Empty World Showcase Spot?

[sportsguy2315]

I was looking through the 1983 (gasp!) Frommer's travel guide for Orlando, Disney World, and Epcot for an EPCOT Center project I'm working on. Anywho, inside this guide was an EPCOT map with a HUGE gap of space between Morocco and France when in reality there isn't that much space between these two. My question is: Do you think this was this space plotted out for one of the "Phase 2" countries that was planned but never came (i.e. Israel or Spain; Africa was plotted out and teased in the book) or just simply a mapmaking error on behalf of the author? :confused:

[Bzahlong]

If you look at the satellite photo of Epcot below, the red area is the space between France and Morocco. Each of the sort of wedge shaped areas were originally plotted out for a different country. Obviously, that hasn't happened as of yet, but on the original layout each one had the potential to be another country which was probably what you saw on your map.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v635/bzahlong/epcot.jpg

[mcjaco]

Africa was originally planned for the spot that the "Outpost" is at right now. So in some way, it did really come to fruition.

I'm going from memory off of my trip in November of '82, but I believe Isreal was going to be between Germany and Africa. Spain was to between Japan and France (no Morocco at the time).

[yourmagicalguide]

Slightly off-topic, but I read in the 2009 Unofficial WDW Guide that Germany originally was going to feature a ride like Norway and Mexico, but, in the end, only the building was built. Now, bands use the building to warm-up before performances.

It also mentioned WDW having more intense discussions with Russia about becoming the next country to enter the showcase...:mickey:

[Daisy'sMom]

I think Russia would be a great addition. It would have been hard to add Africa since it is a continent. There would have to be to many countries represented.
I would love to a eastern european country there. That would fascinating.:mickey:

[mcjaco]

Slightly off-topic, but I read in the 2009 Unofficial WDW Guide that Germany originally was going to feature a ride like Norway and Mexico, but, in the end, only the building was built. Now, bands use the building to warm-up before performances.

Germay was to have a Rhine River boat cruise. Half of the building was built, and it's used for storage at this time. Mostly the F&W booths. The queue was to be where you can get counter service brats, and streussels now.

I wish they had let us warm up in there back when we did a trip there. We had to warm up behind Mexico.

[DryCreek]

It also mentioned WDW having more intense discussions with Russia about becoming the next country to enter the showcase...:mickey:

That would be great. I can see them now - cutting off the gas to rest of the World Showcase pavilions, claiming that it not their fault!

[jcvalenti]

I thought there was a pretty substantial rumour last year about another entrance to the park being placed there leading to the Adventurer's Club of Disney after Dark idea that was being kicked around ?

Before that the rumour du jour was that they were going to put a "thrill ride" attraction (like another roller coaster) there, to draw traffic to Epcot and the WS.

There's a sizeable amount of land there ... they do a good job hiding it with fronting, but if you look at the satellite images that are out there, they've got a lot of room.

[diz_girl]

That would be great. I can see them now - cutting off the gas to rest of the World Showcase pavilions, claiming that it not their fault!

I'm not exactly a borsct fan either:ack:.

[mcjaco]

I thought there was a pretty substantial rumour last year about another entrance to the park being placed there leading to the Adventurer's Club of Disney after Dark idea that was being kicked around ?

The Dark Kingdom rumors have pretty much died. I think that was a pie in the sky idea that was getting passed around. And with the economy is the dumps, I can't see anyone shelling out the huge admission price that was to go with that.


Before that the rumour du jour was that they were going to put a "thrill ride" attraction (like another roller coaster) there, to draw traffic to Epcot and the WS.

The thrill ride rumors have been circulating since the park opened. First it was a Matterhorn type ride for a planned Switzerland pavilion, and at one point Japan had plans for a high speed train ride, and of course there's always been the rapids ride for Canada.


There's a sizeable amount of land there ... they do a good job hiding it with fronting, but if you look at the satellite images that are out there, they've got a lot of room.

Those satellite images are deceiving. There's sizable amounts of land, but I don't think they're big enough for major thrill ride attractions. At least not coaster type footprints.

[Imagineer1981]

If they want to put something there, the Imagineers will figure it out, don't let land or space limit them, look what they do with Disneyland all the time, they are pros at working with no room

[mcjaco]

^ Well of course. If they have the budget.

The plots are just not as big as the satelite images make it look.

[brownie]

Could it be the space now occupied by Morocco? The Morocco pavilion didn't open until 1984.

[JPL]

There is room allocated for new countries in WS but Disney has faced several obstacles trying to add them. Africa was scrapped because the funding was coming from South Africa and Aparthied was big news and they were afraid it would cause too much controversy and the final part of the decision to scrap it came with the announcement of Animal Kingdom. Other Controversial countires were dropped for similar reasons. Disney doesn't want political protests or worse attacks on pavillions. The main reason we haven't seen many additions is funding from countries and companies from countries to sponsor the pavillion. It's often not always lack of funds but where the funds are coming from. Disney doesn't want to have a company sponsoring a country and find out later that they are using drug money or any other tainted funds. I mean Imagine the headlines "Disney builds multimillion dollar attractions while children starve"

[cindchan]

Could it be the space now occupied by Morocco? The Morocco pavilion didn't open until 1984.

*shakes head* if you look at a map of WS, you'll see that 1766 is Morocco. There are three countries between the American Adventure and International Gateway. Japan, Morocco, and France. And if you look at the map posted above, you'll see three countries.

Good guess though. I had to look it up myself. ^_^

[CaptainJessicaSparrow]

There's part of the Norway boat back there, and it's got Character Off-Set Rooms and trailers. There really isn't a whole lot of room back there. The image is quite deceiving.

[Bob Parr]

Last I heard they were looking to add Ireland for the 40th anniversary.

[CaptainJessicaSparrow]

.......40 years is in like....14 years. That's a long ways off. Also, Ireland is part of the UK, which is already a pavilion.

[DryCreek]

Australia be cool?

CS would have Vegemite sandwiches (yuck)
and TS would have Roo Steaks!

And Swan Lager - best beer ever.

[Bob Parr]

.......40 years is in like....14 years. That's a long ways off. Also, Ireland is part of the UK, which is already a pavilion.


WDW's 40th is in 2011. Just passing on what I heard.

[Maleficent's Dad]

Also, Ireland is part of the UK, which is already a pavilion.
Ireland is most definitely NOT part of the UK.

Northern Ireland is part of the UK.
Ireland is not.
There is a significant difference between the two. The history is not very pleasant.

[CaptainJessicaSparrow]

Heh, not enough differences in my opinion. And look at Germany and China, they have a bad history and they're still there.

[Maleficent's Dad]

Heh, not enough differences in my opinion. And look at Germany and China, they have a bad history and they're still there.
Wow. Amazing to me that you can make a statement about Ireland and the UK, and then make the above comment... Perhaps you don't fully comprehend the implications of what you originally stated. It's insulting to both sides; there are still many raw nerves and a lot of bad feelings. Terrorism - and I do NOT use the term lightly - has much of their foundation when it comes to the UK and Ireland.

Tread easy when speaking of such topics, Ms. Jessica.

And Germany and China... Huh? I'm pretty well versed in history, but I fail to see any relevant reference here. But I must digress, we are way off topic with the OP.

[RedHead]

.......40 years is in like....14 years. That's a long ways off. Also, Ireland is part of the UK, which is already a pavilion.

I beg to differ, as do those residents of the Republic of Ireland - which is most assuredly NOT a part of the UK.
:sorry:

[Veezy]

Northern Ireland, England, Wales.........is Scotland in the UK? Is there anything else? Just developing my knowledge here.........

[RedHead]

Northern Ireland, England, Wales.........is Scotland in the UK? Is there anything else? Just developing my knowledge here.........

Okay.

Britain is made up of England and Wales.
GREAT Britain is made up of England, Wales and Scotland.
The United Kingdom (UK) is made up of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

The Republic of Ireland is a separate country, occupying the same "island" land mass as Northern Ireland.

:gold:

And given the choice, I still go to Disney World! :mickey:

[Veezy]

So do people in the UK ever just say "Ireland" or do they always say "Northern Ireland" and "the Republic of Ireland"..........?

Like in the United States of America we often say "America" to refer to ourselves, when honestly we are only one country in North America........and then there is still Central America and South America.

[Giggy]

So do people in the UK ever just say "Ireland" or do they always say "Northern Ireland" and "the Republic of Ireland"..........?

Like in the United States of America we often say "America" to refer to ourselves, when honestly we are only one country in North America........and then there is still Central America and South America.

If we say Ireland we normally mean Republic of Ireland. Northern Ireland is almost always referred to as Northern Ireland.

Republic of Ireland is not part of Great Britain or the United Kingdom, however it is a part of the British Isles, in the sense that it is on one of the land masses the make up the British Isles.