Epcot World Showcase Best Kept Secrets – Germany

As we continue our journey through the World Showcase, leaving Italy and their wonderful pizza we find ourselves in Germany. Many people that travel to Epcot think that Germany is nothing but beer and bratwurst, but there is so much more. Let’s see what else we can find that is a little known or surprising fact of Germany.

• The Germany Pavilion is designed to look like a German town, but with architecture from different eras and regions. The Platz (square) is decorated with a statue of St. George and the Dragon and a clock tower. The Biergarten, at the rear of the courtyard, sells traditional German food. The pavilion also has numerous small shops selling German goods, including dolls and cuckoo clocks.

• In the courtyard, you can look up towards the back and see a clock tower. At the top of the hour, it will ring and German boy and gilr will come out and twirl around. (don’t worry they are made of wood). Sometimes the clock is off a few minutes, so you have to wait for it.

• The miniature train and village was originally created for the Flower and Garden Festival, but because of it’s popularity it was kept year round.  All the trains in the exhibit are LGB

• The original design of the pavilion called for a boat ride along the Rhine river. It was to have focused on German folklore, in a similar manner to the Mexico and Norway rides. According to the Walt Disney Company’s 1976 annual report, the ride was to be “..a cruise down Germany’s most famous rivers – the Rhine, the Tauber, the Ruhr and the Isar. Detailed miniatures of famous landmarks will also be seen, including one of the Cologne Cathedral.

• The building was built for the ride, construction was not completed by opening day. It was announced to be part of “phase two” expansion. Disney dropped this one when they dropped phase two in Italy. Due to lack of funding the building is now used as storage space. You can see the main entrance hall, it is the dining area for the Biergarten. The ride building is used for storage for floats, workshop and a cast member rehersal area.

To avoid additional cost, Disney dropped all plans for “phase two” attractions, unless the host country wanted to fund the project.

• If you enter Germany through the right side and walk straight back to the back wall you can knock on a wall with a mural on it and find it’s hollow. It is the piece of wood that covers the area where the entrance to the Rhine river boat ride was supposed to be in the original plans.

• Snow White and the 7 Dwarfs have been known to make an appearance here since Disney’s movie is inspired by the Brother’s Grimm version.

So there is more to German than meets the eye. I know we have enjoyed a meal (or a pint or two) at the Biergarten Restaurant, and the kids love watching the train go round and round. Have you found the fake wall in the back? Seen the clock go off? What are your impressions of Germany? Join me next time as we travel to China, one my family’s favorite countries.

Related articles

• Epcot World Showcase Best Kept Secrets – Italy (chipandco.com)
• Epcot World Showcase Best Kept Secrets – Morocco  (chipandco.com)
• Epcot World Showcase Best Kept Secrets – American Pavilion (chipandco.com)

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