My understanding is that the countries represented in WS were all designed and paid for by the sponsoring country. Is that correct?
Only in case of Morocco, their Ministry of Tourism has a desk there. Other than that the pavilions have no affiliation with the governments of the countries. You can think of the pavilions like they were a shopping center; Disney built the facility and then leased the stores and restaurants to other people. Some of the stores have an affiliation with a company from the country (like Twilingers Tea in the U.K. pavilion), some are run by people from the country and starting a new business (like the chefs from France that run the restaurants there), and some are just local businesses selling goods. Theres really nothing official about anything in World Showcase.
That doesnt Disney hasnt tried for more government participation. Both the tourism offices in Spain and Israel came pretty close to signing deals. The costs of the sponsorships and the benefits a nation would get from one just dont work out*. In the 1980s the government off South Africa wanted to sponsor a pavilion but it was at a time when no one wanted to deal with them. Disney, in fact, was proceeding with an Africa pavilion without any form of sponsorship (construction had already begun). The management at the time felt it was important to represent that area in the community of nations. However, the management that followed felt that profitable sponsorships were more important and so the pavilion was cancelled. But at least we got another place to buy a Coke and a plush doll. As a general rule of thumb these days nothing happens in Epcot without someone else picking up the tab.
In a development of 43 square miles and upwards of a quarter million visitors per day, there are bound to be some services and places that arent widely publicized. Like the prayer room which was constructed to meet the needs for certain cast members and guests. I wouldnt really call it secret, its just off the beaten track. You could say the same thing about the sundial and credit union in the Team Disney building or even the rotunda at the Casting Center (probably the most Disney spot in all of WDW). Theres nothing stopping guests from going in there, its just that few have the interest to.
Again, I think that calling the places secret implies theres some sort of scavenger hunt underway for the trendy few who whove about it. Everyone like to consider themselves an insider and theres no better way than the chanting I know something that you dont
.
My comment about Orlando wasnt meant for conventions or trade shows. Companies of the size that sponsor a pavilion are always pulling the lets get the regional sales reps together for a day to talk about the lay-offs kind of meetings. Everyone thought that EPCOT Center might make a nice place to host those internal get-togethers. But when youve got people flying in from New York, Seattle, Cleveland, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Houston, Atlanta, Denver, Boston and Memphis a more centrally located city like Chicago or Dallas works better. The lounges were used for sales and customer meetings, executive retreats and employee morale building trips, but I dont think any of the companys really found there were all that amazingly useful for regular business meetings.
* - But all those potential tourists the cry will go up. But think about it, youre advertising to people that have already made up their mind about where to spend this years vacation (theyre already on it!). Sure they might think about you next year, but wouldnt the money be better spent on glossy brochures and TV ads that will make them give you money
now rather than next year? Its the same reason you dont see massive marketing at WDW for you to visit
Disneyland, Tokyo or Paris; youve already purchased your Disney vacation for the year. Why throw marketing dollars at you when you wont make a decision for another 12-36 months? The key to marketing is to hit the consumer just before they make a decision.
Checked out morocco for that hidden prayer room. Tried every door I found, none would open. The only one I did not try was the one that said CMs only. So I finally asked a CM about a secret prayer room, and he said there was prayer room in the museum, but it was not secret. We went into the museum, and there it was.
