EPCOT’s Morocco Pavilion Undergoes Renovation at Disney World

It’s renovation time at the Morocco pavilion. The menu (Flavors of the Medina) of the "Tangierine" cafe is displayed on a panel at the entrance of the establishment. The lifting boxes with arrow used for the aerial platforms are covered with green canvas and surrounded by small potted plants. The rolling planters and the aerial platform have been moved, making the facade of the "Tangierine" cafe visible. The replica of the Nejjarine fountain, a traditional rest house built in Fez in the 18th century, is still present in the Morocco pavilion.

The Morocco pavilion, one of the few pavilions operating freely at EPCOT, became the property of the Walt Disney company in 2020. The latter won its legal battle against the pavilion’s operators, who were running the shops, including the Marrakech restaurant. In April of the same year, the "Marrakech Maroccan Restaurant, LLC" company had applied for a "PPP" loan of 1 to 2 million dollars from Walt Disney following the closure caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. In September, Walt Disney World had demanded a bond against "all property, inventory, furniture and any other property belonging to the debtor that is or may be among the facilities."

This debt allowed Walt Disney to take over the operation of the Morocco pavilion. But the Moroccan embassy and the Moroccan National Tourist Office (ONMT) continue to be involved as cultural consult