
Yeah, I really I really appreciate that because yeah,
yeah, yeah, I really think that that's such a nice thing that
even despite you know, despite the fact that anywhere you go on
site that you go for a soft drink, it has to be Coca-Cola
and it has to be Dasani water, at least when you want to go and
have a beer. They're actually supporting

(31:20):
local breweries as well, which is which is good because
actually it offers something different that you don't
certainly don't get a chance of when you go in the supermarket.
Where is it that does that drinkthat everybody raves about?
It's a it's a speciality alcoholic drink.
I think it might be it's either Regal Eagle or Five and Drum.

(31:41):
I'm just trying to remember. It's some strange version of a
Old fashioned or some kind I think.
He's obviously there. Yeah, it's not my, not my.
There's always a man's to drink,to get a drink, and I'm just
trying to scroll to find it, butsomeone will know.
Yeah, there's it's got, it's always like a sour cherry on top
of it. It's not, it's got whiskey in

(32:01):
it. So I would never drink it.
That's just why I don't never get bored.
There you go, that's the one. Has everyone actually eaten in
smoke? The smokehouse there.
Yeah, I have a couple of times. Yeah, we've been there a few
times. Have you, John?
No, we haven't. As purely from a timing thing
and also I think as well, I think there's that many

(32:23):
opportunities to eat in different places around that
cot. It keeps getting kicked off the
list because we keep thinking I want to go somewhere else and we
might come to that very shortly.I have to.
Say. Yeah, I'm sorry.
So I always find it a bit underwhelming.
Oh, do you? Yeah, I'd say I usually enjoy

(32:44):
it, but those saying that the last time there, I think we kind
of all went, oh, it was all right.
It was nothing super special. However, it's definitely an
upgrade from the old place. But it was just burgers and hot
dogs like. Nuggets.
And yeah, it was basically like Electric Umbrella, but in
America. Yeah, I thought it was the.

(33:05):
Same thing. Yeah, I felt it previously had a
feel of a McDonald's sort of restaurant about it.
And by putting the smoker out atthe front, I think was a very a
very significant way of saying, look, this is different.
This is, you know, it's like it's like having Gordon Ramsay
in to do it like an over overhaul of the kitchen, give

(33:29):
people the thought that everything's changed.
We'll put the smoker out the front and everyone believed that
it's actually it's a proper barbecue experience and things
like that. And I think that that for me is
where they've done it very well and just changing people's
mindset around into it actually being a place that is.
It's certainly a step up from where it was.
Yeah, the Mac and cheese is usually pretty good there, if

(33:52):
nothing else. Yeah, I.
Will agree with that. Mac and cheese is quite nice.
OK. I'll add that to my list you.
Can't mess up Mac and cheese now.
Oh, you, you'd. Be surprised.
But that's when you know that somewhere is not good.
If they're it's all good. Mac and.

(34:13):
Yeah. And then as you walk down
towards the you're walking out of America, you've also got the
funnel cake stand that is there on the left hand side with
normal funnel cake and speciality funnel cakes that
they had for all the festivals. If you'd like the funnel cake.
Which it has its own very uniquesmell.

(34:34):
That's all I'm going to say. It's Yeah, it's Yeah.
I'm not a great lover of funnel cake purely because of the
greasy smell there. Yeah, I, I, it's.
Deep fried and dough. So I'm kind of already all about
it. Yeah.
I quite like funnel cake, but I haven't had.
Fun in years. I yeah, it usually goes a few

(34:55):
years in between funnel cakes for me, and again, I'll get
arteries. Time too, Yeah.
Yeah. Anyway, three years of statins.
Yeah, there we go. Usually do you know what I think
it probably is about three yearsin between and then always get
you always get one to share. No, you can't.

(35:16):
I mean I would never eat. I can't eat a whole one of
those. You always get one share it
between a few of you. So you had it in.
The bites. I love the fact that it takes
you 3 years to forget how disgusting it is and then you
have another one and then you goI remember why we did this one
last time we were. Here the last time I had one was
pre COVID. Oh.
I've definitely I was since then.

(35:37):
Are you certainly thinking that I'm I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm the I
must be at least 10 years since I have one of eight.
Oh John, you need a reminder. You need to tag.
I'm not sure if I do. It'll help you for it.
Yeah, yeah, maybe I should get that on me on my T-shirt.
Yeah, I'm drinking around the I'm drinking around the world,
but hey, I'm not eating full of cake, so I'm healthier for.

(36:02):
It the funnel where the funnel cake stand is, though, it's
always like a toss up what you fancy to have because there's
the funnel cake stand and then before you know it, you're in
Japan and you can have a shave ice.
Yeah, yeah, yeah. I'm not.
I quite like a shave ice but I don't like I've had it from

(36:23):
there and I found the flavours very, very fake kind of
flavouring rather than natural, so it wasn't the fan.
Found it too big, too big a portion.
I know what you mean. It's like a slush, isn't it?
Yeah. Slush as a kid, it's.
Like having a lolly, an ice lolly that someone's like,

(36:44):
washed up. And then what?
Brain freeze. Yeah, it's like having your own
Mr. Frosty. I was never.
I never got a Mr. Frosty asked for him for Christmas for about
four years when I was a child. I've never got 1.
So every. Time, proud child, Claire.
So now I have to make do with with Yeah, a khaki gauri from.

(37:07):
See, Simon would stay the same as you, Claire.
He always missed out on it and he he still blames his parents.
He's never forgiven them. I was one of the lucky ones that
got one. I had one.
Yeah. They were awful.
It was useless. All that happened was the ice
used to not go in and turn and then it would just drip and
melt. They were.

(37:28):
They were not. They were not the one.
They looked great on TV. The reality was this is
terrible. Very different.
Did you have an Ala carte kitchen as well?
I don't think I did, no. I just thought I was just
desperate for a Mr. Frosty like a we all.
Were we all were never one of the lucky ones so we've made it

(37:48):
to Japan. Thank you for driving us onwards
in our little trip. And for me, it might be one of
my, I think it's, so I say it's my favorite pavilion, but that
does change regularly actually. So at the moment it's my
favorite pavilion, but you know,give it a couple of weeks.
I might have changed my mind again.
And every time I, every time we've done one of these
recordings and we've talked about different pavilions, I'm
like, oh, maybe this is my favorite and they've all got

(38:10):
different things, but I absolutely love the Japan
pavilion And I think there's so many photo opportunities that
yes, make it beautiful in like every way you turn, it's
beautiful. You've got the pagoda, which is
stunning and again, used by portviews force perspective to make
it look bigger than it is. It's only got 5 stories while

(38:33):
five tiers and, but the blue roofs make it pop against the
sky, which makes it easy to photograph.
And then you've got the Tory gate on the other side.
If you can line yourself up nicely you get Tory Gate, get
Spaceship Earth and. Yeah.
It looks like several different times of the day as well.
You know, do that in the evening.
Amazing. You might get some fireworks.

(38:56):
It was heads. But it's quite hard to take a
bad photo in the Japan pavilion,I think.
Yeah. I would agree.
I would agree. And it's got the best shot out
of all the World Showcase. It's definitely got the best
shot. Definitely.
I agree with that. I love Mitsukoshi.
I love, I think it's changed though.

(39:16):
I think if I think back to what Mitch case she was like 10 years
ago and what it is now, it's maybe not quite as good as it
was. I would agree.
It doesn't have the variety. It used to have that.
That's for me. There used to be a lot more
variety. Now it's have a lot of the same
thing. Much more commercial now rather
than used to be able to go to the bit, the back where the food
was, which was bigger. Obviously the sake stand and

(39:39):
it's taken over a bit more spaceand you used to be able to find
some like super random stuff andthat great, you take them back.
People here have some deep friedshrimp, you know, all sorts of
weird and wonderful things that you didn't have British, you
know, English labels on. So you had to kind of guess a

(40:00):
little bit as to what you might always game.
The whole family can play. But I do like the shop.
I love the service in the shop. It's amazing.
And you know the Japanese cast members who were there.
Are incredible and so, so perfect all the way through that
shop and and just so helpful. And there are a few classic

(40:24):
things in there that everyone knows about.
You can go and try on a kimono if you want in the back.
Yeah. Have you done that?
No, I have not, because I didn't.
I didn't know. I'd want to buy it.
Yeah, well, that's the thing I didn't know.
Well, I don't know if it was like rude to do it if I've got
no. Intention of buying it?
Yeah. Yeah.
I've never tried an honour, I'vedefinitely taken them off the

(40:46):
hangers and had a proper look, but there's some nice hair
Crips. And stuff, yeah, you look at the
price of it and put. It back exactly, exactly.
And they've got the funny littlebit with the Zen gardens in
there, like the little table topZen gardens going on just like
it's like raking over the bunkerin the golf course at the end of

(41:09):
them. But they've they've got some
really cool things. I bought a pair of the socks,
which are like the toe socks that go with me flip flops.
I've got those. They're really cool.
Flip flops and socks are not a thing Claire must.
Have they are in Japan? I'm just saying for anyone who's
driving and listening to the show and it's just about to
start arguing with the family socks and flip flops, definitely

(41:31):
not. They are in Japan.
You can buy this, yeah. We're going to start.
Also, everyone's wearing slidersand socks now.
Right, Crocs and socks. No, I'm with you, John.
Just. No socks with Samuel's place.
What else is there in there? The other thing that I bought in
there recently and I'm a big convert to is some of their

(41:55):
beauty products. So they are sort of long and
where the person was talking about the that they do face
masks and a number of different beauty products.
They're super cheap and they're amazing.
So they do like a big I bought apouch off like the sheet face
masks and I think it's like 799 or something and there was about

(42:19):
25 of them. They're in a rescalable packet.
So amazing. Like at the end of the long park
date test it or on an airplane or anything like that.
They're and I would ABS they're heavy.
That's the only thing so you don't buy at the beginning of
the day super heavy and carry around.
But yeah, I've bought quite a few of their the beauty

(42:40):
products. I'll have to have a look at
them. I've never really looked at the
beauty products. I've never have looked at them
either until I watched this flock and someone was raving
about how brilliant they are. So I thought infra penny, infra
pound. I'll give I'll buy a small
packet and then next time I went.
Back and bought the big. Pocket do this you do first,
you'll do the pick a Pearl. Yeah.
They do, yeah. So I was about to mention that.

(43:02):
Has anyone ever bought one of the pearls?
Because actually, I think when it's one of them things, you see
it in action and you think, wow,that what a really brilliant
thing. And then because I'm a cynical
old person and then you come to your shop again and the same
thing's happening. It's like, oh, you wouldn't.
And it's just like, oh, when youI said you've been one of the
big ones that's going to cost you $30 rather than $20.00 at

(43:24):
the last personnel. And it's just like, hang on a
minute, This is and. Then anyone?
Anyone watching on YouTube will be able to.
See spoiler spoiler alert. If you have this thing on the
podcast, you have to go to YouTube to see, but I'm just
holding up. Lay on your pearls.
So that is 4. I probably have another 6
upstairs and actually I haven't.Made it all still in the

(43:46):
plastic. Bag so you can buy a whole neck
like make a whole. Necklace.
I have a necklace that Dan had made for me, which is it's made
with the pearls from the Japan Pavilion and you can have you
can actually add them on to it, but these.
Are. These are huge.
There's one. There's like 8 1/2.
That was the biggest Pearl of the day.

(44:07):
Yeah, there. You go.
You. See and actually I got a grey
one which is a silver 1 so. I actually I've just got this
vision now, Claire. When they see when they see you
walking in the shop, it's like exactly dead.
Millie and I will. Bang that drum a bit louder.
Come on, get. Come on, girls.

(44:27):
Here we go. We're in for.
We're in for a couple of times. A year.
We used to have this deal when we went into Mitsukoshi because
Morgan has a massive, massive Pokémon fan and obviously in
that store they have tons of Pokémon things.
Morgan would always get a Pokémon plush and I would always
get that. That was the deal.
And now it's escalated where Millie doesn't know whether she

(44:48):
wants a Pearl or a Pokémon anymore.
He also gets one of them. I will.
Come on. So it just is one of those
things in the Japan, but it costs a fortune to go in that
that store every single time. Doesn't in your house?
Yeah, it doesn't. It has.
I've never actually. Brought anything from in there?
Nothing. No.

(45:09):
Move, move. No moving on quickly, kid.
I love the shop but I've never brought anything.
From in there. I thought quite.
That was, yeah. Thank God, loads of things to
buy and then the books are amazing.
If you like anime and you you know, all of that stuff.
They've got some stick things. They aren't cheap, but you know,

(45:30):
I think there are. I could probably spend a lot of
money in there if I was if I hadan unlimited budget, I would.
But often I'm trying to scootch through and get away without
spending very much money at all.The one that one of the things
that's a bit weird to me about Japan billion.
If you stand at the lagoon end and look back at the pavilion,

(45:50):
you have to I always forget thatthere is the entire outline of a
fortress because it's actually the closer you get to that.
It's really difficult to see andI always, I never really look at
because I'm tending to be looking to go into Mitsubishi.
I'm going up to to the other side and I tend not to look at
the back of the pavilion very much.

(46:11):
But actually it's got a beautiful skyline of the of the
fortress. Yeah, it's really strange act
like because if you go right theway through the shop and then
back a bit more and then hook round do the do the kid caught
stop. Yeah.
And and and you actually become aware that you're within the
fortress and and it's kind of because because you've been in

(46:34):
the shop and you haven't had that walk up to it, it kind of
you kind of what Yeah, why why is this like it is?
And it's only when you walk thatlittle bit further on and then
you turn and you look back on itand you're like, right.
And then walk back in and it's kind of got that drawbridge kind
of effect as you're walking intoit and you're like.

(46:57):
And again, loads of people mightnot even know that that's
actually there deliberately yes,but it but it's a brilliant
thing. It's it is so it is so amazing.
I'm not going to insult anybody,any Japanese people by trying to
even think about why it is done,done that way.
But some of the statues as you come out the back of the shop

(47:18):
and you're walking that way, a very sort of Japanese military
and just just has that differentsense to the country.
And I think tells a lot more about the culture and about the
people as well. And it's again, it's one end
places and just to soak it up and see because it's it really

(47:39):
is different. I agree.
And I think you know that if yougo in, don't go in the front
end, it's because you go all theway to the back and go in that
way at least once. And that it does have a
different feel. It feels like you're going in,
you know, a little bit of history when you're walking in
rather than going into the frontof a really modern department
store. So it is a real juxtaposition of
a pavilion of like historical stuff and modern stuff.

(48:01):
And I guess that that is simple for Japan as well.
So yeah, there is the the gallery in there as well, which
is the the Gypsy Can gallery, which at the moment, well,
probably the last 10 years, I think it's had the kawaii
display in there. Smell in that place.
I don't know what it is, but it smells awful every single time

(48:27):
that I go in there. I mean, we literally walked in
and we were just like, I can't stay in here.
I don't know what the smell is. I don't know where it's coming
from, but it's not good. It's just, oh, it's horror.
It's like Monorail Snail, but worse.
I don't know what's going on in there.
It's not the best. I've been in for a while.
Then yeah, it's yeah. The last time I went in I was

(48:50):
like, oh, it's not staying here for too long, but it's a shame
because the stuff in there is really cute.
I don't. It's fun to go and have a look
at and yeah, can't stay for long, but it's cool in there.
It's in terms of air condition. So you're on that as you walk
towards the back of the pavilion.
The other amazing thing that I think we all probably appreciate
more than a lot of the other bits of it is the the garden

(49:13):
area on the left hand side. So there are koi ponds,
waterfalls, bridges, and they'vegot a whole load of natural, you
know, foliage with bamboo and market puzzle trees and aces, so
Japanese maples and it's just sobeautiful.
That looks like this amazing sort of ceremonial garden.

(49:35):
And there's lots of little bridges you can crossover and
then go round. And I mean at the top, obviously
the pinnacle of that is the is casserole grill is hidden up
there and people don't. Tell.
Don't. Tell, don't tell people about
cats that are a drill, Claire. Goodness, they'll all be going.
I think that whole that whole area is forgotten.
I don't think it's obvious how to access it.

(49:58):
I think people just completely miss it.
It's it's great best spot in thewhole of Epcot.
I agree. And, and, and actually you, you
detach yourself. It's one of them, another one of
those places on World Showcase where you actually feel
completely detached from being in a theme park.
And what you can affect even even the way that the the area

(50:21):
is actually designed, you actually don't have any view of
a Spaceship Earth. You don't have any view of the
walkway around. So you're completely cut off and
you just have the pagoda in front of you.
So that kind of offers you a little bit of protection.
Even if there's a slight breeze,you know, you're not.

(50:41):
And sometimes you get a bit shaded as well and, but it is
absolutely a superb place to just have a little bit of space
and time to just chill out. And we tend to always have a
beer and then go and just sit upthere and just, I don't know,
there's something, there is something quite spiritual going
on when you can hit listen to the water.

(51:03):
You're looking at the koi and you're just like, you're just
like taken to it. You're taken to a different
place. It is beautiful and I must admit
if you're hungry, if you're hungry, if you're hungry, then
Catsoura Grill is definitely, it's the top of the list bit and
it's why in the American Pavilion, we generally, if we're

(51:24):
hungry, we would not stop there and.
He we would, we would. Next door.
And we would, we would always goto Catsoura Grill.
Yeah, it kind of, it kind of beats everywhere in the whole of
the park for a quick service. It's.
My top quick. Service in it.
It is, yeah. Yeah, it's brilliant.

(51:44):
It's been years since I've been to that quick service and I
really, and I just, I think it'sone of those things I just
forget to go or there's a festival on and I want to eat
festival food or. Yeah, yeah, we've been the other
side of the park at one point and then it's got to meal time
and then we've had the kids saying, well, I tell you, they
fancy the bit of Chinese. So we just gave them money to go

(52:07):
and get themselves a quick service in the China Pavilion.
We ended up, we ended up going to Cut Serving Grill and we got
the better deal and we got, you know, the food there is
absolutely incredible. I.
Think that's the thing. I just, I absolutely love it
there and there's never been a bad meal.
Food is amazing, service is fantastic.

(52:28):
There's not a lot of seating. So if you want to sit inside, it
can be a bit a bit of a squish, but there is sitting outside.
So if it's not and if it's not too hot, you can definitely sit
out and it not too hot Florida, you can sit outside and there is
a bit of shade. If you don't go in summer, you
can sit outside. Yeah.

(52:48):
And the seats out there, there'sthere's plenty of space around
them. And as you say, John, there's
something about sitting out there listening to the
waterfall. And I know when we talked about
China, we talked about the stillness of the cotton outside
of the temple. And, you know, obviously in
Japanese culture, the water is the movement of the water is the
thing that brings energy. And I think that if you sit
there and just listen, it's justso beautiful.

(53:09):
And, and actually, if you're if you're looking for somewhere to
sit a cat or a grill, or even ifyou just got a drink all the way
around the outside of the building under the overhang,
there is a bench. Yeah.
And I was. Going to mention that Claire.
Now, this is a real handy hiddentip.
So don't tell everyone if if it's raining at Epcot, that

(53:33):
little overhang is one of the best places that just go and get
a little bit of shelter. You don't even see.
Yeah, but even if you're not planning on eating or drinking
it, it you see, you can stay, but you can stay dry.
And and that's, you know, it is.So you know it saves you going
into the shop. But it also gets really busy in

(53:59):
shock because everyone gets in there and actually that that
bench, that sort of overhang bench fit that goes all the way
around is such a a Brit. And we are, I try and think when
it was I was there and I sat there with a drink and there was
a bunch of Americans came and sat and we had a really nice
little chat, sat out there whileit rained and we just hug out

(54:22):
for a little while. Or if it's really hot, you can
get shade under there as well. So yeah.
That's handy too. I just point out to people as
well, you know, I know we often talk about to either on a
Wednesday live show or join the podcast as well.
I'm not, we're not actually making this up about this place.
If you, if you like a bit like your noodles, they do a

(54:43):
brilliant beef udon. It's only $15.99, yeah.
And the sushi is apparent. Yeah, I don't eat, but my cousin
eats a lot of sushi, but she rate.
He absolutely rates the sushi from there.
Well, that's an all right. Teriyaki chicken and rice.
And yeah, another goat. So the sushi combo is only
$14.00 and then the teriyaki chicken is only 1499.

(55:09):
We. Can cut the Curry, which is
basically your tattoo Curry. Yeah, it's.
A katsu Curry at $15.99, you actually you would be struggling
to find somewhere that's as gooda value.
And I've just seen that they do,they do a nice soup as well.
So that's now that's now on the list for the summer as well.
Again, back on the list, Yeah. Yeah, you'll never make it to

(55:32):
the smokehouse. No.
No, no. And that's why, but it's why we
end up going back there each andevery time.
It's just got, you know, if you,if you look at the menu and
you're thinking, oh, I'm not sure, just go and give a try to
the ones I just mentioned because actually you won't be
disappointed. It's it's very, the food is

(55:53):
consistently good. I think it's probably the best
way to describe it. In terms of the other
restaurants, there are quite a few restaurants into you've got
Tepanido. So upstairs there's a big
staircase on the right hand sidewhich goes up above Mitsukoshi
and up that staircase there is Tepanido, which is a Tepaniaki
restaurant like Benihana or those are happy and you do get

(56:14):
sat with people you don't know if you've got a party of less
than eight people. Sometimes it is a show.
It's a you know, it's a dinner and a show all in one.
It's not the cheapest. A lot of people love it.
I've had a variety of experiences there.
I've had a really good meal. I've also had not a great meal.
So I think it can be a little bit hit miss as a family.
If you want to do something that's, you know, a bit of fun,

(56:36):
that's a good option. You know, there's a if you like
the high quality, tepid yaki, there's a Benihana just down.
Is it at the B Hotel or the hotels near Disney Springs?
I would say Kobe is better than Benihana.
Yeah, they have to Kobe. Kobe's the one in.
If you're in Orlando but you can't get out there and you want

(56:59):
to try a teppanyaki and you've never had it, or if you've.
Got the dining plan. It's a great, Yeah, absolutely
get one credit. That that was how we've done it.
We've done it a couple of times on the dining plan and both
times we've been sat with peoplewho've been absolutely amazing
company. The first time was a family from
New York and then the second time we were with a family from

(57:21):
Wales who were staying at the same hotel.
We were at the beach Club and wewere saying at the Yacht Club,
they were saying at the beach Club.
And by the time we'd finished the meal, we were going into
Magic Kingdom for late night opening and Magic Kingdom we
got, we ended up on the same busand we went and enjoyed the rest
of the evening. It's just one of them things
that you could never, you could never script it.

(57:41):
It was just you were sat dining together and then you suddenly,
you know, with two families sortof colliding suddenly let's get,
let's go. Never never saw them again after
that night, but we had a great night.
There's also that used to be Tokyo dining.
It's now Shiki Sai. I haven't eaten there.
I don't know if anyone else has eaten there.

(58:03):
Which is upstairs at the front of that pavillionaire.
And that's got quite a lot of sushi, sashimi, quite.
I think it's got quite a unique menu if people are into their
Japanese food. And at the front of that
building, you can go up the stairs and then just walk around
the balcony. And that's quite a good spot for
watching the Pirates. It is indeed, yeah.

(58:26):
So that's that's what I say. And then downstairs around the
back of Mitsukoshi Distikumite, which is a whole other level of
dining in terms of cost and experience.
Not somewhere that I would choose to go.
Definitely not, you know, not. It's the cost.
It's the cost bit that gives me each and every time.

(58:47):
The eel and the pork fat and theyeah, yeah.
Can't just deny. That not my food, but I know
people who go and absolutely rape about it.
So if you're into your Japanese traditional Japanese meal, then
you know that might not you go sushi or your Wagamama's very

(59:09):
much more traditional, but I know I do know people that
absolutely adore it there and would would happily pay the
extortion amount of money to go there every every time.
That's not for me, that one. No, me, it's not for me because
it doesn't look like a child could eat it.
So there's no chicken Nuggets onthat menu.

(59:31):
There is not John. When you're there with your Joe.
Does he like watching watching the Maxi Reacher drummers or is
it not his thing? It is his, it's obviously it is
always his thing because it's anything that involves drumming.
He will sit and watch and sort of take apart and but it's, it's
different and it's, it's a completely, I don't know, it's

(59:53):
just a different vibe. I, I get, I get quite intrigued
by it because actually the physicality involved actually
when those drums is quite something else.
And then that he, you know, you do you, you do look upon, upon
the performers and you just thinking how on earth you
managed to do that and stay upright.

(01:00:14):
By the time of it, I actually, you know, you started and you,
you turn. It's your favorite pavilion.
It's only by talking about it and.
You become so aware of just how much is is within such what
appears to be such a small area.And yet they've managed to get
the cultural side across, I think in a very, very special

(01:00:39):
way. And I think that for me is is
where it becomes all-encompassing.
And you really do get that, thatwhole fear feel that this, this
is one really special part of that kind, you know.
And, and apart from the fact that you can take some cracking
photos of the fireworks from the, from the balcony outside

(01:00:59):
Tappanito as well, which, which also include you get, you get
the Tory Tory gate and you get the spaceship.
But, and you get the fireworks all in the one shot.
It is quite as it is quite a place.
And yeah, anyone listening to this who hasn't been, yeah, just
ignore what we've been talking about because I'd like to keep
it. I'd like to keep it to it.

(01:01:22):
Never feels hugely busy in Japanfor the I think it's the size of
the courtyard and the space and it doesn't unlike where we're
heading next. So carrying on around the path
and we get to Morocco. So Morocco pavilion probably an
underrated I would say in terms of the spread off the World

(01:01:44):
Showcase pavilions sadly feels like it needs a bit of TLC at
the moment if there's a lot of walls or there wasn't there.
Yeah, but we're redoing all the mosaics.
So Claire, not for me, that for me was, and I know probably had
to do it for health and safety this, but they took away the

(01:02:06):
original proper Moroccan mosaicsand they've replaced it with
basically something you'd go your local there and pick up
some sort of some wall tiles andyou could do that.
I'm just just, you just lost now.
It doesn't, I feel really sorry for that because it actually,
it's one pavilion. It takes a lot, it takes a lot

(01:02:28):
of finding to actually get into the actual pavilion, deeper into
the pavilion. And I actually feel it's one
that a lot of people will just because because as you're on
that World Showcase loop, there's kind of a lot going on
within that space that is Morocco.
And you actually you don't feel as if there is anything behind

(01:02:51):
and there is. But to go and have a go and
explore because actually don't, don't be British and don't be
sort of all, we can't go in there just going in everywhere
because actually it's fabulous. And if you go right into towards
the middle of the pavilion, there's like a a little bar area
that sells the most beautiful white sangria.

(01:03:13):
The white sangria on this car isOh really?
It's in the back where the wherethe Brass Bazaar used to be, so
you know you. No, it's the one at the front.
No, no, no. Those are in the back.
Oh, Robin, It's it's. There.
And there I've gone to the tableand the chairs and sat down and
everything, but I've never bought anything from back there.

(01:03:35):
Yeah, they have mint lemonade, which is lovely.
Do they do the pomegranate slushy?
The citrus and pomegranate slushy at the back?
They do. I know they do it at the.
Front Don't know, have not checked.
In terms of the pavilion, I think you know the first, first

(01:03:58):
thing you come across often is the band playing.
So what are they called now? Because they've had multiple
different bands. I think it is with the Belly
dancer and. The two types.
The two types of gentlemen watching.
Well, that's also there's also some drunk men trying to dance
along and it's really awkward bythe time they've played around

(01:04:20):
as far as the Rocket really had to.
Really. Oh no, that is mortifying.
Have you not seen it, John? Oh, Oh yes.
Is that they're two types. There's ones that are trying to
join in and like leering a bit and it's a bit like lechy and
gross. Or there's the guys that don't
know where to. Look, because they don't want to

(01:04:41):
want to look. It's.
I'll put. I'll put myself in that
category. There we go.
Oh, the whole pavilion I think is really stunning.
It's something like terracotta and it was a pavilion where the
government were involved in the building of the Moroccan
government helps design it and to build it.

(01:05:01):
And actually they sent over traditional Craftsman to do all
the tilings, do all the most aids and everything so it.
Really is even worse. Like, real deal.
Well, yeah, because the government stopped paying for it
and then they changed it. And.
But when you look at the like, the architecture that they've
got, they've got a minaret therethat's obviously it isn't
attached to a mosque. There isn't a mosque in the
middle of Epcot, but it looks like it should be a mosque.

(01:05:25):
And then they've got the, you know, the great big gate that
sort of leads you from the frontto the back of the pavilion.
That's a replica gate that is well represented in terms of the
shape and the all of the things.I think it's the shape, it's the
shape of some of these door, thedoorways and the gates.
And, and again, is it, is it because we're British?

(01:05:47):
We don't feel as if we can just walk into these places because
again, like it or not, it does look very much like a mosque and
like a place that oh, we shouldn't maybe venture in there
because actually we need to be alittle bit more respectful.
The one thing that really hits me about it, and this is this is
if you go, if you want, you'd located where the Morocco

(01:06:10):
pavilion is. Walk crowd.
That's all. Well, showcase again, I'm adding
to your steps, but look at the Morocco Pavilion.
But look at the shape Tower of Terror.
There actually is at the very back of the Moroccan pavilion.
It's been painted so that it, the backside of the of Tower of

(01:06:31):
Terror fits in with the Morocco pavilion, but the actual shape
of it blends in and actually fits into the whole theme.
It's found that Moroccan pavilion.
It is, it is one of the little bit hidden bits of imagineering
that you you probably would never see unless somebody
actually points it out to you. But it's deliberate and it

(01:06:52):
actually is meant to to be as itis and to add that kind of depth
to the viewpoint of of the Moroccan pavilion.
And exceptionally clever. Exceptionally clever.
I mean, sightline imagineering isn't is a whole other show in
itself as well. I just think it's incredible how
they do it and and blend stuff together and you're like, wow,
unless someone points out and then you when you see it, it's

(01:07:14):
like, oh, now I've seen it, I'veseen it.
I love how clever that is when they make things appear and
disappear and blend away. But blending, even though it's
hidden in plain sight mode. So maybe that's one to add to
the list. John, get a post it note.
Add it to the post it notes. I'm imagineering it's going to
be a show. Oh yeah, that's a big one.

(01:07:38):
I think my favorite area. Oh, I've got two favorite areas
of Morocco pavilion versus the best house, which it again, it's
one of those bits that you thinkmaybe I shouldn't go in, but you
go inside. It's a square room with open
ceiling and it almost looks likeit's got a balcony upstairs, but
it's it's got tiled walls all the way around, nothing in the

(01:07:58):
middle. It's got a fountain, like a
small fountain that went in. It is the coolest place and I
could just want to hang out in there.
And quite often I'll just go andstand there for 10-15 minutes
and just have a moment of calm. It is the most beautiful place
to to chill. They have got benches, a couple
of benches in there as well, so that's always quite nice if you

(01:08:20):
can. Yeah, and I watched people walk
in and go, oh, there's nothing here.
I'm walking out again. I'm like, no, you've missed the
point. You're meant to just come in and
have have you know, whether it'sa moment of reflection or
thought or whatever it needs to be is so lovely.
The other bit I like is all the this sounds really dodgy.
I call the back streets and how they all, you know how they all.

(01:08:44):
There's one that will, there's one that will hidden pathway
that goes between the back in the Tangerine Cafe and the back
of the Bazaar, the front of the bazaar.
And it's just like a little, almost like a dead shaped thing.
There's nothing in it, but you could go in one end and pop out
the other end and you're in a different place.
I love all that stuff. And when it used to have all the
bizarre shops in it, it was, it felt really enclosed and busy.

(01:09:04):
It's not quite so like that anymore, but I do love all those
little backstreet areas and you feel like you're Aladdin leaping
through the the bazaar at the beginning and I think it's
really cool. Yeah, it's and I think it's
worth pointing out as well, Claire and I think you know
which we're now in a position where unfortunately the

(01:09:24):
sponsorship by the Moroccan government that only ended in
October 2020, which you know, given timing with lockdowns and
park closures etcetera, possiblywasn't the best of times.
And then it's kind of been left a little bit because he and I, I
might, I might be speaking out aturn, but I certainly we'd found

(01:09:44):
that the dining, the spice SpiceRd. table was absolutely
exquisite. But Disney have taken that back
in house and it's now not quite as on point as it was.
And I would, it would be quite agood place to go back and
revisit to see if we actually would have the same meal that we

(01:10:06):
had the most incredible night there.
And again, one of those places that you don't expect to have an
incredible meal. We came out, but that was
2018-2019 and I would hope that it would certainly meet that
standard, but I don't think it does unfortunately.
And it's it's kind of taken the hearts out of the pavilion I.
Think I would probably. Describe it.

(01:10:29):
That Tangerine Cafe has been scaled back.
Their food restaurant Marrakesh just never came back after the
pandemic. It it does feel a little
forgotten, which is a shame because I think it is stunningly
beautiful. I really think going so many
people just walk past which and I can understand why they do,

(01:10:50):
but if you actually go into the pavilion, it's.
Beautiful, really beautiful. I guess people don't necessarily
want to go and just look at whatthey consider to be nothing.
For me, just having that, it's an experience rather than a
thing. So you know that actually that
that fountain at the front of the pavilion, you can have some

(01:11:11):
photos there, especially in the evening, you can sit in the air
to get all of you together as family group or, you know, group
of friends or whatever. And I think it's one of those
feelings where the, the different times of the day and
the different lighting will makedifference to your photos.
And you can get some dusk and sunset.
There's a couple of places around World Showcase where the

(01:11:33):
lighting sort of at dusk is incredible.
And actually the Mideret bit gets lit up beautifully in the
evening. I hadn't ever noticed it.
Someone pointed it out to me andI was like, Oh my goodness.
And now I take photos there quite a lot.
And it's it's beautiful. People don't look up, they just
look straight ahead at the next,next place for a drink.
And I think it does it disservice a little bit.

(01:11:55):
Yeah, I would also point out, Claire, it's weird because my
neighbor has recently been the Marrakech and she'd lovely,
actually lovely woman. And so she showed me these
photographs of and she she now she's travelled extensively
throughout the whole world and she's look, just look at the
beauty of this. And I'm like this looked, this

(01:12:16):
looked exactly like the Morocco pavilion.
But I can't tell, I can't tell you that because actually that
would. And that's how that's how one
point the actual design of it originally was.
And, and you think it just, it just needs that bit of love and
that little bit of just maybe a little bit of authenticity to
come back again would really be superb.

(01:12:39):
And I really hope that someone at Disney can be responsible for
that. I'll add it to the long list of
people at Disney need to be responsible for.
Just check it out. Yeah, there are a couple of
hidden things I like is the there's a there's a little
corner which has got the Oasis Suites and Sips, but it's like a

(01:13:03):
window basically. It's actually approach the
pavilion from Japan. It's just there on the right
hand side. It's literally the corner.
And they do the most incredible pastries like Moroccan pastry,
they do baklava, but they also do this thing called an almond
garimba which is like an almond.It's almost like a heavy almond

(01:13:24):
flour Dome, looks a bit like a zebra Dome, but it's made from
almond flour. And if you like almond flavoured
things, it's like cracked on thetop, a little bit of icing
sugar. And they do these like Crescent
shaped paste biscuits. Those things are $3 each or you
can get a box of four for like $10 or something.

(01:13:45):
And they're incredible. I bring them home with me.
So I will go to Epcot on my lastday always.
I'll watch Voices Liberty and then grab a box of four of those
If they make it into the plane. We've done well, but they were
so delicious. I bought some last time I was
there and shared them with Zac Brown and he was like, I have
never had these and now I have to buy them every time I'm here
and they're so, so good. I've only ever had drinks.

(01:14:11):
Yeah, yeah, I had to. I had a Bombay Sapphire drink
from there. I think I had the gin spiked and
mint tea or something. Yeah, they're definitely doing
mints Minty something. Oh, it was awful.
I would do that again. Oh, and I like it.
I don't was the I like gin, but I don't like mint so it would be

(01:14:34):
wasted on me. It was a.
Frozen, Frozen mint. Tea.
Yeah, a few different frozen things, that was.
A. Hard no.
Oh no. It was painful.
It wasn't cheap. Morocco's then I think.
Morocco's one of the pavilions we've spent the least amount of

(01:14:55):
time in actually, and I would make money in the food and drink
there, but. I think it is for a lot of
people back there and I think that's.
True. You know, I was interested
listening to what Claire just said about Zac Brown.
If he'd never, if he'd never come across a little little
baked treat. And he's been in within that cot
probably 100 thousands of times.Yeah, umpteen times more than

(01:15:19):
others. And yet he doesn't come across
that. That's how much people
basically, you know, and it's, no, it's no disrespect to
anybody is the way it actually happens within World Showcase.
And I think it's worth pointing out that actually it was the
first expansion pavilion that was actually added to the World
Showcase open. So it didn't open until it was

(01:15:41):
84, which was like 2 years afterthe original Epcot opened.
So again, that whole was that whole sort of narrow opening
which you sometimes miss along the way sort of was that because
it was kind of squeezed in in where it exists now.
And I don't know, it's a it's a really weird 1.

(01:16:04):
And I can see why loads of people, you know, will will just
sort of drift on past because, yeah, because of because of the
countries that are either side as well.
Yeah, they do have a Princess Jasmine meet and greet in the
back by Restaurant Marrakesh, which is usually very quiet.
I was about to say exactly that.Yeah, I.
Think, I don't know, conscious effort to go there next time

(01:16:26):
we're going. But the last time I was queuing
up to meet Jasmine, Aladdin was there as well and we must have
waited an hour. Really.
Yeah, it was a long wait and I was like, oh, I'm not doing
this. As well.
Probably that's. A.
Bit that's a bit. I know it was indoors.
We were meeting indoors somewhere, kind of not right

(01:16:47):
down the back. But it does it does get a little
bit airless and a bit warm at the very back of that pavilion.
As. Well, yeah.
But it's very quiet. As well.
So if you overstimulated and youjust need a bit of quiet, it's
quite nice to walk back there and just take a moment, sit, sit
down for a little while. I've usually got a couple of
tables and chairs down there. Yeah, it does happen.

(01:17:10):
I'm going to get you and Ben. You and Ben are going to give us
a bit of feedback on the show inthe in the autumn as to what
you're what you actually thoughtof it.
Because actually, I think it's interesting to see what other
people's perceptions are. And, and again, you know, I
think we started this whole thing off about, you know, going
down the line that a lot of people don't always go into the

(01:17:31):
pavilions around Welsh Showcase,which then LED us into talking
about each of the pavilions. But I actually believe this,
this is actually possibly the pavilion that just gets missed.
And is it, you know, for that I can't actually give the answer.
Perhaps it hasn't got the quality of finding a restaurant

(01:17:51):
and at the very back of the pavilion or all that lure to get
people off. Yeah, I think so.
Go and have a white wine sangriain the back of the.
Pavilion. That'll get me in.
That'll be a reason. To go.
We've wandered around it before and it is a gorgeous pavilion.
It's just been. Like pre.
COVID I think would have been blast and we had a proper look

(01:18:13):
around. OK.
I mean, I think I think it's it's always worth a visit.
I'd say just dropping in the restrooms at Marco.
They're not great. Keep walking.
Yeah, there's better to come. Yeah, there is.
Or walk back to America. Yeah, walk back because.

(01:18:35):
The ones in the notes. Really not that right either.
Now the one after that referred though, and they're great.
So I am going to suggest that wetake a pause on our tour.
There are three countries left. Two of them are quite a lot to
talk about. So otherwise this podcast is

(01:18:56):
going to be forever long. You know, we have had so much,
we're so much fun to pick through all the details of the
countries and pavilions. But I know that it, you know,
everyone wants to listen to a three hour podcast.
So we will stop at the point of Morocco and the next time we
meet we will be heading towards La France, all the French things

(01:19:22):
that we can think about and hopefully that will be the lot
we'll do. France, the UK and Canada in the
next podcast sounds great. I mean, then we'll then we'll go
round again and rank all the toilets in.
October. You know what?
Totally. I'm going to, I, yeah, the toy,

(01:19:45):
the show is coming up. We're going to have to.
I just, I just love this. And I really, you know, what I
was planning what I would do in terms of listening back to
these. So I haven't listened to any of
them. And I think I might just listen
to them on the plane on the way over in August, so that when I
get to Epcot, I'll be like all the things I've forgotten to
look at last time I was there. I want to be, I've said this on

(01:20:07):
the past couple of shows like this.
I want to actually be an Epcot and actually just put the
earphones in. I know it's, I know it's kind of
a bit antisocial. So it might, it might well be a
better time to myself. I but just put the headphones in
and just try and listen back to it to just encourage, encourage
myself to, to look in detail again at the some the

(01:20:30):
imagineering is just amazing. And to actually have the
opportunity to talk about it andactually make people realize
that, you know, there is more toit.
And maybe maybe invite Sammy back in.
Yeah, for a for a one off podcast, just say look what you
missed the way back on. Podcast, I mean, if you haven't

(01:20:52):
listened to the parts one and two of this, they they are
recorded and you can find them. They're released on the 1st of
April and the 1st of May. So if you want to go back and
listen to them and while you're there, subscribe to the channel
if you haven't already, because then you won't miss the last
part when it comes out. So we have 4 parter for 11
countries. I you know what?
I don't think that's too bad. Yeah, that's.

(01:21:15):
Pretty good. We've done them just next.
I think that's the important bit.
We don't want to just scoop around and go, oh there's a
restaurant here and then there'sa ride.
We needed to do it properly. So I'd rather spend more time
talking about it and then take it over on further shows.
So. But we do have loads of other
content here at The Great British Mickey Waffle and it can
all be found easily on our YouTube channel with the Great

(01:21:36):
British Mickey Bottle. And we are live every Wednesday
usually to chat about a single topic and some news.
It tends to be about an hour or.So hour.
And a bit hour and a bit fat hour, I think is the is the and
if you've enjoyed this, go on. When does it stop being an hour

(01:21:58):
Asian become an hour and a half?No, your job's on.
I refute that because actually there was a show I missed when I
was seeing Bruce Springsteen, and you guys went longer without
me. We did, we did.
It depends on the topic, it depends on.
That's a good thing about the live show is that we have
friends in the chat who interactwith us.

(01:22:19):
And if you want to come and listen to the live show on a
Wednesday night, we'd love to see you on YouTube and you can
have a chat with us and you can share your opinions and your
thoughts. And we absolutely love it.
Those shows also come out as a podcast on a Friday and you can
still leave a comment and send us a message even if you're
listening as a backup on a laterdate.
So we like to read all the comments and it's it brings you
as part of our show. And that's really important to

(01:22:41):
us and our community. You can find all the things
about Mickey Waffle at the Waters Arms, which is our online
virtual pub. Bring your own drinks.
And that's at Facebook. You can find the wafflers arms
and we would love to see you there.
And we share all sorts of thingsin there, including photos and

(01:23:02):
poles and people interact all the time and we love it.
So if you've enjoyed this show, please share it with your
friends who are fans of Disney. And even if they're not,
especially if they're heading toWalt Disney World anytime soon,
if they're going to Epcot, tell them to have a listen to this
and see all the things that theyshould they should look at.

(01:23:22):
Thank you to the crew that have joined me today, Sir John and
Robin and Becca. Thank you for your time
Absolute. Pleasure.
Brilliant. And so we will see you soon in
terms of the next show, 15th of the month, I have no idea what
it's going to be, but hopefully the 1st of August will be the

(01:23:44):
final bit of this particular series.
So it will. Let's hope so we will we will
carry on providing that content for you.
So do you subscribe everywhere and you will be able to hear it.
And so, so long farewell, Avida Zain, adieu.
And so it's been great fun tonight.
I've really had a good time. And have a great Independence

(01:24:07):
Day if you're in America. Yeah, going to.
Celebrate Happy Treason Day. Now my wheels in motion and my
windows open with the wind blowing in my head, I'm driving
down the highway. Gonna do this my way.

(01:24:31):
I can feel in the air.

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