France
Image: DisneyYes, the France Pavilion nearly made the other list. I eventually narrowed that grouping down to the Morocco Pavilion vs. this one and ultimately favored the more personal touch of Morocco. I’m saying this because you can use the process of elimination to deduce the pavilions on the next list.
The France Pavilion nearly made the cut because of its authenticity. The purpose here is to craft a plausible version of a small French village, the type where Belle’s love of books would cause her to feel like an outcast while all the ladies swoon over Gaston. Remarkably, Beauty & the Beast was still more than a decade away when park planners brought the pavilion to life. It’s almost as if they prophesized the later existence of the twice-popular film.
Image: DisneyThe authenticity of the pavilion stems from the subtle manipulations that Disney uses. The Eiffel Tower is always in the background due to a clever design decision. Built to 1/10th scale, the tower provides a distinctly French vibe without overwhelming the foreground. You’ll always feel like you’re in France due to its presence, though.
My complaints about this pavilion are minor. Some of the cast members aren’t exactly Disney-esque as they maintain some of that unmistakable snooty French attitude. There also isn’t a lot to do after you’ve seen Impressions de France a time or two. Basically, you’re left to shop and eat. Well, I happen to love shopping and eating, and the Belle character meeting is also wonderful. My real problem with France is that seven of the 11 pavilions are truly amazing. To create a relatively balanced list, I had to go with five “worst” entries and six “best” entries. That’s tragic since seven of the pavilions are truly brilliant.
Italy
Image: DisneyThe Italian Renaissance is one of the seminal artistic movements in our history. While the Renaissance took place across Europe, many of the triumphant works originated in Italy. Here, artists such as Michelangelo, Donatello, and Botticelli created works that we still celebrate today.
At the Italy Pavilion, Imagineers took inspiration from these creators as well as other key monuments in the country. They’ve constructed some breathtaking yet homey facilities that join together as a welcoming environment for guests. Still, the Italy Pavilion is fairly limited. It offers food, wine, and a juggling clown. I’m not even joking. Sure, the shopping is terrific, and the food is in the conversation for best at the World Showcase. We visit the Italy Pavilion regularly, but we do so when we’re hungry. With so many sublime pavilions, however, a great meal and some marvelous architecture isn’t enough to earn a spot on the good list.
The American Adventure
Image: DisneyI wrote a tongue-in-cheek piece about the American Adventure rather than a real evaluation. I did that for a reason. I’ve never found much about this pavilion that engaged me on an intellectual level, and I say that as a former History major. Sure, I love The American Adventure show, but it’s basically a different version of the Hall of Presidents.
Celebrating the founders absolutely holds a certain fascination. Beyond that, it’s an oddly lacking pavilion. I do love the a cappella group, and like any self-respecting theme park tourist, I’ve spent a lot of time at America Gardens Theater. Should that factor into the overall evaluation of the pavilion? I’m inclined to think that those candlelight processionals and Billy Ocean concerts are their own thing. At the pavilion, the most exciting thing for me other than the show is that I can sometimes eat a steak using a Quick Service dining credit. I think that’s telling. I still like this place better than China, however, due to the impeccable quality of The American Adventure.
So, there you have it. These are the five pavilions I like the least, although I cannot honestly say that I dislike any of them. It’s just that the World Showcase has six sterling pavilions that are superior.
Comments
It's funny what you say about Italy, I like it the least BECAUSE of the shopping and the food. Maybe I'm spoiled because I'm from the north east where there is a heavy Italian influence, but I can walk into almost any local Italian deli and find more imported goods and products than all of the Italy pavilion combined. They boil all of Italian culture down to wine and an expensive clothing store. I think there were 3 different "Epcot Italy" style shirts there and all of them looked like they had minimal effort put into them. When I was there it seemed like EVERY country had it's own "Ears".. but not Italy. And don't get me started on the food. Come to Connecticut on a Sunday and poke your head into any little Italian gathering you see, and you'll know real Italian food. We were so disappointed with our meal at Via Napoli.. especially for the price point. Even if they cut the prices in half, that food would still have been far too much.
I echo the last poster- your articles are great and I am a big fan of the site. Regarding World Showcase countries, I also agree with you that they are all good in their own way, but as a proud Italian American, I agree that the imagineers missed the boat with the Italy pavilion. There HAS to be something more than just the food options (The shopping is limited in comparison to China, Germany, Japan etc. also). It will be interesting to see what happens with the planned pavilion for Brazil..
Wow, I completely disagree with most of this list. I would say China, France, Canada, and American Adventure are all among the BEST of the World Showcase pavilions! - along with Mexico and Norway. (My list of the the 5 "worst" would be Italy and the 4 I didn't mention).
All WS pavilions have incredibly immersive architecture, ambiance, and music loops. All have shopping and dining. But what truly sets the better ones apart in my opinion is the presence of things like attractions, live entertainment, and art galleries. While some of the pavilions are sadly lacking in these areas, the 4 pavilions I listed above are among the WS better offerings for attractions, entertainment, and art galleries, making theme more educational, more entertaining, more repeatable, and more FUN than the ones lacking in these areas, IMO.
Lets look at China, for instance. Beyond the awesome architecture and tranquil garden, and shopping/dining, it has a fantastic film with gorgeous scenery and an equally sublime musical score, an excellent art gallery, and an amazing acrobat show. I miss the beautiful live music formerly found inside the temple (Si Xian), but even with this cut, China offers more than most of the pavilions.
The sublime Impressions de France film and the American Adventure show and Canada film likewise solidify the placements of those pavilions in the top tier, IMO.
I do agree strongly with your selection of Italy. As someone with part Italian heritage myself, it saddens me how underbuilt this pavilion is compared to the better WS offerings. All the great culture, art, scenery, and music from Italy would give them so much material to work with. Where is the film showcasing Italy's stunning beauty set to a sublime score featuring Puccini and others? An art gallery showcasing Italy's enormous contribution to the visual arts? A gondola-based dark ride? Even the live entertainment only gives us a mime.
I don't mean this post in a critical way - just as a polite difference of opinion. I really enjoy your articles!