I wanted to do a post about the hidden gems of the World Showcase in EPCOT, but I could not decide which gem to write about so I am going to do a series of posts called World Showcase Wonders. I’ll highlight one gem in each pavilion. These are features that people might not notice as they hurry from store to store and restaurant to restaurant. At the end of this series I’ll have a downloadable brochure that you can print out and take to the parks so you can see of these gems for yourself. Today we are in Morocco.
The Morocco Pavilion is one of the most beautiful places in all of Walt Disney World. The tile work (done by Moroccan craftsmen) is so exquisite that I can’t resist taking a closer look. The shops are filled with lovely exotic treasures and interesting smells. If you have never eaten at Restaurant Marrakesh I can not recommend it highly enough. I guess you could say that the whole pavilion is a gem. What then, is the hidden gem in the Morocco Pavilion? I believe it is the Cast Members.
On the counter in one of the shops is a sign telling you that a Cast Member will write your name in Arabic on a shell necklace. The flat circular shell is not very big and it seems to me that the lettering must be very small. The last time I was there they wanted $12 for this trinket. I asked the Cast Member, a native of Morocco, if he would write my name in Arabic on a piece of paper. He was very happy to do so and wrote it quite large with a sharpie pen. He turned my name into a work of art.
This is a great souvenir for anyone of any age. Perhaps the kids could get their names written in their autograph book. I had a copy of the The Imagineering Field Guide to Epcot with me and I had him write my name on the inside cover. Now, every time I read that book, I will remember visiting the Morocco Pavilion. Happiness squared.
Goofy Tip: If you want another inexpensive souvenir from your trek around the World Showcase try pressing some pennies. Each pavilion has a penny press machine with three different designs. You could decide that all your pennies will be the same pattern or pick something different at each pavilion. Either way you will have a nice collection at the end of the day.