Don’t miss all the neat stuff inside each country in the World Showcase half of EPCOT.  The World Showcase is a loop around the World Showcase lagoon with pavilions for 11 countries. This is one of the most unique things to do in all of the Disney parks, and in my opinion, the most interesting part of going to EPCOT.

Each country will have popup entertainment, interesting exhibits, or short movies to learn about the country. Little ones can look for the KidCot desk to do a quick activity related to that country and get a country stamp for their scrapbook. (It’s usually inside or next to one of the shops in each country.) Some countries will also have meet & greets with Disney characters from that country. Check your MyDisneyExperience app for character appearance times.

Each country will have restaurants and souvenir shops, as well. During the months when a festival is going on, there will usually be an additional food kiosk with unique snacks and drinks related to that country. We love strolling around the lagoon and trying new foods from each country on our EPCOT days. You may have also heard about “drinking around the world” where folks like to get a drink from each country.

I encourage you to go into the buildings within each country and explore what each country has to offer. Let’s work our way around the lagoon and take a look at each pavilion.

Left or right??

Mexico

Inside the Mexico pyramid, you can explore a Mexican night market, dine in the San Angel Inn Restaurante or grab a libation in the Cava Bar, and of course, ride the Gran Fiesta Tour with Donald and friends.

Back outside, you can enjoy two other restaurants right across from the pyramid, as well as the infamous margarita stand. If you time it right, you can catch the nighttime fireworks show while you dine next to the lagoon.

Have you ever met Mexican Donald outside?

Norway

Here, you can meet Anna & Elsa, go on an adventure ride with them on Frozen Ever After, learn about the world of Vikings, meet the Disney Princesses in the Akershus restaurant, and enjoy other Norwegian snacks in the bakery, such as the iconic school bread.

China

You can’t miss the massive Gate of the Golden Sun arch in front of the China pavilion. Inside, you can stroll through the tranquil garden area as you head to the replica of the Temple of Heaven outside of Beijing. Inside there, you can watch a short movie about China, explore the current exhibits, and meet Mulan at designated times.

Elsewhere in the pavilion, there are several shops for unique souvenirs, a sit-down restaurant and a quick service counter for your favorite Chinese restaurant fare, and a drink stall for refreshing boba tea and more.

Refreshment Outpost

This is not technically a country around the World Showcase, but it is a permanent area between China and Germany that has a food stall with drinks and sweet treats. The reason I want to highlight it is that it always has some unique flavor of soft serve ice cream, reminiscent of Dole Whip, so if you need your Dole Whip fix in this park, remember this place!

Germany

Speaking of refreshments, the Germany Pavilion is all about food & drinks! You’ll run into both the German pretzel cart and the beer stand right in front. Further inside, you can try more German snacks or indulge in an Octoberfest-themed buffet in Biergarten accompanied by a Bavarian band.

Don’t forget to visit the miniature model train village as well. Look closely at the banners. They always change to match the full-sized banners for the current EPCOT festival or event. So detailed! You can meet Snow White at select times in this pavilion too. Then, cap off your visit with some sweet treats from the Karamell Kuche shop. You won’t be able to resist the intoxicating caramel scent throughout the pavilion!

Italy

If you’re in the mood for pizza or other Italian foods and drinks, stop by the Italy Pavilion in EPCOT. Cap it off with gelato and other sweet treats at the donkey cart or gelato stand as well. Try to catch the mime performer at select times and explore the shops for Italian goodies.

America

Watch a moving story about a turning point in American history, catch an ever-changing exhibit in the rotunda, and eat some delicious barbecue all in the American Pavilion building. Outside, you can also indulge in the infamous Disney turkey leg or grab a delicious funnel cake on your way to watch the latest concert at the outside stage venue.

Japan

I think the Japan Pavilion is the most interesting one. There are so many places for fun foods and drinks, including hibachi, ramen, sushi, sake, and shaved ice, a gallery currently featuring the “Kawaii: Japan’s Cute Culture” exhibit, and a huge Mitsukoshi Department Store full of interesting Japanese souvenirs and snacks that you won’t see in other Disney stores.

Outside, you can stroll through a peaceful zen garden with a koi pond or listen to the Japanese taiko drumming at the base of the 85-foot-tall Japanese pagoda. There’s so much to explore at this pavilion.

Morocco

The Morocco Pavilion has one of our favorite restaurants, Spice Road Table, where you can have delicious Moroccan small bites and refreshing drinks right along the lagoon. This is a great place to sit awhile as you snack around the world. If you don’t see reservation availability in the app, try walking up to the check-in counter anyway and see if they have openings. They often do.

Also, there’s a water dispenser in the front check-in area to get free water even if you’re not dining there, so stop in at least for that. Explore the rest of the pavilion where you can find neat little shops, exhibits, more snacks, and even a sangria bar. The architecture and theming in this pavilion are amazing.

France

The France Pavilion is always bustling with fun food and entertainment. Explore the nooks and crannies for gelato, baguettes, crepes, and many more delicious French snacks. If you want a sit-down restaurant, you can indulge in Monsieur Paul for a luxurious experience or enjoy a casual meal in Chefs de France or La Crêperie de Paris.

Also, you can catch a video about the French countryside, sing along to Beauty and the Beast, and shop for French perfume and other unique souvenirs. Of course, join Remy on his adventure on the very popular Ratatouille ride!

International Gateway

Did you know that there’s a back entrance/exit to EPCOT between France and the UK? Right outside of it is the Friendship Boat dock that anyone can take for free to Hollywood Studios or the surrounding resorts and the Skyliner Gondola that anyone can take for free to Hollywood Studios or the Skyliner resorts. Of course, you can also walk to the surrounding resorts or even to Hollywood Studios as well.

The nearby Boardwalk area also has several restaurant and entertainment options. It’s a good place to go if you want to take a break between parks or just ride the boats or Skyliner for a fun little resort hopping trip.

Since the International Gateway is closer to the countries half of EPCOT, this is a good entrance to use if you want to get in line for the Remy or Frozen rides first thing in the morning to beat the crowds coming in from the front main entrance. Just keep in mind that you have to come from one of the surrounding resorts or take the Skyliner to the EPCOT station. You can’t just drive to this entrance or park at any of the surrounding resorts.

United Kingdom

You can chill in a traditional English garden or have fun in a lively English pub in the UK Pavilion. My favorite is to get fish and chips at the Yorkshire Fish Shop kiosk and enjoy it in the garden in the back. They’re so good, that I get cravings for them when I’m back home! If you time it right, you can even hear the band playing or meet Pooh and friends or Alice in Wonderland back there. There are also plenty of souvenir shops to get English tea, look up your family crest, and more.

Canada

Alas, we get to Canada, the last country around the World Showcase since we’ve been strolling around clockwise. You’ll probably smell the sweet scent of maple popcorn first and then see the huge totem poles as you get near it. The Le Cellier sit-down restaurant in the back of the pavilion is also very popular for its cheddar cheese soup, steaks, and more. However, we always have to get the poutine from the Refreshment Port stand next to the pavilion too, an iconic Canadian snack of crispy fries smothered in brown gravy and cheese curds. So good! Relax in the gorgeous Victoria Gardens, catch the short movie about Canada, and explore the shops for fun souvenirs as well.

More to Know

Barring some circumstances or special events, there is a nighttime fireworks show in the middle of the lagoon to cap off each night. At the time of this writing, in 2024, the show is called Luminous – A Symphony of Us. This is a beautiful show with fireworks, projections, and a touching soundtrack, and is visible from any spot where you can get a good view of the middle of the lagoon. I highly recommend that you try to stay for it. It usually happens around park closing time but check the MDE app for the night that you’re there.

During most months of the year, EPCOT hosts one festival or another. These festivals feature additional entertainment and food options throughout the park but especially around each country of the World Showcase. We love these festivals! I have separate posts about each one on this site if you are interested in more details. Search for epcot festival in the search bar above. Check the Disney events calendar to see if there’s a festival going on during your visit.

As you walk around the countries, you may also notice the little ferry boats going across the lagoon in the middle. These are Friendship Boats and are free for anyone in the park to use to crisscross the lagoon from the entrance area as you approach the countries across to the dock near Morocco. If you need to quickly get to the other side of the lagoon or just want to go on a relaxing boat ride, this would be one way to do it.

Hopefully, this gives you an idea of all the great things available around the World Showcase in EPCOT. It is so unique and different from the other Disney parks. There are so many nooks and crannies to explore for both adults and children. Be sure to plan some time here on your EPCOT day.

View additional photos around the World Showcase in my YouTube EPCOT playlist.

Learn more about EPCOT and the other parks on my Disney World pages.