The United Kingdom
Pavilion History
The United Kingdom pavilion opened with the rest of World Showcase on October 1, 1982. When the pavilion opened, it featured one restaurant (the Rose & Crown Pub) and an astonishing six shops: the Tea Caddy, the Queen's Table, the Biscuit Barrel, His Lordship, Pringle of Scotland and The Toy Solider. Although the pavilion was not home to an attraction, the original plans for the United Kingdom called for a Victorian building to be built in the pavilions rear. The building, which was going to be modeled after London’s lost Crystal Palace, would have housed a live comedy show.
The first change to hit the pavilion came in 1986, when the Biscuit Barrel became the Country Manor. Although the shop’s name was changed, its merchandise remained essentially the same. Then, in the late 1980s, the Country Manor was renamed the Magic of Wales, and the His Lordship shop was renamed Lords and Ladies. Subsequently, in 1995 Lords and Ladies was renamed The Crown and Crest.
The next major change in the United Kingdom pavilion came in 1999, when Harry Ramsden Fish & Chips House was built. The new restaurant was a counter service restaurant which, as it’s name suggested, specialized in fish and chips. Since the millennium, there have been two major changes to the pavilion. In the early 2000’s, the Pringle of Scotland shop was renamed the Sportsman Shoppe. Then in 2006, Harry Ramsden Fish & Chips House was renamed Yorkshire County Fish Shop.
Pavilion Layout
In order to show guests as much of the United Kingdom as possible, Imagineers made sure that each structure in the United Kingdom pavilion represents a different era. The center of the pavilion is known as Britania Square. Modeled after the various town squares found in the UK, Britania Square is where guests can find various shops and dining establishments. In fact, the pavilion’s original restaurant, the Rose & Crown can be found within the square. The Rose & Crown serves as both a restaurant and a pub, where guests can get a tradional British meal. Inside the pub part of the establishment, guests can see the “hat lady”, as she plays her piano and invites guests to sing various English songs. Outside of the Rose and Crown, guests find a recreation of a lock found on the Grand Union Canal. A nearby sign notes that Thomas Dudley is the lockkeeper at the Rose & Crown Lock. Dudley, was the governor of the English, Massachusetts Bay Colony in the mid-1600’s.
