Today we'll take a tour through the World Showcase to highlight some of the best things to do in each country.
I also have a quick tip to help you combine discounts to save money on your trip.
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These are notes from this episode. There's much more info included in the audio so be sure to listen to the episode for a better explanation.
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Highlights of the World Showcase
General tips
- Evenings are much more comfortable because it gets really hot in the mid-day sun, however most characters and entertainment are scheduled in the afternoon
- Characters are often easier to meet and in nice settings
- Although most entertainment is scheduled in the afternoon, there aren't many things worth planning around anymore
- The World Showcase opens at 11 a.m., though Mexico, Norway, and the bakery in France open earlier with the rest of the park
- Agent P's World Showcase Adventure and Kidcot stops are ways to keep kids interested in the World Showcase
- Illuminations is shown nightly and viewing spots are usually easy to find
Mexico
- Ride Gran Fiesta Tour inside the pavilion
- La Cava del Tequila is also located inside the Mexico pavilion. Phone chargers are available (just request it from your server).
Norway
- Frozen Ever After ride (highly recommend getting a FastPass+ if you can)
- Meet Anna and Elsa (no FastPass+ available)
- Laila perfume is sold in the Norway shop. The creator, Geir Ness, often appears.
- School bread is sold in the bakery
China
- Reflections of China movie
- Folding fans and umbrellas can be personalized with Chinese characters
Germany
- Karamell-Kuche for caramel treats
- Schofferhofer Grapefruit is available at an outside counter and in the Biergarten restaurant
- The miniature train is worth stopping to view for a bit
Italy
- Tutto Gusto Wine Cellar has a good selection of wines that they'll package safely for you to take with you
American Adventure
- Voices of Liberty is an a cappella singing group that performs inside. They stand on the left side of the rotunda, and you should try to sit on the right side.
- Following VoL performances, head upstairs to the American Adventure show right afterward.
Japan
- Kaki-gori (shaved ice) is a favorite snack of ours, available at the kiosk on the American Adventure side of the Japan pavilion
- The garden area back by the Katsura Grill Quick Service restaurant is a beautiful area to sit and have a snack
- The Mitsukoshi department store is huge and worth a visit. This is where the pick-a-pearl option is available.
Morocco
- Great character meet opportunity with Aladdin and Jasmine.
France
- Impressions de France show
- L'Artisan des Glaces has many great options, including an ice cream martini that combines ice cream and drinks into one treat
- Grey Goose Citron Lemonade Slushes are available at the kiosk near the water in France
- Lots of photo ops so look for PhotoPass photographers
U.K.
- Souvenirs of popular British shows available (Doctor Who, Downton Abbey, Sherlock)
- Red photo booths make good photo ops
- In The Crown & Crest shop, you can get your family coat of arms on a plaque
- British Revolution (a tribute band that plays music from the 60s, 70s, and 80s) is worth seeing for people who enjoy that style of music
Canada
- O Canada! show
- Be sure to go into the pavilion to see more of it, including the waterfall
- Le Cellier is delicious (especially the pretzel bread and cheese soup)
Quick tip of the day
You can sometimes stack discounts when booking through Orbitz or CheapTickets.com by using both a WDW promotion and a site promo. Important to read all of the details. Check out Mousesavers.com for more info.
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5 Comments
Hi Shannon! Love your tips and podcasts. We are a party of 10 traveling from Argentina on december… We wanted to have dinner at La Hacienda de San Angel to be able to watch the fireworks at 21:30. At what time do you recommend we make our reservation? Is 20:15 too early? will they kick us out before the fireworks begin?
Thank you as always
Just a friendly comment about the Downtown Abbey spelling listed above. It’s spelled Downton Abbey. 🙂
You can tell we love your site, I read everything. 😉
I did know that but I think autocorrect changed it when I typed up the show notes. Fixed now. Thanks!
How much time would you generally recommend to allocate to touring the World Showcase? I’ve been putting together our touring plan for October and am not sure how much is a reasonable amount of time to have to see this area….
We like to stop by the Morocco for henna tattoos – it’s become one of our trip traditions! (You can also get them done in Animal Kingdom in the Asia section of the park.)
Thanks for this episode, Shannon! I feel like I haven’t been taking full advantage of the World Showcase—mostly I snack around the world which is pretty delicious but we don’t stop for the shows. I’m planning on adding a few of your suggestions to my itinerary for my next trip. 🙂