
My friends, I’ve got the answer we’ve all been seeking. In a lull of insomnia, I took a break from exercising my extreme anxiety to worry about every possible outcome known to man and put my equally useless powers of armchair imagineering to work. In that wave of 3 am madness, I came up with the solution to a Walt Disney World problem that has been years in the making.
For just about ever, Disney fans have been asking the question, when will we see a new World Showcase pavilion, and what should it be? It’s no secret that I have been not-so-quietly cheering for an Australia pavilion that I occasionally entertain the idea of sharing (retaining a majority share) with our Kiwi mates from New Zealand. However, I’m also undeniably interested in some of the other ideas that always float around, like Greece and Brazil. So, when you are dealing with an obvious space issue and several countries that might not be able to make a new pavilion work full-time, what can we do? Timeshare.
Disney has proven its ability to throw together back-to-back event menus and seasonal decorations; why not throw all of those skills together to make a 12th pavillion that rotates in origin? A screening theatre could offer entertainment that is easily interchangeable between countries. A restaurant can shift from cuisine to cusine with only a small amount of redecoration required to set the scene. Digital wall displays could easily offer a next-level ambiance that draws you into each country as you dine. A small shop and quick service location would complete the pavilion, offering quick bites and sips that are famous for each region, and merch that is filtered to each country experience.
Since I like to take these things way too far, I’ve decided on the following seasonal lineup to start things off.
- Australia/ New Zealand
- Greece
- Brazil
- Thailand
Depending on the logistics, this could easily be switched from a quarterly four-season setup to a monthly rotation supporting up to 12 new nations. If you aren’t convinced about Thailand, trust me: the food alone is worth the investment. Not only that, but a beautiful culture and heritage will make it worth the visit. Imagine the rotation opened up to more places, offering seasonal experiences from everywhere, like Vietnam, South Africa, Iceland, Indonesia, and so many more.
So, what do you think? Would a rotating 12th pavilion help soothe our craving for new international representation?