Changes

==Pavilion History==

During the initial development of World Showcase, Imagineers knew that Germany would be one of the countries represented. Between American's familiarity with the country, the opportunity to create an Oktoberfest dining location, and a plethora of German companies interested in sponsorship, Germany seemed like a perfect fit for [[EPCOT Center]] <ref name="progress"/>. One mitigating factor in the pavilion's creation however, was the fact that at the time Germany was still a divided country. Although this division was not represented in any official sense, Imagineers based the pavilion on West Germany, specifically Bavaria and the other surrounding German states<ref name="progress"/>.

When designing the Germany pavilion, Imagineers drew on Southern Germany's Baroque architecture<ref name="progress"/>. The pavilion is made up of architectural styles from the 13th through the 17th century. Because of this, the structures in Germany do not feature aspects of modern construction. Initially, Imagineers had planned on constructing a boat ride attraction titled [[Rhine River Cruise]] in the pavilion. This ride would have taken guests on a historical tour, down the Rhine River, where they would experience Germany’s history and culture <ref name= "Imagineer"> http://www.imagineeringdisney.com/blog/2012/2/17/rhine-river-cruise-mysteries.html </ref>. Along with this feature attraction, plans for the pavilion also called for a tourism area to be built, which would have held small exhibits and a travel agent who would help guests plan a trip to Germany <ref name= "Spence"> http://land.allears.net/blogs/jackspence/2011/10/germany_pavilion_part_one.html </ref>. While neither the Rhine River Cruise nor the tourism area were a part of the Germany pavilion by opening day, a large show building was constructed for the River Cruise's loading and unloading areas, with the idea that the attraction would open at a later date as a part of EPCOT Center’s Phase II <ref name= "Imagineer"/>. According to the 1982 book “Walt Disney's Epcot Center: Creating the New World of Tomorrow”:

{{Quotation|"The future River Ride promises to be as enjoyable as it is informative. An early concept has visitors boarding a "cruise boat" for a simulated ride down the Rhine and other rivers, the trip affording a visual impression in miniature of the cultural heritage of Germany's past and the highlights of its present. Among the detailed models envisioned are scenes in the Black Forest, the Oktoberfest, Heidelberg, the industrial Ruhr Valley, the possibilities are limited only by the planners' imaginations." <Ref> Beard, Richard R. Walt Disney's Epcot Center: Creating the New World of Tomorrow. New York: Harry N. Abrams,, Publ., 1982. Print. </ref>)}}

The Germany pavilion, sans the Rhine River cruise and the tourism area, opened with the rest of [[EPCOT Center]] on October 1, 1982. The pavilion is themed to look like a German plaza in Bavaria set in eternal Oktoberfest <ref name= "Spence"/>. The platz, called St. Georgsplatz, features a large clock tower, a central fountain which is guarded by a statue of St. George (the patron saint of soldiers) and a dragon, as well as various storefronts <ref name= "Spence" />. Shops that opened with the pavilion in 1982 included: Glas und Porzellan (a ceramic and glassware shop), Porzellanhaus (a china shop), Süssigkeiten (a bakery), Weinkeller (a wine shop), Der Bucherwurm (a bookstore), Volkskunst, and Der Teddybär. The pavilion also included the [[Biergarten]] restaurant.