What are we missing in the World Showcase or Epcot in general?

[CynBeth]

Ok, I have to know, what is a 'train garden?' It sounds like something my son would love.

Others might call it differently but where I live we have similar to what Disney has at local firehouses or other places especially around holiday time and call them whether big or small a train garden. It can be small with just a village and a train or 2 going around or large to where a train goes around the entire perimeter and then different scenes all around such as a village or a part that has skiers going down a mountain with bridges over water and more trains going through. At Epcot it has a village separated by a human size bridge with tiny houses and other buildings plus tiny people and animals and there are a few tracks of trains that go around it.

 

[PrincessWithABlaster]

It's not so much a garden, but more of a village that miniature train models run through. It's located next to the bathrooms in Germany. It's nice to grab a beer and a brat and watch them! If you Google for "Epcot Germany train village" there are some videos and pictures of it.

Awesome. Thank you! Definitely something my son will love (DH too ).

 

[familyfirsttimer]

Not WS but not mentioned yet is Club Cool. Its the CocaCola shop but it has @8 Coke varieties from around the world that you can sample. We love trying the different ones and deciding what we like best.

As others have said, I think the entertainment in each country is outstanding in it's own way..definitely try to see a little bit of as many as you can. The Chinese acrobats, the Japanese drummers and the bands in UK and Canada and Morocco are always great

 

[87Goofy]

Ok, I have to know, what is a 'train garden?' It sounds like something my son would love.

It is actually outside trains! So cool - he will Love it!

 

[87Goofy]

Also for younger kids, the kidcot stations are a great way to cool off. Mine enjoy asking the CMs to teach them how to sing their national anthems

That's awesome they still do this! My 21 and 18 year old daughters did these when they were a brand new concept!

 

[PrincessWithABlaster]

I just wanted to say thanks to @Creed16 for starting this thread. My general opinion of WS has been that other than lots of good restaurants it's nothing but stores selling trinkets I don't want to buy and stuffy cultural things the kids are not going to be interested in. This year we are doing 2 days at Epcot for the first time (FEA, the newer character M&Gs etc made it seem like we needed more morning time). Now I feel like I have some ideas for things in WS that will appeal to our family and I'm looking forward to a couple of leisurely afternoons checking out trains, cuckoo clocks, and mazes.

 

[familyfirsttimer]

That's awesome they still do this! My 21 and 18 year old daughters did these when they were a brand new concept!

We had not gone in 4.5 years since my DD were 10 & 13, this trip they were 14 & 17 and as soon as we got into our first country, they decided they wanted to visit the KidCots. They got a Duffy and got it stamped in each country. I think because they were older(and it was not crowded) most of the CMs wrote their names in the native language or drew a small picture (Mickey head in the colors of the French flag, etc.) Our 2nd day @Epcot(we did 2 1/2 days), they insisted we bring the Duffys so they could finish all the countries. They actually sat down and colored because many of the CMs have super creative renderings of Duffy behind them. I totally encouraged them to sit and take part and just get up if little kids came and needed a seat. It was a WONDERFUL experience and was so glad it was their idea and not Mom's.

 

[DisneyHardin]

Just exploring is awesome. Last year when we were there we were toward the back of Morocco is a gorgeous tiled room and there was a Photopass Photographer in there. He did an entire photoshoot of DH and I. The pictures are amazing - it looks like we hired a professional photographer to do them for us.

 

[bebec22]

Epcot's World Showcase is my favorite part in all of Disney World. I love the shops in Japan, China and Mexico. I love sampling the food in each of the countries. On my last trip I was lucky and my son napped in the stroller for 3 hours while we leisurely strolled around the showcase and woke up just in time to ride the 3 Caballeros!

 

[MamaMeggie]

I am an adult and did this once as an adult with my sister just for giggles and we Loved it. It opened our eyes to parts of the World Showcase we had previously just passed by. To this day my passport is on of my favorite souvenirs and I was honestly considering doing it again this Weds on my mini solo trip

Where do you get a passport? I think my kids would like that.

 

[Sargeant Tibbs]

The terracotta warriors in China were moved to make way for a Disney Shanghai exhibit. I haven't paid attention if the warriors were completely removed all together from the pavilion but next time I go I'll check, another #thanksShanghai

They're gone, but I'm sure not forever. Shanghai Disney is more important, lol.

OP, you've got just about every secret and suggestion there is. I'm a Disney history nerd, and there's some hidden nuggets in WS:

1. There is a large cement lantern right as you enter the Japan Pavilion. This was a gift from the Emporer of Japan on the opening of wdw. The Emporer loved Disney and wore a Mickey Mouse watch that had been presented to him by Walt himself. I believe the lantern originally sat near the entrance to Adventureland, but was moved to its present location when Epcot opened.

2. Also concerns the Japan Pavilion. If you look carefully behind the tree line right past Mitsukoshi, you will see a large building cleverly concealed. This is a show building that was intended for a dark ride that never came to be. Over the years other rides have been proposed for the building. For now, and probably for all eternity, the building is used for storage.

3. Pause as you enter the Germany Pavilion, and take in the exterior of Biergarten restaurant. Can you guess what you're looking at? Yep, it's the entrance and exit to another dark ride that never came to be. Once you see it, you can never unsee it, and will forever lament the ride that could have been. Biergarten was an afterthought, and now fills some of the space where the ride would have been.

Concept art is out there if you look for it. Both rides would have been something.

4. Stand in the direct center of the Temple of Heaven in China (place both feet on the little circle) and speak out loud at regular speaking volume. That's the actual sound of your own voice! Not even recordings of your voice are as precise. The room is acoustically perfect. You might look a little nuts doing it, but it's neat.

 

[Nakkira]

Where do you get a passport? I think my kids would like that.

Last time I got it at a rondom kiosk around Mexico

 

[TheFloatingBear]

Where do you get a passport? I think my kids would like that.

I got ours at the gift shop at the International Gateway Entrance.

 

[Disney_traveler]

They're gone, but I'm sure not forever. Shanghai Disney is more important, lol.

OP, you've got just about every secret and suggestion there is. I'm a Disney history nerd, and there's some hidden nuggets in WS:

1. There is a large cement lantern right as you enter the Japan Pavilion. This was a gift from the Emporer of Japan on the opening of wdw. The Emporer loved Disney and wore a Mickey Mouse watch that had been presented to him by Walt himself. I believe the lantern originally sat near the entrance to Adventureland, but was moved to its present location when Epcot opened.

2. Also concerns the Japan Pavilion. If you look carefully behind the tree line right past Mitsukoshi, you will see a large building cleverly concealed. This is a show building that was intended for a dark ride that never came to be. Over the years other rides have been proposed for the building. For now, and probably for all eternity, the building is used for storage.

3. Pause as you enter the Germany Pavilion, and take in the exterior of Biergarten restaurant. Can you guess what you're looking at? Yep, it's the entrance and exit to another dark ride that never came to be. Once you see it, you can never unsee it, and will forever lament the ride that could have been. Biergarten was an afterthought, and now fills some of the space where the ride would have been.

Concept art is out there if you look for it. Both rides would have been something.

4. Stand in the direct center of the Temple of Heaven in China (place both feet on the little circle) and speak out loud at regular speaking volume. That's the actual sound of your own voice! Not even recordings of your voice are as precise. The room is acoustically perfect. You might look a little nuts doing it, but it's neat.

To add to #3. The large mural inside the biergarten lobby was supposed to be the ride entrance (remember how Maelstrom/FEA is set up?). Knock on it, sounds hollow.

 

[mindeola]

Tower of Terror is part of the Morocco skyline. They painted it to blend in and not stand out since you could see it from Epcot.