Morocco
History and Layout
The Morocco pavilion was one of the countries planned for World Showcase, dating back to 1977. Although the pavilion did not open until 1984, construction on the pavilion began in 1982. One Epcot’s opening day, Moroccan themed bathrooms were located in the pavilions future site, and by lite 1982 work had begun on the rest of the pavilion. The official groundbreaking of Morocco began in 1983, with the pavilion opening on September 7, 1984.
Morocco holds the distinction of being the only pavilion sponsored by it’s home countries government. In fact, the King of Morocco (King Hassan II) sent craftsmen and artists to help Disney Imagineers design the pavilion. Since Islamic religion prohibits the artistic depiction of live objects, the decorations in the pavilion were all decorated with geometric patterns. Like many cities in Morocco, the pavilion is divided into ville nouvel (new city) and medina (old city). The new city is located at the front of the pavilion, while the old city is located at the in the back. The "Bab Boujouloud Gate", which was inspired by a similar structure found in Fez, separates the two areas. Located in the ville nouvel is the pavilion’s gardens. One of the things that makes these garden’s unique, is that a working waterwheel (located on the lagoon) brings the gardens water. The new city part of the pavilion is also home to the Koutoubia Minaret. The largest structure in the pavilion, the minaret is a replica of the Koutoubia Mosque Minaret found in the city of Marrakesh. At one time, guests could visit the Center of Tourism in the Moroccan pavilion. Here, guests could obtain vacation planning literature and even book flights on Royal Air Maroc, the official airline of Morocco. This area has since been replaced by the counter service restaurant, the Tangerine Café.
After passing through the Bab Boujouloud Gate, guests will notice a change in the pavilion’s design. Instead of the broad streets and ordered building placement of the ville nouvel, the medina is much more narrow and winding. The majority of the medina is taken up by the pavilion’s marketplace. Here, guests can purchase all sorts of authentic Moroccan merchandise. In the marketplace guests can also find the pavilion’s Kidcot station, where they can get there Epcot passports stamped. .Although the marketplace is themed to look like it is outdoors, the entire area is covered by a well hidden roof. This was done to protect both guests and the merchandise from Florida’s elements. If guests pay close attention, they may notice that Imagineers produced the smell of incense and the sound of rural animals in the marketplace. This was done to make the area seem as authentic as possible.
Another point of interest in the Moroccan pavilion is the Fez house. Here, guests can tour an authentic Moroccan home. Nearby, another minaret can be seen. This minaret was a replica of a minaret found in Chellah, a historic site near the city of Rabat. Also located in the old town section of the Moroccan pavilion is an ancient water clock, which is a replica of a clock, found in Fez, and a replica of the Nejjarine Fountain.
