What is in the huge Japan (Epcot) building?

[nytimez]

Plus, if the kitchen was closer to the front, they could share with Sommerfest. But I'm just guessing.

I could be wrong, but I don't think Sommerfest has a kitchen per se -- it's basically a minor step up from a food cart.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

But even if it was converted to a buffet, and the kitchen was in that back building, it would seem odd to put the buffet tables on the opposite side. unless there was a set on the other side as well - don't remember - didn't have to go far for my food

It's been a number of years since I had the buffet at the Biergarten. If I recall correctly, the buffet tables were NOT on the opposite side from the kitchen.

The restaurant was not designed as a buffet restaurant, so they had to put the buffet in an alcove off the amphitheater-style dining room. Looking at Rhine River Cruise Mysteries article that I linked to earlier, I believe the buffet tables are approximately at the location identified on the diagram as the "unload" area of the ride.

Plus, if the kitchen was closer to the front, they could share with Sommerfest. But I'm just guessing.

It would not have made sense to put the kitchen between the attraction entrance and where the show building for the attraction would be built.

Sommerfest was not part of the original plan. With no attraction, there is no need for an attraction queue and load area, so the space became available for Sommerfest.

 

[doconeill]

It's been a number of years since I had the buffet at the Biergarten. If I recall correctly, the buffet tables were NOT on the opposite side from the kitchen.

The restaurant was not designed as a buffet restaurant, so they had to put the buffet in an alcove off the amphitheater-style dining room. Looking at Rhine River Cruise Mysteries article that I linked to earlier, I believe the buffet tables are approximately at the location identified on the diagram as the "unload" area of the ride.

We were there in Dec. 2010, and we were seated on the stage-left side, and the buffet tables we went to were pretty much straight out from center stage, through our table, to the outside. I want to say the location of the camera that took the first picture on this page was in the vicinity. On the Rhine diagram, I'd put them around the Exit label, or perhaps closer to the entrance a bit.

 

[ljandbucket]

The ImagineeringDisney blog has an excellent article about this subject:

http://www.imagineeringdisney.com/blog/2012/2/17/rhine-river-cruise-mysteries.html[/QUOTE]


Ah, what could have been.
Great article. Thanks!