The film

Image: DisneyThe China Pavilion hosts one attraction, and it’s located at the temple. Reflections of China is a Circle-Vision 360° movie that has played at the pavilion since 2003. It replaced the original attraction, Wonders of China, which had run since the park’s inception in 1982. That film was so beloved that Disneyland actually exhibited it for 12 years starting in 1984.

Thanks to YouTube, you can watch both versions of the movie to compare them, but the Circle-Vision 360° technology is superior when you watch them in person. The genius of the technology is that the entire room is a circle filled with giant movie screens. You can spin around and see the perspectives as if you were standing in that spot in China. Each video shows many of the most famous landmarks in the country as well some historical footnotes.

Realistically, both videos are a bit dated in the internet era, and Disney is aware of this. They announced at D-23 2017 that Disney has created a new film for the China Pavilion, one that employs new technology. There’s a lot of excitement about this project, because Disney uses the same camera techniques as Soarin’ Around the World. Disney’s goal is to create a CircleVision experience that a person cannot mimic by watching the same film on the internet.

The shows

Image: DisneyIf there’s one takeaway from the China Pavilion, it’s that the entertainment options are sublime. Every time I walk past this part of the park, I wind up losing several minutes due to the wondrous distractions. The Jeweled Dragon Acrobats put on shows on a regular basis, and it’s like walking down the street to discover Cirque du Soleil performing at the end of the block.

Disney has presented variations of this show for many years now. It is the plate-spinniest, hula hoop-iest, human contortionist-iest thing I’ve ever seen. Every time I walk by one of these shows, I feel mesmerized by the skills and techniques that these cast members demonstrate. They rarely drop any objects, and I have never seen a person lose their balance enough to let someone else slip. While everyone praises Festival of the Lion King for its acrobatics, I’m much more impressed by the performers at the China Pavilion. Seeing one of these exhibitions always makes my day when I wander through the World Showcase.

Image: Disney